**^BOOK REVIEW- Sweep of the Blade (Innkeeper Chronicles, Book 4) by Ilona Andrews

    

Maud Demille is a daughter of Innkeepers—a special group who provide 'lodging' to other-planetary visitors—so she knows that a simple life isn't in the cards. But even Maud could never have anticipated what Fate would throw at her.
Once a wife to a powerful vampire knight, Maud and her young daughter, Helen, were exiled with him for his treachery to the desolate, savage planet of Karhari. Karhari killed her husband, and Maud—completely abandoned by his family—has spent over a year avenging his debts. Rescued by her sister Dina, she's sworn off all things vampire.
Except... In helping Dina save the world, she met Arland, the Marshal of House Krahr, one of the most powerful vampire houses. One thing led to another and he asked for her hand in marriage. She declined. Arland is not used to hearing the word 'no;' and try as she might, Maud can't just walk away from Arland. It doesn't help that being human is a lot harder for Maud than being a vampire.
To sort it all out, she accepts his invitation to visit his home planet. House Krahr is extremely influential and Maud knows that a woman—a human, with a very questionable past—who's turned down a proposal from its most beloved son won't get a warm reception. Maybe she's not sure about marrying Arland, but House Krahr isn't going to decide for her. Maud Demille has never run from a fight, and House Krahr will soon discover that there's a lot more to Maud than they're expecting. 

AMAZON LINK 

5+

For me this was another winner in this series.  I like how the beginning of each book is handled in such a way as you get a good foundation on what has happened before.  It's not an overwhelming rehashing of things but it's great for someone new to the series.  It's also a great refresher for those of us who have been reading the series.  

Maud is one unusual person with some amazing talents.  Her most important one is that she is a survivor and will do anything to see that her daughter will also survive.  She is a fierce warrior but also so tender with her daughter, Helen who she calls, "my flower."  That made me smile every time she did that.  So did Helen, who was one fierce little girl who was half human and half vampire.  She's also a little girl NOT to be underestimated because she had been very well trained to defend herself and kill if she must.  She is a force to be reckoned with, now at 5 years old and promised to be even more as she gets older.

Maud knew going in that the vampire world that she was re-entering was going to be tough.  And it was and SO MUCH more.  

There are plenty of emotions battles, plots and intrigues and Arland continues to be his charming but lethal self.   It takes Maud a long time to realize how much he loves her and he is happy for her to be herself no matter what.  He actually is in awe of her and has respected her for some time.  

The world-building continues to be excellent, with every creature, their culture, clothing and customs so well described.  It's almost like a picture with words has been painted. 

The whole story is edge-of-your- seat reading and epic battle is to be expected.    It explodes across the pages racing towards a really great ending. 

 

 

*Book Review- Devil in Disguise (The Ravenels #7) by Lisa Kleypas

    

General Fiction (Adult) , Romance , Women's Fiction

The devil never tries to make people do the wrong thing by scaring them. He does it by tempting them.”

Lady Merritt Sterling, a strong-willed young widow who’s running her late husband’s shipping company, knows London society is dying to catch her in a scandal. So far, she’s been too smart to provide them with one. But then she meets Keir MacRae, a rough-and-rugged Scottish whisky distiller, and all her sensible plans vanish like smoke. They couldn’t be more different, but their attraction is powerful, raw and irresistible.

From the moment Keir MacRae arrives in London, he has two goals. One: don’t fall in love with the dazzling Lady Merritt Sterling. Two: avoid being killed.

So far, neither of those is going well. .

Keir doesn’t know why someone wants him dead until fate reveals the secret of his mysterious past. His world is thrown into upheaval, and the only one he trusts is Merritt.

Their passion blazes with an intensity Merritt has never known before, making her long for the one thing she can’t have from Keir MacRae: forever. As danger draws closer, she’ll do whatever it takes to save the man she loves . . . even knowing he might be the devil in disguise.

AMAZON LINK 

3,5 STARS

This story although I can see it was well written just didn't grab me for some reason.  It probably should have because of good main characters and good supporting characters. The dangers were well written and there was also some humor in it as well.  One of my favorite things that made me smile was when Keir said to Merritt that she was a "a wee bully."   I also did like that Merritt's mother was unconventional and had told her when it came to something she wanted to "be fierce."  

For me, I think there was too much whiskey information although you could tell the author did their homework.  Also a touch too much Scottish phrases.  But I guess that just might be me.  It does come to a good conclusion with a unconventional H.E.A.  

  I received  an advanced reader copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

 

 

 

 

**^ Book Review- One Fell Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #3) by Ilona Andrews

    

Dina DeMille may run the nicest Bed and Breakfast in Red Deer, Texas, but she caters to a very particular kind of guest…the kind that no one on Earth is supposed to know about. Guests like a former intergalactic tyrant with an impressive bounty on her head, the Lord Marshal of a powerful vampire clan, and a displaced-and-superhot werewolf; so don't stand too close, or you may be collateral damage. But what passes for Dina's normal life is about to be thrown into chaos. First, she must rescue her long-distant older sister, Maud, who's been exiled with her family to a planet that functions as the most lawless penal colony since Botany Bay. Then she agrees to help a guest whose last chance at saving his civilization could bring death and disaster to all Dina holds dear. Now Gertrude Hunt is under siege by a clan of assassins. To keep her guests safe and to find her missing parents, Dina will risk everything, even if she has to pay the ultimate price. Though Sean may have something to say about that!

AMAZON LINK   5+ STARS 

I like that if this is the very first book you've read in this series, you still could find your way pretty easily.  I liked how what went on in a previous book is recapped in a way that wasn't overwhelming. 

It's amazing how the "guests" know the rules about quiet entry and using the back entrance but still break those instructions.  It makes for some hairy times for Dina. 

 Dina has such great creative ability when it comes to making a room personal for her new guests.  And speaking of new, her sister Maud and her daughter Helen add plenty of newness to the Inn.   Even though Maud has some of the Innkeeper abilities with the Inn too.  Helen, oh wow what can I say about her?  She may only be a 5 year old part vampire but I loved her !  She's cute, funny and fierce.  And her mother Maud will do whatever she has to when it comes to keeping her safe.

Some previous visitors show up again in this story. Arland the vampire from the Marshal from the House of Krahr  is one of those.  He is handsome, charming, funny and full out lethal. He also plays more of a part than even the previous stories.  

Sean is back but he is WAY more than just a visitor and that friendship and "romance"  get more attention.  That was really good!

Office Marais also shows up (well, he never really left) and he's still eagle eyeing Dina and the Inn.  Boy, there are some big surprises coming up in that area. 

Caldenia is still the permanent residence and once again she comes through for them when you least expect it.  She is also a hoot especially when she's in her observer mode.  She loves the drama and the excitement of danger.  She says it makes for good entertainment.  

There are twists, turns, more and more dangers coming from expected and unexpected regions. It kept me all the way in and on the edge of my seat when it comes to this story. 

I don't know how it happens but this series just keeps getting better and better.  Ok, so I'm on to the next one. 

 

**^BOOK REVIEW- Sweep in Peace (Innkeeper Chronicles Book 2) by Ilona Andrews

  

 Innkeeper Chronicles #2

Dina Demille doesn’t run your typical Bed and Breakfast. Her inn defies laws of physics, her fluffy dog is secretly a monster, and the only paying guest is a former Galactic tyrant with a price on her head. But the inn needs guests to thrive, and guests have been scarce, so when an Arbitrator shows up at Dina's door and asks her to host a peace summit between three warring species, she jumps on the chance.

Unfortunately, for Dina, keeping the peace between Space Vampires, the Hope-Crushing Horde, and the devious Merchants of Baha-char is much easier said than done. On top of keeping her guests from murdering each other, she must find a chef, remodel the inn...and risk everything, even her life, to save the man she might fall in love with. But then it's all in the day's work for an Innkeeper… 

AMAZON LINK 

5+ STARS

Yow, what a great book!  If you're looking for great world-building, great unpredictable scifi with great people with depth this is the one you will really enjoy.  I know I did.  

Dina is one special person, who the more I read about her the more I liked her.  She has honor, power and tries to her best ability to honor the rules of being an Innkeeper.  However, she is also ingenious when it comes to problem solving even though at times (like this one) it's not exactly by the book.  She's an outside of the box thinker.   The connection between her and The Gertrude Hunt Inn was both wild and endearing. Beast, Dina's pet? continues to be a great addition as is Dina's permanent dangerous guest, Caldenia.  

 George is the Arbitrator from the Office of Arbitration who is a powerful entity to deal with.  He figures in a big way in the story as does Jack and Gastan who came with him.  But there is also plenty of other powerful "people" to deal with and they have their own agendas.

Orro, was a skilled chef but also so dramatic that he added fun too. So although there was plenty of danger there was also some humor too.  And not just with this chef.

I'm used to surprises in this series but a supremely feared Turan Adin turned out to be a shocker.  But then the ending had a few more shockers in store.  I loved it.   And I'm going to keep reading this series. 

On a last note: The version I read also had some very beautiful illustrations too.   Similar to the beautiful eBook cover that I liked so much.

BOOK REVIEW- Paper Widow by Ailene Frances

   

Book Details

 When a pampered socialite in post civil war Boston seeks adventure and romance, she finds peril, heartache, and tragedy along with it.
Answering an ad in The Matrimonial News, she secretly marries by proxy, but is widowed before she gets to meet her husband. The fact that she's naïve and unskilled in the ways of love when she finally encounters the man of her dreams only adds to her situation.  AMAZON LINK

3.5 STARS

 This story turned out to be quite emotional but also with a lot of action. 

Nate has a lot of assumptions going on and quite a bit of bitterness too because of the cruelty of a former girlfriend.   He is traveling on assignment with his fellow Pinkerton's when he meets Elise. Oliver and Joseph seem like good guys although Oliver seemed a bit clueless in being an agent and keeping a lower profile.  He does a lot of boasting to others which is kind of dumb.  He's also a charming man who has an easy way around women. Joseph had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders in his personal life and seemed more mature.  One thing I found surprising is how kind of clueless they all were when it came to not blending in as they were searching for outlaws. That had me scratching my head a bit. This outlaw gang is not the only dangers that they and Elise will face though.  

Elise seems to keep jumping from the frying pan to the fire.  She was doing the best that she can though.    Even though she is put in dangerous situations most of them are because of someone else with bad motives.

Elise and Nate go through a lot before they find each other again.  So there is a H.E.A. in the story although I never really did warm up to Nate. I thought more than once, "stupid, stupid man."  So I guess in the end while it was well written, it really wasn't my cup of tea. 

 I received a free ARC of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

**^BOOK REVIEW- Cosmic Boom: Project Enterprise 9 by Pauline Baird Jones

   

If you love your chemistry interstellar, your action fast-paced, and your space opera sprawling, then grab COSMIC BOOM, the ninth entry in the award-winning Project Enterprise series, and take an exciting adventure into the unknown.

 

Book Details A critical mission, a cosmic event, and a secret….

USAF Captain Hedy Quinton joined Project Enterprise so she could travel to a distant galaxy. Excited about her first command, she never expected the headaches that would go with it. She’s dealing with a lonely AI in her ship’s systems, a really cute deck officer who used to be a robot, a disgruntled ally who wants to be in command, and a passel of possibly dubious scientists. The only thing going for her is that none of them are named Dr. Smith.

BoomerJ—known as Boom—is still getting used to his new human body. His new form feels and needs things that his robot body never did, especially when he is around his new commanding officer, Hedy Quinton. His new emotions also make him realize something else—that his new form is fragile compared to his old one.

For Hedy, the pressures of command come into sharp conflict with the longings of her heart when Boom goes down to check out the weird happenings on an unknown planet. Things don’t go well down on the planet or up on the ship, making Hedy wonder if she should rethink her life’s choices.
Can their love survive a cosmic event, betrayal, and the secret of Boom’s past, or will they be destined to be lost in space?  AMAZON LINK

5+ STARS 

This book was my first venture into this series. And I'm so glad that I took the leap.   There is such a good main character in Hedy.  I really enjoyed her humor that played out in her head.  Some funny stuff there with her phrases that pop up in her head about Star Trek.  And that's not the only funny parts that she adds.  Of course she is also a very skilled Captain.  

I liked that dual points of view were a part of the story.  It made for even more interesting reading when I got to see both Hedy and Boom 's input. Boom's struggles with the human part of his new life was SO well done.  But he will have a whole lot more to deal with because he has no memories of a certain time of his life.  They will include plenty of surprises.  The struggle with his feelings for Hedy also keep him busy.  But the attraction isn't just on his side but they will have things to work out.

Roy, the computer is even more.  More like the actual ship and that also was a good interaction. 

I've mentioned the humor but there is also great world building and more than enough danger to go around.  

I liked how the story ended and I hope there will be more stories in this series.  I adored this one.  It was so good on so many different levels.  What an adventure it turned out to be.  

 

 I received a free ARC of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Book Review- Rattlesnake Road by Amanda McKinney

   

Welcome to 1314 Rattlesnake Road—the perfect hideaway to escape your past.

 Mystery & Thrillers , Romance

After leaving her posh NYC life behind, fashion editor Grey Dalton escapes to the small, southern town of Berry Springs to pick up the broken pieces of her life. On impulse, she purchases a rumored-to-be-haunted house where she finds herself thrown into decade-old murder mystery, and onto the rocky road of recovery and self-discovery. Men are the last thing on her mind—until she meets a tattooed cowboy and a dashing businessman. One will steal her heart, the other, her soul.  AMAZON LINK

4 STARS

 

 I'm still shaking my head over this one.  It was entirely different than what I was thinking.  And it was emotional and well written.  In fact, it became a roller coaster for me.  At times, I was thinking, "I don't like this story, it's just not my cup of tea".  To all of a sudden I was liking it.  It does have some dark stuff in it that I think was what I was having trouble with.  

But then I got into the parts that I did like. And that would be the main characters, Grey, and Declan.  They both had such incredible depths to them.  There was also a fair amount of humor some it being sarcastic.  Humor that I liked no matter which category it fell into.  It made me smile when the people in this small town would greet her with, "Hey, New York."  That part never got old for me. Then there is Etta, an old lady with plenty of spunk, humor and opinions.  She helps Grey a lot.  

Another main character is that rich businessman,  Lucas who I couldn't make out what he was really like.  It didn't take long to see that he was a strikingly handsome man who is incredibly selfish.

I felt a few times that the story was kind of slow but not to worry because at a certain point it does speed up with a twist I never saw coming! That I definitely liked as well as the ending of the story.  So I'm rating it 4 Stars on Amazon because of the parts that I did like.  There were enough of them.

 This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.