Katherine Center: The Love Haters

Katherine Center is back, with two people who are not looking for love, in fact they hate it:

Katie is a video photographer and she has been given a job that is supposed to not only save her job but secure it. Now the job does come with some risks, she is shooting the promo for the Coast Guard and will need to fly in a helicopter over water, and here is the biggie, Katie cannot swim. But she cannot tell her boss that she cannot swim or else she will lose her job. Once Katie arrives at Key West, she meets the man she will be interviewing, Hutch, and he is perfect, but he is not too happy to see her, he was expecting someone else, his brother. Now Katie not only has to navigate swimming lessons but the more she gets to know Hutch the more she wants to be entangled with him but there is one problem Katie has sworn off love (her last relationship made her hate herself) and Hutch is a known Love Hater.

I always seem to find one of Center's books right at the right time for me and that means her books just  hit right. This was true with with book, I felt invested in the two main characters right from the beginning and loved the banter and awkward situations that they find themselves in over and over again,. The first time with Katie needing Hutch to take splinters out of her ass, i laughed so hard and felt her embarrassment as well. i find that Katherine's writing is not only charming but witty at the same time and just an all around fun read, especially when i need a pick me up.

I find that in the books that past few books that Center has been writing, she has taken on some medical or metal health aspect to her characters and I am for that. You can tell that Katie struggles with what she looks like and her image and while this is a main aspect of the story, I did feel like there were times where Center underplayed what Katie was struggling with. I think that if Hutch wasn't portrayed as perfect all the time, maybe this would have give Katie more to open up to him. I felt like it was a very brief moment in the book and it should be more. I would also like to have Center write a book that is Dual POV or even just a few chapters from the man's POV, I think this would be a new interesting take for her books.

George Bailey is a stand out character in this book. All books need a George Bailey in them.

I loved all the information about the Coast Guard. I feel like you can tell that center did her research about certain aspects, that I found that I gained some knowledge as well from reading this book. That would be one tough job.

I like that Center does not feel the need to add spice in her books to help sell the story. Do I mind if there is Spice in books, nope, but I don't want it to feel forced in any way, which it does in some books.

This was another fun read by Center and it makes me smile just even thinking about this book and some of the events that happen. I cant wait to see what Center comes out with next.

Enjoy!!!!

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Tee Harlowe: Potions & Prejudice

In the first in a series, Tee Harlowe brings a bit of magic into this retelling:

Elspeth Moonflower and her family have been on the run for years. They cannot stay in one place too long less people discover that her and her sisters do not have any magic, an aspect that can get them banned from their world. When their wagon breaks down one night, they are forced to to stay in the village of Thistlegrove until their wagon can be fixed. Elspeth does not trust people and does not want to linger in the town longer than needed, but they also need to make funds in order to pay to get the wagon fixed. On a chance meeting with a Warlock, Draven, Elspeth reaffirms that she will never based upon how he was treating a fellow witch. But Drave and his friend, are important figures in Thistlegrove and for the sake of her family she will try to play nice with him, but the lines between love and hate are ever thin.

This is the first book that I have read by Harlowe and it is a cute read  that is very much a palate cleanser for me, after reading the darker side of things. This book is very character driven and I wish there was more to the plot than just trying to stay on the move for Elspeth and her family. The world building is interesting, they are in a world separate that sounds medieval (one of my favourites for fantasy books) but they are aware of the human world that sounds modern as there are talk about celebrity and stardom so I do wonder how they are able to keep they two separate.

I liked Elspeth as a main character and her willingness to do whatever she can to keep her family safe is admirable however, you can tell she takes this a bit too far at times. I also enjoyed the banted between Elspeth and Draven, how after only a few moments they are at each other throats. Actually the Banter is probably my favourite part of the book, as well as Draven's little sister giving him a heart attack every other page. I think that Harlowe did really great job at building their relationship through out the book.

I found that it got spicy out of no where and I do not think that Spice was really needed in the story as we watched Elspeth and Draven relationship develop. I mean i wont complain about spice being in a story but i want it to come about naturally and not feel forced into a scene just to have it. And this is what it felt like in this book that Harlowe thought that the book needed Spice, when really it didn't. The story would have been the same with out it.

This is one to pick up if you are looking for a quick cozy fantasy read where the stakes are not too high. I'll check out another book by Harlow when I need something in that genre.

Enjoy!!!

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Jennifer Hillier: Little Secrets

Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier, has one woman living every parent's worst nightmare:

It was but one moment, but one that would change Marin's life forever. One slip of a hand, and a busy local market and her son has disappeared, taken by no one other than Santa Claus. As Marin lives each day without her son, she tries to find a new "normal" without him, but knowing that nothing will ever be normal again. The FBI search had gone cold, the public is no longer interested and the only one who seems to be looking is Marin and the PI she has hired. But instead of finding her son, Marin discovers that her husband, Derek, is having an affair and Marin is not willing to lose her son and her husband.

I have read a few books by Hillier and i think she has the ability to write really great domestic suspense books, but at the same time each of the books that I have read by her i was able to figure out the main big twist. This does not mean that I did not have a good time reading this book, I just wish that Hillier was able to shock me. I will say that this book is heartbreaking from beginning to end.

Hillier does a good job on showing the psychological toll of having a child stolen has taken on Marin and her marriage. You really feel for Marin as she tries to go about her life all these month later and put on a "Brave Face". Her only solace is her friend Sal, the group she goes too and scouring online in the dark web for someone who could be her son. I agree with her when she says that she loses a piece of her soul each time she looks. I cant even fault her thought process when it comes to McKenzie and just seeing it as one more thing she could lose. 

I appreciate that we get Marin and McKenzie POV, and I actually wasn't expecting to get McKenzie's POV so that was a nice surprise. McKenzie adds a different perspective especially in regards to Marin's  life and Marin's husband's as well.

I enjoyed this book by Hillier and although I was able to figure it out I enjoyed the way that Hillier told the story and she was able to suck me into Marin's life and her story. I look forward to reading more by Hillier.

Enjoy!!!

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Kate Posey: Serial Killer Games

Kate Posey shows what happens when you finally meet that one co-worker who gives off all the wrong vibes:

Dolores loves true crime, she loves listening to pod casts about serial killer and she is really interested in the one that seems to be in her city. Dolores is heading into work when the new temp raises all of her Spidey senses, there is no way that he is not a serial killer. Jake notices Dolores right away and he sees a kindred spirit, someone who may like to play the games he likes to play. What Jake and Dolores never thought was that the games that they decide to play will change both of their lives forever.

Alright, I think I need to state this first before you really start to read this review. THIS IS NOT A SERIAL KILLER BOOK. Good now that we have gotten that out of the way, we can continue. I went into this book, only reading the premise and in my mind I thought this was going to be something more in the vein of Butcher and Blackbird but maybe more serial killer and arm chair detective vibes. This was not what got. I feel like the book teased me for the first half of the book and it was around the middle that I realized that this was not going to be a serial killer book but more a romance one. When the chapter titles "Body Disposal" is not what you think it is going to be, it basically derailed what i thought was going to happen.

For a debut novel, I think that Posey did a good job with the story and characters that she wanted to tell. I dont know if it was her or a marketing team that decided to paint this book in a very different light than what it is.This is a extremely quirky book with extremely quirky characters who are obsessed with serial killers, the dead and death but murdering is not something to expect in this book. And to be fair Jake gives off true serial killer vibes to him, so I can't blame Dory for her thoughts on that aspect but they are really just thoughts.

Both Jake and Dory are fun characters, and just to say it one more time they are extremely quirky characters. I did end up liking both of them, Jake with his need to have everything clean and a certain way and the storm that Dory leaves in her wake everywhere she goes. I did enjoy the banter between the two of them and I appreciated that Posey gave each of them their own POV chapters in this book.

The True serial killer aspect in the book is very much a tertiary part of the story and I was able to figure it out.

Overall, I feel like the title and premise lied to me and I'm not happy about it. I think if I would have gone into this knowing what it was going to be, I would have had a different opinion and reading experience, but now i'm annoyed. I would read another book by Posey, but I will be checking out review beforehand to know what I am actually getting into.

Cheers!!!

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Jasmine Mas: Psycho Shifters

In the first Jasmine Mas shows how far one woman will go in order to survive:

Sadie grew up with nothing, she has had nothing, has been told that she is nothing and has the scars to prove that she has never felt a kind hadn't had a kind person in her life other than her sister who is away from school. When Sadie is suddenly shown to be an Alpha she is whisked away to an outpost to help protect the realm and learn how to fight. What she did not expect was three 6'5" roommates who are also Alphas and despise her from the very beginning. They think she does not belong, they think she is useless, weak and cannot fight, but she is here to prove them wrong.

This is this first book that I have read by Mas and I was sucked into the story right from the beginning and even by the end I have so many questions. Is this a literary masterpiece No, but did I have a great time reading it, Yes. If you are wanting a vibes read this is for you as this book is 100% bingeable read. You should know this going in and I think people will enjoy it more by knowing this. 

Sadie was a pretty awesome FMC, she has a pretty sharp tongue, I love her inner monologue and her shifter form is pretty amazing, plus her additional "numb" form is crazy (but in a god way). What Sadie has gone through for all her life is just a testament of her will to survive and endure and put up with what the MMC put her through in this book. What she hides from them is something so personal and heartbreaking that you can't help but root for her. 

The MMC in this book are basically assholes to Sadie from the first moment. Do they have some redeeming interactions with her in the book sure. But if you like Alphahole books you will enjoy this one and their interactions with each other and Sade. This very much has the concept of bully romance going in this book, so if that is a trope that you like you will enjoy this book.

There are quite a few things that are unanswered by the in this book in regards to world building and where the Alpha's really come from and really how Sadie is an Alpha at all. I hope that in the next book this is addressed more, but from the ending I am not sure.

Repetitive at times of small details from pages that are right next to each other, like the book needed one last edit. The repetitiveness so so noticeable that it is the same sentence from one page to the next.

I cant believe I am saying this but this book was not as spicy as i thought it would be. Like don't get me know the spice is there but just not in the way i thought it would be and i thought that it would be more throughout. The spice is for sure there but there is actually a plot in the books 

WTF, that’s how you’re ending the book, nope no, I don’t think so. Damnit now need to get the next book ASAP. 

I had a fun time reading this book, it is totally one that is bingeable and one you may want to read in one sitting if you are here for the vibes and a good time and not one that is going to change the framework of fantasy books.

Enjoy!!!

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Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti: Zodiac Academy - The Reckoning

In the next installment of the Zodiac Academy Peckham and Valenti the Reckoning is bearing down on the girls but that is not all they have to worry about:

The Lunar Eclipse holds all the power, all the answers, and most of all The Reckoning will occur. The Vega twins have no idea what is coming for them, even leading up to the Reckoning. But a dark plot is unfolding around them and they have no idea what is coming for them and who they can trust.

As the third book in the series, I knew i would have to make the decision whether i would continue on with this series or not, and i will continue on, as this book was better than the second one. This book is completely a vibes or popcorn read for some. I found myself turning the pages as fast as i could, even though it felt like nothing really happened in this book but at the same time stuff happened.

I'm here for the relationship between Darcy and Orion. I like how their relationship has progressed in each book and some of the scenes of them together in this book were extremely well done. And their relationship will have you routing for the two of them even in hard times.

I'm interested to see how a side character plays out, the Vega twins really cannot rely or trust anyone around them and I hope this continues in the series. I want more suspense of them not know who is actually around them.

I still think that this book and series has too many POV, but some of the men in this book seem to have less than the previous 2 which i am fine with. I don't think that we need that many perspectives of the same things or same even that happen throughout but i feel like i will be criticizing this for each book.

Where was the suspense? I thought it would be more high stakes especially the Reckoning part of the book and with the lack of Nymphs this book was lacking in this avenue. And speaking of The Reckoning, what Reckoning, it was such a small part of the book that I thought I was missing part of the book. It was nothing really extreme or crazy, I cant say much or I'd give it away but i was totally underwhelmed by it. For a 600 page book and one where the Reckoning was supposed to be this crazy test, you'd think more than part of a chapter would be dedicated to it.

This was a good installment into the series and I have decided to continue on with it, but in the recommended way of now switching series to the Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac. I would say read this series if you are here for the popcorn/vibes and nothing else.

Enjoy!!!!

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