Michelle Chouinard: The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco

In her debut novel (under this name), Michelle Chouinard not only takes on a serial killer but San Francisco:

San Francisco is such a nice city, but boy is it one with a history and no one knows this better than Capri Sanzio who's grandfather was the serial killer known as OverKill Bill, and who now leads serial and crime themed tours around San Francisco. But when an OverKill Bill copycat surfaces, Capri wonders if this is the time to bring out her own family's history and reinvestigate the Overkill Bill murders, as her grandfather said he was innocent till the end. When a Overkill Bill murder happens close to home, Capri finds herself and family the targets of the investigation and now she has two generations of Overkill murders to solve.

I knew as soon as i saw the title of this book i was going to pick it up. Not only did i visit San Francisco for the first time this year, I also did a murder, mayhem and music walking tour while I was there. It was great to revisit San Fransico and actually know a bit of the area that Chouinard was talking about and there was even some cross over with the murder aspect. I mean if you want to talk a history of serial killers and crime you cannot go wrong with choosing San Francisco. I loved the little serial killer facts that Chouinard shares throughout the book and were one of the highlights for me.

Although Chouinard has written novels under a different pen name, I think for the most part this book reads like a debut novel, it was missing a bit of the polish of a more seasoned author by trying to take on a lot in this book. But at the same time, I really enjoyed the approach that Chouinard took with the past and present family drama. I think that Chouinard was able to keep the suspects alive in the book.

Capri is quite a lot in this book, her brain and life are going in so many different directions. She seems like lovely person but man her brain needs a break several times in the book and as a reader I wish I had a break from her every now and then. Do i know which character Chouinard could have given a chapter or two to, No, but I just think there needed to be a break from her.

I liked that Chouinard brought in the white-collar aspect in the book and the nuances of friendships and money with the upper elite. Money and appearance is everything to people in power or people who have money.

I enjoyed this book, Capri is a bit cooky at times, but I enjoyed the twists that Chouinard kept coming even if she tries to do a lot with this book. I would read another book by Chouinard.

Enjoy!!!

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Helen Scheuerer: Blood & Steel

In the first in a series, Helen Scheuerer, one women challenges for her right to be a protector of her realm:

Althea (Thea) has always known the age that she would die, so she has been determined to life her life to it's limit till that time. What Thea has always wanted to be was a warrior, a protector but women are forbidden to wield any blades. For years she has been practicing in secret honing her skills to perfection, until one day she is caught with a blade. The price for wielding a blade is steep but she is able to plead her case to the rulers of the 5 realms. Now Thea must find her place within warriors of Thezmarr as the veil is thinning and monsters are invading the land.

I'm always up for starting a new series, especially one that already has a few books established so I don’t have to wait forever for the next book to come out. I enjoyed this book, I like the medieval feel of the world, as well as Thea as a main character, but this was a bit slower than i thought it was going to be. With the medieval feel, I thought there would be more battles and fights but instead there was more character and relationship building. Even the times they are in lessons did not feel as fleshed out as they could have been.

I really enjoyed Thea as a character and her struggles of who she wants to be as well as her relationship with her sister Wren, who just thinks that she should just accept her position in life as a women. You cannot help but cheer for her in her want to be a warrior and show what she can do. I will say that Thea does come off younger with some of the choices that she makes, more late teens and someone in her 20s, but maybe that is due to the product of her upbringing. I also adored her friendship with Cal and Kipp, they are quite the Trio and it was great to see how much they supported each other.

If you like you a broody MMC then you will enjoy Wilder. Was a bit too broody? Maybe at times, I'm honestly more interested in his fighting ability and what he can do than the tension between him and Thea.

I will say that Scheuerer was able to shock me with one twist coming and wow some betrayal in there as well, was nicely places.

Medieval type world, with the veil coming down between the two worlds, which causes monsters to be released on the human side of the realm. This does lead to some monster fighting, but there is really only one big scene of it. I also do not 100% understand the magic system that is in place here but I feel like it will be explained in the next book (and this is just based upon the events of this one).

Although this as a bit slower than I expected, I was really invested in the characters and even the world that Scheuerer has placed them in. I look forward to continuing on in the series.

Enjoy!!!!

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Stephanie Archer: The Wingman

This is the third book in the series, and the people from previous books do make some appearances in this book (they are a Hockey Team after all) I do think that you could read this as a stand-alone.

Stephanie Archer is back with the next Vancouver Storm player and this time it's all about being a good Wingman, on and off the Ice:

Darcy is just getting out of a long-term relationship and engagement that had been failing for the past years. And what better way than to move on is to move in with her Best Friend Hayden and convince him to be her Wingman as she tries to navigate the dating (and hooking up world). But when out practice flirting and kissing sessions push the bounds of their friendship, Darcy and Hayden are not sure where the other stands. All Hayden knows is he hates seeing Men hit on Darcy and all Darcy knows is that Hayden has always been a playboy who doesn’t do relationships. But Maybe just Maybe this Wingman has been waiting for Darcy all along.

I have really enjoyed the first two installments in this series. I like that Archer writes about adults and more mature relationship but keeps me laughing at the same time and this book is no exception. Hayden and Darcy are so cute together in their interactions that you can’t help but wonder why they do not see it (many of the other Hockey guys do though). I personally do not I like the miscommunication trope, to me I just find to frustrating that people cannot just talk about things. I understand it going on for a bit as two people, who are best friends try to figure out a new dynamic, but I felt like it went on a bit too long in this book.

Honestly, how could you read this book and not love Hayden and Darcy by the end of this book. They are extremely cute together and i cannot get over how supportive they are as each other as well. How Hayden just supports Darcy to be who she wants to be and to be her true self is just swoon worthy. The thing that does set them apart is that they do have history together, one as Best Friends since College but still History. Plus, when Hayden finds out how Kit had been treating Darcy in their relationship, he knew he had to do everything to help her. 

I like how Archer throws out a social more series issue in her books and in this book, it is women in STEM. I love how Archer wove it into the plot so that it makes sense and isn’t just thrown in there to have it.

I did see a few similarities from the first two books in the series in regard to plot points or scenarios. Also, I think the book needed more Garden Gnomes (Yes, I am series about this).

If you enjoy the tropes of Friends to lovers and Roommates, then this book is for you. Throw in some witty banter and jokes and some spiciness later in the book, I'm sure you will enjoy this. 

This is a great addition to this series. I devoured this book and if it was not obvious above, I just adored Hayden and Darcy. Can't wait for the next book in this series. Can’t wait for the next book in this series that is teased quite a bit in this one.

Enjoy!!!

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Stephanie Wrobel: The Hitchcock Hotel

Stephanie Wrobel shows that anything Hitchcock inspired ends with a body: 

Alfred Smettle is not your average Hitchcock fan, he is a fanatic to the point that he decides to open his own Hitchcock inspired Hotel. And what better way to celebrate the hotel being open for 1 year than to invite his old college friends who were part of a Film Club. Never-mind that they have not seen each other since College, Never-mind there is some bad feelings and blood among the group. They will appreciate what he has created here, especially when Hitchcock like events start to happen, including a body.

This is the first book that I have read by Wrobel, so I was not sure what to expect going in. This was a slower pace than I thought it would be and then the ending seems to be a bit of a whirlwind with everything being revealed. I wish things would have progresses a bit faster with some of the backstory and what Zoe kept accussing Alfred of as we are the readers are left in the dark the majority of the book. It is this history that is key to a lot of what is going on in the Hotel and I wish Wrobel would have sprinkled a bit more of the juicy stuff throughout the book instead of having most of it come out in the last third. I think readers would still not see all the twists coming that Wrobel has in this last third but I think that it would ahve help the book's pacing and intrigue level.

If you are looking for and atmophere it book, this book is for you. Wrobel really catches the essence of Hitchcock with the tension and drama that plays out in this book. I could perfectly picture the hotel and the creepiness that it was designed with all in a balck and white scope to make it feel like a hitchcock movie.

You have to be okay with Multiple POV as each character in this books basically gets the same amoutn of page time as others do. I don’t really know if i actually liked any of the characters in this book, they all say some pretty horrible things to each other, especially towards Alfred and it seems to me a lot of them were still stuck in that College/high school frame of mind. Alfred is by far the most interesting character in the book and Wrobel writes him as such a way where you can’t help but think he is diabolical and manipulative in every way. The other characters got more interesting the book went on.

Alright, straightup this book and twists did now go how I thought it would at all. You know at the beginning there is going to be a body but you don’t know who or when in the story it is going to occur. I think that Wrobel did a great job of having basically everyone up for grabs of who was going to end up dead.

This was a good book, but I think the slowness in the beginning really hurts it and I will admit that I was not picking it up as much as I would have if it was a faster paced thriller. I still think that it is one that people will enjoy espically if they are Hitchcock fans and like a more atmosphereic read.

Enjoy!!!!

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Sangu Mandanna: A Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

Sangu Mandanna shows that a place can Nowhere House can actually lead somewhere: 

Mika Moon has been taught that she and every other witch, has to hide their magic and not draw attention to herself at all. Mika has been pushing the line on this with making TikTok videos of her making potions. It is these videos that lead to a very unexpected email of some people who are searching for a witch to teach three young witches how to control their magic. This Breaks all the rules but they desperately need her and not going is not an option. Once Mika arrives at Nowhere House, she gets entangled in the lives of all those living there, the girls, an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two caretakers and the librarian Jamie, who is convinced that Mika is a threat to Nowhere house. As Mika starts to settle in to Nowhere house, the increasing magic in the area is not the only threat that will come knocking on the door. 

This is the first that I have read by Mandanna, so i was not sure what to expect, but I was completely enchanted by the book that Mandanna created. This book was a great comfort read, it is just whole heartly sweet and naive, probably my favourite cozy read so far this year. Mandanna created just a great story of found family that just pulls at your heartstrings throughout the book. 

I loved Mika as a character, and you cannot help but feel for her who is only looking to be loved and a place to belong. Mika has a troubled past, that is not dark, but one of loneliness. Because of the rules that have been created by the head of the Witches Society, that witches need to be alone, Mika has been alone since she was a child. I love how Mika handled magic, what she can do with Magic and how she tries to teach the children it. Mika has so much love, caring and fight within her, that you cannot help but love her.

Even the magic is more magical in a way as appearing as gold dust to those who can see it. I loved that magic was all around, and they had to harness it from nature, or from natural phenomenon. 

The one part I do not understand, or what was not fully dealt with in the book, is the curse that has been places on all witches, that all witch mothers die after they have a witch child. I'm not sure if we are going to get another book in this world and this seems like a big aspect to not clear up. As it is one of the main reasons that Mika is alone.

I really enjoyed my time reading this book. I highly recommended if you want something a bit cozy this spooky season. I’m excited to check out the other book that Mandanna has released.

Enjoy!!!!

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Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti: Zodiac Academy - The Awakening

In the first of a series Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti shows that your fate can always change but may be not for the better:

Twins, Tory and Darcy went from one foster home to another growing up, but now that they are living on their own, they are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. That is until they find out that they are changelings and not only are they Fae but Heirs to the throne. But there are many that do not want Tory and Darcy to return, and at the head of this is the Heirs. The sons of the four power houses, Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and they have plans to rule in their stead. So they have hatched a plan, make Tory and Darcy’s lives a living Hell at school, who comes out on top, it will be whom ever have not only the most power, but the highest Will.

This is the first book a I have read by Peckham and Valenti and I won’t lie I totally picked it up because it was touted as Harry Potter but for adults. And let me tell you I did not want to put this book down. Every moment I would get in to read even a page or two I was. I think this also says something about the writing style, as it was easy to read and follow what was happening.

I don’t think I have read a bully romance before this book, so i was not sure what to expect, or like what level of bullying does it get to. And let me say it gets pretty extreme in both the mental and physical by the end. Is it all a bit heartbreaking and disturbing at times? Yep but it kept me glued to the pages. Also the idea of consent is played with quite a bit in this book, especially when it comes to the Heirs, teachers and other teachers using their powers on Tory and Darcy, as they are easy prey as they don’t know how to use their powers.

I was drawn more to Tory as a character than Darcy. Tory just has the bad girl don’t give a fuck attitude down, was slightly more of the risk taker of the two (though Darcy does try at times) and not one to show her feelings at all. I just found that with Tory’s POV more interesting aspects of the plot seemed to happen to her rather than Darcy’s. I found with Darcy’s POV a lot of it was about Lance and more Lance.

There are ALOT of POV and do we really need all of them? I mean I understand why we need them from Tory and Darcy’s POV as well as Lance but do we need them from all the heirs? They sometimes are just saying the same things but in a different way and for the most part they have the same feelings about Tory and Darcy. It just felt a bit repetitive at times and I struggled a bit to remember who’s who especially at the beginning.

I’m really interested in learning more about the Nymphs and their desire for magic. I feel like there was some sort of betrayal in their history that started this war. I also want to know why their dad was called the Savage King. Like what did he do to really earn that Title? 

I thought it would be spicier that it was, people always say this is a spicy series but I am going to guess that happens at a later in the series.  I also found it a bit predictable at times, like you knew that the Heirs planned a lot of the time, as we have their POV.

I really enjoyed the start of this series and am prepared to keep going on this series. I really need to know what happens after the ending of this book, as wow it was intense. I really look forward to seeing where Peckham and Valenti take the characters and series.

Enjoy!!!

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