Leopard's Hunt by Christine Feehan

Leopard People #14
Rating - 1/2
Release - February 20, 2024
Genre - Paranormal Romance / fated mates
POV - Multiple 3rd person
Heat - descriptive
Source - copy provided by the publisher
Length - 396 pages



Gorya and his family were tasked with taking over several territories, clearing them of trafficking, by any means necessary. No one really expected much from Gorya. He was the quiet cousin, unassuming and the peace keeper. Beneath that calm facade lurked the deadliest predator of them all... and it seemed that Maya was the first to recognize him for exactly who he was.

I thought that missing a few books in this series would leave me blind to the wonder of this story, but I was immediately absorbed, not missing a single moment. I was caught up in the connection Gorya and Maya shared, the way their wolves maneuvered them together (or manipulated, depending on how you see it), and the incredible action scenes that the author let play out. Gorya was a dangerous being, but with Maya... these two were lethal.

I admired both characters for their strength, and not just the physical kind. They endured such horrors as children and young adults, but turned that trauma into a passion to right the wrongs done to them. They shared an almost symbiotic connection, both from their pasts and the leopards that were driving them. I loved Gorya for his patience and understanding, Maya for her willingness to try. They made my heart hurt in the best way.

With the amount of voices contributing to this tale, there was no shortage of detail or nuance to this story. Doing bad things for the right reasons should be their motto. I loved this couple so much and I can't wait dive into the books I missed.



Christine Feehan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author multiple times over with her portfolio including over 70 published novels, including five series; Dark Series, Ghostwalker Series, Leopard Series, Drake Sisters Series, the Sisters of the Heart Series and Torpedo Ink. All of her series have hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestselling list as well. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature (PEARL) in 1999. Since then she has been published by various publishing houses including Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards since Dark Prince.

IN HER WORDS:
I've been a writer all of my life -- it is who I am. I write for myself and always have. The ability to create pictures and emotions with words is such a miracle to me. I read everything; I mean everything! All kinds of books, even encyclopedias. I am fascinated by the written word and I love storytellers. It is a great privilege to be counted one myself.

Visit http://www.christinefeehan.com for more information.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Cerulean Chronicles #1
Rating -
Release - March 17, 2020
Genre - Fantasy / found family
POV - Single 3rd person
Heat - none aside from a kiss
Source - ebook from the library
Length - 393 pages



I know, I know. I'm late to this author and the stunning way they put together words. Who knew I was truly missing out?

Linus Baker was the epitome of a perfect social worker—he genuinely cared about children and their safety; he prided himself on remaining objective; and he took meticulous notes and prepared detailed reports. When he's given the task of investigating an orphanage that has been given the highest classification, he knows, before he even steps foot on the island, that he's in over his head.

These characters quickly won my heart and I was so sad to let them go when I got to the end.

1. Talia is a female gnome, with a love of gardening, gardening tools, and digging holes (for reasons);
2. Theodore is a wyvern, who communicates with chirps, collects treasure, and is generally fun-loving;
3. Phee is a sprite who is coming into her own powers with the help of Zoe (an adult sprite). There's a fierceness to this little girl that is hard to ignore;
4. Chauncey is a little boy of a species no one recognizes. He wants everyone to get along and his greatest wish is to be the best bellhop in all the lands;
5. Sal is a gentle soul who, after many years of abuse, is easily frightened. He's slowly healing and I lived for every moment of his recovery; and
6. Lucy is the antichrist, however, if you look beyond the moniker he had no choice but to have, you'll find a mischievious little boy who enjoys all things death and grossness. There's a sweetness to him that defies every preconceived notion of who we think he should be.

As the story progressed, I found myself developing a certain degree of fondness with everyone and my capacity for caring only grew as the story did. I loved watching Linus flounder with everything he knew and all of the things he was learning. He discovered a zest for life on this island, with these people. A level of self-awareness, a sense of questioning the world around him and the way we treat others. A newfound hope and appreciation for the differences between us all.

This story took a firm jab at discrimination and I can't wait to read the sequel, Somewhere Beyond the Sea.

Check out the incredible fan art for The House in the Cerulean Sea. The creator captured these characters BEAUTIFULLY!!

TJ KLUNE is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, Lambda Literary Award-winning author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door, In the Lives of Puppets, and the Green Creek Series for adults, the Extraordinaries Series for teens, and more. Being queer himself, Klune believes it's important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive queer representation in stories.

Visit https://www.tjklunebooks.com for more information.

Shadow and Ice by Gena Showalter

Standalone - Gods of War #1
Rating -
Release - October 23, 2018
Genre - Paranormal Romance / forced proximity
POV - Dual 3rd person
Heat - descriptive
Source - ebook from the library
Length - 480 pages



It's the All War and each participant is prepared to eliminate every one of their opponents... until a human enters the fray and freezes them all for many, many years. When the thaw starts to happen, another human stumbles upon the combatants and might be the very change that most of them have been looking for.

Vale wasn't prepared for all that her future had in store, but she seemed to be enjoying every moment of it. That probably had a lot to do with Knox. This male was so scrumptious. Who doesn't love a grumpy warrior who is only weak for his female? He was determined to win, at all costs, but winning meant ending Vale's life and he slowly started to recognize that he wasn't willing to do that.

Only now, in this moment, did he understand and accept that he'd lost the war the second they'd met. The All War, yes, but also the war within himself, and even his private war with Ansel. In order to grab hold of Vale and keep her safe, Knox had to let go of his vengeance.
He chose her. He would always choose her.

There was so much to this story and there seems to be so much more to come. Who is Vale's sister's intended? Will it be a 'why choose' kind of story? Will Vale and Knox be the answer to end all All Wars?

He exuded enough power to crush... anyone. And he was heart-stoppingly gorgeous. The kind of gorgeous that stole your breath and your thoughts and incinerated your panties. One look at him and she was certain she'd ovulated.

I swear, every time I pick up a book from this author, I'm amazed. It's thrills and chills, action and suspense, steaminess and some weird sort of symmetry in the sensuality of the characters, and so much more. I'm still pretty new to the Showalter worlds, but I'm definitely a fan.


Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of a multitude of sub-genres within romance: paranormal, Fantasy, contemporary, and young adult. She’s also written standalone novels, novellas and anthologies, as well as co-authored a nonfiction guide about how to write a book in a year.

Gena lives in Oklahoma with her husband, two adult children who grew up way too fast, and menagerie of dogs and cats who enjoy farting while she works, walking across her keyboard during pivotal scenes and demanding pets at all hours of the day and night. Her novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan’s Red Hot Reads and Seventeen magazine. She’s been interviewed on Nightline and mentioned on Orange is the New Black—the very moment her family decided she might be a real writer after all.

Chances are good she’s hard at work on her next novel. Chances are even better that the book is a twisted tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who (lovingly…sometimes) kneecaps him.

Visit https://genashowalter.com for more information.

Bound to the Shadow Prince by Ruby Dixon

Rating -
Standalone
Release - July 2, 2024
Genre - Fantasy Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Heroine 1st person
Heat - explicit to filthy
Source - eARC from NetGalley
Length - 536 pages




After many, many years of a tentative truce, two kingdoms were on the brink of war. The only thing that has kept the people blessed is the seven years committed to the tower. One person from each faction must sacrifice these years to calm the goddess. Two people prepared to be shut off from the rest of the world, their people, their freedom.

Princess Candra was not prepared. As a last minute fill-in, this spoiled brat had no idea what she was in for. There was no one to dress her, bathe her, prepare her meals, or generally make her life easier. She had to do everything herself, including preparing and administering her medicine. Girl was absolutely clueless and provided me with endless fun, at her expense.

So there Candra was, with a chronic blood illness, trapped in a tower with one of the enemy. However, Nemeth was far from the bad guy. He took care of her, shared his supplies with her, and made her fall helplessly in love with him. And when I thought that was all for this story... the author gifted me with so much more.

There was danger and intrigue, honor and betrayal, tons of love and sexy times.

If you weren't a fan of this author before reading this book, you'll be one after.



Ruby Dixon is an author of Science Fiction Romance. She likes fated mates, baby-filled epilogues, and cinnamon roll heroes. She also likes to write biographies of herself in the third person, because it feels more important that way.

Ruby also loves coffee and dirty books and will probably be a cat lady at some point. :)

Visit http://www.rubydixon.com for more information.

Hello hello! I'm back with some more books that didn't really work for me, but might be winners for you.

Let me know if you've read any of these or plan to. I'd love to know your thoughts :)

Finding Gray by K.L. Kreig

Contemporary, dual pov

Cocksure. Suave. Untouchable.

Gray Colloway is the very definition of these. He’s also sweet, drop dead gorgeous, and relentless in his pursuit of me. But I don’t let people in my inner bubble. That only leads to heartbreak. After I turn down his initial proposition for a date, he shows up where I work day after day until he finally wears me down and I give. I want to let him in. I do, but will Gray be able to truly break down barriers it took others a lifetime to shape?

Livia Kingsley is the entire sexy package. Outside of swimming curves and that angel’s face, she’s smart as hell, witty, and all fucking mine. I knew it the moment I laid eyes on her. Her resistance to give me a chance is cute and weak. And straight up futile. The harder she pushes me away, the harder I push back. But she gives in and our chemistry is off the charts hot, just as I knew it would be. And three years later when she agrees to be my wife, I am the happiest man alive.

Until she ruins me.

Pearl White by Lindsay Marie Miller

Mystery

It’s senior year at Maple Creek High. And Savannah is swarming with gossip about who killed the star quarterback.

Last summer, Addie Smith thought she’d witnessed her last murder. But when a letter arrives from France, she must revisit the past.

A French count invites Tom and Addie to spend Christmas with him in Paris. Hesitant at first, the young love birds fly to the romance capital of the world. But the count is haunted by a woman from his past.

A woman who spoke of an emerald necklace…

Goodnight, Nic by Marley Jacobs

Twenty-four-year-old Nicole Fletcher is having a rough summer. The woman who raised her is dying and there’s nothing she can do about it. Nothing but find solace in the forbidden fantasies starring her best friend’s younger brother. Nic knows there are some lines you can never cross – but when it comes to “little” Landon Pike, she kind of already has. She tries to stay away but when your world is falling apart, you can’t help but fall right along with it. Good thing Landon refuses to let her fall alone.

Last Night by Luanne Rice

A fierce blizzard is burying the eastern seaboard, but on the icy Rhode Island shore renowned artist Maddie Morrison finds warm sanctuary from a contentious divorce at the legendary Ocean House. Hours later, her body is found buried under a blanket of snow and her little daughter, CeCe, has disappeared without a trace.

For Detective Conor Reid; his brother, Tom, a coast guard commander; and Maddie’s grieving sister, Hadley, the posh hotel becomes ground zero for an investigation. Trapped by the blizzard, they must hunker down and determine who in the young mother’s life could have possibly wanted her dead. There are stories of a twisted romantic past. Of old jealousies and resentments that still cut to the bone. And a history of greed, rage, and revenge that created the perfect storm for murder. A storm that has just begun.

I picked this one up as a Prime First Read and I have no regrets. Last Night was more of a murder mystery than a thriller, imo, and I can honestly say that I didn't immediately figure out who the doer was, which is always a bonus for me. It took a while to even guess who might be involved and I couldn't begin to understand the many moving parts to this plot. The author did a great job of feeding me misleading clues and I loved that. From the cop who was out of his jurisdiction, the seemingly bumbling cops who took over the scene, the grieving sister, and the cop's girlfriend who was an amateur sleuth, I was entertained. I'd definitely be down to read another mystery from this author.

3.5 stars

Cluelessly Yours by Max Monroe

The bad news? Getting hit by a cab can officially get crossed off my bucket list.

The worse news? While I’ve woken up from my coma, the man I’m in love with hasn’t stirred from his.

And the most terrible news of all? A pregnant woman is at his bedside, holding his hand, and saying that he’s the father of her baby.

Sammy Baker is a divorced, single mom trying to find her way again. With two boys and an absent ex-husband, she’s got the world on her shoulders and Legos under her feet.

Amid the chaos lives the dream of, one day, finding love again.

Though, she didn’t think that would land her smack-dab in the middle of two men.

Will Sammy choose the successful businessman who doesn’t hesitate to tell her he’s interested? Or will she go for the eligible bachelor doctor with a constant influx of women vying for his attention?

The smart choice and what the heart wants are two different things. And sometimes, fate has a way of making it so the choice isn’t ours at all.

Thanks to Deanna at A Novel Glimpse, I picked this one up in KU because I was looking for a good laugh. And while I didn't laugh, AT ALL, I did enjoy myself for the most part.

Sammy went from being a single mom, fresh from an awful marriage and divorce, with zero romantic prospects... to a single mom with two gorgeous men at her fingertips. Who to choose, who to choose? I would have went with the doctor, but I'm not her and I had to watch her go through the motions of figuring out her best move.

Whatever this story was trying to give, I missed it. I didn't really like Sammy, I really liked Noah (and thought he deserved better than Sammy's MANY assumptions), and I was amused by the twist of events the authors created. I don't know about anyone else, but I was more invested in Sammy's sister's story than this one. I'm thinking I'd probably prefer it.

3 stars