New Releases ~ week of 12/31/2018

Becoming His Monster by Amelia Hutchins (#3 Playing With Monsters)
Code of Valor by Lynette Eason (#3 Blue Justice)
Crewel and Unusual by Molly MacRae (#6 Haunted Yarn Shop Mystery)
Earl of Hearts by Meara Platt (#6 Farthingale)
Families and Other Enemies by Christina Dodd (#1.5 Cape Charade)
Gates of the Dead by James A Moore (#3 Tides of War)
Murder at the Queen's Old Castle by Cora Harrison (#6 Reverend Mother Mystery)
Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet (#1 Endeavor)
One Dark Wish by Sharon Wray (#2 Deadly Force)
Retribution by J. M. Madden (#3 Dogs of War)
She Is His Witness by Michael Anderle (#2 Birth Of Heavy Metal (with Michael Todd))

Sin & Magic by K. F. Breene (#2 Demigod of San Francisco)
The Fall of Io by Wesley Chu (#2 Io)
The Outlaw and the Upstart King by Rod Duncan (#2 The Map of Unknown Things)
The Similars by Rebecca Hanover (#1 The Similars)
Under the Midnight Sun by Tracie Peterson (#3 Heart of Alaska (with Kimberley Woodhouse))

New Releases ~ week of 12/17/2018

**Slow time of year for new releases.

29 Dates by Melissa de la Cruz
Not the Duke’s Darling by Elizabeth Hoyt (#1 The Greycourt)

A Thunder of War by Steve McHugh (#3 Avalon Chronicles)
Angel of the Knight by Em Petrova (#7 Knight Ops)
Cherished by the SEAL by Zoe York (#4 Hot Caribbean Nights)
Danse Macabre by Katerina Martinez (#4 Blood and Magick)
Death Comes to Bath by Catherine Lloyd (#6 Kurland St. Mary Mysteries)
Fashions Fade, Haunted Is Eternal by Rose Pressey (#7 Haunted Vintage Mystery)
Highlander Ever After by Paula Quinn (#9 The McGregors: Highland Heirs)
Liars' Paradox by Taylor Stevens (#1 Jack and Jill Mystery)
Master of Magic by Graceley Knox (#3 Half-Blood Huntress Chronicles)
Neron Skies by Keary Taylor (#2 Neron Rising Saga)
Peanuts Every Sunday: 1976-1980 by Charles M. Schulz (Peanuts Every Sunday #6)
Pizza Party by Karen English (#6 Carver Chronicles)
Rage for Vengeance by Dusty Richards (#12 Byrnes Family Ranch)
The Cursed Sea by Lauren DeStefano (#2 The Glass Spare Duology)
The Intern by Gregg Hurwitz (#3.5 Orphan X)
The River to Glory Land by Janie DeVos (#3 Glory Lane)
The Uncompromising Lord Flint by Virginia Heath (#2 The King's Elite)

This Week's Reads

The Queen
by Siwoo Kim (website)

**I haven't actually finished a book since 11/29. Read some short stories but just having a hard time reading right now.

The Winter Long by Seanan McGuire
October Daye #8 (Goodreads)
**I'm mostly done with this one. Even though this is a favorite series this is my least favorite so far. I've found I don't actually like Toby and Tybalt together now that they've finally made it there. Something I can get past if the rest works itself out.

Half -Off Ragnarok by Seanan McGuire
InCryptid #3 (Goodreads)
**Trying some fave authors/series to get back into reading. It's been awhile since I read this series but really enjoy it. This one features a different member of the family at a zoo in Ohio.

Mycroft and Sherlock by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & Anna Waterhouse  (Goodreads)
**Not sure why this is showing as a stand alone when it is a follow up to Mycroft. I'll admit to being skeptical based on the author when I read the first book but really enjoyed it. Looking forward to giving this one a go.

New Releases ~ week of 12/10/2018

**Couldn't find much this week.

A Bad Deal for the Whole Galaxy by Alex White (#2 Salvagers)

A Baker Street Wedding by Michael Robertson (#6 Baker Street Letters)
A Moment in Crime by Amanda Allen (#2 Santa Fe Mysteries)
A Shifter Christmas Carol by Jennifer Ashley (#11.5 Shifters Unbound)
Batter Off Dead by Maymee Bell (#2 Southern Cake Baker)
Broken Lands by Jonathan Maberry (#1 Broken Lands)
Echoes of Fire by Suzanne Wright (#4 Mercury Pack)
Endurance in Antarctica by Katrina Charman (#2 Survival Tails)
Hooks Can Be Deceiving by Betty Hechtman (#13 Crochet Mystery)
Legend by Shayne Silvers (#11 The Temple Chronicles)
Pandemic by Robin Cook (#11 Jack Stapleton / Laurie Montgomery)
Permission by T.M. Frazier (#3 Perversion Trilogy)
Phoenix and the Dragon by Bianca D'Arc (#3 Lick of Fire)
The Enemy of My Enemy by W. E. B. Griffin (#5 A Clandestine Operations)
Who I Am with You by Robin Lee Hatcher (#1 Legacy of Faith)

New Releases ~ week of 12/03/2018

A King in Cobwebs by David Keck (#3 Tales of Durand)

All the Wandering Light by Heather Fawcett (#2 Even the Darkest Stars)
Bad Wolf by Anne Marsh (#5 The Breed MC)
Dead Man Walking by Pandora Pine (#9 Cold Case Psychic)
Death Knell by Hailey Edwards (#3 The Foundling Series)
Deep War by David Poyer (#18 Dan Lenson)
Defending Chloe by Susan Stoker (#2 Mountain Mercenaries)
Dragon Hopes by Rinelle Grey (#3 Dragon Island Hideaway)
Eggs on Ice by Laura Childs (#8 Cackleberry Club Mystery)
Holiday Amnesia by Lynette Eason (#7 Wrangler's Corner)
Killer Classics by Kym Roberts (#5 Book Barn Mysteries)
Lavender Dreams by Rebekah Dodson (#2 Life After Us)
Leaving Lavender Tides by Colleen Coble (#1.5 Lavender Tides)
Legacy of Light by Sarah Raughley (#3 Effigies)

Lies by Aleatha Romig (#2 Web of Sin)
Mind Games by Nancy Mehl (#1 Kaely Quinn Profiler)
Murder at the Mill by M B Shaw (#1 Iris Grey)
Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts (#2 The Chronicles of the One)
Once a King by Erin Summerill (#3 Clash of Kingdoms)
Parent's Day by Noelle Stevenson (#10 Lumberjanes)
'Roo and the Angel by Eve Langlais (#7 Furry United Coalition)
Searching for You by Jody Hedlund (#3 Orphan Train)
Stranded for Christmas by Noelle Adams (#4 Holiday Acres)
The Blackest Heart by Brian Lee Durfee (#2 Five Warrior Angels)
The Boy by Tami Hoag (Broussard and Fourcade #2)
The Darkest Captive by Gena Showalter (#14.5 Lords of the Underworld Series)
The Decoy Date by Mira Lyn Kelly (#4 The Wedding Date)
The Echo of Broken Dreams by C. J. Archer (#2 After the Rift)
The Lieutenant's Bargain by Regina Jennings (#2 Fort Reno)
Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare (#3 The Dark Artifices)
The Three Secret Cities by Matthew Reilly (#5 Jack West Junior)
Wrapped In Love by Lexi Ryan (#4 The Boys of Jackson Harbor)
Wrong Light by Matt Coyle (#5 Rick Cahill)

This Week's Reads

High Queen Margo - The Magicians
by Zarory (DeviantArt)

**I've been in a reading slump of late. Things that should only take a couple of days are taking at least a week, even when I'm enjoying the story.

The Paper Magician by Charlie N Holmberg
The Paper Magician #1 (Goodreads)
**The librarian said this was a cute series. So far, I'd agree with that statement. I really like the world and magic the author came up with. Not crazy about the main character but she's starting to grow on me.

Urban Allies edited by Joseph Nassise
10 Collaborative Stories (Goodreads)
**I love the idea of characters from favorite (different) series coming together in one story. The only pairing that I know both series is the Kelley Armstrong and Seanan McGuire. Others I only know one but hoping to maybe find some new reads from this.

New Releases ~ week of 11/26/2018

A Duke Changes Everything by Christy Carlyle (#1 Duke's Den)

A Midwinter's Tail by Bethany Blake (#4 Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery)
Affliction by Tom Abrahams (#4 The Alt Apocalypse)
Bright Light by Ian Douglas (#8 Star Carrier)
Buried Lies by Kaylea Cross (#2 Crimson Point)
Cherish by Olivia Ryann (#4 Cherish)
Choices by Mercedes Lackey (#13 Valdemar)
Cut to the Chaise by Karen Rose Smith (#8 Caprice De Luca Mystery)
Deceased and Desist by Misty Simon (#3 Tallie Graver Mystery)
Fatal Invasion by Marie Force (#15 Fatal)
Hard Night by Jackie Ashenden (#3 11th Hour)
Her Mafioso King by Terri Anne Browning (#4 The Vitucci Mafiosos)
How to Knit a Murder by Sally Goldenbaum (#13 Seaside Knitters Mystery)
Insistent by Kaylee Ryan (#4 Soul Serenade)
Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny (#14 Chief Inspector Armand Gamache)
Let the Dead Keep Their Secrets by Rosemary Simpson (#3 Gilded Age Mystery)
Numb As a Statue by Tymber Dalton (#85 The Suncoast Society)

Oath of Office by Tom Clancy, Marc Cameron (#18 Jack Ryan)
Robert B. Parker's Blood Feud by Mike Lupica (#7 Sunny Randall)
Runebreaker by Alex Kahler (#2 Runebinder Chronicles)
Secretly Dating the Lionman by Sue Brown (#2 Cowboys and Angels)
Silent Scream by Karen Harper (#5 South Shores)
Slay in Character by Lynn Cahoon (#4 Cat Latimer Mystery)
Someone to Trust by Mary Balogh (#5 Westcott)
Storm Rising by Sara Driscoll (#3 FBI K-9)
Sweet Clematis by R. Cooper (#9 Beings in Love)
The Coloring Crook by Krista Davis (#2 Pen & Ink)
The Mortal Word by Genevieve Cogman (#5 The Invisible Library)
The Name of the Rosé by Christine E. Blum (#3 Rose Avenue Wine Club Mystery)
The Novel Art of Murder by V. M. Burns (#3 Mystery Bookshop)
The Spectral City by Leanna Renee Hieber (Spectral City #1)
The Whispered Word by Ellery Adams (#2 Secret, Book & Scone Society)
Their Perfect Melody by Priscilla Oliveras (#3 Matched to Perfection)
Until Cobi by Aurora Rose Reynolds (#3 Until Him)
Violet Tendencies by Kate Dyer-Seeley (#2 Rose City Mystery)

New Releases ~ week of 11/19/2018

A Dome of Blood by Bella Forrest (#67 Shade Of Vampire)

A Rancher's Bride by Vivian Arend (#4 Heart Falls)
Blending In by RJ Blain (#10 Magical Romantic Comedy (With a Body Count))
Bring Me a Maverick for Christmas! by Brenda Harlen (#6 Montana Mavericks : The Lonelyhearts Ranch)
Crossroads by Garrett Leigh (#4 Skins)
Cursed by Keri Arthur (#2 Kingdoms of Earth & Air)
Dragonshadow by Elle Katharine White (#2 Heartstone)
Driven to Distraction by Lori Foster (#1 Road To Love)
Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin,  Doug Wheatley (A Song of Ice and Fire)

Hunter's Curse by Pandora Pine (#4 A Cold Case Psychic Spin Off)
Master of His Fate by Barbara Taylor Bradford (#1 House of Falconer)
Newcomer by Keigo Higashino (#2 Detective Kaga Mysteries)
O Christmas Knight by Em Petrova (#6 Knight Ops)
Queen of Nod by C.W. Snyder (#2 The Balance)
The Athlete by Elin Peer (#8 The Men of the North)
The Dark Days Deceit by Alison Goodman (#3 Lady Helen)
The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (#3 Rokesbys)
Unspeakable by Elisabeth Naughton (#4 Deadly Secrets)
What About Us by Sidney Halston (#4 Panic)
Wish Upon a Duke by Erica Ridley (#3 12 Dukes of Christmas)
Wrangler's Rescue by B J Daniels (#2 Montana Cahills)
Wyoming Christmas Ransom by Nicole Helm (#3 Carsons & Delaneys)

This Week's Reads

Fish to Water
by DesignbyKatt (DeviantArt)

A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos
The Mirror Visitor #1 (Goodreads)
**Found this looking for a new book on my kindle. The concept sounds promising. World broken into floating arks (islands), main character with secret abilities, and a forced marriage to someone from a faraway ark.

Boyfriend From Hell by Jamie Quaid
Saturn's Daughter #1 (Goodreads)
**I was trying to find a new UF series and came across this at the library. I don't really know anything about the series or author but willing to give it a try.

The Rule of Luck by Catherine Cerveny
Felicia Sevigny #1 (Goodreads)
**Another series that I found this week. Book 3 The Game of Luck came out recently and I had to start from the beginning. Sounds like a mix of futuristic sci-fi and urban fantasy.

New Releases ~ week of 11/12/2018

A Birder's Guide to Murder by J. R. Ripley (#8 Bird Lovers Mystery)

A Scandal in Scarlet by Vicki Delany (#4 Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery)
Ascent by Morgan Rice (#3 Invasion Chronicles)
Blood Is Blood by Will Thomas (#10 Barker and Llewelyn)
Chasing Shadows by Catherine Bybee (#3 First Wives Series)
Clip Joint by Debra Dunbar, J.P. Sloan (#3 White Lightning)
Dark Mind Rising by Julia Keller (#2 The Dark Intercept)
Death and Daisies by Amanda Flower (#2 Magic Garden Mystery)
Debris Line by Matthew Fitzsimmons (#4 The Gibson Vaughn Series)
Do No Harm by Dawn Eastman (#2 Dr. Katie LeClair mystery)
Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri (#1 The Books of Ambha)
Fireworks by Sarina Bowen (#6 True North)
Krinar Exposé by Anna Zaires (#0.5 The Krinar Chronicles)
Hell's King by Eve Langlais (#3 Hell's Son)
In Peppermint Peril by Joy Avon (#1 Book Tea Shop Mystery)
Iron Garland by Jeff Wheeler (#3 Harbinger)
Lies Sleeping by Ben Aaronovitch (#7 PC Peter Grant)
Long Road to Mercy by David Baldacci (#1 Atlee Pine)
Look Alive Twenty-Five by Janet Evanovich (#25 The Stephanie Plum Series)
Mission: Her Security by Anna Hackett (#3 Team 52)
Naughty on Ice by Maia Chance (#4 Discreet Retrieval Agency Mystery)
Pucked Love by Helena Hunting (#7 The Pucked Series)
Quin by Lia Davis (#3 Coven's End)
Seasons of Sorcery: A Fantasy Anthology by various
Sherlock Holmes and the Sussex Sea-Devils by James Lovegrove (#3 Cthulhu Casebooks)

The Dragon Ridge Tombs by Tianxia Bachang (#2 City of Sand)
The Last Duke by Jess Michaels (#10 The 1797 Club)
The Reckoning of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin (#2 The Shaw Confessions)
The Storyteller by Traci Chee (#3 Sea of Ink and Gold)
Through Blood, Through Fire by Cassandra Clare, Robin Wasserman (#8 Ghosts of the Shadow Market)
Tragic by Devney Perry (#3 Lark Cove)
'Twas the Knife Before Christmas by Jacqueline Frost (#2 A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery)
Unlocking Darkness by Kennedy Layne (#5 Keys to Love)
Whiskey Undone by Carrie Ann Ryan (#3 Whiskey and Lies)

This Week's Reads

They Come from far, far away
by eReSaW (DeviantArt)

The Robots of Gotham by Todd McAulty
(Goodreads)
**Decided to try a Sci-Fi this library trip. I'll admit to grabbing first based on the cover. I love this cover. It feels very terminator but more. Hopefully I can get into the story and it's as enjoyable as the cover.

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
The Band #1 (Goodreads)
**I found Bloody Rose on the new releases shelf and really wanted to grab it but thought I should start with book 1. They can be read as standalones but have a complete arc that runs through the three books, each featuring a different band.

New Releases ~ week of 11/05/2018

A Christmas Revelation by Anne Perry (#16 Christmas )

A Cold Brew Killing by Lena Gregory (#3 All-Day Breakfast Café)
A Season of Grace by Lauraine Snelling (#3 Under Northern Skies)
Very Dragon Christmas by Katie Reus (#8.5 Darkness)
A Wrench in the Works by Kate Carlisle (#6 Fixer-Upper Mystery)
American Operator by Brian Andrews (#4 Tier One)
Anders's Angel by Dale Mayer (#17 Heroes for Hire)
Archenemies by Marissa Meyer (#2 Renegades)
Christmas Hideout by Susan Sleeman (#3 McKade Law)
City of Secrets by Victoria Thompson (#2 Counterfeit Lady Novel)
Dark Nightmares by Becca Jameson (#4 Dark Falls)
Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews (#3.5 Hidden Legacy)
Dining With Angels by Larissa Ione (#17.5 Demonica)
Erik by Sawyer Bennett (#2 Arizona Vengeance)
Fire and Agate by Andrew Grey (#3 Carlisle Deputies)
Flashback by Shannon Messenger (#7 Keeper of the Lost Cities)
Frozen Reign by Kathryn Purdie (#3 Burning Glass)
Harvest of Secrets by Ellen Crosby (#9 Wine Country Mystery)

Hushed in Death by Stephen Kelly (#3 Inspector Lamb)
Jerusalem's Queen by Angela Hunt (#3 Silent Years)
Jigsaw by Lilly Atlas (#3 Hell's Handlers)
Kiss of a Duke by Erica Ridley (#2 12 Dukes of Christmas)
Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (#1 Debutantes)
Lost Christmas Memories by Dana Mentink (#4 Gold Country Cowboys)
Lost Lake by Emily Littlejohn (#3 Detective Gemma Monroe)
Manuscript for Murder by Jon Land (#48 Murder, She Wrote (with Jessica Fletcher))
Mass Effect: Annihilation by Catherynne M. Valente (Mass Effect: Andromeda #3)
My Gift is You by Rachel Lacey (#1.5 Almost Royal)
My One and Only Duke by Grace Burrowes (#1 Rogues to Riches)
Nighttown by Timothy Hallinan (#7 Junior Bender)
Nothing to Devour by Glen Hirshberg (#3 Motherless Children Trilogy)
On Magnolia Lane by Denise Hunter (#3 Blue Ridge)
Oracle's Haunt by Shannon Mayer (#4 Desert Cursed)

Past Tense by Lee Child (#23 Jack Reacher)
Santa Puppy by Lynn Cahoon (#9.75 A Tourist Trap Mystery)
Secrets from the Deep by Linda Fairstein (#3 Devlin Quick Mystery)
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson (#1 Apocalypse Guard)
Substitute Seduction by Cat Schield (#1 Sweet Tea and Scandal)
Texas Hold'em by George R.R. Martin (Wild Cards #27)
That Old Magic by Pandora Pine (#3 A Cold Case Psychic Spin Off)
The Catsgiving Feast by Kathi Daley (#17 Whales and Tails Mystery)
The Colors of all the Cattle by Alexander McCall Smith (#19 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency)
The Second Chance by Catherine Mann (#5 Alaskan Oil Barons)
The Sky-Blue Wolves by S. M. Stirling (#15 The Emberverse)
They Promised Me the Gun Wasn't Loaded by James Alan Gardner (#2 Dark Versus Spark)
Tis the Season by Jill Sanders (#4 Pride Oregon Series)
Umbertouched by Livia Blackburne (Rosemarked #2)
Unmask Me If You Can by Shana Galen (#4 Survivors)
Up Shute Creek by Denise Grover Swank (#4 Rose Gardner Investigations)
Wait for Me by Susan May Warren (#6 Montana Rescue)
Wolves by Nicholas Sansbury Smith (#4 The Hell Divers Trilogy)
You Don't Own Me by Mary Higgins Clark, Alafair Burke (#6 Under Suspicion)

New Releases ~ week of 10/29/2018

A Sea of Gold by Julian Stockwin (#21 Thomas Kydd)

A True Cowboy Christmas by Caitlin Crews (#1 Cold River Ranch)
Archangel's Prophecy by Nalini Singh (#11 Guild Hunter)
Barbarous by Minerva Spencer (#2 The Outcasts)
Beautiful Sinner by Sophie Jordan (#5 Devil's Rock)
Borderless by Eliot Peper (#2 Analog)
Crush by Svetlana Chmakova (#3 Awkward)
Dangerous Exes by Rachel Van Dyken (#2 Liars, Inc.)
Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly (#21 Harry Bosch #2 Renée Ballard)
Deep Silence by Jonathan Maberry (#10 Joe Ledger)
Deranged by T. R. Ragan (#3 Jessie Cole)
Drake by Kris Michaels (#11 Kings of Guardian)
Elevation by Stephen King
Embolden by Syrie James (#2 Forbidden)
Evenfall by Gaja J. Kos (#1 Shadowfire)

Fury by Rachel Vincent (#3 Menagerie)
Home Again by Shirlee McCoy (#2 Bradshaws)
Killed on Blueberry Hill by Sharon Farrow (#3 A Berry Basket Mystery)
Kiss Me at Christmas by Valerie Bowman (#11 Playful Brides)
Let Sleeping Dragons Lie by Garth Nix, Sean Williams (#2 Have Sword, Will Travel)
Murder by the Book by Lauren Elliott (#1 Bookstore Mystery)
Murder in Her Stocking by G A McKevett (#1 Granny Reid Mystery)
No Kitten Around by RJ Blain (#9 Magical Romantic Comedy)
On Blood Road by Steve Watkins (#1 Vietnam War)
Overkilt by Kaitlyn Dunnett (#12 Liss MacCrimmon Mystery)
Purls and Poison by Anne Canadeo (#10 Black Sheep Knitting Mystery)
Rescuing Mary by Susan Stoker (#9 Delta Force Heroes)
Royally Yours by Emma Chase (#4 Royally)
Seeing Red by Sarah Mlynowski (#12 Whatever After)
Shades of Wicked by Jeaniene Frost (#1 Night Rebel)
Snow in Love by Melissa de la Cruz
Snowfall on Lighthouse Lane by JoAnn Ross (#2 Honeymoon Harbor)
Sugar Spells by Lola Dodge (#2 Spellwork Syndicate)
The Corner of Holly and Ivy by Debbie Mason (#7 Harmony Harbor)
The Darkest Star by Jennifer L Armentrout (#1 Origin)
The Final Step by Ridley Pearson (#3 Lock and Key)

The Hidden Witch by Molly Ostertag (#2 The Witch Boy)
The Highlander Who Protected Me by Vanessa Kelly (#1 Clan Kendrick)
The Librarians and the Pot of Gold by Greg Cox (The Librarians #3)
The Memory of You by Jamie Beck (#1 Sanctuary Sound)
Thread Herrings by Lea Wait (#7 A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery)
To Catch A Rogue by Bec McMaster (#4 London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy)
To Vex a Viscount by Tamara Gill (#3 Lords of London)
Too Far Gone by Allison Brennan (#14 Lucy Kincaid)
Uneasy Lies the Crown by Tasha Alexander (#13 Emily Ashton)
Wolf Rising by Paige Tyler (#8 SWAT)
Wyoming Legend by Diana Palmer (#8 Wyoming Men)

Book Review ~ Sugar Spells

Sugar Spells (The Spellwork Syndicate #2)

by Lola Dodge
published by Ink Monster
expected release date: October 30, 2018
genre: YA, Supernatural, Paranormal

**Received e-book from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review and has no monetary value.

Summary (Goodreads): After her run-in with a jealous warlock, apprentice baker Anise Wise can’t wait to get back the kitchen where she belongs. But thanks to her brush with death, the land of the living isn’t all cupcakes and marshmallows.
Anise’s magical mojo is way out of whack and her evolving powers are stirring up trouble. As the town buzzes with news that Anise can bake deathly spells, unsavory characters start lining up for a taste. They’ll stop at nothing for the chance to use Anise and her witchcraft to further their own plots.
She plans to hole up researching magic recipes until the attention dies down, but then she discovers the horrifying terms of her bodyguard’s contract. Wynn has saved her life so many times, she can’t leave him trapped. But doing the right thing will mean risking death or worse—being cast out of her dream job.
For this witch, justice might not be as sweet as advertised.

My Thoughts: I love the covers for this series. They look magical and match the story inside.
Book 2 finds Anise unable to do any magical baking without ruining everything. It turns out she has some residual death magic in her system. Anise chooses to bake the death magic out by making macaroons, a lot of macaroons. She's able to put these to good use, selling to a mannikan, and getting the funds needed to get Wynn out of his contract.
I really enjoyed most of the story. In order not to ruin the bakery again Anise ends up in different places while trying to get back to just her normal fire magic. My favorite had to be Gabi's family home and the cryptozoo where her family does their vet work. I would love to have a story that focuses just on the animals. They also end up in a strange cave system that brings more bad things but also some new friends. Carrot could end up being a very fun character, especially compared to others in the same role.
Overall, I liked the story and where it ended up. I'm still not sure about the alternate dimensions so soon into the series but it worked out. Even though Wynn is not my favorite character I'm glad something good happened for him and that we got to know him a bit more. Can't say I want to see a romance between him and Anise but he's growing on me.
Looking forward to more baking, magic and vampires in Wicked Tasty.

Rating: 4

This Week's Reads

The Magic of a Tale
by Energiaelca1 (DeviantArt)

Ashes of Honor by Seanan McGuire
October Daye #6 (Goodreads)
**Continuing to work my way through this series. Sounds like all the recent changes to Toby's life are really having an effect. Like that we find out more about a semi-regular side character in this one.

The Disappearances by Emily Bain Murphy
(Goodreads)
**I found this one on the hoopla app. The cover grabbed my attention and the blurb sealed it. Interested in a town where things disappear every seven years and unraveling the reason why.

Lucifer Vol 1 by Holly Black
Cold Heaven (Goodreads)
**Trying to find a new graphic novel series to get into and I have enjoyed Holly Black's writing in the past. The reviews seemed to be mixed with most of the DC faithful not liking it. Since I don't really know DC canon as strongly, hoping that is what they are basing their opinions on.