Tag Archives: paranormal

Review of Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (Big Bad Wolf #4) by Charlie Adhara

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I received a copy of Charlie Adhara‘s Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing through Netgalley. I reviewed book one here: Wolf at the Door. Books two and three (Wolf at Bay and Thrown to the Wolves) I read by only commented on, didn’t actually review. Honestly, as a fourth book, I don’t have a lot to say about this one. But I’m posting all the same.

Description from Goodreads:

Agent Cooper Dayton is almost relieved to get a phone call from his former boss at the Bureau of Special Investigations. It means a temporary reprieve from tensions created by house hunting with Oliver Park, his partner both in work and in life. Living together in a forever home is exactly what Cooper wants. He’s just not keen on working out the details.

With a former alpha werewolf missing, Cooper and Park are loaned to the BSI to conduct the search at a secluded mountain retreat. The agents will travel to the resort undercover…as a couple in need of counseling.

The resort is picturesque, the grounds are stunning and the staff members are all suspicious as hell.

With a long list of suspects and danger lurking around every cabin, Cooper should be focusing on the case. But he’s always been anxious about the power dynamics in his relationship with Park, and participating in the couples’ activities at the retreat brings it all to the surface. A storm is brewing, though, and Cooper and Park must rush to solve the case before the weather turns. Or before any more guests—or the agents themselves—end up dead.

Review:

I think this has been my favorite of the series so far. I have always loved Cooper and Park. But here we finally see them be sweet and loving. They are so wonderfully supportive of one another, without ever being saccharine. I look forward to reading the next one NEXT YEAR.

first to burn

Book Review of First to Burn (Immortal Vikings #1), by Anna Richland

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I purchased a secondhand, paperback copy of First to Burn (by Anna Richland) in a physical store.

The cover of First to Burn

Description from Goodreads:

A soldier with secrets

Immortal Viking Wulf Wardsen once battled alongside Beowulf, and now serves in Afghanistan. He’s trusted the mortal men on his elite special operations team to protect his secret, until an explosion lands Wulf in a place more dangerous to him than a battlefield: a medevac helicopter.

A doctor with questions

Army captain Theresa Chiesa follows the rules and expects the same from others, even special forces hotshots like Sergeant Wardsen. She’s determined to discover the secret behind his supernaturally fast healing, and she won’t allow his sexy smile to distract her.

An enemy with nothing to lose

Even as Theresa’s investigation threatens to expose him, Wulf is stirred by her passion. Dreaming of love and a normal life, he wants nothing more than to build a future with her. But the lost Viking relic needed to reverse his immortality is being hunted by another—an ancient enemy who won’t hesitate to hurt Theresa to strike back at Wulf.

Review:

Pretty good for what it is. But what it is is a bit of fluff. I enjoyed the banter between the main characters and the humor of the Special Forces men. I liked that the heroine was a soldier herself and came back strong after a fairly traumatic injury. I liked that the hero wasn’t an alpha A-hole and was really responsive to any ‘no’ she uttered, without any guilting or attempted manipulation.

I did think the narrative had too much going on, the whole immortality schtick wasn’t well enough developed to actually be needed, and the villain was defeated too easily. Also, the little bit of light, kinky play as therapy irritated me. Despite all that, I’d read more of the series and certainly more by this author.

The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal

Book Review: The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal, by K.J. Charles

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I purchased an ebook copy of K.J. Charles‘ The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal and then later bought the audiobook. In the end, I listened to it.

Description from Goodreads:

A story too secret, too terrifying—and too shockingly intimate—for Victorian eyes.

A note to the Editor

Dear Henry,

I have been Simon Feximal’s companion, assistant and chronicler for twenty years now, and during that time my Casebooks of Feximal the Ghost-Hunter have spread the reputation of this most accomplished of ghost-hunters far and wide.

You have asked me often for the tale of our first meeting, and how my association with Feximal came about. I have always declined, because it is a story too private to be truthfully recounted, and a memory too precious to be falsified. But none knows better than I that stories must be told.

So here is it, Henry, a full and accurate account of how I met Simon Feximal, which I shall leave with my solicitor to pass to you after my death.

I dare say it may not be quite what you expect.

Robert Caldwell
September 1914

Review:

So good. So So good.

I bought this audiobook some time ago on the strength of being written by K.J. Charles. Then put off listening to it, uncertain if it was actually a series of short stories (a format I’m not overly fond of). As it turns out it is a series of cases, but there is enough of a plot flowing through them that I still consider it one story. And I loved that story! Robert and Simon ae characters I could get behind and the reader could absolutely feel how they became important to one another. But mostly I just adored the narrative style. The way Robert told the story. No doubt part of my love was because Gary Furlong did such a wonderful job bringing it to life. But it was such a good story, to begin with. I really struggled with wanting to listen more and get to the end and listen less so it never actually ended.