nikkisbooknook's reviews
4946 reviews

 A cosy mystery set in a small town in England's suburbia, an Am-Dram society and a Hollywood starlet - not things you'd usually lump together.  Our trio of amateur sleuths are back in action and Judy has an actual reason to get in on the action this time - she's present when the body is found!

Whilst not a locked room mystery as such, none of our suspects has an alibi, red herrings abound and the person least likely should have been a suspect. Mrs Eddington is the epitome of a small town "big fish" who thinks the world revolves around her and thinks she's ever so important - I loved the way Judy basically gazumped her with the big reveal, lol.

The writing is snappy and witty and the perfect amount of tense.  The final few pages have set up the next book well and it looks like Judy may be in trouble...again.

I really enjoy this series and I'm a big fan of Death in Paradise (and all its derivatives) too. 

Paranormal romance with YA shifters, fated mates and an FMC in peril!

Calvin may not have wanted to meet his mate quite so soon but is Paisleigh his mate or just a female in need of protection who gets under his skin?

Calvin rode the line of possessive/protective well and he was a complete caveman occasionally where Paisleigh was concerned.  Well, she did have traffickers after her!  There were a few plot twists to keep things interesting and I'm always up for a cameo from another series and it was great to see the Guardians turn up. 

As a proud Autism Auntie I loved the way the condition was written and I'm here for more representation!

C/TW: Mental Health - Autism, trafficking, abduction. 

 Saphira has made her dream come true - she's opened her café, one specifically welcoming baby dragons and their owners.  Due to the very temperamental nature of baby dragons they tend to set things alight, so Saphira gets a small stipend from the town to repair damages.  But she's running herself and Lavinia ragged.  They really need a break and then catastrophe happens.  A baby dragon takes out their fancy coffee machine!

Aiden may be from a prominent dragon-owning family but he's much happier pottering around in gardens.  After the death of his brother he inherited his dragon egg, which has now hatched.  Sparky is cute as a button but Aiden finds himself struggling to bond with the baby.  Saphira however, seems to be able to get the little menace to behave and Aiden persuades her to help him train Sparky - with a cash injection to her business.

Whilst Aiden, Saphira and Sparky are the main characters in the book, the secondary characters of Lavinia, Theo, Emmy and Ginny are all worthy characters.  They help to move the story along and flesh out our MC's world and family. The story is most definitely low angst and no spice (only a bit of lip locking and everything else is essentially fade-to-black).  This could be a contemporary romance as without the dragons everything else felt very real world and contemporaneous.  However, I think that this would be a great introductory book into fantasy for older children/teenagers or anyone who is unsure if they would like a heavier fantasy storyline.

That said there are some big themes couched in cosy terms such as being seen as the outcast/other, not fitting in, grief and stress.

Saphira is like human sunshine and optimism.  Aiden is cranky, principled and out of his depth.  He's also deep in grief and can't quite work out his feelings over the death of his brother and trying to keep Sparky out of the family "business".

I was happy to see that there are going to be more books in the series featuring some of the secondary characters.  My only real criticism is I would like to have seen more done with the possibility of Saphira's father and her mother's death.  It would have added a bit more body to the story I think. 

 Barry is missing his late wife, loves his kids and his pet Gecko and he's over 60 but he's not quite out to pasture yet, thank you very much. HIs daughter convinces him that it's time to move into an assisted living facility, with graded care for him as he ages.  He's determined to live the way he wants, solitary and content but Beth drags him out of his comfort zone.

Beth, his high school sweetheart, is determined to grow old disgracefully.  She has no desire to sit in a chair and atrophy and she cajoles Barry into being her accomplice!

Before he knows it Barry has traded in his sensible car for a souped up Mustang, their new getaway car and they take off on a road trip to right some wrongs and help out some folks on the way.  From Minnesota to Florida and back these sexagenarians are causing mayhem, fighting injustice and picking up an accomplice or two on the way.

There are some strong themes couched amongst the humour: domestic assault, mass shootings, hunting, and ageism—themes I really could get behind and cheer for our protagonists as they dish out their own brand of justice.

The epic downfall of their final "victim" was chef's kiss and I cackled way more than was polite, lol.  I'd love to have more adventures with Barry and Beth! 

Our former Ghost Ops series is coming to an end and Parker and Jenna have a fugitive to find!

Parker claims he went to Alaska to decompress but is he kidding himself?  Is he actually hiding out from his demons rather than facing them?  But with a friend like Vander Norcross, Parker will not be hiding out for long!  Vander has "volunteered" him to assist with a fugitive manhunt which has hit close to home for Ghost Ops.  One of their former colleagues, a complete waste of space, has turned r*pist and murderer.  They cannot allow him to besmirch the good (but secret) name of Ghost OPs.

Jenna's blood is boiling.  The Marshalls have lost good people, the state troopers were injured and a hedonistic killer is on the loose. Again!  Worse, she's now got to work with some civilian.  But soon after meeting Parker she realises that he may be the best weapon in her arsenal.  They tear around Alaska looking for their fugitive and end up in a one-bed, fake married scenario and I'm here for that every damn time. A one off fling? Eh, not likely!

There are lots of important themes laced throughout the book including redemption, mental health, trauma, redemption, survivor guilt and finding peace.  There are some TW that some may find necessary: R*pe and murder is mentioned and threatened to a character, PTSD, traumatic childhood, torture.

Parker is a wonderful MC as he may be rough, tough and dinged around the edges but he is aware that Jenna is a tough cookie herself and well able to care and defend herself.  She gives as good as she gets and is no wimpy damsel.  Jenna can see right through that gruff exterior of Parker's and isn't above a bit of mental manipulation to get him on side.

There are some great secondary characters, including Jenna's protégé and there's even a visit from Vander and the remaining Ghost Ops members.  An epic banter fest when this lot gets together and I had a full technicolour movie playing in my head for the big finale - theme music and everything lol!

Please do not miss out on this fantastic series. 

 The Bastard King left us in a bit of a dilemma and now we get to see just how our intrepid Dragon and Hellhound get out of that mess!

Villette is the villain we love to hate but now Miena is free and it would appear she is a bigger b*tch than her sister! But can the dragon kings trust the star person to honour her promise to help them? So far she has only served herself.

There is plenty of action, intrigue and smexy moments. There is an epic battle brewing and it may spill back to Earth.  So will the King's allies; the Skye Druids, Reapers, Hellhounds, etc. be strong enough to win against their enemies?

This duology definitely needs to be read in order and if possible as part of the wider Dragon Kings/Dark Universe world as it really will help to keep all the different supernatural creatures/star people/Fae distinct and the overarching stories will make much more sense. 

Devynn and Seth may have escaped their troubles in the 1920's but they stepped right into more troubles in 1884 Flagstaff!

Now they have to make an alliance with witches and warlocks from another coven, all whilst trying to figure out how to get back to Devynn's present and Seth's future. They're hiding out with the assistance of the local warlock leader but it's a bit of an uneasy truce. Devynn's powers are still glitchy and even though related to the Wilcox clan, she'd much rather get back to her less tenuous time.

Seth is out of his depth (and his time period) in the Wild West version of Flagstaff.  Now he's the one feeling the pangs of time travel. But the more time he spends with Devynn, the more his feelings for her solidify.  

Devynn and Seth are a real gem of a couple.  Devynn has the power to get them home but her fears are inhibiting their power. Similarly, Seth's power seems to magnify when he's with Devynn.  When will these two realise they are made for each other!  Now to await the next book to see what trouble they get in next time (and more importantly, where/when they land!)