Categories
Fantasy Romance

Read Don’t Hex and Drive

Bookmarked Don’t Hex and Drive (Stay a Spell #2) (goodreads.com)

Notoriously bad at peopling, Isadora Savoie spends most of her time in the greenhouse or at the local animal shelter, using her Conduit powers of growth and healing. Content to remain in the background of the Savoie sister shenanigans, she’s reluctantly roped into the mystery of missing neighborhood girls. Now, she’s partnered with a flashy, flirty vampire to find them before it’s too late.

Devraj Kumar has seen and done it all. Three hundred years roaming the earth as a Stygorn — a legendary vampire warrior who operates in the shadows — has its perks. But ennui has set in. That is, until he has a run-in — literally — with an intriguing witch while on a new assignment in New Orleans. Fascinated by her resistance to his charms, Devraj can’t help but push her buttons in an effort to get to know the shy witch. Fortunately for him, she’s been recruited by the Lord of Vampires to assist Devraj on the case.

Between a Bollywood marathon, supernatural dating app, secret package, and sexy driving instruction, Isadora is in over her head. And Devraj? After just one taste, he’s playing for keeps.

Hitting someone on your bike is pretty bad, and trying to blame it on the victim by saying they’re wearing dark clothes is a classic move. So not thrilled about that.

I liked the main characters and thought Devraj’s background and arc was interesting. I liked the heroine’s quiet life, gardening, biking, working in her family’s businesses, volunteering with rescue animals.

The mystery resolved pretty quickly, especially for their plan going wrong. There was a kind of weird romantic twist at the very end.

Categories
Comics Science Fiction

Read Life

Read

A short wordless comic constructed of vignette stories featuring one alien creature on a distant planet. Each story links together by character or setting. Beautiful artwork and intriguing animal creations, recognizable forms from earth yet distinct. They do a nice job of creating dynamic panels, and there are some interesting page layouts.

Reminds me a bit of LOVE and the Fantasia sequence with Rite of Spring.

Categories
Romance

Re-Read Hearts in Darkness

Read Hearts in Darkness (Hearts in Darkness, #1) by Laura Kaye

Two strangers…

When accountant Makenna James finds herself stranded in a pitch-black elevator, she can’t help but wonder about the stranger stuck with her. All she noticed about him before the lights went out was a dragon tattoo; all she knows now is his sexy, gruff voice in the darkness.

Four hours…

Caden Grayson is inked, pierced, scarred on the inside and out—and terrified of the dark for reasons he’d rather not remember. Trapped in his worst nightmare, only the sweet voice of the red-headed beauty distracts him from his fear. And, oh, man, as the hours pass and the darkness heats up, that’s nothing compared to her touch.

One pitch-black elevator…

He’s all rough edges and she’s pin-striped skirts, but in the darkness they open up and reach out without any preconceptions to hold them back. But as attraction grows and sparks fly, will they feel the same when the lights come back on?

Categories
Fantasy Romance

Read Wolf Gone Wild

Read Wolf Gone Wild (Stay a Spell, #1) by Juliette Cross

What’s the worst thing that can happen to a werewolf? Unable to shift for three months, Mateo Cruz knows all too well. His wolf has taken up residence in his head, taunting him night and day with vividly violent and carnal thoughts. Convinced he’s cursed, he needs the help of a powerful witch before he literally goes insane.

​Evie Savoie has always obeyed the house rules of her coven — no werewolves. They’re known for being moody and volatile. So, when a distempered, dangerous werewolf strolls into the bar and almost strangles one of her late-night customers, she’s ready to bounce him through the door. But the desperation in his eyes when he begs her to help him softens her heart and convinces her to bend the rules.

​What Evie doesn’t know is that Mateo’s wolf has a mind of his own. And now that she’s in his sights, he wants only one thing. Her.

Fun and lighthearted. At first the werewolf’s inner voice “Alpha” irritated me but then I was able to just be amused by him. The geeky stuff felt a little forced at first but continued to be integrated into the story. A tarot reading seemed like a big deal but wasn’t tied in well. The sister’s change of heart about werewolves wasn’t explained. Worldbuilding-wise, it seems like the leaders of the magic community should be too busy to have the siblings running both a shop *and* a restaurant, down to being the cook and wait staff. Overall, I enjoyed this and would probably try another book in the series. (I do find it an odd choice that the couple that was set up isn’t until two books after this, and the next couple is barely mentioned.)