Death Taker ( Lark Morgan 3) by JC McKenzie- review

 Hello to all,

 Today is the release of the last book in a series i greatly enjoyed and i'm happy to share my point of view with you on this one. I have been really busy lately and the list of things to do is getting longer but i can't resist a good book.

Enjoy!

Publisher: JCM Publications 

Publication: 2023

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong
Language: strong
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Description from goodreads :

Life as a necromancer is never easy, but when the body of a ghost from my past turns up, inexplicably whole, very dead, and without a soul, I seriously reconsider my chosen profession. What good am I as a necromancer if I can’t raise the dead?

I might be a failure, but I’m still in high demand. The vampires want me to raise their progeny. The Lord of the Veil wants me to help him escape the veil. The police want me to continue solving their murder cases without giving me a pension.

And Detective Connor Kang wants me, too. Just me. He makes the magic in my blood sing and now I know his true identity and what’s in his heart. But as it turns out, Kang isn’t the only person in my life harbouring a secret.

I need to rescue a supernatural hostage, figure out who or what is capable of destroying souls, and somehow stay alive and out of the clutches of those who would seek to kill or use me. Mom raised me to follow five sacred rules to necromancy, and I’ve faithfully followed every single one.

Until now.

A deliciously dark Urban Fantasy tale with a flawed necromancer trying to survive a harsh supernatural world by International Bestselling Author, J. C. McKenzie.

A must read!!! This is the 3rd book and it just got even better than the precedent books which i did not think possible seeing they were already wonderfully written but this one is a piece of art.

We get deeper into Lark and Connor relationship, we learn more secrets, and there are so many twists and tension to keep us on edge from the first page to the last one.

There are moving moments, heartbreaking ones, lot of actions, Lark discover more allies and realise she has more ennemies she imagined. We get to see a side of Connor we had no idea he had and we see how loyal he is to Lark, revealing secrets and keeping her safe without putting her in bubble wraps ( that's more her brother's thing^^)

really this is a perfect mix of danger, action, magic, tension, steamy and romantic moments and humour. A must be read and a series not to be missed!

Drafted ( Para-Military Recruiter 1) by Renée Jaggér, Michael Anderle

 Hello  to all!

                           I got really busy so i've read but i did not post many reviews lately except that sometime i come accross a book i really want to share and  Drafted is one of those. The book was free a few days ago and the blurb tempted me so i decided to try it and....i LOVE it!! i've read it in one sitting and if i could i would have jumped into book 2 immediately. A new series, a new to me author...complete delicious discovery

so here comes my opinon on Drafted!

Publication: 2022

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal , magic
Violence: mild
Language: strong
sex: none
Public: 16+

Description from goodreads :

Julie Meadows is down on her luck when she receives an e-mail drafting her into the Official Para-Military Agency.

She didn’t expect “para” to mean paranormal. Her partner is an Aether Elf prince, her boss is a Were…something, and the IT department is staffed by literal trolls.

The prospect of a steady job and financial security draws her into a world filled with every myth and legend she’s ever read about.

Julie dives into the magical, mystical, and downright fantastic when she and her partner, Taylor are tasked with finding new recruits for the Agency.

The problem? Julie is human, and the cost of failing to find a recruit is her life.

With the help of Taylor and a snarky mystical artifact, Julie races against the clock to avoid a killer mind-wipe.

Should she succeed, her place at OPMA will be secure. If she fails, avoiding her mom’s insistence on the health benefits of aloe vera juice won’t be a problem anymore.

Either way, her life will never be the same again.

Amazing!!!!! i've read this one in one sitting and i can't wait to get more it's wonderful full of action, snarky humour and great characters.

Julie is looking for a job when she receives a letter announcing she has been drafted for the Para Military Agency....thinking it's a joke she still can't resist the promise of a free meal...until she discover it's no joke but an error and one that could means her death. Human with the abilities to see paranormals she is given the opportunity of a job- or termination ....she must recruit paranormals for the agency with Taylor, a elf prince , as a partner she must succeed in one week. in a world she has to learn everything about.

Vampire, Kelpie, drow, aether elves, orc, troll and so many other paranormal. This is perfect you get immersed into the series, you gather there are more to discover and want more but you enjoy this greatly!

to be recommended without a doubt

Furbidden Attraction ( Raven Falls 1) by R. O'Leary

 Hello to all!

 Somehow i have been reading a bit but i did not post reviews here enough so  i will try to do better. today i'm sharing my opinion on a new discovery for me. It was a gift from a very, very dear friend so i had to try ot and i'm not disappointed at all( she knows me too well)

happy reading!

Publication: 2020

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal romance
Violence: strong
Language: strong
sex: steamy
Public: 18+

Description from goodreads :

Shot and left for dead, shapeshifter Jack needs to find out who wants him out of the picture… preferably before the sexy veterinary tech he kidnapped manages to escape again.

Louisa moved to Raven Falls to make a better life for herself. But “better” isn’t working out so well. Her apartment is a dive, her boss might as well be possessed, and the sweet dog she brought home isn’t actually a dog. Not that the exceedingly attractive naked man in her bed isn’t a step up—but it would be nice if she knew who the hell he was… or how he got there.


Jack has always put his clan first and his desires second—until Louisa. Her dark curls and warm, vanilla scent ignite a fire within him that he can’t quite shake. Sure, he can transform into a seven-foot monster, but he deserves love as much as the next guy. Knee-deep in a dangerous investigation, memories missing, and a bullet wound in his shoulder, Jack doesn’t have time to dawdle with a certain brunette… even if she is waving a baseball bat in his face.


Unless he takes her with him.


Kidnapped and pissed off, Louisa wants nothing to do with the sexy shifter and even less to do with his secret world of monsters and nightmares. But the longer she spends with Jack, the less she can deny the odd pull between them, or that he might just be the “better life” she was looking for all along.

Oh i was gifted this book and so it was a complete discovery for me new series, new author the total and i really loved it!

Yes it's an paranormal romance with quite steamy scenes but also with a good plot and a well built universe so i just want to discover more now.

Jack is a shifter ( dog) and the problem solver of his clan....however he gets hurt during a mission and loose part of his recent memories. Stuck in his dog form he can't ask for help....but luckily a gorgeous lady with alluring scent will care for him.
Louisa moved to Raven Falls to start a new life never expecting said life to be filled with monsters like werewolves, shifters, ghouls and other kinds. Working in a vet clinic she come accross a dog that was shot and hit by a car.....moved by his eyes she takes him home to keep an eyes on his injuries not expecting to suddenly come in front of a naked human in her bed.....kidnapped she is introduced to a world were monters exists...and not necessarily because of the form they take but Jack may be a shifter, transform in a dog she feels a connection to him she never had , the clan is like the family she always dreamed of...

However the investigation of missing women , the one Jack was working on can't wait, and without his memories he must start at the beginnin...with Louisa as his instinct want to keep her near and to protect her.

I really loved Jack, his past history is not easy and still he tries to make it better for everyone. He is loyal and loving. Nate is interesting also and Abby is just too cute little bear. Louisa is interesting she can be stubborn and she has a good heart , she grew on me even if she is not favourite character. Iris is interesting as well. The investigation is really well done, with some twists, romance is cute and the universe see well built as we get information along the story

I can't wait to continue the series and see if it get better and if we keep seeing the characters we have come to love

Death Raiser ( Lark Morgan 2) by J.C. McKenzie- review

 Hello to all,

          I can believe i managed to wait the release date to share my point of view about this book since i loved it so much....i guess i was lucky to be busy. However today is the day so.....if you haven't started this series it's high time you start ( and with book 1)

Happy reading

Publisher: JCM Publications 

Publication: 2023

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong
Language: strong
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Description from goodreads :

Necromancy is a gift that keeps on giving…

…and my powers always deliver death.

I may have narrowly escaped death during my last case with the Victoria Police Department, but now it appears another serial killer has stepped forward to fill the murderous void. This time, the dead aren’t talking. And while the souls are silent, the vampires won’t shut up. I’ve given them a taste of my powers and now they want more.

My relationships with the Lord of the Veil and the vampires are complicated and my feelings for a certain grumpy detective even more so. But these are the least of my concerns. The serial killer isn’t stopping any time soon and after a string of discoveries, the only lead we have is the killer’s apparent obsession with me.

With my personal and professional lives set on a collision course, if I don’t find a way to sort through the facts and my feelings and learn why I’m the target, I’ll end up as the next casualty.

A deliciously dark Urban Fantasy tale with a flawed necromancer trying to survive a harsh supernatural world by International Bestselling Author, J. C. McKenzie.

Excellent, really excellent but i do recommend you to read the book in order to enjoy the full experience. There are a lot of action, humour, touch of romance and very strong suspense.

It's not easy to tell a lot without spoiler so i will be short but It's a must read!
This instalment takes place after the events in book 1 "death maker" and Lark is adjusting to the consequences of the deals and discoveries she made.
It's simply too great for words.

This investigation ( at least the official one) is centered about murders of women where the ghost can't answer Lark because the murder was very brutal and mutilations to prevent a good raising were done. Are they all linked? Why and how they must uncover everything and Lark is a bit distracted by a gorgeous detective and mysterious roses.


We discover more about the  red lign and Lark, more about other characters and the mystery deepens so you get hooked right at the beginning and can't stop until the last page leaving you wanting for more. Really great urban fantasy with necromancer but not too dark ( yes there are rules to follows....somewhat in case^^)

to be recommended

Stolen Sorcery & Other Misadventures ( the guild Codex: Warped 4) by annette Marie & Rob Jacobsen

 Hello to all!!!

  Oh i absolutely love the universe Annette Marie created , it's captivating and i love the links between all the spin off and i'm always amazed at how the quality of the series stays excellent or even improve with long series it's always easy but with this one it's so good i just want to reread it again and again.

Today is the release of a new instlament in the warped spin off where we follow Kit Morris an MPD agent, not by choice. This definitively deserve to read in order , you will just be amazed.

Happy reading!

Publisher: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.

Publication: 2023

Genre: urban fantasy

Violence: strong

Language: mild

sex: none

Public: 16+

Description from goodreads :

What’s a hardworking MagiPol agent need to do to get a little R&R?

Between Agent Söze, the treacherous Internal Affairs tyrant who’s taken over my precinct, and the super illegal sorcery my partner Lienna was hiding in said precinct—which is now missing—my usual routine of busting magical criminals has fallen apart in favor of hectic damage control.

But that went out the window too when a respected Guild Master was found dead. Agent Söze is trying to cover it up, which is all the reason I need to make solving the murder my top priority.

Except now Agent Söze is trying to arrest and/or kill me. Not entirely unexpected, but both dangerous and highly irritating.

With the clock ticking on the next mysterious Guild Master murder, Lienna and I have to find a way to prove Agent Söze is behind it all. We need rock-solid evidence to bring him down, which is kind of tricky when crooked agents, shady allies, and cutthroat assassins keep complicating matters.

And if we don’t get to the bottom of it fast, my next day off will be in the morgue as another corpse to be swept under the corruption rug.

Oh my god this is so excellent!!!!! I love LOVE it!!

Agent Kit Morris and Lienna Sheng are on edge since Söze took control of their precinct after trying to obliterate the Crow& Hammer guild things are getting dangerous. If Söze thinks you are against him you can be fired or put in jail without any explanation or defense.

However when some Guild Masters are found dead but no real investigation are taking place they decide , under their old chief Blythe, to investigate the suspicious case.....not expecting to be put on a hit list for that when Söze and his team try to kill them for asking questions.

Not knowing who is corrupt and who is not, determined to find the truth and get Söze fired they must go allies who would not turn them down but without putting a target on their back as well. So Crow& Hammer is one of their stop along some MPD mole that Zack used in the past...but only for information as they refuses to ask for more help and put them in danger. It's them against the world..However even with their life and some others on the line Kit can't ignore how Lienna seems distracted....


Action, lot of twists, humour, recurring characters ( yes Paige and Zylas appears and more Darius!) this is a rollecaster full of tension to keep you on edge and it promise so much more to come. I loved to see the evolution of Kit!!! This is definitively a must read but in order is better as this instalment continue the main series but takes place after in the perfect continuity with more vilains to fight.

Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye ( Psychic Eye Mystery 1) by Victoria Laurie

 Hello to all,

So far 2023 has been really stressful for me and there were several moments i wanted to give up so i took refuge in books and i had one in my TBR pile that called to me ....it's an older book so it was time i finally gave it a try...

Now i just hope i will be able to complete my collection as i have part of the books but not all of them so when it's an older series it's always a risk but we will see one day at a time.

Happy Reading

Publication: 2004

Genre: cozy mystery, paranormal
Violence: mild
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 16+

Description from goodreads :
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Abby Cooper is a P.I., psychic intuitive. But her insight failed her when she didn't foresee the death of one of her clients-or that the lead investigator for the case is the gorgeous blind date she just met. Now, with the police suspicious of her abilities and a killer on the loose, Abby's future looks more uncertain than ever.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

This is an older story but i enjoyed it a lot it was easy to read, funny, the investigation is well written so i'm really glad i discovered it and i want to read the rest of the series.

Abby is Psychic intuitive..she can via her "guides" get glimpses of a person future or intention...having made that her job she is quite happy but suddendly one of her client is killed and she is determined to bring her justice....even if it means working with the police.

Dutch is an police officer who met Abby from a website for people searching love....when she start giving info about a kidnapping he is doubtful but when a murder happen related perhaps to abby he goes into protect mode even if he still isn't sure of her powers.

I loved the dynamic between the characters and the rythmn of the story.

Death Maker ( Lark Morgan 1) by J.C. McKenzie -review

 Hello to all,

today i'm sharing with you a new release from an author i really love. I'm not really into dark theme so necromancer generally are not the kind of story i would pick but since i trusted the author and the blurb made it very temping i gave it a try and now i just want more.

Happy reading!

Publisher: JCM Publications 

Publication: 2023

ISBN:  9781990143250

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong
Language: strong
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Description from goodreads :

Death is a terrible power to wield…

Most people think my life as a certified necromancer is filled with raising the dead to resolve estate disputes and make the rich richer. And they’re not wrong. But I’ve added illegal raisings and consulting with the police to my resumé.

Normally, I ask the recently departed “whodunit” for the cops, but in a recent string of gruesome killings, the dead aren’t talking. And while the souls are silent, the vampires won’t shut up. They think I’m the key to solving their problems. To complicate matters, I also keep getting sucked into the veil—the magical realm where spirits rest and a mysterious castle keeps appearing.

All I want in life is to do my job, help my mom pay her medical bills and not murder a certain arrogant detective. But if I don’t figure out how the murders, the veil and the vampires are connected, all while keeping my less-than-legal activities from the cops, I might go from making sacrifices to becoming one.

A deliciously dark Urban Fantasy tale with a flawed necromancer trying to survive a harsh world by International Bestselling Author, J. C. McKenzie.

 Oh i love this new series!!! So our world but something happened to make paranormal creatures, witches, shifters and vampires known. Now they live like anyboby and works but there are still some rules each " glamy" as they are called must follow. Vampires can't make vampires as they want for example and magic users are registered and must follow some specific laws as not to loose their licence.

Lark Morgan is a necromancer and a porwerful one even if she is not exactly liking that.....the sacrifice of animals needed to make it work some some trivial matter does bother her. She is respectful of the deceased but she does need to work as she is saving to pay for her mother medical treatment. She is strong willed, determined but has a kind heart and i really appreciate it as it balanced the darker side. Living with her brother and his boyfriend, her love life is a mess but with her strange hours it's not surprising...working very late all the time sometimes helping the police or more precisely officer Kang who keep bickering with her , he is so funny.

Suddely the master of the vampires offers her a deal she can't refuse while a precedent client is " courting" her and the police is confronted to a series of strange murders. Poor Lark has very little time for herself and the danger keeps growing so she will need to decide what she really wants and who to trust.

I really loved the story , i read it in one sitting. If i was a bit hesitant at first because of the necromancer part i'm really happy to say it's wonderfully written, the sacrifices are not overly described. The fact Lark is repectful and is moved by what she must do make it work perfectly. I also loved the interaction between Lark and Kang ( and his partner), the sparks between them are funny and the mystery about both of their secrets just make us impatient to read more

A great urban fantasy with a dark twist, a touch of romance and full of action to have you addicted to this new series!

Spells , Salt, & Steel ( Spells, Salt, & Steel 1) by Gail z Martin

 Hello to all,

              I know i'm kind of reading Gail Z Martin in complete disorder but i discovered one of her series then learned that others were linked to that world kind of spin off etc and i just got addicted , now i must read everything and  I'm starting with the Spells, Salt &Steel series which are a series of novellas and short stories ( available in collection as well or individually) tht i had in my TBR.

I hope you will enjoy it as much as i do.

Happy Reading

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Publication: 2017

Genre: urban fantasy

Violence: strong

Language: strong

sex: none

Public: 18+

Description from goodreads :

When all else fails, the ass end of a carp makes a damn fine weapon.

No, that didn't come from the lips of Bubba the Monster Hunter, but it sure could have! That sentence right there kinda encapsulates the life of Mark Wojcik, Monster Hunter. A blue-collar mechanic from the wilds of PA, Mark likes his beer cold, his poker games private, and his monsters…well, he doesn’t like them at all. So when he finds himself dueling a Japanese mythical monster in the Linesville Spillway in the wee hours of the night, he has to use every available weapon to survive and vanquish the ningen.

Even if it means beating the damn thing to death with a carp.

If interloping Japanese fish-monsters weren’t bad enough, there’s a Nazi ghost terrorizing the community. Somebody needs to gank the ghostie, and Mark is the man for the job.

He hopes.

They are the first line of defense against the things that go bump in the night.
They are the keepers of a centuries-old legacy of The Church defending the world against the forces of darkness.
They are a bunch of highly armed rednecks, internet video celebrities, soccer moms, and assorted broken nutjobs.
They are the new Templars, and things are about to get weird.

The New Templars novella series is a new series of short novels, similar to BookShots. Spells, Salt, & Steel is the first in the series by popular steampunk, epic, and urban fantasy duo Gail Z. Martin and Larry N. Martin.  

Oh i loved this one, i started with the most recent ones and loved it so now i'm starting the series at the beginning and fully enjoying it. In this story we meet " Mark", monster hunter and we discover how he "met" Gus it was funny, and we see even we only heard about later in the series so it's informative as well.

I loved the variety of creatures he comes accross and i can't wait to see when he will start being more a protector than a simple hunter.

I really recommend this story and series if you love good urban fantasy with uncommon paranormal creatures, lot of action and good sosis of humour.

 

Crowbones ( The others 8) by Anne Bishop- Review

 Hello to all,

To start the year i wanted to read something for pleasure not just because i needed to read something so i reread one of my favourite series to be able to read the latest one to lift my mood this month.  It's not an easy world, it's quite dark but so well written  you get addicted....i just hope we will have more as i do wonder how the situation is at Bennet but before hoping for a book 9 let's focus a minute on book 1 Crowbones when we discovers new kind of Others with pleasure

Publisher: Ace Books 

Publication: 2022

ISBN:  0593337336

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong, very strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 18+

Description from goodreads :

In this engrossing and gripping fantasy set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, an inn owner and her friends must find a killer-before it's too late....

 

Crowbones will gitcha if you don't watch out!

Deep in the territory controlled by the Others-shape-shifters, vampires, and even deadlier paranormal beings-Vicki DeVine has made a new life for herself running The Jumble, a rustic resort. When she decides to host a gathering of friends and guests for Trickster Night, at first everything is going well between the humans and the Others.

But then someone arrives dressed as Crowbones, the Crowgard bogeyman. When the impostor is killed along with a shape-shifting Crow, and the deaths are clearly connected, everyone fears that the real Crowbones may have come to The Jumble-and that could mean serious trouble.

To "encourage" humans to help them find some answers, the Elders and Elementals close all the roads, locking in suspects and victims alike. Now Vicki, human police chief Grimshaw, vampire lawyer Ilya Sanguinati, and the rest of their friends have to figure out who is manipulating events designed to pit humans against Others-and who may have put Vicki DeVine in the crosshairs of a powerful hunter

I LOVE LOVE it!!!!!! really i just rerad the whole series and i just want more,  this is fantastic!
Victoria has become friendly with a lot of the Others as the Reader and trouble magnet ( thus source of amusement) so when something is threathening her they jump to the rescue.

However the bad is perhaps deeper than it seems and a pranks leads to several murders resulting in the presence of some less know elders and Hunter...

I loved that we got to hear about other characters we missed and we hear Meg not just hear about her so that was fantastic and let's be honest....Simon way of apoligise is the best one^^ More importantly there are deeply sad moment, there are big consequences to some of characters we come to like so it's a bit darker than some other books in the series but read in order it's just perfect. I really thing Others made things "gentler" for Meg 's sake in comparaison to what Victoria is learning.

A series i recommend without any hesitation

TBR PILE 2023 Challenge the 10th edition Sign Up

 Hello to all!!

2023 did not start that well for me so i nearly missed posting my Challenge list because yes the TBR pile Challenge is back for a 10th edition and i could not miss that ( i may get lucky this time)

I love the challenge hosted by RoofBeamReader.com ,it's a good one to get back on track and the level of pressure is not too high so i should not make myself sick trying to read my 12 books.

My List for the Challenge:

1: Phantoms and Felonies ( Hunted Mansion Mystery 2) ( 2021) by Lucy Ness

2: Miss Frost solves a Cold Case ( Jayne Frost 1) ( 2016)  by Kristen Painter

3: Sons of Darkness (Night Vigil 1) ( 2018) by Gail Z Martin

4: Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye ( Psychic Eye Mystery 1) ( 2004) by Victoria Laurie

5: Furbidden Attraction ( Raven Fall1) ( 2020) by R. O'Leary

6: Spells, Salt, & Steel ( Spells, Salt & Steel 1) ( 2017) by Gail Z Martin

7: Lock'N'Load ( Federal K-9 1) ( 2018)  by Tee O'Fallon

8: Stranded with The Detective ( Tennessee SWAT 4)  ( 2018) by Lena Diaz

9: Assassin's Honor ( Assassins of Landria 1) ( 2018) by Gail Z Martin

10: Keeping Guard ( K-9 brother book2)  ( 2021) by Sandra Owens

11: Miss Frost Ices the Imp ( Jayne Frost 2) ( 2016) by Kristen Painter

12: Jingle all the Slay ( Marshmallow Mysteries1) ( 2020) by Dakota Cassidy

alternates:

1: Mercenary instinct  ( 2014) by Ruby Liondrake

2: K-9 Defense ( K-9, Alaska 1) ( 2019) by Elizabeth Heiter

are you participating?