Paranormal – The Spine View

Blackthorn by J. T. Geissinger

Mavon returns to her ancestral home, with her young daughter, in order to attend the funeral of her grandmother. It was supposed to be a quick trip and she would return to her life in the city. Of course, even the best laid plans go awry when witch craft is involved and her grandmother’s body goes missing.

To add insult to injury, it was inevitable that she would run into her arch enemy Ronan Croft. Ronan is the billionaire heir and current CEO of Croft Pharmaceuticals. However, they were not always enemies. They had been lovers and even if Mavon wants to forget, her body has not. With each encounter more of their past is revealed and some secrets are not going to remain in the dark.

I love books that are character driven. It is the main thing that drives my quest for great stories. However, this book was all about the multi-layered plot and witty, cutting, banter. Yes, the characters were great; however, I got so wrapped up in the plot I didn’t pay as much attention as I normally do to character develop. In fact, I got so invested in this story that it had me reading until 2:00AM to finish.

The chemistry between the MMC and FMC was off the charts and I liked how the author built up the tension. Both characters had a lot of past baggage they each had to unpack and there were a couple of questions I had that were not answered until the very end. The book definitely had my complete attention the entire time I was reading.

The plot was fast based and there were plenty of twists. A couple of big twists actually. There was one twist at the end I figured out, and you will too if you pay addition to the details. I liked that the author allowed me to figure it out. It was as if she was seeing how clever her readers could be.

This is a dark romance; so, read the warnings carefully. That said, this is on the lighter side of dark romance. If dark romance can have a light side. In addition, this book has a lot of the same vibes as PenPal. Therefore, if you read and enjoyed that book you need to read this one NOW. For those readers who have not read any books by Geissenger, you need to read this book if you are into dark romance. In summary, an enjoyable read and I highly recommend.

I received a free copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

Immortal by Morning by Lynsay Sands

Pub. Date: July 29, 2025
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Book blurb:

Being an immortal rogue enforcer is never easy. But when human bones are found buried in a residential garden—and they happen to be discovered by your life mate—things get even more complicated in this latest installment of the Argeneau vampire series.

Crispinus Delacort is an immortal rogue enforcer and a homicide detective. But in his quiet city, he’s more likely to be rounding up truant teens than investigating murders. So, when he learns that human bones have been found in the garden of a sprawling rural home, it’s unexpected to say the least.

Abril Newman can’t believe her bad luck when she discovers a body buried on the grounds of her boss’s home, while chasing after Gina’s mischievous lab Lilith. She was just supposed to be house-sitting for a few days! And then Detective Delacort arrives. She knows she shouldn’t be thinking about love when there’s a crime scene outside the door. But ignoring her attraction to gorgeous Crispin is easier said than done.

When Crispin realizes that a rogue is involved, he knows this won’t be a simple investigation. Especially because he’s so distracted by Abril’s presence that all he wants is to kiss her senseless in every room of the manor. But he can woo her, solve the case, and stop a dangerous rogue by morning… right? All in a day’s work.

My thoughts:

Immortal by Morning is book #37 in the Argeneau series by Lynsay Sands. Even though I have read over ninety percent of the books in the series, I am still loving the world and characters. This is one of my favorite paranormal series, if not number one, it is in the top five for sure. The proof is that I am still reading and enjoying after thirty-seven books. Most series this size I do good to make it to book seven or eight. A true testament to the writing skills of Sands.

Not only did I like the characters and felt they were the right fit for each other, I also liked that there was believable drama (well as much as you can believe in vampires, aka immortals because we all know how they hate the term vampires). The sexual tension and the tension from the mystery the immortals were trying to solve held the story together and added a significant amount of depth to the plot.

I enjoyed the humor and felt it lightened various situations. For example, I can only imagine the thoughts the enforcers were able to read from Crispin when he was thinking about Abril, his life mate. And don’t get me started on Lucian, he is so impatient, among other things. I wanted to tell him to give Crispin a break it was his life mate, let him explain things to her in his own way.

If you have not read this series, and you like paranormal books, you need to check this series out. You don’t have to start with book one; however, if you read the first few books before you tackle others in the series you will get more out of each story. If you have already enjoyed books in this series, this book is a solid addition to the series.

Not Your Ex’s Hexes by April Asher

There is not much better than a good romance except maybe one involving a witch and Not Your Ex’s Hexes by April Asher was filled with all the witchy goodness I could want. The second book in the Supernatural Singles series, this book was funny, flirty, and oh so good.

Rose is one of the Maxwell triplet witches. She was trained to be the next Prima on the Council until recently when she stepped down. Now trying to find a new life for herself, she runs afoul of Damian Adams, a sexy half-demon veterinarian, when she attempts to steal a horse she thinks is being abused. Her punishment? Community service hours at the aforementioned vet’s animal rescue.

Soon sparks are flying between these two and they agree to be F-buddies. Yeap, friends-with-benefits, no strings attached and no commitment because the hunky half demon vet has been hexed by his Ex. But, as we all know, the heart wants what the heart wants.

This book has a solid plot with a few twists that keep my interest. So good, it only took me a couple of days to read this one. I loved the banter between the two main characters and Rose’s names for Damian, like Mr. McGrumpy Pants, had me laughing out loud. As an animal lover, the fact that part of the story involved animals was an unforeseen bonus.

The character development was solid and I loved learning more about Rose and getting enough of Damian’s history that I understood his actions and why he was a grumpasaurs. Even the minor characters, such as Damian’s brother Julius, were well thought out and added to the story.

The only negative thing is, I have to wait to read the next book! I hope the author does not make me wait long. This was delicious and I need more soon!

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good romance with a bit more edge to it and it works well as a stand-alone. Also a great choice for that summer vacation reading list.

I received a free copy, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review.

Captive Wilderness by J. E. McDonald

I should have had this book read, and the review written, several months ago. I am trying not to beat myself up because life does sometimes get in the way. The simple fact is the book is so good, I wished I had read it sooner. I ended up reading it in just two sittings. It is everything I love in a paranormal romance and has two great characters that are meant for each other even if they don’t know it yet.

Brooke and her sister are both Bobcat shifter. They have been kidnapped by unknown people, a collar placed on them that they can’t remove, and they can no longer shift into their animal form. When they both regain consciousness, they are on a cargo plane headed to an unknown destination.

While Brooke manages to get free and parashoots to safely, she is forced to leave her sister behind. Landing in a remote wilderness, Brooke stumbles across a primitive cabin that is inhabited by Kane, a mute bear shifter. Brooke wants nothing more than to leave and find out where her sister was taken and rescue her. However, without the ability to shift, she will never be able to survive in the wild in her human form. The only way out is the next supply plane, which will not arrive for another two weeks.

It will be a long two weeks before she can start looking for her sister. Unfortunately, her abductors are not about to lose their prize. Will the growing connection between her and Kane end up being a good thing or a determent to them both?

I enjoyed the plot, nothing overly new, but there were a few new ways of looking at shifters that I thought brought some new life to the plot. I especially liked the setting and the descriptive prose that I felt was better than most books in this genre. In addition, the character development was really good. I especially liked that we got a fair amount of backstory on both Kane and Brooke. I really connected with the characters and wanted everything to work in their favor.

I know this type of book is fluff; but it is great fluff. Highly entertaining! If you love paranormal romance with a good side of steaminess, this is the book to read.

I received a free copy, via Library Thing’s early reviewer program, in exchange for my honest review.

Immortal Rising by Lynsay Sands

Being book #35 in the Argeneau series, by Lindsay Sands, you can imagine how popular the author’s books are. This is Stephanie and Thorne’s story. Both of these characters have appeared in earlier books, and it is nice to finally get them together as the stars of their own story.

Stephanie was introduced as a teenager early on in the series. Now she is an adult and living the life of a recluse because she has the unique ability to hear other people’s thoughts. While that is good when hunting rogues, the crush of so many thoughts can be unbearable at times. Thus, her necessary rural and reclusive life that helps keep the noise to a minimum.

Thorne, also introduced in earlier books, is the result of genetic experiments conducted by his father Dr. Dressler. He is a mix of human and various animal DNA. As a result, he has wings and is not entirely mortal. Currently he is in Canada and staying at the compound that also contains Stephanie’s home while he awaits the possible removal of his wings.

When Thorne and Stephanie meet there is an instant attraction. When by chance their skin grazes the others, they both feel the electricity between them. Stephanie knows this can only be one thing, Thorne is her life mate. But will Thorne want her when he finds out her past and what will happen when Dressler comes looking for them both.

This book just further proves that this series is my go-to for vampire goodness. Enjoyed every moment of this story. I like how diverse Sands characters are and her imagination seems to know no bounds. She manages to keep delivering great story after great story and somehow keeps them fresh and exciting even after all this time.

Another thing I like about these books is that there is always some kind of tension and/or drama to keep the reader interested and invested in the outcome. The character development is good, and I was especially drawn to these two characters. I think it is because both of these characters have been through so much already and yet they still retain a positive outlook on life. Therefore, I really wanted them to have their happy ending.

I have read most of the books in this series and this one is in the top 5 for me. If you haven’t read any of these books, I strongly urge you to read this one or any of the others in the series for that matter. Sands always gives you enough background to read each book as a stand-alone.

I received a free copy, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher

Though this is a well-loved troupe of enemies to lovers, you can’t help but love this sweet and funny story. The characters make this paranormal Rom-Com well worth reading. Give me a swoon worth leading man and a sassy witch any day!

Violet Maxwell is one of three triplets and the only one without any magic ability and life is going well for her without it, thank you very much.…. until it isn’t. First off, she finds out that that she will be forced to mate with someone in order to stabilize the magic she does not possess. Stupid laws! Furthermore, at an engagement party for one of her sisters, she runs into an old flame, Lincoln Thorne, who broke her heart in school. He stirs not only her anger, but feelings she would rather not revisit.

However, Lincoln popping back into Violet’s life maybe fortuitous, since he is also facing a similar fate of an arranged marriage. When Lincoln suggests that they fake date in order to bide themselves more time to figure out a way out of these unwanted marriages, Violet goes along with his plan. Yet, the feelings that he stirs maybe the least of her problems, because he also has stirred her magic to life.

I have been stuck on these rom-coms lately because I am a sucker for a happy ending, especially so with all that is going on right now. These types of books are the perfect escapism that I find are the perfect stress relief. This book in particular fit the bill and drew me in. I totally got lost in the story and the funny scenes and snarky comments made it even better.

The plot flowed nicely and I loved the various paranormal elements. The author gives the reader just enough world building and back story for context; yet, not enough to get bogged down in. As far as rom-com goes, this is one of the better ones. Not too sappy, not too much drama but plenty of pizazz.

I really thought Asher brought her A game on this one. I recommend for all readers of rom-com, especially those that like the paranormal element.

I received a free copy, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

The Friend Contract by Dria Andersen

Paranormal romance books are a guilty pleasure of mine and I just love finding new (to me) authors and books in this genre. This is exactly what I have been needing lately. This book was a wonderful escape from reality and it was highly entertaining.

Gabriel Hamilton is a bear shifter and he has been in love with Naomi a member of the Ayala Panther Prowl for the longest time. Gabriel also knows that Naomi is his mate. Naomi is resistant to the notion because she is latent, meaning she does not have the ability to shift, and because of this she believes she can never be mated to a shifter. She also has some issues from a past relationship with a fox shifter that I feel clouded her judgement a little.

Therefore, Gabriel cooks up a fake marriage plan. He tells Naomi that he is betrothed and wants to get out of the arranged marriage, but the only way to do so is to tell his family he has found his mate… her. Now he just has to find a way to convince her she is his mate.

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected despite the very familiar plot of a convenience marriage. On top of that you also have the best friends to lovers story. Both are well used in romance books. However, the author introduced elements of humor and family along with a few other things to make the story interesting and updated. It is also a feel good story and that is just want I wanted and needed.

The plot moved nicely and I enjoyed the characters a lot. The interaction with other characters was genuine and overall the story had a “real” quality despite being a paranormal book. I also thought the setting in the book worked well for the story. Lastly, I appreciate that the author ended the story and didn’t leave us hanging in order to sell her next book. That to me is always a big turn off.

While this book is one I would but into the beach read category, it is still a great story with characters that are well done. So don’t overlook it because of how people tend to stereo type romance stories, you will miss out on this little gem. Needless to say, I recommend this book and I am looking forward to reading more about some of the minor characters in the book.

I used my Kindle Unlimited account to read this book, though the author did request a review.

Tuesday Mooney Talk to Ghosts by Kate Racculia

Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts, by Kate Racculia, is, in many ways, an ode to Edgar Allan Poe. In fact, the entire book abounds with Poeness. It is chalked full of literary references to all things ghoulish, spooky and other cultural references to the supernatural. All of which I found delightfully entertaining.

When eccentric billionaire Vincent Pryce dies, he sets in motion a treasure hunt, as part of his legacy, that anyone can play. He was obsessed with the strange and bizarre so it is no surprise that his clues are Poe inspired. This suits Tuesday Mooney just fine. All her life she too has been interested in witches and the supernatural and she just happens to be very good as solving puzzles.

She and her friend Poindexter, aka Dex, play Mr. Pryce’s game and are quickly joined by her neighbor’s daughter Dorry, whom she tutors, and Nathanial Arches a rich playboy. They all are playing for their own reasons and nothing is as it seems even the game… especially the game. With so much hidden under the surface anything could happen and it does. When the many layers are pulled back and the truth is revealed it is shocking and brilliant.

The story is steeped in the supernatural, yet at the heart it is about relationships, love and loss. Like the treasure hunt, the author uses the many layers of the story to explore the connections of family and friendship and how love and loss affect them. It was exceptionally well done and the action of the plot made what could have been mundane and boring, exciting and thrilling.

As good at the plot was, it is the quirky characters I loved the most. Tuesday who always dresses in black and speaks, in her head, to her dead friend’s ghost. Dex, the drag queen, who just wants to be accepted for the “real” Dex. Then there is Dorry who is still dealing with the death of her Mother and Nathanial who has so many secrets and guilt you wonder how he can carry that weight. The hunt brings them all together physically, but it is the unseen, the emotional connection that is what truly shines here. It is subtle, sublime and so well done!

It is a given that readers who are interested in the supernatural will definitely want to read this book. Because of the relationships and themes explored, I think this book will appeal to a much wider audience. So, if the supernatural is not your thing, don’t let the word ghosts in the title deter you from reading this little gem. You will miss out on a truly amazing story.

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Witches of St. Petersburg by Imogen Edwards-Jones

Pub. Date: 22-Jan-2019 Rating: 3.5 Stars

Based very loosely on facts, The Witches of St. Petersburg, by Imogen Edwards-Jones, is about two young sisters Militza and Stana whose father arranges their marriages to members of the Russian nobility. Once they arrive at court the Russian aristocracy look down their noses at them for being not only outsiders but uncultivated and having backwater ways.

The sisters further this appearance by dabbling in black magic. They predict the sex of the servant’s unborn children, read tea leaves, and hold séances to communicate with the dead. All of this is very unseemly for someone of the nobility. That is until the sisters capture the attention of the Tsar’s wife Alexandra.

Tsarina Alexandra has produced nothing but girls and she is desperate to give the Tsar an heir. So desperate in fact that she allows the sisters to send her charlatan, after charlatan, to help ensure a male child is born to secure the Romanov line. I guess you could say desperate times call for desperate measures. Once Rasputin enters the story Militza and Stana are desperate to help Alexandra and secure their place in the social standings of the Russian court. Unfortunately, they are wholly unprepared for what will come.

I read some of the reviews going into this book and was not sure if I would like it. Since I love reading historical fiction that are based on facts and I also find paranormal stories fascinating, I decided to not let others influence me. That is not to say that there were not flaws, because there were and I just ignored them for the most part and enjoyed the story for the entertainment it is.

So what I liked about the book was the darker side of court life that was betrayed. I felt the author really did a good job of capturing that. I also liked her imaginative take on fictional events surrounding the Romanovs. The sisters Militiza and Stanza’s characters I also liked. I felt that they were still young enough that they didn’t realize what they were getting into. What started out as a simple attempt to elevate their social standing in the end turned on them in the most horribly way.

What I did not like was the repetitiveness of some parts. I felt that the book could have been cut down by a third and it would be better for it. The other thing I disliked was all the sexual content, in the second half of the book, which took away from the plot. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind sexual scenes in books especially when it helps move the story forward or releases tension. I just felt that it was heavy handed and fewer would have been better. This goes back to my prior point, less would have been better.

In summary, while I did like parts of the story and enjoyed reading sections, especially the first half of the book. There were flaws that some readers will find fatal to the overall story. This is why I have rated it at 3.5 stars. I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The City of Lost Fortunes by Bryan Camp

Title: The City of Lost Fortunes
Author: Bryan Camp
Pub. Date: 17-Apr-2018
Rating: 5 Stars

I have always associated The City of Lost Fortunes with Las Vegas. Not anymore. Bryan Camp has forever changed that for me. His debut novel is packed with magic, the supernatural and occult of New Orleans and all of these other worldly elements come together to effect the fortunes of the characters in the most unanticipated ways.

Jude, a demi-god and would be magician, living in New Orleans, has been hiding and drifting ever since Katrina left New Orleans broken and a shadow of her former self. He has lost control over his magical gift that allows his to find lost things. That is until one day when the Fortune God, Dodge, calls in a favor that Jude owes him. Continue reading “The City of Lost Fortunes by Bryan Camp”