Last year Annie Walls blew me away with her post-apocalyptic zombie tale Taking on the Dead. The first in the Famished Trilogy it earned a top spot on my Adult Top-Ten Reads for 2013. As you can imagine, I was drooling in anticipation of Controlling the Dead. My friends, it was well worth the wait. Walls has created a fascinating world with characters that have become family. We see story advancement and character development as Walls holds are emotions captive. Mini review: engaging, action-packed and heart-wrenching.
Dark Witch by Nora Roberts
I am a huge fan of Nora Roberts and love her tales involving a little paranormal woo-woo. Dark Witch is the first book in her new Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy, and I was eager to read it. I preordered this puppy and devoured it in a single day. Set in Ireland, with witches, curses, and evil this paranormal romance offers the perfect read for a cold fall night by the fire. Mini review: Magical, suspenseful with interesting characters and lore that draw you in and make you scream, “More!”
The Marriage Wager by Jane Ashford
I am a sucker for tropes with marriage wagers, bargains, and agreements. They never work as planned and offer up a delicious tale as the characters find things more complicated than they ever imagined. Jane Ashford’s Marriage Wager delivers a historical romance with suspense; unique characters and a complicated romance between two stubbornly flawed characters. Mini review: entertaining, colorful characters, romantic.
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Marie Landry
Marie Landry delivered the perfect little holiday novella with The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. It has a small-town coffee shop, memories of Christmas with Grandma, snowballs, hot cocoa and a yummy man from our heroine’s past. Mini review: romantic, sweet and filled with holiday spirit.
Foreplay by Sophie Jordan
Foreplay by Sophia Jordan was a wonderful surprise. I knew I was getting a tattooed bad boy, and a flawed heroine but Foreplay delivered so much more than I expected. Jordan gave me a hot romance, wrapped in a coming of age tale that completely swept me away. Mini review: heart-warming, hot, and the characters totally stole my heart.