Molly and the minotaur by Bea Gallow

2.5 Stars

Love is the key to unlocking the magic in Minos Falls!

For most of her life, Molly Durand was told to stop believing in fairytales, and when she arrives in Minos Falls, North Carolina, she finally does. With no boyfriend, no job, and no place to live, a mysterious town in the mountains is the last place she wants to start over. So, when she’s offered her dream job managing the town’s bookstore, she accepts. Until she discovers her new boss, Leo Angelos, is a Minotaur.

Leo Angelos has been waiting for his mate to arrive for fifteen years. Not because she’s destined to be the love of his life, but because she’s the key to breaking the curse plaguing his town. He just wasn’t expecting his mate to be his newest employee.

But when monsters from Molly’s past step out of the town’s shadows, they jeopardize not only the end of the town’s curse but also her happily ever after with Leo.

I wanted more world building and character development. I wanted more information on everything which led to me feeling like something was lacking. It was insta love between Leo and Molly which was meh. I am undecided about reading the next book.

Book 1 Magic in Minos Falls

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Liminal by Marie Mistry

3 Stars

My necromancy-practising murderers never expected me to rise again.

I was just the latest in a long line of gullible sacrifices to ensure their continued control over the Arcanaeum, so it shocked everyone when I woke up as a ghost and kicked them out.

For centuries now, I’ve faithfully carried out my self-appointed duties as the Librarian. I keep the vast halls of magical knowledge organised, fight the mad whims of the sentient—and interfering—building, and deal with the incessant demands of our patrons.

I have all the books and solitude I could ever want, the ability to redecorate whenever I get bored, and I can banish arcanists who refuse to follow my rules.

But the Arcanaeum has started acting out, especially when it comes to six particular patrons, all of whom want something from me.

Jasper and Dakari need my protection, but Pierce isn’t above threatening me ensure I give them both up. There’s no rule Galileo and North won’t break to get into the secret vault. And then there’s Lambert, who seems to exist for no reason other than to vex me with his smiles and... hugging.

Inconvenient, given that every time they touch me, my ghostly body cracks and breaks like glass.

To keep the Arcanaeum safe, I might just have to put my trust in all of them, but what if the cost of the building’s safety is my destruction?

I’ve loved all of Marie Mistry’s books but this one took a minute to get into. It is the first in a series so there is a lot of building going on. Once I got into it I loved the story. It was a nice set up for a new series and I can’t wait to see where it is going and how it all will play out. I mean who can hate a book set in a library with the FMC being a librarian. With everything setup I am sure I will love the rest of the series.

Book 1 Arcanaeum

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Knightmaster by Anna Hackett

4 Stars

Exploring new places is what xenoanthropologist Kennedy Black likes to do. When an opportunity comes up that allows her to travel to Oron to meet the Oronis for a ball and possibly a new connection for earth. What she wasn’t expecting was the instant connection with Knightmaster Ashtin Caydor and then for the ball to be assaulted, the queen taken, and evidence pointing to humans being behind the whole thing. Kennedy is determined to prove earth had nothing to do with it.

I loved this spin off series. It has everything I like about an alien romance. The one issue I had was how quickly Ashtin was to jump to the earth convoy being responsible for the kidnapping of his queen. Pacing was slightly off for me. It was going along nicely then it flew to Ashtin and Kennedy almost hooking up to the queen getting kidnapped. It was a bit jarring. Good start to a new series.

Book 1 Oronis Knights

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