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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Cross the Bear by Sam Hall

4 Stars

When your boyfriend is a dud, but his brother and his pack are your perfect match…

“You’re our fated mate,” Bjorn tells me.

It’s every woman’s fantasy, isn’t it? To hear a big, tattooed bear shifter tell you that you’re the only one for him and his sleuth.

So why aren’t I falling all over myself to accept the bond?

Sounds great, but I’m not ready to be anyone’s girlfriend, mate, anything. My selfish ex left me hurt, exhausted, and burned out. I just want to have a little fun for once—not hook up with his hot brothers.

Rather than take “no” for an answer, these sexy shifters offer me a proposal.

If I surrender control to them, they’ll give me all the pleasure I crave.

Take me places I’d never dare go.

Fix my life, my heart… even my trust issues.

No strings attached, of course.

But if there are no strings, how do they keep pulling me closer and closer?

And what will happen when I no longer want to back away?

I’m about to find out whether this is a match made in heaven, or this relationship is another cross to bear.

I think this is my favorite of the series. Maddie breaks up with a dick who wasn’t her fated mates only to find out he knew she was fated to his brother and his sleuth. I loved seeing her realize this and working through everything to get to her HEA. I loved the guys she ends up with. They are perfect for her in so many ways. I wanted the MMC mother to get more of a comeuppance for everything she did to try and keep FMC and MMC apart. The story flowed nicely and I just enjoyed it a lot.

Book 5 Ursa Shifters

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Day Dreamer by Susie Tate

3 Stars

As a scruffy, disorganised daydreamer, Lucy Mayweather is like a fish out of water at the high-powered offices of her brother’s billionaire best friend. When she agreed to work for Felix, she had no idea quite how cut-throat his world – or he – would be. She just wanted to escape her reclusive life and be close to her childhood crush, hoping he might notice her.

But Lucy’s lonelier in London than she’s even been in her tiny village back home. The boy she grew up with has been replaced by a powerful, ruthless, extremely attractive man who doesn’t tolerate incompetence and who no longer seems to find Lucy’s quirks cute. Instead, he lectures her almost daily on her general crapness, and seems blind to the bullying she endures from his colleagues.

For Felix, agreeing to employ Lucy was a mistake. This shy bookworm with her head in the clouds, who wears tattered jumpers, carries multiple pens in her hair and has an obvious crush on him must be by far the worst assistant in London. But he’s always had a soft spot for the quirky little girl who lived in her own world and told the best stories. Well, now that little girl is all grown up… and he can’t stop thinking about her.

After Felix gives in to his bone-deep longing for his best friend’s little sister, he starts to feel more than he has in years. But Lucy has secrets, and Felix has trust issues. When his inability to trust her leads to a terrible betrayal and places Lucy in danger, Felix is faced with losing her forever. Because the new, hardened, traumatized Lucy is nothing like the daydreaming pushover she once was…

Like every other Susie Tate book there is so many emotions with this book. You will hate Felix so much for what he does to Lucy. She forgives him way too quickly. I don’t understand why he was so quick to believe the lies and disregard her. He threw her out of his business without actually getting anything from her which triggered her autoimmune disease with cold. He didn’t even think about it for hours. Considering he claims to love her it angered me. It did hit all the notes I look for in books and it did bring out all the feels so worth reading for me.

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Donation Clinic (Breeding Clinic) by Alexis B Osbourne

3 Stars

My biology only wants me to give into this strange alpha because I’m carrying his baby.

Kat wants a baby and has wanted one for years. As an older omega with no pack to call her own anymore, she turns to a fertility clinic for help on the path to motherhood. The constant appointments, the blood tests, and the pills will all be worth it when she can finally hold her little bundle of joy. The one she had to give up trying for all those years ago.

The problem? Her hot scent matched alpha donor wants to be more than anonymous and he’s already got a pack. Kat’s not sure that she can risk rejection again.

Liam and his two mates have always wanted a big family but they lack a breeding partner, and never found their scent match.

The opportunity the fertility clinic offers is one they can’t pass up. But when Liam immediately puts his foot in his mouth, he sends their pregnant omega running.

For the first time in forever, he aches to chase her. He can’t possibly let her go. And his pack doesn’t want to either. All three of them will make her see how perfect their pack is for her.

Can they mend the scars on Kat’s heart and neck and settle into domestic bliss before she runs away for good?

This one has updated the name to Donation Clinic. Same book I read under Breeding Clinic but the algorithm gods don’t suppress it.

I enjoy the story but not as much as other books in the series. I struggled with the goof up the clinic made and how they were just like sucks to be you, your going to have to work it out. I did love the pack and that they were all in with her. It was the perfect storm for them to get their HEA. Hit with the rest of the series and everyone was nice to learn about.

Book 3 Heatverse

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Weiner Across the Way by Amy Award

4 Stars

Kelsey Best is America's pop sweetheart and anyone who says they don't like her music is a liar and needs to be punched in the nads. And I'll do it too, because I'm the guy the NFL dubbed the meanest player in the league. Great for my career on the field, not so much for my reputation off it.

So I'm shocked as hell when Kelsey's team sends my agent a wild idea – they want a showmance between us. She's looking to dodge the media frenzy after her breakup with Hollywood's latest heartthrob, and I apparently fit the bill as her perfect distraction. My agent is convinced this fake dating stunt is the key to fixing my image. The whole world is going to hate me when we fake break up. And what happens when I fall for her? She's going to create a blank space in my heart, and I don't think I'm going to be able to shake it off.

Loved loved loved this book. Kelsey was such a sweet heart and her dog was so freaking cute in this book. I loved that Declan was all in from the very beginning and that his sister helped him get the girl. The two balanced each other out and made for a quick and easy read.

Definitely worth listening too as the narrators do an amazing job bringing the story out. I read the book first and then listened later and I would 100% recommend listening to the book. Stella Hunter and Jacob Morgan bring these characters to life and make the listen so enjoyable. I loved it so much.

Book 2 Cocky Kingmans

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Captured by the Dark Commander by Ellie Pond

4 Stars

Four hearts, one destiny.

Mermen mate in pods and one just claimed me.

I thought finding out my two best friends were mermen would be the weirdest thing about grad school.

Until a dangerously handsome man from the Mer army kidnapped me. He wants something from my friends and he’ll use me to get it.

I can’t escape him. He visits me in my dreams. He won’t let me out of his sight.

As a battle rages around us, the mysterious merman looks me dead in the eyes before commanding me to bite him if I want to live.

So I sink my teeth into his neck, not expecting him to bite me back.

Next thing I know I’m thrown through the icy surface of the Boston Harbor.

I thought I was drowning until I hear his voice in my head telling me to breathe–under the water.

Now my Dark Commander has taken me as his mate, but mermen mate in pods which means he’s not the only man who wants to claim me.

This book came up as an ad for me on insta and they always draw me in. I loved this one so much but it ends on a cliffhanger ending that made me so freaking mad. Luckily book 2 was out so I dove right in but book 2 ruined my love of book 1. This is a combo review because I couldn’t get through book 2 at all. It’s like the author put all this effort into book 1 and then was lost with how to continue the story. Which made book 2 drag so much. I read all the spoilers and said life is too short to force myself to read this and DNF.

Saying that book 1 was so good. Annabelle was an interesting character who is trying to go with the flow after being kidnapped by mermen. She ends up mated to the commander who has some issues. Basically it would be PTSD so his BFF has to tie him up every night and he sleeps in the room with them. He will become one of her mates. All of this was done really well. The relationship built nicely between the three of them until they reach the mer community and the book ended on a cliff. I am skipping the rest but I gave them all the HEA they deserve.

Book 1 Veiled City

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Djinn and Bare it by Darcy R Acula

3 Stars

A housewarming gift unleashes a djinn… but I think he’s defective.

To be honest, a big part of why I moved to a remote island was to escape my overbearing mother. She wants me to get married, settle down, and pop out some grand-trophies. I’m not opposed to the idea, but every time I swipe right, I seem to end up dating hot messes or worse: suspiciously perfect guys. No thanks. I want a normal guy who loves to snuggle and binge watch TV until we fall asleep in each other’s arms. A guy who will make me happy. Is that too much to ask?

I hadn’t even finished unpacking before my mom’s housewarming gift was tossed onto my porch—an antique lamp. While checking for damage, I rubbed the lamp, and you’d never guess what came out. Although, the title kind of gives it away, so darn it, you already know what popped out.

 

It turns out, being shaken around like rice inside a maraca during shipping isn’t great for a djinn’s memory; he is only able to remember bits and pieces of his past. Not to mention that every time he uses magic to help me, I end up with another mess to clean up.

Still, there is no denying I’m attracted to him. I just need to keep my mom from meeting him, so she doesn’t start hearing wedding bells. When someone makes a grab for the lamp and my man, I'm ready to do whatever it takes to save him.

I really enjoyed this book. It meshed well with the rest of the books in this world. It wasn’t the best of the bunch but it was good to read. I think it needed to be a longer book to flesh out some of the relationship between Genevieve and Djinn but overall it was good. Genie’s mom however can go far far away.

Book a part of Monster Mate Mayhem

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