Sting of Thorns, How To Rattle An Undead Couple & Booked For Murder!

Three paranormal books to ease you into spooky season!

Sting of Thorns by Kristen Brand

The fight is over, and Leigh Morgan won. After spending months spying in Otherworld as a servant, she’s rescued the humans who were abducted by the Others and sent them safely home. She had to stay behind to destroy the gateway between worlds and keep them safe, but tough luck. She’s prepared to pay the price.

But she didn’t expect the curse the queen of Otherworld lays on her: a thorny vine growing under Leigh’s skin that will kill her when it reaches her heart. The queen will lift the curse…if Leigh uses her connections in the human realm to locate a magical weapon lost hundreds of years ago.

To ensure she succeeds, the queen sends her son, Dredarion Rath, the cunning prince Leigh had to betray to save her people. With anger and hurt still fresh, they can barely stand to be in the same room together, much less cooperate on such a dangerous mission. But as Leigh’s friends risk everything to help her, she’ll have to find a way to reconcile with Dredarion before their quest gets her and everyone she cares about killed.

Sting of Thorns picks up immediately where Poison and Honey ends. Leigh and Dredarion are forced to work together - along with Leigh's friends - to save Leigh and retrieve the weapon that could save Dredarion's people. The book is fast-paced, packed full of revelations and utterly addictive from beginning to end. I'm thoroughly enjoying this series and recommend it for those who love fantasy/urban fantasy and are looking for an awesome but quick read!

How To Rattle An Undead Couple by Hailey Edwards

Bring on the cakes, balloons, cakes, gifts, cakes, and…well…cakes. It’s time for Grier’s baby shower!

Grier is ready to smile for the cameras, rip open the presents, and finally taste that lemon chiffon cake, but it’s just not meant to be. The Grande Dame is MIA, which turns the big event into an even bigger search party. And that delicious cake? It’s going right back in the fridge.

While Grier doesn’t have the best relationship with her mother-in-law, she’s determined her child will grow up with one living grandparent or else. Even if it means wiggling into maternity jeans, putting on actual shoes, and waddling over to Lawson Manor to investigate the potential kidnapping.

Just as the investigation turns acorner, Grier pays the price for her stress. The baby wants out ahead of schedule, and it has a unique way of making its desires known. Unique and terrifying. Now the race is on to find the Grande Dame before the baby makes his or her first appearance.

What do you get when you cross a goddess-touched necromancer with an Eidolon?

Linus and Grier are about to find out firsthand. Now they just have to survive parenthood.

I never want this series to end! I'll happily read slices of life updates on Linus and Grier forever! I absolutely adore them and, as the blurb and cover make obvious, in this book we get to meet baby Woolworth! However, this IS Linus and Grier and nothing can ever be simple in their lives so before they can welcome their baby into the world, they have to solve the case of Linus's missing mother.

There is plenty of action, laughs and sweet moments, the full gang is present and even though this book is supposed to wrap up Linus and Grier's series of epilogues, I have a feeling that there will be one more for a massive thread was created and then left dangling that really needs tying off... Or maybe Edwards will save that for a spin-off series involving the baby? 'Cause, come on now, there's got to be one! (Or that may just be wishful thinking...)

How To Rattle An Undead Couple is a book for fans of The Beginner's Guide To Necromancy series. It's not something that you should read if you're new to the world but it's a wonderful addition to the world for those who are not. I really enjoyed it.

Booked For Murder by RJ Blain

Life as a bodyguard and driver for the rich, famous, and powerful is dangerous on a good day, and after sustaining a crippling injury while on duty, Janette's left with few options. Having signed a ‘for life’ contract but unable to work, she uses her skills to disappear.

Her new life as a librarian suits her. Nobody cares she limps and sometimes requires a cane to walk. She’s wanted for her knowledge, not her lethal magic. She’s surrounded by books, a woman’s best friend.

But when her former employer’s best friend is murdered on the steps of her library, old loyalties and secrets might destroy her - or set her free.

Teaming up with her co-workers to find the killer might keep her from being booked for murder, but unless she’s careful, she’ll find out exactly how far her ex-boss will go to reclaim what is rightfully his.

Her. For life.

Okay... Where to begin?! For every time I think of this book I flip between giving it two-stars and three-stars because it really is a mixed bag of treats... To start with the positive, I'll say that I'm intrigued as to where the story is going (investigatory cells, librarians, political intrigue, hidden agendas) and that my romance-loving self is shipping Janette and Bradley (even though there are no tender moments or any romantic action in this book). I love Ajani the cat, Janette's brand of magic is absolutely fascinating to my biomed-head and I think there is a lot of potential here.

However, there are so many things wrong with this book that, in my opinion, all come down to non-existent editing.

The book is way too long. It's packed full of unnecessary information and random streams of consciousness that add nothing to the story and, in fact, detract from it for by the time you wade through the deluge you're confused as to what was actually going on.

There are too many characters with no purpose and most of the secondary characters "sound" the same. There is nothing to differentiate between them and character development - across the board with the exception of Janette - is absolutely minimal and physical descriptions are completely absent. Seriously, I finished the book without having a mental picture of anyone - even Janette - for the character descriptions are pretty much non-existent beyond mentioning minor details.

The author frequently contradicts herself from chapter to chapter, she uses too many words to say very little and I was pretty pissed off by a story with so much potential being ruined by - quite frankly - shitty writing.

My masochistic self will probably read the next one, as I'm curious about what happens next, but I doubt anything could make me a fan of the author.

If you're looking for a new UF then I'm not saying avoid/don't read (I would never do that) but what I would say is don't expect too much... And that there are far better series out there.