Review: The Black Dagger Brotherhood: 20th Anniversary Insider’s Guide by J. R. Ward

  

Vampire warriors in black leather and tattoos.
Passionate love stories that pierce the heart.
Dark nights filled with drama, chaos, and epic battles in the shadows of Caldwell, NY…
And then there are the unicorn pajamas. And the Tootsie Pops.

Welcome back to the world of the iconic, #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series. With millions of devoted readers across the globe, these unforgettable books have redefined paranormal romance. Now, to celebrate two decades of the Brothers, author J.R. Ward opens the door to their world once more.

Inside this all-new 20th Anniversary Insider’s Guide, Ward reflects on the journey—sharing behind-the-scenes moments, heartfelt memories, candid writing advice, and insight into the challenges and triumphs of her long and legendary career. She also brings back the original Brothers in a mix of classic content and never-before-seen material, including:

• A brand-new novella, Happy Anniversary– Revisit Wrath and Beth as they reclaim the time lost between them. Tender, erotic, and emotional, this story returns to the couple who started it all—and proves that happily ever after doesn’t always come easy.
• Brotherhood updates, as J.R. interviews the Brothers to reveal where they are now
• Fan-favorite features like Ask a Brother, Vishous’s Agony Aunt Column, Kitchen Corner with Fritz, and Bella’s Books
• Quotes, playlists, Lassiter’s journalistic takeovers, monthly horoscopes, and more
• Q&A with J.R. Ward, filled with new insight and revelations

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What I thought about the 20Th Anniversary Insider's Guide

This book is chock full of BDB world information, some of which fans may have already seen by way of previous released information.  That I had already seen some of the material in this didn't matter -- there's a lot of humor there that made re-reading it fun. And there's a new story about Beth and Wrath that reminds readers what they learned about this couple in Dark Lover. There's only one person who can handle Wrath and that's Beth.  It's worth picking this up for the Happy Anniversary novella alone. 

As a long time fan of this series, I learned a few things I didn't know and there were hints of what is coming. I loved reading this.

 

Review: Wild Instinct by T. Jefferson Parker

 A gripping high-stakes thriller by three-time Edgar Award winner and New York Times bestselling author T. Jefferson Parker ("A marvel...hits the high-water mark for crime fiction every time out." —Gregg Hurwitz)

Lew Gale, a former Marine sniper, now an Orange County California Sheriff’s detective, is assigned to track and shoot a mountain lion that has killed a man in Caspers Park, located in the rugged country east of Laguna Beach, California. The victim is Bennet Tarlow, a rich developer and man-about-town in upscale coastal Orange County.

The investigation takes an unexpected—and chilling—turn when Lew and his deputy sheriff arrive at the kill site in the Santa Ana mountains, only to discover that Bennet was dead before the lion got to him. And while Bennet might have been the first to die, he certainly will not be the last.

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 What I thought about Wild Instinct

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I did like these characters. Lew Gale, with his Native American background, is a dedicated detective by day, but a little shaky courtesy of his sniper experiences. He's got some scars. And his partner Daniela is similar in that she is a single mom with a teenage son who is possibly getting into some serious trouble. I really found both of these characters to be interesting and liked the pages that covered their personal lives.

Bennet Tarlow's murder investigation seemed to drag for me. It took me a long time to finish this book because the action just never grabbed me enough to want to keep reading, and yet I finished the book to find out more about these characters.

Overall, a three star read for me. Interesting characters with a slow murder investigation.

Review: Undead and Unwed by Sam Tschida

 

Bridget Jones’s Diary meets What We Do in the Shadows in this hilarious contemporary rom-com about a 300-year-old single vampire who inherits a fixer-upper in a quaint town in Vermont

Nothing sucks more than dating–especially when you've been bad at it for three centuries.

Tiffenie Ruba is 300 years old and still doesn’t have her life together. She doesn’t own a home—typical for a Millennial, which she often gets mistaken for–and she hasn’t had a relationship in forever (almost literally). When she’s not working at the local blood bank, she’s watching Hallmark movies with her cat. Tiffenie has an eternity to go but she knows she can’t go on like this.

But when she suddenly inherits a charming inn in the picture-perfect town of Valentine, Vermont (due to a case of mistaken–okay, stolen–identity), she has a chance to live out all of her Hallmark fantasies.

Unfortunately, she has to bring along a new vampire she accidentally created, pretend to be someone else, and navigate a love triangle with a hot Christmas tree farmer and her old master Vlad, who she’s still totally mad at. Can she pull it all off–and finally learn a lesson along the way?

With biting wit, a dash of spice, and the cozy warmth of a great Hallmark movie, Undead and Unwed will make you laugh until you cry as Tiffenie bungles her way toward self-improvement and true love. 

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What I thought about Undead and Unwed

Tiffanie is a 300 year-old vampire who still doesn't know what she wants!  She's not all that interested in living like a vampire and tries to exist on coconut water instead of blood, until that gets in her in a bit of hot water.   It's not good to drain your victims, even when you have somewhere to run by way of an inheritance.

This was a seriously cute take on the vampire trope in general.  No darkness here, just a good sense of humor and an easy way with the humans.  I really did like Tiffany a whole lot, and I was cheering for her to get back with her ex all along.  It was just right.  

There's a whole drama about assuming someone's identity and the mess that can get a person into as well.  Tyrone, the Christmas tree farm neighbor, was a interesting character, but clearly not right for Tiffany.

Overall, this was a very entertaining take on the vampire myth. There's romance inthere too, although for me it wasn't the centerpeice of the story. That all belonged to Tiffany. I also liked her friend Heaven who was the epitome of "rolling with the punches".  There are some slow spots, and a few head-scratching parts so it wasn't perfect, but for the most part entertaining. The ending fell apart a little for me, as it just didn't have the punch I expected, but it didn't ruin the fun. 3.5 solid stars.

 

  

Review: Witness to Murder (Colby Agendy: The Next Generation #4) by Debra Webb

Just one look

…shattered her life.

It was worse than the date from hell. Teacher Leah Gerard waited hours for the man…until she saw his bloody body being dragged away. Did she imagine it? The police believe she did, as there’s no body to corroborate her story. Then Leah becomes their prime murder suspect. Determined to find the truth, Leah hires ace investigator Owen Walker, who delves into every possibility while protecting —and captivating—Leah. But when her longtime roommate disappears, troubling questions and danger follow. Who wants Leah charged with murder? And who wants her dead?

From Harlequin Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.

Discover more action-packed stories in the Colby The Next Generation series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following

Book 1: A Colby Christmas Rescue
Book 2: Alibi for Murder
Book 3: Memory of Murder
Book 4: Witness to Murder

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 What I thought about Witness to Murder

This book starts out with a bad date and a murder, putting Leah on the cops radar and in trouble. She reaches out to the Colby Agency for help, and Owen Walker arrives to protect her while trying to figure out who is setting her up.

 This is the fourth in the Next Generation series.  There are light romantic elements and a solid murder mystery. In this case, someone is setting Leah up for murder.  This author always just gives enough info so that at some point, the reader can figure out what's going on and I like that about it. 

This was an easy-to-read mystery with romantic elements that made for a pleasant and enjoyable reading experience.  

 

Release Day Review: 5 Stars for Thrown for a Loop ( New York Legends #1) by Sarina Bowen

 

The bad boy of hockey has a few skeletons in his closet. And also a pair of old figure skates…

Zoe Carson, former figure skating queen, needs a fresh start as a hockey skating coach. An NHL gig with the New York Legends is her big chance. Unfortunately, that means facing off against the star player who broke her heart ten years ago.

Chase Merritt knows his game is off, and he’s on the verge of losing sponsors. But he doesn’t need the ice princess from that intense college summer showing up and telling him what he’s doing wrong—even when she’s right.

On the ice, they’re magic. Off the ice, they’re nothing but heat and stubbornness, and everyone on the team is enjoying the show. But when an old video of Zoe and Chase’s figure skating routine goes viral, they’re forced to work together more intimately than ever before. Can the two get it right this time or will the whole world watch them crash and burn?

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What I thought about Thrown for a Loop

Zoe Carson lives and breathes the old adage that "you never forget your first love." But things did not end well for Zoe and her first love. Years later, she's about to begin a new coaching job for the New York Legends hockey team where she will come face-to-face with Chase Merritt.

Chase also remembers Zoe, the Ice Princess as he called her, but his memories of their summer together are focused around a disastrous end to their relationship and the summer, for which he blames Zoe. There's quite a bit of tension here that will need to be resolved before they can even think about a second-chance.

There is one thing that brings them together and that's the ice. When the hockey organization finds out about Zoe and Chase skating together, they push them together for an encore. The story is told with flashbacks to their summer camp time together which are just lovely as they fall for each other.

I just loved Zoe. She so sweet and yet tough at the same time. But her heart clearly belongs to Chase and there's a sense of destiny around them that can't be denied. Chase is a bit surly, but there's a heart of gold underneath the tough shell he wears, especially around Zoe.

I devoured this book in a day. It left me with a smile on my face. If you are looking for a sports romance with a second chance at love theme, I would definitely recommend this and other works by this author.

 

Perfect for Halloween! 5 Stars for The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong

From New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong comes a nail-biting supernatural horror about a haunted lakeside property and twisted family secrets.

When Samantha Payne’s grandfather dies, she figures she won’t even get a mention in the will. After all, she hasn’t seen him in fourteen years, not since her father took his own life after being accused of murdering a child at their lakefront cottage. Her grandfather always insisted her father was innocent, despite Sam having caught him burying the child’s body, his clothing streaked with blood.

But when she does attend the reading of the will at the behest of her aunt, she discovers that her grandfather left her the very valuable lakefront property where the family cottage sits. There’s one catch: Sam needs to stay in the cottage for a month. To finally face the fact she was wrong and her father was innocent, in her grandfather's words.

Traveling to Paynes Hollow, Sam is faced with the realities of her childhood and the secrets kept hidden in the shadows of her memories. When her aunt goes missing a couple days into their stay, Sam begins to question everything again. Plagued by nightmares and paranoia, she begins hearing sounds in the forest and seeing shapes crawling from the water as the rippling waves of the lake promise something unspeakably dark lurking just below their surface.

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 What I thought about The Haunting of Paynes Hollow

Sam Payne must live in the family cottage for thirty days to qualify for a ten million dollar inheritance payout.  She needs the money -- her mother is ill and needs constant care. Bad things happened at that property and Sam is not all that eager to go there, but she needs the money. 

Things get complicated right from the start, with the caretaker having some definite grudges against the Payne family and creepy dead stuff appearing.  And the story doesn't let up from there either as things happen that are designed to get Sam to leave and forfeit her inheritance. Who can Sam trust? And what is going on? She gets more clues after a discovery on the property.

I loved the mix of reality and paranormal here, especially the origins of the lake's inhabitants.  I especially liked the twisted ending that kept me on the edge of my seat.  There are also some very light romantic elements with Sam finding a friend through all of this and there was one point where the horseman made my heart a little squishy. It had all the "feels" as they say. 

If you are looking for something scary to read for this Halloween season or anytime, I recommend this.  I don't read a lot of horror, but this author is my "go-to" when I'm in the mood for something that will keep me on the edge of my seat.  Loved it!

 

5 Stars for Circle of Days by Ken Follett

From a bestselling author of epic fiction comes the deeply human story of one of the world’s greatest mysteries: the building of Stonehenge.

A FLINT MINER WITH A GIFT
Seft, a talented flint miner, walks the Great Plain in the high summer heat, to witness the rituals that signal the start of a new year. He is there to trade his stone at the Midsummer Fair, and to find Neen, the girl he loves. Her family lives in prosperity and offer Seft an escape from his brutish father and brothers within their herder community.

A PRIESTESS WHO BELIEVES THE IMPOSSIBLE
Joia, Neen’s sister, is a priestess with a vision and an unmatched ability to lead. As a child, she watches the Midsummer ceremony, enthralled, and dreams of a miraculous new monument, raised from the biggest stones in the world. But trouble is brewing among the hills and woodlands of the Great Plain.

A MONUMENT THAT WILL DEFINE A CIVILIZATION
Joia’s vision of a great stone circle, assembled by the divided tribes of the Plain, will inspire Seft and become their life’s work. But as drought ravages the earth, mistrust grows between the herders, farmers and woodlanders—and an act of savage violence leads to open warfare . . .

Truly ambitious in scope, Circle of Days invites you to join master storyteller Ken Follett in exploring one of the greatest mysteries of our age: Stonehenge. 

Purchase Information

 

Stonehenge - 1880 - Wellcome Collection, United Kingdom - CC BY. 

What I thought about Circle of Days 

I've always been fascinated with the megaliths of Europe, especially Stonehenge. What were they used for? How did these enormous stones get moved into place? Where did they come from? How long did it take? Ken Follett attempts to answer these questions in Circle of Days.

Told through short vignettes, the author paints a picture of everyday life in 2500 B.C. The people of the Great Plain gather at the Monument at Midsummer for the ritual and revel, where they trade and party. Their concerns are basic, yet familiar. Love, revenge, relationships are all part of the story.

Told primarily through the eyes of Seft, a flint miner looking for a better life, and Joia, a priestess tasked with understanding the calendar and counting that are accomplished with help from the Monument. The story really does sing when the subject is how to get the stones to the site of the current timber-framed Monument, although I didn't mind any of the other stories told that describe the communities of herders, woodland people and farmers that existed on the Great Plain, sometimes in harmony, sometimes not. There are a few heartbreaks along the way to the story of the stones.

I just loved how this story talked about the purpose of the stones, and provided a very believable description of how the stones were moved. This was the most interesting part of the novel. But I did like how the author showed what life was like. The language and voice here capture the simplicity of the times and I felt transported back to 2500 B.C. to experience the moving and building of the Monument. Having Seft and Joia anchor the story was absolutely wonderful, and it was easy to become invested in both of them.

This story is going to stay with me for a while. It's joyous, happy, tense and sad all in the right places. It will be one of my favorites of 2025. Definitely recommended.