The Midnight Pack by Jasmine Kuliasha

Title: The Midnight Pack

Author: Jasmine Kuliasha 

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Jericho James # 1

Publication: May 27, 2025, 338 pages

Source: Libby

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Jericho James is in over her head.

She's a Private Investigator famed for debunking mythical creature sightings, and she expects her latest case in Stillbridge, Maine to be just another instance of "town who cried wolf." But instead of finding a poorly judged animal in the Northeastern woods, Jericho discovers a family of reclusive scientists. Handsome scientists, no less, working on a cure for a mystery virus.

Intrigued by the virus and utterly captivated by Benjamin--a man with cheekbones that must have been chiseled by God himself--Jericho finds she's dying to learn more about the family and their work.

And when she accidentally discovers the family's secret, she might just get her wish.

MY THOUGHTS

When I first saw the cover for The Midnight Pack, I literally gasped. It was stunning and the fact that it was a werewolf urban fantasy was an added bonus. I've been reading urban fantasy for as long as I can remember; it's one of my favorite sub-genres. The cover and synopsis both looked and sounded promising. But it saddens me to say that The Midnight Pack unfortunately did not live up to my expectations.

To start, the pitch for this book was completely inaccurate. Beauty and the Beast meets Supernatural? The novel was nowhere near being influenced by Beauty and the Beast. There was ONE line, cheesy as hell and not in a good or funny way. As for the Supernatural comparison, I’m guessing it’s because the main character is a P.I. who takes on bizarre, unexplainable cases? Hard to say. To be frank, I had a lot of issues with The Midnight Pack.

The story begins with Jericho being called to the town of Stillbridge to solve a murder. In the first couple of chapters, she does the usual investigative work' talking to people and witnesses. She gets a tip about a reclusive man in the woods, and on her way to find him, she sprains her ankle and is rescued by his son, Benjamin. For the next 70% of the book, I had to endure endless scenes of Jericho and Benjamin flirting. She stays with him for most of the book, supposedly waiting for her ankle to heal but for someone who's injured, she walks around quite a bit. The murder case is all but forgotten, and whenever Jericho does remember it, she’s quickly distracted by her lust for Benjamin.

Despite being in their late twenties or early thirties, Jericho and Benjamin acted like horny teenagers; immature and ridiculous. The author repeatedly used the word “blushed” to describe their reactions to each other, every few paragraphs and it drove me bonkers.

I wish the werewolf element had been a mystery to the reader, but since it's splashed across the cover, watching Jericho obliviously stumble around the Grey' household, clueless that they’re werewolves, was painful. There was so much missed potential for suspense and discovery, but it was completely undermined by the cover tagline. The worst part of the novel, however, was the romance; it was childish and full of angst. It was instalove in the worst way. They said “I love you” after knowing each other for a week or less. There was no foundation, no buildup; just superficial attraction: she’s hot, he’s hot. If the author had removed the romance altogether, the novel might have been better, but unfortunately, it ends up overshadowing everything and dragging the story down.

There were also numerous plot holes, where things either didn’t make sense or were too easily and conveniently explained, as if the reader was just supposed to accept it and move on. The Midnight Pack was a real chore to get through, but I pushed on just to finish it. I had already invested so much time that I didn’t want to DNF it; though in hindsight, I should have. I do not recommend this book. The Midnight Pack was poorly written, with superficial characters and a subpar plot.

For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison

Title: For a Few Demons More

Author: Kim Harrison

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: The Hollows # 5

Publication: March 20, 2007, 456 pages

Source: Libby, Audiobook

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Despite dating one vampire and living with another, Rachel Morgan has stayed ahead of trouble until now. A serial killer stalks the Hollows, claims victims across society, and ignites a vicious Inderland gang war. Rachel hides an ancient artifact that could stop the killer or start a battle to the death among supernatural races of Cincinnati. Every action has its price. When the vampire master Piscary is set free and the demonic Algaliarept dares to walk openly under the sun, even Rachel Morgan can't hide forever.

MY THOUGHTS

For the love of all that is holy, can we please stop with the Rachel and Ivy storyline? It's extremely toxic. It’s not interesting and adds nothing to the overall plot except to frustrate the reader. The beginning of For a Few Demons More is bogged down by Ivy-related drama, which unfortunately overshadows what should be one of the main storylines; a murder investigation. It wasn’t until the final 20% of the book that things finally picked up and got interesting. But getting there was a drag.

I own most of the books in the series and feel somewhat obligated to read them, but with each new installment, my tolerance for the characters continues to dwindle. As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, the only characters I’m remotely interested in are David and Trent, maybe Quen and Ceri now. Everyone else, Rachel included, has been disappointing. We’re five books in, and Rachel’s character development has stagnated or worse, regressed.

In this latest installment, we see that most people fear Rachel, assuming she works with demons (which, to be fair, she kind of does), and therefore believe she’s a powerful witch. Yet when it actually counts, like when Kisten was being attacked by vampires, Rachel failed to act in any meaningful way. Once again, she survives not through cleverness or growth but thanks to the help of others or sheer dumb luck. I don’t like Ivy, and when a supposedly climactic scene involving her came around, I didn’t feel anything. The prospect of losing her wasn’t upsetting and unfortunately, she’s still around.

I genuinely hope the next books improve, especially now that certain characters are (hopefully) out of the picture. I also hope Harrison removes Al from the narrative. I thought he was gone, yet here he is again. If there’s an endgame involving him, it’s not apparent. He adds nothing of value to the story. If you removed him entirely, the plot wouldn’t change...which says a lot.

At this point, my reviews of The Hollows series are starting to sound like a broken record. Nothing has improved, and the characters remain a hot mess. Rachel is always whining and crying. I started this series hoping for a mature urban fantasy. So far, it’s just not delivering.

A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison

Title: A Fistful of Charms

Author: Kim Harrison

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: The Hollows # 4

Publication: June 27, 2006, 510 pages

Source: Personal Library

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The evil night things that prowl Cincinnati despise witch and bounty hunter Rachel Morgan. Her new reputation for the dark arts is turning human and undead heads alike with the intent to possess, bed, and kill her -- not necessarily in that order.

Now a mortal lover who abandoned Rachel has returned, haunted by his secret past. And there are those who covet what Nick possesses -- savage beasts willing to destroy the Hollows and everyone in it if necessary.

Forced to keep a low profile or eternally suffer the wrath of a vengeful demon, Rachel must nevertheless act quickly. For the pack is gathering for the first time in millennia to ravage and to rule. And suddenly more than Rachel's soul is at stake.

MY THOUGHTS

A Fistful of Charms throws us straight into the action, with Rachel, a newly recognized pack member is already facing a challenge from another Alpha. Luckily, she wins her first fight thanks to her spells. In this fourth installment, Rachel’s business takes her out of Cincinnati and deeper into the world of werewolf hierarchy and mayhem.

If you've read my previous Hollows book review, you know I’m continuing this series in the hopes of seeing more of David and Trent. To my disappointment, neither of them gets any real page time and we don’t even see Trent at all. Instead, Rachel’s out-of-town adventure consists of the characters I loathe most: Jenks, Nick, and Ivy. Literally the three I dislike the most.

Nick, being the spineless S.O.B. that he is, lands himself in trouble, and of course, the only person who can save him is Rachel. Jenks tags along because Nick has his son, Jackson. Ivy shows up later, either to help or just to be her usual possessive self. In my last review, I mentioned how much I dislike Ivy’s possessiveness over Rachel, and it gets even worse in this book. The first three books hinted at Ivy biting Rachel, and now she finally does, which only makes things more complicated. It blurs the line between friendship and lovers, even though Rachel isn’t interested in her that way. I still don’t like it and think it's disturbing.

The plot was more engaging this time around, as we got to explore werewolf hierarchy and territory. I appreciated the change of pace and scenery because I was getting tired of all the demon and vampire politics. Overall, this was another solid installment in the messy life of Rachel Morgan. I really hope Harrison brings Trent back soon. And is it too much to ask to get rid of Ivy and Jenks? I mean, at least Nick is finally gone gone.

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

Title: Bride

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

Series: N/A

Paperback, 398 pages 

Publication: February 6, 2024
Source: Personal library 
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Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again...

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.

MY THOUGHTS

I have never read an Ali Hazelwood novel; her books never sounded like my thing, nor am I big on contemporary romances. But as a paranormal fantasy reader, I knew I had to read Bride. Bride had two of my favorite tropes: marriage of convenience and fated mates, with a Were Alpha and a Vampyre Princess Equivalent at its center. I was intrigued!

 Within the first few chapters, I was immediately engrossed with the story and characters. Misery, the FMC, was quirky, and I absolutely loved her dry sense of humor, especially when she was interacting with Lowe’s little sister Ana; the two were a hoot. It was interesting to see Misery’s life before and after marriage, despite the setting being primarily within the pack territory. The hierarchy and different Vampyre and Were dynamics were easy to follow and understand. I also appreciated how each character played a pivotal role in the story; every single character was very well-developed and fleshed out.

 Was Bride the best paranormal urban fantasy out there? Absolutely not, but it was fun and entertaining. I think this is a great introduction for those not familiar with the sub-genre or who are new to reading paranormal urban fantasy. I thought the story and characters were great, and with how the book ended, I would happily pick up the sequel. All in all, a solid read with a light mystery and romance that I enjoyed.

Unnatural Magic by Stacia Stark

Title: Unnatural Magic

Author: Stacia Stark

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Bargins with Beast # 1 

Paperback 386 pages 

Publication: September 23, 2022
Source: Personal library 
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If there’s one thing I loathe, it’s being told what to do.

I was kept ignorant and sheltered my whole life. Now that I’m free, I’ll never be coddled again. Even if the smoking hot werewolf king thinks coddling is perfectly acceptable. Because something’s hunting humans in my city. Something that kills like a werewolf, but displays those kills publicly–as if taunting the authorities. Thanks to my spiffy new agreement with the police, it’s my job to figure out just what that something is. But whoever is hunting the good citizens of Durham is also taunting me.

When my investigation takes me to the local werewolf pack–and the overprotective male in charge–I know I’m in trouble. Can I solve these murders without losing my freedom... or my life? Or will the creature make me regret ever thinking I was strong enough to be out in the world alone?

MY THOUGHTS

After finishing Stacia Stark’s Deals with Demon series some time ago, I found myself thinking often of the Deals with Demons universe. I was thrilled to discover that the author had launched a spin-off series, Bargains with Beasts, focusing on Danica’s sister, Evie. In Unnatural Magic, we journey alongside Evie as she grapples with her newfound power, hunts down villains, and contends with the HFE group. While the original series revolved around demons, Evie’s story delves deeper into the territory of werewolves.

Evie shares many traits with Danica—stubbornness, independence—but she carries additional burdens stemming from her discovery of being part of a genetic experiment and her coven's betrayal. Yet, it was annoying how often Evie compared herself to Danica or strives to differentiate herself from her sister. One can't have it both ways. Furthermore, I found the chemistry between Evie and Nathaniel forced; despite being told they're fated mates, it never felt authentic. While neither Evie nor Nathaniel particularly resonate with me, I found the side characters and the wolves' perspective intriguing.

In contrast to the Deals with Demon series, I found Unnatural Magic to be an okay read. It was a struggle to get through, although my interest finally peaked towards the end. Despite my reservations, I intend to continue with the next and final Evie installment, especially to delve into Kayla’s story. For the full experience, I highly recommend starting with the Deals with Demon series to fully appreciate the world-building, then circling back to explore the Bargains with Beast series.

 

One Fell Sweep by Ilona Andrews

Title: One Fell Sweep
Author: Ilona Andrews 
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Innkeeper Chronicles # 3

Paperback, 332 Pages
Publication: December 21, 2016 by Createspace Independent 

Source: Personal library.


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Dina DeMille may run the nicest Bed and Breakfast in Red Deer, Texas, but she caters to a very particular kind of guest… the kind that no one on Earth is supposed to know about. Guests like a former intergalactic tyrant with an impressive bounty on her head, the Lord Marshal of a powerful vampire clan, and a displaced-and-superhot werewolf; so don’t stand too close, or you may be collateral damage.

But what passes for Dina’s normal life is about to be thrown into chaos. First, she must rescue her long-distant older sister, Maud, who’s been exiled with her family to a planet that functions as the most lawless penal colony since Botany Bay. Then she agrees to help a guest whose last chance at saving his civilization could bring death and disaster to all Dina holds dear. Now Gertrude Hunt is under siege by a clan of assassins. To keep her guests safe and to find her missing parents, Dina will risk everything, even if she has to pay the ultimate price. Though Sean may have something to say about that!

I can always count on husband and wife extraordinaire, Ilona Andrews to deliver action, hilarity and the unexpected. And the third installment in the Innkeeper chronicles, One Fell Sweep had all three and more. Its been quiet on Gertrude Hunt’s home-front but things changed when a rare species, a Hiru drops in unexpectedly and seeks assistance and asylum for his brethren and himself. The Hiru offers Dina something she can’t refuse; help save his species and they will answer one question. The Hiru knows the answer to everything including the possible whereabouts of Dina’s parents.

Readers are treated to familiar characters from the previous two novels and plenty of new additions such as Dina’s older sister Maud and her daughter Helen. First off, I didn’t recall Dina having any other siblings besides her brother who went MIA at the same time her parents did. I absolutely loved Maud and her daughter. They were the center of many hilarious and heart-warming scenes. If I can use two words to describe Maud, it would be Alpha Female or total bad-ass. Like Dina, Maud would do anything and everything in the name of family and friends. While the sisters are 100% human, Dina has innkeeper abilities while Maud does not. But what Maud lacks in powers she made up for in sheer prowess in combat and strategy. Maud was married to a vampire noble and years surrounded by vampire customs has turned her into a ruthless and calculated soldier. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree with little Helen who is half human-half vampire. Growing up in a vampire house, Helen doesn’t know what it truly means to be a child. Even when she saw her own father murdered, she didn’t shed a tear but knew instantly that her father had to be avenged. Helen was a little firecracker, I just adored her. You’d have to read the novel to see what the fuss is all about! I can’t wait to read more about Maud and Helen in the novella, Sweep of the Blade.

The Innkeeper Chronicles is a hodgepodge of Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Romance and Mystery. Intergalactic vampires, werewolves and other alien species shouldn’t make sense but Andrews makes it work perfectly; and who knew that, that was exactly what I and other readers wanted? One Fell Sweep was an excellent addition to the series providing hours of happiness and laughs. Andrews’ books are always my go-to to escape reality and to relieve stress. If you haven’t read the Innkeeper Chronicles, you must remedy that A.S.A.P. Wondering what the raves are all about? Check out chapter samples on the authors’ website of the first two books for free. Guaranteed to be a sure winner! 

Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews

Title: Magic Binds
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Kate Daniels # 9

Mass Market Paperback, 342 Pages
Publication: May 2, 2017 by Ace

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Mercenary Kate Daniels knows all too well that magic in post-Shift Atlanta is a dangerous business. But nothing she’s faced could have prepared her for this...

Kate and the former Beast Lord Curran Lennart are finally making their relationship official. But there are some steep obstacles standing in the way of their walk to the altar.

Kate’s father, Roland, has kidnapped the demigod Saiman and is slowly bleeding him dry in a never-ending bid for power. A Witch Oracle has predicted that if Kate marries the man she loves, Atlanta will burn and she will lose him forever. And the only person Kate can ask for help is long dead.

The odds are impossible. The future is grim. But Kate Daniels has never been one to play by the rules…

Magic Binds takes us into the home stretch for the end of the Kate Daniel series. With mere weeks away from Kate and Curran’s wedding everything is chaotic as Kate reluctantly plans the wedding and a deadly prophecy hangs over her; stating that marrying or not marrying Curran can doom all of Atlanta.

I can’t believe that the Kate Daniel series is going to wrap up this year. It doesn’t seem real, yes, I’m still in denial. But at the same time I know the authors know exactly what they’re doing and appreciate that they’re not stretching the series out longer than necessary for a buck. With that said, Magic Binds packs a punch. There was so much going on…where to begin? The book started out on a high note with the wedding plans and it’s hilarious. One word: Roman.

In my last review, I suspected, as everyone else, that Roland was going to play a big part in the next book and boy, does he. Roland is an interesting character and his interaction and relationship with Kate is both touching and convoluted. It’s odd, on one hand he’s trying to make sure that she has the wedding of her dreams, everything a dad can give his daughter and on the other hand he still wants to destroy her and everyone she loves. Yup. Like I said it’s pretty screwed up and that’s putting it lightly. In a disturbing way he loves, adores and is proud of Kate but wouldn’t feel much remorse at ending her life…I mean, he has been hunting her a very long time.

On top of dealing with Roland encroaching on Kate’s territory (she claimed Atlanta in the last book) and life, the Circle gives Kate a devastating, life changing prophecy that Kate does everything in her power to change and the length she goes to do it is mind-boggling…but this is Kate, and you know she’ll do absolutely anything for the people she loves even if it means her death. While everything seems bleak, the novel isn’t without it’s usual humor to balance it out. A little relief is seen from wonderboy Derek and angelic face Ascanio…oh man, their scenes were pure joy. I also loved all the scenes that had to deal with the wedding. One scene in particular that stood out from memory was Kate finding out that Curran actually did a cake tasting for their wedding and narrowing It down to 8-16 cakes was priceless. There were a lot of great scenes though.

I am anxiously waiting for Magic Triumph. On one hand I can’t wait to see how the story will end for Kate and Curran, they are long overdue for a happily ever after. But at the same time bummed because it means goodbye to everyone. In anticipation of Magic Triumph, I’m planning on rereading or doing an audio-book of the series again. I heard reading anything over a second time is always better…you catch things you didn’t before. Magic Binds was another great addition to the series. Andrews’ work keeps getting better and better. This is an amazing series that I highly recommend. If you haven’t read this series yet…you need to get on it A.S.A.P!

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Title: River Marked
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Mercy Thompson # 

Mass Market Paperback, 291 Pages
Publication: January 31, 2012 by Ace

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Coyote shifter Mercy Thompson knows that life with her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will never be boring, but even their wedding doesn't go as planned. Nevertheless, a ten-day honeymoon camping on the banks of the Columbia River, alone, just the two of them, should make up for it. But the trip - and the pimped-out trailer they're using - is courtesy of the fae. And nothing from the fae comes without strings attached...

Being a different breed of shapeshifter - a walker - Mercy can see ghosts, but the spirit of her long-gone father has never visited her. Until now. An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River - and innocent people are dying. As other walkers make their presence know to Mercy, she must reconnect with her heritage to exorcise the world of the legend known as the river devil...

Mercy has come a long way since the beginning from a regular mechanic to a revered member of the supernatural community. If anything happens, you can count on Mercy to save the day. In the opening of River Marked, Mercy and Adam finally get hitched and like all newly wed couples are about to jet off on their honeymoon. Except the honeymoon doesn’t go as planned with Mercy getting pulled in to investigate a murder and find herself attacked and marked by a river demon hellbent on killing her.

I very much enjoyed River Marked and loved that Briggs explored and incorporated Native American lore into the storyline. I haven’t encounter many novels with Native American Lore/Mythology, so it was a nice and welcomed change. With that said, I however, didn’t think the river demon was all that scary…Mercy has faced scarier, life threatening opponents before in my opinion. In addition to learning more about shapeshifters, we finally learn more about Mercy’s background and who her parents are…Especially her father.

All in all River Marked was a solid read, but not the best in the series. But I am still excited to see how the dynamics will change, now that Mercy is officially part of the pack now. If you haven’t picked up this series yet, I highly recommend it. The Mercy Thompson series is one of Urban Fantasy’s staple series. 

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

Title: Silver Borne
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Mercy Thompson # 5

Hardcover, 342 Pages
Publication: March 30, 2010 by Ace Books

Source: Personal Library

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Mercy is smart enough to realize that when it comes to the magical fae, the less you know, the better. But you can't always get what you want. When she attempts to return a powerful fae she previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secrets - and the fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side - leaving Mercy to cover for him lest his own father declare Samuel's life forfeit.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she may not have many more... 

I can’t believe it’s been eight years since I read the last Mercy book. With that said, going in and starting Silver Borne was effortless. To my own surprise I remembered exactly where things left off and what occurred in the previous books. That’s a true testament to Briggs for creating such an amazing world and characters. You honestly cannot define the Urban Fantasy Genre without the Mercy Thompson series. It’s truly a UF staple, must have and reading requirement for everyone that loves the genre.

After a traumatic attack on Mercy’s person in Bone Crossed, both Mercy and Adam are trying to work out their relationship; trying to get back to how things were before the attack. But the momentary reprieve from trouble is short-lived when Mercy’s friends get kidnaps and a dangerous fae searches for a book…a book that Mercy is in possession of.

There were multiple subplots happening simultaneously but Briggs weaved the plots seamlessly that every single contained situation fit perfectly all together. In addition to deal with the fae kidnapping, Mercy had to attend to the the usual business of her business, pack business and help her friend, Samuel and his wolf through a crisis. Mercy definitely had her plate full, but then again when doesn’t she?

I really enjoyed Silver Borne and learning more about the supes in Mercy’s world. I am amazed at how much Briggs was able to pack in one single book without it feeling like too much or info-dumped. Silver Borne was a great addition to the series and a solid read. If you haven’t read this series yet; I highly recommend it! 

Magic Shifts by Ilona Andrews

Title: Magic Shifts
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Kate Daniels # 8

Mass Market Paperback, 375 pages
Publication: February 23, 2016 by Ace

Source: I received a review copy in exchange for a honest review.

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After breaking from life with the Pack, mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate—former Beast Lord Curran Lennart—are adjusting to a very different pace. While they’re thrilled to escape all the infighting, Kate and Curran know that separating from the Pack completely is a process that will take time.

But when they learn that their friend Eduardo has gone missing, Kate and Curran shift their focus to investigate his disappearance. As they dig further into the merc’s business, they discover that the Mercenary Guild has gone to hell and that Eduardo’s recent assignments are connected in the most sinister way…

An ancient enemy has arisen, and Kate and Curran are the only ones who can stop it—before it takes their city apart piece by piece. 

Magic Shifts is the eighth installment in the Kate Daniel series and certainly a big improvement since the last book. Which I previously stated was the weakest book of the series. Kate and Curran have left the pack and are adjusting to living on the outskirt of town; trying to figure out what their next steps are. But there’s no rest in sight when Eduardo, a pack member goes missing and all signs points to the sudden emergence of ghouls and a deadly ancient creature.

Andrews are always tackling new mythos in their books and in this latest book Andrews put their own unique spin on ghouls and Djinns. I have always been fascinated with Djinns and this is probably the second book I’ve ever read that featured them. These Djinn aren’t like your friendly genie from Aladdin, they’re tricky, volatile, and dangerous.I liked how the authors Incorporated the Djinns into the already complex world and plot…it was done seamlessly. Speaking of world, the world of Kate Daniel is a multifaceted one, especially as we’re already two books from the series wrap-up. The characters have developed tremulously over the course of the series as well; every new detail, information, history and character adds to the richness of the story and world and I can’t get enough of it.

This book had a healthy and perfect balance of drama and humor. I loved seeing the usual gang and more of Roland, Cassandra, George etc. And although the last three are new additions to the series, I felt like they were a major integral part of the series now and I wouldn’t have it any other way. There were a lot of things going on in this book and I am curious to see where Team Andrews takes them next.

If you love Urban Fantasy as much as I do, then this series is a must; you literally can’t mention Urban Fantasy without mentioning Andrews and the Kate Daniel series.

Sweep in Peace by lona Andrews

Title: Sweep in Peace
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Fantasy
Series: InnKeeper Chronicles # 2

Trade Paperback, 301 pages
Publication: November 13, 2015 by Createspace

Source: Personal library.

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Dina DeMille isn't your typical Bed and Breakfast owner. Her inn defies laws of physics, her dog is secretly a monster, and the only permanent guest of the inn is a former Galactic tyrant with a price on her head. The inn needs guests to thrive and guests have been scarce, so when an Arbitrator shows up at Dina's door and asks her to host a peace summit between three warring species, she jumps on the chance. Unfortunately, for Dina, bridging the gap between space vampires, the Hope-Crushing Horde, and the merchants of Baha-char is much easier said than done. To make the summit a success, she must find a chef, remodel the inn, keep her guests from murdering each other, and risk everything, even her life, to save the man she might fall in love with. But then it's all in the day's work for an Innkeeper… 

I’ve been on an Ilona Andrews roll! I’m a big fan of both their Kate Daniel and InnKeeper Chronicles series. After finishing Magic Breaks and Magic Stars, I stepped away from Kate and the gang to Dinah and The Gertrud Hunt with Sweep in Peace, the second novel in the Innkeeper Chronicles. The book starts off 6 months after the events of the previous book. Dinah’s only bed and breakfast occupant is none other than the infamous Caldenia, a wanted woman across the galaxy. So financially, Dinah isn’t doing so well. However, an opportunity to host a peace treaty at her Inn falls into her lap; one that will solve most of her financial troubles…there’s no way Dinah can turn it down, even though all the other Innkeeper within the area did; afraid of the chaos that is likely to ensue when three rival clans come to stay under one roof…what’s the worst that can happen, right?

It’s been awhile since I last read Clean Sweep, my memories of the first book is a bit fuzzy. But I didn’t know how much I missed these characters till I started Sweep in Peace. It feels great to immerse myself in Dinah’s world once again. There were a couple of familiar characters from the previous novel but a lot of new ones as well. My favorite new character was Orro, the red clever chef that Dinah hires. Orro was a riot! I loved his dramatics, he brought endless humor to the story. We also got to see more of Caldenia, she too was hilarious…which still trips me out because she’s supposed to be some crazy wanted murderer! Apparently the nice looking ones are the ones you gotta watch out for! 

The first book was jammed packed with action, but this time around the pacing of the book was slower and read more like a whodunit mystery. Which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. By stepping away from all the action sequences, Andrews focused more on the characters themselves highlighting the characters’ pain, fears, concerns, emotions they shared in common if they actually stopped and thought about it. 

Sweep in Peace was another excellent novel by Andrews and great follow-up to Clean Sweep. Many authors nowadays have branched out to self-publishing and I’ve noticed that yes, even though you may love their traditional published work it sometimes doesn’t translate to self-publishing. Whether it’s the editing, direction change in term of genre, writing style…something is usually off/different and I find myself hesitant to pick up their self-published work. But It’s not the case for Andrews. Not only did they published this online first as a serial for free but reading it, you know it’s written by Andrews with their unique signature never lost. I’m looking forward to reading the third installment, One Fell Sweep! If you haven’t read this series, you need to get on it A.S.A.P! 

Night Shift by Charlaine Harris

Title: Night Shift
Author: Charlaine Harris
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Midnight, Texas #3 

Hardcover, 308 Pages
Publication: May 3, 2016 by Ace

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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At Midnight’s local pawnshop, weapons are flying off the shelves—only to be used in sudden and dramatic suicides right at the main crossroads in town.

Who better to figure out why blood is being spilled than the vampire Lemuel, who, while translating mysterious texts, discovers what makes Midnight the town it is. There’s a reason why witches and werewolves, killers and psychics, have been drawn to this place.And now they must come together to stop the bloodshed in the heart of Midnight. For if all hell breaks loose—which just might happen—it will put the secretive town on the map, where no one wants it to be...

Night Shift is the third and supposedly final book in the Midnight, Texas series. I hope this isn’t the last book because I enjoy the series too much to see it end! Anyone familiar with this series knows that the town of Midnight is a peculiar place and nothing is ever as it seems. What initially drew me to this series was the premise and plot but I stayed for the characters. Harris has created one of the most unique and fun cast I’ve ever read about.

Night Shift takes place approximately a few weeks after the events of Day Shift. The Town of Midnight gets a temporary relief as they plan for their annual Halloween-Samhain celebration at Fiji’s. However, the reprieve is abruptly cut short when the suicide rate sky rockets (before this, it was 0%), occurring right in the middle of Midnight in front of Bobo’s pawnshop. What’s even stranger is, the people committing suicide are ones that aren’t a fan of Fiji, Midnight’s resident witch. Once again it’s up to Fiji and the gang to figure out why the deaths are occurring and put a stop to it before it brings unwanted attention to their little town.

The main plot this time around isn’t as interesting as the first two books in the series. In my opinion, the multiple suicides and the big bad villain lurking underneath the town never really held my attention and the villain wasn't scary. The entire town was on a time sensitive mission but I never felt the urgency of it nor did they apparently. And then when the big showdown finally took place, it was solved so fast I thought I missed it. It was anticlimactic. It literally took two drops of blood and was summed up/solved in four sentences.­ I felt the author rushed the ending and 1-2 more pages could've helped the scene.

Even though the plot was somewhat of a letdown, the characters more than made up for it. As I said before, I’ve stuck around with series because of the wonderful characters. They may all be supes (except Olivia and the Reeds) and hiding secrets but at the core they’re just like everyone else. They want to try to make a decent living, live a happy life and care and protect their friends and families. That might sound boring but it isn’t the case. The people of Midnight make the most mundane of tasks fascinating and you’re never bored. And we finally learn the most in Night Shift about the characters. Prior to this book everyone was an enigma. Readers will learn more about Manfred and his family, what Olivia been hiding and running from, how the Reeds are keeping Madonna’s restaurant afloat and meet a relative of Fiji, other than the ghost of Aunt Mildred.

All in all this was a good conclusion to a wonderful series and everything tied up nicely. I am still crossing my fingers in hope that this isn’t really the end. There is still so much more to explore! In all honestly, I’m not ready to say goodbye to these characters. But if this is truly the end, I am glad that I’ll still get my dose of Midnight, Texas when the show based on the series is aired later this fall. Thank goodness for that. I highly recommend this series to everyone. It’s a light, fun read with the perfect balance of paranormal and mystery.