Blood Thirsty by Chelsea Burton Dunn

Vampires and Werewolves have long been at war, each determined to wipe the others out. Witches have aligned with the Werewolves, While Chenja are allies with the Vampires, though due to their low population, the Chenja tend to stay out of the fighting as much as possible.  Ace is a vampire and has been monitoring Werewolf activity, as they are clearly up to something, but what it is, is something that no one was truly prepared for. Can they learn enough to prevent the planned ritual before it begins, or to stop it from being completed before it is too late?

The characters in this book are different from the Werewolves in Ms. Dunn’s Werewolf series (By Moonlight). I am uncertain If this series takes place in the same universe as the other or not, as this series takes place primarily in London rather than the United States, and may also be set in a slightly different time period. (I wasn't able to tell.)

This series is a bit darker than the By Moonlight series, but that should be expected when it appears to center around a Vampire/Werewolf war. Still, I did enjoy reading this book, even if my preference, at the moment, is for the By Moonlight series. But that won't keep me from continuing to read and enjoy this series as well.

I received a review copy of this book, and I did enjoy reading it. As I said above, it does seem a bit darker than the other books that I have read from this author, and it does include a fair amount of violence and some torture (though not graphic, it is clearly what is happening), and also includes some instances of abuse and sacrifice.

If you've enjoyed other books from this author, enjoy reading Vampire, Shifter, and Werewolf stories, then you are likely to enjoy this book as well.

https://amzn.to/4exIiyn (Amazon link)

https://4horsemenpublications.com/product/blood-thirsty-dead-mans-hand-1/ (link to book on publisher's website)

https://books2read.com/u/mgDqoD (Books2Go link for other Vendors)

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Purrs and Peril Written by Jinty James Narrated by Devon Sorvari

The Norwegian Cat Cafe is a licensed cat cafe, run by Lauren and Zoey, however unlike most cat cafes, they do not have cats available for adoption. The only cat in the cafe is Annie, who acts as a hostess, greeting the customers as they enter and guiding them to their tables. The regulars all love Annie, and she truly is the heart of the cafe. So when one of the regulars is murdered, the three of them can't help but try to figure out who killed him and why.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book. I enjoyed the story, and loved how important Annie was throughout the story. She may not have left the cafe, but without her help, Lauren and Zoey would have had a much more difficult time finding the clues needed to figure out what happened.

I will admit that the ending felt a little rushed in that the murder outed themself and provided the details that had not previously been found during the story. But despite that, it was pretty clear to me before that point who was the most likely to be the killer and I had a decent guess as to why, so despite the ending coming sooner than I had expected, I still enjoyed listening to this one. (It was a fairly short book, which is likely why the ending came sooner than I had expected. Had I been reading it rather than listening, I would say it was a very quick read.)

The narrator did a wonderful job keeping the voices of each of the characters distinct from one another, making it easy to tell who was speaking. And the portrayal of Annie was enjoyable as well. The narrator did a very good job in differentiating her vocalizations to show what the cat was trying to say to the humans.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, especially ones where a cat plays such a large and integral part of the story, then I believe you will enjoy this one, whether you read or listen to this book.

https://amzn.to/4bHL0zA (Amazon book link)

https://books2read.com/u/3JgZKP (Books2Go link to other vendors)

https://amzn.to/458EBLh (Amazon audiobook/audible link)

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Firefax by A. M. Vergara

During the Revolutionary War, there are rumors of a city of gold that is hidden on an island whose location is known only to the Firefax family. The riches on this island could finance the entire war … if it could be found. But the Firefax family are actually a family of trained assassins for hire, so convincing them to disclose the island's location is next to impossible. However, a rival assassin just might know how to get Murdock, the eldest Firefax, to disclose the island's location.

I read a review copy of this book, and the first thing I can say about it is that it was not what I expected. Yes, the family this book follows are assassins, but it is an interesting story that is not actually about their profession or their intended victims. It is about the family themselves. The characters are ones that you find yourself wanting to know more about. There is more to them than their being merely paid killers. They are actually quite a fascinating extended farming family ... who also happen to be highly skilled assassins.

In a lot of ways, this is more of a story about family interactions and what they are willing to do to protect each other. Yes, there is actually a city of gold and rival assassins hunting for it, but it is the Firefax family that is the larger story, both in the American colonies, and in the city of gold, which just happens to be the home of a rather unusual religious cult. 

Reading it, it may seem to have a bit slow of a start to the story, but once you truly get into it, it quickly picks up steam. I can only assume that there will be a sequel to this story as it seems to end rather abruptly, leaving me with some unanswered questions. And so, I will be watching for a book two to be released to find out what happens next. I did enjoy reading this book. And if you enjoy historical fiction with a twist, I think you probably will too.

https://amzn.to/4caf06N (Amazon link)

https://books2read.com/u/bpn6L6 (Books2Go link to other vendors)

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Double Murder at the Grand Hotel Miramare by Elena and Michaela Martignone

Two people are found murdered in a room at the Luxury Hotel, Miramare. Both both were employed by the countess, making her a suspect in their murder, and while she may have had a motive, Detective Bertᐟe does not think she was the one responsible for their deaths. But if not her, then who?

This novel, while fictional, is set in a historic, and famous, luxury hotel in Lungariva. I received a review copy of this book from the author and enjoyed reading it. The characters were each well developed and entertaining, and I enjoyed reading it. Honestly though, I think I found Detective Bertᐟe himself to be the most interesting part of this novel. His inner monologue and insights into the motives and behaviors of the other characters, as well as his outside relationships and hobbies made him a well rounded character and the largest part of what I enjoyed most about this book. 

For me, this was an interesting story with characters that I found memorable. While I did not see it as intense of a murder mystery as I am used to seeing in the United States, it was still quite enjoyable. The authors are from outside of this country (Italy, I think), and this is the first of their books translated into English, though not the first book in this series. I did enjoy this book, primarily because I enjoyed reading about Inspector Bertᐟe, and would not mind learning more about his adventures. I would rate this book as a solid 3.5 stars

If you enjoy murder mysteries that take place in foreign countries as well as in historic locations, then I believe that you will likely enjoy this book.

https://amzn.to/3yxXYRH (Amazon Link)

https://books2read.com/u/4EdoDE  (Books2go link to other vendors)

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.