Shockingly, I was disappointed when I first learned that Patricia Briggs was going to write urban fantasy instead of fantasy. I was already a fan and read her fantasy novels. The urban fantasy market was bloated and repetitious in my mind. But Patricia Briggs is a superior writer, and she has a fresh, exciting urban fantasy series. Smoke Bitten is the twelfth book in the Mercy Thompson series, and I eagerly anticipate more books. The series that has not grown stale with age. The characters grow and develop. The plot is full of action and twists. There is both European and Native American mythology invoked.  Then there is Mercy Thompson,  who has a unique style.

Mercy Thompson is an auto mechanic with an unusual genealogy. Her father is Coyote, the eternal trickster. As a result, Mercy can change into a coyote at will. This development came as a major shock to her mother, who found a coyote puppy in the crib. Feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of raising a baby who can turn into a coyote, her mother took Mercy to be raised by a group of werewolves.

Being raised by werewolves didn’t make it any easier for Merry when she married Adam, the alpha of the tri-city pack. Many of the pack still resented Merry.  Merry could handle the cranky werewolves, but something is bothering her husband. He had shut down their mating bond. Mercy must manage the more resentful members of the pack and figure out what is bothering her husband.

But in the meanwhile, she must deal with a supernatural invader from Underhill. This creature can take the form of smoke. Its bite enables the monster to control the body and mind of the victim. The supernatural escapee then murders in the body of its victims. The casualty rate is rising. Worse, it can control more than one victim at the same time.  Even worse, it can attack the supernatural as well as humans. Mercy must handle it. For some reason, Mercy is immune to the bite of the smoke monster. Yet  Mercy has no superpowers, other than she can only turn into a coyote and engage in some mischievous payback.

Throughout this series, there have been challenges and resulting character development for the main characters. Mercy is hard-working and compassionate. She is respectful, but she takes no guff. In this book, Mercy has marital issues, but she doesn’t share this information. It is refreshing to read about a romance involving mature adults. But this book isn’t about Mercy so much as the other around her. Adam, the alpha wolf, has an issue. Mercy can help him only so far with this issue. In the end, he must resolve it.

The action is non-stop and fascinating.  There are hints concerning the future of other characters in the book. In particular, I am expecting some exciting developments for both Tad and Jessie. By the end of the story, the reader has enjoyed a satisfying mix of adventure, action, mystery, and romance. Patricia Briggs could write twelve more books in this series, and I will gladly read them all.

My collection of Patricia Brigg novels are below. I can’t locate my copy of Smoke Bitten. I had to hide from my cat which was chewing on it.

THE

KISS THIEF

by L.J. Shen

Release Date: January 9th

Add to Goodreads:

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41450662-tk

This is a must read for me.  L.J. Shen is a fabulous writer and this is her first historical romance. So far, everything about this book is perfection. The title is enticing. The cover is beautiful. Need  I say that the romance trope of an arrange marriage is one of my favorites.

Blurb
They say your first kiss should be earned.

Mine was stolen by a devil in a masquerade mask under the black Chicago sky.

They say the vows you take on your wedding day are sacred.

Mine were broken before we left church.

They say your heart only beats for one man.

Mine split and bled for two rivals who fought for it until the bitter end.

I was promised to Angelo Bandini, the heir to one of the most powerful families in the Chicago Outfit.

Then taken by Senator Wolfe Keaton, who held my father’s sins over his head to force me into marriage.

They say that all great love stories have a happy ending.

I, Francesca Rossi, found myself erasing and rewriting mine until the very last chapter.

One kiss.

Two men.

Three lives.

Entwined together.

And somewhere between these two men, I had to find my forever.

About the Author

L.J. Shen is an International #1 best-selling author of Contemporary Romance and New Adult novels. She lives in Northern California with her husband, young son and chubby cat.

Before she’d settled down, L.J. (who thinks referring to herself in the third person is really silly, by the way) traveled the world, and collected friends from all across the globe. Friends who’d be happy to report that she is a rubbish companion, always forgets peoples’ birthdays and never sends Christmas cards.

She enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends, reading, HBO, Netflix and internet-stalking Stephen James. She reads between three to five books a week and firmly believes Crocs shoes and mullets should be outlawed.

Connect with L.J. Shen

Website: http://www.authorljshen.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorljshen/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lj_shen

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorljshen/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorljshen/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/l-j-shen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13531492.L_J_Shen

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KSFkad

strongrelease

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kylie Scott comes a new story in her Stage Dive series…

When the girl of your dreams is kind of a nightmare.

As head of security to Stage Dive, one of the biggest rock bands in the world, Sam Knowles has plenty of experience dealing with trouble. But spoilt brat Martha Nicholson just might be the worst thing he’s ever encountered. The beautiful troublemaker claims to have reformed, but Sam knows better than to think with what’s in his pants. Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to make his heart fall into line.

Martha’s had her sights on the seriously built bodyguard for years. Quiet and conservative, he’s not even remotely her type. So why the hell can’t she get him out of her mind? There’s more to her than the Louboutin wearing party-girl of previous years, however. Maybe it’s time to let him in on that fact and deal with this thing between them.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

LINKS:

US – https://amzn.to/2N6LVlN
Aus – https://amzn.to/2CLhrkp
UK – https://amzn.to/2QlaQ2V

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/

Links:

FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/kyliescottwriter/

FACEBOOK FAN GROUP:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/599197093487040/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/KylieScottbooks

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/kylie_scott_books/

GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6476625.Kylie_Scott

Available now:

Direct link: https://video214.com/play/J81ia4hKl1Gr0NVmECh5oQ/s/dark

My Review

If you have read the Stage Dive series (and if not, you should read the Stage Dive series), you are aware that Martha is a nightmare. Martha was on top of the world, the beautiful girlfriend of world-renowned songwriter and musician. Then she cheats on her famous boyfriend with his bandmate and brother.  Fortunately, she doesn’t manage to break up the band and the ex-boyfriend, Davie, writes a hugely popular album about his heartbreak. But Martha isn’t done. In the first Stage Dive novel, Lick, she tries to break up the marriage of her ex-boyfriend with the help of her brother, Ben. Since Ben is the bass player of the band, this also causes tension in the band again. Yet Martha is unstoppable. In Deep, Martha tries to stop the marriage of her brother, Ben, to his pregnant girlfriend.  Clearly, Martha has a destructive streak.

It would take a strong man to love Martha with her destructive tendencies. Fortunately, for Martha, Sam, the former Navy Seal and current bodyguard for the band, is just that man. He has been in love with Martha for ten years. But he has been waiting for her. He doesn’t state it, but he is waiting for her to mature.

After being gone for years, Martha is back on the West Coast. It is time for her to mend the damage done by her earlier antics. There is a sense of shame and awkwardness.  Strong is a hot sexy romance about two strong-willed characters. It also highlights the power of redemption and forgiveness. Moreover, it has everyone’s favorite characters from the series. I highly recommend this novella.