Too Many Questions by Leslie Grant-Adamson

Private investigator Laura Flynn is not sure who her nasty caller is. Possibly the same person whose anonymous threats have already sent her client, beautiful fashion designer Kate Mullery, scurrying into hiding. Or someone trying to scare Laura off her investigation into one of Mullery's business connections. And yet another possibility is that someone has been made uneasy by Laura's persistent inquiries into the long-ago disappearance of her father.

Anonymous threats don't faze Laura, but Kate Mullery's murdered body floating in the River Thames does. It's even a comfort to have her ex-husband suddenly reappear in her life. Gutsy Laura, her offbeat London, and her oddball cronies make a real world - vivid, amusing and more than slightly sinister. For the menace that drifts through it like fog is very menacing indeed - and entirely too real... 

An enjoyable cozy. Moves along quickly with a satisfying ending.

Secret life of a Vampire by Kerrylyn Sparks

A typical bachelor party is all about beers and beautiful women. A vampire bachelor party is no different - except the men are drinking Blissky (whiskey-flavored synthetic blood). And no one can throw a party quite like Jack, the illegitimate son of the legendary Casanova. But when the party gets out of hand and the cops show up, Jack has some explaining to do...if only he wasn't struck speechless by the beauty of Officer Lara Boucher.

Lara is sure there's something more than a bachelor party going on. What is Jack hiding? And why is he so interested in the recent disappearance of young women all over town? Her investigation uncovers more than she wants to know, especially about this modern-day Casanova. But if she's ever to make detective, she'll need to expose all his secrets...if only her heart wasn't on the line.

 Another great addition to the series.  

Rural Bliss by Lou Wakefield

Thirty-five-year-old Fran Holdaway has an enviable life. She has finally found a gorgeous and faithful second husband, Paul. She has a job in advertising in London, and commutes from her wonderful country home in Leicestershire, which she has restored with her own hands. Now that she has feathered her nest, it's time to make babies, she thinks.

Allie is her oldest friend. Admitting to thirty-nine (although Fran knows better), she is a metropolitan to her core, living in Bloomsbury, working at the same agency as Fran in Covent Garden, faithful to no man, but voracious lover of many.

Sam is Fran's fresh-faced country friend - the estate agent who sold her the retreat to her Rural Bliss. But Sam has a dark secret. She has been the clandestine mistress of a married man for seven years. Surely it's time to move on?

All three women's lives are turned upside-down in this delicious new comedy romance. 

Light, at times funny, at times a bit over the top sort of chic-lit romance. 

Raised by Wolves by jennifer lynn Barnes

Fifteen-year-old Bryn has, literally, been raised by wolves. At the age of four, her parents were murdered by a rogue ("rabid") werewolf, and Bryn barely avoided their fate when she was rescued by Callum, the powerful, ancient alpha in charge of the local werewolf pack. Callum placed Bryn under his particular protection and enfolded her into his pack, and he put her in the care of another human, a woman named Ali who is only 17 years older than Bryn. In addition to granting Ali great latitude in raising Bryn as her own daughter, Callum has permitted Bryn to engage in a highly unusual mental resistance to the engulfing tide of the pack's all-inclusive telepathic connection. He has also offered her a remarkable amount of freedom from his alpha ability to compel obedience on all the werewolves in his pack. The combination of uncommon freedom with an innately forceful personality has led Bryn to engage in a great many verbal and behavioral rebellions over the years, which Callum has responded to with remarkable patience and tolerance. But one of the things Callum has absolutely insisted on since earliest childhood that Bryn has always eagerly agreed to is a strict daily regimen of exercise and training in various warrior arts. Bryn runs up to 12 miles per day, climbs extremely tall trees, practices martial arts, trains with guns and knives, and engages in hand-to-hand combat with werewolves in their human form.

After over a decade of close, affectionate supervision, Bryn would have sworn that she could trust Callum in every possible way, most especially that he would never lie to her, either directly or by omission, and he would certainly never allow harm of any kind to come to her. But all of those assumptions are blown away the day she discovers a teenage boy named Chase in a cage in Callum's basement. Chase has been turned into a werewolf by the savage, bloody attack of a rabid werewolf. He holds the secret to the elusive memories Bryn has of the rogue werewolf that destroyed Bryn's family, but Callum refuses to allow Bryn to pursue that crucial information--on threat of dire pack punishment if she disobeys.

 I enjoyed this book more than I had expected. Not often you get story about a human child raised with werewolves. I'd like to read more in this series.

The Case of the Paranoid Patient by Anna Clarke

The pitiful moans from beyond the thin hospital wall did not interfere with Paula Glenning's recuperation. But the story behind the sounds was indeed disturbing. Why was the doctor dosing Margaret Leeming with so many tranquilisers? What really caused the car crash that landed the helpless woman in the hospital? Ever curious, Paula is drawn to the case, but soon discovers that what she doesn't know might hurt her - or kill her... 

Nice cozy. Not so much a who-dunnit as a why.

Ruthless Game by Christine Feehan

GhostWalker Kane Cannon's mission plunges him into a hot zone more personal than he anticipated: the hiding place of Rose Patterson-hunted fugitive, ex-lover, and a fellow GhostWalker desperate to save the life of her unborn child. Kane's Child. 

A fast, fun and steamy read. I liked Kane and Rose and loved the humour. Couldn't put it down. 

Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

Payne, twin sister of the Black Dagger Brother Vishous, suffers a devastating injury, and brilliant human surgeon Manuel Manello is called in to save her. Their attraction is instant, and as powerful as it is dangerous. But as human and vampire worlds collide, a centuries- old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in jeopardy.

I liked that we saw a lot of V and Jane in this book and the development of their relationship as well as that of Payne and Manny.

New characters were introduced, which could be interesting in future installments.

Not my favourite of the series, but I read it in 1 day so it was still difficult to put down. 

Tribute by Nora Roberts

Cilla McGowan always sold the properties she bought and then rebuilt, but this time Cilla planned on keeping the place for herself. Cilla knew restoring her grandmother’s retreat in the Shenandoah Valley would take lots of time, money, and hard work since no one had lived there since Cilla’s grandmother—glamorous Hollywood actress Janet Hardy—committed suicide 30 years ago. What Cilla hadn’t factored into her plans was just how distracting her sexy new neighbor, graphic novelist Ford Sawyer, would be. Or that after Cilla discovers a packet of her grandmother’s letters, someone in the small town will stop at nothing to keep some secrets buried in the past. 

This book had it all - a solid mystery, a love story, humor and house renovations. I really enjoyed it.

Scent of Darkness by Christina Dodd

Ann Smith loves her handsome, dynamic boss, Jasha Wilder, but her daring plan to seduce him goes awry when she encounters a powerful wolf who-before her horrified eyes-changes into the man she adores. She soon discovers she can't escape her destiny, for she is the woman fated to break the curse that binds his soul.

I enjoyed this one even though I found Ann a little annoying. She needed a good spanking.

Death of a Dancer by Jill McGown

A murder takes place at a private boarding School in the English countryside. A nice range of suspects - all with a reason to kill :) 

A light whodunit with some not very likeable characters.

Lothaire by Kresley Cole

LL FEAR THE ENEMY OF OLD

Driven by his insatiable need for revenge, Lothaire, the Lore’s most ruthless vampire, plots to seize the Horde’s crown. But bloodlust and torture have left him on the brink of madness— until he finds Elizabeth Peirce, the key to his victory. He captures the unique young mortal, intending to offer up her very soul in exchange for power, yet Elizabeth soothes his tormented mind and awakens within him emotions Lothaire believed he could no longer experience.

A DEADLY FORCE DWELLS WITHIN HER

Growing up in desperate poverty, Ellie Peirce yearned for a better life, never imagining she’d be convicted of murder—or that an evil immortal would abduct her from death row. But Lothaire is no savior, as he himself plans to sacrifice Ellie in one month’s time. And yet the vampire seems to ache for her touch, showering her with wealth and sexual pleasure. In a bid to save her soul, Ellie surrenders her body to the wicked vampire, while vowing to protect her heart.

CENTURIES OF COLD INDIFFERENCE SHATTERED

Elizabeth tempts Lothaire beyond reason, as only his fated mate could. As the month draws to a close, he must choose between a millenniaold blood vendetta and his irresistible prisoner. Will Lothaire succumb to the miseries of his past . . . or risk everything for a future with her?

I enjoyed this book more than i expected to.
Lothaire is snarky, crazy, hilarious, and completely out of his league when having to deal with Elizabeth.

Lots of action, some mystery and a happy ending. 

The Tall Pine Polka by Lorna Landvik

Balanced on the remote edge of the boundary waters in northern Minnesota, the Cup o' Delight Café is home to a motley crew of locals. Drawn to the addictive coffee and the equally addictive company, the customers share the fortunes of life together. Having left the dangers of the big city and an abusive husband behind, owner Lee O'Leary helps guide and inspire her friends, particularly Fenny Ness. There seems to be no problem that Lee or her coffee can't solve.

Then Hollywood arrives and chooses the town of Tall Pine as the setting--and Fenny as the star--of a new film. With the encouragement of her friends, Fenny overcomes her inhibitions and agrees to act. To add to the general excitement, a handsome stranger arrives in town. Big Bill has qualities that draw both Lee and Fenny to him; as their world turns upside down, Lee and Fenny struggle to balance loyalty and happiness.

An enjoyable read full of quirky characters.

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

Now it's the turn of the weres and shifters to follow the lead of the undead and reveal their existence to the ordinary world. Sookie Stackhouse already knows about them, of course - her brother turns into a panther at the full moon, she's friend to the local Were pack and Sam, her boss at Merlotte's bar, is a shifter. At first the great Were revelation seems to go well - then the horribly mutilated body of a were-panther is found outside Merlotte's. Though Sookie never cared that much for the victim, no one deserves such a horrible death, so she agrees to use her telepathic talent to track down the murderer. But what Sookie doesn't realise is that there is a far greater danger than this killer threatening Bon Temps: a race of unhuman beings, older, more powerful and far more secretive than the vampires or the werewolves is preparing for war . . .

An OK addition to the series. Not a lot of progression in the Sookie and Eric relationship. it felt like a bit of a 'it's about time another Sookie book was written'. 

Sheet Music by M.J. Rose

After a scandal stemming from a story she wrote threatened her reputation as a journalist, the chance to interview Sophie DeLyon, a famous composer who founded a prestigious school of music, is a chance for professional salvation for Justine. Justine is unprepared, however, for how returning to New York for the interview meant she had to confront her relationship with her family, her unreconciled grief over her mother's death, and her fear of being hurt by love as her mother had been. Then DeLyon disappears, upsetting the world of the school and creating a crisis for Justine herself, not just at the professional level but a personal one as well.

M. J. Rose's writing is beautiful, compelling, and profoundly sensual-not simply in the sexual sense, but in the sense that all of the senses are savored. Taste and hearing are particularly central to the narrative, as food and music are important elements in Justine's relationship with others. Justine's experiences of the senses-feeling the vibrations of the cello, the taste of a slice of orange, the sound of a flute playing-are all deeply embedded in memories, emotions, and her personal demons.

The descriptions of the food and music in this book are almost sexier than the descriptions of the sex...and that's saying something.

A beautifully told, multilayered story of family, food and music. 

10/10

Holidays Are Hell

4 authors I usually enjoy, 4 short stories set around Christmas, all with a paranormal twist but none of them grabbed me.  I finished the 1st 2, read a few pages at the beginning of the each of the other 2 but didn't bother finishing them.

Dark Light by Jayne Castle

Tabloid reporter Sierra McIntyre wants a scoop when she interviews Ghost Hunter Guild boss John Fontana about the disappearances of retired, homeless hunters. She doesn’t want to trust the physically and psychically powerful man, but her intuition—and her dust bunny companion—give her the green light. To uncover the conspiracy within his own organization, Fontana proposes…marriage. And though it’s purely a business arrangement, there’s nothing pure about the attraction that sizzles between them.

 An enjoyable, fun read. Loved Elvis, I want one! 

Whats not to like...alien artefacts, sex in mysterious alien love temples and cute dust bunnies.