Carries Book Reviews

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Dead and Buried
Annie Anderson
(Grave Talker, #7)
Publication date: February 28th 2023
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Darby Adler is done.

Done with the Council. Done with ancient evils popping up every five seconds. And especially done with her ex-boyfriend, Bishop. On the hunt for the slippery mage, she has teamed up with an unlikely ally in a Prince of Hell. The same prince that invades her thoughts, her space, and maybe her heart.

But when the dreaded ex starts targeting those closest to Darby, all deals–demon or otherwise–are off.

Darby’s going to bury Bishop La Roux… one way or another.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

I should have taken the trip to the Underworld.

That thought had plagued me since I agreed to this damn adventure. Mainly because I was not a good flyer.

There were too many people in the airport and what if you didn’t get there in time and what if they searched your luggage and decided to confiscate everything. There were far too many variables when it came to air travel, and I was in charge of none of them.

Not. A. Fan.

But when we arrived at the airport, it was not on the super commercial side. When the smoke from Aemon’s power faded, we were outside a giant hangar with a few people milling about like little worker bees. An airplane sat just off the tarmac with a red carpet leading to the boarding stairs.

“Umm…” I said nervously, staring at a suit-clad flight attendant who just seemed to notice us standing there.

I had never flown private in my life, but it seemed that streak was about to end.

“Did you honestly think I was going to make you fly commercial?” Aemon scoffed, shaking his head as he pulled his hands away from my hips. “After the Orlando trip? Never.”

He was referring to my senior trip when my plane nearly went down after an electrical disturbance. I hadn’t flown since, and I was pretty sure I would need pharmaceuticals to do it this time. But there was only one way Aemon knew about my flying trauma because Jay and I refused to talk about it ever.

It was the same reason he knew every other corner of my brain. Because he had seen it in my memories when he invaded my mind during his possession.

“What are the odds that flight attendant has Xanax in his pocket?” I asked, choosing to ignore the reminder of Aemon’s possession completely.

He seemed to consider my question as he ushered us forward. “I’d say pretty good, but I wouldn’t take them. He’d likely confuse them for the Molly in his other pocket and then you’d really be in trouble.

My feet nearly stuttered to a stop as my tongue felt heavy in my mouth and a sweat broke out all over my skin. I did not want to get into that plane. Not at all.

“Come on, Flower. I’ll hold your hand the whole time.”

Now I was hot, but it was due to anger rather than anything else. “I’m not a child. I don’t need you to hold anything for me.”

Choking down my fear, I marched to the plane, handed off my suitcase, and made it up the steps before the fear took root again.

“You can sit anywhere. Would you like something to drink?” The attendant was my height with a shock of ginger hair and a jaw you could sharpen blades on.

The hum of the engine started, and it took everything in me not to climb out of my skin, holding onto the chaos magic like it was my job. I chose a seat and waved him off.

“I’m fine.” I was not fine, but I would grit my teeth and make it so. Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back to the cushion.

Eight hours. Just eight tiny hours and you will be there. You’ll get answers. This is fine.

“You’re such a little liar,” Aemon whispered in my ear, his approach completely undetected.

I cracked an eyelid, cutting my gaze to him with a glare that should have roasted him on the spot.

“You couldn’t be less fine if you tried. Now, I can help calm you down, or you can sit there and pray you don’t blow this plane up mid-flight. Your choice, Flower.”

Aemon had a habit of making me sleep when I needed it. There had been a few instances where I had gone days without even so much as a wink of it until he took the decision out of my hands.

Him actually asking this time was new.

“I could have sworn I had a name, and it wasn’t anything even remotely resembling ‘Flower ’or anything close to it.”

Aemon’s petulant sigh practically rattled my bones. “Ms. Darby Adler, will you pretty please with sugar on top hold my hand so I may calm you down on this very treacherous flight over an ocean of salt that will surely kill me dead should you explode this plane and dunk me in it?”

That had my breath hitching in my chest as acid churned in my gut. Exploding this plane had been a real concern, but now? Now I was holding onto the armrests for dear life, and we hadn’t left the tarmac yet.

Aemon’s face got right in mine so all I could see were those pretty blue eyes and too-full lips.

“You’d better answer me, Flower, or I’ll have to think of other ways to distract you.”

Author Bio:

Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon

as the military stops moving her family around, she’ll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life… interesting.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest

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Blood Lovers
J.A. Huss
(American Vampires, #1)
Publication date: February 28th 2023
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Paranormal, Romance

The Devil craves beauty. Even in himself.

The vampire will make magnificent promises and I will say yes.

The man I give my heart to will steal my soul.

Syrsee

My grandma gave me these words of wisdom just before she died.

Then she told me to run.

Because if the old witch is dying, then he needs a new one.

And that’s me.

This is my curse.

I am the vampire’s power.

I am the vampire’s strength.

I am the vampire’s food.

And he is very, very hungry.

Ryet

I hate him, but I crave him.

I want to be rid of him, but I also want him next to me.

I want to feed on him and sometimes I dream about him feeding on me.

It feels like a trick. Like abuse.

Like Stockholm syndrome.

But it’s not. It’s just… the blood.

I am the vampire’s scion.

I am the vampire’s slave.

I am the vampire’s future.

And he will never let me go.

Paul

I am the vampire.

Once you make a deal with me, it’s done.

There’s no going back.

Once I bite my lip—

Once I bare my teeth—

Once I let it drip—

He’s mine.

She’s mine.

And together we are blood lovers.

Blood Lovers is a dark, seductive journey into a world where the blood runs black, the dreams are purple, and the demons aren’t just dangerous, they’re beautiful.

Masterfully told by New York Times bestselling author, JA Huss—it’s a book that will change the lore forever.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Audible

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EXCERPT:

“What do you want?”

“Why do you hate me?”

“That’s why you’re haunting me? You want to know why I hate you?” I blow out a breath. “How much time do you have?”

Paul stares at me for a long moment, his eyes the color of ice. They match his personality. “I have all the time you need, Ryet. Let’s hear it. Tell me all the ways in which I ruined your life.”

“No. Fuck you. You’ve got me running around these cabins like I’m one of your fucking bitches and now you’re invading my dreams. What are you doing? Spying on me?”

“Spying. Why are you so dramatic? I’m checking up on you. Did you find the girl?”

“No. I haven’t. I’ve been too busy remodeling your stupid cabins. If you want me to get back to it, say the word. I’d be happy to. But I’m not gonna look for your stupid feeder while you have me on a leash.”

“Like I said, I’m checking up on you.”

“Come check up on me in person. Don’t invade my dreams. It’s a violation.”

The corner of his lip turns up, like he wants to chuckle about my choice of the word ‘violation. ’But he knows better, and decides to change the subject. “I don’t care for the girl, do you?”

“Which girl?”

Now he narrows his eyes at me. “How many girls are you dealing with at the moment?”

“Two. But if you mean Isabella? No. I can’t stand her. She orders me around—”

“That’s why I don’t come in person. I just want her to pop that child out so I can take him somewhere else. I will not be playing house with this one for the next decade. She’s not my type. Perhaps I should give the boy back to Hutch? It is his child, after all.”

“Who the fuck is Hutch?”

“My current favorite slave. He’s so pretty, Ryet. Not as pretty as you, but my God. I could look at him all day.”

“Yeah, well. Isabella’s pretty too.”

“She is.” He chuckles. “But only on the outside. Which I can deal with.”

“You’re not dealing with her, Paul. You’re hiding like a fucking coward while I deal with her for you.”

“Do you think that’s what I’m doing?”

“Obviously.”

This is the point in the conversation when I realize that we’re actually having a conversation. I want to ignore him, but I can’t. Because the truth is, I fucking love him. And if someone came after him, I would kill for him. Die for him, if that was even possible.

I can’t decide if this is some kind of vampire magic he’s working or if it’s just his natural charm. I don’t have a big enough sample size to make that determination, so these feelings and talks are nothing but confusion on my end. Because no matter what he does to me, after a couple minutes of talking, I’m back in his corner. It feels like a trick. Like abuse.

Like Stockholm syndrome.

Of course, I know it’s the blood bond between us.

Blood lovers. That’s what he calls it.

I hate him, but I crave him.

I want to be rid of him, but I also want him next to me.

I want to feed on him and sometimes I dream about him feeding on me. Not just the little accidental drips, either. But fully latched on and sucking the blood out of me in rivers. And even though I try my best to not love the taste of him, I love the fucking taste of him. And if he were to bare his neck to me, I’d suck on him all night.

This thing between us is forever. And he’s here to remind me of that.

Author Bio:

JA Huss is a New York Times Bestselling author and has been on the USA Today Bestseller’s list 21 times. She writes characters with heart, plots with twists, and perfect endings. Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world. Her book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie Award in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Her audiobook, Mr. Perfect, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017. Her audiobook, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Her book, Total Exposure, was nominated for a RITA Award in 2019. She lives on a ranch with her family, dogs, cats, birds, chickens, horse, donkeys, and goats in Colorado.

Bookbub / Website / Amazon / Audible / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram

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Prowl
Cara Dee
(The Game Series, #12)
Publication date: March 28th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

The Game Series • Book 12 • Sequel to Apex Predator • MMMM • Primal Play • D/s • Hurt Comfort • ADHD

In Apex Predator, Lane and Macklin headed down to South Florida for a wild week in the sun, but now it’s time to return to reality. Things back home might feel a bit…unsettled…for both men, and even more so when they notice two apex predators on the prowl.

Ty and Walker will take it from here, boys.

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The Game Series is a BDSM series where romance meets the reality of kink. Sometimes we fall for someone we don’t match with, sometimes vanilla business gets in the way of kinky pleasure, and sometimes we have to compromise and push ourselves to overcome trauma and insecurities. No matter what, one thing is certain. This is not a perfect world—and maybe that’s why the happily ever after feels so good.

 

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

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For a chance to win a paperback copy of Prowl, visit Goodreads here!

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Author Bio:

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex.

There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly.

Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.

I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I’m a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write.

 

Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter / Bookbub

 

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Title: Exes and O’s

Author: Amy Lea

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: January 10, 2023

Page Count: 398

My rating: 4 stars

About the book:

A romance novel-obsessed social media influencer revisits her exes on her hunt for true love in this romantic comedy from the author of Set On You.

Romance book connoisseur Tara Chen has had her heart broken ten times by ten different men—all of whom dumped her because of her “stage-five clinger” tendencies. Nevertheless, Tara is determined to find The One. The only problem? Classic meet-cutes are dead, thanks to modern dating apps. So Tara decides to revisit her exes in hopes of securing her very own trope-worthy second-chance romance.
 
Boston firefighter Trevor Metcalfe will be the first to rush into a burning building but the last to rush into a relationship. Love just isn’t his thing. When his new roommate Tara enlists him to help her reconnect with her exes, he reluctantly agrees. But Tara’s journey is leading him to discover his own new chapter.
 
The more time they spend together, the more Tara realizes Trevor seems to be the only one who appreciates her authentic, dramatic self. To claim their happily ever after, can Tara and Trevor read between the lines of their growing connection?

Exes and O’s by Amy Lea is the second book in the contemporary romance The Influencer #2 series. As with a lot of romance series each book in The Influencer #2 series changes the main characters so they can be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so.

Tara Chen is prepared for her fresh start as she is moving into a new place and hopes that starting over will help her find her “one’ in life. Just as Tara arrives at the new apartment though she runs into her new roommate in a rather awkward encounter.

Trevor Metcalfe is a firefighter who rushes into burning buildings but definitely not romances. Tara and Trevor know they are wrong for one another but do become friends in their new living arrangement. When Tara comes up with the plan to revisit her exes to see if maybe her “one” got away Trevor is there to be the friend she needs.

When first picking up Exes and O’s by Amy Lea to read I never even realized this was part of a series and simply enjoyed my time getting to know these characters and their stories. After finishing I can definitely say you do not need to read the first in the series to enjoy this one. Exes and O’s is a fun read with a few laughs along the way as the romance slowly builds from friendship to more. Definitely an author I will return to in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

Amy Lea is a Canadian bureaucrat by day and international bestselling romance author by night (and weekends). She writes romantic comedies featuring strong heroines, banter, mid-2000s pop culture references, and happily ever afters.

When Amy is not writing, she can be found fan-girling over other romance books on Instagram (@amyleabooks), eating potato chips with reckless abandon, and snuggling with her husband and two goldendoodles.

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Title: Primer and Punishment

Author: Diane Kelly

Publisher: St. Martin’s

Publication Date: February 21, 2023

Page Count: 296

My rating: 5 stars

About the book:

Primer and Punishment marks the fifth in the delightful cozy mystery series from Diane Kelly set in Nashville, Tennessee. Whitney Whitaker has a knack for nailing down murderers . . . but this time she might just come unmoored.

Carpenter Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck are looking once again to rehab and resell a house, only this particular house is made of fiberglass, floats, and has been dubbed the Skinny Dipper. The old houseboat sure could use some work, but the unusual project has Whitney bubbling with excitement.

The charming and handsome Grant Hardisty lives on the cabin cruiser in the adjacent slip, but the cousins soon learn he’s left a half dozen angry ex-wives in his wake and made enemies of all sorts of unsavory folks. The man is clearly caught in an increasingly dangerous current with no life preserver in sight.

Whitney and Buck are spraying primer on their houseboat when—KABOOM!—Grant’s boat blows sky high with the man himself inside. Detective Collin Flynn has no shortage of suspects, but the waters become muddied when several of them confess to the crime. Is one of those who confessed truly guilty, or are they taking a dive for someone else? When anonymous threats are made against the cousins, Whitney must quickly determine who killed their neighbor at the lake, or she and Buck might also be sunk.

Primer and Punishment by Diane Kelly is the fifth book in the cozy House-Flipper Mystery series. As with most cozy mysteries each of these books in the series could be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so as the mystery within is fully solved during the book. There is of course some character development carried over book to book for those fans following in order from the beginning.

In the House-Flipper Mystery series Whitney Whitaker had been working as a property manager to pay the bills while she had been living in her parents pool house with her cat, Sawdust. Real estate and renovating were really Whitney’s passions so whenever she got the chance she was diving into the house flipping business with her cousin Buck.

This time around Whitney’s cousin Buck has really taken Whitney out of her comfort zone looking for their next rehab project. Buck stumbled upon an old houseboat named the Skinny Dipper for sale and is convinced it will bring in a nice profit. Unfortunately for Buck and Whitney though another murder occurs when their neighbor at the marina boat explodes.

The House-Flipper Mystery series is another that I have followed from the very start and have fallen in love with reading. I have a secret HGTV addiction so the whole renovation side appealed to me to start but I come back each time enjoying the characters and the humor I find within. This is a great series for those that love a little laughter and a lot of fun in their cozy reads!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

A former tax advisor, Diane Kelly inadvertently worked with white-collar criminals more than once. Not surprisingly, Diane decided self-employment would be a good idea. Her fingers hit the keyboard and thus began her Death and Taxes romantic mystery series. A graduate of her hometown’s Citizen Police Academy, Diane Kelly also writes the hilarious K-9 cop Paw Enforcement series, the Busted female motorcycle cop series, and the House Flipper cozy mystery series. 2021 marked the debut of her new Southern Homebrew moonshine series and her Mountain Lodge Mysteries with The Moonshine Shack Murder and Getaway with Murder.

Be the first to receive book news and access exclusive content by signing up for Diane’s newsletter at DianeKelly.com. Follow the Author Diane Kelly page on Facebook @dianekellybooks for fun, prizes, and more! Follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @dianekellybooks