As the second in command of the Paranormal Investigators Unit, Shiloh Harrison follows orders. She's good at her job and has a good relatio
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As the second in command of the Paranormal Investigators Unit, Shiloh Harrison follows orders. She's good at her job and has a good relationship with her team. Her team includes a human boss (Julius Almeida), an incubus (Novak), a skinwalker (Jaxon) and a dhampir (Kathleen). Shiloh herself is a half djinn. She can grant three wishes. She also has to deal with her Quarrel, an ability to affect the combative nature of humans. If she doesn't exert control, she can be responsible for unleashing a fight where none should be.
She just finished a case and is about to spend some time with her current lover Vincent Ortiz, when she's called back to work. A trailer park has been taken hostage by a group of vampires. Her team needs to show up as soon as possible before things get out of hand. Her boss is nowhere to be found, making Shiloh the lead US Marshall.
At the scene, Shiloh meets Woodrow Tennyson, a master vampire who has moved all his line into the trailer park. Tennyson is worried. Some of his vampires have disappeared and before any more are taken he needs the team's help to discover who's behind it and why.
Shiloh knows this mission is important when Tennyson admits he's not the only master vampire or werewolf pack who has members gone missing. Forty-six vampires and twenty-eight werewolves have disappeared.
This will take the team into a never-before-seen danger where black magic is at the center of it all. Shiloh won't know who's an ally and who's a foe.
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I love Urban Fantasy novels. I was excited about starting a new series. I was hoping to find a new favorite. I can't say that I did. However, I was entertained by the characters and the action.
I couldn't connect with Shiloh at the beginning but I liked her by the end. She made some rushed decisions. They felt too impulsive. She also has some issues with her relationships. She was with Vincent but was thinking about her ex-lover and then she throws Tennyson in the mix. She's supposed to hate vampires but she could barely keep two feet away from Tennyson.
There was a good twist at the end and a few unanswered questions. I'm hoping we get some answers in the next installment.
Stray Magic delivers a good plot and interesting characters. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in this series.
Thank you HarperCollins Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of Stray Magic in exchange for an honest review.
As the second in command of the Paranormal Investigators Unit, Shiloh Harrison follows orders. She's good at her job and has a good relationship with her team. Her team includes a human boss (Julius Almeida), an incubus (Novak), a skinwalker (Jaxon) and a dhampir (Kathleen). Shiloh herself is a half djinn. She can grant three wishes. She also has to deal with her Quarrel, an ability to affect the combative nature of humans. If she doesn't exert control, she can be responsible for unleashing a fight where none should be.
She just finished a case and is about to spend some time with her current lover Vincent Ortiz, when she's called back to work. A trailer park has been taken hostage by a group of vampires. Her team needs to show up as soon as possible before things get out of hand. Her boss is nowhere to be found, making Shiloh the lead US Marshall.
At the scene, Shiloh meets Woodrow Tennyson, a master vampire who has moved all his line into the trailer park. Tennyson is worried. Some of his vampires have disappeared and before any more are taken he needs the team's help to discover who's behind it and why.
Shiloh knows this mission is important when Tennyson admits he's not the only master vampire or werewolf pack who has members gone missing. Forty-six vampires and twenty-eight werewolves have disappeared.
This will take the team into a never-before-seen danger where black magic is at the center of it all. Shiloh won't know who's an ally and who's a foe.
__
I love Urban Fantasy novels. I was excited about starting a new series. I was hoping to find a new favorite. I can't say that I did. However, I was entertained by the characters and the action.
I couldn't connect with Shiloh at the beginning but I liked her by the end. She made some rushed decisions. They felt too impulsive. She also has some issues with her relationships. She was with Vincent but was thinking about her ex-lover and then she throws Tennyson in the mix. She's supposed to hate vampires but she could barely keep two feet away from Tennyson.
There was a good twist at the end and a few unanswered questions. I'm hoping we get some answers in the next installment.
Stray Magic delivers a good plot and interesting characters. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in this series.
Thank you HarperCollins Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of Stray Magic in exchange for an honest review.
I swear this series is much funnier if you listen to the audiobooks!
I didn't think I was going to enjoy this one as much as the first Finlay book but I swear this series is much funnier if you listen to the audiobooks!
I didn't think I was going to enjoy this one as much as the first Finlay book but surprisingly, I did. I had so much fun with it.
I recommend reading this series in order. By the end of Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice. It felt like an arc had ended. So I'm excited about next Finlay's adventure.
This novel begins with Finlay and Vero planning to travel to Atlantic City to find Javi and the Aston Martin but their girls' weekend becomes complicated when they can't leave alone. Finlay's ex-husband Steven, her children, and her mother are all coming with them.
Their trip became even more complicated when the cops showed up.
I loved the emerging Finlay. The character continues to evolve and is becoming more assertive. I also love her friendship with Vero. They are a great duo.
I look forward to reading the next one.
Cliffhanger: No
4.5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Liv is an artist who was abroad in Italy studying her craft. After finishing her classes, she returns Seven Summers is a love story but not a rom-com.
Liv is an artist who was abroad in Italy studying her craft. After finishing her classes, she returns to Cornwall and her family home. Her plan is to move to London to continue pursuing her dream of sculpting. In the meantime, she takes a job at Seaglass, the local restaurant. Here is where she meets Flinn, a musician playing with the local band.
Liv and Finn fall for each other quite quickly but how will things work for them? She lives in the UK and Finn lives in the States and only comes to Cornwall for the summers.
After tragedy strikes, they decide not to keep in contact but to see each other in Cornwall every summer unless one of them falls in love with someone else.
On the seventh summer, we meet Tom, a newcomer who will stir things around. Liv and Tom have an undeniable connection and one that could be worth exploring.
Seven Summers takes you through two timelines: the Present Summer and through the last six. The story deals with friendship, grief, heartbreak, personal growth, disabilities, and love.
Paige Toon really knows how to write. Her characters were all believable and relatable and despite loving Finn, I fell in love with Tom too.
This was my first book from this author but it won't be the last.
Cliffhanger: No
4.5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by G.P. Putnam's Sons via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Heather: she is relentless in trying to get her daughter into an elite boarding school. She wEntertaining for sure!
There are 3 main female characters.
Heather: she is relentless in trying to get her daughter into an elite boarding school. She will stop at nothing to accomplish it.
Poppy: Rich and full of privilege. Yet, she is bored. Her husband treats her like a decoration he purchased and is showing off.
Norah: a down-to-earth mother who works for Poppy's husband. She works and enjoys it and doesn't feel like she fits with all the other mothers which she is happy about.
Then there is a website called Urban Myth. The website is supposed to be private. Everyone can post their deepest secrets. The information is so juicy that everyone on the Upper East Side has the app.
Then, a man disappears and the site is hacked and all three ladies' secrets are in the open.
I think the blurb is misleading. The hacking happens not at the beginning of the book but way into it. By then, I don't think it made much of a difference. We already knew each woman and what they were dealing with privately.
No One Needs to Know had unlikable characters except for Norah. She was my favorite.
I enjoyed the ending and I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to read something like Desperate Housewives. I certainly do.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Bantam via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For the hard-core readers of this series, this installment doesn't disappoint.
Mercy is still recuperating from the attack sAction-packed winter storm!
For the hard-core readers of this series, this installment doesn't disappoint.
Mercy is still recuperating from the attack she suffered in the last book. She is not doing well. Her mind and her magic were affected by the Soul Taker. No one really knows how to fix her.
Adam knows she is not well but no one he knows can help her.
Then, Mercy's half-brother, Gary shows up. He is unable to talk or comprehend. Something happened to him while he was taking care of a ranch in Montana. Despite her own problems, Mercy knows she has to help him.
Mercy and Adam decide to take a trip to Montana to find the answers. Their trip is not an easy one. The winter storm is a powerful one. Someone is behind it. But why? By whom?
As they arrive at the Lounge, they are met by a wedding party. It's not a typical one. Mercy and Adam come to the realization that more than Gary's life is in danger.
I love Mercy and Adam together. They have learned to trust each other and to let the other be independent when the right occasion arises. My one complaint is that I missed the rest of the pack and I also miss Bran.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Ace via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
After finding a post on Reddit, Emma decides to DM a message to Justin.
Justin post's on Reddit is quite Another powerful book written by Abby Jimenez.
After finding a post on Reddit, Emma decides to DM a message to Justin.
Justin post's on Reddit is quite funny. The gist of the post is that after leaving him, every woman he dates, then they go on to find their true love.
Emma is surprised because the exact same thing has happened to her, so she tells him that in her message.
After a few interactions through texts and then video, Justin tries to convince her to come to Minnesota so they can date and then break up. Hoping that both can find their true love after.
Emma is a traveling nurse and when her current job ends, she convinces her best friend and roommate to go to Minnesota with her.
Emma and Justin have tons of chemistry and their relationship progresses wonderfully. There were just a couple of issues: Emma's mother is back in the picture and dating her boss. Emma's mother was not a good mother. She abandoned Emma as a child and Emma was raised in foster care. The second issue was that due to unfortunate circumstances, Justin was soon becoming the guardian of his three siblings.
I did love this story. So much heart! There is a lot of pain and at times, it was hard to like Emma. Justin on the the other hand, was perfect. He was very understanding and supportive.
I can't wait for her next book.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Forever via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hazel Sharp is coming back home for her father's funeral. He was a long-time detective in a small town. Coming back takes woA good amount of suspense!
Hazel Sharp is coming back home for her father's funeral. He was a long-time detective in a small town. Coming back takes work. Her mother left her when she was a teenager and she has a strained relationship with her brothers Caden and Gage who are both police officers like their father. Matters get worse, when she is told her father left the house solely to her!
The town of Mirror Lake is suffering the worst drought in years. The lake level is so low that things long buried are resurfacing. At the same time the funeral is occurring, a car is pulled from the lake. The vehicle contains two dead bodies!
Is this discovery connected to Hazel's mom's disappearance?
I felt the suspense as Hazel started uncovering all the secrets kept from her. The paranoia she develops sensing someone in her house or finding things have moved around the house made me think of the movie When A Stranger Calls. "The call is coming from inside the house." I wanted to scream at her that someone was around.
I have enjoyed many books by Megan Miranda and Daughter of Mine can be added to the "yes" column.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Marysue Rucci Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kate Shaw is done being angry. She has quit her job as a teacher and has decided to finally use her kitchen to makA sweet story with sweet characters!
Kate Shaw is done being angry. She has quit her job as a teacher and has decided to finally use her kitchen to make pancakes. Her husband passed away three years earlier and she knows she needs to move forward. He was a great cook and she misses him dearly and all the special dishes he used to make for them.
While she's attempting to cook, someone knocks at her door. The old man's name is Charles and he tells her, her house used to be a tea place. His wife Mary and he used to enjoy many afternoons there. He wonders if she would cook something for his Mary. After talking with Charles for a while, Kate finds herself saying yes. She will cook scones for them.
Next, Kate bumps into her neighbor, Della. Della is divorced and her faithful companion is her dog. They start a conversation and soon Kate invites Della to the meal she is preparing for Mary and Charles.
During all these events, Kate keeps on running into another one of her neighbors, Jack. He has recently moved close by and their first few interactions weren't great. However, Kate soon learns what happened to Jack to make him react the way he did.
The Secret Ingredient gives us a little bit of everything. There is loss, there is sadness but there is also hope, friendship, and memories. Food is a great memory inducer. A certain food smell can trigger a wonderful memory of someone you loved who has cooked for you. A food memory can also be comforting. I know it happens to me when I get sick and I just want to smell my mother's chicken soup recipe.
I haven't tried any of the recipes in this book but I want to.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by One More Chapter via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
An enjoyable story that takes place in a bookstore.
Maggie Banks is drifting. She is unsure about her future and the right path to follow so when he3.5
An enjoyable story that takes place in a bookstore.
Maggie Banks is drifting. She is unsure about her future and the right path to follow so when her good friend offers her a job at her bookstore while she goes on maternity leave, she jumps at the chance.
When Maggie starts working, she realizes she has a few issues. She has never been a reader. Also, the bookstore wasn't allowed to sell books from this century or the last! Third, the local historical society is trying to control everything the bookstore is doing.
Maggie becomes desperate. She needs a plan. She can't afford to lose this job. She can't let her friend down either. What to do?
Maggie realizes the only way she can stay afloat is to develop a secret book club where she can sell the books people want to read without getting discovered by her friend, the historical society, or the guy she had developed feelings for.
I had some anxiety with this one. I wasn't sure how she could save the bookstore or her romance when the truth came out. The ending did feel a little too perfect but I'm not complaining.
Cliffhanger: No
3.5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by One More Chapter via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Margot lost her best friend Eliza due to an accident three weeks after graduating high school. Their plan had been to go together to college in South Margot lost her best friend Eliza due to an accident three weeks after graduating high school. Their plan had been to go together to college in South Carolina. Margo decides to do just that but her first year doesn't bring her any happiness, she is barely living. Then, Lucy Sharpe appears out of nowhere and offers Margot to move in with her and her two besties, Sloane and Nicole to an off-campus house and she doesn't hesitate to accept the offer.
Lucy is magnetic. Everyone is interested in her and what she has to say. People gravitate towards her just like they did with Eliza. Margo is no exception. Like moths to light, Margo will follow Lucy's lead into everything but will this include murder? By the middle of sophomore year, a freshman fraternity boy has been brutally murdered and Lucy has gone missing....
The novel is narrated in past and present chapters.
I loved A Flicker in the Dark and All the Dangerous Things but Only If You're Lucky felt short for this reader. I don't know if it was the unbelievable conclusion or me guessing the conclusion very early on. I was disappointed, to say the least. I wish this wasn't the case.
Will I read Stacy Willingham's next novel? You better believe it!
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Daphne thought she had found the stable home life she had sought. Her fiancee, Peter, and her home in Waning BThis is my favorite book by Emily Henry!
Daphne thought she had found the stable home life she had sought. Her fiancee, Peter, and her home in Waning Bay, Michigan is all perfect to her. Peter is reliable and her job as a librarian has been a dream.
Then, the next day after his bachelor's party, Peter walks in and tells her that he just realized that he is madly in love with his childhood friend, Petra and he is taking her to the Amalfi Coast to start their life together. He also gives Daphne a week to move out of his house.
Daphne feels stranded. She has no friends or family close by. She doesn't have a place to stay until she finds Miles, Petra's ex-boyfriend who is also devastated by the news. Ever the practical, Daphne asked if she could be his roommate now that Petra was gone.
What starts as a devastating situation for both, glues them together. They opened up about themselves and accepted each other just the way they were. From friends to maybe something even better.
But can it work when they are so different?
So many things to love about this book. The main characters were both great. Daphne from being a little stiff to morphing into someone who accepts change and learning to trust that not everyone walks away. Miles is a selfless, humble, and sexy guy who is on my book-boyfriend list of all time.
The secondary characters were delightful in their own quirkiness, the fictional town of Waning made me think about moving there, and of course, the library sounded like a dream I wanted to visit.
I loved this one and I was so glad there was an epilogue.
Cliffhanger: No
4.5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley Publishing Group via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Tate Kinsella is working as a temp in a bank. She's at the bank's Christmas party when she decides to go to the rooftEngrossing and with great twists!
Tate Kinsella is working as a temp in a bank. She's at the bank's Christmas party when she decides to go to the rooftop terrace to smoke a cigarette. It is there where Tate realizes she is not alone. A woman who says her name is Helen is sitting on the lede. She seems to be ready to jump! Tate starts talking to her and convinces her to come down to safety. They leave the party together and spend some time in a bar before calling it a night.
The next day, she gets a call from Helen. Helen has left something at the bank and will Tate mind going back to the office with her. Tate has no idea that this decision will complicate her life immensely. By the end of the night, a woman has fallen from the rooftop and Tate is the prime suspect!
The more Tate talks to the cops, the worse her story becomes. What really happened that night? Did the woman fall to her death on her own or did someone push her? And if so, why?
Ruth Mancini's plot was devised with the right amount of suspense, darkness, secrets, and a more than satisfying conclusion. I couldn't put this one down. The twists were the best!
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Harper Paperbacks via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lucy is living in LA when she is fired from her job. She also knows her current relationship must come to an end. She sees no futurA favorite of 2024!
Lucy is living in LA when she is fired from her job. She also knows her current relationship must come to an end. She sees no future with him. She knows the main reason is that finally, her past has come back to haunt her.
In her small hometown in Texas, everyone believes she killed her best friend Savvy. She was found with Savvy's blood but Lucy has absolutely no memory of the event. The local police were unable to prove she killed Savvy. After, Savvy's death Lucy divorces her husband and she moves away to begin a new life.
Now, a podcast called Listen to the Lie by Ben Owens is bringing it all back.
When her grandmother calls and tells her to return to Texas for her birthday, Lucy can't say no. Her grandmother has been the one person who has always believed in her. When she arrives, her grandmother convinces her to talk to Ben. At first, Lucy doesn't want anything to do with the podcast but she is done running. She wants the truth to come out even if the truth is that she is the one responsible for Savvy's death.
Listen for the Lie had a great female character. Lucy was extremely likable because she felt real. She didn't show as a damaged drunk or addicted to some type of drug like many of the other female characters in so many plots lately. I liked that we didn't know if she was guilty because she didn't remember it either. We were constantly guessing about the culprit. I did guess who it was but not from the start.
I want to read whatever is next for Amy Tintera.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Celadon Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I know some readers didn't like the ending and I kind of agree with it but I loved the book so much and would loveI got to say it, this was fantastic!
I know some readers didn't like the ending and I kind of agree with it but I loved the book so much and would love to see it as a movie.
Three women's destinies can be cut short unless they can survive what is coming for them.
The first woman we are introduced to is Celia. She wakes up one morning in a house she doesn't recognize, with a daughter she doesn't remember giving birth to and a husband with whom she doesn't feel any connection at all. The only thing that seems to bring a spark of recognition, is the restaurant she is working at. Cooking relaxes her and she knows how to do it. Her life makes no sense to her and she is pretty sure that this is NOT her life. Why can't she remember her past?
The second woman is Allie. She is in her twenties. She is supposed to spend her birthday at the beach with her two best friends. However, the two friends's boyfriends have decided to show up too. Worse while the girls were sleeping instead of going to the beach, they woke up in a remote cabin. Why are they there? And who is out there stalking them?
Third but not least is Maggie. She is abducted from her home. She finds herself in a container with other women who have been abducted as well. Men come in and the women are told that they need to enter a maze and survive it if they want to live and see their loved ones again. Maggie can only think about her child. She must survive at all costs.
You can feel the tension while reading Good Girls Don't Die. The sense that time was running out and their lives were at stake. I liked all three women. They were survivors and despite their horrible circumstances, they were going to fight until the end for their freedom.
Cliffhanger: No
4.5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
With the incredibly engaging book name, I was excited to read this novel. Yet, I can't say that I loved it.
Charlie Colbert is the current editor-in-chWith the incredibly engaging book name, I was excited to read this novel. Yet, I can't say that I loved it.
Charlie Colbert is the current editor-in-chief of a prestigious magazine called C. She is engaged to be married to Tripp who is a rich heir in the publishing world. Charlie reinvented herself after a horrible tragedy that occurred nine years earlier.
During her time as a student at Carroll, three people died in what is known as the Scarlett Christmas. A book has been published about the events of that night and now a movie is in the works. Charlie is not able to handle it. She needs to stop the movie from coming out. She is not sure what happened because at some point she passed out. She does worry if she hurt someone that night.
With the help of her therapist, Charlie will try to piece together what happened that horrible day before the movie is out.
I liked the first half of the book. I was interested in learning what really happened that night and who were the people who died. Unfortunately, the last part of the novel didn't work for me. It felt rushed and sloppy. Also, the romance between Tripp and Charlie felt lacking. Why were they even together?
This was a buddy read with Jayme and DeAnn. Check out their reviews.
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The first one is from the letters written by the deceased heiress RubyMcTavish Callahan WoodwaI can say that I loved this one!
We get 3 points of view:
The first one is from the letters written by the deceased heiress RubyMcTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore. She was the sole owner of the McTavish's fortune. She was also abducted when she was a child and returned home to Ashby House after a year of being taken. Ruby never got along with her sister Nelle who seemed to be full of envy and jealousy towards her. Ruby was also married four times and all her husbands died. Did she kill them or did she just have bad luck in love?
The second one is from Camden. Ruby's adopted son. He was bullied while growing up by his cousin Ben and hated by Nelle. As soon as Ruby passed, Camden left for California. Leaving his inheritance behind and working as a teacher he is much happier especially when he meets his future wife, Jules. Then, he is summoned to come back to Ashby House after the passing of his step-uncle.
The third comes from Jules, Camden's wife. She can't wait to move into Ashby House. She feels they deserve the estate and they need to get rid of the people who made Camden's life hell. Yet, things are never that clear once they get there.
The Heiress is an atmospheric and full-of-intrigue novel with perfect-timing twists that had me turning the pages as fast as I could. A winner for sure!
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Behind A Closed Door begins with a therapy session. A couple's relationship, Abby and Brendan Hollander's marriage is in troubThrilling until the end!
Behind A Closed Door begins with a therapy session. A couple's relationship, Abby and Brendan Hollander's marriage is in trouble. When the first session ends, their therapist recommends that they download an app called Sugar and Spice to improve their sex life.
In the beginning, the app seems interested in only spicing their sex life but progressively it becomes more intense until the app asks Abby to kill someone or Brendan will die. Abby believes this is true but she is nowhere near ready to murder a stranger or is she?
J.D. Barker writes very interesting characters that take over your life while reading his books. I could not put this book down. I had to know how it was all related and what ending was I getting.
Was I able to guess some of the twists? Yes, but not all of them. This could be a great movie!
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Hampton Creek Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Emma Wheeler is a screenplay writer. She loves romantic comedies and she is amazing at it. Too bad she is not famouA true winner by a favorite author!
Emma Wheeler is a screenplay writer. She loves romantic comedies and she is amazing at it. Too bad she is not famous. Her career is stagnant due to her personal family troubles. Emma has been the sole caretaker of her father who is unable to live by himself. Emma chose him over her own career. However, now her sister is coming back home after graduating and Emma gets the opportunity of a lifetime. She is asked to "fix" Charlie Yates's new rom-com. She just needs to leave home and fly to LA for six weeks to do it.
Emma has her work cut out for her. Charlie Yates doesn't want help with his rom-com. He only wrote it to be able to get another project approved. He doesn't believe in rom-coms. He doesn't believe in love period. Changing his mind is going to take all of Emma's time.
Will she be able to do it?
I love Emma. She was down-to-earth, half-full-glass type of person. She was sweet and a nice daughter. It took me longer to love Charlie. He was so standoffish at the beginning and it did bother me when he rejected Emma time after time. Yet, I ended up loving him.
Another favorite from Katherine Center. I hope she writes many more.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.