Heart of Evil by Heather Graham

Emerging from the bayou like an apparition, Donegal Plantation is known for its unsurpassed dining, captivating atmosphere, haunting legends... and now a corpse swinging from the marble angel that marks its cemetery’s most majestic vault. A corpse discovered in nearly the same situation as that of Marshall Donegal, the patriarch killed in a skirmish just before the Civil War.

 

Desperate for help traditional criminologists could never provide, plantation heiress Ashley Donegal turns to an elite team of paranormal investigators who blend hard forensics with rare - often inexplicable - intuition. Among the “Krewe of Hunters” is an old flame, Jake Mallory, a gifted musician with talent stretching far beyond the realm of the physical, and a few dark ghosts of his own.

 

The evil the team unveils has the power to shake the plantation to its very core. Jake and Ashley are forced to risk everything to unravel secrets that will not stay buried - even in death...

Series: Krewe of Hunters #2 | Publisher: Brilliance Audio | Narrator: Luke Daniels  | Length: 8 hours 18 minutes | Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense  | Source: Purchased  | Rating: 3

When Jake Mallory, Krewe of Hunters member, is called to aid in the investigation of a mysterious death at Donegal Plantation, he soon finds himself investigating both the present crime as well as the Civil War-era death of Marshall Donegal. Not only is he investigating a complicated murder, he’s working alongside his former girlfriend, Ashley Donegal. As the case progresses, secrets from long ago are revealed that puts the team at risk.

 

This is the second book in the Krewe of Hunters series and, like the first book, I ended up reading this after I started in the middle of the series. While the first book had a few issues, this one has definitely found its footing. There is a bit of a pacing issue at the start but it did smooth out rather quickly.

 

Jake is one of my favorite characters in this series and I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get to see his backstory/transition from musician to a member of the Krewe. I struggled with Ashley at the start. She made a lot of questionable decisions and started to feel like a TSTL character, thankfully, she pivoted and I ended up liking her.

 

Jake and Ashley have a history and it was interesting watching them work together while sorting out their own past issues. While the chemistry was fantastic between them, the romance was on the quicker side, which worked for me as they had a history. One thing I have noticed with this series is that the romance takes a backseat to the mystery.

 

The mystery in this book was an echo of the past so there’s a bit of history thrown in, which I do enjoy in this series, as the team investigates what happened to Marshall Donegal. Throughout the story there’s little snippets from the killer’s POV and, while it gave the book extra layers, I wish the killer’s identity would have been a veiled a bit more as it was easy to figure out the identity by their dialogue.  

 

While it wasn’t as dark as the first book, there’s still a bit of gore in this one. It’s also heavy on the paranormal, which, again, I do enjoy with this series.

 

I did end up listening to this one on audio and I really enjoyed the way Luke Daniels narrates this one.

 

Overall, this one still had a few teething issues but I did enjoy the characters and plot. I don’t think it’s going to be one of my favorites in the series but it’s still a decent paranormal romantic suspense. 

Phantom Evil by Heather Graham

A secret government unit, a group of renegade paranormal investigators... and a murder no one else can crack.

Though haunted by the recent deaths of two teammates, Jackson Crow knows that the living commit the most heinous crimes.

A police officer utilizing her paranormal intuition, Angela Hawkins already has her hands full of mystery and bloodshed.

But one assignment calls to them too strongly to resist. In a historic mansion in New Orleans's French Quarter, a senator's wife falls to her death. Most think she jumped; some say she was pushed. And yet others believe she was beckoned by the ghostly spirits inhabiting the house — once the site of a serial killer's grisly work.

In this seemingly unsolvable case, only one thing is certain: whether supernatural or all too human, crimes of passion will cast Jackson and Angela into danger of losing their lives... and their immortal souls.

Series: Krewe of Hunters #1 | Publisher: Mira |  Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense | Source: Purchased  | Rating: 3

I’m going to be honest, I cheated. I started somewhere in the middle of the series then I went back and read the first book and I’m glad that I did. Let me tell you a bit about the book then I’ll explain why I’m glad I didn’t start the series from the beginning.

When the Senator’s wife dies, it’s apparent from the look of terror in her eyes that there was more to it than an accidental fall. Given the mansion’s gruesome past, some are left questioning whether or not a ghost is to blame. Enter Jackson Crow and Angela Hawkins, members of the newly formed Krewe of Hunters, a special unit of the FBI that deals with paranormal situations. As they work the case, it becomes apparent there’s more going on than what they first thought.

This one was a quick read but, at times, I felt as though the book dragged a bit as the Krewe of Hunters unit was being introduced, which is to be expected when it’s the first book in a new series and I didn’t mind that. The mystery and paranormal aspects of the book were fantastic. There’s also a darker aspect to this book.

What drew me out of this book after loving the others were the characters, which completely surprised me as Jackson and Angela are some of my favorite characters in the series. Jackson spent the majority of the plot fighting/avoiding his ability to see and communicate with ghosts while Angela was comfortable in her ability and it made the plot feel bumpy. Jackson also came off as arrogant at times, which is something he’s not in later books.

While this is a romance, the romance does take a backseat to the case and paranormal aspects. It developed quickly and, at times, I found myself searching for the chemistry between Jackson and Angela that’s there in the later books.

I ended up switching back and forth from book to audio trying to find which format I vibed with and I ended up sticking with the physical book. While I do enjoy Jeffrey Cummings, his narration didn’t work for this book.

Overall, this one had a few issues but I do recommend the book and the series does get better as it goes along. 

Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter

A grumpy/sunshine, workplace romance with a fun-loving heroine and a rule-following hero? Yes, please! Keep reading and find out why this contemporary romance was a 5 for me!

Isabella Shay is usually a very honest person. But when she’s running late for her first day at her dream job and the barista yells for “Amy” three times with no answer, she does the unthinkable.

Izzy takes that PSL.

It’s the exact drink she ordered and paid for, only way further ahead in the queue—and she’ll take whatever bad karma is coming for her; she’s desperate and very late. But when she turns around and runs directly into the most attractive man she’s ever seen, spilling the drink all over his made-for-GQ shirt and tie, she ends up having the ultimate meet-cute. Karma who? Sparks fly and things feel beyond promising, until he says to her: “See you tomorrow, Amy.”

Izzy reasons she can just straighten things out the next day, no biggie. Only when she gets to her new office and meets the VP of her department, it is none other than Blake Phillips—the hottie from Starbucks. And the man might’ve been charming to “Amy,” but he is an arrogant grump to Izzy, an arrogant grump who does not find her explanation funny at all. But day by day, an attraction simmers between them and they’ll have to find a way to work together without ripping each other’s heads—or clothes—off.

 Publisher: Berkley |  Release Date: 1/14/2025 | Genre: Contemporary Romance  | Source: Publisher | Rating: 5 

I had so much fun with this one. It’s been a minute since a contemporary romance has pulled me in and wowed me but, let me tell you, I absolutely loved this one and I cannot get it out of my system.

Not wanting to be late for her first day on the job, Izzy decides to grab an unclaimed PSL meant for ‘Amy’. Even though she paid for her PSL, the karma gods intervened, causing her to spill her drink all over the sexiest man she’s ever seen. While there’s no denying that there’s an instant spark, he thinks she’s ‘Amy’ and things take an even worse turn when he discovers he’s her boss. While Blake is drawn to Izzy, he’s a stickler for the rules and there’s no way he can date someone he’s in charge of and there’s the fact she lied about being ‘Amy’ and he cannot tolerate a liar. But, rules are meant to be bent. When Izzy comes up with a plan to be ‘friends’, Blake is more than willing to comply but will they find a way to work around those pesky rules and become more than friends.

I’ve noticed a lot of ‘romance’ books as of late are actually women’s fiction with a side of romance and I’ve been missing true romances. Thankfully, Accidentally Amy is exactly what it is labeled: a contemporary romance.

Blake is probably one of my favorite characters in a contemporary romance. He’s such a straight up, honest guy who cares about ethics and telling the truth and he’s sweet, funny, and takes amazing care of his two disabled cats. He’s also been hurt before and that’s made him a bit guarded. Izzy is such a fun, unique character with this exuberant nature that makes everything fun.

I loved the romance in this one. The chemistry was spot on and the way the relationship developed felt realistic. Blake is a stickler for honesty and doing what’s right. While Izzy, technically, didn’t lie to him, she didn’t correct his belief that she was Amy, which gave Blake pause. He also wasn’t willing to cross the line and date someone he was the boss of. He’s very conflicted when Izzy draws up a ‘friend’ plan. Izzy’s entering into new territory with Blake. She’s never been in a relationship and it’s a bit daunting for her. I loved watching them navigate this new situation and found myself rooting for them. They also have this amazing back-and-forth banter and the way they put each other at ease made me melt.

Going into this one, I was a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to get past the ‘Amy’ issue. I find it very hard to accept a character that lies, especially in a romance. I don’t feel like this was an actual lie but rather a misunderstanding and it wasn’t a lingering issue, which I appreciate, and Izzy was completely horrified by what she had done.

Overall, I highly recommend this one. It has everything a contemporary romance should have: wit, chemistry, and a true connection. It should be on everyone’s 2025 ‘to-be-read’ list.  

2025 Goals

Another year, another set of goals that I’m finally going to crush. Last year was an odd year for me, but I did manage to cross several goals off my ‘to-do’ list and I know this year I’ll be able to tackle most, if not all, my 2025 goals.

Blog Goals

 

-Be Consistent With Content

-Post More Creative Content

-Finish Updating Graphics

-Create/Update Lists

 

 

Reading/Bookish Goals

 

Tackle My TBR Pile—this is an ongoing operation. I’m still in the process of decluttering and organizing my books. I’m also being a bit more selective in the physical books I’m bringing in for review.

Limit Book Purchases—while I’m not giving up buying books, I am being more selective about the books I’m adding to my collection. I plan to use KU, Audible, and Libby then decide if I want to buy the book.

Read more non-fiction—I’ve been missing reading non-fiction and this is something I really want to focus on this year.

Return To The Classics

Branch Out

 

 

House

 

Declutter—I’m still in the process of decluttering but this is the year to get it done. I will never be a minimalist but I do want to get a bit more organized and, let’s be honest, no one needs an entire kitchen drawer of random utensils they’ll never use.   

Landscape The Front Yard—I wanted to tackle this last year but the drought made it impossible. Finger’s crossed, this is the year.

Replace Bookshelves—I still haven’t tackled this one and now I’m leaning towards having customized, built-in shelves installed.

 

Personal

 

Create a Work/Life Balance—this is my number one goal this year. Because I work from, it’s so easy for me to get caught up and work until the wee hours of the morning. For my physical and mental health, I must keep to a set schedule.

Unplug more—this is something I need to do for at least 30 minutes a day. My ultimate goal is to have a device free day once a week.

Get Out More—I need to get outside more and take more walks (weather permitting).

Remember to take my vitamins—I’ve been using the habit tracker in my Happy Planner for the last few years and it’s been working to remind me to take my vitamins.

Learn something new—I’d like to learn/do/make something new at least once a week.

Drink more water—I’ve been doing a decent job with this but I this year I aim to do better.

Be More Creative—my goal this year is to draw or paint daily. I’ve also picked up a few daily writing prompts and I plan to complete a prompt each day.

Feel free to share your goals so we can root each other on!

 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 

Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, and safe New Year filled with fun times and fun reads!