Good Spirits by. B.K. Borison | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Good Spirits (Ghosted, #1)

Author: B.K. Borison

Narrator: Karissa Vacker, Will Watt

Format: audiobook (Libby)

Pages: 329 Listening Time: approximately 10 hours

Publication Date: 10/20/25

Publisher: HarperCollins

Categories: Holiday Romance, Paranormal Romance

He’s the Ghost of Christmas Past. She’s not exactly Scrooge.

Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future.

Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected.

With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection?

Filled with magic, mayhem, and cozy holiday charm

Content Warning: complicated relationship with family, death, grief

I listened to the audio version of this book and I have to say the narrators were perfect for this holiday romance. I could hear a smile in their voices. I especially gravitated to Nolan’s character because of the accent and his voice was so playful and charming!

This was a cute and fun holiday paranormal romance but it also had some tough topics especially when it came to Harriet’s family. She has horrible parents. Nolan’s spirit is there to help Harriet figure out what she did wrong in her life, but instead they both realize she’s there to help Nolan’s spirit face some things about his past also.

But Harriet doesn’t do anything wrong in her life, she just hasn’t stood up for herself against her awful mother and family. I felt bad for her because she seems like a nice person, who just didn’t want to cave to family pressure, and yet she’s punished for it. They made her feel unworthy, poor girl.

The romance is really cute, because they are both fun people and it’s spicy. They become close as both of them see each other’s past memories and I love how they had one another for some of the tough things they had to face.

Final Thoughts:

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I really enjoyed this one, especially because I’m not good at reading holiday romances during the holidays. I’m also glad I listened to it as an audiobook because of Nolan’s charming accent! Definitely check it out if you are looking for a holiday romance.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Bride by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Bride

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 410

Publication Date: 2/6/24

Categories: Adult, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Werewolves

A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance.

Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again…

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she’s ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.

Content Warning: poisoning, attempted murder, attempted kidnaping, kidnapping, toxic parental relationship

I’m so glad I got to finally read this book which has been getting so much hype and I can see why!

I love a good vampire story and this one where a vampire and a Were marry one another to keep the alliances is such a good storyline. I thought the world building and politics were done well and I could feel the high stakes of an alliance between vampire and Weres to be vital to both species against the humans. I felt like I learned a lot about vampires through Misery (what a name!) and there was so much insight about weres when Misery goes to live with them. I like that the explanations in this book didn’t feel like info-dumping but something I was genuinely interested to know.

Misery is a great character – she’s cold and comes off unfeeling because she’s a vampire, they lack the emotions to supposedly care for another being. But then there is Serena, a human, who was Misery’s foster sister and their relationship even though for 3/4ths of the books it was through memories, was such an important relationship for Misery. It’s why she jumps into a marriage alliance – it’s all to find Serena, who is missing and Misery cannot fathom a life without her. I love them together.

As for Misery and her romance with Lowe, it’s a slow burn. But yes, Weres have “mates”, so I think it’s safe to say that was a predictable part of the story. Still, I thought their relationship grew nicely for two people in a forced marriage and when the attraction finally hit for Misery it turned this book quite spicy. And yes, the word I learned this year is “knot” after reading another Were romance earlier this year and not knowing what the heck that was. Well…this book gives a LOT of explanation and demonstration! I don’t know what I think of it yet…like I don’t know if I find it sexy? But hey it’s the way they do things, so I’m just going with it.

The story had a great flow from beginning to end with the search for Serena, the politics of the alliances and how Serena might be involved, Misery living with the Weres and also Misery dealing with not fitting in anywhere ever since she was a child most in part because of her horrible father. I loved the relationship building between Misery, Lowe and the Weres because the hate and fears between them was so strong at first.

The only thing I didn’t quite love was Lowe always taking things on himself and pushing Misery away – after what she’s been through as a child – I hated that for her. That was so weak of him and it annoyed me.

It looks like this is going to be a series or standalone stories in a series – after what happens at the end, so I’m looking forward to the next book!

My Final Thoughts:

This had everything I want in a paranormal romance! Vampires, politics, a slow burn, smart characters, lovable characters, and an entertaining story from start to finish. I’m looking forward to the next book!

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Book Links:

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The Love Hypothesis by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bewitched Shadows by. Autumn Blake | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Bewitched Shadows

Author: Autumn Blake

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 376

Publication Date: 4/4/23

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary, Paranormal Romance, Witches, Demons

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Autumn Blake for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A fiery witch…
Ember Belle is a total mess. When she’s not partying with the local shifter pack or causing mayhem around New Orleans with her three sisters, she does anything to avoid confronting her out-of-control fire magick and the grief from losing her parents. However, when an opportunity arises to obtain a magical item that could solve all her problems, she decides to take her life into her own hands.

A cold-as-ice demon…
Killian Inferno’s only desire is to spend his final weeks of freedom in New Orleans, away from his duties as the future Lord of Pride. What he doesn’t expect, is to be summoned by the amateur witch who has been haunting his dreams. A seductress who needs his expertise to solve a recent murder by any means necessary. Even sorcery.

Ember now has no choice but to enter a demon pact with Killian. The terms are simple: remove the spell she may have cast on him before Samhain, or return to Hell with him, kicking and screaming. Can the two enemies set aside their animosity to uncover the city’s secrets and unlock Ember’s true magical potential, or will they be undone by the enemies they didn’t see coming?

Bewitched Shadows is Book 1 in the sizzling, new Wicked Belles series.

Content Warning: slut shaming, violence

I love this book cover – the colors are some of my favorites and I saw it was about a witch and a demon so I requested it. Here is what I thought:

+ I like a good urban fantasy with paranormal creatures and this is set in New Orleans which I always feel is the perfect setting for paranormal romance. There are werewolves, vamps, witches and demons. In this story, it centers around one particular witch and a demon.

+ There is attraction from Ember and Killian from the start. But though there is a lot of attraction between them I felt like this was a slow burn and the sexy scenes came later in the story. Ember is kind of a mess – she is definitely living life to the fullest but can’t control her powers yet. Killian is the son of the devil so he knows about responsibilities and pressures – but they balance one another.

+ I enjoyed Ember’s family. She has a bunch of sisters and a grandmother who is strict. They are witches so I like how they have their rituals and let go of their inhibitions, it’s what I expect of witches! Her sister Jade actually is getting her story told next.

+ I did like that Killian was trying to investigate a few murders happening around the city or else the story would have been just about their attraction to one another.

~ As much as I enjoyed the setting and that it was a paranormal romance, I felt like I didn’t connect much to the characters. I did like Ember and her family and I did sympathize with Killian and his situation with his father but I felt like I wanted more from both of them.

~ I loved that Ember was confident in her sexuality and loved sex. Too bad the werewolves were always slut-shaming her!

Why you should read it:

you like urban fantasy filled with witches, demons, vampires and werewolves and it’s set in New Orleans
feels like a slow burn but it does get spicy
familiar storyline, quick read

Why you might not want to read it:

didn’t connect much to the characters
familiar storyline, nothing new

My Thoughts:

I thought this was a pretty good book and if I was ever in the mood for a paranormal romance, now I have another author to add to my list. This was a quick read with familiar storylines, a witch is attracted to a demon, and the demon is fighting with his father. I just wish I connected more to the characters. I know a lot of readers will enjoy this book.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Savage Lands | Book Review

My Review: 4/5 Stars

Title: Savage Lands (Savage Lands, #1)

Author: Stacey Marie Brown

Format: ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 308

Categories: Dark Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

Almost twenty years after the barrier between Earth and the Otherworld fell in the Fae Wars, Budapest is balancing on the precipice. A battle for dominance is brewing between the elite fae and the privileged humans in Eastern Europe. The prejudice between the sides is bubbling with hate and violence.

Nineteen-year-old human, Brexley, has grown up in privilege, but not without heartbreak. After being orphaned, she is taken in by General Markos, living in a walled city rife with power grabs and ruthless political games. Then one night the course of her life changes, and Brexley is thrown into the most feared prison in the east. Halalhaz, the House of Death—where you go in but don’t come out.

She must learn to live with the worst of fae and human criminals. The rule of hierarchy puts humans on the bottom, where the only way to survive each day is to make alliances with the fae.

Here she meets the sexy, vicious legend, Warwick Farkas. A myth among man and fae. He is as brutal, cruel, arrogant, and as lethal as the lore says he is, ruling the prison with unchallenged authority. Brexley can’t deny an intense draw to him, one that might cost her life.
If The Games don’t take her out first—
A fight to the death where only one survives.

I haven’t read a paranormal romance in awhile and this hit the spot! There is Brex pining over her childhood love Caden, a normal human guy about to rise in the ranks of his father’s army. And then…there is Warwick, a legend, a myth…nope he’s real, just not fully human.
World building ~ I enjoyed this! I love this dystopian/fantasy world of Budapest after the veils come down. Fae and humans hate each other even though the war has ended. I love how dark and gritty it is.
Characters ~ The characters are pretty fierce. Brex is a solider, a fighter and she needs that to survive prison time. I’d like to see how her character grows even more. And Warwick? He is lethal and an absolute alpha male. The two of them are intense together. The side characters were great too!
Mood ~ so intense. There is prison fighting, and so much sexual tension. It is gritty, raw, dark…and even though it was rough for Brex in this book, she survives it and it makes me wonder what she will endure in book two as they venture into the savage lands.
Story ~ very fast paced story and addictive. I want to read book two right now just to get to know these savage lands and find out more about Warwick! And what about Caden? What’s happened to him? So many questions!

Triggers: sexual harassment, violence, torture
This is the first book I’ve read from this author and now I’m interested in her other books.

This is how I like my paranormal romances, gritty with great world building. I like them intense, with a badass female and an equally deadly alpha male, but the appeal for me is when they can keep up with each other. So far the chemistry between them is off the charts but what about Caden, her childhood love? I don’t know but I’m hooked, give me more savage lands! Glad I gave this book a chance and I look forward to reading more books from this author.

🖤 ~ Yolanda