Bear Bones

The third installment of the Burr Lafayette Mystery series is arguably the strongest and most compelling. Burr really starts to develop as a character and more facets of his personality emerge. Per usual Burr somehow lands himself smackdab in a murder case. One of his clients who has been a cash cow for nearly a year (a rarity for his office) has been found murdered and buried. He takes on the husband as a client (he needs that money!) even though the evidence seems to make him a shoo in for a guilty verdict. To top it off his wife is trying to get him arrested for being late on alimony, he's not sure how "committed" he wants to be with Maggie, and his elevator is broken... again. Not your typical courtroom drama; filled with wit, wry observations, and unforgettable characters. It's not fast paced, but more a meandering journey that takes readers on journey laden with good sights, food, and potential suspects. Lots of fun! 

Basketful of Heads

Stellar art and one hell of a unique story. When June goes to Brody Island to visit her boyfriend on the last day of his summer shift as an island cop things go sour quickly. Four convicts have escaped and her boyfriend Liam is kidnapped. Left to defend herself alone at the Chiefs cottage she grabs an old Norse Viking axe hanging on the wall and starts taking swings. Soon she's got a basketful of heads but all she wants is answers. Where is her boyfriend what exactly has been up to on the island all summer and what is the deal with the axe. An excellent tale of vengeance, intrigue, gore, and badass women. I can't wait to see what other gems Hill House Comics put out. A very promising taste of more to come! 

The Roommate

Charming, unique, and porn positive this romcom is pleasant, bubbly, and filled with great sex. When Clara Wheaton decided to flee the East Coast to rent a room with her childhood crush; she's being impulsive for the first time in her life. She's used to being the good one in her socialite family - not one start scandals or go off script. When she arrives in LA she is shocked to discover that Everett (her crush) has made alternate plans for the summer and has rented out his room to a complete stranger. Instead of cozying up to her crush for a few months she finds herself sharing a house with a bona fide porn star. To both their surprise they actually start to like each other and the housing situation isn't bad. They both like homecooked meals, action movies, and wit. But when sparks start to fly can Clara let her guard down to let Josh Darling show her what lovemaking looks and feels like? Maybe they'll find out they have even more in common then they thought if she can only let her hair down. Fun and flirty - albeit a bit "unbelievable." Sexy fluff for the win!

Clown in a Cornfield

This books is 80's slasher nostalgia. It reads as if it's a horror movie: lots of gore - light on story. Quinn Maybrook and her father have moved from Philly to the middle of a cornfield. Quinn is used the bustle of the city and now she has to listen to the rustle of the cornstalks in her new midwestern town. She and her dad just want a fresh start after the tragic death of her mother - but it seems like even that is too much to ask for. She quickly falls in with the wrong crowd and is convinced to go to a party in - you guessed it - a cornfield. Things start off promising: screwdrivers, good music, dancing - but suddenly the town's mascot (a clown named Frendo) - is outside killing people with a crossbow. How is this real life and why is it after the high school students?! Quinn's only hope is to make it out of the cornfield without a clown right behind her. She's definitely not in Philly anymore. Creepy and very bloody - I would love to see a movie version of this. 

Winter Counts

I love reading indigenous voices and Winter Counts is no exception. Set on a reservation it shows just how far one man will go to keep his nephew and his community safe. Known to most in his community as a local hired thug (he deals out justice when the system fails) - Virgil Wounded Horse is sought out by a local official -because someone is bringing heroin on to the reservation and it needs to stop. Virgil isn't interested - how can anyone be certain who is responsible? But all that changes when his fourteen year old nephew overdoses and barely survives. Suddenly Virgil is VERY interested in making someone pay - even if he's not sure who. Gritty, suspenseful, and at times a little underwhelming. I really enjoyed all the characters and the atmosphere - but I feel like the whole mystery aspect could have been better developed. I will definitely read more from this author!

Regarding the Fountain

I haven't read this bad boys is years, but once I cracked open the first page it all came rushing back! The illustrations, the letters, the punny names, and the town scandal. It all holds up! The story is told through memos, postcards, letters, newspaper clippings, and various other correspondence - it's really unique! Dry Creek Middle School is in need of a new fountain so the principal reaches out to Flowing Waters Fountains to commission a new one - what he didn't bank on was the exuberant nature of the fountain designer - the book chronicles her correspondence not only with the principal but with a 5th grade class as well. They submit ideas for what they want the fountain to look like and in the process get a fun new pen pal. As the students research their town's history they also start to uncover some weird things - why did the water disappear 30 years ago on the exact same day that the middle school opened? Why is the water fountain always leaking? Super fun!

Tools of Engagement

Tools of Engagement wraps up the Hot and Hammered trilogy and it might be my favorite? I like the sexy cowboy the most out of all the men in the series. He's the youngest (only 23) - but he also has the most responsibility of all the men in this series. The only reason he came to Port Jefferson was because his half sister asked him to take care of her five year old daughter while she ran around the country. Taking care of a young kid is not what he envisioned with his life but he is smitten with his niece. He quickly finds a job in construction (where he meets Bethany) and is able to provide a stable environment for the little girl in his care. Bethany is sick of her brother's shit - she wants to do more than staging houses - she wants to flip one. Stephen laughs her off and she throws down the gauntlet - she's going to do her own flip and she steals one his best employees, Wes (the sexy cowboy). Wes and Bethany have amazing sexual tension but they "can't stand each other" - basically they are idiots and it's only a matter of time before the two fall into bed and into love with each other. Cute, steamy, and completely unbelievable. Great fluff!