Raising Cain (Haven Hollow, Book 17) - HP Mallory & JR Rain

The Ungrateful Dead

This is the 17th book in the Haven Hollow series. It is a collaboration between HP Mallory and JR Rain. The book falls in the Paranormal Women’s Fiction genre. 

Darla used to be a famous young Hollywood actress until she was murdered by her jealous boyfriend in her early twenties. She spent a century as a ghost, hitching a ride to Haven Hollow with Poppy, until during one of Wanda’s early blood witch misfires, she accidentally became reanimated. Not in the Zombie sense but in the actually back to life again sense.

Now she has to learn to live in the mundane world, which involves finding herself a job. The living have to eat and pay bills. Her previous status as a ghost means she has a very strong connection to the spirit realm, so she finds herself working at the Spook Society, where she is told to allow herself to be possessed by the former Chief of Police, Cain Morgan so that he can assist with a double homicide case. Just what Darla needs! Murdered women in her day job and an irritable  dead cop in her head.

I love the way that this book is written. Darla still speaks in the dialect and slang of 1920s Hollywood, which is an absolute pleasure to read. Her perception of the world also dates back to that time and it’s fun to watch her getting to grips with new technology and her new place in the world. 

This is one of my favourite books in this series so far, which is saying a lot because I love this series.

The reading order so far is:

Gypsy Magic : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 1) 

Cashmere Curses : Wanda’s Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 2)

Faery Enchantment : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 3)

Spandex Sorcery : Wanda’s Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 4)

Love’s Goddess : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 5)

Demon in Denim : Wanda’s Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 6)

Taffeta Trickery : Wanda’s Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 7)   

The Black Cat Cocktail Club : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 8)

French Country Frights : Haven Homes (Haven Hollow, Book 9)

All Hallows Eve : Remarkable Remedies (Haven Hollow, Book 10)

Mystic Veil : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 11)

The Yule Log : Remarkable Remedies (Haven Hollow, Book 12)

The Broken Mirror : Remarkable Remedies (Haven Hollow, Book 13)

Art Deco Apparitions : Hallowed Homes (Haven Hollow, Book 14)

The Vampire’s Grave : Remarkable Remedies (Haven Hollow, Book 15)

Herringbone Hexes : Wanda’s Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 16)

Raising Cain : Spook Society (Haven Hollow, Book 17)

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Got It Bad (Ever Dark Academy, Book 3) - HP Mallory

An Affair Unremembered. 

This is the third book in the Ever Dark Academy series. The book falls in the Young Adult genre. There is some romance and a non descriptive scene of a sexual nature.

Everly’s transfer to Arcadia was a disaster. Her magic has become a mixture of light and dark; something abhorrent to most creatures. 

The discovery of Dorian’s journal put her in danger and led to her being rescued by her former Dread family. Sadly, Arcadia has purged all her memories of Dread, so even though she feels a familiarity with the place and the people, she has no idea why. Fortunately, Griim is on hand to guide her through.

Her troubles have only just begun though. Arcadia is livid and threatening war with Dread. Their pretext is that their borders were invaded by Dread citizens when Everly was rescued. The reality is that they fear that the purge was unsuccessful and Everly retains the knowledge from the journal.

As Arcadia and Dread prepare for battle, can Everly keep herself safe, not to mention those she has come to see as her family again?

I’m really looking forward to the next books in this series. It did not go the way I thought it would and it’s all the better for it.

The reading order for this series so far is:

Bad Blood : Ever Dark Academy, Book 1

Bad to Worse : Ever Dark Academy, Book 2

Got it Bad : Ever Dark Academy, Book 3

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Bad to Worse (Ever Dark Academy, Book 2) - HP Mallory

Love and Light Isn’t Always What It’s Cracked Up To Be

This is the second book in the Ever Dark Academy series. The book falls in the Young Adult genre. There is the potential for romance but it isn’t fully explored in this book.

This book follows on directly from the first. Everly has formally made the transfer to the Academy of Enchantment Magic in the realm of Arcadia. She should be ecstatic. This is everything she worked for. She’s not though. She misses Jean-Claude (her host vampire), Harlow (the incubus demon), Riven (the shadow demon) and Griim (the golem). They feel like family and she is regretting leaving them behind.

She thought she would be happy in Arcadia but it turns out that Dread’s magic leaves a mark on the soul which all the other students can see. Everly feels like an outcast and starts to question her place in the academy.

During her time there she comes across the journal of a former student from Dread who had also made the transfer to Arcadia. So far, no-one has been able to read its contents except her. The powers that be in Arcadia feel she is a threat and something needs to be done to remove the new knowledge from her memory. Fortunately for Everly, Griim has been watching her through the flames. As it turns out, the light is quite a dangerous place to be.

I enjoyed this series so much that I read them all back to back.

The reading order for this series so far is:

Bad Blood : Ever Dark Academy, Book 1

Bad to Worse : Ever Dark Academy, Book 2

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Bad Blood (Ever Dark Academy, Book 1) - HP Mallory

There’s no Love and Light without a little Shadow and Dread

This is the first book in the Ever Dark Academy series. The book falls in the Young Adult genre. There is the potential for romance but it isn’t fully explored in this book.

I don’t normally read YA books or Academy books but this was suggested and I actually really enjoyed it. It was fun to read. 

Everly is a young adult dryad with a very bright future ahead of her. She is set to take her mother’s place as the Enchanter; the head protector of the Dryad Circle. She has been training for this her whole life and her next step is to hone her magical skills at the Academy of Enchantment Magic in the realm of Arcadia. It sounds like a life of love, light and sparkly magic. 

It’s not that simple though. Even the best laid plans don’t always go as envisioned. On her way to Arcadia Everly is kidnapped by a shadow demon and wakes to find herself in the realm of Dread. There is no love and light without a little darkness and shadow. Dread is as bleak and terrifying as its name suggests and on the face of it would appear to be no place for the life-giving magic of a dryad. 

It turns out she was expected there. Her host family is a very hot, albeit very antisocial ancient vampire, her escort is a sexy-as-sin incubus demon, and the head teacher of Dread’s academy is the very good looking shadow demon who kidnapped her in the first place.

There is a mystery afoot and although Everly really wants to get back to Arcadia to continue on her planned path, she also really wants to solve the mystery and get to know her annoyingly attractive captors. Learning a bit of dark magic at Dread’s academy before she goes couldn’t hurt… could it?

Available from Amazon

Herringbone Hexes (Haven Hollow, Book 16) - HP Mallory & JR Rain

Seven for a Secret Never to be Told

This is the 16th book in the Haven Hollow series. It is a collaboration between HP Mallory and JR Rain. The book falls in the Paranormal Women’s Fiction genre. 

I really enjoyed this book. It answered several questions and raised a few more.

Wanda’s life is stressful. She’s still a blood witch. She still has a seemingly unbreakable blood bond with Lorcan, which not only makes her a target for vampires and witches, who don’t want her kind to exist but which she also blames entirely for her increasing attraction to the very annoying Lorcan himself.

In the midst of all this, Wanda receives an invitation to the Witch Assembly, which she is expected to attend. The only snag is, she has to be head of her own coven in Haven Hollow; something she has been procrastinating wildly about forming. 

Wanda is also made aware of a dark and terrible secret; one which is centuries old, involves her Mother and which, if revealed, could change the whole status quo. A secret which Wanda is determined to uncover. 

Will the formation of a Haven Hollow coven finally allow Wanda to break her blood bond with Lorcan? Will she get to the bottom of this centuries old secret? Will she finally be free of her Mother’s manipulative reach?

You’ll have to read it to find out because I’m not giving anything away.

The reading order for this series so far is:

Gypsy Magic : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 1) 

Cashmere Curses : Wanda’s Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 2)

Faery Enchantment : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 3)

Spandex Sorcery : Wanda’s Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 4)

Love’s Goddess : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 5)

Demon in Denim : Wanda’s Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 6)

Taffeta Trickery : Wanda’s Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 7)   

The Black Cat Cocktail Club : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 8)

French Country Frights : Haven Homes (Haven Hollow, Book 9)

All Hallows Eve : Remarkable Remedies (Haven Hollow, Book 10)

Mystic Veil : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 11)

The Yule Log : Remarkable Remedies (Haven Hollow, Book 12)

The Broken Mirror : Remarkable Remedies (Haven Hollow, Book 13)

Art Deco Apparitions : Hallowed Homes (Haven Hollow, Book 14)

The Vampire’s Grave : Remarkable Remedies (Haven Hollow, Book 15)

Herringbone Hexes : Wanda's Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 16)

Available from Amazon

 

The Vampire’s Grave (Haven Hollow, Book 15) - HP Mallory & JR Rain

A Grave Mistake with a Hilarious Comeuppance!

This novella is the 15th book in the Haven Hollow series. It is a collaboration between HP Mallory and JR Rain. The book falls in the Paranormal Women’s Fiction genre. 

Of all the books in the Haven Hollow series, this one made me laugh the most.

This is a fun, fast read. The story is told from Roy’s point of view and focuses on the consequences of some disrespectful behaviour from Lorcan, the resident vampire. I like Lorcan’s character but he can be a little arrogant and sometimes needs putting in his place. 

It’s also nice to see Roy finally acknowledge his feelings for Fifi. Finally!!!

The reading order for this series so far is:

Gypsy Magic : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 1) 

Cashmere Curses : Wanda’s Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 2)

Faery Enchantment : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 3)

Spandex Sorcery : Wanda’s Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 4)

Love’s Goddess : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 5)

Demon in Denim : Wanda’s Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 6)

Taffeta Trickery : Wanda’s Witchery (Haven Hollow, Book 7)   

The Black Cat Cocktail Club : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 8)

French Country Frights : Haven Homes (Haven Hollow, Book 9)

All Hallows Eve : Remarkable Remedies (Haven Hollow, Book 10)

Mystic Veil : Poppy’s Potions (Haven Hollow, Book 11)

The Yule Log : Remarkable Remedies (Haven Hollow, Book 12)

The Broken Mirror : Remarkable Remedies (Haven Hollow, Book 13)

Art Deco Apparitions : Hallowed Homes (Haven Hollow, Book 14)

The Vampire’s Grave : Remarkable Remedies (Haven Hollow, Book 15)

Available from Amazon