Audiobook Review: Bone of Contention by Kristi Rose

Bone of Contention
Author: Kristi Rose
Narrator: Jennifer Stoneking
Series: A Cold Case Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Vintage Housewife Books (November 8, 2023)
Length: 4 hours and 3 minutes

Description: From the USA Today best-selling author comes an action-packed, roller-coaster ride, new cold case mystery series that will have your pulse racing. For fans of Kendra Elliott and Debra Webb.

US Marshall Mallory Bodine’s short visit back to her central Florida hometown quickly turns into work when a skeleton is unearthed in her mom’s backyard. Mallory is caught up in the middle of a cold-case murder investigation as she searches for answers.

Four local hoodlums are a convenient fit as the killers—for the lazy, complacent sheriff, that is—but the local detective and Mallory want the truth. Was it an act of vandalism that got out of hand? Or something more sinister?

Digging through 14 years of lies won’t be easy. Murder never is.

Meet Mallory Bodine, fugitive hunter. No case has been cold for too long, and for Mallory, the dead are not forgotten.

My Thoughts: US Marshall Mallory Bodine comes home to spend a week's time off after a case goes a little awry. She doesn't get the quiet rest she was looking for because a body was found in her mother's backyard. 

The body was quickly discovered to be that of Tabby Cartwright, a young English teacher from the local high school, who had been missing since 2002. Mallory didn't know her but her younger sister Natalie had her as a math teacher and looked upon her as a mentor. 

Tabby had been having some trouble with people vandalizing her classroom since she was dating Kamil Burkhari, the son of Pakistani immigrants. In these days right after Nine Eleven, she was called a terrorist because of the man she was dating. 

Mallory agrees to help local detective and childhood friend Deputy Bo Pickett look into the crime because the local sheriff Dev Shook is too lazy and too used to looking for easy answers to do the work. He's spending time on his reelection campaign rather than doing his job. 

When they notify Tabby's parents, they find that her father has kept an extensive file about the case including reports from a private investigator he hired. He gives Mallory and Bo a copy which includes a detailed timeline. 

Since the sheriff pulls Bo off the case, Mallory is on her own to reinterview those who might have had something to do with Tabby's death. 

This was an engaging story. I enjoyed getting to know Mallory, her sister and her mother, and Bo. I liked the way the case was presented, and I liked the flashbacks from Tabby's point of view.

I bought this one from Chirp February 11, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: A Field Guide to Murder by Michelle L. Cullen

A Field Guide to Murder
Author: Michelle L. Cullen
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (January 27, 2026)

Description: A cranky widower and his spirited caregiver team up to solve his neighbor’s murder in this charming and original mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Benjamin Stevenson.

Once a globe-trotting anthropologist, Harry Lancaster is now certain that all his grand adventures are behind him. Recently widowed and suffering from a fractured hip, Harry spends his days and nights behind a pair of binoculars, nose-deep in his neighbors’ affairs. His millennial caregiver, Emma, is determined to get him out of his armchair and back into the world.

Fate intervenes when Harry’s mysterious neighbor, Sue, phones, pleading for help. But instead of rescuing her, Harry and Emma find Sue dead: poisoned, days after a break-in at Sue’s house. Harry resolves to find out what happened, and Emma insists on going along for the ride. Together, they discover motives and suspects abound in Harry’s quaint condominium community—putting them both in the crosshairs of a cold-blooded killer.

My Thoughts: Harry Lancaster is recently widowed and broke his hip. He fears that his days as an adventuring anthropologist are behind him. Emma is his carer as he recovers. She is a former critical care nurse who burned out on that career and isn't sure what comes next. She is engaged to a childhood friend and is having second thoughts. However, she is also being pushed into the marriage by her mother who is sure Blake is the perfect man for her. 

When Harry receives a distress call from a nearby neighbor in the close condominium community where he lives, he and Emma rush to Sue's aid. However, they arrive too late. Harry and Emma suspect that Sue's death was not an accident, but the police have written it off.

Harry and Emma begin their own investigation of the people in the condo community and discover that quite a few of them are keeping secrets. They also learn that Sue was also aware of the secrets and blackmailing some of the residents. 

As Harry and Emma investigate, they not only learn about the community but learn a lot about themselves and what they want for their futures. 

This was an engaging story filled with interesting characters. I enjoyed it. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (January 19, 2026)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Want to See What I Added to My Stack? links to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.

Other Than Reading...

This was a nice winter week. We hit a high temperature of 38F on the 12th and 37 on the 13th. We also got 7 inches on new snow over the course of the week. However, our warm days are ending. High temperatures next week are going to be staying below zero. Naturally, this is the week when I need to get out for my annual eye exam. 

The eye exam is the only thing on my schedule for the week. I am looking forward to staying in and reading and listening. My brother's schedule for the week means no new recipes until possibly the weekend. Last week's recipes both went over well. The No Peek Beef reminded me of stew without the vegetables. The Italian Sausage soup was so good that my brother demanded I write down the recipe so that he has the option of making it again. I found that recipe on Facebook. The website where it resides makes me jump through too many hoops before being able to print. I just went to the site and followed the recipe there. 

Since there was an Amazon Double Points day this week, I broke my book buying ban to get a couple of books I had on my "Books I'm Waiting For" collection at Amazon. I added them to my reading calendar for March. I don't have any books from 2026 yet that are adding to the "I have no idea when I'll read them" TBR. I also added nine more review copies which have release dates spanning from March to August. 

With my first DNF Review book of the year, I slotted in a thriller from my 2025 TBR stack which leaves "only" 221 books to read someday. 

Read Last Week

• Innocent in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- In Death Book 24
• Creation in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- In Death Book 25
• Maybe This Once by Sophie Sullivan (Review, February 10) -- Contemporary romance set in Northern Michigan. My review will be posted on February 3.

• Strangers in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- In Death Book 26
• Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin by Nancy Springer (Review, February 10) -- Young Enola Holmes finds her next case when she rescues a young woman who has been buried alive. My review will be posted on February 3.
• Salvation in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- In Death Book 27

• Promises in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- In Death Book 28
• Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz (Review, February 10) -- Newest in the Orphan X thriller series. My review will be posted on February 4.
• From a High Tower by Mercedes Lackey (Audiobook, Mine since September 28, 2021) -- Tenth book in the Elemental Masters series. Riff on Rapunzel set in Victorian Times. My review will be posted on February 6.

DNF

• Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson (Review, February 10) -- First DNF of 2026. I abandoned this one at 21%. The writing style and subject matter weren't catching my attention. 

Currently

• One Step Too Far by Lisa Gardner (Kindle, Mine since July 8, 2025) -- Calendar spot replacement for DNF review copy
• The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera (Review, February 10)
• Agent of Change by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Author read along) -- No progress this week since the author was ill and is finishing the draft of her newest book.

Next Week

• Half City by Kate Golden (Review, February 17)
• The Reckless Bride by Stephanie Laurens (Audiobook, Mine since December 267, 2025)
• First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong (Review, February 17)

• Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove (Review, February 17)
• The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook, Mine since October 14, 2025)
• Jolene by Mercedes Lackey (Kindle, Mine since November 18, 2025)

Reviews Posted

• Toucan Keep a Secret by Donna Andrews (Audiobook, Mine)
• The River Knows by Amanda Quick (Audiobook, Mine)
• Enchanted by Nora Roberts (Audiobook, Mine)

• Outfoxed by David Rosenfelt (Mine)
• The Brazen Bride by Stephanie Laurens (Audiobook, Mine)
• Ember Eternal by Chloe Neill (Audiobook, Mine)

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Review:

• Missing by E. A. Jackson (Review, March 17)
• The Antique Hunter's Murder at the Castle by C. L. Miller (Review, March 17)
• The Barn Identity by Diane Kelly (Review, March 31)

• How to Cheat Your Own Death by Kristen Perrin (Review, April 28)
• A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray (Review, June 23)
• Whisper Creek by Allison Brennan (Review, June 23)

• Dead Men Don't Play Fetch by David Rosenfelt (Review, July 7)
• Brimstone Hollow by Archer Sullivan (Review, August 11)
• For Services Rendered by Will Thomas (Review, August 18)

Bought:

• No One Knew by Kendra Elliot (Kindle and Audiobook Add-On, Gift Cards and $5.18)
• Fire Must Burn by Allison Montclair (Kindle, Kindle Rewards, Gift Card)
• Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer (Kindle & Audiobook, Gift Card and $5.33)

What was your week like?

Audiobook Review: Ember Eternal by Chloe Neill

Ember Eternal
Author: Chloe Neill

Narrator: Imani Jade powers
Series: Souls Burn Brightest (Book 1)
Publication: Ace (November 25, 2025); Penguin Audio (November 25, 2025)

Length: 15 hours 7 minutes

Description: A new romantasy, following a thief whose dramatic encounter with an assassin and a crown bodyguard (who has dangerous secrets to keep) launches her into a world of swirling palace intrigue, from New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill.

Fox is a thief with morals—she steals from those who can afford it and takes only a little at that. But she has no choice. Fox and her closest companion are indentured servants to an unscrupulous wealthy woman in the stronghold. Unable to pay off their debts with the work they’re given, they steal in the hopes of one day being free—truly free.

While searching for an easy mark, Fox identifies a would-be assassin with her rare magical ability, and then helps a royal bodyguard fend off his vicious attack on the prince. Soon that good deed embroils her in a vast and shimmering world of imperial politics, long-lost magic, and improbable romance. But Fox longs for freedom, and must decide if love is its own kind of cage.

My Thoughts: Fox is a thief in the city of Stronghold. She's an indentured servant to a woman who sells her services to make money. When she is in the market one day looking for marks who can afford to lose a coin, she spots and spoils an assassination attempt on the new ruling prince. She uses her magical ability to see the Aetheric.

Fox soon finds herself allied with the guard whom she helped save the prince despite her disdain for the royal rulers. She discovers that someone is using the aetheric to try to overthrow the ruling family. 

Fox was an interesting character. She is a thief with morals and a woman who longs for freedom to make her own choices. She also has a rare magical ability to see the aetheric. She's had the ability since the childhood she doesn't remember, but the ability mostly brings her pain. 

This is a romance as Fox falls for the bodyguard she helped thwart the assassination attempt. But he is a man keeping secrets which affect her choices and may constrict her future freedom. 

This was an engaging story with intriguing characters. I liked the setting and the worldbuilding. 

I bought this one on publication day. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Ember Eternal by Chloe Neill

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

Beginning:

We were servants by fate, sisters by choice, and thieves by skill and practice. And we were looking for coins to steal.

Friday 56:

"It's beautiful. Who owns this land?"

"According to the Emperor Eternal, he does. He demands half of everything the stronghold makes."

This week I am spotlighting Ember Eternal by Chloe Neill. It is the first in a new romantacy series. Here is the description from Amazon:

A new romantasy, following a thief whose dramatic encounter with an assassin and a crown bodyguard (who has dangerous secrets to keep) launches her into a world of swirling palace intrigue, from New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill.

Fox is a thief with morals—she steals from those who can afford it and takes only a little at that. But she has no choice. Fox and her closest companion are indentured servants to an unscrupulous wealthy woman in the stronghold. Unable to pay off their debts with the work they’re given, they steal in the hopes of one day being free—truly free.

While searching for an easy mark, Fox identifies a would-be assassin with her rare magical ability, and then helps a royal bodyguard fend off his vicious attack on the prince. Soon that good deed embroils her in a vast and shimmering world of imperial politics, long-lost magic, and improbable romance. But Fox longs for freedom, and must decide if love is its own kind of cage.

Audiobook Review: Enchanted by Nora Roberts

Enchanted
Author: Nora Roberts
Narrator: Alexander Cendese
Series: The Donovan Legacy (Book 4)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (March 15, 2014)
Length: 6 hours and 16 minutes

Description: Lovely, guileless Rowan Murray was drawn to darkly enigmatic Liam Donovan with a force she'd never imagined could exist. But before Liam could give Rowan his love, he first had to trust her with the incredible truth about himself…and his family.

My Thoughts: Rowan Murray comes to rural Oregon to spend time in a friend's cabin and evaluate her life's choices. She's a schoolteacher because her parents steered her that way. She is engaged to a friend her parents approve of. But she's a dreamer with some artistic talent but with a low sense of self-esteem.

Liam Donovan is her nearest neighbor. He's a witch with a talent for shapeshifting with a wolf being his preferred form. 

The two are immediately attracted. Liam is concerned about falling for a woman who doesn't have faerie blood since he's in line to rule his people. He's willing to commit everything to her except his heart. 

Rowan has some hidden strength of character that develops the long she's away from her San Francisco home. Having just pieces of Liam isn't enough for her which provides the tension in this love story. 

I bought this one at Chirp May 12, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Brazen Bride by Stephanie Laurens

The Brazen Bride
Author: Stephanie Laurens

Narrator: Simon Prebble
Series: The Black Cobra Quartet (Book 3)
Publication: Avon (June 17, 2010); HarperAudio (June 29, 2010)

Length: 13 hours and 36 minutes

Description: Four officers of the Crown, aided by Bastion Club member and Cynster alike, fight to bring down a dangerous enemy - and to win the loves of their lives ...

Logan Monteith's mission got off to a shaky start. Wounded in battle, he jumped from his ship rather than risk losing evidence that would bring down a traitor. But as he recuperates in a tiny village, his luck takes a roundabout turn as his fascination with his rescuer, the beautiful Linnet Trevission, grows.

Linnet's strength and wisdom have made her a respected leader at home. That's why she knows she'll be invaluable to Logan - if only he'll let her in. Linnet has no doubt that Logan is the man for her. Her only battle now is in convincing him that the connection they feel is real and everlasting and that her offer of help can save him - before it's too late.

My Thoughts: Logan Montieth is one of four officers of the Crown tasked with the mission of bringing a document from India to England. The document identifies the Black Cobra who has been causing major problems in India. Naturally, the agents of the Black Cobra don't want the message to reach its intended target. The four men split up and take different paths back to England. 

Logan is on a ship in the English Channel when he is attacked by the fanatics of the Black Cobra. There is a storm and he is injured, but he finds his way to Guernsey where he is rescued by Linnet Trevission who is the lord of the manor. Logan has lost his memory as a result of a blow to the head. 

He and Linnet fall in love. Linnet doesn't have any hopes for a long-term relationship. She's fixed on Guernsey and knows that Logan will leave once he recovers his memory. Logan, however, feels like he's finally found a home and has no intention of abandoning it even after his memory returns. 

The two wind up in England on the run from the cultists and meeting up with various members of the Cynsters and Bastion club members as they make their way to the persons who need Logan's message. Linnet's interactions with the women associated with the Cynsters and Bastion club members show her the way that she can make her relationship with Logan work.

This one was a very spicy story. Logan and Linnet's relationship begins as an intensely physical one. I enjoyed that part of the story but liked adventure part of the story more. 

I bought this one August 6, 2025. You can buy your copy here.