Friday Memes: The Black Wolves of Boston by Wen Spencer

 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:

Joshua really thought it would be easier to catch a rabbit; he was a werewolf, after all. The stupid things, though, could turn on a dime and kept zigging while his body zagged.

Friday 56:

The house had three bathrooms total. Ewan found and used all three without realizing that he was marking his territory.

This week I am spotlighting a reread. I first read The Black Wolves of Boston by Wen Spencer back in 2020. I wanted to refresh my memory before I read the sequel which was recently published. I am choosing the audiobook for this reread. Here's the description from Amazon:

REBUILD A LIFE, SAVE A CITY

Silas Decker had his world destroyed when he was attacked by vampires outside of New Amsterdam. He has rebuilt his life a dozen times in the last three hundred years—each time less and less successfully. Now he lives alone, buried under a hoarding habit, struggling to find some reason to wake up with the setting of the sun.

Eloise is a Virtue, pledged to hunting evil. What she doesn’t know is how to live alone in a city full of strangers who know nothing about monsters.

Seth is the sixteen-year old Prince of Boston, ward of the Wolf King. Now he is left in a city that desperately needs his protection with enemies gathering all around.

Joshua believes he is a normal, college-bound high school senior. His life is shattered when he wakes up in a field, covered with blood, and the prom committee scattered in pieces about him like broken dolls.

These four must now come together to unravel a plot by Wickers, witches who gain power from human sacrifices and have the power to turn any human into their puppet. Four people who lost everything struggle to save Boston by saving each other.

Audiobook Review: One Was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming

One Was a Soldier
Author: Julia Spencer-Fleming
Narrator: Suzanne Toren
Series: Clare Ferguson/Russ van Alstyne Mysteries (Book 7)
Publication: Blackstone Audio (April 22, 2011)
Length: 17 hours and 31 minutes

Description: At the Millers Kill Community Center, five veterans gather to work on adjusting to life after war. Reverend Clare Fergusson has returned from Iraq with a head full of bad memories she's using alcohol to wipe out. Dr. George Stillman is denying that the head wound he received has left him with something worse than simple migraines. Officer Eric McCrea is battling to keep his constant rage from affecting his life as a cop, and as a father. High school track star Will Ellis is looking for some reason to keep on living after losing both legs to an IED. And down-on-her-luck Tally McNabb has brought home a secret - a fatal one.

Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne just wants Clare to settle down and get married - to him. But when he rules Tally McNabb's death a suicide, Clare sides with the other vets against him. Russ and Clare's unorthodox investigation will uncover a trail of deceit that runs from their tiny Adirondack town to the upper ranks of the Army, and from the waters of the Millers Kill to the unforgiving streets of Baghdad.

My Thoughts: The seventh book in the Clare Ferguson/Russ Van Alstyne mysteries sees Clare returned from Iraq and dealing with what she saw by abusing pills and alcohol. When one of her parishioners comes back from war having lost both legs to an IED, she convinces him to take part in a veteran's support group. He will if she will. The two find Dr. George Stillman there and Officer Eric McCrea from the Millers Kill police force and a young woman named Tally McNabb. Trip Stillman had a traumatic brain injury that he is claiming to be just migraines. McCrea is having trouble dealing with the constant anger that fills his life. And Tally is keeping a secret about her tour in Iraq.

When Tally is found dead by her swimming pool, Russ and most of the evidence declares it a suicide. Clare and her fellow veterans from the support group are so sure and begin an investigation. Tally was working as an accountant for Opperman's business which, besides the resort, does contracting work for the government in Iraq. And it looks like she came home with a lot of cash money - like a million dollars. 

Besides the stress of planning her wedding to Russ with more than she needs of her mother's "help," Clare has the usual stresses of her ministry and her investigation into Tally's death. No wonder she's hiding her dependence on pills and alcohol from everyone including Russ. 

I enjoyed this story. It was compelling listening. I was so involved in the problems of all of the vets in the support group and so hoping that they could find peace. I also enjoyed catching up on other members of the Millers Kill police force too. 

I got this one from Audible Plus. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Entranced by Nora Roberts

Entranced 
Author: Nora Roberts
Narrator: MacLeod Andrews
Series: The Donovan Legacy (Book 2)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (August 23, 2023)
Length: 7 hours and 11 minutes

Description: The Donovan Legacy continues in Entranced, #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts’ mesmerizing novel about a headstrong detective expanding her mind to paranormal possibilities while opening her hardened heart to love.

Tough and tenacious, Mary Ellen Sutherland is a private investigator who never gives up on a case or a friend in need. When her friend’s baby is abducted and every clue leads to a dead end, Mel reluctantly turns to Sebastian Donovan, a psychic reputed to possess extraordinary abilities. Despite her skepticism, Sebastian proves to be amazingly gifted—especially when it comes to enchanting Mel, body and soul.

My Thoughts: The second book in the Donovan Legacy stars Sebastian Donovan. He is a psychic who can find people and things and read people's minds. Mary Ellen Sutherland is a private investigator who comes to him when her friend's baby is abducted. Even though she doesn't believe in psychics, Mel agrees to work with Sebastian if it will help her find young David. 

Using a combination of her skills as a PI and Sebastian's gifts, David is found and a baby selling ring is discovered. Mel and Sebastian team up along with the FBI to break up the ring. While they are undercover as a wealthy couple looking to do anything to finally have a baby of their own, Mel and Sebastian fall in love. 

This was another excellent paranormal romance. It was also excellent romantic suspense. 

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

ARC Review: Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs

Blind Date with a Werewolf
Author: Patricia Briggs
Publication: Ace (October 21, 2025)

Description: When the deadly werewolf Asil is gifted five blind dates by some anonymous “friends,” his reclusive life will never be the same, in this enthralling novel in stories from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson series.

Includes two all-new stories as well as three previously published stories.

Dear Asil:

We are worried about you. A werewolf alone is a sad thing, especially at Christmastime. So we have a challenge for you: five dates in three weeks. We have taken the work out of it and connected you with five people from online dating sites. You should also know that we have informed the whole pack and instigated a betting pool. Have fun!

Sincerely,

Your Concerned Friends

My Thoughts: This story collects the existing Asil stories and adds a couple of new ones. The premise is that some "concerned friends" have gifted Asil with a series of blind dates because they are worried about him. Asil is a very old werewolf who has come to the Marrock's territory because he wants to die and only the Marrock is strong enough to kill him. However, the Marrock has uses for Asil as an executioner who can take out werewolves who need to die before they give all werewolves a bad name. 

Asil has become reclusive and depressed, and he struggles to keep control of his wolf who is becoming more and more distant. 

The first date has Asil attending a Vampire Ball in Missoula. Young people who are pretending to be vampires have set this up. Asil's date has also been set up. It turns out that Kelly is a gay young graduate student and not the female that he was purported to be. And some of the vampires are not pretending. 

The second date has Asil rescuing a tiger shifter and a lioness who is also an ancient goddess. His foster daughter Mariposa, who was a black witch, has a role to play in this one.

The third date has Asil meeting a social worker named Tami who seems to be a white witch and helping her rescue some of her clients from a wyrm. But things are not quite what they seem and Asil needs to save the day again. 

The fourth date has Asil meeting a ghost hunter who is the victim of an ancient fae. She's a woman who resonates with both Asil and his wolf and completes his reentry into life and love. 

The fifth date concerns rescuing Mariposa's daughter from a very old vampire who was living in Spokane unknown to the local alpha. 

These were entertaining interrelated stories. I have always thought Asil was an intriguing character and loved learning more about him. 

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

Audiobook Review: A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King

A Monstrous Regiment of Women
Author: Laurie R. King
Narrator: Jenny Sterlin
Series: Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes (Book 2)
Publication: Macmillan Audio (February 11, 2014)
Length: 11 hours and 43 minutes

Description: It is 1921 and Mary Russell—Sherlock Holmes's brilliant apprentice, now an Oxford graduate with a degree in theology—is on the verge of acquiring a sizable inheritance. Independent at last, with a passion for divinity and detective work, her most baffling mystery may now involve Holmes and the burgeoning of a deeper affection between herself and the retired detective. Russell's attentions turn to the New Temple of God and its leader, Margery Childe, a charismatic suffragette and a mystic, whose draw on the young theology scholar is irresistible. But when four bluestockings from the Temple turn up dead shortly after changing their wills, could sins of a capital nature be afoot? Holmes and Russell investigate, as their partnership takes a surprising turn in A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King.

My Thoughts: This is the second book in the Sherlock Holmes/Mary Russell series. It is 1921. Mary has graduated from Oxford with theology and chemistry degrees. She has also attained her majority and gained control of her fortune. She has kicked out her aunt and is remodeling her farmhouse. She is also in a quandary about her relationship with Holmes.

While wandering about London, she encounters Lady Veronica Beaconsfield who was a lodging mate at Oxford. They lost touch when Mary had to disappear as a result of a previous case. Ronnie is working at Good Works in London. She introduces Mary to Margery Childe and her New Temple of God. Mary is intrigued by Margery's theology.

But questions arise when she learns that three well-to-do young women has died in suspicious circumstances after leaving substantial sums of money to the New Temple of God. Mary investigates with a bit of assistance from Holmes who is busy helping Mary with another problem. Ronnie's fiancé has come back from World War I greatly changed and addicted to heroin. Mary asks Sherlock for help.

Then Ronnie is almost killed in what looks at first like an accident and Mary is also almost killed when she's walking with Margery. Mary manages to take down the villain and save herself and Margery. But then Mary is kidnapped. She's held for a number of days by criminals who attempt to addict her to heroin before Sherlock manages to find and rescue her. 

This was excellent historical fiction filled with all sorts of period details. I love the relationship between Mary and Holmes.

I bought this one April 11, 2021. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Death on Dickens Island by Allison Brook

Death on Dickens Island
Author: Allison Brook
Series: A Books on the Beach Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Crooked Lane (October 21, 2025)

Description: A divorced sleuth in her thirties must bring peace back to her small town after a murder tears neighbors and family members apart in this series debut from Agatha Award nominee Allison Brook, perfect for fans of Cynthia Riggs and Eva Gates.

Delia Dickens has come home to Dickens Island, a small island in the Long Island Sound, after a twelve-year stint in Manhattan. She’s looking forward to helping her father revitalize the general store that the family owns as well as curating a small book nook. Most importantly, she wants to reunite with her fifteen-year-old son. But Dickens Island isn’t the peaceful town Delia remembers–and she might be in more danger here than she ever was in the big city.

Delia’s Aunt Reenie and Uncle Brad, both prominent community leaders, are at odds over the sale of a farm and its future use. This has created friction, not only in their marriage, but amongst the citizens of the town. When a young woman, new to the town council and friendly with Brad, is found murdered, everything escalates and reaches a new boiling point.

With Reenie and Brad both suspects in the case and at each other’s throats, the townspeople start to take sides. When the ghost of her grandmother visits her, Delia learns how past events have impacted the present, and it is up to her to expose the farm’s sordid secrets in order to catch a murderer and restore peace to her beloved island.

My Thoughts: This first in a new series stars Delia Dickens who has come home to Dickens Island after some years away in Manhattan. She is helping her father in his general store and writing some articles for her brother's newspaper. She is also trying to rebuild her relationship with her fifteen-year-old son who has spent most of his life living with her parents. 

When a young woman is murdered and Delia's uncle is one of the prime suspects, Delia becomes an amateur sleuth. She has the unexpected help of the ghost of her grandmother who knows the ins and out and who's who of the island past and present. 

The island is in turmoil because of the issue of purchasing a local farm and determining its future use. Delia's aunt and uncle who are both on the council have vastly different views of the future of the farm and the island. Their views are coming close to polarizing the rest of the island's residents.

Meanwhile, Delia's relationship with her son is going through its own ups and downs. When Connor skips school to hunt for treasure from a map purported to be left by Captain Kidd, it leads to a break-in at their house and the discovery of a long-buried body.

This was an engaging cozy mystery. I'm eager to read more about Dickens Island and its residents. 

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? (October 13, 2025)

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 another week that went by in a flash. I was busy with watching baseball and The Voice and reading. I don't even remember if I left the house for any reason but maybe I went to the grocery store. I'm lucky that my brother enjoys grocery shopping and does the vast majority of it for us. 

I did something I haven't done for quite a while. I read Turns of Fate and literally couldn't put it down. I finished it at 5:30 AM. Needless to say, I spent the rest of the week trying to get back onto a normal sleep schedule. 

I'm making good progress on my Slow and Steady reads. I just have two chapters left in The Mother Tongue since I don't intend to read the notes, bibliography and index which make up the last 16% of the book. A Night in the Lonesome October has dated chapters through October 31 which means I'll be reading it for the rest of the month. 

This week I have a whole bunch of November 11 review books on my stack. I'll be throwing in some audiobooks too but don't know which ones yet. Most likely they will be rereads since I don't have open spaces to review any audiobooks until December. 

I will be leaving the house this week because I have a haircut - long delayed - scheduled on Monday. 

Read Last Week

• The Nameless Land by Kate Elliott (Review, November 4) -- Second in an epic fantasy series with great characters and worldbuilding. My review will be posted on October 30.
• Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop (Review, November 11) -- Great start to a new urban fantasy series. My review will be posted on November 4.

• Shattered by Dick Francis (Mine since October 3) -- A Dick Francis mystery. This time the character who gets drawn into danger and mystery is a glassblower. My review will be posted on October 28.
• Charmed by Nora Roberts (Mine since May 12) -- Third in the Donovan Legacy paranormal romances. My review will be posted on November 18
• Ribbon Dance by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Mine since October 7) -- Middle book in the story arc set on Colemeno. I previously reviewed the ARC. 

• Her Second Death by Melinda Leigh (Mine since October 6) -- Prequel short story to the Bree Taggert series. 
• Games Untold by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Mine since November 21, 2024) -- Novellas and short stories set in the Inheritance Games world. My review will be posted on November 1.

Currently

• Wild Instinct by T. Jefferson Parker (Review, November 11)
• Diviner's Bow by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook reread)

Slow and Steady Reads:

• A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny - a chapter a day
• The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson - a chapter a day - only two chapters to go

Next Week

• Innocence Road by Laura Griffin (Review, November 11)
• Revenge, Served Royal by Celeste Connally (Review, November 11)
• Haze by Katharine Kerr (Review, November 11)

• Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree (Review, November 11)
• The Queen Who Came in from the Cold by S. J. Bennett (Review, November 11)
• Blood Oath by Steve Urszenyi (Review, November 18)

Reviews Posted

• Dying Cry by Margaret Mizushima (Review copy)
• Death on a Scottish Train by Lucy Connelly (Review copy)
• And Then There Was The One by Martha Waters (Review copy)

• Fallen Star by Lee Goldberg (Review copy)
• The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong (Review copy)
• And to All a Good Bite by David Rosenfelt (Review copy)

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

Review:

• The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura (Review, January 13)
• Half City by Kate Golden (Review, February 17)
• The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C. M. Waggoner (Review, March 17)

Bought:

Audiobooks for reread (I read the series many years ago):

• Major Operation by James White (Chirp Audiobook, $2.99)
• Star Surgeon by James White (Chirp Audiobook, $2.99)
• Hospital Station by James White (Chirp Audiobook, $2.99)

Audiobooks by favorite authors:

• Gold Dust by Catherine Asaro (Audible Credit)
• Ribbon Dance by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audible Credit)

New-to-me Kindle books:

• The Baby Dragon Bakery by A. T. Qureshi (BookBub. $.99)
• The Baby Dragon Cafe by A. T. Qureshi (Kindle, $.99)
• Her Second Death by Melinda Leigh (Kindle, $.99)

Kindle keeper copies of books I read and reviewed earlier:

• Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library by Amanda Chapman (Kindle)
• Gold Dust by Catherine Asaro (Kindle)
• Buried Too Deep by Karen Rose (BookBub, $1.99)

What was your week like?