These Ancient Bones by Heather Graham

These Ancient Bones (The Crows)These Ancient Bones by Heather Graham

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Crows #2

Release Date: August 24, 2026

After completing an assignment in Rome, Special Agent Grant Markham returns to his hometown of St. Augustine, FL only to find a similar crime has occurred there and has captured the attention Special Agent Jackson Crow, head of a special unit known as the Krewe of Hunters. Jackson’s people are all gifted with special supernatural abilities, and Grant has worked him before. But this time, Jackson has found a partner for Grant, another “Krewe” agent, Special Agent Shelly Mahoney from the west coast. They meet at the crime scene, the home of George Maynard, a well-known and well-liked investigative journalist, who has recently uncovered a huge scam involving a major security company. The burned remains of their victim are found outside his home and presumed to be George. Unfortunately, due to the state of the body, they can’t make a positive ID and Grant is not able to use his own power to confirm the victim’s identity. The only clue they have to go on is a stone tablet found near the front door with what appears to be a curse directed at George in it.

With the body count rising and each one with a new curse tablet, Grant and Shelly will follow the clues, which lead them not only through the St. Augustine area, but back to Rome. They will be joined by Special Agents and fellow Krewe members, Zach Erickson & Skye McMahon, and together they will try to untangle the mystery of the tablets before they end up on the killer’s hit list.

I am enjoying this spin off series, Grant and Shelly have an instant connection and work well together. I was also delighted to catch up with Zach and Skye who were the leads in the previous book. The mystery was chaotic at times, but everything comes together at the end and what an end it is! This book has an intriguing mystery, lots of secondary characters and even more suspects, a bit of paranormal activity, curses, a bit of spice, a brewing romance, action, twists and turns and finally a satisfying ending, complete with an epilogue. My only qualm with this book was there were a couple of dropped storylines that I would have liked to have seen tied up, but as they didn’t impact the final outcome, I was able overlook it and still thought it was a very good read. This is the second book in the series, but they are loosely connected so each book can be read as a standalone title. If you enjoy a good mystery with a bit of romance and a dash of paranormal, you need to read this book!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

Demons and Diplomacy by Megan Frampton

Demons and Diplomacy (Ministry of Supernatural Affairs Book 1)Demons and Diplomacy by Megan Frampton

Tracy’s Rating: 2.5/3 of 5 stars

Series: Ministry of Supernatural Affairs, #1

Release Date: August 25, 2026

Cora Hastings serves as Britain’s Species Ombudsman in a Victorian London where supernatural beings have publicly joined society after the Great Revelation. Her role places her between humans and supernatural species, requiring diplomacy, order, and practical problem-solving. Marcellus, the Marquis of Hell, becomes central to her assignment when he arrives with his father, the Devil, and his characterization leans into charm, temptation, and demonic influence. The supporting characters, including Cora’s friends and the supernatural figures surrounding the diplomatic visit, mainly function around Cora’s work, the developing romance, and the broader political tensions of the setting.

Cora is assigned to escort and manage the Devil’s visit to London ahead of the Great Exhibition, a diplomatic responsibility that becomes more complicated once threats against supernatural beings begin to surface. As Cora and Marcellus work together, the story combines historical romance, paranormal politics, mystery, and fantasy elements. The central conflict involves maintaining peace between humans and supernatural society while uncovering a conspiracy connected to the exhibition and the Devil’s presence in London.

When I learned that Megan Frampton was trying her hand at Romantasy, I was all in, I have read all of her Historical Romances and love her writing style, so I was rather surprised to find that she had written this book in the first person and that it just didn’t flow as well as her previous books had. I thought the premise had a lot of promise, especially with its supernatural version of Victorian London and Cora’s role as a government liaison between species. The worldbuilding and political setup were interesting, but the romance developed too quickly for me and did not have enough emotional build-up to make the connection feel fully earned. Also, the first-person narrative made Cora’s thoughts around Marcellus feel repetitive and sometimes disconnected from the high-stakes situation around her. While I can see the appeal for readers who enjoy light historical paranormal romance with banter, this one did not work for me.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *