Category: Top Pick – Highly Recommended

Heartsong by S.E. Wendel

On By TracyIn Check Content Warning/Triggers, Contemporary, New To Me Author, Non-Traditional Romance, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Romantasy, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Heartsong (War of the Underhill)Heartsong by S.E. Wendel

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: War of the Underhill #1

Release Date: February 10, 2026

After years of barely scraping by Anna Kincaid is finally making progress in her life, she has a job at a museum that she loves and medical insurance which means she might be able to get her migraines under control. What she never expected was to have the museum attacked by masked men or to have the gargoyle statute she was hiding behind coming to life when she touched it and flying her away to safety. Nor did she expect the gargoyle to be so attractive, or that he would declare that she is his Heartsong”, which means she is his fated mate.

Frey is a Guardian, created over two thousand years ago from stone, blood and magick to protect the Druids in Albion. He was a great warrior and fought in the last battle against the Fae, who cursed his kind, by taking their magick and returning them to stone. He has spent years frozen in stone watching the world change and regretting never finding his mate, but when he ends up at the museum he feels something that he has never experienced, the feeling of his fated mate. When she touches him during a raid, he comes alive! He takes her to her home and tries to convince her that they are soulmates, but when morning comes, he turns back to stone, only to awaken when the sun goes down. Clearly the curse was not broken and Anna is in danger. What will it take to win her heart and break the curse for good?

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book by a new to me author, but I was quickly drawn into the story and enjoyed all the twists and turns! The story is fresh, interesting and I loved how the author incorporated Fae and mythical aspects into the story. I loved the relationship between Anna and Frey, each learning to trust the other and form a true soulmate bond. Anna is a very modern and relatable character, she is independent, suffers debilitating migraines, has a problem with trusting and accepting love, but it a very loyal person with a true heart of gold and Frey…he is just amazing. I did feel like the middle of the story dragged a bit and the ending felt a bit rushed, but overall, it was amazing and I can’t wait for the next installment! If you are a fan of fated mates, forced proximity, steamy romantasy – this book will check all the boxes for you! Highly recommended.

*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. *

The Witching Hours by Heather Graham

On By TracyIn Check Content Warning/Triggers, Contemporary, Mystery, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Series Crossover, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Witching Hours (The Crows)The Witching Hours by Heather Graham

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Crows #1

Release Date: January 27, 2026

When Special Agent Skye McMahon was contacted by Jackson Crow of the FBI’s Special Circumstances Unit aka “the Krewe of Hunters” or the “Ghostbuster Unit”, due to the paranormal aspects of most of their cases, she was wary, but it soon became clear that Agent Crow and his partner/wife Agent Angela Crow were already aware of her “gift” and thought she would be a perfect fit for their team. She arrives in Salem, MA to assist the local police in a death & missing persons case and is partnered with Special Agent Zachary “Zach” Erickson. Almost immediately, Skye’s gift of seeing the past, enables the team to learn that the death was not a heart attack as originally thought, but a murder and that the missing Nanny and young boy were abducted by someone dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the West, complete with green skin and a pointy black hat. And Zach’s ability to connect to a person with personal objects helps them determine that the victims are still alive. But before they can make any headway into the case, there is another abduction.

Jackson and Angela return to DC, leaving Skye and Zach to work the case with the help of Lt. Gavin Bruns of the Salem PD, who has a gift of his own. Together they piece together the clues and track down the leads, finding even more victims of the “Wicked Witch” and as they work, trust grows and blossoms into something deeper than just work partners. Their combined gifts and that connection will ultimate be the key they need to unlock this mystery and stop the Wicked Witch!

This was my first Heather Graham paranormal mystery, I have read some of her historical romances and liked her writing style, so I had no doubt that I would enjoy this book and I was not wrong. As much as I liked her HR books, this genre really lets her amazing talent shine. I was hooked from the first page and didn’t figure out the villain until just before it was revealed in the book. This story was great mystery with strong ties to the Krewe Hunters series and filled with emotion, psychic abilities, murder, lots of twists and turns, a bit of romance, and finally a satisfying ending with possibility of more cases with Skye & Zach! I highly recommend this book and as it is the first book in a spin-off series, it is the perfect book to start with, especially if you are new to this author or if you are looking for a new paranormal mystery series!

*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. *

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