CITY OF THE LOST by Kelley Armstrong & narrated by Thérèse Plummer

I really enjoy Kelley Armstrong's YA books, but I also enjoy her thrillers. This was such an intense read from start to finish and Thérèse Plummer was amazing as a narrated. 

Casey Duncan went against her family of doctors to become a detective, and she has plenty of secrets and people to hide away from. But she agrees to leave the life she knows behind solely to get her best friend, Diana, away from her abusive and controlling ex. After a series of interviews and cash payments, the two of them head to Rockton, a town up in the Yukon that is not discoverable except by those who run it. Casey arrives after Diana and is immediately thrown into a murder case. The only problem is, most of the people in the town are up there under false names, hiding from what they've done, or from those who want to hurt them, making the town full of victims and criminals. Casey must work with Eric Dalton, the town sheriff, as well as Will, the deputy, to solve the case as well as the new ones that keep happening. She also must confront her own secrets, her toxic friendship, and her growing feelings for the uncultured sheriff. As her investigation unravels, she finds her own life at risk while so many twists and turns keep happening.  This was one of my favourite reads this year, and I can't wait to listen to the next in the series!

AETHERBOUND by E. K. Johnston

Pendt Harland grows up on her family's ship, getting only the minimum amount of food needed to keep her alive. She doesn't have the abilities her family desires, so they have her work in the kitchens until she is old enough to be sold off to another ship or a space station. A week before her 18th birthday, she escapes from the Harland onto Brannick Station. There she meets the young heirs of the station who show her that her undesirable mutation is something much more powerful and useful.

This story is charming and sweet with a satisfying ending that left me curious about the next book.

A DARKNESS ABSOLUTE by Kelley Armstrong & narrated by Thérèse Plummer

A Darkness Absolute is another thrilling story by Kelley Armstrong that is set in the city of Rockton. This time, Casey and Will come across a woman trapped in a hole when they are forced to take shelter in a cave during a snowstorm. The woman has been missing for over a year, and her discovery leads to the discovery of the remains of other missing women. Finding out who took them becomes difficult when Casey and Eric must consider suspects from Rockton, nearby settlements, and even hostiles. It takes a lot of digging, but eventually they find the abductor/killer. Or think they do...

I really do love this series by Kelley Armstrong and I think Thérèse Plummer is an amazing narrator. But, as a Canadian, I was thrown off by the pronunciation of toque. It should have the "ew" sound after the t, and not be pronounced as toke. That is something quite different in Canada.

I left my old life to escape expectations, seeking a place where I can choose my own path, a place where I can belong.

In my small town, every dragon shifter knows their place. Find your mate. Claim them. Build your nest. When I learned my fiancé had been sharing more than promises with half the town, I broke things off. I left behind the gossip, the disappointment, and the life everyone thought I should want.

Saramto is my fresh start.

At Fire Hall 347, I find purpose again. I protect the city. I train hard. I serve my community. The humans of Saramto are fascinated by the dragon in their midst, but fascination isn’t the same as belonging. And every omega who approaches me makes my dragon restless…but not in the right way.

Until Ladon.

He’s a dragon shifter. An omega. Unclaimed.

The moment my dragon scents him, I know.

He’s mine.

Ladon is sharp, stubborn, and far too tempting for my peace of mind. He’s also raising a young son who looks at firefighters like we’re heroes. I’m not looking to build a family. I’m not ready to trust again. But my dragon doesn’t care about my fears and plans. He wants the omega. He wants this instant family. He wants the future I ran from.

Fate brought me to Saramto.

It brought me to my mate.

Now, I have to decide if I’m brave enough to claim what’s always been meant to be mine.

Blaze in the City is an MM mpreg shifter romance featuring a firefighter alpha dragon shifter who moves from a toxic small town to find the life he longs for in the big city, the single father omega who catches his attention thanks to a little help from Fate, his little boy who dreams of becoming a firefighter and steals the entire station’s hearts, true love, fated mates, nesting, meggs, adorable babies, and a guaranteed happy ever ending. Blaze in the City is the tenth book in USA Today bestselling author Jessica E. Subject’s sweet with building heat stand-alone Shifter Towers books and part of the Love Sync Firefighters shared world series.