Showing posts with label Paranormal & Urban Fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paranormal & Urban Fantasy. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

The Girl Who Loved Ghosts by KC Tansley 4 ✭


Title: 
The Girl Who Loved Ghosts
Author: 
K.C. Tansley
Publisher: 
Beckett Publishing Group
Series: 
The Unbelievables
Genre: 
Young Adult, Time Travel, Supernatural
Publish Date: 
September 16, 2019
Sold by: 
Amazon Digital Services LLC
Pages: 
300
Ages: 
Teen
 Rating: ✭✭✭✭
First I want to thank K.C. Tansley for giving me an advanced reader copy for reviewing purposes. I really appreciate the opportunity to continue reading the series.

Don't let the title fool you into thinking this is the book where Kat finds her love or that it is all hearts and roses. No, this book isn't about that at all. This book is about much more than Kat loving a ghost or anyone for that matter. This book has so much sadness and loneliness in it.

At the start of this book Kat has feelings for Evan but isn't fully aware of how deep they run. Evan is completely oblivious and in denial. Seth is dropping hints to Evan non-stop about it all. Seth's cousin is in town and seems to really like Evan a lot. Evan is slowly pulling away but that only gets worse once they find his ancestral home. Then they have to train separately too. Kat has also been keeping all her training and secrets about the past book activities hidden from her best friend, Morgan because she is afraid of Morgan getting hurt. But in hiding all that she almost loses her best friend because she is betrayed. Toria, Kat's ancestor, and the beloved ghost tells Kat that she will be gone for a while and unreachable. And that is how the book starts out. Kat is losing Evan it seems to some new girl, Morgan is almost done with her, and her favorite ghost and ancestor, Toria who has been helping her tells her goodbye. She feels alone and scared but tries to continue.

Kat and even go back in time two more times this book. They're trying to get the Mallory family amulet. It is the last one that they need to restore the four family's power. They still don't know how the families have connected. How it all started, why the Radcliffe's are their "ruler", why the Kingsley's are always the warrior protector, etc. They do eventually get the Mallory bracelet, but this time it had a cost. This time the cost of a spell Kat had to use almost shattered her mind. Add that on top of all the earlier Kat emotions and we have a girl who really has gone through a lot this book.

The Mallory heir is kind of a shocking reveal. At least to me. Maybe I didn't think on through enough. I don't really know. I think I read these books so fast that it's like I'm along for the ride that the story is offering.

I will say this book ended on a weird cliff hanger. That I didn't like. It just puts a personal interact on the end and it feels out of place. I feel like it should be before the ending big reveal then it would flow better to me. As the book is in its current ARC form, it doesn't feel right. I don't think there is enough emphasis that the book is ending. It feels like it just stops. This in itself could tank the whole feeling of the book if you let it. I chose not to because I feel like this book series has done a lot and come a long way and has plenty more to offer.

Overall, this book brings a lot more to the world and is leading to something special it feels like. They're fighting goblins and other creatures in a forest. There is possibly another family curse that the Mallory heir tells Kat about. There is a lot of side plot reveal with the knowledge of unknown enemies out to destroy the four families. The emotional journey everyone has gone through and is trying to deal with will affect the next book greatly. I think the next book is going to have a lot going on. I hope, and think, the next book in the series will be key. I am looking forward to it for sure. And according to an interview with the author, she envisions there to be five or more books. I'm happy with that. 

I enjoyed reading the third book in the Unbelievables series.
 The Girl Who Loved Ghosts is worth a read and will be


Friday, February 8, 2019

Blood Fury by J. R. Ward 3 ✭


Title: 
Blood Fury
Author: 
J.R. Ward
Publisher: 
Ballantine Books
Series: 
Black Dagger Legacy
Genre: 
Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publish Date: 
January 9, 2018
Sold by: 
Random House LLC
Pages: 
442
Ages: 
18+

Rating: ✭✭✭
I'm sitting here with a cup of tea and not in the meme way that anyone who is under 30 would immediately assume. No, I'm trying to cut back on coffee. I drink too much, but I love the whole flavor that makes coffee what it is. But sometimes you just hit a point and enough is enough. I feel like that is this Black Dagger Legacy for me. I love the world and the characters. I love how easy you can just pick up one of these books and just roll with it. Just enjoy the blend of old characters and new characters. The setting is like the aroma of coffee. It just feels like home. But when you have too much coffee you become jumpy, maybe cranky, and dissatisfied in the end. That is where I am at.

I like the idea of what Ward is doing. Making this series about multiple people and getting some new blood in with old blood. I love the family value themes in each of these books. They're more than just a super dramatic romance story. These are good books. They deserve to be picked up off a shelf and read for sure. I just don't know how I feel about the two couples per book thing going on. I don't think I have read any other books with authors doing that. So that is really cool. I feel like Ruhn and Saxton's story was short and worked good. It brought enough to the table to feel right sharing with another couple. Novo & Peyton had a good story too. I think the story arc that they went through was good. I just wish there was a little more. Maybe more of Peyton's fun side that only came out when things were going well with him and Novo. Just a bit more. 

I want to say that this feels like two novellas that take place at the same time and so they were put together. That isn't a terrible thing. I like it. I just wish there was a little more feeling. A little more depth. Just a little bit more. 

If you would like a Free preview into Blood Fury by J. R. Ward
you can read below without leaving the page. 

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Blood Vow by J.R. Ward 4 ✭

Title: 
Blood Vow
Author: 
J.R. Ward
Publisher: 
Ballantine Books
Series: 
Black Dagger Legacy
Genre: 
Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publish Date: 
December 6, 2016
Sold by: 
Random House LLC
Pages: 
472
Ages: 
18 +
Rating: ✭✭✭✭

The Black Dagger Legacy really is a thing before this spin-off series came up. You still have people who bring up the original characters in forum posts and book clubs. They are characters that you can't forget. They stick with you. Those characters and the intense storylines are why I keep buying Ward's books. It is a Legacy on its own. I feel like this is important to bring up, now that I am two books deep into the spin-off series. I am seeing how Ward is continuing the world while bringing something new. It seems like each book with being half and half. Half some of the new recruits storyline, and half of the old crew storyline. 


I liked Rhage and Mary. I still do. I believe there is a book of theirs that I have not read yet in the OG series. I think it takes place before this book. So I am missing some stuff. I haven't read the OG series from The King and anything after. So this was a perfect way for me to catch up. I got to see how their relationship has changed, and how they have their new little addition. The complications that happen while they are trying to adopt little Bitty is a good family problems story plot. BTW, Bitty is my cats' name... So anyways. The OG brotherhood has all been together for a while, so having these normal problems showing up in their lives and getting to see them is nice. Butch and Marissa, it was the space that happens between married couples sometimes overtime. Rhage and Mary it is the child and adopting crisis.


I am not sure if I like the split between the two groups. They sort of feel split from each other completely. I don't feel the closeness between the new recruits like you feel from the brothers. I mean they're a "brotherhood" and I don't feel that bond between these recruits at all. I don't know if it is because they haven't developed enough story yet, or if its because so much of the writing is focus on something not related to them at all. Maybe if the book was longer. I don't know. I felt the same way with the last book. This is what sticks me in the 3 stars to 4-star feeling. I go for 4 because the writing is good.

Um so to finally get to the two characters this book is suppose to be about... They are good characters. Elise reminds me of Beth I think from OG. Axe is unique. He is a little goofy at times, and completely dark at times.

You should check out a Free Sample read below of Blood Vow. 
You don't even have to leave the page!


Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Blood Kiss by J.R. Ward 4 ✭

Title: 
Blood Kiss
Author: 
J.R. Ward
Publisher: 
Berkley
Series: 
Black Dagger Legacy
Genre: 
Paranormal Romance
Publish Date: 
December 1, 2015
Sold by: 
Penguin Group
Pages: 
428
Ages: 
18 +
Rating: ✭✭✭✭

I just can't quit J. R. Ward. No matter how a book may leave me sometimes wishing I could, I just can't. I always hope for better in the next one. Better character connections, better display of emotions, or better story advancement. Something like that. With Blood Kiss, I am actually looking forward to reading more about the new recruits. Now, I'm not knocked out of the park like I was with Consumed by Ward. But I am interested in continuing. For example, with the main Black Dagger Brotherhood series, I am stuck on The King, and can't finish it. I don't even remember the two books prior to it really either. I have just lost interest in the events of the story, but not the characters. So it's nice reading new "events" with the who recruitment process and still seeing some OG BDB.

I was stuck between a 3 and a 4-star rating for this. I think it has to do with my unpopular opinion, to be honest. Craeg is a good male character for this story. I feel like at the end of the book his character could really have been a little more conflicted. I feel like there could have been a little more emotional build-up to the HAE end there. It wasn't bad. If it was supposed to snap into HAE like it did because of the saving the day moment, then I feel like not the emotions then more internal talking about how it snapped into place. 

Paradise is the Marissa I wanted. Although, we don't want a giant world full of similar type casts for EVERY book in a huge series right. So I respect Marissa for who is she as a person and how she fits into the world. Paradise is just more interesting to me. She is a young woman in the Glymera world who is supposed to be this pretty trophy with a good pedigree. But she wants to push herself to more. It turns out she is blindly capable of the recruit program. She makes it in and is the top of the class and it barely seems like it registers to her. Until later, there is an internal monologue that she intends to be true to the program. I wish there was a little more to read from Paradise and Craeg for sure.

Unpopular Opinion: I have never been a fan of Marissa and Butch. I was just never super into them. I feel like this book made me tolerate them more. And I also appreciate that it was like a character redo. Like Paradise is the new Marissa. Same for Craeg. Half of this book is about Butch and Marissa. So it took to be from near the end of November to read this book, till about the end of January. That is so many months, but again, I just can't quit Ward. I just have never been a fan of them. If it was a book just about them I would have rated it lower. They go through some mundane emotional struggles that are kinda of redeeming to read. A developed relationship with some problems. But I am just not a fan of them. Sorry.

Overall, I feel like this is a decent start for a spin-off from the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I liked the new characters introduced. I liked the conflict that does happen within the story, and that it isn't just more Lessening Society.

You can check out the beginning of Blood Kiss by J. R. Ward below,
without having to leave the page!


Monday, November 5, 2018

Dark Alpha's Hunger by Donna Grant 4 ✭


Title: 
Dark Alpha's Hunger
Author: 
Donna Grant
Publisher: 
St. Martin's Paperbacks
Series: 
Reapers
Genre: 
Romance, Gothic, Paranormal
Publish Date: 
August 7, 2018
Sold by: 
Macmillan
Pages: 
158
Ages: 
18+
Rating: ✭✭✭✭

Dark Alpha's Hunger is another super short novel by Donna Grant that you can easily eat up in a day. I feel like the story here is better than my last read. This had angst, desire, passion, a quirky female main and it added a bunch of new characters to the ever growing world. I foresee more Reaper novels in the future for sure. This novel doesn't talk much about the current events in previous books, but it all fairness Eoghan has been in some terrible dark dimension. So if you were writing true to the characters feelings, yea he isn't going to be filling you in on the current state of the fight with Bran. So this book really deviates from where it felt like the story arc was going. I enjoyed this book because it was short and well written. I think that the events from this book will impact other story arcs within the world. It would be easy to do. I don't want to reveal anything, but I feel like there are a couple characters that when their books hit, fans are gonna go apeshit.

Moving on. So from what few books I have read, it seems like fae halflings have a specific power that makes them unique and one of a kind. Thea has a gift with music. She was abandoned at an orphanage as a baby and grew there her whole life. She hasn't thought about who her parents might be in a long time. So when she plays music, it just comes to her naturally, straight from her soul. She also was drawn to locations. There were childhood stones that drew her to them, and she still went to them as an adult. You know those stones in Outlander that the chick goes back in time from, yea those. So as an adult, she goes back to some stones in this one location and starts playing her violin. The music feels like its being pulled from her by the stones. Then she sees a hand reaching from her out of the dark entrance to the stones. This hand becomes a body as she helps pull him out, and reveals Eoghan. He heard her enchanting music and followed it out of that nightmare realm he was stuck in.

I feel like this book deserves its higher rating. I really liked this novel, it really pulls me into the world while it is expanding. I love falling in love, which I've said before. I think if I hadn't received a free ARC, I would buy it. I am really looking forward to whenever Cael gets his book. And Rhi, I want Rhi to have a book.

If you would like to check out the beginning of Dark Alpha's Hunger, you can read below without leaving the page. 



Dark Alpha's Night by Donna Grant 3 ✭

Title: 
Dark Alpha's Night
Author: 
Donna Grant
Publisher: 
St. Martin's Paperback
Series: 
Reapers
Genre: 
Romance, Gothic
Publish Date: 
March 6, 2018
Sold by: 
Macmillan
Pages: 
158
Ages: 
18 +
 Rating: ✭✭✭
I want to start off with an apology. I was lucky enough to get many ARC's this year. With buying our first home, getting my daughter started with pre-k, and getting adjusted to the new routines has set me back so bad with my books. I feel disappointed in myself especially when I see that I have gotten 4 total ARC's for this series. The last one I got was released last month on the 30th. To the publishers who gave me the books, I am so sorry for the delay. With that, I have decided to knock out all of my Donna Grant books in a row. Are you guys ready? I don't think putting all three books left into one post will be a good idea. I will continue my same format for each book.

I have read a book by Donna Grant before and I really enjoyed it. I like the author, so when I had an opportunity for other ARC books by her, um... hell yeah. After a little bit, I realized that this is a HUGE world, and all the different series that Donna Grant has written are connected. I love the big series. I am really wishing I got to this at the start. So I looked up the reading order for myself just so see it visually and it is easy to find on the author's website. Another author that has a huger series that I got 20 + books deep into like that is Sherrilyn Kenyon. So Donna Grant is on the list of author's that I will scoop up because dedication to a series like that makes me happy. 

Picking up a book when it's in the middle of the series is risky. You don't know if you're going to be missing out on a bunch of backstories for the characters you're reading about. You don't know if there are attributes to the characters that were mentioned before. I know I have said similarly before since this isn't my first starting somewhere other than the start. However, I have at least read a book from the world that this book belongs too. So I'm not totally lost. If you wanted to pick this up without reading the previous books, I think you would be fine. This isn't Donna Grant's first rodeo connecting readers to previous books. Dark Alpha's Night is thankfully one of those where chapter one gives you a quick breakdown of the world from Daire, one of the main characters, POV. So you get a feel for his personality and what the first four books involved. Who has coupled up in the previous books, and who have they been fighting? It really only gets into the Reapers series previous info, but there is mention to the other series that are connected. The Reaper's are working to defeat Bran, a former Reaper, in their series. Bran is trying to kill Death for revenge. There is a rule that since Reapers are the fae executioners, another fae can't know about them. The consequence is the fae who knows about the Reapers is killed. Now Bran has a special sort of rage since most of the Reapers are now paired up with someone. Each booth Bran finds a sort of loophole to siphon Death's power from her, and he is close to killing her in this book. Bran discovers a new loophole which leads him to Ettie and her two sisters. They are his descendants from his time before he was a Reaper.

Ettie is the bland sister out of the three. She is pretty but not as astounding as the other two. Each sister has a gifted characteristic that they get from their half fae lineage. Carrie has like a chef power, lol. Jamie is brilliant with mechanical things. Ettie doesn't know what her quality is till later. The only thing she knows that sets her apart is she's a better fighter. Her father told them about the fae and told them to train and prepare. Which is what he was told. So her good fighting in her mind is just from her dedication. Daire was sort of boring to me. He seemed bland, and that isn't bad because these two seemed more like a normal person you would meet on the street. Not overly brooding, or any of those typical steamy romance guys. I appreciate that every now and then when it's done right. 

It looks like this is a six book series for the Reapers alone, not the whole world. That's how many it looks like so far from a quick goodreads.com check. All the books are decently priced at $3.99. It was on sale at the beginning of October so I would keep your eye out for another sale too. I would recommend this Author and her series from what I have read so far. Dark Alpha's Night was a good story, steamy, and quick enough to get through. I can't wait to continue the series from here. 


Read below for a short free preview of Dark Alpha's Night, without leaving the page. 







Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Shades of Wicked by Jeaniene Frost 5 ✭

Title: 
Shades of Wicked
Author: 
Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: 
Avon
Series: 
Night Rebel
Genre: 
Romance, Fantasy
Publish Date: 
October 30, 2018
Sold by: 
HarperCollins Publishers 
Pages: 
384
Ages: 
18+
 Rating: ✭✭✭✭✭

Oh snap! I am so happy with this book. I, like many other people, have waited for Ian’s book for so long and I am so happy to have it. I devoured it. I loved it just like Cat & Bones story, maybe more. I will say I feel ill knowing the next book isn’t out til summer 2019. My mind is still spinning. I literally just put the book down and had to run to fangirl about the book.

Where to start? Even in the dedication of the book, she writes to her fans who keep asking about Ian's book. This is for us fam!! Jeaniene Frost has a sweet part in her acknowledgments to her husband that made me tear up because I just love her and it was so sweet. Chapter One I almost starting DMing her on twitter because I was so amused by the whole start. It felt perfect for Ian. It was everything that I would hope from his amusingly wicked (pun intended) character. Here’s the thing, I don’t even use twitter, really. I feel stupidly awkward using it, but I wanted to scream and shout my support out to her. I wanted to express how happy I was, and that was just chapter one. It continued to amaze me as I went and I read 70% of the book in the first half a day of having the book.

Ian was the multidimensional character that you have been getting hints about through all the books. He was amusing like a kid, dastardly with his schemes, downright dirty and you will love every bit. I think by the end of the Night Rebel series, He will be very strong. Like on scaled with Bones and Mencheres. He knows how to wield magic even though it is against the law. He is extremely intelligent which she found out when she was using many languages and he knew them all. He is impulsive, but it's amazing.

I really liked Veritas. With Jeaniene Frost, you always expect a strong, capable female able to take care of herself. Same goes for Veritas. She couldn’t be thousands of years old and not be able to. She’s got the dual lineage thing going for her too. Honestly, I was really concerned that she would be too tough. I didn’t want to read a predictably tough chick. Which is what I feel like Leila in the Night Prince series has become. Veritas has had a different life since she isn’t just a vampire. She has had to live always being guarded so people wouldn’t discover her mix breed. She also is a Law Guardian, so living to the law and being distant from people has made her have this guarded, boring personality. But like Ian says in the book, when she was drunk (which is my absolute favorite part of the book) and wearing her true form, that’s when she is most herself. When she and Ian were being playful with each other, it was such a fangirl moment for me. I can totally see them being an amazing duo for the rest of the book (s). 

It does leave on a major cliffhanger about a demon war that will be coming. I don't want to reveal too much about the ending, or the major events that unfolded during Shades of Wicked. But I will say with the last few lines of the book, it completely reminded me of a scene in one of Cat & Bones books. It felt like coming home to a warm hug. I don't know, I can't explain that well enough. I just felt right. I need to unpack and reread ALL of the books again. Soon. I will soon. I would absolutely pimp this book out to anyone I know to read. I just love these books. I love Jeaniene Frost. Whatever lacking I may have felt in any previous books, it's gone. I am so happy.

I may be biased. Jeaniene Frost is my favorite author. She always delivers a sense of humor that gets me. I urge you to at least read a sample of the book. You can below without leaving the page. 

Sunday, July 15, 2018

Into the Fire by Jeaniene Frost 4 ✭

Title: Into the Fire
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: Avon
Series: Night Prince
Genre: Supernatural, Romance
Publish Date: February 28, 2017
Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
Pages: 389
Ages: 18 & Older


Rating: ✭✭✭✭

Yes, it has been a little bit since a post and I am so sorry for that. It has been busy with kids birthdays, and best friends visiting from out of state. It's going to keep being busy because we finally have a house. We are in the final stages of buying our first house. So I decided that I am going to try and borrow a few audiobooks to listen and pack. So far I have finished one book and I'm like a third into another. We get the keys to our house on July 25th, so since today is the 15th, I have less than 10 days to be done packing so we can load up a truck. I really wish I could dig into a few more ARC's I have waiting but I'm going to have to wait. 
To the Review!

I want to start off by informing you that I am totally a Jeaniene Frost fangirl. I really do enjoy her books a lot and I can't put my finger on the exact reason why I just overall love her writing and her characters. The narrator for this audiobook did an amazing job. She was able to put the feelings into her voice so good that it blew me away. It has been a while since I have listened to an audiobook too so maybe I didn't pay attention to those things before. I don't know.

This is the finale to the Night Prince series in the Night Huntress World. These books featured Vlad and Leila and their romance. Over the four total books, you get to see Leila transform into a strong badass woman. I suspect Leila and Cat (The OG Jeaniene Frost badass chick) will be best friends in no time. Vlad has also changed a little but really he is always angry and ready to kill anyone in an instant. This definitely doesn't change in this book as they search for a way to remove the spell that is linking Leila's life to Vlad's nephew. Mircea has also been trying to kill Leila and is Vlad's enemy. With Vlad's tendency to kill first ask later, this has forced Vlad to have a little patience. 

This really does finish off the series good. I feel like it is a good ending and a good HEA. You see just how far Vlad is willing to go to save his wife. It also completely sets you up for Ian's book coming this fall. So I would read this for sure just so that you can see the events that lead into Ian's book properly. Will I be getting Ian's book? Yes, I already pre-ordered it because I have wanted Ian to have his own book forever. Fangirl... 

Check out a Free Sample below of Into the Fire without leaving the page.

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

The Brightest Embers by Jeaniene Frost 3 ✭


Title: The Brightest Embers
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: HQN Books
Series: A Broken Destiny
Genre: Paranormal Romance, New Adult
Publish Date: November 29, 2017
Pages: 352
Ages: 18 +

Rating: ✭✭✭

I borrowed The Brightest Embers from my local library. Jeaniene Frost is one of my favorite authors. So when I realized that there was a shorter wait list, I jumped on and grabbed a copy. This was the finale in the A Broken Destiny series. I always like Jeaniene Frost's writing because there is always something about her main character that is relatable to me. Whether it's the smartass attitude or the protective feelings for loved ones. It's just always something that gets me. This series is no different but I feel like this last book was a little less like that. I feel like I didn't have that strong familiarity with the characters like they didn't stay with me long term. That makes me sad. The flipside to that is a very well written and planned out ending. So for me with its a give and take situation. 

There was a lot of the characters bouncing from location to location while they search for the final holy weapon. There was a major revelation or two depending on your feelings for Adrian. Personally, Adrian isn't one of my favorite guys in a book, like he would be a really good friend. I didn't fall in love with him as a character. And the ways he changes over the book weren't really the main focus but just side frill. She goes through so much in the books as a person. With Adrian and Ivy's link, she is starting to lie more, and she is abandoning her destiny since his evil is leaking through to her. So she had to deal with that. She has to deal with Andrian's betrayals and all the demons hunting them. She has to grow and deal with her destiny. Just like we can never fully guide someone down the right path, they have to do it on their own. One of the reveals I do want to share an opinion on and it will be at the bottom of the post. This way if you don't want to see spoilers, you don't have to.

All in all, I feel like this was a good solid book. It was a solid finale for this trilogy with everything tying of neatly. I feel like you get all the answers and you want. I enjoyed the journey of the series and I'm bummed it's the end.

You can read a Free Sample of The Brightest Embers below without even leaving the page.





I don't usually write spoilers in my post because I have zero restraint. So I always read peoples spoiler posts and regret it later. I tried to not make it labeled at the top to make it a big eye grab thing. You know, sneaky like you have to actually look into the post to find out there may be spoilers. Anyways...So Ivy is with child. I'm trying to not use the big p-word that would catch someones attention as they scrolled by. Now the thing is Adrain was supposed to have a vasectomy. Here's my thought: The manna they use to heal everything, at some point, healed everything for him. There isn't any mention about the thoughts on how this could have happened, but that's just what I think.

Monday, June 11, 2018

Heat by Donna Grant 4 ✭

Title: Heat
Author: Donna Grant
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Series: Dark Kings
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Publish Date: January 30, 2018
Sold by: Macmillan
Pages: 330
Ages: 18 +

Rating: ✭✭✭✭

I received a free E-galley of Heat from St. Martin's Paperback to review and I am very thankful for the opportunity to read Donna Grant's book. I have not read any of the previous books in the series. It is totally something that I would be interested in reading, and I am definitely adding them to my "need to pick up" list. I will say that this book is very busy and I wouldn't recommend picking it up alone. You can read it as a stand-alone, I did, but you miss a lot of the family connections that you are supposed to be feeling amongst everyone. This is totally a series that you could easily eat up. It reminds me of Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed series, except with dragon kings, druids, and the fae.

Without reading the previous books you miss all the intricacies in the relationships. You get a few references to previous events and a few other characters pop up here and there, but you don't feel any connection to them. If you had read the 11 books prior it would totally be different. You would know what Nikolai was like before the book, where it feels like when you start they're already in love with each other. Stuff like that. It isn't bad at all though. This is a great way to get yourself connected to the world and then continue from here on out. I think you would be able to get a good feel for the rest of the stories progression and want to continue.

Esther is a fun character in this book. She is haunted by the fact she doesn't remember events in her life since her memory has been erased. That's where you pick up, so you have to piece what's been going on from there. You make this discovery that she is a part of this magical world with Dragon shifters and the fae in more ways than one. Once her issues are resolved the book really comes together in a sweet way. I feel like Esther and Nikolai's connection was a fun and sweet one. After that, I was invested in Esther's character. I liked who she was after everything she has gone through, and I didn't even know half of what she went through because it was written earlier in the series. That just makes me more interested in the series.

I went with a 4-star rating because I think whether you have or haven't read the earlier books the characters are interesting and all the different side plots are interesting enough that it felt worthy of a four star.


If you would like to read a free sample of Heat by Donna Grant you can check it out below without leaving the page!



*Editted to fix post formatting issues.

Friday, May 18, 2018

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard 3 ✭

Title: Her Dark Half
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Series: Red Queen
Genre: Young Adult, Supernatural
Publish Date: February 10. 2015
Pages: 398
Ages: Teen

Rating: ✭✭✭
I think this series has potential. It is definitely part of the trend of the 2015 dystopian book fever, however, it has a little change to it with half of the people, the silver bloods, having powers.
I rated this low because I found the major twist predictable. Overly predictable that when the scene played out I was almost uninterested in that section of the book. I say almost because it does continue at a good pace and I did want to see how it would continue from there.

The characters were pretty interesting throughout and it made me think of each scene "the game is afoot". Just because of the sneaky dealings, or background characters relationships the main character, Mare, isn't aware of.

Romantic interests in this is a little interesting because there are three. Maven who she has some feeling for and it seems like he might truly feel some too. Cal, who is Maven's brother does also and it's clear as day but they can't because of the circumstances they are all in. Lastly, we have the childhood best friend type. The one who she might have ended up with if she didn't meet the prince.
I did like this book enough that I ordered the next book in the series. I want to give it a chance and the storyline itself is pretty good. I really enjoyed the writing and the world building. Especially when you are reading about the different parts of the lands. The silvers live in the wonderful cities and the reds get the dirty towns, or the towns full of radiation.



The second book in the series should be here in a couple days, so I am going to be reading the next book in the series after my current book. 

If you would like to read the beginning of Red Queen, you can check it ou below without leaving the page. 

Monday, February 26, 2018

Thanks Fur Last Night 4 Star


Author(s): Eve Langlais, Milly Taiden, Kate Baxter
Series: 
Genre: Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publish Date: January 30, 2018
Pages: 400
Ages: 18 + 

Rating: ✭✭✭✭ ( solid for each part of the anthology )

Bearing His Sins by Eve Langlais 4 Star
Eve Langlais has written a sexy and totally comical romance. Which after looking at her website some post reading this anthology, that is sort of her style. I like it. Cole is bear shifter and an assassin who is scouting out a hit that he was going to do but was recently cancelled. While he is there in a tree looking through some binoculars and that's when Anja appears below him with a shotgun. A shotgun ready to shoot and an attitude of a total badass. Anja and her grandmother live together on the land he is using to spy. They've been fighting and hiding bodies defending Anja from her fiancé for years. There are parts where Cole was making dirty jokes towards Anja and the whole time her grandmother is there trying to marry her off to him. It is so hilarious. Like dirty jokes that a drunk frat boy would say. My husband and I use stupid dirty jokes all the time like "I need more filling for my pie" and he would say "I got some filling for you." So for me I loved that. I love the banter between them. Cole reminds of Deadpool sometimes with just some of the things that he says. For example, he is talking about them getting busy in a very HOT was against a tree, and then next breathe saying he should really kill her. I really liked the ending it went well with their banter. It did feel a little jumped into pretty quickly, but what do you want it's a novella

Bought by the Bear by Milly Taiden 4 Star
I flew through this book. Like I stayed up till midnight after reading non stop after the kids went to bed. This is written out like it really should have been a full novel and was trimmed down to fit in this anthology. Josilyn has been living life like a single mom  and raising her nephew Nick since his parents died in a hit and run car accident. She also has been barely scraping by since her husband divorced her and took everything he possibly could, including her public image so no one will hire her. She has a day job cleaning the rich and rudes houses to she can barely feed them. So her best friend and neighbor gets her a job pretending to be a mate for Xander. He needs a fake mate for a week to convince his grandmother he is actually maturing and not just being a frat boy. They meet and surprise, she is actually his one true mate. The story has a lot going for it. She has her own drama unfolding where people keep trying to kidnap her. And meanwhile she has the hots for this bear shifter she is now living with.

The Alpha and I by Kate Baxter 4 Star
Devon has moved out to no where. She lives in a cabin and owns a bar for the town. The town has like 70 people in it. She was driving home in a blizzard one night and ends of meeting the most amazing man in the world. The man she picks up on the side of the road is naked and covered in blood. He is werewolf. Don't judge this by the short basic snippet though. I know the random chance meeting, love at first site might be so repetitive you might not be in the mood for it today. However, I really recommend that you give this third part of the anthology a shot. The thing is, the bond between the characters is true and real. I felt the love they have. You can feel their magnetic pull and complete understanding of each other. The love is real in this one.

You should check out a free preview of the book below. You don't even need to leave the page!