Review: Beth's Acceptance

Beth's Acceptance by Tracy Cooper-Posey

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very steamy paranormal read that I tore through in an afternoon. Beth is a working student with two yummy crushes -- Luke and Zack. For some reason they've not been receptive to her flirtations in the past, but all of that changes rather quickly. While protecting Beth from some creatures out to get her, fate draws them all into a bonding. This leads to much time in the bedroom (and the weigh room, and the kitchen -- you get the hint).

There was a good foundation for the rest of the series in this one. The smut was good, and when paranormal elements are thrown in, I'm always on board. This was a quick and steamy read for a paranormal fan, especially if you liked The Demon Lovers books (by Kate Douglas). I'm looking forward to book two!



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Review: Bound by Night

Bound by Night by Larissa Ione

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As the first of a new series from an author I love, I wasn't sure what to expect. This book was a sexy, fun ride that takes the reader into a world unlike any other I've read (and I read a lot of paranormal!). Nicole is a woman raised in a world where vampires are either seen as killers or servants (slaves, really). She ends up being terrified by them after witnessing her family's brutal murder and barely escaping with her life, but reluctantly accepts the position of CEO of her family's company (who is largely responsible for the vampire enslavement). Riker is an ex-military turned vampire (as opposed to born vampire) and is the second in command for the MoonBound Clan. In this world, "free" vampires are hidden and live as clans, complete with clan wars and grudges.

After the capture of a valuable member of one of the clans, Riker ends up being forced to spend time with someone who represents everything he hates -- Nicole. Obviously, both of them grow tremendously throughout the book. There are lots of preconceived notions of how each other should act, and lots of misunderstandings and arguments along the way.

Larissa Ione never lets me down when it comes to great dialogue, story, and (my favorite) paranormal romance. In this new world of vampires, she does not disappoint. There is great chemistry between Nicole and Riker, and of course there's a lot of sexy reading to go along with it. Being that this was the first book of a new series, there was also a lot of character introduction. The interaction in the vampire clan was great to read and had me grinning along. I'm eager to see which characters and storylines pick up next.



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Review: A Wicked Kind of Dark

A Wicked Kind of Dark by Jonathan K. Benton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I admit it -- I had a really hard time getting through this book. I think I wasn't really prepared for style and genre. Maybe if the cover showed me a fantasy world filled with pixies and goblins, I might have been better prepared. I'm not one for high fantasy books and the first 50% was filled with a lot of world building big fantasy that scared me a lot. We get very rapidly thrown into a world that is not my typical book setting. That being said, I finished the last half of the book rather quickly because the action ramped up quite a bit.

The story is actually about a boy named Robert who, after a traumatic incident, has lost a season of his life from when he was 10 years old. Through some magical coincidence, he ends up connecting with owners of a soup kitchen that lead him to rediscovering his memories. In those memories is his youthful crush, Luthien. Their adorable friendship/crush seems fairly normal until we learn that their play at make believe was actually real. Their magical world exists parallel to the human world and is set to crash into it if Robert and Luthien can't reconnect and stop it.

After powering though the last half of the book, I was pretty disappointed to discover that there was no satisfying conclusion to the story. I assume there will be a second book to pick up where this one ends, but I wish there was at least some glimmer of happy ending.



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Review: Chasing the Shadows

Chasing the Shadows by Keri Arthur

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought that after the ending of the last book, thing would be smooth sailing for Nikki and Michael (at least as far as their relationship goes), but boy was I wrong. This book is filled to the brim with horrible girl reasoning, stupid overbearing guy decisions, and arguments arguments arguments. It takes some pretty awful things to finally get these two to realize they are being idiots.

This book was another creature feature book, and I love that these books are relatively self contained. No big cliffhanger. No unresolved issues. I can put the book down at the end and feel good about what I read (even if them yelling at each other made me cringe most of the time). There were some truly heartbreaking scenes in the book, but they were tempered by the love story that is Nikki and Michael. Between the continually developing powers and the mystery that is their bond, I'm eager to dive into the next book right away.

I love the combo that is always present in these books -- action, paranormal, romance, smut, and character growth. I truly believe that Nikki and Michael have become better people by the end of this book. Here's hoping the next book involves more romance and less yelling.



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Review: Night of the Soul Stealer

Night of the Soul Stealer by Joseph Delaney

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I'm not sure what I didn't really like about these books before now. Maybe I just needed to admit to myself that YA books are OK to read for adults. At any rate, this book really was a great read. It was definitely my favorite of the series thus far.

Here we meet up with Tom Ward, Alice, and Mr. Gregory at the change of the seasons. This means the trek up to his house in Anglezarke, where lots of Mr. Gregory's secrets are hiding. Tom discovers Mr. Gregory's failed apprentice, Morgan, who dabbles in black magic. He also comes face to face with Mr. Gregory's "girlfriend", Meg, the domestic Lamia witch. There is definitely a turning point in this book for Tom where he goes from being an apprentice to really pulling the majority of the weight as a Spook for the county.

I found myself on the edge of my seat a few times when Tom is in one perilous situation or seemingly trapped with no way out. The writing really gripped me this time and I had a hard time stopping the book. The character growth and development was really dramatic in this installment, and maybe that's why it appealed to me. I love watching Tom become more of an adult, even if it comes at a high price to his emotional well being.

While we got tons of answers about Mr. Gregory's past, I'm still eager to learn more about him. He and Alice are wonderful "frenemies" and I can't wait to see how Alice grows up. With the way this book left things, it's really hard not to immediately dive into the next book.



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Review: Hell's Belle

Hell's Belle by Karen Greco

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a great read! This book was filled with all the things I love – action, paranormals, romance, and a tough chick main character! The story follows Nina, who is trying to “go home” and get her family life in order. Unfortunately, her job as a “blood ops” soldier (tasked with dealing with rogue paranormals) follows her back to Rhode Island. It’s a good thing that she can hold her own as a half vampire herself.

The motorcycle riding, butt kicking heroine in this story discovers a lot about herself in this book. While tending bar for her aunt, Babe, her secret past gets thrown in her face by a vampire and some witches. Nina is then tasked with finding a way to help the authorities solve some grisly murders while still keeping some secrets to herself along the way. It was really great to watch Nina work through all these things and a heap of other issues without dissolving into your typical indecisive female mess.

The overall story gave a lot of insight into the group dynamic in Nina’s life. Her vampire BFF, Frankie, was a great presence to steady Nina along the way. Max, the FBI love interest, acted as a good hottie boyfriend sort, supporting Nina but at the same time asking the questions I wanted answered. Dr. O and Babe were awesome parent-type figures that obviously had to keep secrets from her – but those secrets drive most of the decisions in this book, mostly for the better.

The easy writing style, coupled with some fantastic characters and story, really sucked me in from the first page. I can’t wait to see where this series heads in the future!




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Review: Demon Chained

Demon Chained by Erica Hayes

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story was definitely one I’ve never read before. The writing was totally unique, throwing the reader into a world that was probably further explained in the other books from the series that I’ve yet to read. There are all sorts of paranormals around, seemingly free to show themselves whenever they choose. There is also a pretty big sex/drug/fairy market that all the characters float in and out of.

Jewel is a firecracker of a djinni, grasping at the freedom and life she has only newly acquired, when her lamp ends up in the hands of a zombie/reanimated corpse/sexual energy vampire by the name of Tam. Tam’s got his plate full already with hunting down the men who killed his family, making out with a hot, submissive wingless fairy boy, and trying to stay out of Hell. Through some demon related drama, the aforementioned fairy boy also gets sucked into the demon drama, which results in them all fighting over an itty bitty brass lamp.

I really liked Jewel’s character a lot. She’s tough when she needs to be and knows what she wants. There’s very little indecision in her choices, which is refreshing. Tam, on the other hand, is Mr. Indecision. He’s guilty and tortured and cannot seem to make up his mind. He wants Jewel, but doesn’t want to sully her with his gross zombie bits, but he flip flops enough to drive Jewel and me insane. Tam was probably the thing that I liked least about this book. I love a sexy paranormal romance, but the talk of rotting flesh and spit really turned me off. It was a big mood killer, but it didn’t seem to bother Jewel at all, which only proceeded to disturb me further. To be fair, I’m not a fan of zombie books, so I may be overly harsh.

The rest of the book was filled with a truly unique love story that involved some good action. The world was interesting and I’d be curious to see how the rest of the series reads.






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Review: Shadows

Shadows by Paula Weston

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really fabulous read. It was filled with unique story, original characters, tons of action, and enough young adult-ish romantic overtones to keep even the most strictly paranormal romance readers love it. The tale is one of fallen angels and their offspring, in this case called Rephaim instead of Nephilim. We meet up with Gaby a year into grieving for her twin brother. She is leading a normal life on the beach, living with her best friend. Meeting Rafa at their local bar throws all that into question when it appears her dreams have been much more than she thought.

The relationship between Gaby and Rafa was wonderful to watch develop. Having lost all her true memories of their life as friends/enemies/rivals, there were a lot of really great moments that cropped up between Gaby and Rafa. When things get tense, Gaby is forced to face her past in ways she never imagined. This leads to lots of running, fighting, and figuring out who she really is. I was absolutely in love with Gaby by the end of this book. She's gutsy and strong, but isn't afraid to admit being scared. Rafa was an amazing balance to her in every way. His sarcasm and arrogance had me laughing out loud at times. The witty dialogue was great!

If you're looking for a new take on the fallen angels story, check this book out. I will be eagerly awaiting the next installment in this story!





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Review: Crimson Night

Crimson Night by Marie Hall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow -- what a fabulous new world! This book earned my rarely given 5 star rating because it is completely worth a re-read. The world that this author creates is rich and addictive. I couldn't put this book down from the moment I was introduced to this bunch of characters.

This book is about Pandora (don't worry, the names are worth the price of this awesome series), a nephilim who shares her soul with a demon of Lust. She's the rare nephilim with a conscience, who works a traveling carnival (not as cliche as it sounds) and is tasked with helping out the light side of things (even though she straddles the line into the dark a little bit). Things immediately take a turn into uncharted territory when a hunter of sorts discovers Pandora and threatens her way of life.

The story was filled with action, steamy scenes (lust demon), rich plot development (without cliffhangers), and really complex characters. The writing style was very easy and fun to read, complete with a new bunch of slang that made me feel even more immersed in the story. There was so much that was set up in this book that I just want to see more of this world. This author really has a great way of getting you addicted to her work -- I can't wait for book 2!



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Review: Dangerous

Dangerous by Jax

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a fan of Jacquelyn Frank's other books, it was easy for me to pick this book up and dive right in. The writing style is rich and easy to fall in love with. I didn't have any idea what the book was about, but trusted that it would involve some sort of paranormal and some romance.

The story takes place in a world where a typical evil scientist created a breed of Morphates while trying to play god. These Morphates are nearly indestructible, don't age, drink blood, and are super sexy (hey, I'm not complaining). They were separated from society and placed in their own cities, ruled by Alphas in a wolf-esque government structure. The main characters, Devon and Liam, are thrown together when Liam's group of protection detail is hired by Devon to protect her from increasingly violent Morphate attacks.

I'm usually adhere to a strict "no futuristic books" rule, but this book convinced me that I might need to have an open mind about the genre. I read the book almost in one sitting, drawn into the romantic (and super steamy) story that develops between Liam and Devon. The sizzle level was off the charts for the last half of the book! I'm also not your typical military/navy/etc storyline reader, but this author now completely has my trust in all things paranormal. The world that was created in this book has me hoping for more installments!



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Review: Fairies in My Fireplace

Fairies in My Fireplace by R.L. Naquin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a really fabulous read. It was filled to the brim with amazing characters, witty dialogue, and interesting story. There was even a little bit of romance thrown in, just to make sure it hit everything I love about paranormal reads. I haven't read any of the other Monster Haven books, but it didn't slow me down in the slightest. If anything, this book made me want to read more about all the great characters to see how they ended up where they were in book 3!

Zoey is an Aegis, which in this book essentially means she is the defender and protector of all the "hidden" (aka paranormals). Her house is overrun with them, but she seems to take everything in stride. Rather than being the typical reactionary female character I've read in most other books, Zoey takes charge, doesn't fly off the handle, and refuses to let all the alpha males around her boss her around. The relationships in this book were what really kept me eagerly reading. Zoey's interactions with all the varied inhabitants of her house warmed my heart and kept the story feeling genuine (yes, I know, it's a paranormal read).

There are some darker themes and everything isn't just rainbows and unicorns (although there is one in this story). The overall plot centered around the kidnapping of other paranormals and how Zoey was trying to get them back from the big bad. Like I said previously, this book is really all about the characters. The author could be writing about them just having a dinner party, and I'd be hooked.

I'm so happy that I stumbled upon this book from NetGalley, because now I know to keep my eye out for new books by R.L. Naquin! If you are in the mood for a great read with some awesome writing, check this one out.



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Review: Xander's Chance

Xander's Chance by Lizzy Ford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I tore through this book and couldn't put it down! I am a known contemporary vampire romance lover, so me enjoying this book wasn't much of a shock, however, this one blew me away! Having read the War of the Gods series, I wasn't really that interested in Xander's story. He came off aggressive and as a generally "bad guy" in all the books. This book, however, was a great look inside his head. The story and characters sucked me in and had me on the edge of my seat the entire way. Usually when a book has the typical romance with secrets storyline I get turned off and have a hard time forcing myself through, but this whole story really sucked me in. I can't say enough good things about it, but a 5 star from me means I would re-read the book again and again.



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Review: Into the Dreaming

Into the Dreaming by Karen Marie Moning

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Since I'm a bit of a stickler about completing a series, I had to dive into this one as the last of the Highlander books. In retrospect, I wish I had stopped at #7.

I'm not saying that this book (or really, novella) is horrible. It wasn't nearly as bad as some other stuff I've picked up in the past. The problem is that the previous book really felt like it was building on the larger Highlander world, had a good balance of smut and story, and was filled with good characters. This book felt a lot like a shorter version of one of the earlier Highlander books.

This book has a lot of tongue in cheek moments (the main character is a romance writer, ha), but what might have almost won me over was the Unseelie King and the Seelie Queen scenes. I wish there was more of their interaction, history, and (I can't believe I have to ask for this in a Highlander book) more smut. I'm not reading these books for some genius plotline or original ideas. The formula should have been simple. 1 Highlander + Woman + Fairies + Smut = Highlander Book #X. This book gave us a highlander, a woman, some fairies, but just a whole bunch of teasing without a lot of payoff.

This review really makes me come off as some sort of smut crazed lunatic, but I feel like 7 books in I should be able to predict generally what I get.



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Review: Twilight Hunter

Twilight Hunter by Kait Ballenger

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a gritty and tortured type of paranormal romance story. It really deviated from my usual type of read in that the character of Jace was just so... broken. He's an alcoholic, temper driven, cocky, werewolf hating, abused man. That's how we meet him at the start of the book. After meeting Frankie and inadvertently getting drawn into her mating cycle, things begin to change. This change is not always for the better, though. This couple goes through a ridiculous amount of misunderstanding scenes (she thinks he doesn't care, he thinks she doesn't care, then they yell and run away, etc etc). Even through all this, they somehow had me rooting for their relationship every step of the way.

The larger tale is about a really sick type of killer who is mutilating girls all over town and displaying them to be found publicly. That was almost secondary to all the great character interaction and introductions we get. This story also set up the groundwork for a spinoff of some sort in the form of the "Execution Underground" group of warriors. They are a group of misfit guys that I'm sure will be great fun to watch meet their match.

All in all, it was a good start to a series and an enjoyable read. Be warned -- there's a lot of darker subject matter



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Review: Scythe Does Matter

Scythe Does Matter by Gina X. Grant

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

These books are so silly and fun to read! They are jam packed with puns and wordplay enough to make even the most serious of readers chuckle. How can you not love an author that works so hard at weaving in a million and one adorable references?

This book picks up immediately where Book 1 left off. Poor Kirsty is still trying to get her life back, while at the same time working on her "life" in Hell with Dante. Dante continues to be yummy and awesome, though not a true Reaper anymore. After how the first book ended, Kirsty finally decides to take control of her afterlife and makes real plans.

There are a lot of antics and famous faces, as well as some familiar faces from Kirsty's original life that swing by for this installment. I'm completely in love with these books and cannot wait to see where they take me. If you at all enjoy a good pun every now and then (or more often than that) -- check this series out! You won't regret it.



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Review: Spell of the Highlander

Spell of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This was yet another yummy highlander book in this series. I don't think this one was really better than the last one, but since it was leading up to the Fever series, I was looking around for clues constantly.

In this story we follow Jessica, the overworked archaeology student (who is also a virgin, of course). During a rather stressful night, she ends up stumbling in to the world of Druids and Unseelie hollows. In this Unseelie hollow? A really hot and sexy Highlander (of course). I wasn't in love with Cian the way I was with the other Highlander characters. He just came off as a big jerk for about half the book. I was having trouble getting myself to read it (which is a big deal for me).

Something happens at the 50% mark. All of the sudden, Cian is a romantic, adorable, alpha male, and he really endeared himself to me. His declaration in the supermarket might have been the tipping point. I also really enjoyed watching Dageus and Cian bicker. That alone made reading this book worth it.

The end of this book contains a lot of vague foreshadowing for the Fever series, but not enough to really be spoilers (I think). I like seeing all these "insider" looks at the fairy world along with the Highlanders. I wish there was more Christian, though.



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Review: The Awakening: Liam

The Awakening: Liam by Abby Niles

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I did not read The Awakening, Book 1 prior to picking this book up, but I don't think it really hindered my enjoyment of this one. We jump right into the action from the start and get enough information along the way to properly acclimate. There is a whole unique world of shifters, complete with government, enforcers, and new language that exist for Liam and his estranged mate, Ava. We join the story after a lot of drama has happened between Ava and Liam. Unfortunately, they are no longer together and Liam is suffering on a whole different level than Ava. Having bonded, this puts him in a sort of eternal torture.

At some point in the past, Liam made a huge enemy. This enemy drives the overall plot of this book by kidnapping Ava and somehow making her appear dead to Liam (in that magic mated shifter place inside). Here's where the dark part of the story hit. I'm not usually a fan of books that include torture or the sort of terror that is inflicted in this book, but it was done in such a way that it was necessary.

The love story between Liam and Ava was heartbreaking and moving. I was rooting for them every step of the way. There was also a lot of sizzle between the two, even when they were supposed to be apart. Yummy shifter goodness and lots of smut to keep the smut readers happy. This is a unique shifter series that I'll be keeping my eye on for future installments!



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Review: Hot Blooded

Hot Blooded by Amanda Carlson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After being blow away by the first book, this one really ramped up the action even further. This book picks up immediately where the first book ends. We are on the hunt for Jessica's mate, which means this is a "road trip" type of book. Luckily, Jessica gets to take along my favorite character: Danny. This book was worth reading for Danny's banter alone. I would gobble up a book filled entirely with him. Oh, and Juanita. It'd be perfect. I was sad that we left James, but we got Ray and he's really starting to grow on me.

We get a healthy dose of information in this book, which was completely needed since we ran into just about every type of creature I can think of (and some I can't) on the way to destroy a goddess. There was also a lot of species mixing that looks like it might continue in the next one. I wouldn't object to more couples being formed because that might up the romance/smut quotient in these books a little bit.

Sadly, this book was completely without any Rourke/Jessica coupling. I'm a little broken up about this. I hope we finally get some gigantic payoff in the next book or I don't know how I'll survive the sexual tension. This book was just one big action sequence after another so hopefully the next book has a few more breaks for poor Jess and her pack.



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Review: My Big Fat Demon Slayer Wedding

My Big Fat Demon Slayer Wedding by Angie Fox

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It's official -- this was my new favorite book in this series! Something about the combination of all Lizzie's friends and family in one place, along with a sort of lighter tale made this book really resonate with me. Yes, Lizzie still gets into trouble. Yes, Dimitri is still sinfully hot. Yes, there are still biker witches. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what made this book so much better, but it really revived my love of this series.

In this book we get to see Dimitri and Lizzie go through (to some extent) what all other couples go through on their way to the wedding day. Lots of unexpected family, drinking, things that never go according to plan, dress drama, and don't forget the Earl still gunning for her. There might have been slightly less things gunning for her in this story, which made for a more linear race to the finish. I was happy that it appears Lizzie and Dimitri got a somewhat healthy dose of alone time in this one. They also were actually able to accomplish what they set out to do -- get married. All the other stuff was inconsequential. I even almost got a little choked up at parts, which is a first for me in this series.

All of the usual things that I love about the other books was still present, just in the perfect doses: humor, action, smut, witty banter, sarcastic retorts, Lizzie being tough. Hopefully the books to come will follow whatever secret formula this one did and I'll keep reading as many books as there are available in this series!



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Review: Blooded

Blooded by Amanda Carlson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This was a really quick short story set in the Jessica McClain universe. It takes place immediately before Jessica leaves with her brand new identity.

I really love this author's writing style, so this story was a pleasure to read. It was jam packed with fighting style action -- enough to make me grit my teeth at the amount of damage Jessica takes. There was also a surprising amount of back story and character development thrown in.

This book would be a good place to start if you're at all interested in the Jessica McClain books, or as a bonus story for those of us already in love with the series.



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Review: Five - Out of the Dark

Five - Out of the Dark by Holli Anderson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a really great read! It was filled with oodles of YA romance, paranormal action, and a developing story that had me wishing to immediately dive into the next book. Sadly, I’ll have to wait until it gets written first. The story ramps up rather quickly, beginning with Paige (our star and heroine). As the daughter of a preacher, she is almost immediately thrown from her home after she starts developing “powers.” On her own, she ends up running into another gifted teen, Johnathan. Watching them develop as an awesome magical duo was great and had me really rooting for them by the time they found their other three companions.

Once the five assemble, they rapidly start to develop as a mystical fighting posse. Unfortunately, Johnathan ends up becoming the victim of a fae attack that leaves him a changed man. Paige struggles to balance her own morality with what she deems necessary to cure John. It was heartbreaking to watch Paige and John’s new relationship struggle during his “infection”, but was ultimately worth it in the end. Speaking of endings, this book really threw me for a loop. I actually finished it last night, but couldn’t get myself to write a review until the morning. I had to push away the anger I had at the dark cloud on my HEA ending and look at the big picture. The ending was necessary in order to drive the story. It wasn’t what my inner romantic wanted to happen, but still made the book a really great read, in a grittier sort of way.

The group dynamic was probably one of the most entertaining parts of the bookend made for a really enjoyable read. While this book is YA paranormal, it had a few darker elements that geared it more towards an adult reader like me. This first book was a truly great setup for many books to come.




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Review: Last of the Demon Slayers

Last of the Demon Slayers by Angie Fox

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This was another zany installment of the Demon Slayer series. Pretty much more of the same – wild and crazy granny bikers, steamy hot Dimitri sizzle (complete with smut), and Lizzie doubting herself while kicking butt as a demon slayer. The bonuses in this book were the return of Max (who I really like), seeing Max with a girl (that is not Lizzie), and the super sappy ending. If you know the title of the next book, then you’re already spoiled, just like I was.

After the drama in Greece, Lizzie and Dimitri (and their gang of bikers and fairy and dogs and dragon and… I think that’s it) head back to America to set up a new place to live (a bar, of course). Needless to say, things never go right for poor Lizzie and Dimitri, so planning a date night should never have even been attempted. All hell breaks loose and Lizzie ends up discovering her father and her kind of random heritage. The father storyline really made me mad, but otherwise the book was a pretty solid read. There is a lot of Lizzie falling into things and trying to stop her inner doubter from getting in the way.

I’m eager to see where Lizzie and Dimitri end up, because their relationship is pretty much why I read these books. Also, I want more Max. He’s such an interesting character and we really don’t get to see and hear enough from him.




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Review: Unholy Alliance

Unholy Alliance by Lacy Yager

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a completely entertaining and enjoyable read! I don’t think that the synopsis does this book justice as the adorable YA read that it is. It was filled with YA romantic cuteness, oodles of action, and an addictive enough storyline that I’m really sad there is not a second book available right now.

The story POV switches back and forth between Maggie, a reluctant vampire, and Shane, the teen heart-throb of a Chaser (aka vampire slayer). From page 1, the story takes off with a bunch of action, using one of my favorite storytelling methods – throw them into the deep end and explain things along the way! I like to really dive into the characters, and this is usually the best way for authors to do it for me. The book takes us into the lives of Shane and Maggie, who are both helping the troubled youth of the city in their own ways. Maggie has clearly taken it on as a mission, while Shane is just trying to keep his sisters happy and healthy. It was kind of nice to see the typical role of guy vampire meets innocent girl reversed in the story. Their romance was really sweet, but a little rushed. I can’t wait to see where they take their relationship in future (hopefully!) books.

There are clearly some big vampire happenings on the horizon, but we had a good deal of time spent in this book with Shane, his adorable sisters, Maggie’s BFF Hannah, and Maggie herself. This book was a really firm start to what could be a great series. We are left at the end of the book (no, not on a cliffhanger) hopeful and optimistic about where all the characters will end up.




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Review: The Immortal Highlander

The Immortal Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



When I saw who this book was about, I wasn’t too excited. I never really liked Adam in any of the previous books, and since he was pretty much the villain for a few of my favorite characters, I was worried about getting into a book that was his story. Even though KMM has really torn my heart out a few times, I should’ve trusted her to lure me into loving Adam.

This book was all about the Fever series tie-ins. From the beginning, we meet Gabby, who is a sidhe-seer. Sound familiar? If it does, then you’re reading the books in the same order that I am. She has seen fairies all her life, and been trained to not react. Through the compact, any sidhe-seer who “outs” herself can be kidnapped or killed by Hunters (big baddies). She’s doing fine until Adam comes along (which is how most of the other books go too, right?). Adam was cursed after saving Dageus in the previous book. Good for Dageus, bad for Adam. The big bad trickster now cannot be seen by anyone, has limited powers of sifting only, and cannot find any way to communicate with others of his kind. Until Gabby.

Gabby and Adam meet when she inadvertently breaks all her sidhe-seer rules. This throws her into a world of fairies and politics and revenge. Turns out, Darroc (yeah, I recognized that name too…) has it out for Adam and is willing to free Hunters from their Unseelie prison to get the job done. Gabby is now tasked with becoming Adam’s go-between for the MacKeltars, who are now his only hope. This was not really what I loved about the book, although it was pretty neat to see some familiar faces. The part that really endeared Adam to me was his adorable attempts to win Gabby over. Slowly, he chipped away at her resolve (and mine, because really, I didn’t like Adam). His “conversion” to being more human was gradual enough to ultimately win me (and Gabby) over. One point that kept coming up and counting against him was this new fact – he really screwed Circenn over! I was really floored by this revelation, even if it was necessary for KMM to generate a sort of redemption for Adam being such a jerk.

All in all, this was another good installment. Lots of smutty goodness and story progression. It really helped that I saw so many Fever reminders which put me in that state of mind. I think it’s both good and bad that I have already read the Fever series, but will queue it up to be re-read again after we finish the Highlander series. It will help to look at the Fever series with new eyes.




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Review: Shadow Fall

Shadow Fall by Erin Kellison

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This being the second installment in the Shadow series, I thought I'd get more of the same from the first one. Totally not true! This book was a great re-invention of the series, complete with a new set of boy/girl romantic interests and a flash forward in time of 2 years. This story follows Annabella, a ballerina with some latent shadow abilities, and Custo, who we previously met as Adam's right hand man in Book 1.

I really think that the romance was done just right in this one. We got to spend a good deal of time with Custo and Annabella, so even though it was only 2 days of their life, it felt like they had enough time to fall in love. Weird, but true. I was sold on them once I got over the weirdness of a dirty angel and a flexible ballerina hooking up. The smut was worth it.

We get to check in with Shadowman, Talia, and the rest of Segue. Things have changed in the time that Custo has been being angel-ified and now Segue is the go-to place for dealing with the more prevalent supernatural phenomena. I am really eager to see how the wraith/Order/Segue endgame plays out.

One side note -- I feel really terrible for Shadowman. I know that I probably shouldn't, but I can't help it. He fell in love, then lost her, and he just keeps getting used and abused. I really hope he gets some redemption in the next book.



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Review: Oaths of Blood

Oaths of Blood by S.M. Reine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This series just keeps getting better and better.

A lot of big events happened in this book that I won't spoil, but I will say that I'm 100% on board with wherever this series will take me. I trust this author to give me a rich and gritty story that never fails to surprise me. There was clearly a lot of work done to tie in so many story lines and characters, and it shows in the final product.

If I had to sum up the plot in a neat package, I'd say this: Elise and Riley join forces again to try to beat back the encroaching demon army. That doesn't even begin to sum up all that happens in this book, but it's a good start. This second installment in the Ascension Series really took me on a roller-coaster ride of action and emotion. The POVs in this book rotate mostly between Elise and Seth, which is just a big pile of angsty minds.

We also get to check in with a lot of familiar faces, including Brianna, who I really fell in love with in this book. Her spunky internal dialogue was just the perfect amount of relief I needed from the emotional turmoil we see in almost all the other characters. James and Elise are still just as broken as always, but I still never fail to shiver when they run into one another. The author really knows how to get me wanting something so badly, while at the same time knowing that it should never ever happen. Sigh.

I really love these books, in case you couldn't tell. They are just the right amount of urban fantasy mixed with the hope of romance. We are left at the end of this book with a lot of stories just starting to take shape. It's not quite a cliffhanger, but definitely a firm push to read the next book in the series (which, of course, I will!).



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Review: Shadow Bound

Shadow Bound by Erin Kellison

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Wow -- this book was unexpectedly good! I got it for free, which is not usually the best indicator, but this book was really really really good! There was action, fae, smut, and romance -- not necessarily in that order. The rich and creative story and characters really blew me away.

This was such a wonderful read from beginning to end. It starts with the love story of Talia's mother and father. They fell in love despite their different worlds and from that union, Talia was born. Fast forward to present day and the introduction of Adam. His character was beautifully imperfect and struggling in so many ways. It was heart wrenching to watch him struggle with this chaotic world of "wraiths" and still try to remain good. Talia also struggles to help Adam on his quest to rid the world of these "wraiths" that just so happened to pop up when she did.

The romance of the story was lovely and sad. They both have so much riding on them that they rarely were able to steal some happiness. I really look forward to reading the second installment to see where the characters end up.



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Review: Fire

Fire by T.G. Ayer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was filled with all sorts of gods and goddesses that I know nothing about – and it was a good surprise! It’s not often that a book deviates from my typical trifecta of vampire, werewolf, witch, but this book definitely did. The story revolves around Maya, who is thrust into a world where the gods and goddesses of the Hindu world are real and she’s tasked with defending them. She’s a normal teenager with some abnormal powers that include controlling fire – which is a truly awe-inspiring power to behold!

Watching Maya come into her powers was really entertaining. She didn’t take your typical path of the whiney teenager. Instead, she threw herself into training and her role as an awesome defender. The romance from this paranormal romance was a mix between high school love and adorable paranormal training partner love. I am eager to see where Nik and Maya’s romance heads in the next book! I’d like to see some more fiery passion (ha-ha) light up the pages.

If you’re at all interested in a deviation from your typical paranormal romance book, give this one a try!




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Review: Magick Rising

Magick Rising by Parker Blue

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, these stories were good reads. I’m not usually a big fan of short story anthologies, but the exposure to new authors was worth it. I’ve never read other books from any of them, and have added quite a few of them to my “to-read” shelf after this.

Magick Justice from P.J. Bishop was a really great story of angels, demons, and redemption. Miko is a reporter who is desperate to solve the murders of the homeless around the city. She stumbles upon Hadrian in her search, which leads to way more than she bargained for. The descendent of a Samurai magicker, she discovers her magic while falling for the handsome Hadrian along the way. This story was actually longer than I expected, but was totally enjoyable. I was really rooting for Hadrian and Miko, and would be interested in a series about them, especially if it gave them some more steamy time together.

Spirits Rising from Evelyn Vaughn was a ghost/paranormal investigator love story that was quirky and funny, with quick wit and an engaging story. Penny shows up to “stage” a house (and remove the ghosts haunting it) only to find herself introduced to a wicked spook her hottie trapped ghost ex. This author’s work was really fun to read. She has a writing style that I really loved – it was filled with a lot of very “real” internal dialogue and characters. Penny, Richard, Lance, and Manon are all broken in their own way, but they all find a sort of HEA at the end that made me smile.

Blood Rising from Karen Fox was my usual type of favorite story – the vampire kind. Hayley is a damaged vampire slayer, who picked up the stake when her sister was turned into a crazed “dead vampire.” This book included the Vampire Academy-esque designation of dead and alive vampires, which was familiar enough to me that I really enjoyed it. The steamy scenes between Rurik and Hayley were some great reads and the mystery had me second guessing myself until the end.

A Shift in Magick from Laura Hayden was a spin on the shapeshifter-type story. Jonathan Craft is a PI who can change his face into anyone he sees. Using it on a job from a distraught ex-wife name Serenity leads him to discover a whole shapeshifter subculture tied to Serenity’s ex-husband. There was a bunch of action and a teeny bit of steam, but overall it was a PI story with paranormal elements. Good characters were introduced that I wouldn’t mind seeing again.

Destiny Rising from Jodi Dawson was a mix of historical witches and contemporary romance. Celeste and Erik’s love story is one that spans centuries and was pretty sad to read. There was an awful lot of buildup and a little fizzle at the end, but still an enjoyable read. It lacked any real sizzle, but had a lot of paranormal.

Wolf Rising from Parker Blue was a werewolf tale with smut thrown in as a bonus. Duncan and Beth are both diagnosed with terminal diseases – Beth’s is more of a mortal disease while Duncan’s is lycanthropy. If he doesn’t surrender to his wolf, and also trust in Beth, he’ll die by the end of the next full moon. Their love story was really a great read. I’ll have to check out this author’s other books.





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Review: Lash

Lash by L.G. Castillo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a quick, good read filled with some really hot angels! Lash is one of the fallen angels, who have apparently used his time on Earth to perfect his hotness and go into some sort of debaucherous spiral. The events that led to his fallen status set in motion a much larger set of problems for the world in general, of which he is not aware. We get a good taste of what this new series will be like in this first book, but not too much.

Naomi is caught up in the ramifications of Lash’s poor decisions, which send her into a bit of a dark place. Tasked with keeping her alive, Lash falls into her life as a protector as well as a yummy crush. I think my favorite character in the book, though, was Welita (Anita). Her feisty comments and absolute faith kept me entertained and smiling, even when everything was looking pretty grim. There were a lot of pieces that had to move into place in order for the bigger storyline to progress, so we spent a bit of this book getting to know all the other angels and their fallen counterparts. If I had to complain about one thing it would be that this book is too short! Just when I was falling in love with Naomi and Lash, the book ended, without enough smut for my liking (especially based on the steamy cover). I would love to read more from this series to see what happens to Jane.

Overall, this was a good, short read that had me eagerly flipping pages to watch Naomi and Lash’s relationship develop (and see what Welita would say next!).




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Review: Shadow of Time

Shadow of Time by Jen Minkman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a really interesting and deep look into skinwalkers and Native American history. While I’m not the biggest history fan, this book really sold me on it. There was enough of a paranormal element to the book (via the skinwalkers and some folky magic) that I didn’t feel like I was reading something out of my comfort zone.

The story follows Hannah and her brother Ben on their summer vacation near a reservation. Their childhood friends are no longer kids, and Hannah instantly develops a crush on a much younger friend. I admit I had some real big issues getting into this relationship at first because of the age difference. Maybe if they were both in their twenties it wouldn’t have bothered me much, but 17 is really young. Of course, I gave the book the benefit of the doubt. There were already ideas floating around about possible reincarnation storylines, etc. (I mean, c’mon, the title is “Shadow of Time”, so it has to be somehow related, right?). The book didn’t let me down. Everything is explained and at the end I was sighing right along with Hannah over Josh. The love story was really beautiful.

It’s not often that I can say that I learned some history after reading what I refer to as my “brain candy” books – but this book was so rich and full of history that I think I snuck some learning into my brain. The character interaction and the story really lent itself to some sneaky history lessons. This was also the type of book that ended with me smiling big. Nothing but rainbows and sunshine! It was a welcome change of pace for me, and I think this book would really appeal to a large audience out there. You don’t have to be a paranormal fanatic like I am to enjoy this story.




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Review: Elfin

Elfin by Quinn Loftis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really fun read that was jam packed with enough action to be a really fast paced book! I can't say that I've read many elf-centric books, so this was unique enough to suck me in right away. There is a healthy dose of YA sigh-worthy romance coupled with some rather dark scenes to make it an adults only YA read. The ending was enough of a cliffhanger that I really can't wait to get my hands on book 2!

The story revolves around Cassie, a high school girl who is rather suddenly thrown into a world of elves when she meets the bad boy hottie elf, Trik. They are destined for one another, which usually means a really fast run to the "I love you"'s -- but that wasn't the case! Shocking, right? This author actually puts a good amount of time working on the relationship, the trust, and gives us a lot of time to buy into this soul mate bond. During that time, Cassie is exposed to the two warring factions of the elves and learns all about their realm.

I really enjoyed the overall story and all of the characters we meet. I wish it had a more concrete ending, but that seems to be the norm nowadays. I can't wait to get more of Cassie and Trik (which hopefully ends with a nice big HEA).



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Review: Forbidden: Discover the Legend

Forbidden: Discover the Legend by Tina Smith

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The general plot of this book was pretty unique and interesting. The problem was really with the execution. The general story is about a town that has been cursed with werewolves. There is a separate group of people referred to as hunters that are physically able to better track and kill these werewolves.

It's really hard to find a place to begin this review, because it was a difficult book to get through. There is a lot of confusing nicknames and character names introduced without any explanation. I was also confused by a lot of the slang thrown in. Lastly, there was often a lot of build up or description leading up to what appeared to be important, but was ultimately inconsequential. I think with a good edit, this book could really shape up into something worthwhile (like I said, the basic story was interesting). Unfortunately, this edit was very rough.



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