Review: The Relentless Warrior (Star-Crossed, #6)

The Relentless Warrior by Rachel Higginson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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

Wow, just, wow. This book made me fall in love all over again with the Star-Crossed series. The balance between action and romance was absolutely perfect. I was on the edge of my seat, heart pounding out of my chest, blood sizzling in my veins and loving every single page of this story.

Jericho is a character that has had a hard time in this series. He got trampled by Eden, he gets used by Amelia to hide from Avalon, and yet he’s one of the biggest players in the whole war storyline. This poor guy really needed a break, but what he got was a feisty and aggressive woman in the form of Olivia. Olivia was rescued by Jericho and friends from the evil clutches of our latest big bad. The subject of his awful experimentation, she somehow escaped with new powers and absolutely no understanding of the world she fell into.

This book really was the perfect combination of what I’ve loved about all the previous ones. We get a truly wonderful romance that ranges from love/hate to soft and sentimental in the blink of an eye. Jericho is exposed as the truly good guy that he is in the way he works with Olivia and the way he helps her grow and accept her new life. He’s also a fighter and it was refreshing to have a character actually fight for what he wants, regardless of the odds stacked against him. Olivia is no pushover, either. She fights just as hard both for and against Jericho. Their banter was one of my favorite things about this book. It had me smiling and laughing right along with them.

Overall, we don’t get an absolutely perfect happy ending, but we do get a happily ever after (eventually) for Jericho and Olivia that was really rewarding. There are big events that happen in this book that will, I’m sure, be pivotal to the rest of the series, but what I truly cared about was the resulting happiness for the characters involved. The road that they are taking is probably going to get tougher before it gets easier, but I’m 100% on board with taking that journey with them. The dynamic between the characters really hit its stride in this book and I’m eager to see where we go in the next book.


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Review: Snow White and the Vampire (The Cursed Princes #2)

Snow White and the Vampire by Marina Myles
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

This book was packed to the brim with fairy tale, horror story, and typical London references: a cursed amulet, a forbidden castle, an evil stepmother, star-crossed lovers, Jack the Ripper, the Tower of London, and oodles of mystery.

Alba is playing the role of “Snow White” in this story. She’s got an evil stepmother and has been cursed. Dimitri is playing the role of Prince Charming (I think), if he was a vampire. If you can get on board with those ideas, you’ll really like this book. It was well written and had lots of twists and turns. Oh, and it even had some smutty good times in there (as much as old world London will give you, what with all the layers and propriety). A few stories are happening at once in this book – Jack the Ripper is hunting people, Alba is trying to escape her evil stepmother, Dimitri is trying to get away from his evil friend Somona, and they are both trying to escape some evil curse (or two).

Sadly, I don’t think this set of books is for me. I just couldn’t get on board with the many different curses and storylines that kept fizzling or counteracting one another. That being said, I don’t think that should put anyone else off from reading this book. The writing style was enjoyable and the mystery was well done (I had no clue who the killer was!). If you’re into fairy tales and vampires, this will be the perfect combination for you!


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Review: Circle of Fire (Damask Circle, #1)

Circle of Fire by Keri Arthur
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

This book series is a sort of spin-off from the Nikki and Michael ones, with a lot more emphasis placed on the Damask Circle and witches instead of vampires. This author has a very easy and fluid writing style that manages to convince me that I can read an entire book in one night. The pages fly by so quickly that I don’t even realize how much I’ve read in one sitting.

The story revolves around Madeline Smith, a “firestarter” who has been untrained and suffered for it. She’s a widow who has walled herself off from most of the world, with the exception of her nephew Evan. Jon is (much like Michael) a Circle member who has become married to his job. While on a mission of sorts, he ends up shot by a white ash arrow and slowly dying in a well. Able to astrally project to only Maddie (at Evan’s urging), he must somehow convince her to take the risk and come save him. Evan being kidnapped is the push that sends Maddie back out into the world and into Jon’s life.

Their reluctant romance was a lot like Nikki and Michael’s, with the exception of a blissful HEA at the end of the book. It was nice to have things tied up neatly at the end of one of these installments and gives me hope for the rest of the Damask Circle books. The feminist in me didn’t like that Maddie was so willing to wait out Jon’s reluctance to admit his feelings for so very long. The romantic in me loved every second of their unconventional love story. The chemistry between them was good, but the heart fluttering moments were really when they both internally admitted their feelings for one another. I’m eager to see what couple we get to see in the next book and how they will stack up to this pair.


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Review: Sun God Seeks…Surrogate? (Accidentally Yours, #3)

Sun God Seeks…Surrogate? by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

These books are really excellent quick reads! The writing style is zany and hilarious, the action has your pulse pounding, and the sizzle is off the charts!

This installment gives us a look into the life of a sun god. He's broody and obsessed with his work, but that isn't really the total package. Inside, he's a softie that is just wishing for life as a human, where he can fall in love and no longer have the burdens of saving humanity. So what changes everything? Cimil, of course. The wacky and unpredictable god has a hand in all things in these books, so it's no surprise that she orchestrates Kinich (the sun god) meeting his match in the form of Penelope. Penelope is just trying to save her mom from an unidentified illness. Along come Cimil, with a check in hand, sending Penelope off to meet her brother, in the guise of becoming a surrogate to bear his children.

Do things ever work as planned with Cimil? Not so much. There are midgets, sexy times, attacks, and running (lots of running). There's also the whole "impending apocalypse" thing that is looming over everyone's head. Through all this drama, though, we get to spend some quality time with the bunch of weirdos that make up the gods and their significant others (and the vampires, and demigods, who don't really fit in any other category). Oh, and we get some new species introductions, along with a killer cliffhanger. Will we ever get answers? Will we ever have a resolution to all these stories? Even without a firm HEA here, it was still a wicked ride. These books are awesome reads.

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Review: Jeanne-Claude and Eugene's Magic Lamp (I Dream of Jinns)

Jeanne-Claude and Eugene's Magic Lamp by Trinity Blacio
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

This is a very short and quick read, filled with a paranormal I don’t often read about: Jinns. Becca is a woman on the run from the vampire mafia in Chicago. She’s been dreaming of two hotties for years, but didn’t ever suspect that they’d pop into her apartment one night when she needed saving from aforementioned vampires. Turns out, she’s got the right DNA for mating with the Jinn and helping them continue their race. Also, bonus, two hot guys will mate with her for life.

Overall, it felt a little bit rushed, but what do you expect with 42 pages? There’s not really a lot of anything, even smut (which I would’ve thought would be abundant, based on the cover). As the start to a group of short stories, it got my attention. I can kind of see where the remaining characters are headed, so would be interested in checking out the next story.


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Review: From This Day Forward: Dragon Shifters of Derkesthai Academy

From This Day Forward: Dragon Shifters of Derkesthai Academy by Mackenzie Lucas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

This book series is getting better by leaps and bounds! I loved this installment. We get oodles of backstory and information about the world of dragons and other supernaturals.

April (who we met previously in book 1) is the wife of a dragon shifter who is currently stationed overseas. She's one tough chick who is also slightly damaged. Having her husband so far away from her and her three girls is not really helping matters. Oh, and she also has the ability to see "signs" and read auras and other fun stuff. Noah, her "Captain America" husband gets dragged into the mystery surrounding the horde thief (which started in the last book).

The love story of Noah and April is a really sweet one. Yes, there's some trust issues and lots of action jammed into this book, but these are little love stories at the heart of it all. I can't wait to read the next book to see where the bigger story ends up taking us!

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Review: To Have & To Hold

To Have & To Hold by Mackenzie Lucas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

This book starts and we dive right into the drama and action. Cate and her husband Grayson have spent the past year apart. Her, dealing with the repercussions of what could possibly have been an attempt on her life by her husband. Him, in his dragon shifter form, fighting for control while protected magically in the upstairs attic. Cate has been using Grayson's law partner, Michael, as a shoulder to cry on, but he wants more. After a year without her husband, it seems like the logical decision.

When Grayson's time in "captivity" hits 1 year, Cate unlocks the door to find a seemingly changed man. Unfortunately, all that changes when he scents another man on her. This leads to a tailspin of events that ends in them separated by even more than before. We learn all about this new dragon and magic filled world that Cat and Grayson inhabit. It's filled with some really unique takes on some traditional paranormal elements. There's also a few different mysteries and stories going on. Overall, it's probably a romance at heart. The paranormal elements seem to just make it that much more complicated for the poor main characters.

The love story drew me in, and I'm curious to see what happens next for Cate and Grayson. There were a few characters introduced that I'd like to see more from, too. This novella was a good intro to a new world.

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Review: Deuces Wild (Ridgeville, #5)

Deuces Wild by Celia Kyle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was another fun read. And we finally get to hear why Deuce is always drinking light beer!

There is a little time that passes between the previous book and the start of this one, leaving Deuce, one of Maya's guards, undercover in the Freedom organization. Fate, again, throws his mate at him at the most inopportune time. Elly has been kidnapped and Deuce has to win her in a poker game or she'll be handed off to the pleasure of some other Freedom members for the night. Deuce wins, of course, and then they are thrown into a complicated and chaotic mess.

For some reason, the person in charge of Deuce's undercover assignment refuses to believe Deuce or Elly when they say that he didn't rape her. This drags on for a while. I found it kind of annoying, but did enjoy the fight scenes that were a result. This book was filled to the brim with Deuce's backstory, and we even got some major plot happening. With these crazy developments, I'm not sure where the rest of the series will get its big bad.

Again, I'll keep reading these until there are no more to be read! Keep 'em comin'!

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Review: Fierce in Fur (Ridgeville, #4)

Fierce in Fur by Celia Kyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one might be my new favorite of the series. Brute has always been a background guard character who was big, but sweet. Elise we met in the previous book as the horribly abused fox shifter that Maddy and Ricker rescue. I was a little concerned about how these two would actually work and how much freaking out would be involved.

The romance in this book was a lot slower than the previous installments. This was done for obvious reasons, but it made for a lot more time spent with the dating phase and the adorable-ness that is Brute trying to win over his mate. Elise proved herself to be a tough chick and Brute is her ultimate protector (even though she can still rock it on her own). The overall storyline is still progressing in a positive direction, even with some turns down to a deep dark place. The Ridgeville pack is growing with each passing book. Eventually, I think, there will end up being no more mate-able options. Unless we get to see Grayson's mating book come up, in a few years.

I'm still loving these yummy little books. For fans of paranormal romance, with smutty goodness, these books are the perfect quick read.

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Review: Head Over Tail (Ridgeville, #3)

Head Over Tail by Celia Kyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really can't get enough of these short, sex, fun reads! This one got a bump in the star ratings from me because something about the combination of Maddy and Ricker made it feel more like a full length story and less like the "quickies" before it.

This book (obviously) involves Maddy and Ricker. We saw that Maddy was kidnapped at the end of the last book by the Freedom group. This Sensitive has been working on her backbone along the way, and this situation just forces her to grow up a little quicker than originally planned. Ricker is the elusive master tracker Tiger shifter who has been trying to hunt down the leader of the Freedom group for a while now. Fate ended up showing him his mate, Maddy, in the process too.

Yes, this book takes a little detour into a slightly more erotica place, but I think we get a good romantic balance, too. We get a touch of darkness in the form of the rescue and that horrible house, but this larger story continues to grow with each book. These aren't long books, but they are like little yummy pints of ice cream. It's a guilty pleasure that I'll keep enjoying until they run out!

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Review: SIMPLY DELICIOUS: Synergy Sweets (Synergy of Blood) (Volume 1)

SIMPLY DELICIOUS: Synergy Sweets (Synergy of Blood) by Amie K. Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a fun, quirky, and unexpected read that was filled with romance and action. The world the author created is filled with a blend of Greek mythology, vampires, werewolves, and some very realistic human beings.

Delicia is a food columnist on a working vacation with her friend Grace in Florida. Grace has already fallen in with a guy, who just so happens to be a vampire. His vampire buddy, Erastus, takes one look at Delicia and knows he must have her in his life. Lucky for Delicia, she's been previously exposed to the supernatural and is no pushover. To make matters worse for Erastus, Delicia's boss comes from a line of ancient supernatural hunters. Even against all these odds, he sets out to woo the object of his affections, through ghoul attacks and the emergence of an ancient evil.

Delicia fights tooth and nail, when all the while her subconscious was drawing them closer and closer. The romance was all about the HEA, with kisses and fade-to-blacks, and filled with vampire goodness. There were oodles of good character introductions that I hope we get more of in the future installments. This book was an excellent start to a neat new supernatural world. It pays to check out new authors!

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Review: Rajmund (Vampires in America, #3)

Rajmund by D.B. Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am really loving this series. The books are not really formulaic and keep me wishing and hoping every step of the way. While this one did give the new main characters a HEA, we see a cliffhanger for the returning characters from books 1 & 2.

This book centers around Sarah, who we met at the very very end of Book 2. She's Cyn's friend (who we had never met before the end of book 2) who moved to NY to take a teaching gig on the cold and snowy east coast. We get some nice transition from Cyn and Raphael to Sarah, and eventually introducing Rajmund.

Rajmund is a much more down to earth vampire than Raphael. He's younger, but still pretty darn powerful. He's not the lord of the coast, but with his sire rapidly losing control of his territory, Raj is still doing the majority of the work. Through a nice alignment of events, Raj and Sarah end up meeting each other in one of his clubs in the city. Sparks fly, sizzling chemistry ignites, and then it appears that they won't cross paths again. Sarah heads back to Albany where, luckily, Raj is summoned by his sire. They both get sucked into a police case that has them teaming up (in more ways than one, hubba hubba).

I was really glad we get a solid HEA for these two. After the drama leading to Raphael and Cyn's relationship having a few false starts, I'm glad the vampires are learning to adapt.

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Review: Love at Stake

Love at Stake by Victoria Davies
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

This book was cute and fun, filled with paranormal romance and some serious heat. The main character was tough and strong, able to stand up to even the big bad vampire that was determined to prove her wrong.

Abbey is a human working in a paranormal matchmaking organization. In a world where everyone is looking for their fated match, Abbey's job utilizes a computer system and some science to aid in matching potential mates. When she somehow gets tasked with recruiting the vampire daughter of the oldest vampire on the East Coast, Abbey is determined not to leave without signing someone up. Unfortunately, Lucian, the aforementioned vampire, decides that Abbey's company must find him *his* match before allowing his daughter to sign up.

What starts as a bet eventually escalates into some explosive chemistry between Abbey and Lucian. Their reluctant romance was fun to watch. Lucian's very orderly world clashes with Abbey's colorful and chaotic one in a fabulous way. I would love to see this turn into a series or collection of books in this really fun and paranormal rich world.




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Review: Repossessed (Warlock Repo Man Chronicles #1)

Repossessed by Shawntelle Madison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

This was fun and quick read that I was instantly hooked on. The writing had me smiling and laughing along the way with its quirky characters and the insanity that is their lives. I really hope this is the start of a fun new series.

Tessa is a matchmaker from a line of matriarchal matchmakers. Unfortunately, running a business in NYC that relies on ornery supernaturals paying her is turning out to be harder than it seems. She’s barely keeping the business afloat, which means bill collectors and repo men. Lucky for her, getting her car repossessed leads her to meeting Rob. Rob is a navy SEAL on leave who took a job as a repo man to make a quick buck. He’s digging his aunt and uncle out of debt and being a generally good guy. Tessa forces him to take her along on his repo jobs in the hopes that she can find her car in limbo (where all repossessed items end up). Honestly, the main storyline didn’t interest me as much as the characters did. I mean, c’mon, Tessa has a bunch of ghost cats wandering around in her apartment. How can any story compare to the backstory on that?!?

So, of course, sparks fly between the two unlikely allies. The romance is adorable and hot and wonderful to read. There was some smut, but it was more romantic and sizzling kisses than the wham-bam type. This supernatural world was so fun to get a glimpse of that I am really eager for more books from the same world. I hope the author has some more in the pipeline!


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Review: Dark Wolf Running (Bloodrunners, #5)

Dark Wolf Running by Rhyannon Byrd


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

I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, but I think this one worked pretty well as a standalone. I really enjoyed this unique shifter world and got enough backstory along the way to not feel lost. This book was steamy and romantic, with a lot of shifter and paranormal elements that kept me on my toes. The writing style made it easy to tear through this book in one night.

Wyatt is a bloodrunner, a half human, half wolf who was previously tasked with hunting down rogues and killing them. He’s got a complicated past, that he hides from everyone, but is determined to finally “man up” and go after the woman his wolf has deemed his life-mate. Elise is a broken and complicated woman who has no interest in anyone, except Wyatt. After a sizzling dance at her brother’s wedding, a cascade of bad luck led her to living in Wyatt’s cabin. Sparks fly as the two work on their own issues, and try to move past protecting one another from their own damaged selves.

This book avoided a lot of the things that I don’t like and hit on a lot that I like about the paranormal romance genre. There wasn’t a long drawn out bad guy scene, there was a nice amount of sexy time, there were some really well developed characters (and hints at the subject of future books), and there wasn’t any bad guy POV. If you enjoy some good alpha werewolf romance in a unique world, this series is for you.


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Review: The Lost Boys

The Lost Boys by Lilian Carmine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

OK, I admit stalling with this book. It's long and the reference to the Twilight books in the description does nothing for me. Luckily, we had a snow day here, so I figured this was the ideal time to pick this one up and push through. This was a heart breaking and wonderful YA (ish... there's sex) paranormal romance. I cried. This book made me cry, and that's a rarity. It was worth it, though -- all the emotional turmoil made the romance that much sweeter in the end.

Joe is a girl who has just moved to a new town, which is just about how all YA stories start nowadays. She's out helping a neighbor when she meets a hottie in the cemetery named Tristan. They hit it off immediately and hang out in the cemetery every day during winter break. When Joe starts getting ready to head off to boarding school, things take a drastic turn. I don't really want to spoil all the twists and turns in this book, but suffice it to say, Joe and Tristan are linked together in an unbreakable type of way.

No vampires, no werewolves, just your average witchy magic is the type of paranormal in this story. It was kind of refreshing to have a story that was based more on the relationships between the main characters and their friends ("The Lost Boys", their band), than the paranormal elements in their lives. There's catty high school drama, jealousy, relationship issues, and the inevitable misunderstandings, but the characters are what made this book stand out from the rest.

Joe and Tristan's romance and relationship was painful and beautiful from start to finish. There was a good dose of YA adorable-ness mixed with some grown up sexy times. There's drinking, partying, and other stuff that high schoolers probably shouldn't do, but made this book a little more "real" than the fade to black types.

If you want a book that will make you laugh, cry, and sigh aloud during first kisses, pick this book up for a good, solid read.



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Review: No Ifs, Ands, or Bears About It (Grayslake #1)

No Ifs, Ands, or Bears About It by Celia Kyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

I have to admit that I am absolutely in love with this author. I love the easy writing style, the sizzling hot scenes, and the shifter universe that she has created. That being said, I think this is the start of an awesome series that I will absolutely be checking out.

Mia is a mostly human who has recently inherited a house in the werebear town of Grayslake. Having grown up around bears, she isn’t as shocked as she might have been when she discovers a bear cub in her pantry. It’s the events that follow that drag Mia into a brewing feud and struggle for leadership. It is also these seemingly innocent decisions that introduce Mia to Ty, the town’s Sheriff and Itan (leader of the werebears).

When Ty lays eyes on Mia, he immediately knows that she’s “the one.” His bear agrees wholeheartedly and tries to rush him to take her as his Itana. Lucky for him, Mia knows how the werebears work and can roll with the punches. Unfortunately, Ty doesn’t really try to follow any of her more human expectations. I loved the back and forth, as well as the backbone that Mia displays, standing up to some truly scary bears. The family that she’s inducted into is interesting and hopefully highlighted in the books to come.

There’s a lot of sizzle and steamy scenes, but there is also a heavy dose of story. This isn’t your typical short smutty read. There’s really some setup for a rich and interesting world here. If you’re a paranormal reader, this shifter series looks like something that you should check out.


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Review: Ball Of Furry (Ridgeville #2)

Ball Of Furry by Celia Kyle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This author and this set of books is quickly becoming one of my favorite addictive little reads. After stumbling on this author from the Shifter Romance Box Set, I quickly picked up the rest of the series and have it waiting on my kindle.

These stories are like little candies -- full of yummy goodness that is an absolute treat. This story picks up with Carly, who has finally found her mate. Unfortunately, it's a womanizing baby daddy cowboy-type (and a lion), which, while her rabbit is ok with it, she is most definitely not. She spends 6 months hiding from the poor guy only to have a super steamy encounter on the night of the Gaian moon. The hotness factor in these stories is a steamy 10/10. The story gives you a little bit of action, some mystery, and I'm sure it's headed somewhere important.

The romance is really what keeps me coming back for more. I like the mixed shifter romance idea and I like that she makes him work for it. I'll definitely be reading the rest of these little gems. If you're a paranormal smut reader, these are a great set of books to check out.

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Review: You're Lion (Ridgeville #1.5)

You're Lion by Celia Kyle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book picked up where Maya and Alex left off. Maya is still her tough and possessive self, still determined to lose her mandatory guard, and still running to her BFF for help when she needs it.

After getting some shocking news at the doctor, she immediately ditches her guard, runs to Carly and ends up accepting her fate. Alex and Maya are adorable and HOT together, and this little short story helps fill in the gap between the first book (which I read in the Shifter Romance Box Set) and Book 2 (which I inadvertently read before this short story). In either order, this story is a nice little treat. Oh, and did I mention HOT?

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Review: Forsaken (The World of Nightwalkers #3)

Forsaken by Jacquelyn Frank
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

I was a little worried about getting into this book because of my initial reaction to book 2. This book really blew the previous one away, showing that the series is just getting better and better. The action, sizzle, and story all ramp up in this latest installment. We even get a bonus HEA ending for all you romantics out there (myself included).

In this book we finally get Leo's story. Yes, he was tortured endlessly in the previous book, but eventually ended up on Jackson's doorstep. He's still healing both physically and mentally, but is determined to find his footing in this rapidly changing world. The imp god is still on a warpath that is involving more and more victims, including Jackson now. In an effort to save his (ex?) best friend, Leo must work with yet another new paranormal, a Night Angel named Faith.

Again, I was worried this would turn into your typical "road trip" book, where you are stuck with two new characters on a type of quest that usually follows some sort of predictable formula. Well, other than the general quest theme, Faith and Leo's journey is anything but predictable. Instead of oodles of Nightwalker history, or endless battles, Faith and Leo go searching for SingSing (seen in previous books) who ends up sending them to Gray. Gray is officially my new favorite character. Can we get a book exclusively about him? His wit really helped add a bit of levity to the rather dark and tortured pair that Faith and Leo make. The insanity really gave some laugh out loud moments filled with vivid imagery.

This book restored my faith in the series, especially seeing where things might be headed in the epilogue. I'm counting down until the release of the next book (which will hopefully have lots more Gray).

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Review: Rajmund (Vampires in America #3)

Rajmund by D.B. Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am really loving this series. The books are not really formulaic and keep me wishing and hoping every step of the way. While this one did give the new main characters a HEA, we see a cliffhanger for the returning characters from books 1 & 2.

This book centers around Sarah, who we met at the very very end of Book 2. She's Cyn's friend (who we had never met before the end of book 2) who moved to NY to take a teaching gig on the cold and snowy east coast. We get some nice transition from Cyn and Raphael to Sarah, and eventually introducing Rajmund.

Rajmund is a much more down to earth vampire than Raphael. He's younger, but still pretty darn powerful. He's not the lord of the coast, but with his sire rapidly losing control of his territory, Raj is still doing the majority of the work. Through a nice alignment of events, Raj and Sarah end up meeting each other in one of his clubs in the city. Sparks fly, sizzling chemistry ignites, and then it appears that they won't cross paths again. Sarah heads back to Albany where, luckily, Raj is summoned by his sire. They both get sucked into a police case that has them teaming up (in more ways than one, hubba hubba).

I was really glad we get a solid HEA for these two. After the drama leading to Raphael and Cyn's relationship having a few false starts, I'm glad the vampires are learning to adapt.

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Review: Dark Spirit

Dark Spirit by Kate Douglas

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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

Having not read book 1 of this series, this was my first experience with the Chanku (aka werewolf shifters from another galaxy). The book was dark, gritty and naughty, with a tough chick and some alpha males thrown in for good measure.

Romy is a woman who has grown up sexually abused and tormented in an isolated cult. Her mother was killed 20 years prior when she tried to escape as (shockingly) a wolf. After reading her mother’s diary, she knows there is the ability to shift somewhere inside her, but she is unable to get there until one night of horrible abuse. On her way to escape, she runs into Jace and Gabe, two Chanku who immediately vow to protect Romy at all costs.

I have to admit, the romance elements were a little muddy to me. Don’t get me wrong, it was still hot and awesome, but I just didn’t understand the M/M/F dynamic, especially because Jace is essentially Romy’s love interest #1 and Gabe… just kind of participates from time to time. I guess? Like I said, muddy. The sexy scenes were still really sizzling and even included some completely new to me mating rituals. This series really sucked me in and wouldn’t let me go. I’ll definitely be checking out the next installment to see what else Kate Douglas has in store.




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Review: Witch Hunt

Witch Hunt by S.M. Reine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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

Cesar is an OPA agent, which (for those of us with experience in the SM Reine world) means not so good things. They are known as being discriminatory towards supernaturals of all types, except witches and kopides. I guess they were due for their own set of tales that will show the other side of the battles.

So, Cesar, the star of this tale (and maybe series?), wakes up with a hangover and a little bit of a dead body problem. With no memory and the authorities after him, he is forced to figure stuff out while on the run from just about everyone. This was a bit of a mystery, a police procedural (with witchy goodness), and a teeny bit of a romance (sort of). It was nice to see the world that SM Reine created before everything started to fall apart. I spent the majority of the book hoping for some cameos, but this new set of characters was strong enough to hold their own.

The writing style is just as gritty and great as all the other books. Cesar is likable and you are certainly in the same situation as him -- unsure who to trust, who the real killer is, and who is moving the pieces around the chessboard. I will definitely be looking for future installments in this series.



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Review: Vampires Need Not...Apply? (Accidentally Yours #4)

Vampires Need Not...Apply? by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have I mentioned that I love these books? Because I absolutely do. They are funny and wacky and filled with oodles of paranormal goodness. The writing style is easy and witty, filled with the zany antics that only a bunch of gods and other paranormals can produce.

This book was really a continuation of Kinich and Penelope's story, which was left hanging at the end of the previous book. Does Kinich survive his transformation? Will he beat up Zak? The answers to all these questions and more are answered in this installment. We also get a bonus storyline for Ixtab and her reluctant sweetie, Antonio. It might sound like a hard sell, hooking up the goddess of suicide with... anyone, but this love story was just as fun as the rest. We also got to meet yet another paranormal species! The fun never ends with this bunch of characters.

Cimil is still making mischief with her honey, Roberto, but it seems like things are officially heading towards the apocalypse. We get to check in with Maggie (the star of one of the short stories) and there was the bonus of very little talk of the magical sex necklace. There was a bunch of creativity, hotness, and true love's sacrifice.

Don't worry, we get a really solid HEA ending in this one! Hooray! After books with never ending cliffhangers it was a relief to have a nice break from the worry.

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Review: Heart of Stone (Gargoyles #1)

Heart of Stone by Christine Warren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

Gargoyles are usually not my favorite type of paranormal romance, but this book was really well done. I was rooting for the main characters to end up overcoming all the insane obstacles placed in their way. Ella is a great tough chick main character to balance the overbearing nature of Kees (the gargoyle).

So how does one end up falling in love with a gargoyle? Well, to be fair, Kees is mostly in "human form" during the initial falling in love parts of this book. Ella is a woman who has been battling to control a magic inside of her that she has been dealing with her entire life. One horrible night at her job in the museum, she seeks solace at the base of her favorite sculpture -- the gargoyle. After another attack, she is faced with a real living gargoyle who is in charge of protecting her.

This is something like a bodyguard story with a paranormal twist. Kees is your typical dude, fighting his feelings every step of the way. Ella is your not-so-typical chick, willing to have some sexy times to "prove Kees wrong". Sure. Whatever gets us some sizzling scenes!

This was a really excellent start to what could be an awesome series. We've got a pretty good HEA for Ella and Kees, so I'm eager to see where the story will go.

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Review: Accidentally...Cimil? (Accidentally Yours #4.5)

Accidentally...Cimil? by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

Wow, this one really filled in a lot of blanks we had from previous books. Not only did it explain Cimil's motivation, but it also sort of explained away her crazy. I mean, she's still crazy, don't get me wrong, but we got to see why she's crazy and just how crazy she really is. That's a lot of crazy, I know, but totally worth it.

Why is she working on everyone's mates? Is she in love? Who is she always talking to? What's the deal with her unicorn? Pretty much anything you can come up with gets answered in this novella. This wasn't nearly as short as the other novella of the series, but it was still shorter than a true book, so if you're hoping for some monster book -- this is not it.

Reading this story makes me want to go back to read the first few again just so I can piece the entire puzzle together. And it really is a puzzle -- we are getting pieces in each book, which I hope will magically fall into place in the last book. Right? Right??

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Review: Accidentally...Evil? (Accidentally Yours #3.5)

Accidentally...Evil? by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Warning: This is really a novella. Really really short with no satisfying ending, but lots of good tidbits I assume we will need in order to put together the giant puzzle that Mimi is working on assembling.

That being said, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about a story centered on the "evil" god. I knew there'd be some motivation and reasoning behind his evil-ness, but wasn't sure I'd like it. Well, see, this series is so good, it's always worth the chance. There is everything I've come to love about these books -- zany antics, wacky dialogue, off the charts hotness, and a plot that is addictive.

With Chaam, things are always sizzling hot (you know, was the god of male virility), so this story had *a lot* of hotness going on. He meets up with Maggie who just so happens to be wearing the very first of these magic sex necklaces. Much sexy time abounds. So, where did this love story take a turn for the worse? Well, Cimil is involved, of course. We are left wanting way more information, but this was a really great start.

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Review: Sun God Seeks…Surrogate? (Accidentally Yours #3)

Sun God Seeks…Surrogate? by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

These books are really excellent quick reads! The writing style is zany and hilarious, the action has your pulse pounding, and the sizzle is off the charts!

This installment gives us a look into the life of a sun god. He's broody and obsessed with his work, but that isn't really the total package. Inside, he's a softie that is just wishing for life as a human, where he can fall in love and no longer have the burdens of saving humanity. So what changes everything? Cimil, of course. The wacky and unpredictable god has a hand in all things in these books, so it's no surprise that she orchestrates Kinich (the sun god) meeting his match in the form of Penelope. Penelope is just trying to save her mom from an unidentified illness. Along come Cimil, with a check in hand, sending Penelope off to meet her brother, in the guise of becoming a surrogate to bear his children.

Do things ever work as planned with Cimil? Not so much. There are midgets, sexy times, attacks, and running (lots of running). There's also the whole "impending apocalypse" thing that is looming over everyone's head. Through all this drama, though, we get to spend some quality time with the bunch of weirdos that make up the gods and their significant others (and the vampires, and demigods, who don't really fit in any other category). Oh, and we get some new species introductions, along with a killer cliffhanger. Will we ever get answers? Will we ever have a resolution to all these stories? Even without a firm HEA here, it was still a wicked ride. These books are awesome reads.

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Review: To Catch a Wolf (The Jamesburg Shifters #1)

To Catch a Wolf by Lynn Red
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

This was a sizzling hot erotic read that was based around a really unique paranormal town. We dive right into the action and join a story in progress, which is usually one of my favorite ways to get information.

Izzy applied to an online job posting for a secretary position only to discover she will be assistant to the werewolf alpha of a town full of shifters and other paranormals. Always a bit of a weirdo herself, she blends in quite nicely and even gets sucked into a secret and steamy relationship with the aforementioned alpha. When a witchdoctor resurrects the last alpha and starts plotting against the town, some old prejudice rears its ugly head. Turn out; the last alpha was rumored to have gone crazy because he had a human mate. Izzy is forced to make a choice between the town and alpha that she loves and standing up for her feelings.

This story moved along almost too fast to follow. One minute we’re in a hot scene, the next we’re following a zombie around and learning about his past. We meet *a lot* of characters in a short amount of time, but I still felt somewhat connected to Izzy. The book also delivers a pretty naughty HEA.


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Review: What to Get Your Vampire Girfriend for Christmas (Unholy Alliance Short)

What to Get Your Vampire Girlfriend For Christmas by Haley Yager
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This little short story is offered for free on the author's website. It gives a little insight into the Maggie/Shane relationship and how they spend their first Christmas together. Really cute and reminds me how adorable they are as a couple.

Shane obviously has some trouble figuring out what to get a rich, really old vampire, who just so happens to be his girlfriend. It's your typical boyfriend drama with a twist. Shane really shows how thoughtful he can be.

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Review: Kiss the Dead (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter #21)

Kiss the Dead by Laurell K. Hamilton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

You know, I almost forgot to review this book -- that's how forgettable it was. I finished it today, after months and months of stalling, and even though it wasn't anything fancy or new, I know I'll still read the next one.

The books are what they are. This one has *a lot* of police procedural and preachy lawmaker/law enforcement rhetoric. I had to take a break for a little bit after it got to be too much for me. I would much rather just have her go back to really long bedroom scenes and lots of men. Speaking of the men, when the police talk finally ended and she went home, we didn't really get a reprieve. Yes, there was lots of sexy time, but it was overshadowed by some serious man drama. Everyone is having their feelings hurt. Everyone wants more of Anita, or more love, or more attention. It got really old pretty quickly, especially when it felt almost like filler.

The main story revolves around a group of vampires that are against Jean Claude's rule as master. See? That was straight forward, right? I actually had to think about what the story was, though, because there is so much extraneous junk going on that there wasn't a lot of time actually spent on that. Of course, Anita is the center of everything, so she keeps getting pulled into crazy situations.

I wish this series would decide if it was erotica or police procedural, because the balance was *way* off in this one.

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Review: Jabril (Vampires in America #2)

Jabril by D.B. Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

I'm so happy that I finally got introduced to this series! I don't know why I haven't read these books before now. They have everything I love about paranormal romance -- hot vampires, sexy seduction scenes, pulse pounding action, and some wonderful writing.

For the first half of this book I was really worried that it was heading in a direction I wouldn't like. There is a lot more darkness in this Cyn centered tale than the previous one. Cyn is still crushed and heart broken, Raphael is still being a stubborn fool, and there is a pretty evil vampire lord that has his eyes set on "stealing" Cyn from Raphael. In the territory of Jabril (the evil vampire) there are two wealthy young girls who are being used as giant piggy banks to fund his empire. Cyn gets drawn into Jabil's horrible scheme only to come out as the Cyn I love -- the tough chick who can rescue herself.

In this book we get to learn a lot more about Raphael's vampires, too. Alexandra and Duncan are prominently highlighted, and I wonder if we will see more of them in the future. The thing that I most enjoyed (of course) was that we finally get some really good HEA. There was a lot of angst, and I kept waiting for them to screw it up, but the epilogue was almost shockingly perfect. This serious has me 100% hooked and it's going to take some serious effort to clear out my "to-read" queue so I can finish this series by reading the next few books back-to-back.

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Review: Raphael (Vampires in America #1)

Raphael by D.B. Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

This book was a seriously good read. The writing style was easy and fun, with alternating POVs for Cyn and Raphael (both good guys). There was a lot of heat, lots of action, and a good amount of tough chick behavior. As the start of a series I've never read before, I'm completely hooked now.

Cyn is an ex-cop and now PI who stumbled on the secret that is vampires during her last few months as a cop. This has led her to gather a rather unique and nighttime loving clientele. After someone dear to him is kidnapped, Raphael, vampire lord of the western US, reaches out to Cyn in an effort to come at his problem from a different angle. The chemistry is off the charts between the two of them, but there is *a lot* of stubborn thinking in play as well.

I spent the majority of the book rooting for the stoic vampire lord and the tough as nails PI to fall madly in love and live happily ever after. If that's what you need to happen in the books you read -- this is not the book for you. It's gritty and complicated and left me dying to start the next book *immediately*! It's not so much a cliffhanger ending as the unstoppable need to know what happens with Cyn and Raphael. I'm still optimistic.

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Review: The Reluctant King

The Reluctant King by Rachel Higginson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I put off reading this book for a long time. I loved the first 4 star-crossed books and was really happy with the HEA we got for Eden. I guess I was concerned that reading this book would stir everything up again and have me worrying about the characters I think deserve some down time.

This book picks up years after the end of the previous book. Avalon has been ruling alone for a while because his sister and her husband took a really really long honeymoon (good call, Eden). He's bored and restless and generally doesn't want to be king (like the title, see?). He fell into the typical trap where he starts internally mocking all the couples in love. This usually spells disaster. Enter Amelia -- a girl who has had a crush on Avalon for quite some time, but has also been overlooked by him in the past. Of course, now Avalon see her and now she's reluctant (ha) to get involved with him.

After some kind of confusing reasoning for constantly pushing him away, there are some truly wonderful moments between the two of them. It made me feel like I was reading one of the previous books. Lots of YA kissing and sigh worthy moments. Unfortunately, this book begins a larger story arc that I didn't want to see -- there's a new big bad out there and he's doing really horrible things. Nobody in this book gets a real happy ending and it was kind of... a bummer. I didn't really understand Amelia's motivations and I kind of thought Avalon was mostly being a cocky jerk. I wish we had more insight into Amelia as a character, especially since it appears she will play a big role in the upcoming war/fight/rebellion thing.

I'm hoping that the next story (Jericho's) will restore my faith in happy endings for this series. Don't get me wrong -- I know that sometimes you can't get one, but after such a nice wrap up in book 4 I got kind of spoiled.



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Review: Becoming Alpha

Becoming Alpha by Aileen Erin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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

Wow, this book seriously blew me away. I read *a lot* of paranormal romance, and probably about 50% of it is YA. There's some cookie cutter books out there, but this wasn't one of them. This book had some real heart and some truly unique storylines. The characters were richly developed and had a "realness" to them that had me clamoring for more. I was torn between speeding through the book just to see what happened next and wanting to savor it so I could have a teeny bit more enjoyment time. In the end, I still ended up finishing this book and dying for more! Where is the next book? I need it *now* -- not because of any cliffhanger (there wasn't one), but because I want to spend more time in Tessa's world.

Where to begin? I guess I'm still "book drunk" from the awesomeness. Tessa is a girl who is already not so normal. She inherited the ability to get visions when she touches either people or objects. This has seriously cramped her high school social life and led to a lot of school changing. Her BFF/brother, Axel, has supported her for a while, but he's on his way off to college. This seemed to coincide with their father getting a job that allows them to relocate from LA to Texas, conveniently near where her hippie witch cousins live. Still with me? I promise, it is probably a lot clearer than I'm making it out to be.

After Tessa starts her new school, she ends up running into a hottie named Dastien. They are both seemingly drawn together, which eventually ends up dragging her into a world filled with all sorts of paranormals. So much happens that I really can't distill it down, but the events are punctuated by really great characters in the form of Tessa's new friends -- Chris, Meredith, Adrian, even Shannon -- and of course Dastien. There is action, romance, some sizzling kisses, and lots of unique lore. The world that this book built was addictive and entertaining.

I can't say enough good things about this book. It takes a lot to get a 5 star rating out of me, especially if it is a YA read, but this book really exceeded my expectations. It has totally made my "re-read" list. I can't wait for more!



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Review: Bloodfever

Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Original quickie review: I am completely loving these little books. The fact that they're such a quick read for me means that they are both addictive and short :-) The plotline is pushing along nicely and after chapters and chapters of waiting for something, I finally got it towards the end of the book. Must... buy... next... book... now...

Update (re-read): I really tore through this one. Now that I know there's payoff at the end, it was easier to get through some dark times in this book. Also, CLUES!

Update (another re-read): Every re-read yields more clues and more fun picking out the hints revealed along the way. Also, after reading the Highlander books, I definitely appreciate the introduction of the other druids and Christian. It's nice to see how everything begins and watch everything start to spiral towards the end. This time around, I was especially annoyed with Mac, though, for giving up hope so quickly. 27 hours? Really? Meh -- I know she gets tougher, but it makes me feel like she doesn't deserve the hotness that is Barrons always saving her. This book has so many quotes I love, too!



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Review: Lord of the Hunt

Lord of the Hunt by Shona Husk

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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

This book series appears to be almost at its climax, with the change of rule in Annwyn only 2 mortal weeks away! While the previous book took place mostly in the mortal world, this one was told mostly in the royal court of Annwyn. The scheming, deals, romance, sizzle, and action were definitely ramped up in this second installment.

Taryn is a fairy raised in the mortal world by her fairy parents. Her father has been exiled and her mother chose to join him for the duration. Unfortunately, with the change in rule threatening to kill any fairies not in Annwyn, Taryn has been tasked with trying to get a pardon for her father. This proves to be much trickier than she first thought. Especially because she is immediately ensnared by the lord of the hunt, Verden.

Verden was raised a farm boy, but, through a lot of risky bets, has risen to the rank of lord of the hunt. What he used to think mattered no longer appears to hold the same shine now that Taryn is in his life. They are forced to sneak away so as not to lose the king's favor, but we all know how those types of things end. Luckily, everyone has their own scheme.

The romance and sizzling scenes in this book were even better than in book 1. Maybe it has something to do with fairies and forbidden lust. Either way, the story was compelling and really well thought out. So many schemes were going at once that it should have been confusing, but it really wasn't. I am eager to see what happens with the prince and his would be queen -- hopefully in the next book!



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2013: Year in Review

This year I read an all time high of 289 books!  There were good ones and bad ones and some that were in between, but I figured I'd highlight the ones that were rated 5 stars (which means I would re-read it).  Enjoy!

Title	Author
By Blood (By Blood, #1)	Banghart, Tracy E.*
Crossing	Benefiel, Stacey Wallace*
Glimmer (Zellie Wells, #2)	Benefiel, Stacey Wallace*
Vengeance Borne (Sentry of Evil, #1)	Bonilla, Amanda*
Wicked Sense (Singularity, #1)	Bueno, Fabio*
Cold Days (The Dresden Files, #14)	Butcher, Jim*
Cold Blooded (Jessica McClain, #3)	Carlson, Amanda*
Full Blooded (Jessica McClain, #1)	Carlson, Amanda*
Undertow (Undertow, #1)	Conway, K.R.*
Purpose (Soul Savers, #2)	Cook, Kristie*
Real Vampires Don't Sparkle	Fecteau, Amy*
Autumn Storm (The Witchling, #2)	Ford, Lizzy*
Darkyn's Mate (Rhyn Eternal, #3)	Ford, Lizzy*
Gabriel's Hope (Rhyn Eternal, #1)	Ford, Lizzy*
Winter Fire (The Witchling, #3)	Ford, Lizzy*
Xander's Chance (Damian Eternal, #1)	Ford, Lizzy*
Crimson Night (Night, #1)	Hall, Marie*
Ever After (The Hollows, #11)	Harrison, Kim*
Outcast	Kress, Adrienne*
Heart of the Incubus (Demons of Infernum, #3.5)	Lario, Rosalie*
Buried	Marin, Gerilyn*
The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines, #3)	Mead, Richelle*
Darkfever (Fever, #1)	Moning, Karen Marie
Iced (Dani O'Malley, #1; Fever, #6)	Moning, Karen Marie
Something Witchy (Mystics & Mayhem #1)	Myers, AJ*
Defying Fate (Descent, #6)	Reine, S.M.*
Dire Blood (Descent, #5)	Reine, S.M.*
Sacrificed in Shadow (Ascension #1)	Reine, S.M.*
Awakened (The Guardian Legacy, #1)	Walters, Ednah*
Runes (Runes, #1)	Walters, Ednah*