Review: Silver Shadows

Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This book continued to cement Adrian as one of my favorite book characters of all time. It was a tough read to get through, what with about 25% of it involving physical and psychological torture (as somewhat expected), but the 75% of Adrian/Sydney goodness was completely worth it.

If you read the last one (as you should have!) then you know where we begin. Poor Sydney and Adrian can’t get a break and they are both suffering in their own ways (some more physical than others). There are some positively cringe-worthy near misses and awkward misunderstandings that made the first half of the book so hard to read, yet so hard to put down. The hope that Adrian and Sydney would somehow meet again really drove me to tear through the book at a super-fast speed, determined to get past all the yucky pain and into some rewarding lovey-dovey stuff. Well, ok, we never really get the relaxing vacation-like time with Adrian and Sydney, but without someone trying to kill/kidnap/torture/reprogram them every minute, it feels like a relief.

This book was really filled with action, probably even more than any previous installments. You get to see Adrian flex his spirit magic muscles and be the rock that Sydney needs. The romance was also bumped up a notch, making me get all weepy at how amazing the two of them are. Of course we want to see Sydney and Adrian holed up in a hotel so they can snuggle and enjoy one another, but that probably wouldn’t make a really great book. There has to be tension, struggle, and growth, of which this book has in spades.

As a bonus, this book also doesn’t end in one of those rip your heart out type of cliffhangers. Sure, there’s no HEA to be found, but I didn’t want to throw my kindle across the room and cry. That’s a major improvement in this series (for me, at least).





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Review: Masters of Seduction

Masters of Seduction by Lara Adrian

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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

Wow -- It’s not often that an anthology of stories flows together as seamlessly as this one did. All of the authors and their stories were really connected and cohesive, making this group of stories read almost like one big book. The stories were all sexy and really well written, leaving me pleasantly surprised by this Masters of Seduction collection.

Ordinarily I would go through and review each story on its own, pointing out the ones I liked over the others and whatnot. This collection really didn’t have a bad story in the bunch. The authors are all wonderfully talented and creative in their use of the Incubus/Angel world. Each set of characters was unique but still managed to hold tight to the overall story. The common romantic linkage was the idea of mates that the incubus males have been avoiding for their entire lives. Of course, when they least expect it, the women they were meant to be with stumble through their door (or in the harem, or in a prison, etc. etc.).

The romance/smut balance was spot on for me. While there was sex (and it was hot), there was also a nice dose of romance thrown in. Some romantic stories were more drawn out than others, but none of the tales had the feeling of being too rushed. We get a nice HEA in each of the author’s own styles.

As a reluctant anthology reader, this collection might have actually converted me. I’m now convinced that there are some beautifully stitched together stories out there just waiting to be read. I can’t wait until we get another look into this world!




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Review: Bound to the Sea

Bound to the Sea by Lyra Fawn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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

This was a short, quick erotic read that mixes dolphin shifters (something I never thought I'd find in the PNR genre!) and a curvy love story. While this is only the first installment of this serial, it is certainly worth a read if you're a fan of this type of story.

Mona is a curvy woman who wants nothing more than to live at the beach. While on the sand one day she watches, astonished, as Dario and Lucan (two hottie surfers) transform into dolphins. Unable to resist, she ends up pursuing them only to find that she might be closer to them than she thinks.

There's some sexy action, a little back story, and some really unique shifters in this read. I really can't say that I would've expected any of what I got from this book. I'm completely curious to see how the characters will surprise me in the next one.



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Review: Enslaved By the Others

Enslaved By the Others by Jess Haines

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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

I've read all the previous books in this series and am still firmly on board with the journey this author is taking us all on. That being said, I had a really hard time with the darkness in this book. The story was still the usual addictive, action-packed, supernatural thrill ride I've come to expect in the H&W Investigations series. This book just had a darker edge with some difficult subject matter to get through.

Shiarra has effectively been separated from all her friends and allies. She has also been placed into her worst nightmare -- kidnapped by her oldest enemy and made to take part in his human and Other slave trade. It's the bad kind of slavery discussed in this book, not the yummy, S&M type that I wouldn't mind getting with Shiarra and Alec. Unfortunately, Shiarra ends up spending a lot of time dealing with abuse, torture, and other haunting experiences. There were a bunch of familiar faces, but for the majority of the book, Shiarra is forced to take a really close look at herself, her motivations, and her strength.

Yes, I agree that this storyline was necessary to get her to change her ways drastically. The changes that have already taken place because of the events in this book have already made me super eager to begin book 7.



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Review: Going Down in Flames

Going Down in Flames by Chris Cannon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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

Wow -- what a really great read! This YA book managed to mash all the things I love about adult PNR and make it work in the YA setting... with dragons! I usually have a little bit of a harder time with dragon shifter books, but this one blew the others I've read away!

Bryn is a girl going about her normal boring high school life until meeting Zavien. Right before her 16th birthday, her world turns on its head when she discovers she is actually a dragon shifter. Not just a normal dragon shifter, though -- she's a hybrid mix of two different "races" of dragons and completely forbidden. Over the next few days, she displays her powers, shifts into a dragon, gets shipped off to the dragon equivalent of Hogwarts, and manages to become the center of attention at her new school.

Along the way, though, she makes some really great friends (and enemies). All of the characters were unique and fun, while still feeling "real." Of course, there's the hot guys, the mean girls, the crushes, and we even get some knights! This book completely grabbed me from the first page and I couldn't put the darn thing down. It was addictive, fun, and put a different spin on your typical YA PNR. There is so much more that I want to see happen for these characters, so I hope there are many additional installments coming!



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Review: The Necromancer's Betrayal

The Necromancer's Betrayal by Mimi Sebastian

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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

This book was another great installment in the series. After the stellar intro to this world, we are thrown right into the zany life of Ruby the Necromancer/Demon. It was filled with sarcastic and witty banter, sexy love triangles, and a mystery to finally solve.

After the end of the last book, Ruby is left with an ex-boyfriend she still lusts over, werewolves who only slightly tolerate her, vampires who lust after her, and demons who want to control or mentor her. Oh, and she's got one real friend this whole entire mess, and she's a witch. Things are not looking the best for poor Ruby. On top of all this, she's been drafted by the demons to solve the mystery of who is creating supernatural mayhem, with the restriction that she can't do anything "unusual" with her power.

There are so many options for who the "big bad" is that it leaves your head spinning. Ruby really knows very little about most of the main players. There's the sexy vampire who oozes lust at her, the alpha werewolf who knows her true powers, the angry witch who is trying to beat her BFF for head of the coven, and lots of demons who just flat out hate her. Even the "good guys" in her life could be secret agents of evil! So, yeah, to temper the head-spinning mystery element, there's lots of love triangley goodness. Luckily that doesn't have to resolve itself in this book, or we wouldn't get as much awesome time with both sets of couples.

Overall, this series is still a real pleasure to read. The pace is fast, the writing is fun and quirky, and the characters are all wonderfully entertaining. I can't wait to see what happens next!



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Review: Darkness Bound

Darkness Bound by J.T. Geissinger

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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

As a disclaimer, I have not read any of the other Night Prowler books and was completely unaware of the rest of the series when I picked this book up. That being said, I didn't have any trouble understanding the characters, world, plot, or larger storylines. This was a really meaty paranormal romance read that offered more than your typical "quickie" PNR.

Jack is a tough as nails reporter who is taking a stand against the "shifter invasion." While on assignment she ends up getting saved by a mysterious hottie who calls himself Hawk. Unrealistic? Jack thinks so, too, which leads her to believe that her BFF has sent this beautiful man as a birthday gift, fully paid for. The chemistry is super hot in this book -- reader be warned! They explode from the beginning, but are unfortunately faced with *a lot* of obstacles, the first of which is Hawk's less than stellar motivations. He has been chosen by his pack to seduce Jack and then reveal photos of them together along with his shifter background, thus ruining the great anti-shifter reporter's credibility.

Lucky for them, there are larger forces at play that manage to keep these two in close company long enough to overcome some "misunderstandings" from their first encounter. The story goes along those lines for a while -- each time I felt like they were closer to a HEA, some badness would creep into their relationship again (either paranormal or otherwise). The book does eventually meander towards a HEA, but you really have to work for it with these two.



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Review: Past My Defenses

Past My Defenses by Wendy Sparrow

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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

This was a really quirky and fun read that is not nearly as scary or intense as the cover makes it seem. The characters were fun and the romance was adorable (if not super duper sexually frustrating at times). If you want lots of smutty payoff, this book is not the one for you!

Vanessa is an allergy suffering werewolf who manages to stumble into her mate by complete accident. While doing battle with the hilariously named "Lucifer" the cat, she ends up passed out and transforming right in front of Dane (the park ranger, and sort of cat owner). The cat really is a reluctant hero of this story because without Lucifer, these two wild and crazy kids might never have found one another.

Along with the love story (again, it is a very sexually frustrating love story), there was also a murder/mystery thrown in as a bonus. Are there hunters around? Is someone working with the enemy? Will the pack accept a human and shifter being mated? This and even more chaos led to a very action-y and intense second half of the book. Yes, we get a HEA, but I'm still waiting for some happy sexy times between these two lovebirds (or love-wolves, as the case may be).



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Review: Beverly Hills Demon Slayer

Beverly Hills Demon Slayer by Angie Fox

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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

This series has really hit its stride with this one! First, I don't think you can just pick this series up in the middle -- go back to the beginning so you can appreciate our wonderful Demon Slayer and how far she's come! Second, I think this one really balanced the wife Demon Slayer, the bad decision making Demon Slayer, and the friendly Demon Slayer to make a truly awesome read.

Lizzie is still being her zany Demon Slayer self. She's romping around having sex with her hottie husband everywhere except the bedroom. She's still being plagued with inappropriately timed Demon Slayer nonsense that won't give her a moment's rest. This story revolved around the resurfacing of an old annoyance. Of course, Lizzie is the only one who can stop what will probably amount to the end of the world. She will probably have to sacrifice herself (again). You know the drill, but this time she made friends, and met old friends, too!

OK, so the writing is easy and the story is relatively self explanatory (no major cliffhangers or "a-ha" moments), but the humor is what keeps me hooked on this series. It's laugh out loud hilarious at times and always has me smiling. Even when things are looking really bad for Lizzie and the gang, the sarcastic wit always manages to put a positive (sort of) spin on things. I mean, c'mon, there's still a talking dog! Who doesn't love a talking dog?

I'm really happy that these book keep getting better and better. I can't get enough of this hilarious bunch of misfits and their antics. Who can tell where these stories will end up? I am eager to read as many of these stories as I can!



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Review: Bittersweet Sixteen

Bittersweet Sixteen by Lexi Witcher

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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

This was a quick and easy read that gives you a taste of the paranormally cursed Dodie Jenks. It had a lot of action packed into a month's worth of time: a seer and a warlock, a first love, a first kiss, a girl's coming of age, and a sweet sixteen party. This YA read delivers a solid mystery and I'm still holding my breath waiting for answers.

Dodie is an average girl until her family reveals that she's destined to die at 16. Turns out, a distant relative did something curse-worthy and she's got to suffer the consequences. In an effort to escape the curse, they hire Leopold, a warlock, and move Dodie out to love with her previously estranged grandmother. Of course, Leopold is hot and around the same age as Dodie, so as with all teenage girls, a crush immediately develops. The rest of the characters (and even Leopold) I couldn't really get a good impression from. We are forced to spend the majority of the book trying to figure out who the "bad guy" is that is still holding onto the curse. Even at the end of the book, I'm not quite sure who the good and bad players are in all this (cliffhangers abound!).

The awkward and adorable romance between Leopold and Dodie were really what made the book a joy to read. I want to see more of their teenage love affair, and hope there is more to be had in book two. The world was so rich with characters that I can easily see this series continuing on for more than a few books. I hope we get some solid answers soon, though!



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Review: Vampire Trouble

Vampire Trouble by Sara Humphreys

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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

Confession -- I didn't even realize there was a book before this one until I went to log my review right now. That being said, obviously you don't need to read the first book to understand all the inner workings of the second. This was a yummy paranormal romance with a real action edge. There's vampires, werewolves, ex-angels, and probably even more in this universe -- oh, and there's a sexy romantic storyline too!

Maya is a trouble newbie vampire who is struggling with her inability to remember her pre-vampire life. Shane is a hot vampire sentry who should really be doing things other than stalk the woman of his dreams while on duty. He's drawn to Maya for more than her looks and the mystery of her turning. She's a complicated, stubborn, self-doubting, mess while he is a rigid, self-assured, egotistical, warrior. The two of them really smash into one another and are forced to work together when they go on the run at the order of the "czar" of the city (a very pregnant vampire woman -- I guess that's where reading book 1 would have helped fill in the blanks).

The chemistry between the two of them is sizzling. The way Shane gets Maya to confront her fears and grow really helped give him a "get out of jail free card" when he went all martyr on her. There's the usual misunderstood feelings ordeal and some dumb girl decisions, but this book really balanced the action, fighting, romance, and sexy times well.



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Review: My Wolf's Bane

My Wolf's Bane by Veronica Blade

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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

Wow -- this was a really enjoyable YA paranormal romance read! It's filled with all the yummy goodness that makes YA so fun to read -- lots of pulse pounding sexual tension, oodles of romance, and the thrill of the chase. This book instantly put the author on my new favorites list!

Autumn is a teenager who has been shipped from town to town by overprotective parents. When she gets the news that they are going to move again, she sets off a chain reaction. She (sort of) dumps her current jerk of a boyfriend, she re-evaluates her "true" friends, and she sets her sights on the new hottie that seems like he doesn't want anything to do with her. Oh, and she discovers she kind of has superpowers. This wasn't primarily a werewolf story -- it more revolved around the trials and tribulations of teenagers that just so happen to have werewolves and shifters floating around.

I was absolution in love with Zack and Autumn. The dynamic between the two (and the sizzle) made turning each page more enjoyable than the last. The hours would fly by and then I'd realize how long I'd been sucked into this world. It was fun, addictive, and I really really want more. We get a good HEA, but I want more answers and more story (and just generally *more* of Zack and Autumn)! I highly recommend this book to all my YA paranormal fans out there.



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Review: A Curse Awakened

A Curse Awakened by Cecy Robson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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

This was a quick, short introduction to the "Weird Girls" and their wonderfully unique set of powers. Each gifted with something "weird", this story shows how they get them unbound from an evil curse.

Celia and her sisters get themselves into trouble on the way out of town. After getting a call from her ex-boyfriend, Danny, they are all drawn into a fight with some pretty nasty vampires. Lucky for them, this whole big story leads them to the key to unlocking their curse (cast upon them by a vengeful family member). There's mystery, mischief, mayhem, and bloody murder - so if that, with lots of paranormal powers, is what you're looking for in a short read, you should definitely check this one out.

All in all, this was an interesting introduction to the series, but I think I might have been better off reading it after I already knew all the characters. It read as a sort of "bonus" story to the series, rather than a real prequel.



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Review: Wild About You

Wild About You by Kerrelyn Sparks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Wow! I freely admit to stalling about reading this installment in the series. Something about Howard just didn't strike me as sexy or interesting. Maybe it's because he always comes across as a bit of a big teddy bear or fatherly figure to the many people he protects. Either way, I was wrong. I should've picked this book up the moment it came out because it was a wonderfully entertaining read!

Howard is trying to tie up loose ends at home. I don't recall if we got any information about his past before, but this book will certainly fill in any gaps. While he tries to purge his demons, matchmaking meddlers are working to bring him and his longtime TV personality crush, Elsa (the sledgehammer wielding home renovator) together. I love these books, so I give them a certain amount of leeway when it comes to build up of the romance. They tend to go from zero to love in very little time. Here, we get a little mix of courtship and "fated mates" type romance. Either way, it's 100% hot. This book really changed the way I see Howard, and it's like I get a whole new character out of it.

Elsa and Howard were a well matched couple in this world, and I can easily see how they fit perfectly in the universe. As a bonus, we also got little tid bits from the stars of previous books. If you've never read a book in this series, I think you could probably start from this one, but why would you? They are all so good, you should start from the beginning and enjoy them all in order!



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Review: Animal Attraction

Animal Attraction by Paige Tyler

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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

This book was a really fun and sexy intro to a new series of Alaskan shifter filled with a solid murder/mystery and some yummy romance. The writing style was very engaging and made for a quick, enjoyable read overall.

Eliza is a determined reporter. She won't be stopped by the fact that she was only hired as a tabloid paranormal reporter slow down her career. Sent to the Alaska on a werewolf assignment, the last thing she expects is to meet the real thing. There's a string of murders that all point towards a dangerous killer on the loose, whether it is paranormal or not, and the story certainly had you wondering when the murderer would strike again. On her way to unraveling the mystery, Eliza meets the hottie teacher, Hunter, who certainly knows a lot about wolves. Their attraction really skyrockets from the first meeting. Suddenly, Eliza finds herself wondering if she might be able to see herself in Alaska for more than just a story.

This intro to the series book was enough to have me looking into the author's other works. It was nice to have a quick and easy read that had bits and pieces of all the things I like about paranormal romance. I'm interested in seeing what else is released from this author in the future. This book was definitely worth checking out if you're into hot werewolf romance reads that will also deliver a healthy dose of murder/mystery.



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Review: Hotter Than Helltown

Hotter Than Helltown by S.M. Reine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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

These books are such quick and fun reads that I wish I had more to devour at once! Cesar's sarcastic and hilarious inner monologue is one of my favorite parts of this series and keeps me coming back for more. While these books take place in the same universe as the rest, they are definitely a solid stand alone read.

Cesar is still straddling the line at his new job. He's trying his best to mess up his deal to become Aspis to Fritz, while still appearing to give it his best shot. He's working for a company that has pretty much assured him they will eventually be the cause of his death. He's also flirting with his boss's ex (almost) fiancee. All these things will certainly lead to no good in the long run, but in the short period of time that this book covers, it makes for really entertaining antics. We are introduced to angels in this set of books (finally), and they are just as wrong as they were in the Elise stories. If you find these things offesive, you are in the wrong place. I am absolutely in love with the twisted and wonderful world that the author has painted, and continue to love it in this new format. Just when you think you have things figured out, there is always a curveball that causes my jaw to drop and flips my understanding upside down.

Poor Cesar doesn't get much in the way of romantic action, but there is all sorts of buildup for misunderstandings and horrible situations to happen in future installments. These stories are gritty, entertaining, hilarious, and so interesting! I can honestly say that there is nothing out there like a book from this author. From writing style to unique world building, you just can't really compare any other books out there to these. If you haven't checked out this series, or any related books, you are missing out on something truly special.



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