Saturday, October 31, 2015

Review: The Greyelf Grizzlies Box Set

The Greyelf Grizzlies Box Set The Greyelf Grizzlies Box Set by Ivy Sinclair
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

This set of four books read like one nicely sized novel when put all together. While there is some mystery thrown in, it's really a lost-loves-reunited type of read for me.

Maren has lived in a shifter inhabited town for most of her life. She even returned to the small town after graduating college. While Greyelf is one constant in her life, her love for the bad boy in town, Lukas, is her other constant. She's tried to move on, especially after he abandoned her without a word one day, but her feelings just won't go away. It looks like she might be safe, until his older brother (and alpha of the bear shifters) turns up dead.

Lukas isn't as much of a bad boy anymore, but he's still governed largely by his emotions. That's probably why when he shows up at the hospital to see his brother's body he heads right towards his childhood friend, Maren. These two are both guilty of hiding their feelings throughout the years, but 10 years changes a lot of things.

Aside from the delicate dance these two do to end up together, we also get a mystery in the form of the alpha's murder. Throw in some pack politics, evil-doers, and judgmental fathers and you've got a solid read.

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Friday, October 30, 2015

Review: The M-Team

The M-Team The M-Team by Kate Danley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have such a book hangover from this one. I knew eventually I would catch up to the latest release in the series, but I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. What am I supposed to do without new Maggie and Killian stories to read?

This book had a lot of important stuff jammed in there. With the expected action-packed mayhem, we also had to face some issues that might have been slightly avoidable (in retrospect). The first of these things is that Maggie’s license is in jeopardy because she kinda broke a lot of rules with the last batch of mayhem. Sure, she saved the world and whatnot, but she also rode a dragon around Hollywood in the process. Well, Maggie’s de-licensing (disbarment? Firing? I don’t know what to call this…) is just the tip of the iceberg. What begins as a bit of conspiracy at work ended up spiraling into a significantly larger issue.

While most of the other books wrapped up nicely (sort of), this one really left me on the edge of my seat and wanting more. Wanting more is a given, but I need to know what happens next for these two wild and crazy kids. Where does this conspiracy end? Why won’t Killian and Maggie hook up and satisfy my shipper needs? How is Maggie going to save the world (again)?


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Review: Fast and the Furriest

Fast and the Furriest Fast and the Furriest by Celia Kyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

This book marks a departure from my shorter, quicker reads by this author and dove right into a more fully developed story. In this story we get tigers, reporters, and drama (oh my!).

We dive right into the drama that is happening because a reporter made a silly mistake. Ares fell into some extreme lust (and love?) right away and the two had just finished spending a normal week together. Ares, unfortunately, shifted in the wrong place at the wrong time and she stumbled in, catching the thing on her phone by accident. A work phone… that her editor monitors and jumps on to make an exciting reveal for the “closeted” tiger shifters. One thing leads to another, and the next time she goes to look for Ares to explain (and solve the mystery draw she feels towards him), there are women coming out of the woodwork to find the hottie tiger shifters.

Turns out, Ares is the leader of the tigers and is in a world of trouble now that one sexy reporter “outed” them all. It still doesn’t stop him from wanting her, though. These two are HOT together and even the drama didn’t stop me from rooting for these two lovebirds (or tigers, or whatever). While their HEA isn’t an easy one, it was still fun to go along for the ride. We also got introduced to some super fun characters that I can’t wait to see more from in future installments of the series.


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Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Review: M&K Tracking

M&K Tracking M&K Tracking by Kate Danley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Maggie and Killian are doing your typical partner things – throwing sarcastic barbs back and forth, trying to figure out how they’re going to pay the bills, chipping away dirty gargoyles from rooftops, and, you know, saving the world.

After a cryptic phone call warns Maggie not to take a job (which, of course, only ensures that she will *totally* take that job), M & K Tracking is forced to dive into a non-paying but world-saving gig once again. Sad about the money, but this one certainly took us to places we’ve never been before. Remember the Dark Dimension from previous books? Well it turns out that isn’t just the place where the genie went. There are horrible things that come out of there and they might be set loose if Maggie doesn’t continue to be the superhero that she’s determined to be.

On top of all the action-packed goodness, we also get a healthy dose of information about Killian and it is way more than just how much he wants Lacy (or Maggie… or really any hottie). While the big bad still lurks in the background, I am willing to take the small (OK, saving the world isn’t really small) wins and information gathering along the way. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this foul-mouthed heroine and her saucy side-kick.


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Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Review: Maggie on the Bounty

Maggie on the Bounty Maggie on the Bounty by Kate Danley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have I mentioned I’m loving these books? This is my third book in 2 days and I cannot get enough of the wild and crazy world of Maggie MacKay.

This book begins with a simple brunch with family and ends up throwing Maggie and Killian into a timey-wimey wibbly wobbly mess. These now official partners are the same sarcastic and wonderful pair that they’ve been for the previous books. Now that they’re working together, we get to see a bit more of the greedy side of Killian, which does not hurt my enjoyment of him at all. These two are quickly becoming my favorite couple, even if they continue to destroy my hopes and dreams by not hooking up (yet).

The mystery in this one has to do with vampires (tied to the big bad) showing up in times they aren’t supposed to while ghosts are notably missing where they are supposed to be. Throw in a ghost ship, some time paradoxes (paradoxi?) and you’ve got yourself an action-packed adventure for our fearless duo. Did I mention the amazing banter? This book is filled to the brim with fast-paced out of this world (literally) banter. I’m completely addicted.


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Monday, October 26, 2015

Review: Maggie Get Your Gun

Maggie Get Your Gun Maggie Get Your Gun by Kate Danley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I freely admit it – I am binge reading these books. I can’t stop myself from purchasing one book after another and quickly devouring them. Sadly, work has been interrupting my reading time, but I will endeavor to push through!

We join Maggie after her victorious last case, where she rescued her father (who everyone thought was dead) and managed to defeat her evil uncle. Worried that Killian stayed away after that? Have no fear! Killian is just as present in this book as the last, so I happily got a good dose of awesome elf. Maggie is still her cursing, brawling, tracker self, complete with a case that turns her world upside-down. What starts as a simple enough case to recover an evil object spirals out of control in typical Maggie fashion. There’s a genie, some werewolves, some vampires, a devious con-man, a wise Chinese man, a meddling mom, and an awesome brownie in this book. Oh, and ghosts. Always with the ghosts.

I have learned to expect a story that goes this way and that before finding its final and happy conclusion. While we never really end up with 100% of the answers, we end up happy enough and it pushes me even further into Maggie’s wonderfully chaotic world. It’s like Mulder and Scully, if they were always stabbing things and cursing. I’m still rooting for a little romance action (just like Maggie’s mom), but I am oddly satisfied even if there isn’t any.


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Review: Maggie for Hire

Maggie for Hire Maggie for Hire by Kate Danley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I stumbled upon this author in a paranormal anthology and immediately fell in love. The blend of cursing, sarcasm and witty banter was simply perfection. This is definitely my kind of book.

Maggie is a tracker that curses like a sailor. She also has the special ability to create openings between Earth and the Otherworld. These skills make her uniquely qualified to handle a job for an elf named Killian. I should stop here and expand on how much I absolutely love Killian. He’s a fun blend of horny teenager, Ren Faire reject, and hilarious sidekick. I wish I could sum up all his awesomeness in a review, but I can’t. You just have to read the book to enjoy it for yourself. So, back to the story, right? Killian shows up with an offer Maggie can’t refuse: hunt down her mysterious evil uncle who wants to mush the two worlds together. Oh, and he’s working with vampires and did I mention evil?

For what starts as a reluctant partnership, Maggie and Killian end up being a perfect match. He is used to being perpetually wanted and she just wants to be left alone. Somehow, this works for them. Between staking vampires and being an amazing fighter, Maggie also suffers from your usual issues – a mom who is overbearing, stress in the workplace, and struggling to pay bills. I can’t put into words exactly how much I loved this book and all its quirky goodness. If your genre is paranormal (even without the romance), this is an absolute must-read.


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Saturday, October 24, 2015

Review: Bitterroot, Part 2

Bitterroot, Part 2 Bitterroot, Part 2 by Heather Hildenbrand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

While these books aren't gigantic, so much stuff happens in each one that you definitely want to start with book 1 in this trilogy.

In this book, we join Regan and Charlie, already in full angst form. We dive in to see Regan's side of the party (and the introduction of the sisters and Owen). Sadly, Regan continues to remain oblivious to the "more than friendship" coming from her BFF. At the same time, we get to watch Owen and Charlie's forbidden romance begin to really blossom in this book. Oh, and there's also a bunch of drama building because Regan and Charlie still have to do real battle for the open alpha position.

The mix of teenage romance, werewolf pack dynamics, and a definite ramp up on the action, this series is rapidly heading towards its conclusions. I can't figure out if I want Regan to rule like she's been training for all her life, or if Charlie needs to win to represent the underdogs. Maybe there will be a third option? That'd be great!

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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Review: Nightshade

Nightshade Nightshade by Annie Bellet
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

I really only picked up this book with the intention of getting to the one story I wanted to read – the one about James and Elise. I was genuinely surprised when I found myself really enjoying a large majority of the other stories included. It was a nice variety of witches, vampires, ghosts, demons, and anything else that falls into the paranormal category. While not all of them are romantic in nature or set in the somewhat present, they all gave a good look into their respective worlds.

There were definitely some standouts in the collection and rather than review them all, I’ll pull out my favorites. All of these short stories left me wanting to know more about their worlds (with the exception of the SM Reine read, of which I have already read all there is to read about my favorite angsty pair – James and Elise).

Spirits of Bourbon Street: This was a good mix of fun, sizzle, and mayhem all rolled into an enjoyable paranormal package. What begins as a simple Halloween party ends up throwing everyone into a “time warp.” There are witches and ghosts and men in body paint – what more could you want?

The Ghost & Mrs. MacKay: Maggie is my type of girl – sarcastic and prone to chaotic nights dealing with her family. Oh, and she’s got a wonderfully clueless elf partner. These two had me hooked from the start and I immediately added the author to my “to-read” list. Maggie’s band of misfits is tasked with attending her mother’s ghost-filled Halloween party and tracking down an aggressive attendee. Oh, and there’s witchy booze thrown in, too. This was a super fun read!

Dying Night: I’m not sure how easy it is to dive into the world of James and Elise, but as a fan I absolutely loved this. We get to see what happened on that night in the Grand Canyon and boy did it exceed expectations. The relationship with James and Elise is complicated to say the least, but here we see them handle things as they always do – by saving the world. And there’s Malcolm, and who doesn’t love Malcolm?


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Review: Surrendering to the Beast

Surrendering to the Beast Surrendering to the Beast by Tina Donahue
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

This book was super bad in a good way. Take an uptight fairy and throw her into temptation and what you get is super-duper paranormally sexy.

Heather works the front desk at a place where paranormals go to become “normal” (at least on the surface). She functions as a healer and general “good” influence, trying to stay away from anything that would be considered “bad.” This works well until Daemon steps into their office, throwing her whole world into chaos. She’s unbelievably attracted to him and cannot resist, even when he’s in horrible pain from their horribly altering potions.

Daemon thought that he was simply going to change his legs from hooves to feet and get rid of his tail and horns. When he left the facility, though, he somehow ended up with a hot, pure fairy girlfriend of sorts that had him wanting to change his crude ways and become a monogamous type of guy. These two change each other in oodles of ways, and even get to throw a genie threesome into the mix. This read was quick and dirty in some fun ways that led to a very quick read.


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Friday, October 16, 2015

Review: Death A La Mode

Death A La Mode Death A La Mode by Tawdra Kandle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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

This book was simply everything I wanted. I tore through it in a single sitting, sad to see it end but so happy (and hungry) having read it. Do you like pie? Do you like vampires? Then you will be just as happy reading this short little book as I was.

We join Jackie and Lucas immediately following the short story that mushed my love of Rafe/Nell and Lucas/Jackie together. While the world smooshing was awesome, the actual events were not so hot. Jackie was “possessed” by an evil old woman, and they all learned that the world is going to end. Sad news, right? Jackie copes in a way that is very familiar to me – by diving into pie. OK, so for Jackie it was more making and trying to win a pie competition, but pie is pie. While she is playing the avoidance game, Lucas is being pulled to the scenes of some deaths that only serve to stress Jackie more. Turns out, the singer that Jackie is looking forward to see perform at the festival is being surrounded by people dying. This murder/mystery kept the book rolling without taking away from the excellent and “real” dynamics between Lucas and Jackie as they both try to find their new normal.

Yes, we get a nice ending with a bow tied around everything (except, you know, the world ending), but we also get a great turning point that has me begging for the next installment. Where will this power couple of supernatural awesomeness end up next? And what food will the next book make me crave above all others? These books are happy little gems that leave me happy, hungry, and excited for more.


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Friday, October 9, 2015

Review: Frayed

Frayed Frayed by Stacey Wallace Benefiel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I took a bit of a break between the first and second book so I had some time to recover from the previous ending, which is where this book picks right back up. I definitely don't recommend reading these books out of order, and it helps to know the sister series, too.

Penny thought she might have found her place at the New Society School. Sure, she was still a bit of a weirdo (or her powers made her so), but slightly less than outside those walls. She'd found Wyatt, the sweetest guy in the world, and proceeded to rock his world in the best way possible. These two were shaping up to be a powerhouse couple until Kai's death vision begins to haunt her dreams. This can only mean one thing - she has been tasked with saving Kai's life and living forever with a "trigger" sentence hanging over her head.

To make matters worse, her newly discovered family member happens to be dating Kai, building this into a horrible love trapezoidal mess. Oh, and there's a big bad mystery about what's happening to the people around them. There's sickness, poofing, premonitions, and oodles of badness coming their way. This messy group has to find a way to work together before the world as they know it ends.

There were a lot of revelations in this book and (of course) no solid resolution at the end, leaving me craving more but unable to continue. I guess I'll just have to settle down and wait with the rest of the fans to see what comes next.

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Review: Led Astray: The Best of Kelley Armstrong

Led Astray: The Best of Kelley Armstrong Led Astray: The Best of Kelley Armstrong by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

I want to preface this by saying I'm not usually much of a short story person. Sure, if it expands on a universe I already know, it's easy enough to read some shorts like that. This, however, isn't the case here. While I've read all the Otherworld books, I haven't read Cainsville (yet), which might have put me at a disadvantage. I can't say for certain. Either way, this was a set of very short stories that took place in a lot of different worlds with one common thread - evil where you least suspect it. Goes along with the name, right? Pretty much every story here has you thinking one thing before hitting you with the twist.

There were definitely some stand outs in this collection like Nick's story (probably because it was a world I was familiar with), but the rest were over too quick to leave much of a serious impression. The writing was what I've come to expect from Kelley Armstrong, but I wouldn't really call this "The best of Kelley Armstrong"... If you're looking for a well-written collection of various short stories with dark twist, this is probably a book you should check out.

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Review: Love The One You're Witch

Love The One You're Witch Love The One You're Witch by Randa Flannery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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

Wow - this was a fantastically snarky read! If you love some sass and sarcasm mixed into your paranormal romance, this book has to be on your "to read" list!

Anastasia is a massively powerful witch, plugging along at her job until she gets assigned a vampire love spell case. Turns out, she never informed her boss that she has a "thing" against vampires. Life changing near-death experiences will do that to a person. Even if that person has some pretty great coping mechanisms and support system, she just isn't going there again. After much enjoyable banter (oh man, this book is just filled with fun, silly, and completely amazing banter), she relents and heads out to look into this love spell business.

One look at the hunky, sexy, dark and mysterious stranger (vampire) and she's hooked. Sure, she'll get rid of the love spell, no problem. Lucas, however, is not so willing to let her go after the spell is broken. These two simply sizzle, even if they try to resist their more primitive urges (according to Lucas, anyway). I was simply in love with this pairing, the characters, the story, and just the general feel of fun I got while reading this book. You get a nice, cute mystery, coupled with a love story, coupled with some zany paranormal antics. What more could you ask for?

How can it be that I've never heard of this author before? Surely, there must be more that I can immediately read, right?? I tore through this book so fast that I had a bit of a book hangover afterwards. I want more!


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Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Review: Bump in the Night

Bump in the Night Bump in the Night by Elianne Adams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

This was a short read that had oodles of twists and turns along the way. As an introduction to this world, it certainly dove right in.

Libbie is a witch (and more) who has been anti-social. It's reached the point where her friends have noticed and guilted her to come out on Halloween. As soon as she walks into the bar, though, she catches the eye of Jay, a werewolf on the hunt for his mate. Lucky for both of them, they're being set up to meet anyway. What starts as a steamy meeting of mates turns into a bit of a mess. Libbie's "job" to meet with ghosts never really ends and one such demanding ghost ends up pulling her out of her date way too early.

These two have some serious fated mate chemistry that ignites, when they aren't battling goblins. Just when I thought we were headed straight into HEA-land, this book ripped it away. It was such a rollercoaster of a ride that I had to accept that I had no idea where we were going to end up. Be prepared! This was definitely an unexpected read.

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Review: It's A Ghoul Thing

It's A Ghoul Thing It's A Ghoul Thing by Stephanie Nelson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

Ordinarily, I'm not a big short story reader. This collection, however, had me eager to pick the book up time and time again. They were all so fun and different that I think I'm also going to do something that I usually don't do - give a review of the overall collection instead of doing them by story.

The theme of this collection was definitely paranormal, with a Halloween spin. The characters ranged from demons to witches and everything in between (which includes weres also). If you're a paranormal reader, I can't think of anything that you could want that this collection wouldn't deliver. There's the silly, fun reads, the serious and darker reads, the romantic reads, and they are all really great. The pacing of all the stories, even when read one after another, is perfect.

These stories also did exactly what I assume short story anthologies are supposed to do: give a good introduction to new authors. I added a few to my "to-read" shelf immediately after finishing the stories. If you're looking for a fun and completely enjoyable read that will satisfy your spooky side, this is the book for you!

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Saturday, October 3, 2015

Review: Bear Meets Girl

Bear Meets Girl Bear Meets Girl by Shelly Laurenston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

I haven't read many books in this series, but the characters are always an experience. I felt a little bit like Crush in this - on some wild and crazy rollercoaster ride of confusion, unsure of where the story would take me next.

Crush (aka Lou Crushek) is a bear of habit. What starts as a transfer to a different department ends up starting a series of events that takes him decidedly outside his comfort zone. A visit to a party, consuming some jello shots, and waking up with a naked crazy woman draped all over him is just the start of his crazy spiral. While trying to understand the crazy woman (Cella), he is also tasked with helping hunt down someone who is killing shifters for sport. Turns out, the crazy woman he can't seem to shake works for a fellow "agency" also working on finding the killer.

The real story here is the insane world that Cella feels is "normal." Her outspoken family had me smiling and laughing all along the way. The part that I struggled with here was really getting the gigantic cast of characters under control. There was a lot of name swapping (first, then last, then first again, etc.) and I had trouble keeping up. Maybe that's just my deficiency and people who have read the entire series won't have the same trouble. What I did enjoy was the wacky relationship between Cella and Crush. Watching them change and grow was super fun. You could certainly never know what to expect next from Cella and towards the end, Crush was also heading in a surprising path. I loved these two. Oh, and they also ended up saving the day, too.

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Friday, October 2, 2015

Review: Beyond The Veil

Beyond The Veil Beyond The Veil by Pippa DaCosta
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

This book had so many twists and turns that even at the end, I'm not quite sure how I feel. It certainly had me second guessing myself along the way.

Charlie (aka Muse) has been on the run for 5 years. She's been playing at being normal when really she is a human that houses a demon inside. She had a rich and sexy boyfriend (who also happened to be a prince of hell) and was taken care of, but that didn't give her the independence that she wanted. Her attempt to be normal ends abruptly when another half demon shows up at her workshop door (and then blows it up).

That explosion leads to a non-stop action-packed story that has poor Charlie running from one disaster to the next. Just when I got used to trusting a character, they ended up being a surprise bad guy, or a secret spy, or someone lying to everyone. It had me exhausted, so I felt super bad for the girl who just wanted a normal life. The ending delivered something that I was completely not expecting and made the story feel... unfinished. Does that count as a cliffhanger? I'm not sure, but I certainly don't know what's next for Charlie/Muse.

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Review: Blade Dance

Blade Dance Blade Dance by D.L. McDermott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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

WOW! I simply couldn't put this book down. This series just keeps getting better and better.

When I first started the book I was a bit shocked - am I really supposed to get behind the "bad guy" from the previous books? He's the bad guy - I won't want him to have his happy ending, let alone have him end up with a woman I might like. These two met a little while ago, but who knew that they would become my new fave?

Ann Phillips is the best. She's a tough teacher who stands up for what she believes in, but is able to follow her intuition when it guides her. Growing up in the foster system with an anger problem, she's got her own coping mechanisms that keep her from blacking out and having one of her "episodes." Meeting Finn, the quintessential bad boy, has thrown her into a world where everything she knows is called into question.

Finn is a bad guy. There's no doubt about it - he did bad things in the name of revenge. He's still a bit damaged from the druid abuse and the loss of his wife. This has led to the slow deterioration of his following and his general enjoyment of life. All of this changes when Ann marches into his life. These two do the best for both of them. Finn pushes Ann beyond her limits while helping her accept her "gifts" and Ann makes Finn try to become a better person.

With a child at risk, these two along with Finn's estranged family must work together with the most unlikely ally. The group has to work together to make sure the little boy gets home safe. The characters, the action, the sizzling hot chemistry all worked together to make a truly addictive and satisfying read.

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Review: Alpha Unleashed

Alpha Unleashed Alpha Unleashed by Aileen Erin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

This series just keeps building and building! If you haven't read any of the series before, I would seriously suggest you starting from the beginning. Having watched these characters change and grow.

We join Tessa in the place we left her at the end of the previous book. Luciana is still on the loose and (if you read the non-Tessa book) we rewind to before our latest mate match happened. This book goes through the same timeline (and beyond) while allowing us to see what Tessa and company were doing that whole time. After a heartbreaking vision throws everyone for a loop, the gang rallies to fight for the future.

Tessa and Dastien are still smoking hot and awesome together. Without this strength at the core of the group, this probably would have all fallen apart. This misfit group has somehow been tasked with fighting demons that know all their tricks. We also get some epic changes that impacts the lives of all the supernaturals in the book. Most of all, though, we get some good looks into the mysterious world of the fae. I can't wait for the next installment!

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