Bond of Destiny

Bond of Destiny by Larissa Ione
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

OK, it’s been a minute since I read a Demonica novel so I will admit to not remembering *anything* about the characters in this book. It is closely linked to the horsemen of the apocalypse but also has guest stars from UG. Dribs and drabs came back to me along with way, but I think if you have a general handle on paranormal romance, you can dive in here with no backstory.

Stacey is on her way back in a terrible snowstorm when she wrecks near her friend’s house. Said house is being taken care of by Tracker, a werewolf with a slave bond to her friend (long story). When he spots her, half-dead and headed through miles of snow, he jumps into action and revives her. These two apparently had a bit of a crush on one another which makes it less creepy when Stacey wakes up in his bed without clothes. While I admit to not enjoying the whole “slave” angle here, it was a good sizzle and payoff, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing how it will end up.

Surprise - it ends happily because all these stories do. It even gives little glimpses of where their future could be headed in this new life together. All in all these books are quick and fun without the needed commitment of the entire series, so I’ll keep gobbling them up.

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Spell Bond: More Tales From the Old World

Spell Bond: More Tales From the Old World by Melissa F. Olson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book dead last in the series. Was that the right choice? Who knows, but it worked for me. Maybe you could read it before old world war so you get that as your closing book and it works better. Either way, as a completionist this was on my list.

I’m not going to individually review all the stories but there is a good mix. There’s a romantic one, a family one, and all the feelings in between (including COVID times anxiety for those of you who may be triggered by that). You get to see “behind the scenes” for some things, resolve some unresolved things, and ultimately come out with a more complete picture of all the characters we’ve come to know and love. I don’t think it’s necessary, exactly, but was a fun way for me to wrap up the series completely (for now).

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Old World War

Old World War by Melissa F. Olson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love this world so much. All of the characters are so well developed at this point that even with a big break in reading the series, it was like coming home again.

This book (shocker) revolves around the brewing of an old world war. An attack is made on nulls in general and Scarlett in specific. This obviously upsets their world and sets off a chain that ends with a big gathering of sorts. Let’s call it a trial, but it’s almost like a convention/reunion/something better. Scarlett really gets beat up in this one, so that’s a little tough to read but she is a fighter and that also doesn’t stop her from running her wonderful mouth. The banter is strong with this one, and made more so by Lex teaming up with Simon.

Lex is obviously involved in null attacks because of her niece. She springs into action while simultaneously beating herself up for not somehow predicting this particular scenario. Turns out that some big bads from such installments like “killing Scarlett’s baby daddy” or “messing up Eli” come calling in the form of even worse daddy issues in the vampire community. The vampires are justifiably angry and decide to try out their new judgement system by trying these bad guys. To be fair to all involved, there’s not only a supernatural bad guy but also a human bad guy, complete with tactical training to rival Lex’s. This felt like more even odds, which also made me sit on the edge of my seat for most of this book. The battles are great, the banter is great, and we even get some much needed resolution in a few different areas. Overall, this book was a wonderful read and gave some nice closure to this series.

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Spirit Bound (Re-Read)

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My original review: This might be my least favorite of this series. It was full of angst and unresolved plot lines.

Knowing where we go and how things end up for all these characters, I think I appreciate this book more. I love getting to see Adrian in a different light and having a view to his future. That maybe made it better to get over the way that Rose treats him, especially after all the mayhem that happens in this book. How to summarize? I guess the description tells that Rose is trying to cure Dimitri under the guise of doing good for the world. It’s reckless and selfish and of course her BFF is on board. If that ends up getting everyone to a better place (except Adrian) then I’m all for it, but it is like watching a train wreck happen in slow bursts.

There are an insane series of events that have to take place for the ending of this book to resolve and while we get there, it requires a lot of leaps of faith. So many people also have to die for Rose to get closer to a HEA, which is something she will have to live with I guess. This is certainly a filler book because we needed these actions to take place before true change can happen, but it feels like this book ends at a random stop, with all the characters dangling. If I had read this in real time I would have been very angry to have such a cliffhanger.

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Bloodlust Bites

Bloodlust Bites by Luanne Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a continuation of the previous one, so I’d recommend you start there if you somehow ended up on this book review. This is a world where vampires, shifters, and witches are a regular occurrence and there is a little sizzle thrown into this book making it even better than the last.

Charley is still working on getting control of her powers here. Having just narrowly survived the last big bad, turns out they are still looking for the vampire who is murdering town members and stirring up conflict in a town here supernaturals are “normal.” Crimson, the town, has been terrorized by this killer and it seems to be getting closer to Charley, even framing her bartender. Surprise visits in the form of a lone wolf and the ever growing mystery of the vampire love interest for Charley all end up popping up in good and bad ways in this book.

It’s clear that Charley is still trying to figure out her path in life and while we get some resolution in her world, there’s oodles of growth still to come I’m sure. I am both confused and enamored with the witch support system she has as well as her misfit employees. For someone who tries to do so much good for the town, even jeopardizing her own safety, she somehow manages to fly under the radar for the most part. I hope the next book puts her in more of a position of power that she truly deserves.

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Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact

Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact by Liz Wiseman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of a professional associate book club and I’m glad I did. It’s been a while since I read “for work” and it’s always good to keep an open mind to developing skills.

This book is jam packed with advice and I admit that it was at times overwhelming. Where do I start? Can I do all of this? Luckily the author does have some associated materials and key steps to take related to where to start. I don’t think you can really summarize the “plot” like I do for other reviews, but the storytelling aspects of this book helped keep me engaged throughout. I was truly invested in the case studies along the way, giving insight into the different industries this can apply to. If you’re looking for a relatively easy read that you can grab a few good professional development nuggets from, this book delivers.

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