Legacy of Chaos

Legacy of Chaos by Larissa Ione
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We spent a little time learning about Stryke in the last book. He’s the next generation and son of Shade and Runa, and he is a jerk. The first book in this series spent a lot of time tiptoeing around what happened to Crux’s twin, Chaos, but what we mostly know going into this one is that it broke Stryke and estranged him from his family.

In the last book, Cyan’s roommate was murdered by an Aegis agent using one of Stryke’s weapons. Cyan is, obviously, very conflicted because she spent a lot of years idolizing him. She’s a technomancer working at DART, put in an even more awkward position when her boss asks her to go on loan to Stryke’s company to oversee/help with a new weapon he’s making for them. She swallows her pride and goes, ending up differentiating herself by being the only one of Stryke’s employee’s who will not bow to him and his greatness. Turns out, that’s exactly what Stryke needs right now. He’s been very close to the edge for a while and he’s been informed that his suppressants are on the road to killing him.

I really liked the vulnerability that we got out of Stryke in this book. I also really enjoyed Cyan, who was not some damsel in distress in any way through the book. She dives in, ready to face any and all challenges, even when they come with years and years of baggage. I think this book was even better than book 1, so I’m super excited for book 3 next! I should probably mention the heaven stuff too, but it still feels pretty minor but will likely come to a head before the end (hopefully).

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Legacy of Temptation

Legacy of Temptation by Larissa Ione
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Welcome to the next generation of the Demonica characters! I was surprised, but happy when I realized that’s what this series would be about. This book shows us what Logan, son of Death, is up to now that he’s grown-up.

Eva works for the Aegis, less as a calling and more to make her parents happy and advance her career in communications. As the spokesperson for the Aegis, she is one of the first volunteered to participate in a sort-of exchange program with DART, their demon-loving counterparts. Logan, of course, works for DART, leveraging his skills and benefits from being bonded to Cujo, the hellhound, to fight evil. Logan and Eva have a love/hate relationship from the start, which morphs into attraction around the time Logan helps Eva get rid of her nightmare demon. This act ends up setting off a cascade of events that leaves a rising body count and forces both of them to face their trust issues.

I really liked Eva and Logan in this one. They weren’t just the “next generation” with parental issues, they were more well-rounded than that. While we lose some characters in this one, I like where this world is headed and hope we get some good resolution to a few loose ends.



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The Book of Blood and Roses

The Book of Blood and Roses by Annie Summerlee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where to begin with this book? There was so much world building and backstory jammed into it that I’m going to have a hard time doing it justice with any sort of summary review. This is a f/f hunter/vampire romance ultimately, but there is so much more going on than just that.

Rebecca’s family died, leaving her alone in a world where vampires are known and she has a blood type that makes her nearly irresistible to them. This combination made her an easy recruit into a vampire hunting society. Her handler routinely sends her into situations where she must go undercover, but this latest job will test her resolve. She needs to pretend to be a wealthy college student who is interested in vampire studies at a vampire college that only recently began allowing humans in. At this college, she must find the “Book of Blood & Roses.”

Things do not go smoothly from the get go - when she stumbles upon a hookup in the library between the HBIC of the vampire students and a few others. Aliz, the HBIC and daughter of the sort-of vampire ruling class, of course ends up being Rebecca’s roommate. Instant lust/attraction ends up evolving to more when a secret faction of vampires at the college attack her and Aliz saves her with her blood. Now there’s all of Rebecca’s secrets, an accidental bond, a timeline for this bond to dissolve or become permanent, hunting for the book, Aliz & Rebecca’s relationship and family baggage, and so much more that comes to light. It was a wild ride that somehow ended.. OK? I was satisfied but it was certainly a journey.

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A Christmas Cadence

A Christmas Cadence: A Spicy Small Town Paranormal Romance by Cynthia Brubaker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was a very quick read that starts at a high school reunion and ends post-holidays. It gave strong Christmas cozy vibes and did include some spice.

Natalie is single at her high school reunion and gets caught staring at her high school crush and fellow band-member. Drake is now a fitness instructor at his parent’s gym, having never left their home town whereas Natalie went her own path, trying to continue pursuing music. The sparks fly and they both have a very memorable reunion evening, made even more so by Drake biting Natalie while in the throes of passion. Natalie obviously gets the appropriate amount of freaked out and leaves Drake stuck in a tough spot.

Natalie soon has to come to grips with the fact that her body is going through some changes - in this case, marked mates are made physically ill being away from their mates. Since she is doing her best to not be around Drake, she needs to compromise her own boundaries to feel better physically. They still have chemistry, passion, and slowly but steadily build a romantic relationship and trust. We get a nice HEA after all their drama, too!

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The Wolves and Their Cipher

The Wolves and Their Cipher by K.E. Turner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This series is heating up and if you haven’t read the first book, I recommend you start there. In this story, we get to learn more about the hackers of the pack while progressing the bigger plot line too.

The female love interest, Melinda, is a hacker for good. She grew up in an abusive household, so she channels her skills helping women escape abusive relationships, funneling the money that she gets from less philanthropic endeavors into meaningful work for herself. Her latest client who she assumes is also trying to escape abuse, ends up being the big bad that the wolf pack is trying to track down. During Melinda’s latest identity change for her client, the twins ended up tracing Melinda’s whereabouts and begin to dig into her life.

Melinda, being no fool, knows these two amazingly attractive guys showing up in her apartment building right after she had her incident is suspicious, but she can’t ignore the mystery. She is also attracted to Pierre and Louis. Lucky for them all, the attraction goes both (or all?) ways. The bad guys make a play for Melinda, which forces the brothers to act quickly without doing the right thing and telling Melinda about… any of the bigger picture. This, of course, backfires and we go through a lot more trouble than we need to. We get some good spice, big plot progress, and even a HEA for this trio.

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Lie Down with Dogs

Lie Down with Dogs by Hailey Edwards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Look, I know I’m supposed to root for Shaw and Thierry, I get it, but I am really struggling with the fact that I am firmly Team Rook even though I know he is a bad-ish guy.

This book takes place right after Thierry wins her crown, figures out how to shape shift, ends up married to Rook, and negotiates a year-long reprieve from her return to Faerie. She’s supposed to be using this time to wrap things up in her “normal” life, learn the customs of her court, and generally prepare for this huge change. Instead, she is trying to find a way out. Her time back at work has been largely spent hunting folks that may give her an advantage in future negotiations with the fae. It’s not working out so great and she ends up being suspended for her latest stunt. You know what that means? Road trip book!

Her BFF convinces her to take her new cat protector, her new guards, and head off to Florida for a break. Of course, nothing goes according to plan and somehow Shaw convinces her to help with an off the books case he is working on. This works out nicely for him, because he can only feed from Thierry so he doesn’t need to go hungry while she’s away. Everyone is lying in one way or another in this book, so navigating the turbulent relationship dynamics was tough. I know that Shaw’s reveals about their breakup are supposed to make me feel better about him, but I don’t. A simple conversation would have avoided that mess, the mess with Rook, her really screwed up dad relationship, her time spent protecting her mom, and the whole guard situation. Very frustrating, especially with where I se her needing to go in the next book. I’m going to take a breather and then come back to this series.


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Dragon Revealed

Dragon Revealed by Donna Grant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

These stories in the 1001 Dark Nights sets can always be read as standalone shorts, but are also enhanced by some previous knowledge of the world, set in an established series. I am familiar with the Dragon Kings world, though, admittedly, not caught up. That being said, I was slightly spoiled in the book immediately previous to this one, so if you are looking to avoid spoilers, make sure you catch up before diving in here.

Varek was just going about his holiday with a friend and fellow Dragon King when he found himself a captive. There's some missing time, but the shackles and cell are a dead giveaway. The fact that he can't use any of his typically easily reached powers also indicates some bad things. Jeyra is the one who captured him by breaking some rules, going outside her territory and into the areas of her world where magic works, and dragging Varek through to her realm. Motivated, of course, by revenge for the loss of her family by a dragon, Jeyra starts out very proud of her accomplishments, but things rapidly change.

Varek and Jeyra are clearly drawn to one another, even in these crazy circumstances. This world is not so different from the realm where Varek lived through betrayal by humans once before. Using some lessons learned from history, these two navigate the twists and turns of a world full of secrets and lies. There's a lot of sizzle between them, too, which doesn't hurt! It was nice to see some familiar faces and learn more about the yet another realm. I'm interested to see where this new branch of stories goes in the future.

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Alexiares

Alexiares by N.J. Walters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The second book in the series takes us deeper into a world of grim reapers, family loyalty, and dangerous challenges. Alex faces a trial that mirrors the first book’s setup, but the way it unfolds is full of tension and unexpected turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. This installment blends high-stakes action with sizzling romance, all while teasing the bigger game their father is playing. You can probably start here, but I'd recommend going back to book 1.

What really stood out for me was the pairing and the dynamic between Alex and Cilla. Cilla is strong, independent, and unwilling to be sidelined no matter how much her fate is "doomed." She brings her own fire to the story and watching her hold her ground while navigating trust and vulnerability made the romance feel more genuine. The chemistry sizzles between these two, and you can see the emotion truly developing without slowing down the pace. While the situation echoes book one, the execution here feels unique and satisfying.

This series continues to deliver paranormal suspense with heart, and now that their father is set to change the challenge for the last sibling, I can't wait to see what's next. If you love strong heroines, intense family drama, and romance that burns bright against a backdrop of danger, this is a must-read.

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Heir of the Dog

Heir of the Dog by Hailey Edwards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thierry, our half-blood heroine, finds herself navigating the dangerous and enchanting world of Faerie, and she’s not alone - Rook steps in as a partner who brings both charm and grit to the journey. The stakes are high, betrayal is imminent, and the pacing keeps you hooked from start to finish.

What really made this book shine for me was the dynamic between Thierry and Rook. Their partnership adds depth and tension, and the slow-burn romance is just the right amount of tease without overshadowing the plot. The Faerie adventure was immersive and fun, and honestly, I didn’t miss Shaw at all - this story felt stronger without him. Compared to the first book, this one had more excitement, better chemistry, and left me eager to dive straight into the next installment.

If you’re new to the series, I’d actually recommend just starting here. It’s engaging, fast-paced, and perfect for readers who love urban fantasy with a dash of romance and a strong heroine finding her footing in a magical world. Fun, adventurous, and filled with just enough romantic tension to keep you turning pages - definitely worth the read.


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Running with the Werewolf

Running with the Werewolf by Laurie London
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This paranormal romance kicks off with a super fun premise: a woman unexpectedly finds herself part of a dating show on an island teeming with supernatural beings, and things only get more interesting from there. The author blends humor, mystery, and sizzling chemistry into a story that feels both adventurous and cozy. It’s a quick, engaging read that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which makes it perfect for fans of lighthearted paranormal tales.

What really stood out for me was the playful and warm character interactions, with just enough romantic tension to keep the pages turning. The banter between the leads had me grinning, and their connection felt genuine, leading to a satisfying HEA. While the mystery wrapped up a little quickly at the end, it didn’t detract from the charm of the story. I also loved the humor sprinkled throughout - it gave the book a breezy, feel-good vibe that made it hard to put down.

If you’re looking for a paranormal romance that’s fun, flirty, and full of heart, this one’s worth adding to your TBR. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy a mix of humor, romance, and a touch of supernatural intrigue without heavy angst or huge stakes. I’m definitely hoping we see more in this world because I’d happily return to that island for more adventures!

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A Taste of Bliss

A Taste of Bliss by Saoirse Brey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This story drops you right into a world that feels filled with layers, following three sisters - two of which are succubus (succubii?). Their lives are filled with musical ambition, the search (or avoidance) or their mates, and a drive for more. There’s a whodunnit mystery and lots of missing time throughout the story that is slowly filled in when the timelines weave together. It’s the kind of premise that promises depth and drama right from the start.

What worked for me was the world-building - it’s vivid and immersive, the kind of setting you can picture clearly and dive into that band scene. The dynamic between the sisters is another highlight - their bond feels authentic and gives the story a good place to ground us. Who knew I was so into heavy metal festivals? It’s electric, full of energy and potential, like the story is about to break into something big.

One thing to note: this book ends on a serious cliffhanger, so if you like tidy resolutions, be prepared to wait for the next installment. Overall, it’s atmospheric, ambitious, and definitely leaving room for more.

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Queen of the Dead

Queen of the Dead by Sarah Broadway
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story mixes paranormal vibes with heartfelt character growth. The book follows Lou, a girl who’s convinced she’s destined to live life on the fringes of society until a strange (for someone who sees ghosts) encounter pulls her into a hidden world where ghosts aren’t the only thing lurking in the shadows. Suddenly, Lou finds herself navigating secrets, danger, and a role she never imagined, all while discovering that family can be found in the most unexpected places.

What really hooked me was Lou’s transformation. She starts off guarded and isolated, but as the story unfolds, you see her open up and form bonds that feel so genuine. The relationships are beautifully written, and they add warmth to a story that could have easily been all gloom and doom. The unique lore is another standout , with just spooky enough to keep you intrigued without overwhelming you with details.

This works perfectly as a standalone but could also be the gateway to a much bigger universe. It’s emotional, atmospheric, and full of hope - all with a ghost-centric story. Definitely worth the read - it won't leave you hanging!

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