Review: Stripped Bear - Kate Baxter

Get lost in the powerful, sexy novella by Kate Baxter where one alpha shifter will do whatever it takes to claim the woman he can *bearly* resist...

Caden Mitchell is the ultimate alpha. Known to most as a smoldering hot billionaire, his secret weapon- the ability to shapeshift into a strong and deadly bear- allows him to be the most ruthless enforcer of the Sortiari, a paranormal organization tasked with keeping the course of Fate on the right track. But when the ailing health of his grandmother leads him back home, the luscious curves of his childhood nemesis will be too much to resist...

Leah Ridgeway never expected Caden to give her the time of day. With his abs cut from stone and powerful, strong arms, she knows there's no chance he's interested in her handful of curves. But Caden is tormented by thoughts of her beautiful body. And when evil threatens Leah's very life, Caden will stop at nothing to keep her safe...and claim her as his mate...in Stripped Bear.

Last True Vampire Series:
Stripped Bear (Novella)
The Last True Vampire
The Warrior Vampire
The Dark Vampire

Visit Kate Baxter's website for more information.

Review:
It's been sixteen years since Caden last saw Leah and he broke her heart then by walking away from her after she told him she loved him. To be fair she was only 14 at the time and since he was 21 there's no doubt he made the correct decision but he could have been a bit nicer in the way he handled things. The two are thrown back together now because Caden's grandmother has decided to do a little meddling, she's always known the two would make a perfect couple and since Leah is now engaged to someone else she's decided to act before it's too late. The moment they meet again Caden realises that Leah is his destined mate but since she doesn't even know that he's a shapeshifter he's going to have a lot of explaining to do before she accepts it.

I've already read the first three books in Kate Baxter's Last True Vampire series but for some reason I seem to have skipped over the prequel novella, something that's not like me at all since I'm usually a stickler for reading series in order. Anyway, I thought it was about time I fixed my mistake so I'm completely up to date before the next book releases. I have to admit I was a little confused when I saw who the main characters were, I could be wrong but I don't remember either of them making an appearance in the books I've read so they seemed a weird place to start the series, especially since most of the character's we've had contact with so far have been vampires. I always love a good shifter story though so it didn't put me off reading.

I know this is a novella and things have to happen quite quickly but I never managed to connect with either of the characters as much as I hoped to. They had great chemistry and we do learn about their history but I never felt as invested in them as I should have and that made the novella fall a little flat. There was nothing particularly wrong with their romance but it just wasn't all that memorable either. Another disappointment was the lack of world building, I'm obviously familiar with the world but one thing I was really hoping for was more information on the Sortiari since Caden works for them as an enforcer and they've always been a bit of a shadowy organisation in the rest of the series.

I guess was just looking for some extra background information or something to tie this story to the other books but I didn't get it so the whole novella feels a bit superfluous. I'm really enjoying the series as a whole though so if you weren't the biggest fan of Stripped Bear don't let that put you off continuing the series, if you did enjoy this story then you're bound to love the full length books even more.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Sin City Collectors Boxed Set: Aces Wild, Ante Up, All in - Amanda Carlson

Welcome to Vegas. Home of the Sin City Collectors. The job description is easy: Bring the offending supernatural in to the Boss and don't ask any questions.

*The characters in these 3 installments interact on the page to make for one fun novel!*

ACES WILD, Vol. 1
Nevada Hamilton has learned a few things since becoming a Sin City Collector, and staying away from vampires is one of them. After botching her first Collection, she hasn't been assigned to another one since. But when she receives her next playing card, she's in for a surprise. Not only is a vampire her next target, but they've paired her up to make sure she gets the job done right.

Being a hellhound isn't enough to protect Jake Troubadour from Nevada Hamilton, no matter how thick his skin is. Finding out he has to work with the beautiful dhampir, after not seeing her for three years, is a low blow--but Jake is a professional. He takes his Collections as seriously as he does running his bar. He'll do whatever it takes to get the job done.

ANTE UP, Vol. 2
Diesel Jones is a shifter with moon issues. His dream of becoming a Sin City Collector has lingered in the shadows because of his inability to control himself. But when Louie Fiore decides to test his merit, Diesel jumps at the chance. When he finds he has to come up against an incubus, painful issues from the past resurface and he only has one thing on his mind--kill.

Sofia Cabrera is the new witch in town, and she's more than anyone bargained for. She finds herself drawn to Diesel, the sexy shifter, the first moment she lays eyes on him. When she finds herself the target of an organization of incubi, Diesel comes to her aid unexpectedly and they end up fighting the threat together.

ALL IN, Vol. 3
Ginger Elliot is a succubus on the run. She's in danger of being Collected, but her first priority is to find her brother. Even though she operates the biggest spy network in the supernatural world, it may not be enough to free her from the crimes she's been accused of committing. But keeping her deteriorating condition from the sexy shifter who's accompanying her is getting trickier by the hour.

Luke Jones is on a mission to save the succubus he's fallen for--not only from her brother--but from herself. The two have been on the incubus's trail for weeks and finally have him backed into a corner. Luke knows Ginger is in trouble, but he has no idea how to save her.

What's Collected in Vegas, stays in Vegas...

Sin City Collectors Series:
Box Set 1: Aces Wild, Ante Up & All In - Amanda Carlson
Box Set 2: Queen of Hearts, Dead Man's Hand & Double or Nothing - Kristen Painter

For more information about any of these authors you can visit their websites by clicking the links below:
Amanda Carlson
Kristen Painter

Review:
The Sin City Collectors series is a collaboration between Amanda Carlson and Kristen Painter, each author has written 3 stories set in the same world that are available either as stand alone novellas or in one of two collections. This first volume contains all of Amanda Carlson's contributions: Aces Wild, Ante Up and All In, the three stories all follow on very closely from one another so although each novella features a different couple there is a story arc that goes across all three. I'm not sure if there is any crossover of characters into Kristen Painter's novellas as I've not read those yet but I believe they have a similar story arc and would also be best read in order.

Each of these stories features characters who are members of the Sin City Collectors, an elite team who are tasked with tracking down supernaturals that have broken the law and they will do whatever it takes to bring their target to justice.

I'll give you a quick overview of the stories but I don't want to go into too much detail because it would be easy to give you spoilers:

Aces Wild
Dhampir Collector Nevada has only one rule, she does not bring in vampires. Ever. So she's not best pleased about her latest job, especially since the boss has paired her up with the sexy hellhound Jake to make sure she gets the job done. Nevada and Jake have history and although their last meeting might have been the hottest night of her life it didn't end well so she has no intention of going back for more. Jake has never forgotten the night they shared though and he's not about to let Nevada walk away for a second time without putting up a fight.

Ante Up
Diesel is a shapeshifter who has been trying to get a job with the Sin City Collectors for a long time but his issues with control around the full moon have always made him too much of a wild card. Now he is finally being given the chance of a lifetime and if he can bring in a rogue incubus he'll land his dream job. The incubus has set his sights on a powerful local witch Sofia and Diesel will do whatever it takes to protect the woman who has slowly been stealing his heart.

All In
Ginger is a succubus who has spent years searching for her brother and trying to rescue him from the clutches of a criminal organisation but all her efforts have earned her is a target on her back thanks to the way that the Sumerians have set her up to take the fall for their own activities. Shapeshifter Luke has been tasked with bringing in both Ginger and her brother but he is determined to help her gather enough evidence to prove her innocence before he does. He also has every intention of keeping her safe from her brother, no matter what he has to do to succeed.

The Sin City Collectors Boxed Set is an enjoyable anthology of short but hot reads and I really liked the world the author has created. I actually listened to the audiobook version and I thought that narrator Emma Wilder did a great job reading it. My only complaint was that I didn't really like the voice she used for Sofia's character but that was definitely a personal taste thing rather than a problem with the story or narrator. I'm hoping that Amanda Carlson might decide to write more stories in this world (if nothing else I'd definitely love to read more about Raoul!) but I'm looking forward to picking up Kristen Painter's collection in the meantime.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for a honest review

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Review: The Dark Vampire - Kate Baxter

Centuries ago, the vampire race was almost destroyed. Now, salvation rests upon one - the last true vampire.

For centuries, Jenner has been plagued by the shadows of his past. Now a newly turned vampire, he stalks the night like a wild predator, unable to satisfy his desires. Until a beautiful vampire sets his soul on fire . . .

Bria is pure innocence, hidden her whole life from a merciless enemy determined to hunt her down. When things become perilous, safety comes in the form of a fearsome bodyguard - Jenner.

Bria and Jenner's fates are shaken for ever when a blazing connection is sparked. But surrendering to the powerful call of passion means breaking free from the shackles of their pasts. And, with the war against the slayers more savage than ever, they must fight to survive. For the vampire race depends on it.

Enter the world of the last true vampire . . .

Last True Vampire Series:
Stripped Bear (Novella)
The Last True Vampire
The Warrior Vampire
The Dark Vampire

Visit Kate Baxter's website for more information.

Review:
This series is going from strength to strength and I now have a new favourite hero in Jenner. If you like your heroes dark and brooding with a side of protective alpha and incredible skills in the bedroom you're going to fall for him just as hard as I did. We've all seen in the previous book that Jenner is a vampire with large appetites, he is fighting for control and coming close to losing it so he is absolutely terrified of getting close to Bria in case he hurts her. From the moment he sees her she tempts him more than any other and even the return of his soul, thanks to their tether, isn't enough to make him trust himself to keep her safe. Jenner sees Bria as everything that he isn't, she's from a privileged background and led a very sheltered upbringing so he is sure he'll never be able to give her what she needs.

What he doesn't realise is that Bria is sick of being treated like a prized possession by her family and she has no intention of letting her mate do exactly the same thing. She may have been sheltered but she knows exactly what she wants and needs and that's the freedom to be herself and to explore the world around her, she spent her whole life trapped in a gilded cage by her uncle and she never wants to feel that way again. What she wants from her mate is a man she can share love and passion with but also someone who will treat her like an equal in every way. She is sick of being seen as weak and she's determined to stand on her own two feet for once. I really liked how strong Bria was, she stands up to Jenner when she needs to and she won't let him intimidate her with his caveman routine.

These two make a great couple, Jenner has very good reasons for being worried about hurting Bria but she knows him better than he knows himself. She can see exactly what he needs and she's not afraid to let him have it. Jenner was the right amount of protective alpha mixed with attentive and adoring lover, it took Bria a long time to break through his walls but once she did there was no stopping him! This was definitely the hottest book of the series so far but I love that Kate Baxter really takes time to develop the emotional connection between the couple alongside the physical one.

I'm really enjoying seeing where this series is going, it has similarities with several other popular paranormal romance series but enough differences to stand out from the crowd in it's own right. I'm a little nervous that the next book might end up being about Siobhan and Christian but I'm hoping I'll be proved wrong on that since I'm not much of a fan of either of their characters. I really want to see more of Chelle, Lucas and Saeed though so I'm hoping we'll get on of their stories next and Siobhan can continue to have her story told in the background of each book. Either way I'll definitely be continuing this series, I'm enjoying the world and I want to see what happens to the characters I already love as well as the ones we're only just being introduced to.

Source: Received from Headline Eternal in exchange for an honest review

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Review: The Warrior Vampire - Kate Baxter

Centuries ago, the vampire race was almost destroyed. Now, salvation rests upon one - the last true vampire.

For hundreds of years, Ronan Daly has hungered to be turned into a vampire. Now his time has come, he's ready to serve his king and resurrect the vampire race to glory.

Naya Morales is no ordinary mortal, but part of a secret tribe dedicated to hunting down stolen magic. One fateful night she's led to Rowan - a thief set to change the course of her fate forever.

Ancient law orders Naya to kill her prisoner, but she can't ignore the formidable vampire's pull on her soul. And once they surrender to desire, a torrent of addictive passion is unleashed. But dark magical forces are at play and, with the bloodthirsty wrath of Naya's tribe to contend with, their love faces a deadly battle . . .

Enter the world of the last true vampire . . .

Last True Vampire Series:
Stripped Bear (Novella)
The Last True Vampire
The Warrior Vampire
The Dark Vampire

Visit Kate Baxter's website for more information.

Review:
Ronan has waited centuries for Michael to turn him into a vampire and now all he wants is the chance to help his king rebuild their race. When his twin sister Chelle calls asking for his help with an ancient vampire relic that she has finally uncovered he drops everything to go to her aid. Unfortunately for him he wakes up almost 2 weeks later with absolutely no memory of where he has been or what has happened to his sister. Naya is a powerful witch with the ability to sense stolen and corrupted magic, her tribe's sacred duty is to track that magic and to kill those who have been damaged by trying to use it. She is drawn to Ronan because she can sense the dangerous magic inside him but at the same time there is something about him that resonates with the very heart of her and she can't bring herself to hurt him. Unfortunately someone or something has left Ronan's magic corrupted and unless Naya can find a way to remove it before it turns him into a monster she might be forced to kill him before he can destroy the people she cares about most.

Although I liked the first book in this series I did have a few problems with both of the main characters, the world was interesting enough that I was willing to give it another try though and I'm very happy to say that Kate Baxter has definitely upped the ante in The Vampire Warrior. Not only has she expanded her world building to include witches and shapeshifters alongside the vampires and dhampirs but she also gave us two main characters who were likeable from the beginning. Naya is a powerful woman in her own right but she is sick of being treated like a possession by the male members of her tribe.

The Bororo culture is very male orientated even though it's only women who have the skills to detect and reclaim magic like Naya does. The males instead have the ability to shift into jaguars which makes them powerful in a different way and they hold this power over the women's heads. Naya is one of the few females left with her abilities and because of that her tribe want to see her mated as quickly as possible so that she can start giving birth to a new generation of witches. Unfortunately for Naya they aren't happy about her independent streak but she is equally unhappy about the idea of being forced into mating a man she doesn't love and having to give up her hunting duties.

Ronan never expected to find his mate but he becomes tethered the moment he sets eyes on Naya and that proves she is the only woman for him. Unfortunately, he was so convinced that he wouldn't find his mate that he has already made a blood vow to another woman and now if he acts on his feelings for Naya it could be the death of him. Now Ronan not only has to figure out a way to handle the dark and dangerous magic inside him, he also has to track down his missing sister and find a way to get Siobhan to release him from his vow. Naya has a lot of trouble accepting that Ronan is her mate, she is reluctant to escape one forced mating by being pulled into another and she is determined to fight Ronan every step of the way. She does agree to help him find Chelle along with a way to get rid of the magic though, especially since it quickly becomes clear everything is linked to a surge in magical demons in the area.

I really enjoyed the push and pull between these two. It can be hard to pull off a romance when characters are fated mates with an immediate bond but I thought the way things progressed by Ronan and Naya were believable. I understood her reluctance but enjoyed the seeing her come around to the idea as she spent more time with Ronan and realised that he was proud to fight at her side and didn't want to lock her away in cotton wool. Ronan was the right amount of possessive and growly alpha without veering too far into controlling and over the top territory. He was protective of Naya but in a way that didn't stifle her and he appreciated the strength he could see in her.

My slight complaints about the story were that it was a little too easy to guess who the mastermind behind everything was. I also could do without seeing the hero from the next book screwing around with women that aren't his mate. We had to watch Ronan with Siobhan in The Last Vampire (in scenes that quite frankly turned my stomach!) and in this book we got to watch Jenner (the hero of The Dark Vampire) working his way through a whole bevy of dhampirs. I like getting to know future characters but would rather do it outside of the bedroom please. I also thought the plot with Ronan's blood vow to Siobhan fell a little flat, I would have loved to see her character brought down a peg or two since she's been such a nasty piece of work since the beginning of the series and I didn't like the way they gave her such a brilliant gift for his freedom. I had been looking forward to seeing Naya go in there, prove that she was much more powerful and make Siobhan back off so that was a little disappointing.

Overall I enjoyed this book much more than the first though, this series is really starting to come into it's own and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

Source: Received from Headline Eternal in exchange for an honest review

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Review: The Last True Vampire - Kate Baxter

Centuries ago, the vampire race was almost destroyed. Now, salvation rests upon one - the last true vampire.

He is the last of his race. King of the vampires. Michael Aristov roams the nightclubs of LA after dark, haunted by his past and driven by hunger. The sole Ancient One to survive the slayers' obliteration, only he can resurrect the vampire race. But he's unable to reclaim his world without the woman who can return his soul . . .

Claire Thompson is mortal, yet her intoxicating blood draws Michael like a moth to the flame. Sassy and seductive, only she can satisfy his insatiable cravings, their first fiery kiss igniting an irrevocable passion.

With the future of the vampire race now at stake, Claire has the power to seal Michael's fate - forever.

Last True Vampire Series:
Stripped Bear (Novella)
The Last True Vampire
The Warrior Vampire
The Dark Vampire

Visit Kate Baxter's website for more information.

Review:
Michael is the last of his kind, the only ancient vampire to survive the slayers who set out to eliminate his race. He survived their torture but has never forgiven himself for the deaths of his brethren and he has been punishing himself ever since by refusing to feed as much as he required and by keeping himself apart from the dhampirs who think of him as their king. Michael is the only one who can repopulate the vampire race and he can only do that if he finds his true mate, the one woman who will return his soul and give him the strength to start turning dhampirs. After searching for centuries he's pretty much given up hope but all his prayers are answered when he stumbles upon Claire in a nightclub. Her blood draws him like no other but it takes him a while to realise how important she is to him and she gets away before he can stop her. Now the race is on to track her down before his enemies can harm her.

I had incredibly high expectations when I picked up The Last True Vampire, let's face it when a book is compared to works by four of your favourite authors (Nalini Singh, Lara Adrian, Larissa Ione and J.R. Ward) you're going to be looking for greatness. Unfortunately I think that did this book a disservice because it was almost bound to be a disappointment. It's actually a pretty solid start and I have high hopes that Kate Baxter will build on these foundations to create a wonderful series but there were issues with this first instalment that meant I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have.

Let's start with the positive. The author has managed to put her own twist on vampire mythology, you can tell the series has been inspired by some of the author's mentioned previously but it stands on it's own enough for that not to be a problem. I'm intrigued by the connection between the vampires and dhampirs although I'm still not 100% sure I understand it fully and am hoping we'll get more information about that as the series continues. Usually the vampire society is well established at the start of a series so I'm definitely interested to see how Michael will go about rebuilding an entire race and I think seeing things from the ground up will add an interesting element to these books.

One of the things I missed the most was having a solid group of core characters who are going to be central to the series though. When we first meet Michael he very much keeps himself to himself and there is only really one dhampir who he trusts. I did enjoy the bond he had with Ronan and it looks like Ronan has a group of warriors he trusts so the cast is bound to expand thanks to him but since Michael is supposed to be the king I felt he should have been the core member of the group and the one that everyone relied on.

I actually had a lot of issues with Michael to begin with, the way he treated Claire in the beginning was despicable and a complete turn off, he constantly left her in the dark and refused to answer any of her questions so it was no wonder she found it hard to trust him. At one point he used mind control to put her to sleep for THREE WHOLE DAYS just so he didn't have to deal with her - he didn't even wake her up to feed or drink so it's a wonder she even survived! After everything he puts her through I struggled to believe the romance that develops between them even after he realised his mistakes and worked hard to turn things around. Claire was an interesting character, she starts out strong and street smart but it did seem like her connection to Michael effectively removed her brain and she started making more and more stupid decisions the longer she'd known him. To be fair they both turned things around eventually and I was happy with the way things turned out but I could have enjoyed the whole book much more if they hadn't been such idiots. I don't mind the whole fated mates thing in paranormal romance but I do like to feel that there is more than just a physical attraction between them and I'd have liked more of a slow build into a full on relationship.

In spite of the problems I had with this book I definitely want to carry on reading the series. Ronan was my favourite character all along, although I have to admit the side story with him and another dhampir Siobhan actually turned my stomach, so I was excited to find out he will be the hero of the next book. I'm kind of nervous to see how it plays out because of his connection to Siobhan but since I know she isn't going to be the heroine I'm hoping we won't have to see too much of her. If Kate Baxter can build on the positives and avoid some of the issues then I think I could really fall in love with this series so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed when I pick up a copy of The Warrior Vampire.

Source: Received from Headline Eternal in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Darkness Falls - Keri Arthur

The bestselling Dark Angels series builds to a breathtaking conclusion as half-werewolf, half-aedh Risa Jones treads a knife's edge between the salvation of the human race and its total annihilation.

The search for the last key to the gates of hell has begun. Risa Jones is in more danger than ever - and one misstep could prove ruinous. It's only a matter of time before Madeleine Hunter, the dangerous head of the vampire council, begins her plan for complete domination. For Risa, that comes with an alarming ultimatum: hand over the last key to Hunter or, one by one, her loved ones will die. Now it's a race against time for Risa to save those she loves and to stop Hunter's apocalyptic plans to open the gates of hell . . .

Dark Angel Series:
(This is a spin off from the Riley Jenson Guardian series)
Darkness Unbound
Darkness Rising
Darkness Devours
Darkness Hunts
Darkness Unmasked
Darkness Splintered
Darkness Falls

Riley Jenson Guardian Series:
Full Moon Rising
Kissing Sin
Tempting Evil
Dangerous Games
Embraced by Darkness
The Darkest Kiss
Deadly Desire
Bound to Shadows
Moon Sworn

Visit Keri Arthur's website for more information

Review:
Once again it's been time to say goodbye to a much loved series so I put off reading Darkness Falls for a while even though I was desperate to find out how everything was resolved. One of the things I really love about Keri Arthur is that she never drags her series out just because they're popular, in fact she often ends them before I'm really ready for it. She obviously has her stories planned well in advance and as much as I'm sad to say goodbye to this world, I would rather see things end on a high note than be dragged out forever like some series I won't mention. The Dark Angel series definitely went out with a bang and I have really loved every single book.

I'm not going to say much about what happens in this book but I will tell you that there is plenty of action and we get to see a lot of loose ends tied together. We discover what the future holds for Risa and Azriel, we get a glimpse at all our favourite characters from the previous Riley Jenson series, we finally see Madeleine Hunter make her move to take over the vampire council and we see Risa locate the final key. Once again Risa is working to a very tight schedule, she is doing her best to protect everyone she cares about but with so many enemies coming at her from all different directions it isn't going to be easy to fight them all.

Risa has really come into her own since the beginning of this series, she was already pretty powerful but she's learned a lot about her aedh side and picked up some interesting new abilities thanks to her bond with Azriel. She isn't perfect and she's made mistakes in the past by trusting the wrong people but she has the courage to stand up for herself and others and she always does what she thinks is right. I've loved the relationship between her and Azriel, it hasn't been easy for them but I've been rooting for a happy ending for them for a long time now. You're going to have to read the book for yourselves to see if they get one but I think you'll be happy with the overall outcome of the series.

I'm sad that it's over but I've enjoyed the journey and I'm already looking forward to rereading these books at some point in the future.

Source: Received from Piatkus in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Darkness Splintered - Keri Arthur

Risa has angered several powerful people, and now she's feeling the pressure from all sides. In particular, she's come under the eagle-eyed scrutiny of the vampire council - some of whom consider her a monster who should be destroyed. But then they decide to offer her a secret, bloody bargain: to save her own life she must help them defeat Hunter, the lethal head of the council . . .

As the search for the keys to hell heats up, Risa realises that she has no choice. For the sake of the people she loves, she must find the keys - and get rid of Hunter - before the next gate is opened and brings the world closer to all hell breaking loose . . .

Dark Angel Series:
(This is a spin off from the Riley Jenson Guardian series)
Darkness Unbound
Darkness Rising
Darkness Devours
Darkness Hunts
Darkness Unmasked
Darkness Splintered
Darkness Falls

Riley Jenson Guardian Series:
Full Moon Rising
Kissing Sin
Tempting Evil
Dangerous Games
Embraced by Darkness
The Darkest Kiss
Deadly Desire
Bound to Shadows
Moon Sworn

Visit Keri Arthur's website for more information

Review:
I have been a fan of this series since the beginning but it really does get better and better with every instalment. Risa has been on a very steep learning curve when it comes to her adeh abilities but she is still discovering more that she can do and I'm loving seeing her character blossom. I've also enjoyed every minute of her relationship with reaper Azriel, they have some issues to work through in this instalment but they come out the other side stronger than ever and I was so pleased to see them on in such a good place relationship wise.

Risa may be confident about her feelings for Azriel but the rest of her life is very much in flux. Her best friend Tao is still struggling to gain control of the fire elemental that he consumed to save Illiana's life and they're facing the very real risk of losing him forever. Both Risa and Illiana are also dealing with the after effects of Lucian's actions in the last book. As if that wasn't enough Risa is being hounded on all sides by people who want her to find the keys to hell for them, she has her father, the Raziq, a crazed dark sorceress and Madeline Hunter - the terrifying head of the vampire council - on her tail and they ALL want the keys for their own reasons. Risa is working hard to try and protect the keys but it isn't easy when she is up against so many opponents.

This story was quite a hard hitting one, not as dark as the last book but there are some very surprising occurrences. Madeline Hunter seems to have completely lost the plot, there has been no love lost between her and Risa since the beginning but it looks like things are reaching the point of no return and Risa may end up having to face off against this incredibly powerful enemy. I'm sad that Darkness Falls is the last book in the series because I'm going to miss this world and the characters when I finish it but at the same time I can't wait to see how things play out for Risa and her friends.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Darkness Unmasked - Keri Arthur

Risa Jones, a half-aedh/half-werewolf, can speak to the souls of the dying and the dead, and see Reapers, the collectors of souls. She received a phone call from Madeline Hunter, the leader of the vampire council, ordering her to investigate the death of Hunter's close friend and lover, Wolfgang Schmidt. His body has been discovered wrapped in a web-like substance and has been completely drained. As the body count continues to grow Risa must summon her gifts to find the dark spirit before it strikes again.

Meanwhile, as the search for the keys that keep the gate to Hell closed grows more intense, Risa begins to unravel mysteries that will have startling consequences for her.

Dark Angel Series:
(This is a spin off from the Riley Jenson Guardian series)
Darkness Unbound
Darkness Rising
Darkness Devours
Darkness Hunts
Darkness Unmasked
Darkness Splintered
Darkness Falls

Riley Jenson Guardian Series:
Full Moon Rising
Kissing Sin
Tempting Evil
Dangerous Games
Embraced by Darkness
The Darkest Kiss
Deadly Desire
Bound to Shadows
Moon Sworn

Visit Keri Arthur's website for more information

Review:
I've been on a bit of a reading slump for the last couple of days so I decided to pull out the big guns and I knew Keri Arthur wouldn't fail me. I was right, this series just get better with every instalment and Darkness Unmasked was absolutely fantastic.

Risa has already been through so much but the pace just never lets up and this story sees her facing worse challenges than ever before. Hunter has set Risa the task of tracking down a murderer, one who leaves her victims little more than a dried up, empty husk that has been encased in a mysterious web. As if tracking down a murderer that seems to be part giant spider wasn't bad enough she is still trying to track down the remaining keys to hell and more than one enemy has a vested interest in her succeeding quickly. Risa is juggling a lot of balls all while trying to keep her friends safe and stop the gates to hell from being opened permanently but now more than ever she is at risk of losing everything.

I really don't want to say too much about the plot of Darkness Unmasked because I'd hate to give spoilers but oh wow Keri Arthur does not hold back in this story and she takes Risa to dark places I'd never have dreamed of even in my worst nightmares. An old enemy makes a reappearance and as despicable as his behaviour was in the past that was nothing compared to what he has up his sleeve this time around. I was shocked and horrified by what happens, not just to Risa but also to one of her closest friends, and I have no idea who that is going to effect things for the rest of the series.

It isn't all bad though and one of the things I've been loving for the last few books is the continued development of Risa's relationship with Azriel. It's been so great to see Azriel become more human in his reaction to things, I've been fascinated by his character from the beginning but I love him even more now we're starting to see his sense of humour and how much he obviously cares about Risa. Their relationship has never run smoothly and they still have more challenges to face but I have hope that they'll be able to work things out eventually.

Darkness Unmasked had me on the edge of my seat and it's left me desperate to know what happens next. I'm thankful that the entire series is already available and I'm sure I'll be devouring the remaining two books very soon. In fact, I'm planning on diving right into Darkness Splintered as soon as I finish writing this review!

Source: Purchased

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Review: Darkness Hunts - Keri Arthur

Risa Jones, half-aedh / half-werewolf can enter the realm between life and death. She can speak to the dying and the dead, and she can see the Reapers, collectors of souls. What she cannot yet see is the identity of a stranger murdering women and draining their blood. Now Risa must summon her gifts to find him, even if it means putting her own life in danger. But Risa needn't look far. The killer knows who she is.

Fascinated by Risa, he engages her in a sinister game: the chance to save the life of his next victim by deciphering his series of clues. In a race against time, she enlists the help of the Reaper, Azriel. But as an attraction between them grows, so does the fear that the stranger's motives are only part of a larger, more dangerous scheme - one that has lured Risa and Azriel into the dark.

Dark Angel Series:
(This is a spin off from the Riley Jenson Guardian series)
Darkness Unbound
Darkness Rising
Darkness Devours
Darkness Hunts
Darkness Unmasked
Darkness Splintered
Darkness Falls

Riley Jenson Guardian Series:
Full Moon Rising
Kissing Sin
Tempting Evil
Dangerous Games
Embraced by Darkness
The Darkest Kiss
Deadly Desire
Bound to Shadows
Moon Sworn

Visit Keri Arthur's website for more information

Review:
I've become really hooked on this series over the last few weeks so it'll be no surprise if I tell you that I absolutely devoured Darkness Hunts. Poor Risa seems to go from one fight for her life straight into the next one without a moment to even breathe let alone sleep or eat. Now she has managed to capture the attention of a murderer, one who is attacking his victims on the astral plane, somewhere that even Azriel can't help her so this time she really is on her own.

I absolutely love seeing how far Risa has come in this series, she has gone from strength to strength and although she makes mistakes she always comes back fighting. I think one of the things I love most about her is that she isn't invulnerable, she has impressive abilities but she still gets injured and she feels the after effects of a battle just like anyone else would. I can't even tell you how much I've been enjoying the relationship development between her and Azriel. I've been crazy about his character since the very beginning and desperately want to see the two of them work things out but it isn't easy for them when they are both so different. There are obviously deep feelings there though and I have high hopes that they'll work things out.

Another thing I'm really enjoying is seeing her connection with her sword Amaya, I have a feeling that this is only going to grow stronger with time and it will probably be the thing that saves Risa in the long run. I'm also glad we finally have some kind of resolution to things with Lucian. I've had a bad feeling about his character from the beginning and some of his actions in this book are despicable. I have to say the one thing that stopped this from being a five star read was Risa's reaction when she finds out what Lucian has been up to. I expected her to be outraged by the things he did and she seemed to take them far to calmly and in her stride. I would have been much happier if she had given him a piece of her mind and kicked him into touch.

Like all of the previous books Darkness Hunts has plenty of action, Risa is dealing with the aftermath of her attack by her father's enemies and at the same time trying to juggle the wishes of the vampire council and the Directorate who both need her help, she is having to keep secrets from the people she loves in the hope of protecting them from a madman all while she struggles to deal with her feelings for Azriel and the way he keeps blowing hot and cold with her. I just can't wait to see what happens in Darkness Unmasked!

Source: Purchased

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Review: Darkness Devours - Keri Arthur

Half-werewolf, half-aedh Risa Jones can enter the realm between life and death, and she can see the Reapers who collect the souls of the dead. Now she is using her gifts - and the investigative know-how of a man who broke her heart - to find a cabal searching for the power to control time, reality and fate. And this is beside her work for the Vampire Council, half of whom want her dead.

But for now the Council needs her alive. Someone is killing blood-whore addicted vampires, and Risa must find the guilty party. If she succeeds, she may finally convince the council to lift the execution order on her life. But before she succeeds, she must first survive . . .

Dark Angel Series:
(This is a spin off from the Riley Jenson Guardian series)
Darkness Unbound
Darkness Rising
Darkness Devours
Darkness Hunts
Darkness Unmasked
Darkness Splintered
Darkness Falls

Riley Jenson Guardian Series:
Full Moon Rising
Kissing Sin
Tempting Evil
Dangerous Games
Embraced by Darkness
The Darkest Kiss
Deadly Desire
Bound to Shadows
Moon Sworn

Visit Keri Arthur's website for more information

Review:
The Dark Angels series is just getting better and better with each instalment and I'm excited that the rest of the books are already available so I'm going to be able to devour them in quick succession. I'm a huge fan of Keri Arthur and she never disappoints so if you've not read these books (or any of her others!) then I'd definitely recommend them. You do need to read this series in order starting with Darkness Unbound though so if you're new to this series please don't carry on reading this review or you'll probably end up with spoilers!

Now that Risa has been coerced into working for Madeline Hunter and the rest of the Vampire Council she's in a very difficult position. She only made the deal for Hunter's help finding out who murdered her mother but since they're not offering her much in the way of assistance she is getting the raw end of things since they're constantly testing her. As much as she wants to tell Hunter where to go Risa knows that wouldn't be good for her health, as it is half of the Council want her dead and the only way to get them off her back is to solve the mystery of who is murdering blood-addicted vampires. Luckily she's got reaper Azriel on her side but even he can only do so much and she'll be lucky to survive the latest case.

I think the thing I love the most about this series is the characters, Risa's two very good friends Tao and Illiana have both proved time and time again that they would do anything for Risa and it's obvious how much they all care for each other. Risa doesn't want to get them involved but neither of them are going to walk away easily. My favourite character from the beginning (aside from Risa of course) is without a doubt Azriel, he has always stolen the show every time he steps onto the pages and that's no exception here. I am absolutely loving seeing his relationship with Risa grow, I have a feeling he's keeping more than a few secrets but I don't doubt for a second that he would do anything to protect her. I was actually pleased that we saw less of Lucien in this instalment, I've never particularly trusted his character and I'm convinced that he has his own agenda that doesn't necessarily include looking out for Risa's best interests. I'm hoping we'll find out one way or the other soon and that Risa will send him out of her life on a permanent basis!

We do get to meet an interesting character from Risa's past too, Jak is the werewolf who used her to write a story about her mother and broke her heart in the process so I was predisposed to hate him but he's actually incredibly charming. I'm glad that Risa doesn't trust him and isn't planning on letting him get too close again in the future but I did end up quite liking the banter between them and the way he constantly teases her. Jak isn't a great guy, he fully admits that the story is always the most important thing to him and that he'll do whatever it takes to get it, which definitely doesn't make him trustworthy but he's not a bad person for Risa to have in her corner the whole time their interests align. He has useful contacts and he's willing to help Risa as long as there is something in it for him in the long run.

I think Darkness Devours was probably the most action packed story in the series so far, Risa has a lot to deal with and there are plenty of obstacles in her way so be prepared for some new and interesting enemies to pop up. I love the way Keri Arthur is always expanding on her world building to add new creatures and legends because you really never can guess what she'll throw at you next. I can't wait to dive into Darkness Hunts to see what's next for Risa and crew.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Darkness Rising - Keri Arthur

Risa will go to any lengths to avenge her mother's murder - even if it means making a pact with the most evil vampire she's ever met. Lethal and powerful, Madeline Hunter is leader of the vampire council and will put her resources behind finding the killer - for a price. The venerable vampire requires the assistance of Risa's psychic powers. Quid pro quo.

Someone - or something - is targeting the elders of the local council, cursing the immortal vampires to rapidly age, sink into madness and die. Risa must track down the vengeful being responsible. But Risa's father a rogue Aedh priest, also enlists her in a dangerous mission. And not even the great Madeline Hunter may be able to protect her from the shadowy forces that desire nothing less than Risa's destruction.

Dark Angel Series:
(This is a spin off from the Riley Jenson Guardian series)
Darkness Unbound
Darkness Rising
Darkness Devours
Darkness Hunts
Darkness Unmasked
Darkness Splintered
Darkness Falls

Riley Jenson Guardian Series:
Full Moon Rising
Kissing Sin
Tempting Evil
Dangerous Games
Embraced by Darkness
The Darkest Kiss
Deadly Desire
Bound to Shadows
Moon Sworn

Visit Keri Arthur's website for more information

Review:
As a huge fan of the Riley Jenson series I was excited that Keri Arthur decided to continue writing about this world from Risa's point of view. For fans like me it is fantastic to get glimpses of some of our favourite original characters but at the same time I think the author has done a great job of getting us invested in the lives of Risa and her friends. After the utterly heartbreaking events at the end of Darkness Unbound I knew Risa was going to be in for a tough time of it in Darkness Rising and I wasn't wrong, everything is against her in this book and she's forced to make some very difficult decisions.

Risa is still grieving for her mother but more than anything she is determined to find out who was behind her murder so that she can make them pay. She is desperate for revenge and will do whatever it takes, even if that means working for Madeline Hunter, head of the vampire council, to achieve her goals. The last thing Risa really needs is to be caught in Madeline's spotlight and forced to investigate the deaths of some very old and powerful vampires but she doesn't have a choice if she wants access to information that only Madeline can provide. As if her two different investigations weren't enough to worry about her father, the Adeh who has been absent for her entire life, makes a sudden reappearance and he has an important task for her. Failure isn't an option unless Risa wants her friends to pay the price.

I'm really enjoying getting to know Risa, she isn't as strong as Riley was but she's still quite kickass in her own way and she definitely refuses to back down from a challenge. I love the supportive friendships she has with her room-mates Tao and Illiana and the way all three of them have each other's backs no matter what. I'm not a fan of the newly introduced character Lucien but I absolutely adore Azriel. We get to see a more human side to him in this instalment and I think he's really starting to care for Risa, I definitely want to see more of the two of them as the series continues because I'm loving the hints we're getting of the chemistry between them. I have a feeling if they ever give into that desire things are going to be explosive.

This series has a good amount of action making it real page turner that I didn't want to put down. I love the humour throughout the story too along with the camaraderie between Risa's group of allies. I have a feeling things are going to get even more complicated thanks to Madeline's interest in Risa, I wouldn't trust that woman as far as I could throw her and we've seen from her interactions with Riley that she always has an ulterior motive. I just hope Risa hasn't got herself in over her head and I guess I'll have to read Darkness Devours ASAP to find out.

Source: Purchased

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Review: The Golden Lily - Richelle Mead

Will love lose her everything she knows?

Sydney is an alchemist.
She protects vampire secrets -
and human lives.

In hiding at a Californian boarding school, Sydney's life has become irrevocably intertwined with Jill Dragomir, the vampire Moroi princess she has been tasked with protecting. She has grown close to those in Jill's royal circle - and to someone in particular. Someone that forces her to question everything the alchemists believe in. Someone forbidden.

When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world - her new world - apart, Sydney's loyalties are tested more than ever. Should she trust the alchemists - or her heart?

Bloodlines Series: (This is a spin off from the Vampire Academy Series)
Adrian's Lost Chapter (Free Short Story can be read here)
Bloodlines
The Golden Lily
The Indigo Spell
The Fiery Heart (release date to be confirmed)

Vampire Academy Series:
Vampire Academy
Vampire Academy Graphic Novel
Frostbite
Shadow Kiss
Blood Promise
Spirit Bound
Last Sacrifice

Visit Richelle Mead's website for more information

Review:
I'm a huge fan of the Vampire Academy series so of course I couldn't wait to start reading the spin off Bloodlines series. I enjoyed Bloodlines when I read it and The Golden Lily was one of my most anticipated sequels of the year last year - I could not wait to pick it up and start reading! You're probably wondering why it has taken me so long to get around to writing this review then. I hate to say it but when I started reading The Golden Lily last year it annoyed me so much that I couldn't even finish reading it! I really want to love this series but for the first half of this book it just wasn't happening. I decided to try the book again because I keep hearing so many good things about the follow up The Indigo Spell and I'm actually glad I did give it a second chance. I don't think I'm ever going to be Sydney's biggest fan but I found myself really enjoying the last third of this book and now can't wait to see what happens next.

I'm going to start by talking about my love / hate relationship with Sydney, I hate to say it but she irritates the heck out of me most of the time! She annoyed me a little in Bloodlines but at the same time she showed enough of her inner strength and bravery for me to be able to respect her. That Sydney was completely absent for the first half of this book though. The way she goes on and on about her weight and is so adamant that she can't consume anything with a single calorie in it is enough to drive me insane, I seriously think the girl needs to be admitted to an anorexia clinic! I know she has body issues and is comparing herself to the impossibly beautiful Moroi but I worry about the message it sends to teens when someone who is supposed to be their heroine is constantly saying that a size 4 (which I think is equivalent to a UK size 6) is fat. The combination of her complaining about her weight and her dating the world's most boring man is what made me put down the book. I can't even remember her boyfriend's name but I think I would rather poke needles in my eyes than have to read about one more of their dates, watching paint dry would be more exciting!

I said I have a love / hate relationship with Sydney but so far I've only told you why I hate her so I think I need to balance this review up a bit. I get that she has been raised in a very strict way and she has always believed everything that the Alchemists have told her so she showed a lot of bravery in VA when she helped Rose knowing she would end up paying for it. I respect the fact that she has now started to look past the things she has always been told and is now beginning to make up her own mind about what is happening around her. She was always told that Moroi are evil but she knows from spending time with Jill, Adrian and Sonya that just isn't true and it makes her start to question everything else. Finally in the second half of the book we start to see Sydney's world view shifting and although I wish it would happen faster I'm glad that it is happening. There was one particular point towards the end of the book where Adrian spells out a few home truths to her and I wanted to jump up and down waving pompoms! Hopefully when she has had time to sort through what he said we should see some more big changes. Another thing I was extremely happy about was seeing Sydney start to embrace her own magical abilities - I can't wait to see more of that as the series continues.

Now lets talk about the rest of the book. I have to say I'm disappointed with several of the characters. Jill was incredibly selfish, childish and even reckless throughout the first half but again we see glimmers of hope towards the end of the book. Angeline acts much younger than her age but I can kind of understand that considering her upbringing and I would love to learn more about her family and the Keepers. The glimpses we saw of Dimitri weren't enough to satisfy me, it just isn't the same spending time with him when Rose isn't in the picture and I miss them as a couple so badly. It is impossible not to like Eddie though, although I can't for the life of me understand why he is so attracted to Jill, but I think my main reason for giving the book a second chance was to see more of Adrian. I'll say it outright - I love Adrian! I may never have wanted him to end up with Rose but I never liked the way she treated him so I desperately want to see him have his own happy ending. My heart broke for him in this book seeing the way his father treats him and it made it even easier to understand why he acts the fool so much and doesn't think he is capable of anything better. I actually really like the way Sydney sees through him and knows just how much he is capable of and towards the end of the book I even began to feel that they could be a good couple which was something I'd not been 100% on board with before.

I have to admit that I still have reservations about this series but if the next book can just take all of the positives from the end of The Golden Lily and run with it then I could start to really enjoy it again. I would love more than anything for these books to reach the heights of Vampire Academy and I do think that the potential is there. It's hard to settle on a final rating for this book, the lack of action and the fact I gave up reading makes the first half easily a 1 star read but the second half improved and the last quarter was probably 3.5 - 4 stars so I'm going to be generous and rate it 3.

Source: Received for review from Penguin in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Sin Undone - Larissa Ione

HER TOUCH IS DEADLY
As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she'll die before she'll relinquish her freedom again. Then Sin's innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and violence.

HIS HUNGER CAN'T BE DENIED
Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she's no stranger: He's bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld's most wanted and Con soon leans he's the only one who can help her . . . and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.

The Demonica Series:
Pleasure Unbound
Desire Unchained
Passion Unleashed
Eternity Embraced (Novella)
Ecstasy Unveiled
Sin Undone
Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance book 1)
Vampire Fight Club (Novella in the Supernatural anthology or as a separate ebook)
Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance book 2)
Lethal Rider (Lords of Deliverance book 3)
Rogue Rider (Lords of Deliverance book 4)
Reaver
Azagoth (Novella) (Demonica Underworld book 1)
Revenant
Hades (Novella) (Demonica Underworld book 2)
Base Instincts (Novella)
Z (Novella) (Demonica Underworld book 3)
Razr (Novella) (Demonica Underworld book 4)
Hawkyn (Novella) (Demonica Underworld book 5)
Her Guardian Angel (Novella) (Demonica Underworld book 6, also part of the Masters and Mercenaries Crossover Collection)
Dining with Angels: Bits & Bites from the Demonica Universe (Short Story Collection & Recipe Book, Demonica Underworld book 7)
Cipher (Demonica Underworld book 8)
Reaper (Demonica Underworld book 9)

For more information visit Larissa Ione's website

Review:
I am a massive fan of Larissa Ione's books, I love her Demonica series and have been really enjoying the Lords of Deliverance books too so I have no excuse for why I hadn't read Sin Undone before now. This is a pivotal book that ends the Demonica series and leads into the Lords of Deliverance books so I knew I'd picked up spoilers by reading Eternal Rider first and I think that's why I held off for so long. Anyway, if you're going to read the last book in a series you want to it to go out on a high note, I know a lot of the characters make appearances in the spin off but this is really the book that ties things up nicely for the Seminus brothers and their rather unique sister Sin. Luckily Larissa Ione always manages to exceed my high expectations so I loved Sin's story.

Sin is the only female Seminus demon and although she is close to her twin brother Lore she has never wanted to get to know their other brothers Eidolon, Shade and Wraith. She brushes them off like she doesn't care but in reality she is scared to let them in, she has been through so much in her past that she is nervous about letting anyone get close enough that they could hurt her. Although she acts like a tough master assassin (and in many ways that's exactly what she is) she is also surprisingly vulnerable and my heart went out to her. She took on the role of master assassin at the end of Ecstasy Unveiled so that Idess wouldn't have to and now she is stuck in a job she never wanted and has to die to get rid of. She also finds herself forced into close contact with Eidolon as he tries to find a cure to the werewolf plague she started by accident with her Seminus "gift".

Half vampire and half werewolf Con has been asked to ensure that Sin helps discover a cure to the plague and then he must bring her in for punishment. There may be chemistry between them but Con believes that she started the plague on purpose and is disgusted with her because of it. But no matter how bad his opinion of her is he still finds the lure of her blood irresistible and quickly finds himself verging on a blood addiction. I loved the banter between Con and Sin from the beginning but I really loved how Con breaks down her walls and sees the person she tries to keep hidden from the world. He sees the vulnerable and soft side of her and he falls for her because of it. The couple are so well suited and I loved the way they worked through their problems so they could be together.

With Sin being a succubus who needs regular sex to survive Larissa Ione doesn't skimp on the sex scenes in Sin Undone but they don't overtake the storyline and we get plenty of action alongside the steam. We also get to catch up with the other brothers and their respective mates, as well as some of the other side characters we've come to know so well and paramedic Luc gets a little romance of his own. I love the way the author manages to include so many different plot threads without them ever overtaking the main couple's story - they just compliment it and make the book an even more satisfying read. If you haven't read anything by Larissa Ione yet then I can't recommend her highly enough but I would definitely suggest starting with the Demonica series and then moving onto the Lords of Deliverance books afterwards so you can watch the full back story unfold without picking up spoilers.

Source: Purchased

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