Review: What a Dragon Should Know - G.A. Aiken

Only for those I love would I traipse into the merciless Northlands to risk life, limb, and my exquisite beauty. But do they appreciate it? Do they say, "Gwenvael the Handsome, you are the best among us--the most loved of all dragons?" No! For centuries my family has refused to acknowledge my magnificence as well as my innate humility. Yet for them, and because I am so chivalrous, I will brave the worst this land has to offer.

So here I stand, waiting to broker an alliance with the one the Northlanders call The Beast. A being so fearful, the greatest warriors will only whisper its name. Yet I, Gwenvael, will courageously face down this terrifying. . .woman? It turns out the Beast, a.k.a. Dagmar Reinholdt, is a woman--one with steel-gray eyes and a shocking disregard for my good looks. Beneath her plain robes and prim spectacles lies a sensual creature waiting to be unleashed. Who better than a dragon to thaw out that icy demeanor?

And who better than a beast to finally tame a mighty dragon's heart?

Dragon Kin Series:
Can't Get Enough (Novella in the Everlasting Bad Boys anthology)
A Tale of Two Dragons (Novella)
Dragon On Top (Novella in the Supernatural anthology)
Dragon Actually
About a Dragon
What a Dragon Should Know
Last Dragon Standing
The Dragon Who Loved Me
How to Drive a Dragon Crazy
Light My Fire
Feel the Burn (2015)

Visit G.A. Aiken's website for more information

Review:
This series is pure unadulterated brain candy, it doesn't take itself too seriously and G.A. Aiken consistently gives us slightly silly but very, very funny stories about overbearing alpha dragons and the warrior women who tame them. I've always loved reading about dragons and that is probably one of the reasons this series appeals to me so much but I also love the family dynamics and the crazy characters this series has introduced us to.

I've been waiting to read Gwenvael's story since the moment we first met him, he's the most light hearted of the brothers and the one who is always ready to lighten the mood with a joke or a silly comment. As a result of that nobody ever takes him seriously though so when Annwyl gives him a task to gather information from the Beast of the north he is determined to prove how capable he really is. The last thing he expects when he arrives at the home of the Northlanders is to discover that the Beast is in fact a woman but Gwenvael is known for his good looks and luck with the ladies as much as for his sense of humour so he isn't worried about his chances of success. Unfortunately for him Dagmar is the one woman who doesn't immediately fall for his charms and she isn't going to be easy to convince.

I knew I was going to love Gwenvael so I wasn't surprised to find that he is my favourite of the dragons we've met so far. He's just such a sweet guy and I love that he's less overbearing than his brothers. Dagmar may not be a fighter like Annwyl but she is more than capable of standing up for herself, she comes from a huge family but learnt from an early age how to talk her father and brothers into doing pretty much whatever she wants so she has been running her household for years without them even noticing. She has information that she knows Annwyl will find useful but she wants to deal directly with the Queen not her messenger boy. I enjoyed the banter between these two and the way Dagmar managed to keep Gwenvael on his toes, he's definitely not going to have an easy quiet life with her by his side!

It was also great to catch up with the previous couples and we're introduced to a whole new set of dragons who I think are going to be an interesting addition to the series. These books are a lot of fun to read and I'm glad I still have quite a few books to read before I'm caught up with the series.

Source: Purchased

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Review: About A Dragon - G.A. Aiken

Talaith's life has never been easy. A goddess has forced her into servitude. Her husband despises her. And all those in her tiny village fear her. But just when she doesn't think her life can get any worse, she's pulled from her bed one morning to be burned at the stake for being a witch. What she never counted on was a terrifying silver dragon deciding to rescue her.

Briec the Mighty didn't really know what to do with a human female. Especially this one. Chatty and a bit of a complainer, he doesn't understand why she can't simply admit to herself that she wants him. Who wouldn't? He was Briec the Mighty after all. Females fought to spend the night in his arms. But this one tiny woman with her many secrets and her annoying habit of referring to him as "arrogant" has turned his simple dragon life upside down.

This book has been previously published as The Distressing Damsel by Shelly Laurenston and is available under its new title, in print, from Kensington Books.

Warning: This story contains explicit monogamous sex and graphic violence!

Dragon Kin Series:
Can't Get Enough (Novella in the Everlasting Bad Boys anthology)
A Tale of Two Dragons (Novella)
Dragon On Top (Novella in the Supernatural anthology)
Dragon Actually
About a Dragon
What a Dragon Should Know
Last Dragon Standing
The Dragon Who Loved Me
How to Drive a Dragon Crazy
Light My Fire
Feel the Burn (2015)

Visit G.A. Aiken's website for more information

Review:
Talaith is having a pretty rough day, she was dragged from her bed in the middle of the night by a mob of angry villagers and now she's about to burn on a pyre because they think she's a witch. As if that wasn't bad enough the person who comes to her rescue isn't her husband (he was too busy egging on the crowd) but a huge dragon who she is pretty sure intends to eat her for a snack later. Talaith isn't about to go down without a fight though and Briec may have caught more than he bargained for. Breic isn't quite sure why he felt the urge to rescue the human woman, not to make a meal of that's for sure, but he finds her strangely fascinating. Now he's brought her back to his cave he isn't quite sure what to do with her but he quickly realises that he doesn't want to let her go.

This series is so much fun to read, sometimes you just want some brain candy, a story that is pure entertainment, one that will make you laugh out loud and have you giggling to yourself the whole way through and that's exactly what the Dragon Kin series is for me. G.A. Aiken's dragons are completely over the top cavemen and the women who tame them are all fierce, opinionated warriors who are more than capable of standing their ground. Briec is the most arrogant dragon we've met so far (and that's saying something!) but Talaith isn't impressed, she refuses to bow down before any man or dragon and she gives as good as she gets. The pair of them spark off each other constantly and both love nothing more than a good argument, apart from perhaps the make up sex that comes afterwards. They make a great couple but Talaith has a secret mission that she must complete and nothing, not even her love for an arrogant dragon, will sway her from her task. Briec has waited a long time for his mate and he isn't going to let her get away from him that easily though.

One of the things I love most about this series is the family, all of the dragons are completely crazy and their interactions are absolutely hilarious. About A Dragon gives us the chance to catch up with previous couple Feargus and Annwyl along with Briec's other siblings Gwenvael, Éibhear and Morfyd. I love the banter between the brothers and their sister and I can't wait to read each of their stories. This series has been so entertaining and I have a feeling it's only going to get better with each new book.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Everlasting Bad Boys - Anthology

They're bad boys--with that little something extra. Sexy, wild, out-of-this-world talents that can leave any woman feeling weak at the knees (among other body parts), they're the ones to call when you want pleasure that lasts . . . and lasts . . .

Can't Get Enough Shelly Laurenston

Even for a dragon, Ailean the Wicked has a bad reputation. For 150 years he's been renowned for his fighting prowess, but now he's got a new conquest in mind--a gorgeous dragoness known as Shalin the Innocent. Ailean suspects she's anything but. And while he's saving her from her enemies, he plans to prove that, even in human form, a bad-boy dragon can show a girl a good time that's truly off the scale . . .

Spellbound Cynthia Eden

No witch in her right mind would summon an immortal soul-hunter to her aid, but Serena Tyme needs Luis D'Amil's help to destroy the warlock who's stalking her coven. And she's willing to pay any price he names. . .especially when the tall, dark, sexy-as-hell assassin shows her he can work some sensual magic of his own . . .

Turn Me On Noelle Mack

Finally, Beth Danforth has found a man who can flip her switch. That's because supersexy Justin Watts, CEO of SpectraSign, is literally made of light. His dazzling, custom-built body can't ever wear out. And talk about energy--Beth can't get enough of the guy. The sex is electrifying. The love will never fade away . . .

For more information about any of these authors you can visit their websites by clicking the links below:
Shelly Laurenston (aka G.A. Aiken)
Cynthia Eden
Noelle Mack

Review:
I only really picked up this anthology for the Dragon Kin story by Shelly Laurenston (aka G.A. Aiken) but I thought I'd give the other stories a chance and I'm glad I read them all. Spellbound and Turn Me On were both enjoyable stories and it was nice to be able to try out a couple of new authors. Can't Get Enough was definitely my favourite story of the bunch though and I think this anthology is worth picking up for that alone if you're a fan of the Dragon Kin series.

Can't Get Enough by Shelly Laurenston (aka G.A. Aiken)

Dragon Kin Series:
Can't Get Enough (Novella in the Everlasting Bad Boys anthology)
A Tale of Two Dragons (Novella)
Dragon On Top (Novella in the Supernatural anthology)
Dragon Actually
About a Dragon
What a Dragon Should Know
Last Dragon Standing
The Dragon Who Loved Me
How to Drive a Dragon Crazy
Light My Fire
Feel the Burn (2015)

Having already read Dragon Actually (and the novella included in that book Chains and Flames), I had already met both of the main characters from Can't Get Enough. In fact Ailean and Shalin are the grandparents of Fearghus and I was quite curious to see how they'd met and fallen in love considering how different their personalities are. I knew immediately that I was going to love Ailean, he's a complete player and absolutely unapologetic about that fact. He's the kind of guy who has always known what he wants and happily goes out to get it but when he falls he falls hard and he now only has eyes for Shalin. Shalin is much shyer and more reserved, all she ever wanted was to be left alone with her books to get on with her studies but Ailean is a temptation she can't ignore no matter how much trouble he might get her in.

As much as I enjoyed the relationship between Ailean and Shalin (and that was a lot!) I think what I enjoyed most about this story was Ailean's crazy family. He's from a large and boisterous family where everyone has an opinion and they all think they have the right to interfere in each others lives and I just love that. I'm from a small family myself so I love seeing that interaction and close connection that the dragons all have. It is hilarious seeing the family squabble and tease each other but when it comes down to it they have such a strong bond and will always unite together against anyone who crosses them. They're quite a bloodthirsty bunch too so I'm hoping we get to see them causing plenty of trouble throughout the Dragon Kin series.

Spellbound by Cynthia Eden

Serena and her coven are being targeted, her friends are being picked off one by one by a warlock who is trying to steal their powers and she's getting desperate. Desperate enough to call for help from a Cazador - a powerful soul stealer whose duty is to protect the world from supernaturals who use dark magic - but she knows that help will come at a price. Luis isn't happy when Serena summons him but when he discovers the situation she is in he knows he has to help her, it doesn't hurt that he finds the witch incredibly sexy either.

These two had great chemistry from the beginning so although their relationship moves quite quickly I didn't have a problem with it. I enjoyed seeing them fight together as they hunted Serena's enemy and I thought they suited each other. This was a quick and fun read and I wouldn't mind revisiting the characters in the future.

Turn Me On by Noelle Mack

Turn Me On is a difficult story to review, in some ways I really loved it but in others I felt a little let down. I liked the main characters and enjoyed the interaction between them and I absolutely loved finding out more about Justin's past and where he came from however I think there were far too many unanswered questions and it was hard to accept how quickly Beth believed everything he told her. Towards the end the story took a turn into the completely ridiculous and we didn't get a full explanation on how things happened or why Justin did what he did. It just didn't make sense to me and that made it hard to believe the way their relationship moved forward from that point.

This story really did have so much potential though and I think if it had been a full length novel with a little more depth and background then I would have absolutely loved it. I don't believe that this is part of a series but if the authors revisited these characters or this world then I'd be very tempted to give it her another chance to win me over.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Dragon Actually - G.A. Aiken

It's not always easy being a female warrior with a nickname like Annwyl the Bloody. Men tend to either cower in fear-a lot-or else salute. It's true that Annwyl has a knack for decapitating legions of her ruthless brother's soldiers without pausing for breath. But just once it would be nice to be able to really talk to a man, the way she can talk to Fearghus the Destroyer.

Too bad that Fearghus is a dragon, of the large, scaly, and deadly type. With him, Annwyl feels safe-a far cry from the feelings aroused by the hard-bodied, arrogant knight Fearghus has arranged to help train her for battle. With her days spent fighting a man who fills her with fierce, heady desire, and her nights spent in the company of a magical creature who could smite a village just by exhaling, Annwyl is sure life couldn't get any stranger.

She's wrong...

And just wait until you meet the rest of the family...

Dragon Kin Series:
Can't Get Enough (Novella in the Everlasting Bad Boys anthology)
A Tale of Two Dragons (Novella)
Dragon On Top (Novella in the Supernatural anthology)
Dragon Actually
About a Dragon
What a Dragon Should Know
Last Dragon Standing
The Dragon Who Loved Me
How to Drive a Dragon Crazy
Light My Fire
Feel the Burn (2015)

Visit G.A. Aiken's website for more information

Review:
You know how you sometimes need a palate cleanser? Something that is just going to be light hearted, funny and if we're completely honest a little on the ridiculous side? Well that's exactly what you're going to get if you pick up a copy of Dragon Actually, the first book in G.A. Aiken (AKA Shelly Laurenston) 's Dragon Kin series. It's full of sexy (and incredibly horny) dragons and kick ass warrior women who aren't afraid to take what they want. There are no blushing virgins or simpering, downtrodden women in this book, they are all fighters who give as good as they get when they come up against these very alpha males.

Annwyl the Bloody is a warrior princess who is raising an army to go up against her brother the king. She is determined to maker her brother pay for his sins and she's completely ruthless when it comes to achieving that goal earning her a reputation for beheading her enemies. When Annwyl is injured in battle she is rescued by a black dragon who takes her back to his cave and manages to heal her. Fearghus is also a fierce warrior but the dragons tend to keep to themselves and he has no interest in human wars. Where Annwyl's strength and determination have put men off in the past it is exactly what Fearghus finds so attractive about her and it isn't long before they are unable to resist the building attraction between them. Fearghus is keeping a big secret though, one that would normally make me really annoyed with a hero but in this case I just found it so funny watching things unfold that I forgot to be irritated with him. I loved these two, they have great chemistry and wicked banter but we also get to see a deeper friendship develop and I believed in them as a couple.

Dragon Actually also contains a bonus novella, Chains and Flames, that tells the story of how Fearghus's parents, Bercelak and Rhiannon, met and fell in love. I have to admit I wasn't sure I'd like Bercelak because he was a bit of a bastard in Dragon Actually but I ended up loving him from the very beginning of his story and it was Rhiannon who took a while to win me around. Rhiannon is a spoiled and pampered princess who is horrified when her mother tells her she must mate with low born Bercelak. She believes that she deserves so much better than him but when they are forced to spend time together she is surprised by how much they actually have in common. I think I ended up loving Bercelak even more than Fearghus, he's completely baddass and a well known warrior and he was also a Dom who made me a little weak at the knees.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed both of these stories and I can't wait to continue reading the series. The whole dragon family are completely crazy and so much fun to read about so I'm hoping that all of the siblings will get a book of their own (I deliberately haven't looked ahead to see whose stories have already been written) eventually. I love reading about sibling relationships, the way they tease each other mercilessly but will always have each other's backs when it comes down to it, and I'm hoping that we'll get a chance to keep up with previous couples as we're introduced to new ones.

Source: Purchased

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