Review: Stealing Summer - Lexi Blake

From New York Times and USA Today bestseller Lexi Blake comes a new epic-length story in her Thieves/Hunter world… 

A daughter lost 

Summer has spent her whole life wondering about the family she left behind. On the night she came into being she only had a few moments with them. In that brief time, she reached out to her father, looking deep into his soul, and gifted him the will to go on. But now she is the one in need. Once a child made of pure magic, she is forced to live as a mortal. Her power caused great harm, and she has sworn never to let it happen again. With her friends beside her, she tries her best to help those she can. If that requires her to do a little thievery, well, she is her mother’s daughter, after all.

Everything changes when a woman falls from the sky and Summer meets the handsome vampire named Marcus Vorenus. Just as her past begins to catch up with her, she might have finally met her future.

A mother discovered

Kelsey Owens went searching for Dev and Marcus but all she found was a trap. She was pulled through a magical painting and thrown smack into the middle of a battle on a foreign plane of existence. Luckily she’s good in a fight. Saving the woman targeted by the horde of brutal soldiers, Kelsey is shocked by her resemblance to her queen. As Kelsey investigates the mystery surrounding Summer Donovan-Quinn, she also hunts for a way back to the husbands and son she just claimed.

A queen exiled

Zoey Donovan-Quinn is not happy. The wizard Myrddin is back, her marriage is troubled, and she is sure those two problems are connected. But nothing is more worrying than Dev’s sudden disappearance. When she and Daniel go looking for him, they are drawn into a world thought lost to the Earth plane. Danger awaits them there, but so does the daughter they thought they would never see again. She hopes they survive their reunion.

Three heroines. One mystery. And an ending that will change the Thieves world forever…

Thieves Series:
Steal the Light
You Will Call Me Master (Free short story via the author's newsletter)
She Will Be My Goddess (Free short story via the author's newsletter)
Steal the Day
Steal the Moon
Steal the Sun
Steal the Night
Ripper (Hunter book 1)
Addict (Hunter book 2)
Sleeper (Hunter book 3)
Outcast (Hunter book 4)

Stealing Summer (Hunter book 5)

Visit Lexi Blake's website for more information

Review:
I love Lexi Blake's Thieves series and always hoped that we'd find out what happened to Summer as well as that we'd see Marcus get his own romance so I was thrilled when I heard about Stealing Summer. While a lot of this author's books work as stand alone stories (you can pretty much read the Masters & Mercenaries series in any order for example) I really recommend reading this book after the rest of the Thieves and Hunter books because there is so much going on here that it would be confusing for a first time reader.

We have three different points of view for the book, Zoey from the original books in the series, Kelsey whose story was told in the Hunter spin off and also Summer who we saw briefly as a baby but never as a POV character before. Sometimes I find stories confusing when they're told from multiple points of view but these three characters were distinctive enough that it was easy to keep track of who we were reading about.

It's really hard to say too much about the plot of this book without giving spoilers but trust me if you had questions at the end of the previous books then you'll get most of the answers here. As well as Zoey and Kelsey we get to catch up with other series favourites like Daniel, Dev and Marcus, we also get to explore a few new realms and if you're fans of Lexi's other books you'll spot cameos from characters from both the Masters and Mercenaries and the Faery story series. I loved getting to meet Summer and see how her life had turned out since she was taken to Faerie and I really loved seeing Marcus finally get his own happily ever after that he's waited thousands of years for. 

The only other thing I'm going to tell to is that this is a total game changer for this series and whole world. Lots of revelations are made and while I expected something like what happened at the end it was still a jaw dropping moment and a HUGE cliffhanger. I honestly can't wait for the next book in the series and I'm really glad that Lexi Blake is writing in this world again!

Source: Purchased

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Review: The War Priest - Ann Aguirre

Dour. Dutiful. Dogged.

Personal tragedy drove Callum McRae to join the Order of Saint Casimir fifteen years ago; now he’s in charge of a hold he hasn’t lived in for years. Supplies are scarce, he has no knack for dealing with people, and the Gols are at the gates. To make matters worse, he’s also battling an attraction so powerful and forbidden that it imperils his very soul…

Canny. Cheerful. Charming.

Joss Bristow seems bright and cheerful, but she’s hiding a well of sorrow that fuels her music. She’s also prone to leaping before she looks, exactly how she ends up besieged at Burnt Amber. Though she wanted to get to know Callum better, she never imagined that falling for him could cost her life.

He’s the dark of night, and she’s the sun that shines just for him. Two wounded souls have never needed each other more, but between his holy vows and the devastation of war, the odds are stacked against them…

Ars Numina Series:
The Leopard King
The Demon Prince
The Wolf Lord
The Shadow Warrior
The War Priest
The Jaguar Knight (release date to be confirmed)

Visit Ann Aguirre's website for more information

Review:
Callum left his home fifteen years ago to join the Order of Saint Casimir as a priest and he never looked back. He certainly didn't expect to have to come back years later and take control as the hold leader in the middle of a war. The Gols are closing in and battle is looming, supplies are running low and Callum is totally out of practice when it comes to dealing with so many people. Joss is Callum's total opposite, cheerful and empathic to his cold and stoic, she knows exactly how to keep people's spirits up even in the most dire situations. She has admired Callum from afar and wants nothing more than to get to know him better but his plans to return to the priesthood are a huge barrier between them. Joss is exactly what Callum needs though and she might be the only person who can help him get through the challenges that lie ahead.

I've been a fan of Ann Aguirre's Ars Numina series since the beginning but The War Priest was definitely my favourite book so far. I absolutely loved the romance between Joss and Callum. She's such a sweet and warmhearted character while he comes across as really dour and grumpy so at first glance you wouldn't think they fit well together. You'd be totally wrong on that though because Joss is absolutely everything that Callum needs, he locked his heart away after a tragedy and has been in a kind of frozen stasis ever since but Joss's sunshine personality burns through that ice and lets her through to the warm and loving man hidden deep inside.

I loved that their relationship develops slowly, the attraction is there from the beginning but it takes time for them to build a friendship and grow trust before Callum realises that Joss is the most important thing in his life, even more so than the vows he took. Even then his vows to the Order of Saint Casimir are taken seriously, Callum respects the order and he doesn't just walk away because he has feelings for Joss. He talks about it with his brothers and requests permission to leave from the head of the order. These two are ridiculously adorable together and I was so happy with the way things turned out for them.

That isn't to say this story is all easy though. They are in the middle of a war and facing danger on all sides so there is plenty of action happening here. It was nice to see some of the previous characters make cameo appearances and there was a lot of great progress made between the different factions who are all fighting against the Gols. I'm already looking forward to the next book and can't wait to see how this series ends.

Source: Received from Ann Aguirre in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Of Flame and Fury - Cecy Robson

Taran Wird, the loudmouth mistress of flame and lightning, didn’t want to attend the formal gathering of the supernatural elite. She did so only to help to unite the supreme beings in attendance in one common goal: protecting Taran’s sister, Celia.

Celia is pregnant with alpha werewolf Aric Connor’s child, the same child prophesized to save the world from uprising evil. Evil wants this child dead before he is born and, more importantly, before he can grow strong enough to stop it.

Taran and her werewolf lover, Gemini, put plans in place to protect Celia. Master Vampire Misha Aleksandr and his clan also swear their allegiance to Celia and vow to keep her from harm. The witches even cast protection spells around the manor to curse anyone with malintent who enters. Nothing was supposed to go wrong, except everything did.

Creatures that shouldn’t exist stalk the grounds and invade the premises, and every curse meant to shield the guests turns against them. No one counted on the powerful being who arrived uninvited. But he’s here, manipulating the magic enclosing the estate to work in his favor.

As body counts rise and allies become enemies, chances are Celia won’t survive the night. But evil never counted on how hard Taran Wird would fight, even at the expense of her life.

Weird Girls Series:
Gone Hunting
A Curse Awakened (Novella)
The Weird Girls (Novella)
Sealed with a Curse
A Cursed Embrace
A Cursed Moon (Novella)
Cursed by Destiny
A Cursed Bloodline
A Curse Unbroken
Of Flame and Promise
Of Flame and Light
Of Flame and Fate
Of Flame and Fury

Visit Cecy Robson's website for more information.

Review:
With Celia heavily pregnant with the child that is supposed to save the world the whole supernatural community, from the Pack to the vampires and even the witches, have come together to keep her safe. Their enemies are converging though and they are equally determined to kill Celia before the child is born. This battle will be the fiercest one yet and Taran will do anything to protect her sister, even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice.

Of Flame and Fury is the final book of the Weird Girls series told from Taryn's point of view but I don't believe it will be the last book in the series. I'm not sure which sister will be up next but I'm already looking forward to continuing the adventures! This book was pretty much non stop action from beginning to end, their enemies are out in force and its going to take everyone working together if they want to save Celia. Taran has to make some difficult decisions but alongside Gemini, Aric, Shayna and Emme they will never give up.

While I loved the battle scenes in this book I have to admit I would have liked some more quieter moments where we just got to spend time with the characters we know and love. There was less humour in this book because there was so much danger and I missed that a little here. It was still a fab instalment though and I'm more eager than ever to get to Emme and Shayna's stories so I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next one!

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

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Review: Kiss of Vengeance - S. Young

A standalone adult paranormal romance from New York Times Bestselling author Samantha Young writing as S. Young.

Fionn Mór was once a high king of Ireland; a fierce warrior who led his tribes against the invading fae. It was a war he couldn’t win and to save his family he turned consort for the Fae Queen. Fionn escaped as the thing he once despised, and the people he loved betrayed him for it. Now, centuries later, it’s time to reopen the gates to Faerie to take his revenge against the Faerie Queen.

At sixteen Rose Kelly discovered family secrets that changed her forever. Years after, she’s still lost, traveling across Europe in search of that elusive missing ‘something’. When she’s attacked by a vampire, not only is she wrenched into a supernatural underworld she never knew existed, a knock on the head releases a spell on her mind and unlocks powers beyond her wildest imaginings. And with them more questions. Questions Fionn Mór claims to have answers to.

Following the powerful and enigmatic Fionn to Ireland, Rose quickly realizes she’s a pawn in his plan for vengeance. What begins as a passionate battle of wills leads to an inexplicable but undeniable connection. One that will force them to face an impossible choice between the deepest love… and the darkest revenge.

True Immortality Series:
(These stories are all stand alone and can be read in any order but they're in the same universe)
War of Hearts
Kiss of Vengeance

Visit Samantha Young's website for more information

Review:
Fionn was an Irish warrior king who led his people in battle against the fae, when the war took a dangerous turn he sacrificed himself becoming consort to the Fae Queen to save his people. The queen turned Fionn fae as punishment, making him part of a race he despised, then, when he was finally able to escape and return home his people betrayed him. In the centuries since Fionn has had one goal in mind, finding a way to return to Faerie so that he can kill the Fae Queen and finally get the revenge he has been dreaming of.

Rose has never felt like she fitted in and she's never been able to settle in one place. For years she's wandered across Europe searching for something even though she's not really sure what she's looking for. Then one night she is attacked by a vampire and finds herself pulled into the world of the supernatural. Fionn offers to be her protection in this new world but Rose has no idea that he believes she is the key to opening the gates to Faerie and that he plans to use her to get his revenge.

While this story is set in the same world as War of Hearts, and Fionn did make a brief appearance in that book, Kiss of Vengeance also works well as a stand alone. Fans of the series will spot a few familiar faces along the way but I don't think it would be enough to make things confusing for new readers. They're great books though so I'd honestly recommend picking up both of them.

I really loved Rose as a character, she was new to the supernatural but she was by no means a push over. She'd been looking after herself for years and was more than capable of standing her ground when she needed to. She was really honest and open and definitely someone I could easily be friends with. Fionn was a strong and proud warrior who had been to hell and back. His backstory was tragic and he had been abused horribly at the hands of the Fae Queen so I had a lot of sympathy for him but I didn't like the fact that he was so willing to sacrifice an innocent just to get his revenge. Fionn and Rose had a spark and I found their bickering amusing but I found it hard to get on board with their relationship when he was keeping so many secrets and basically plotting to kill her for the majority of the book. You could see he was struggling with his feelings and that helped but I think I'd have liked him to be more upfront a little earlier in the story.

Overall I don't think I loved the romance quite as much as the first book but I still enjoyed the characters and the world building. I'm invested in this series and really hope that Niamh is going to be getting her own book soon.

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

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Review: War of Hearts - S. Young

Thea Quinn has no idea what she is. All she knows is that her abilities have been a plague upon her life since she was a child. After years of suffering at the hands of a megalomaniac, Thea escaped and has been on the run ever since.

The leadership and protection of his pack are of the utmost importance to Conall MacLennan, Alpha and Chief of Clan MacLennan, the last werewolf pack in Scotland. Which is why watching his sister slowly die of a lycanthropic disease is emotional torture. When Conall is approached by a businessman who offers a cure for his sister in exchange for the use of Conall’s rare tracking ability, Conall forges an unbreakable contract with him. He has to find and retrieve the key to the cure: dangerous murderer, Thea Quinn.

Thea’s attempts to evade the ruthless werewolf are not only thwarted by the Alpha, but by outside dangers. With no choice but to rely on one another for survival, truths are revealed, intensifying a passionate connection they both fight to resist. At war with themselves and each other, Conall and Thea’s journey to Scotland forces them to face a heartrending choice between love and betrayal.

True Immortality Series:
(These stories are all stand alone and can be read in any order but they're in the same universe)
War of Hearts
Kiss of Vengeance

Visit Samantha Young's website for more information

Review:
Conall is the alpha werewolf and chief of a pack in Scotland, his family and his pack are his priorities and it's killing him having to watch his sister waste away from a disease with no known cure. When he's approached by a businessman who offering him a cure in exchange for Conall tracking down a murderer and bringing them to justice he jumps at the chance to save Callie's life.

Thea has always known she is different she just doesn't know why, despite being born to human parents she is faster and stronger than any human should be and her healing abilities are exceptional even compared to supernaturals. After her parents died she was taken in by a family friend but once he discovered her powers she spent years locked up and suffering through experiment after experiment. Escaping cost her everything and she's been on the run ever since trying to stay one step ahead of her enemies. Now Conall is on her trail and he always finds his target, he thinks he's hunting a murderer but Thea knows capture will lead to a lifetime of pain and suffering and she will do anything to escape that fate.

I love Samantha Young's contemporary romances but paranormal is where my heart lies so when I found out she was writing her first adult PNR story I knew I had to read it. War of Hearts was a brilliant slow build romance between two characters who both have everything to lose. They're both great characters and although I was a bit irritated by how easily Conall let himself be duped in the beginning I could understand his desperation to believe anything if it meant saving his sister. Thea has suffered so much but in spite of that she has a kind of charming innocence about her and she believes the best in the people she meets. She could so easily use her abilities to get whatever she wants but she prefers to work hard and make her own way in life, something that Conall quickly comes to respect too. I thought these two made a really well matched pair and I enjoyed watching them finally start to realise how deeply their feelings ran for each other.

The story is full of action as the chase takes them all across Europe as Thea tries to keep out of Conall's reach. Then when someone else starts targeting the pair they realise that they're going to have to work together if they both want to survive. Samantha Young has created an interesting world and while this story works perfectly as a stand alone I'm really excited that she plans to write more stories set in this universe. Kiss of Vengeance is definitely at the top of my wish list for when it publishes next year!

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

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Review: Jessie's Harem - Mandy Rosko

Ghouls just wanna have fun...

Jessie needs an army. One made up of the strongest alphas she can find if she is to kill a powerful sorcerer. The former master who created her.

She needs warriors, both wolf and dragon alike for this tricky mission. Easier said than done because dragons and wolves don’t get along! Luckily, Jessie’s a ghoul with succubus powers and she doesn’t have to look far to find a few scrumptious men who are the perfect candidates...

She just didn’t expect to have so much fun making the growly warriors do her bidding, though they don’t seem to mind when play time rolls around.

As things heat up in the bedroom, complications arise. The long history of fighting between dragons and werewolves is more challenging than Jessie expected. To ensure her freedom, and their cooperation, she might have to, horror of horrors, release them from her spell.

Trusting four angry warriors to stay on their own free will is a new experience for Jessie. Because, whether she wins her freedom or not, Jessie is used to a solitary, loveless life, and not convinced she’s worthy of four knights in shining armor.

Visit Mandy Rosko's website for more information

Review:
Jessie has been used and abused by her husband for years, he even went so far as to turn her into some kind of ghoul / succubus type creature who has to feed on souls to stay alive. She's been planning her escape for a long time but she knows she can't battle him alone, so she sets out to get herself an army by ensnaring an alpha werewolf and an alpha dragon shifter using her succubus abilities. She ends up binding 4 men to her with a spell and promises them that if they are able to kill her ex she will give them back their freedom.

I'm having a hard time writing a review for Jessie's Harem because I don't have a lot of positive things to say about it. I struggled with Jessie as a character, she can be extremely childish, is always very selfish and very rarely thinks about anyone other than herself. She has zero problem with compelling others to do her bidding using her magic even while complaining that the same thing had been done to her and that's why her husband needs to die. The men were a little more likeable but they spent so much time having petty squabbles amongst themselves and it was just irritating to read about. The wolves and dragons are at war, for no real good reason and that's just the way it's always been so why would they try to make peace?

Yet, despite the fact that the two sides can't stand each other and have spent years killing each other in battle, along comes a woman and suddenly they can work together? Never mind the fact that they're all aware she's put a spell on them, it's not some subtle thing that they're not aware of. They know from the get go that she's manipulating them and playing on their emotions yet somehow all they care about is how beautiful she is and how much they want to get in her pants. I find that really hard to believe considering she put them under her spell by feeding them her corrupted black blood. I just didn't buy the attraction between them, or believe that all four men would get together behind her back not to try and figure out an escape plan but to try and work out how to seduce her. I hate to say it but this is just one of those books that I'd have a really difficult time recommending and I would have zero interest in reading more about any of these characters or this world.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: The Journals of Octavia Hollows: Books 1-6 - Stacey Rourke

With a touch of her hand, Octavia Hollows can restore life. Yet, she couldn’t save the man she loved from the horrific accident that stole him from her. Octavia thought she could outrun the pain, but ghosts from the past refuse to be silenced. Out of options, she chooses to retrace her wayward journey across the country in search of answers. Surrounded by baffling mysteries of the undead, what she learns about herself along the way might become her greatest weapon.

This six novella series chronicles Octavia's adventures in:
Wake the Dead
Dead Man's Hand
Caught Dead
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Dead Ringer
Dead as a Doornail

"This is Rourke at her finest: sassy and completely unapologetic. Proving again why she's a powerhouse in this industry."
-USA Today Best Selling Author Rue Volley

"This book has it all: a kickass heroine, loads of action... and a pig named Bacon."
-NYT & USA Today Best Selling Author Karen Lynch

The Journals of Octavia Hollows Series:
How the Dead Lie (Prequel novella, this is also part of the Havenwood Falls multi-author series)
Wake the Dead
Dead Man's Hand
Caught Dead
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Dead Ringer
Dead as a Doornail
The Journals of Octavia Hollows: Books 1-6 (Bind Up Collection Containing the first 6 novellas)

Visit Stacey Rourke's website for more information

Review:
This book is actually a collection of the first 6 novellas in the Octavia Hollows series by Stacey Rourke. I listened to the audiobook which narrated by Brenda Scott Wlazlo who I thought did a brilliant job with the different character voices. I often find my mind drifts when I'm listening to audiobooks but she did a great job of holding my attention and I ended up devouring the whole series far faster than I usually listen to audiobooks.

I'll talk about each one separately below but lets start with a brief overview of the series. Octavia is a necromancer with a rather unusual ability. Rather than raising a zombie like creature she is actually able to restore a dead body to its original healthy state and the person she raises is effectively given a whole new chance at life. Her life was turned upside down by the death of her fiancé Elba, that wouldn't usually be a big problem for her but when someone steals his body before she can reanimate him it all goes to hell. Now Octavia's only focus in life is to try and figure out where Elba's body is so that she can bring him back from the dead.

This was a fun and light hearted urban fantasy series that I couldn't read fast enough and I really, really hope that Stacey Rourke decides to write more stories set in this world.

Wake the Dead

This is a great introduction to Octavia and this world. We get to find out about her ability to raise the dead and meet the most adorable sidekick in her pet pig called Bacon. The story starts with Octavia retracing her steps to Seattle looking for clues about Elba's missing body. While there she is asked for help by a desperate family whose children both seem to be dying. Add in a dead nurse, a visit to the morgue and a dangerous curse and Octavia is going to need to keep her wits about her if she wants to survive this adventure.

We only find out a little about Octavia's past here but we start to understand how alone she has been since falling out with the Coven who raised her until she was 16.

Dead Man's Hand

The second story sees Octavia retrace her steps to Las Vegas where she's hoping her old boss might have some answers for her about the man who is stalking her. We get to see Bacon cause chaos on a construction site before Octavia gets herself caught up in a new supernatural case after she reanimates an ex gambler who was burned alive. She's trying to stay under the radar of her Coven, dodge the police and a mob hitman while trying to figure out who is behind the murders so it's probably no surprise that things get a little crazy.

I'm really enjoying getting to know Octavia, she may be on a mission but that never stops her from trying to help others along the way.

Caught Dead

The next stop of Octavia's journey sees her in Galveston, Texas. She's still searching for Elba's body but at the same time she's also trying to find out more about the mysterious stalker who seems to be shadowing her every move. While here she witnesses a body being recovered from a fishing net but he's too far gone even for her magic abilities. Unable to ask the victim directly about his murder she has to do a bit more digging on her own here and soon gets caught up in a tale of sea monsters.

This story gives us a lot more information about Octavia's past as she uncovers things about herself and her family that she'd never heard of before. She was an orphan before the Coven took her in but this gives her a chance to find out about the parents she doesn't even remember. It ends on quite a cliffhanger so I was really pleased that I had the entire series on hand ready to continue!

Drop Dead Gorgeous

After her abduction in the previous story Octavia is still at the mercy of a cold blooded siren who would happily see her dead. With Bacon and her new friend Squidface being held hostage and used against her Octavia didn't have much choice but to agree to travel to meet the rest of the siren pod. The last thing she's expecting is to find them running a travelling beauty pageant where they target pervy old men to feed from but it's actually a pretty perfect way for the sirens to feed without going on a killing spree.

Octavia finds herself caught up in siren politics after stumbling across a double homicide and she'll have to keep her wits about her if she wants to save her friends in time. This ends in another cliffhanger so again I was ready to dive straight into the next story.

Dead Ringer

Knowing that her stalker has abducted her entire coven has put Octavia's hunt for Elba's body on hold. She will do anything to save the women who raised her and her search for them begins in New Orleans. Retracing her steps seems to be working well for her so far so she heads back to the boxing gym she used to work at. When she realises her old boss and one of the new fighters Reid have got themselves in some kind of trouble with an underground fight club she knows she has to step in and help but she's definitely going to end up with more than she bargained for this time.

All the way through this series I've been rooting for Octavia to track down Elba and bring him back to life but for the first time I'm starting to wonder whether that's actually the best option for her. She had some great chemistry going on with Reid so although nothing has really happened there so far I find myself almost hoping that will change in the future. We're definitely getting closer to a resolution one way or the other when it comes to Elba though so I couldn't dive into the final book fast enough.

Dead as a Doornail

Her journey has come full circle and now Octavia is back in Tallahassee, Florida, the place where Elba died and where her stalker is now holding her coven captive. Reid has travelled with her wanting to help her and pay back the debt he feels he owes her but her focus remains on finding Elba's body and rescuing her coven.

I'm not going to say too much about this final instalment because I don't want to give spoilers but I will say I was really happy with the way this series ended (although I'm still hoping for more in the future!). This was an intense part of Octavia's journey, she has to face some terrible choices and is forced to face up to both her past and what she wants from her future.

I had so much fun reading this series, I ended up devouring all 6 novellas in less than 24 hours because they kept me totally hooked from beginning to end. I loved the colourful characters and the humour and while this may have been my first Stacey Rourke series it definitely won't be the last!

Source: Received audiobook for review

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Review: The Lunatics: Volume One - Navessa Allen

Layla Fitzpatrick lives a simple life, for a werewolf. And that's just how she likes it. Her childhood was less than ideal. She'd like to spend her adult years flying under the radar of more powerful preternatural creatures. Because she knows from experience what happens when they notice you.

Everything changes one early summer night when she attends a ritual bonding ceremony meant to join two werewolves together for life. Midway through, the spell becomes corrupted and she finds herself unexpectedly mated to the stuffiest shifter she's ever laid eyes on.

Michael Kolbeck is more man than wolf. He spends his days in a skyscraper, building his family's empire. At night, he prowls the streets of Boston, a city where shifters, witches, and vampires walk a delicate tightrope of ceasefire masquerading as peace.

Little do they know that Layla's arrival will act as the spark that ignites the fire, and that thin veneer of peace is about to vanish.

Visit Navessa Allen's website for more information

Review:
I'm a huge paranormal romance and urban fantasy fan so I knew going in that this was going to be just my kind of story but it's like Navessa Allen has been rooting around inside my head and plucked out every single item on my wish list for this kind of book then meshed it all together into The Lunatics. We have a strong, independent, intelligent heroine who knows what she wants from life and isn't afraid to go looking for it. Then there's a hero who is alpha without being over the top about it, he's sexy but in a more subtle way than a lot of heroes you read about and he doesn't mind when a woman is physically stronger than him. Throw in fantastic world building, a society where race, sexuality and gender seem to matter very little and a great cast of side characters and I'm hooked.

Layla and Michael are thrown together by circumstance, having a mate is not something either of them was ready for but they both accept the situation when they're accidentally bonded in a ceremony gone wrong. Neither of them is willing to rush into a relationship no matter how attracted they are to each other or how much their new bond is messing with their emotions but they're not pushing each other away or fighting it either. Instead they take time to get to know each other, they gradually build trust between them and they discuss the possibilities for their future like adults so that they're both fully on board with every choice they make. I love the slow build of their relationship, the chemistry is simmering along nicely in the background pretty much from first sight but it takes a long time before they're willing to take that step into a physical relationship.

Layla is really laid back and much more relaxed than Michael, she fully accepts her werewolf side and is happy to spend time both as a wolf and as a human. She enjoys spending time with her family and her pack and is happy to live a fairly simple life. Michael on the other hand has grown up learning how to suppress his wolf instincts, his family live in the city and they spend nearly all their time as humans. It's a careful balancing act in Boston with territory split between the werewolves, vampires and witches while the human population is completely oblivious to their very existence. For Layla living in the city is a real test, the sights, sounds and scents are completely overwhelming to her senses and she's walking on a tightrope over a field full of political landmines having no idea what wrong move could set off an explosion. Michael tries hard to help her fit in but it's fair to say his family are a nightmare and I think things are only going to get worse before they get better.

While the story doesn't end on a cliffhanger it did leave me desperate to get my hands on Volume Two so I'll be eagerly awaiting the next instalment. I have a feeling this is going to become one of my favourite series!

In interests of full disclosure I have to point out that Navessa is a very close friend of mine, however that hasn't affected this review or my rating. I purchased this book myself and these are my honest opinions of the story.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Beast - Lexi Blake

A playboy who needs to grow up

Fresh from his latest tabloid scandal, vampire playboy Dante Dellacourt has been given an ultimatum. Either he takes a consort and settles down, or his family will disown him. Unwilling to lose everything he has, he reluctantly agrees to find a wife. Marriage is just another kind of contract, after all. No one said anything about love being a part of the bargain.

An outcast who has only known hardship

Exiled by her pack, Kaja is a werewolf without a home. Her life was never easy in the frozen tundra she grew up in, but it was familiar. Waking up in a foreign landscape, surrounded by bright lights, loud noises, and far too many people has left her overwhelmed. Frightened and with no one to trust, she savagely fights to get free of this strange new world.

A passion strong enough to change them both

Called to defend the gnomes of the marketplace, Dante is almost blinded by the radiant light coming off the fierce werewolf. Kaja glows like no consort he has ever seen. Gorgeous and wild, she calls to him in ways he had not dreamed possible. For Kaja, she finds in Dante a man unlike any she has ever known. They could not be more different, but she finds him irresistible.

In order to claim his werewolf bride, Dante must first discover how to overcome their differences. Will he tame his ferocious beauty, or will she unleash his inner beast?

Re-released in a second edition. Re-edited but no substantial changes.

A Faery Story Series:
(Originally published under the pen name Sophie Oak)
Bound
Beast
Beauty

Visit Lexi Blake's website for more information

Review:
Vampire Dante has a well earned reputation as a playboy but his latest scandal is one two many and his family are threatening to disown him if he doesn't clean up his act and settle down. It's the last thing he wants so he makes it his mission to find a wife that his family would disapprove of so that they won't mind when he quietly sets her aside. Kaja is a werewolf who has been exiled from her home, alone and in a strange new realm where she doesn't understand any of the rules she feels completely out of place until she meets Dante. She feels an immediate connection to him but she is wary of letting him get too close and ending up with her heart broken, especially when she feels so out of place in his home. Dante may have gone into this relationship expecting it to fail but the more time he spends with Kaja the stronger his feelings become, now he just has to convince her that they could have a happy life together.

I loved Dante in the first book so I was really excited that we were getting his story next. He was such a fun guy who brought so much humour to the story that I was sure I was going to love him so it surprised me when I didn't warm to him immediately. I really struggled with the way he initially treated Kaja, yes I could understand that he didn't want a long term relationship and that he felt pushed into marriage by his family, but he chose to court her and knowing her history and the abuse she had suffered he was still willing to use her for his own gain. He came extremely close to crossing unforgivable lines for me but I should have known that I can trust Lexi Blake and he managed to turn things around just in time. Once we got the Dante I remembered from the first book back I was so happy to see him and Kaja making a go of things.

Kaja was a really interesting character, she'd come from a totally different world, one that was much more brutal and unforgiving than we're used to so her way of looking at things could be very odd at times. She was really sweet though and desperately wanted to fit in with Dante's friends and family, she just wanted safety and a place to call home really so I was pleased that everyone was so willing to welcome her and I especially liked the friendship between her and Meg. The chemistry between Kaja and Dante was great from the beginning but it was once I started to feel the emotional connection between them that I really started to root for them as a couple.

Alongside the romance we also find out a lot more about Beck and Cian's family and the war that their uncle started when he killed their parents and claimed their throne for himself. Things are really building to a head on that front and revelations at the end of this book were jaw dropping. I'm definitely excited for the final book in the series and I'm glad it's already been published so that I can dive straight in!

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Werewolf Cinderella - Amanda Milo

Every eligible female *must* attend the ball by decree of the king.

On account of my tendency to suddenly turn from a woman into a wolf, I’d really prefer if I wasn’t being forced into attending.

Anger burns in my throat, making me growl.

Stepmother covers my hand with hers, gently squeezing my fingers.

That’s my stepmother. Grace above all; even under fire… or the threat of a noose. She’s a better woman than I.

What? You thought the rumors were true? That she’s my wicked stepmother, who’s kept me as her indentured servant under the stairs?

Oh my friend, you don’t know the half of this story.

To tell it, I’d best begin at the beginning.

Visit Amanda Milo's website for more information

Review:
I have to admit I went into this book with fairly low expectations, Amanda Milo is a new author to me so I didn't know what to expect from her writing but I'm a sucker for fairytale retellings so I couldn't resist requesting Werewolf Cinderella when I saw a request for blog tour participants. I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed the story and I hope she's going to write more retellings in the future!

We all know the story of Cinderella, most of us grew up watching the Disney version but I've also read the original story and multiple retellings over the years so it's not easy to put a new spin on it but Amanda Milo has managed to do exactly that. I love that the "evil" stepmother is not all she seems and that there is far more to the romance between Ella and Gareth's romance than in the original tale. The added paranormal aspect really worked for the story and this ended up being a really easy story to devour in one sitting.

Werewolf Cinderella was humorous, sweet and a little bit sexy. I would have loved a full length book about these two because I'd have been happy to spend more time in their world but the story didn't feel rushed and because we see so much of their history it didn't feel like insta-love either which is unusual for a novella. I'll definitely be checking out more of Amanda Milo's books in the future, especially if she decides to tackle more fairytales and give them her own unique twist.

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

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Review: Wolf Rain - Nalini Singh

The fate of millions of lives hangs in the balance in this new Psy-Changeling Trinity novel from New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh...

Kidnapped as a young girl, her psychic powers harnessed by a madman, Memory lives a caged and isolated existence . . . until she comes face-to-face with a wolf. Labelled an empath by her bad-tempered rescuer, Memory knows that her 'gift' is nothing so bright. It is a terrible darkness that means she will always be hunted.

But Memory is free now and she intends to live. A certain growly wolf can just deal with it.

Alexei prefers to keep his packmates at bay, the bleak history of his family a constant reminder that mating, love, hope is not for him. But Memory, this defiant and fearless woman who stands toe-to-toe with him awakens the most primal part of his nature - and soon, he must make a choice: risk everything or lose Memory to a murderous darkness that wants to annihilate her from existence . . .

Psy-Changeling Series:
(Season One in the Psy-Changeling World)
Beat of Temptation (Novella included in Wild Invitation and the An Enchanted Season anthology)
Whisper of Sin (Novella included in the Burning Up anthology or as a separate ebook)
Slave to Sensation
Visions of Heat
Echo of Silence (Novella included in the Wild Embrace anthology)
Caressed by Ice
Stroke of Enticement (Novella included in Wild Invitation and The Magical Christmas Cat anthology)
Mine to Possess
Hostage to Pleasure
Dorian (Novella included in the Wild Embrace anthology)
Branded by Fire
Blaze of Memory
Bonds of Justice
Play of Passion
Declaration of Courtship (Novella included in Wild Invitation)
Kiss of Snow
Texture of Intimacy (Novella included in Wild Invitation)
Tangle of Need
Partners in Persuasion (Novella included in the Wild Embrace anthology)
Heart of Obsidian
Flirtation of Fate (Novella included in the Wild Embrace anthology)
Secrets at Midnight (Novella included in the Night Shift anthology)
Shield of Winter
Shards of Hope
Allegiance of Honour

Psy-Changeling Trinity Series:
(Season two in the Psy-Changeling World)
Silver Silence
Ocean Light
Wolf Rain

Visit Nalini Singh's website for more information

Review:
As much as I've enjoyed meeting the bears and spending time underwater with Blacksea in the last couple of books (and I am really hoping we'll get to spend more time with ALL of them!) I was still really excited that Wolf Rain would take us back to where it all began with the SnowDancer pack. I can't help it, I've loved this series for such a long time that spending time with the wolves (and the cats of DarkRiver) just feels like coming home and it was so wonderful to catch up with all the familiar faces.

We've met Alexi before, he's one of Hawke's lieutenants and is a powerful member of the pack. Strong but caring and very protective of the ones he loves, he holds himself at a distance from the others due to some dangerous family history. He has good reason to fear the future but meeting Memory gives him a reason to fight for what he wants. Memory is a brand new character, she's a Psy who has been held captive for decades and although that would have sent many people completely insane she's a survivor who made it through. She isn't like a lot of the Psy we've met before, she never managed to achieve Silence so she's much warmer than I expected. I'm not going to say much about her abilities but she's always believed they are a curse and that she's evil but working alongside the empaths and the Arrows she starts to realise that she is capable of more than she ever imagined.

These two have a lot going against them, the least of which is that her captor is hunting her determined to get her back under his control, but they both know what they want and they're willing to fight for it. One of the things I love most about Nalini Singh's stories is that she never manufactures unnecessary dramas, instead she focuses on creating well rounded characters with believable motivations. It is always so easy to love her characters and even the side characters who have never been in the spotlight feel like old friends.

It goes without saying that her world building is phenomenal too, the Psy-Changeling world is so full of depth that it's hard to believe it isn't a real place. I love the way the balance has been changing between the changelings, humans and psy since the fall of silence and that the different groups are starting to realise how much they all need each other. Things was always much easier amongst the changelings and humans but the psy are now learning so much more about themselves and the others.

As well as being a fabulous romance Wolf Rain really moves the overarching plot forward too and I can't wait to see where the story takes us next. Nalini Singh's books just never disappoint!

Source: Received from the publisher exchange for an honest review

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Review: The Shadow Warrior - Ann Aguirre

Bitter. Broken. Brutal.

Molded since childhood to be the perfect weapon, Gavriel d’Alana (also known as Death’s Shadow) has devoted himself to serving Thalia Talfayen. The life of a Noxblade is lethal and lonely, and since the princess has no need of him, he secretly believes there’s no reason for him to live—and he should seek a glorious death—but that’s before he tangles with a tiger woman who unleashes his darkest desires.

Tough. Tenacious. Trustworthy.

Magda Versai has a reputation for being unattainable—no deep attachments, only discreet amusements. If she has her way, the pride will never learn of her private heartbreak, as she accepted her curse years ago. Now, she focuses on work, which is why she’s acting as Raff’s bodyguard while secretly hunting for Slay. The search leads Mags to team up with a Noxblade so belligerent that she can’t resisting baiting him.

She’s the steel, he’s the flint, and the sparks they strike together might kindle a fire that could warm them for a lifetime, if they don’t kill each other first…

Ars Numina Series:
The Leopard King
The Demon Prince
The Wolf Lord
The Shadow Warrior
The War Priest
The Jaguar Knight (release date to be confirmed)

Visit Ann Aguirre's website for more information

Review:
Gavriel was trained from childhood to be a lethal assassin, as a Noxblade his sworn duty has been to protect Princess Thalia and it's a job he's been proud to do. But as the Princess makes a marriage alliance with wolf and Pine Ridge alpha Raff he believes his duty as her bodyguard is over and is looking for a new way to serve. Magda has been working as Raff's personal protection but her main reason for travelling to the Eldritch lands is her hunt for former pack member Slay. Nobody knows if Slay willingly became traitor and betrayed the pack or whether he's been taken hostage but Mags is determined to hunt him down and find out the truth. Gavriel agrees to be her guide and help Mags with her hunt but he has very little idea what he's just signed himself up for and the sparks are about to fly.

Events at the beginning of The Shadow Warrior run alongside ones in The Wolf Lord and it was interesting to see how Gavriel reacted to Raff and Thalia's growing closeness, he had always considered himself in love with the princess but it doesn't take him that long to realise it was just admiration. This story gives us some great development in the ongoing story arc and shows that their enemies are only getting started on their campaign designed to start a war. Gavriel and Mags have a part to play in deescalating certain situations but there is far more going on behind the scenes that we're only starting to uncover.

Although the book has plenty of action and a lot going on the best thing by far was the romance and the slow build between Mags and Gavriel. Raised to be a top assassin Gavriel didn't have anything like a normal childhood and he's already lost the warriors he was closest to. He can think of 100 ways to kill someone but he finds it very difficult to make small talk so he came across as quite abrupt in previous stories but he's actually pretty sweet once you get to know him. What I really loved was that Mags was the dominant one in their relationship, Gavriel will fight alongside her when they're in danger but when it comes to the bedroom he prefers to let her take the lead and he likes a little pain to go along with his pleasure.

It's very rare to find a romance hero who isn't a bossy alpha male so Gavriel was a really refreshing change. I also loved the way Mags introduces him to Dominance and submission, she's very open and upfront about her own sexuality and desires and she slowly earns Gavriel's trust well before they start any kind of kinky play. There was no diving in at the deep end, it was all about discovering what worked for both of them and sharing their deepest fantasies. They were perfectly matched in so many ways even though both of them were incredibly wary of relationships.

The Shadow Warrior also set things up perfectly for the next book, The Warrior Priest, and I can't wait to get to know Callum better.

Source: Received from Ann Aguirre in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Wild Country - Anne Bishop

In this powerful and exciting fantasy set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, humans and the shape-shifting Others will see whether they can live side by side...without destroying one another.

There are ghost towns in the world—places where the humans were annihilated in retaliation for the slaughter of the shape-shifting Others.

One of those places is Bennett, a town at the northern end of the Elder Hills—a town surrounded by the wild country. Now efforts are being made to resettle Bennett as a community where humans and Others live and work together. A young female police officer has been hired as the deputy to a Wolfgard sheriff. A deadly type of Other wants to run a human-style saloon. And a couple with four foster children—one of whom is a blood prophet—hope to find acceptance.

But as they reopen the stores and the professional offices and start to make lives for themselves, the town of Bennett attracts the attention of other humans looking for profit. And the arrival of the outlaw Blackstone Clan will either unite Others and humans...or bury them all.

The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
Wild Country is the book I was expecting when I first picked up Lake Silence so I was really excited that we were being given the chance to catch up with familiar faces from Prairie Gold and Bennett. Bennett's human population was wiped out in the war started by the Humans First and Last group, only the Intuit settlement at Prairie Gold survived but they're pretty cut off now that Bennett is a ghost town. Thanks to their connection to people at the Lakeside Courtyard the Elders have decided to allow Bennett to be resettled, but only as a terra indigene run town. Humans who can live in peace will be tolerated but anyone who crosses the line will be punished severely.

Timeline wise the first half of this book runs alongside events in Etched in Bone, we get to see the applicants accepted at the job fair arrive in Bennett and start work on creating a new community and we also get to see how the terra indigene living there react to the news of Meg's abduction. I still miss Meg and Simon as main characters but I loved getting the chance to catch up with familiar faces like Jesse, her son Tobias and the sanguinati town leader Tolya. I also really enjoyed getting to know Barbara Ellen (Michael's sister who went to Bennett to be the town vet) and the new human deputy Jana who arrived to work alongside the existing wolfgard Sheriff Virgil & deputy Kane.

It's been fun getting to see more of this world and how Others in different areas react to the humans they are now far more wary of thanks to the HFL. We also get to see how the blood prophets are settling in and continuing to learn about their own abilities which was something I was very happy about. I think my main issue with this book was that the humans were still able to cause so much trouble. The Others were on high alert thanks to some worrying prophecies, the Elders were watching and had clearly marked the boundaries where humans were allowed and where they weren't and yet we still had a group of humans able to sneak in and cause so much devastation.

I could have understood the Others laying a trap, letting the humans think their plan was working but I found it impossible to believe that the Elders didn't spot these encroachers on their territory and do something about them. The battle scenes could have been epic if it had been revealed that the Elders and the rest of the terra indigene had been working together to lay a huge trap but instead they were caught off guard and once again paid the price when many lives were lost. It was heartbreaking to read about and just didn't feel realistic to me considering everything that had gone before.

That battle came pretty close to ruining this story for me but I enjoyed the rest so much that I can't rate the book less than 4 stars. The truth is that I devoured all 7 books in about 9 days because I was so addicted to this series that I couldn't stop reading! That should give you an idea of how invested I became in this world and how skilful Ann Bishop is as a writer. It's been a long time since I last devoured a series like that and I know I'll be rereading the books regularly in the future. I'm not sure if Anne Bishop is done with this world but I really hope that she'll give us at least a few more books because I'm still not ready to say goodbye.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Etched in Bone - Anne Bishop

Anne Bishop returns to her world of the Others, as humans struggle to survive in the shadow of shapeshifters and vampires far more powerful than themselves...

After a human uprising was brutally put down by the Elders—a primitive and lethal form of the Others—the few cities left under human control are far-flung. And the people within them now know to fear the no-man’s-land beyond their borders—and the darkness...

As some communities struggle to rebuild, Lakeside Courtyard has emerged relatively unscathed, though Simon Wolfgard, its wolf shifter leader, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn must work with the human pack to maintain the fragile peace. But all their efforts are threatened when Lieutenant Montgomery’s shady brother arrives, looking for a free ride and easy pickings.

With the humans on guard against one of their own, tensions rise, drawing the attention of the Elders, who are curious about the effect such an insignificant predator can have on a pack. But Meg knows the dangers, for she has seen in the cards how it will all end—with her standing beside a grave...

The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
As humans are struggling to comprehend the new world order since the Elders unleashed their fury on members of the HFL movement Simon and the rest of the members of the Lakeside Courtyard know this could just be the beginning. The Elders have seen first hand how much trouble humans can cause as a group, many cities and towns didn't survive the punishment they doled out after the attacks on the Wolfgard and the places that remain are under intense scrutiny. In the past the Elders kept to the wild country and left the rest of the terra indigene to monitor the humans but now they're paying attention and it wouldn't take much for them to decide extinction is the best course of action after all.

The community around Lakeside is trying to pick up the pieces and Simon is having to deal with finding extra supplies for the ever increasing members of the human pack at the Courtyard. Things are going quite well until Lieutenant Montgomery's estranged brother turns up expecting a free ride. When Jimmy realises that his mother and brother aren't just going to keep giving him the handouts he thinks he's entitled to he puts plans in motion that could end up destroying what's left of humanity.

I've loved every minute of this series so I was really sad to find out that this is the last book focusing on Meg, Simon and the Lakeside Courtyard. I still don't feel ready to say goodbye to this group so I'm glad there are more books in the world and I really hope we'll see more than minor cameo appearances from the people we already know and love. I've been rooting for a Meg and Simon romance from the beginning, it's been blindingly obvious to everyone but the two of them that they've been falling in love since they first met and I've been waiting for them to realise it for such a long time. I hate to say it but I was a bit disappointed that we didn't see more of their romance in this final book, yes they finally start to admit their feelings and the way things ended left me very hopeful about their future, but I wanted more. I wanted to see them take the next step in their relationship, wanted to see them try to figure out how to make things work, was looking forward to seeing how everyone around them would react to them as a couple and to seeing how many funny misunderstandings they would have because they both see the world so differently. There was just so much potential there that it seems like a wasted opportunity to end things where they did.

Having said that there was still a lot I enjoyed about this book, including what we did see of Meg and Simon starting to admit their feelings, in fact if there was going to be another book staring the two of them then I'd have been over the moon with what we did get to see of them in Etched in Silence. I also really enjoyed seeing how the Others coped with having more humans around the Courtyard, there were some funny misunderstandings because they all see things in different ways, I'm particularly thinking of Kowalski on his bicycle here! Every single one of these books have had moments that made me laugh out loud so even though the series is quite dark in places there has been plenty of fun along the way too. The storyline with Monty's brother was extremely frustrating (mainly because I wanted Simon to just eat Jimmy and be done with it!) but it was interesting to see how much attention the Elders were paying to the courtyard and to Meg in particular.

I'm sad our time in the courtyard is over but I'm glad we're not completely done with this world yet. I'm assuming the next book will be set in one of the smaller communities we've already seen glimpses of and there are lots of characters I'd like to know more about so it's going to be fun to see who we're spending time with next. I really hope we'll get to see Meg and Simon making cameo appearances though.

Source: Purchased

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