Feeling Fictional

Tuesday, 4 December 2018

Review: Outcast - Lexi Blake

On the hunt for a vicious killer, Kelsey discovers that the true threat lies closer than she could have ever imagined.

It’s been months since Trent Wilcox was sentenced to exile, but Kelsey hasn’t given up on finding a way to bring him home. Grayson Sloane doesn’t share her enthusiasm. Loving two men is challenging enough without them being at each other’s throats, and she is unwilling to compromise on the future she knows is meant for them.

Kelsey’s only hope for bringing them all together comes in the form of the Hell lord who insisted on Trent’s exile – Gray’s father. Lord Sloane is willing to acquiesce on Trent’s punishment if Kelsey will do one little job for him. A stray wolf is on a killing spree in Wyoming and he’s killed a number of witches in Lord Sloane’s service. The situation is made all the more complicated by the presence of a sinister werewolf cult in the area. Lupus Solum is known for being cruel to their own kind, and even worse to outsiders.

Caught between a craven wolf cult, a brutal killer, a Hell lord, and a mounting pile of bodies, Kelsey is going to have her work cut out for her. But if she can solve the case, she might have a chance to earn her happily ever after.

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:
Kelsey's love life has never been more complicated, Gray still can't forgive Trent for his brother's death while Trent has been exiled as punishment for what happened making him a target for anyone who wants to hurt her. She's doing her best to hold things together but she needs both of the men in her life and is desperate to find a way to bring Trent home and make peace between him and Gray. Gray's father Lord Sloane has offered her a way to make that happen but when demons are involved the only thing you can guarantee that there is going to be a catch. Still, if she agrees to hunt a werewolf who is on a killing spree in Wyoming there is a chance of getting Trent out of exile, but only if they can survive whatever trap Sloane has put in place to hurt them.

Outcast makes all of the main characters face up to things that happened to them in the past, there is a lot of emotional baggage with their families but also between the three of them that they need to work through but it looks like Kelsey, Gray and Trent are finally building towards their happily ever after. There are lots of complications along the way but the future is definitely looking much brighter for all of them. Lexi Blake is never afraid to put her characters through the wringer though so you should definitely be prepared for things to get much worse before they start to get better.

There are several plots that have been building to a head for a while now, a few of which are resolved in this book but some that are only just getting started and after the way things ended I'm ridiculously excited for the next book. This was definitely my favourite instalment in Kelsey's series, we're introduced to some great new characters, we get to spend time with old favourites and the story had me hooked from beginning to end. The next book can't be ready soon enough!

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Blog Tour: Outcast - Lexi Blake

Outcast

Hunter: A Thieves Series, Book 4

By Lexi Blake

Coming December 4, 2018

AVAILABLE NOW

EXCERPT:

“How does that make you feel, Gray?” Felix Day was in full-on shrink mode as we sat in his office, the late afternoon light illuminating the soothing interior.

“It makes me feel like murdering Trent.” Gray was using his calmest tone. Well, his most sarcastic tone, but it was also calm. Mostly. He wasn’t pleased with his current occupation.

“And Trent, how does that make you feel?” Felix asked.

“It makes me feel like I’m wasting my day pass, man.” There was nothing calm about Trent. He was perfectly exasperated. It was obvious the day had not gone according to plan.

But then what had he expected? Probably not thruples therapy.

As for me, I just wanted my guys to get along. It had been a full six months since my wolf guy had killed my demon guy’s brother. Now that sounds worse than it really is, a fact I’ve been trying my damnedest to get Gray—the demon hottie—to see. Gray’s brother had gone by many names on the Earth plane, but Stewart had been his most frequent alias. On the demonic plane, he’d been known as Nemcox and had been totally evil. He’d learned a secret about the king’s son…

I’m moving too fast. Like I said, it’s been a while. I should catch you up. I’m Kelsey Owens. I’m this weird thing that happens when a lone wolf forgets to wear a condom and humps a human lady. I’m what’s known as a Hunter. It basically means that I’m pretty strong and have a lot of werewolf senses, but I can’t actually turn into a wolf, though I do have a demon arm—and that’s another story entirely. I work for the King of all Vampire, who also happens to be the king of the supernatural world. I’m his Nex Apparatus. It’s kind of like a combo sheriff and assassin, with a dash of therapist thrown in. I’m involved with a gorgeous half-demon named Grayson Sloan and an insanely hot alpha wolf named Trent Wilcox. We had a few super-sexy encounters together and then came the aforementioned murder. But I didn’t see why that had to mean the end of our threesome. After all, the king and his wife and partner had gone through a ton worse and still got it on all the time, and in fairly public places.

I might be horny. Super horny. And my bio clock had started ticking. I wanted some baby making, and I couldn’t do that while my men were fighting, hence the therapy.

“You’re here on sufferance, wolf.” Gray was using his super-superior voice, the one he used when he knew a suspect was guilty and he could prove it. In the last few months, he’d gone back to his original job. Gray is a Texas Ranger. Not the baseball-playing kind. He’s a cop of the highest order and he works in the Ranger’s specialized crimes unit. By special they mean weird shit no one else wants to work. Basically he deals with supernatural crimes.

We’re kind of coworkers when you think about it.

It was his other job that worried me. Gray is also a dark prophet. Every now and then his eyes go midnight black and he starts to speak in what I like to call prophet rap. It’s usually a jumble of crap that doesn’t actually make any sense at all until you’re on the other side of it, but it impresses the other demons. Especially Gray’s dad, and he’s the one I worried about.

“I thought I was here to discuss potential parole,” Trent shot back with a shake of his head. “I thought you were willing to talk to me and find a way to work this out.”

Trent used to be the head of the king’s security. He had a great career, benefits, job security. Then he met a girl.

Yeah, I kind of wrecked that for him. Again, hence the therapy.

“This? You refer to the murder of my brother as this? I don’t want to work this out with you,” Gray replied, sitting back. “You misunderstand me, wolf. There is no parole. The king is high if he thinks my father will allow that to happen. The only reason you weren’t killed in the first place was to keep the peace. You will never be allowed your former place. And I have my reasons for helping Kelsey see you on a regular basis. I want Kelsey to fuck you out of her system so we can go back to normal.”

We were far from normal.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Felix said, taking in the three of us with an academic air. “Kelsey is dual natured, as you know. Unlike most were creatures, she’s not fully integrated. I know werewolves like to talk about their ‘wolf’ as being something that lives inside them, but that’s a euphemism. For Kelsey the ‘she-wolf’ part of her soul is separate, and she has different needs from the human portion.”

Not exactly. Honestly, the longer I live and accept the fact that I’ve got this gift, the more the she-wolf and I get along. I totally don’t lose control and try to kill people anymore. She-wolf and I kill people with purpose now, and we’re in total agreement on what we needed and that was sex.

“I’m perfectly willing to take care of all her needs.” Trent got that smirk on his face, the alpha wolf smirk. I shouldn’t find it sexy, but I do. “How about you go and talk to your father about this bullshit punishment and I’ll spend the few hours I have here in bed with our woman.”

I was actually all on board with that plan with the exception of losing Gray. I’d had a taste of symmetrical fucking and I wanted more. Not that I didn’t enjoy my sexy times with each of them, but there’s something about having four hands on my body that does it for me.

About Lexi Blake:

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn't until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Monday, 3 December 2018

Review: Sleeper - Lexi Blake

When Neil’s past catches up to him, Kelsey must choose between her new family and an old love…

With tensions rising between the Council and demonkind, Kelsey finds herself investigating a series of murders that threaten the fragile truce between them. If she can’t stop these killings soon, they could ignite a fire sure to burn the supernatural world down.

Unfortunately for her, Kelsey’s problems don’t stop with a pile of dead halflings. Her connection with Marcus is frayed at best, and Gray hasn’t been heard from in months. Her only semblance of peace comes from a new man in her life. When Gray storms back into the picture, her love life goes from incredibly complicated to apocalyptic.

Just as Kelsey begins to unravel the mystery, the forces of Heaven decide to take an interest in her actions. Outclassed with these powers in play, Kelsey knows that one misstep could leave the human and supernatural worlds in ashes.

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:
After a rocky start to the Hunter spin off from Lexi Blake's Thieves series I have to say I'm now really enjoying Kelsey's story. Addict was the turning point for me but Sleeper ended up being even better and it definitely left me excited to read more about Kelsey and her ever more complicated life.

As the contract between demons and vampires is very close to running out completely tensions between the two groups are high, especially since vampire king refuses to allow the council to start to negotiate new terms. Kelsey has more reasons than most to have a grudge against the demons but she knows how precarious the balance is between the different supernatural groups and when a murderer starts targeting half-breeds she knows it's her job as Nex Aparatus to get to the bottom of it. Of course she's also busy with her side quest to find a way to destroy her nemesis Nemcox but he's turning out to be tricky to track down.

I've never been a big fan of Kelsey and Marcus as a couple, their connection always felt forced to me, more down to the bond because he is her trainer than any real, long lasting attraction so I was happy with the way their relationship started to change at the beginning of this story. I like them both as individuals and really, really want to see Marcus get his own book and a HEA, but I like Kelsey so much more when she's with Trent and Gray, either individually or as an eventual triad. Things have gotten really complicated with Gray since he was given his prophecy powers and walked away from her yet again but it's much easier when it comes to Trent and he is obviously willing to sacrifice a lot to be with her.

This story isn't just about the relationships though, there are some brilliant moments between Kelsey and Lee in particular but I'm also enjoying seeing the old gang now they're back to their old selves. We were left with a lot of questions about Neil at the end of the original Thieves series and it was great to finally get some answers here about what had happened to him all those years ago. I also think the next book is going to be even more exciting now that a certain wizard has decided to put in a reappearance, I suspect he's going to be causing all kinds of trouble and I can't wait to see how it all plays out!

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Addict - Lexi Blake

In order to destroy a legendary monster and save the royal family, Kelsey must make a deal with a devil…

When Kelsey Owens returns home to Dallas, she is a changed woman. After months of training with Marcus Vorenus, she has more control over her abilities. She’s ready to start her new job, even if it means dealing with the King of All Vampire and his partner, Devinshea Quinn. Her first assignment, however, will force her to face her past. Grayson Sloane is in trouble and she has to find him.

With the help of Gray’s brother, a full empath demon, Kelsey tracks her one-time lover down. Before she knows it, she’s pulled into Gray’s undercover operation in a demon sex club and sitting across from a Duke of Hell. Abbas Hiberna plans to use her city to test his new drug, Brimstone. It doesn’t just give supernatural creatures a high. It also leaves them vulnerable to demonic persuasion.

When the king’s own men begin to turn against him, even the royal family is in danger. Keeping them safe will put Kelsey in the duke’s crosshairs and test her fledgling relationship with Marcus. With her new life crumbling around her, a dark secret about her former lover is revealed, and Kelsey will have to choose between saving Gray Sloane and the revenge she’s waited a lifetime for.

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:
As a huge fan of the original Thieves books it pained me to say that I didn't really enjoy Ripper, the first book in this spin off series. I felt that a lot of the people we already knew and loved were acting completely out of character and I just hadn't connected to the new narrator Kelsey as much as I had with Zoey in the original books. So I was a little wary going into Addict, I wanted to like it but I wasn't sure if I would so I'm very happy to report that this was a HUGE improvement for me.

Now that Kelsey knows more about who and what she is she's starting to become more confident in herself and her abilities which made her a more interesting character to follow. Apart from a dodgy start where I wanted to slap some sense into him Daniel was much more like his old self in this book and we saw a bit more of Devlin and Zoey too. I'm glad that the main focus of this series is with the newer characters though and I really loved the developments with Grayson in this book, I liked the addition of werewolf Trent and I loved seeing Zach as an uncle.

I have to admit I'm not sold on Kelsey's relationship with Marcus though. I love Marcus as a character but I just don't feel the chemistry between him and Kelsey, it felt a bit forced and frankly a little bit creepy because of the special connection they had thanks to him being her trainer. I think I'd prefer them with a platonic mentor type relationship so I'm definitely team Grayson (& quite possibly team Grayson & Trent!) at the moment. Perhaps Lexi Blake will convince me otherwise but at the moment I think Marcus would be much happier with someone else and I'm hoping we'll get to see that in another spin off.

It was good to see Kelsey starting to rebuild bridges with some of the people who let her down in the first book. There were a lot of people who did things that hurt her previously but I think some of them were doing it for the right reasons so that's a little more forgivable than what Daniel did. The overarching plot of this spin off definitely seems to be building up to a war between the vampires and demons and things are getting very interesting on that front. I'm not quite sure what Daniel is hoping to achieve with this because no war can be won without a lot of casualties along the way but he was always a long term planner so I expect he knows what he is doing.

Now that the series has started to gain momentum I'm much more excited about continuing it and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next for Kelsey and her friends.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: She Will Be My Goddess - Lexi Blake

Thanks for joining me for this series of vignettes featuring the men of Thieves. We all know Zoey’s point of view, but I thought it would be fun to take key scenes from the series and rewrite them from the men’s point of view. I hope you enjoy seeing the series in a different light. I’m enjoying playing around with all of Z’s guys!

This is a scene from Steal the Light. It takes place at the end of the book after Zoey has resolved the problems with Lucas Halfer. Daniel has chosen to leave Zoey behind when he’s forced to go to Paris and she’s confused and alone. This scene is from Dev’s point of view. Devinshea knows he’s madly in love with Zoey, but he’s waited. He’s worried for weeks that she’ll choose Daniel and he’ll be alone again. In this scene, Zoey makes her choice and Dev’s fantasy comes alive . . . with one small missing piece . . .

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:
She Will Be My Goddess is a short scene from Steal the Light but written from Dev's point of view rather than Zoey's. If you sign up for Lexi Blake's website you'll get a link to download this and You Will Call Me Master (another short scene but retold from Daniel's POV) for free. Neither of these shorts will make much sense to you if you haven't read Steal the Light first but for fans of the series it's nice to get a chance to see a tiny portion of the story from the guy's points of view.

This particular scene is from the end of Steal the Light where Daniel has left Zoey behind to go with the vampire council. Zoey has been struggling with her feelings for both guys but she's realised that it's finally time for her to let Daniel go and to perhaps consider the possibly of giving Dev a chance. I enjoyed seeing this scene from Dev's point of view and hope Lexi Blake decides to give us more snippets like this in the future from some of the other characters in the series.

Source: Received for free via the author's newsletter

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Sunday, 2 December 2018

Product Review: December Weasley Sweater Candle - Bookworm Candles & Crafts

I'm a HUGE fan of Bookworm Candles & Crafts & have bought loads of Danielle's candles so I was really excited to get the chance to spotlight her December Weasley Sweater candle for you today. I also have a fantastic discount code for you that'll give you 20% off the ENTIRE Bookworm Candles range so make sure you stick around to the end of the post!

The Weasley Sweater candle is inspired by the annual sweaters that Mrs Weasley, everyone's favourite fictional mum, makes as Christmas gifts for all of her children and even for Harry when she realises he doesn't have his own family looking out for him. I love the way the Weasleys are so willing to welcome others to their family, they may not have much but they have plenty of love which is far more important than money.

The candle comes in a great sized 8oz tin and has 3 wicks to make sure it melts evenly. It has a beautiful cream and pink marble effect with pretty sparkling silver glitter sprinkled on top and it smells gorgeous. The scent is inspired by Magical Knitting, Tradition & Part of the Family which also translates into juniper berries, pine and warm cotton - an absolutely perfect winter smell for this time of year!

The Weasley Sweater Candle will only be available for the month of December so if you want to get your hands on one you should buy it quickly before it sells out. It's a bargain price of only £5 and don't forget you can get a 20% discount from this candle - and ANYTHING else you add to your order! - by using the code BLOGGERS20!

You can purchase candles directly from the Bookworm Candles website and follow them on any of the sites below for more information.
Website: https://bookwormcandles.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookwormCrafts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookwormcandles/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookwormcandlesandcrafts/

Please note I received a free Weasley Sweater candle for the purpose of writing this review but that has not influenced my opinions and I've made purchases from Bookworm Candles in the past with my own money. I received no other payment for this post.

Saturday, 1 December 2018

November 2018 Recap

Books read in previous months but reviewed in November:

(Links will take you to my reviews)

The Queen's Gambit - Jessie Mihalik (Read Twice) (Read in March & August, review coming soon)
Monstress, Vol 2: The Blood - Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda (Graphic Novel) (Read in May, review coming soon)
Barbarian's Prize - Ruby Dixon (Read in June, reviewed in November)
Her Cocky Doctors - Tara Crescent (Read in June, review coming soon)
The Bone Farm - Dean Koontz (Audiobook Novella) (Read in June, reviewed in November)
Thunderhead - Neal Shusterman (Read in June, reviewed in November)
The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang (Read in June, review coming soon)
Make Me Crave - Katee Robert (Read in July, review coming soon)
No Mercy - Sherrilyn Kenyon (Read in July, review coming soon)
Archangel's Prophecy - Nalini Singh (Read in July, reviewed in November)
Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox - Forthright (Read in August, review coming soon)
Spinning Silver - Naomi Novik (Read in August, reviewed in November)
Diamond Fire - Ilona Andrews (Novella) (Read Twice) (Read in August, reviewed in November)
Three Trials - Kristy Cunning (Read in August, review coming soon)
Mirage - Somaiya Daud (Read in September, review coming soon)
In Bed With the Devil - Lorraine Heath (Read in September, review coming soon)
Leads & Lynxes - Rebecca Chastain (Read in September, review coming soon)
The Invisible Ring - Anne Bishop (Read in October, reviewed in November)
Holiday in Death - J.D. Robb (Read in October, reviewed in November)
Steal the Moon - Lexi Blake (Read in October, reviewed in November)
A Whole New World - Liz Braswell (Read in October, review coming soon)
Beneath the Citadel - Destiny Soria (Read in October, review coming soon)
Midnight in Death - J.D. Robb (Novella) (Read in October, reviewed in November)
Steal the Sun - Lexi Blake (Read in October, reviewed in November)
The Navigator's Touch - Julia Ember (Read in October, reviewed in November)
Shadow of the Fox - Julie Kagawa (Read in October, reviewed in November)
Steal the Night - Lexi Blake (Read in October, reviewed in November)

Books read in November:

(Links will take you to my reviews)

Dining with Angels - Larissa Ione & Suzanne M Johnson (Short Story Collection & Recipe Book)
Down Among the Sticks and Bones - Seanan McGuire
The Blue Salt Road - Joanne M. Harris
Saga: Volume 7 - Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (Graphic Novel) (Review coming soon)
Siren in Bloom - Lexi Blake
Silent Blade - Ilona Andrews (Novella)
Silver Shark - Ilona Andrews (Novella)
Ten Big Ones - Janet Evanovich (Review coming soon)
First Grave on the Right - Darynda Jones (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
For I have Sinned - Darynda Jones (Novella) (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
Second Grave on the Left - Darynda Jones (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
Third Grave Dead Ahead - Darynda Jones (Review coming soon)
Skyward - Brandon Sanderson
Ripper - Lexi Blake
Beneath the Sugar Sky - Seanan McGuire
Dreams Made Flesh - Anne Bishop
The Archived - V.E. Schwab (Review coming soon)
Matilda - Roald Dahl
Addict - Lexi Blake (Review coming soon)
Sealed with a Kiss - Ariana Nash (Short Story)
Sinful - Katherine Hawthorn (Review coming soon)
All Systems Red - Martha Wells (Review coming soon)
Vengeful - V.E. Schwab (Review coming soon)
Tangled Webs - Anne Bishop (Review coming soon)
Ravished - Kit Rocha (Short Story)
6th Sense - Kit Rocha (Short Story)
Efficient - Kit Rocha (Short Story)
Love at First Baguette - Amanda Bouchet (Novella)
Burn for Me - Ilona Andrews (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
White Hot - Ilona Andrews (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
Wildfire - Ilona Andrews (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
Diamond Fire - Ilona Andrews (Novella) (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
Sleeper - Lexi Blake (Review coming soon)
She Will Be My Goddess - Lexi Blake (Short Story) (Review coming soon)
Outcast - Lexi Blake (Review coming soon)
Star Wars: BB-8 Book & Model - Lucasfilm (Review coming soon)

Other November Posts

November Books of the Month:

(Choices are made from books reviewed this month and the links will take you to my reviews)

My top YA read in November:

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson (read my review here)

My top adult reads in November:

Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews (read my review here)
Archangel's Prophecy by Nalini Singh (read my review here)
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (read my review here)

My Challenge Updates: