Book Review: Blood Red Kiss by Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione, Gena Showalter

Author: Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione, Gena Showalter
Series: Immortals After Dark #1, MoonBound Clan Vampires #2.5, Otherworld Assassin #2.5
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Pocket Books
Release Date: September 20th 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Good things always come in threes—and this paranormal romance anthology featuring steamy stories from New York Times bestselling authors Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione, and Gena Showalter is no exception!

Get ready for a collection chock full of vamps, demons, aliens, and plenty of sizzle!

In Kresley Cole’s celebrated story “The Warlord Wants Forever,” the first in her scorching Immortals After Dark series, vampire warlord Nikolai Wroth will stop at nothing to claim his Bride, the one woman who can make his heart beat again. But can beautiful Myst the Coveted accept an enemy vampire as her own?

Tehya has spent the last twelve years as an accidental wolf, but is truly a vampire at heart. When she gets injured, Lobo sneaks her inside MoonBound’s headquarters and nurses her back to health…with potentially deadly consequences. Desire collides with danger in “Forsaken by Night,” a MoonBound Clan novella from Larissa Ione!

In Gena Showalter’s Otherworld Assassins novella, Dark Swan, Lilica Swan isn’t quite human or otherworlder; she is the best—and worst—of both. She is willing to do whatever proves necessary to save her sister from the seductive and deadly Alien Investigation and Removal agent, Dallas Gutierrez, even bond her life to his…effectively wedding him. But without consummation, the bond will fade. Can Dallas resist his insatiable desire for the powerful beauty? Or will she lead to his ultimate downfall?

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Pocket Books in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating of the book or the content of this review in any way.

A few years ago, before I started book blogging, I discovered the world of paranormal romance. Around that time, I fell in love with Ione's demons and Cole's valkyries. Then last year I stumbled across Showalter's alien hunters. Fast forward a few months, and then Blood Red Kiss is a thing, putting three of my favorite authors into one book. Can you say heaven?

As someone already familiar with the world of the Immortals, I knew Nikolai and Myst's story. I've already read it, and I vaguely remembered some of the details, but I was nevertheless excited about reading it. Myst is a wonderful character, and it was interesting to read about her now, a few years after being introduced to her, and see how the way I saw her changed from the first time I read it. And of course I see her differently. I was able to focus on her flaws, and I think her pride might be the biggest one. She's proud, but she's also the most loyal person, because she'd be willing to do anything for those she loves. And Nikolai is still intriguing, he's still mysterious, but he's also a tad vengeful. They shouldn't fit together as well as they do, but I still get a funny feeling when I read about them saying "I love you" to each other. And then there are the rest of the Valkyries, which are, as usual, a riot to read about. I'm planning on doing a reread of this series, tp see if there are any new stuff to be discovered about Nix, try to catch a glimpse of my love, Lothair, and generally reacquaint myself with everyone.

I can't remember if Lobo appears in the first MoonBound Clan Vampires book. I'm inclined to say yes, but I can't be 100% sure. I loved his story though, so, so much. It was interesting to see how Ione decided to combine vampires and werewolves and make this amazing, new take on their mythology. Lobo is a sexy guy. But he's also a tortured soul. I love reading about him finally getting to say what he needed to say, what his former clan needed to hear for a very long time. I love these big moments, when someone regarded as inferior gets to say his or her side of the story and the people on the receiving end of the harsh truth get to be stunned and basically ashamed of acting like they're the kings of the world. And Lobo gets such a moment, and I couldn't be happier for him. I loved the beginning of the novella, with him and Tehya, his wolf, running and playing in the forest.

I've only read one book in Gena Showalter's Alien Huntress, but I loved the idea of this world a lot. I also like the fact that there's a bunch of connected series surrounding this world. I enjoyed reading Lilica's story so much. What I loved about this story is that it explores the same issue from different points of view. You have Dallas who sees Lilica as a potential threat and her sister as someone who needs to be hunted down, you have Lilica who's trying to prove her sister is not so guilty as she seems, and then there's Lilica's own sister who proves to be completely different than what either thought she was. I loved reading about Dallas and Lilica, but I am super, super curious to read about about Lilica's sisters after this novella.

And in case you need one more reason to love this book, there's a fantastic part in this book showing the way these three authors procrastinate... I mean *ehem*... brainstorm. It's funny to get to experience that, but also super, super intriguing, because they drop some interesting hints about what's to come in these three series.

Lately I've had the need to "go back to basics", in a way, to find why I fell in love with reading in the first place, and this book reminded me why. Believe it or not, it wasn't the fun, hot, sexy times in the book that did it. And believe me, there where a lot of hot, sexy times in it. But the stories in general, the creation of new worlds, using mythological elements and figures, supernatural creatures, and creating new creatures, new elements, it's just what attracted me to reading in the first place. I definitely loved this book, and I cannot wait to see what these three ladies have in store for their series in the future.

Book Review: Passion Never Dies: The Complete Reborn Series by Anna Durand

Author: Anna Durand
Series: Reborn
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Jacobsville Books
Release Date: November 4th 2016
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Reading Alley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Dawn woke up drowning, inside a tank in a laboratory straight out of a science fiction movie. Blinded by amnesia, she has no choice but to trust in the alluring stranger who pulls her out of the tank, but Jake Maxwell knows more than he cares to admit. Now Redeo Biotech, the company responsible for Dawn's resurrection, is hunting them both.

As their passion for each other blossoms, Jake and Dawn must outwit their enemies and rediscover their past lives. But when their greatest foe rises from the ashes of ancient Egypt bent on vengeance, only Jake and Dawn's eternal connection has the power to save them.

This collection includes the novellas Reborn to Die, Reborn to Burn, Reborn to Avenge, and Reborn to Conquer.

*Disclaimer: Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.

A very interesting take on reincarnation

Ancient Egypt is one of my favorite topics ever, and when I heard about this book I just knew I had to try it. I've always been fascinated by the culture, and the beliefs of ancient Egyptians, especially about their views about life after death.

This book offers a very interesting take reincarnation. It was interesting to see how themes like ancient curses, destined lovers, and life after death were tackled in this book. I was also very intrigued by the author's choice to include science in the story. I found it very interesting how, in the first part of the story, it seemed like it was all related to the science of resurrection rather than the magical/mystical element of it. The scientist in me was very curious to see how the human soul would be described in this book, or how it would be explained. However, as the story moves on and we learn more about Dawn and Jake, the story focuses more and more on the idea of reincarnation rather than resurrection per se. A part of me was a little bit sad by that fact, but I still enjoyed reading the story and seeing how everything was going to be explained as the story moved on.

One thing that I enjoyed a lot was the fact that, because this series was made of four novellas, the plot and pacing were moving along quite well, without having long periods of time where the actual action of the story stalled. I also liked to see how each novella focused on a different aspect of the story. If in the beginning the focus is more on Dawn and her fight to find out who she is and to escape Vahl, at the end the focus is turned towards finding out who Jake is and why exactly he is so important.

I was a bit confused at first as to why exactly the connection between Jake and Dawn was presented as natural as it was. This was a case of love-at-first-sight story, or "insta-love", but I was quite intrigued to understand why. I liked that we weren't introduced to the possibility of Jake being a reincarnation of Dawn's first love until a bit later in the book. I also enjoyed seeing the difference between Dawn and Jake, how exactly they remembered their past lives, and what led to them remembering.

All in all, a good story, that I enjoyed reading. I'll definitely be checking more of this author's work in the future.

Book Review: Legacy of Lies by Jillian David

Author: Jillian David
Series: Hell's Valley #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Erotic Romance, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Release Date: November 14th 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Author
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Fans of the Hell to Pay series will love this new spin-off saga, Hell’s Legacy!

Garrison Taggart doesn’t have time to deal with touchy-feely junk like “trust issues” or “feelings.” His dad’s health is waning and the family’s Wyoming ranch is being sabotaged. Too bad his supernatural ability to tell when someone is lying has been exactly zero help in ferreting out the betrayer so far. So, when sweet schoolteacher Sara Lopez raises concerns about his son being bullied, who can blame a guy for getting a little testy?

The last thing Sara needs is any more attention or gossip after her recent breakup with big-shot rancher Hank Brand. So her attraction to surly but sexy Garrison, Hank’s rival, is entirely unwanted. When she uncovers an insane plot to kidnap the Taggart boy and throws herself in harm’s way to protect him, Garrison must risk his deepest secret and his own life to save the people he cares for the most. But will his heroics cost him everything?

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of the book in any way.

You might remember that a few months ago I found a new series on Reading Alley, Hell To Pay, which I loved and adored. What you might not know, is that my hopes and dreams came true and we might have some answers about a lot of stuff regarding that series, because there's a spin-off series, Hell's Valley. I cannot even describe how happy I am that there's a spin-off, guys!

Garrison Taggart is absolutely wonderful. He's the kind of guy that doesn't trust a lot of people, but in his case it's because he can actually find out if you're lying to him. He has some pretty powerful abilities, and it's pretty clear that they're playing with his head a little bit. I like that he tries really hard not to use them on certain people, even if the temptation to make sure they're being honest is there all the time. But more on his powers later. At the beginning of the book he seems this cold, closed off guy, but I think that's just how Sara sees him. As the story progresses, I found him to be just weary and scared of being betrayed again by someone he trusts, so he tries to intimidate the people around him.

I liked Sara. I like that she is trying to make up for her mistakes. Her childhood wasn't perfect, and she got lost a little bit along the way. I also liked how she stood up for Zach, Garrison's son, even when it meant possibly losing her job, or maybe even more.

Turning back to Garrison and his powers. He has two other brothers and a sister, and they all have various powers or abilities. Now, since this is a spin-off series, I wonder if they're somehow related to either Ruth or Barnaby (or both, who knows?). We know that Ruth had powers and that everyone, or at least the women, descended from her had some powers as well. And we also know that Barnaby had some form of powers, because his intuition was way too precise to not be some supernatural power. So I wonder if in some way, this means that the Taggart siblings are also related to the original Indebted.

I also loved seeing the mental degradation of Hank Brand. It kind of reminded me a little bit of Jerahmeel, so I wonder if Hank is on the road to becoming the new manifestation of Satan. I also wonder if his brothers are as sane as they wanted to seem at the end of this book. It would be absolutely awesome if they weren't, and if somehow they're becoming some new forms of minions.

The pacing was fantastic, and the plot was even more so. I am absolutely excited about this new book, and this new series, and I cannot wait to see what happens next, what new stuff we learn, as well as if we get to see some of the characters from the original series.

Blog Tour Book Review: The Darkest Torment by Gena Showalter

   

Gena Showalter’s THE DARKEST TORMENT is coming in paperback! The Queen of Paranormal Romance, USA TODAY bestselling author Gena Showalter, returns with THE DARKEST TORMENT, the eagerly anticipated twelfth novel in her Lords of the Underworld series! Order your copy today!

 
Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Lords of the Underworld #12
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Release Date: 31 May 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Can Beauty tame her Beast?

Driven to his death by the demon of Distrust, Baden spent centuries in purgatory. Now he's back, but at what cost? Bound to the king of the underworld, an even darker force, he's unable to withstand the touch of another and he's quickly devolving into a heartless assassin with an uncontrollable temper. Things only get worse when a mission goes awry and he finds himself saddled with a bride just not his own.

Famed dog trainer Katarina Joelle is forced to marry a monster to protect her loved ones. When she's taken hostage by the ruthless, beautiful Baden immediately after the ceremony, she's plunged into a war between two evils with a protector more dangerous than the monsters he hunts. They are meant to be enemies, but neither can resist the passion burning between them and all too soon the biggest threat is to her heart.

But as Baden slips deeper into the abyss, she'll have to teach him to love or lose him forever.

Includes Q&A featuring J. R. Ward, Jeaniene Frost, Nalini Singh and more!

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from InkSlinger PR and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or rating of the book in any way.

One of the urban fantasy series that everyone seems to be talking about is Lords of the Underworld, and I finally decided to pick this series up. I have to say, it's a bit scary going into a series that you've heard great things about, but haven't read the previous books, however I'm very pleased with what I discovered.

As you probably know, I'm a huge lover of all things regarding ancient mythology, so this take on the myth of Pandora's Box is quite interesting and unique. I loved reading about the Lords and how each had to live with a demon inside, and I was quite intrigued with how this was portrayed and with how each character had to deal with that. 

Baden was an interesting male. He's kind of a reluctant hero, he seems like one of those guys that has a mission and just wants to do his job. I felt quite sorry for him, to be honest, because he went through a lot of bad stuff. Sure, when you think about it, a bit of karma was in there somewhere, but he certainly didn't deserve centuries of torment. At some point during the story though, I started to understand him better, and to actually get it, why he did certain things, why he took certain decisions that affected everyone, not just him, why he was so closed off. I think the thing that most made me want to give this guy a hug was how lonely he is. It's so heartbreaking to see him crave something that he once had, that he had to give up on, and that he might never have again. That was so painful.

Katarina was a great heroine. Her story is quite sad, as well. I love how she managed to not let that story break her spirit though, and how she managed to find the good in any situation, and how she keeps fighting. Katarina is a fighter, she's a badass woman, and that is awesome. I love how brave she is. There's a scene at the end of the book where she shows exactly how brave and how totally badass she is, involving herself and a very scary god, and I wanted to high-five her afterwards.

There are a few characters that intrigued me in this book, some that I hope will get their stories told, some that already have their happy ending, I just need to read those books. I love how there are things revealed in this book that makes me wonder what that means for the rest of the series, and I am dying to see if it also helps explain some of the events from the past.

It takes a lot of time for me to read a book in a series, without having read the previous books, and it just goes to show how great a storyteller Showalter is, that I didn't feel lost or confused, or worse, like I'm missing something. Sure, I know that I'm missing parts of the story, but that didn't keep me from totally enjoy this book. In case you're like me, and have had this series for a long time on your TBR, trust me, you won't be sorry for starting to read this series. 

Order THE DARKEST TORMENT here!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * GooglePlay *iBooks * BAM * Kobo * IndieBound

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

     
“—friends are looking for you,” an unfamiliar voice said, breaking into her awareness. It belonged to a male. Was deep and raspy, with the same cocky and perpetually amused timbre as William. “I think they want your head on a platter.”
“Thanks to you, Baden brought trouble to Buda,” William replied, utterly unconcerned by the threat. “Gillian needs peace and quiet right now.”
“I told you not to befriend her. She’s human.”
“And I told you to go fuck yourself. More than once!”
“Is that any way to speak to your dear father?”
“Adopted father,” William grumbled. “And I’m tempted to say worse. Let’s take this conversation outside.”
So. He was speaking with Hades, she realized, sweat beading on her brow. The bad boy of the underworld. And that was saying something!
William didn’t know it, but Hades had appeared to her one night. He’d warned her: Stay away from my son. You aren’t the one for him. Don’t make me prove it.
He’d scared her, but she hadn’t heeded him. William was too important to her.
“Not being blood related to me is an embarrassing secret you’d do well to hide,” Hades remarked now.
Gillian cracked open her eyes…caught sight of two towering shadows on the balcony.
“She’s deathly ill. She’s going to die if you fail to make her immortal,” William snapped. “So, make her immortal.”
“I have the power to change her, yes. But in her condition, she’ll die before she’s turned.”
“Then you’re useless to me. Leave.”
“Tsk-tsk. So rude. You might want to be nice to me, my son. I’m the only thing standing between you and scores of angry husbands you’ve cuckolded over the centuries.”
“As if a legion of them would be any match for me.”
“True. I trained you well. But the girl…they’d hurt her without a qualm.”
William unleashed a storm of curses. “Anyone touches her, and I’ll spend the rest of eternity ensuring they and everyone they love suffer unending torments.”
“What’s so special about her?” Hades asked.
Yes, Liam. What’s so special about me? She’d always wondered.
“I’m not discussing her with you.”
“I’m discussing her with you, then. You can’t be with her. You can’t be with anyone.
You know as well as I that your happiness walks hand-in-hand with your doom.” Gillian had heard a little about William’s doom. Aka, his curse. The woman he loved was destined to destroy him.
Did Gillian believe in curses? Yes and no. She’d lived with demon-possessed immortals for three years now. She’d seen things. Supernatural things. Wild things. Impossible things. But curses…good luck versus bad luck? No. Bad things happened because bad decisions were made. End of story.
“I’m searching for a way to break—” William began.
“You’ve been searching,” Hades interjected. “For centuries.”
“My book—”
“Is nonsense. A trick to make you hope for what can never be so that your demise will be that much sweeter. If the book could be decoded, it would have been decoded by now.”
Another tense pause. Then William spat, “Did you come here to piss me off?”
“Pissing you off is a bonus. I came to warn you.”
“Well, you’ve done both.”
“No, son, I haven’t.” Hades’s voice hardened. “The warning is this: if I think you’re falling for the girl, I’ll kill her myself.”

   

And don’t miss the previous titles in the Lords of the Underworld Series!

THE DARKEST NIGHT

THE DARKEST KISS

THE DARKEST PLEASURE

THE DARKEST WHISPER

THE DARKEST PASSION

THE DARKEST LIE

THE DARKEST SECRET

THE DARKEST SURRENDER

THE DARKEST SEDUCTION

THE DARKEST CRAVING

THE DARKEST TOUCH

       

Don’t Miss each stop on THE DARKEST TORMENT Review & Excerpt Tour!

November 7

Ashleyz Wonderland – Excerpt

Books Make You Happy – Excerpt

 November 8

danielriding.com –Excerpt

 November 9

Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog – Excerpt

 November 10

Reading in Pajamas – Review & Excerpt

 November 11

The Book Beacon – Review & Excerpt

Enjoying life a day at a time – Review

The Bookery Review – Excerpt

 November 12

Barbara's Book Reviews – Excerpt

 November 13

Brittany's Book Blog – Excerpt

Reese's Reviews – Review & Excerpt

 November 14

EskieMama Reads – Excerpt

Those Crazy Book Chicks – Excerpt

 November 15

New Adult Addiction – Review & Excerpt

November 16

WTF ARE YOU READING? – Review & Excerpt

 November 17

Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt

Canadian Book Addict – Review & Excerpt

 November 18

Grownup Fangirl – Excerpt

Ruby's Books – Review & Excerpt

 November 19

Nicole's Book Musings – Excerpt

Quesarasera Book Blog – Excerpt

 November 20

Natalie TheBiblioholic – Review & Excerpt

Sweet and Spicy Reads – Review

 November 21

Books, Coffee & Passion – Excerpt

PBC – Excerpt

The Eater of Books! – Review & Excerpt

 November 22

I Smell Sheep – Review & Excerpt

Bound by Books Book Review – Review & Excerpt

 November 23

evocative book reviews – Review & Excerpt

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Sassy Moms Say Read Romance – Review & Excerpt

 November 24

The Opening Hook – Review & Excerpt

Books n Wine – Excerpt

Once Upon a Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

 November 25

Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews – Excerpt

Jax's Book Magic – Excerpt

Limelight's Books Blog – Review

Pardon My Blurb – Review & Excerpt

      About Gena Showalter: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over fifty books, including the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, and the White Rabbit Chronicles. She writes sizzling paranormal romance, heartwarming contemporary romance, and unputdownable young adult novels, and lives in Oklahoma City with her family and menagerie of dogs. Visit her at genashowalter.com.        

Website | Twitter- @genashowalter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

 

Book Review: Flame's Dawn by Jillian David

Author: Jillian David
Series: Hell to Pay
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Release Date: February 29th 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Reading Alley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

ll’s fair in love and war when specialist Jane Larson and Captain Barnaby Blackstone give into their lust for each other while stationed in Vietnam. As the world disintegrates around them, their one night of passion ends with her evacuation back to stateside duty.

Years later, Jane is neck deep in an undercover DEA operation gone horribly wrong. Kidnapped and then committed to an asylum, she has no hope of escape from the clutches of a notorious cult leader. The only thing that sustains her through the pain is her memories of Barnaby—even as she knows she’ll never be with him again.

Little does she realize that Barnaby has spent several of his years as an immortal, Indebted killer yearning for the fierce and beautiful woman who had unlocked hope in his cold, hard soul. When his sixth sense leads him to her hospital room, he sets her free, but in the process attracts the attention of an otherworldly maniac intent on revenge. To save Jane from the dark forces surrounding her, Barnaby must reveal his deepest secret. Can she live with the man he’s destined to be, or will the truth leave her lost to him forever?

*Disclaimer: Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.

A great story that completes the series, but also leaves room for more questions.

I was sad when I finished reading the Hell To Pay series a few months ago, and now that I've finally found the courage to read this prequel novella, I'm sad all over again, but also kind of hopeful. Sad, because the series is really over, but hopeful because there are a few questions left unanswered that could possibly be explored in a future series/book/novella? *is hopeful*

Throughout the first three books of this series, Barnaby is a constant character, but he's such a mystery. We know he was an Indebted, we know he was the first one to perform the "Meaningful Kill", and we also know it was all because of Jane, his wife. This novella offers a glimpse into their relationship, we get to see them fall in love and save each other, both literally and figuratively. I loved learning more about Barnaby. I loved learning more about his life, about why he became a servant of Jerahmeel, and we also get to see the beginning of the end for the Lord of Hell. I loved Barnaby's sense of duty, his courage, and how ingenious he was in some situations.

Jane is adorable. I can see why Barnaby fell in love with her. I absolutely loved her myself, and I am so sad we didn't get to meet the "present" version of her in the previous books. She's a strong woman, a stubborn one, but also a bit reckless. I was also a bit sad for her, learning a bit about her history.

I have to say though, the ending was not what I expected. That wasn't a bad thing, but it left me a bit confused. One, because I wasn't expecting it, and two, because it left the door open for some interpretation. I am glad though that the book didn't end as I wanted it to, because, in a way, we already know what "the end" is for Barnaby and Jane. I still have questions, though.

The plot was pretty fast paced, and it kept me on the edge the entire time. I love the "Author's Notes" at the end. Not being so familiar with the US history, it was really nice to learn a bit more about the events mentioned in the book, if only just to explain a few things. I also loved the musical references. All in all, a great way to really end the series, a story that needed to be told, and I'm very happy I found the guts to read it.

Book Review: Fish Out Of Water by Hailey Edwards

Author: Hailey Edwards
Series: A Gemini Novella
Audience: +18
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: CrushStar Multimedia LLC
Release Date: September 18th 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Harlow Bevans was a changeling mermaid working as a diving consultant for the Earthen Conclave. Then he came along. Charybdis. A serial killer who possessed her body and wrecked her mind. Now she's an inmate—patient—at Edelweiss Mental Institution.

When a haunting song lures her to the scene of a brutal murder, the calm of the past few months is shattered. A fellow patient is dead, and Harlow is caught standing over his body by a mysterious guard who hides his own secrets behind a pair of aviator sunglasses her fingers itch to remove.

Unwilling to be a pawn in another psychopath's game, Harlow sets out to discover the real killer. What she uncovers makes her a prime target, and the next song she hears could be her last. Curiosity may not have killed the cat, but it just might fillet the mermaid.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this copy from Netgalley and CrushStar Multimedia LLC in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of this book

The world of the Black Dog and the other connected series keeps getting bigger and bigger, and that makes me insanely happy. The latest book in the series brings you the story of Harlow, after she is rescued from Charybdis, and it shows her road to recovery.

What I love most about this book is that the story takes place in the facility where Harlow is recovering at. She's still struggling with what Charybdis did to her, she's not healed yet. Actually, this book shows Harlow go from the mute girl who would only make sounds as she's having gruesome nightmares about what happened to her, to the adventurous girl who will try to save everyone around her. So it's actually a book about healing, which I enjoyed a lot.

I feel like Harlow still has a lot to deal with, and there's a lot she still needs to face, to be fully healed, but she's getting there. Maybe she'll never again be that pink-haired mermaid that she was before being used as a pawn in a serial killer's sick game, but at least she won't be a living ghost anymore. She'll have a life, as normal as possible. I'm actually really proud of how much she's managed to accomplish in this book.

A character that intrigued me a lot was Lam. He's a mystery, and it isn't until very close to the end of the story that we get to find out more about him. I'd really love to know more about him, and more about his past.

We also get to learn what happened to the pregnant werewolf from the Gemini series, Bianca. Her story is still heartbreaking, it's still painful, and it seems that, at least for now, it will continue to be that way. However, I have hope. I love the little twist at the end, and what that kind of means for her future, so I have hope for her. I do wish we get to read more about her in the next books, especially in the Lorimar Pack series.

Speaking of series and future books, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more Harlow books. I love her so much, and I'd love to see how she recovers from being kidnapped and possessed, as well as learn more about Lam, and the patients at the Edelweiss Mental Institution.

The book was pretty well paced, and I read it pretty quickly. I'm very happy Harlow is on her way towards a happy ending, and I can only hope we'll get to see more of her in future series. If you still haven't started reading this series, trust me, you're missing out on a lot of fun.

Book Review: Lure Of Obsession by Lisa Kessler

Author: Lisa Kessler
Series: The Muse Chronicles #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 1st 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The Prophecy - “Every generation the nine daughters of Zeus are reborn, and with their rebirth are also nine Guardians. They will be marked by the gods, and given gifts to protect his treasure. Their abilities will only be unlocked when they find their muse.”

Melanie Jacoby teaches English at Crystal City High School. She’s also the reborn Muse of Tragic Poetry, but she isn’t prepared for the tragedy of finding her roommate dead at the bottom of the stairs.

Nate Malone is the detective assigned to the case, but as the evidence points to an accidental fall, the visions begin. He sees a killer in a gold Kronos mask.

Mel is the next target.

The Order of the Titans are eager to bring about the return of the Golden Age of Man, and they’re prepared to kill the Muses to complete their mission. But Nate’s desire to protect Mel is almost as strong as his hunger for her.

And tragedy isn’t part of his plan.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from Netgalley and Lisa Kessler in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of the book in any way.

My search for new voices in the paranormal/urban fantasy genre has made me stumble upon Lisa Kessler's book, Lure Of Obsession. I was very excited about the book, because it seemed like it had a fresh feel about it, and I am very happy that I wasn't wrong.

This new series focuses on Muses. As someone who loves urban fantasy, this is such a great change, because I don't think the Muses have been used in fiction all that much. I'm also really happy to see how the idea of the Muses is used in this book. I'm also really curious to see if the other creatures in the Ancient Greek mythology will also play some tiny part in the future books.

Mel is a really great heroine. I loved seeing how her human side battled with her Muse, how that influenced her life in general. I also liked how she tries to not let her Muse take over her thoughts sometimes, how she's trying to not be overcome by doubts and by seeing everything through a negative lens. I also loved seeing her in her teaching role. She's an amazing teacher and I loved how she managed to find ways to support her students, but also to help them find ways to heal themselves or express themselves through art, through poetry.

Nate was a pretty intense hero. He's a dedicated guy, and I liked how, although he was kind of freaked out by his visions, he did his job. He's also a sweetheart with Maggie, a little girl that broke my heart. I loved seeing his softer side, and I hope we get to see more of Maggie.

I enjoyed the thriller/mystery aspect of the book. The pacing of the book was good, and it was interesting to see how the tension of some of the chapters was broken apart by scenes from the villain's POV, but that also kind of made me sit on the edge of my seat, wanting to see what will happen with Mel and Nate, and the rest of the gang.

I loved this book and I'm curious to see what happens next, to learn more about the bad guys, about the history of the Muses in general.

Book Review: 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Six

Author: Jennifer L Armentrout, Lorelei James, Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright, Donna Grant, Rebecca Yarros, Kennedy Layne
Series: 1001 Dark Nights
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance, Military Romance
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: August 23rd 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Jennifer L. Armentrout, Lorelei James, Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright, Donna Grant, and introducing Rebecca Yarros and Kennedy Layne.

Seven Dark Tales. Seven Sensual Stories. Seven Page Turners.

DREAM OF YOU: Abby Erickson isn't looking for a one-night stand, a relationship, or anything that involves any one-on-one time, but when she witnesses a shocking crime, she's thrust into the hands of Colton Anders. His job is to protect her, but with every look, every touch, and every simmering kiss, she's in danger of not only losing her life but her heart also.

STRIPPED DOWN: A flirty game of sexual truth or dare between best man, Wynton Grant, and maid of honor, Melissa Lockhart during their BFF’s wedding reception results in a steamy hookup. But their plans for a one and done change when a family crisis leaves Wyn shorthanded at the Grant Ranch. Mel volunteers to help and gets way more than she bargained for.

RAGE: Rage has never had a problem charming the females. All except Lucie Gaudet. The lovely Geek is a born troublemaker, and it was no surprise to Rage when she was kicked out of the Wildlands. Now the Pantera need a first-class hacker to stop the potential destruction of their people, and it’s up to Rage to convince Lucie to help.

KILLIAN: Gorgeous, brutal, aggressive, and human, Killian O’Roarke wants only two things: to get rid of the Pantera DNA he’s been infected with, and get back to the field. Rosalie lost her mate to a human, and now the Hunter despises them all. In a time of war between their species, isn’t any chance of love destined for destruction?

DRAGON KING: Grace Clark has found the perfect spot to break through her writer's block. Until Arian, a Dragon King who has slept away centuries in his cave, appears and tries to force her away from the mountain. Unaware of the war she just stumbled into, Grace doesn't just discover the perfect place to write, she finds Arian - the most gorgeous, enticing, mysterious man she's ever met.

IGNITE: In Legacy, Colorado, I buried my father alongside his elite Hotshot team. Ten years later, I’ve followed in his footsteps—fighting fires in the mountains of Alaska with my brother.
Amid the flames, nothing ignites me like Avery Claire. She’s stubborn, strong, sexy as hell, and my best friend. She also has no idea that I’m in love with her.

FATED IDENTITY: Grady Kenton relishes the long seductive weekends with Brienne Chaylse, the beautiful CIA liaison who understands his boundaries and accepts things the way he needs them to be. When Brienne’s identity as a CIA special agent is leaked to the media, she and Grady must race to discover whose betrayal runs deep while their true feelings emerge.

Every Dark Nights tale is breathtakingly sexy and magically romantic.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from InkSlinger PR and Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of this book.

I am slowly, but very surely, becoming addicted to the 1001 Dark Nights series, guys! Besides the fact that most of my favorite authors are writing for this series, I get to find out about more authors that need to be on my shelves ASAP.

Dream Of You by Jennifer L. Armentrout

When I saw that this bundle had an Armentrout novella in it, I did a happy dance. I may have squeed a little bit too (not a very nice sound, let me tell you). I can always trust Armentrout to write a really relatable female character. Abby was phenomenal, there's just no other way to describe her. She has, what is in my opinion, the perfect job. But aside from that, I love how strong she is. She was scared out of her mind, but she still did the right thing, and I respect her a lot for that. Colton was a great hero, and it was really sweet seeing how he viewed her in high school. I loved him mostly for his integrity, for his sense of right and wrong. He's a great guy, and I really loved him, and I'm super happy they found each other again, even in the most terrible way.

Stripped Down by Lorelei James

It seems that not long ago I found the perfect cowboy romance series, by Lorelei James. So when she comes out with another cowboy novella, I trust her to write great heroes, great heroines, but also really natural, real human interactions. There's just something about James' characters that make them feel like real people, and that's what I felt with Wynton and Melissa. They were funny and sexy together, there's no denying that, but I also loved reading about how they interacted outside of the bedroom. Melissa is struggling to come to terms with some really important developments in her life, and it was a really fascinating to read about that. I also loved seeing how even with what was going on with her, she still found it in herself to help Wynton when he needed it the most. I also loved the ending. I laughed at it, because it shows just how perfectly these two characters fit together.

Rage/Killian by Alexandra Ivy & Laura Wright

I really need to go back and read the Bayou Heat series from the very beginning. Rage and Lucie have a very peculiar relationship. Lucie's childhood is filled with a lot of pain, and I was amazed by her strength and by how she managed to make a really good life for herself. I'm pretty sure Rage would have helped her had he known what was going on back then, as he even says as much. I was glad to see these two end up together.

Killian and Rosalie's story has a different tone than the previous one. Both of them have lost a lot, and they're both a little damaged. It was interesting to read about Killian's struggle to come to terms with what was going on with him. I would have wanted to read more about him and about his story prior to being exposed to the Pantera DNA. Rosalie is in a lot of emotional pain, and she's lashing out at everyone, including herself. I was really sad reading about her story and about her past. I like how, in the end, they both kind of help each other heal.

Dragon King by Donna Grant

I loved this take on dragons. I haven't read many books with dragons, but I was really happy with how Grant wrote them. This was my first Dark Kings book, so in a way, I understood Grace and how new she was to this world. I really liked Grace. She's a writer, she travels to Scotland to find her muse, and I really enjoyed reading about that, about her thought process, about her struggles to write a book under a strict timeline. Arian is a great character, and I loved reading about his past. He's really good with words, with explaining the history of dragons, and I found myself kind of lost in that. I know this book is part of a long series, and I am definitely going to check it out, because I need to read more about these dragons. Also, I'm really hoping the King of Kings gets his own story.

Ignite by Rebecca Yarros

River is the kind of guy you just have to love. Everything about him is perfect, from his sense of duty, to his little rituals when getting home from a fire, to his willingness to do the right thing even if it means he doesn't get the girl. He's a nice guy, and I liked him a lot. Avery is a girl who's been through a lot, much more than any person should go through. My heart was breaking while I was reading her story, because she's a good girl that's stuck in a really shitty situation. I respected her a lot, how she took care of her dad and her little sister, but at the same time I wanted to shake her. I was happy with how the story ended for her, but I would have wanted to see her have the courage to do what she did, earlier. I'm hoping there are more books in this series, because I am very curious to see how her life goes on and how her sister grows up.

Fated Identity by Kennedy Layne

The last novella in this bundle was a really powerful one. I kind of felt like watching scenes from NCIS, to be honest. There's a lot of intense scenes in this book, a lot of danger, the pacing is amazing. Brienna and Grady are really great characters, and it was fascinating to read about them. Grady is struggling to adjust to some changes in his relationship with Brienna, when they get the news that she's in danger. And I was really fascinated with how he reacted, and especially with how they were both willing to sacrifice themselves in order to see the mission complete. I also liked how Brienna stated some facts that Grady wasn't really ready to hear, but that he needed to. I am definitely going to check this author out, especially since this particular novella is part of a series.

OVERALL RATING

I was super happy to have received an ARC of this bundle and I absolutely loved it. I cannot wait for more 1001 Dark Nights novellas and bundles to come out, and to discover new authors and new series, as well as read more stories from my favorite authors.

Book Review: Flame Unleashed by Jillian David

Author: Jillian David
Series: Hell To Pay #3
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Release Date: September 14th 2015
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: Reading Alley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

When Civil War nurse Ruth Blackstone sacrificed her soul to save her husband’s life, he utterly betrayed her trust. Now, 150 years later, she’s still stuck killing depraved souls to feed her devil of a boss, Jerahmeel. She’s never been one for hair-brained schemes or sweet-talking flirts. That is, until she meets Cajun rogue Odie Pierre-Noir.

Odie has the research and the war plan to overthrow Jerahmeel and win freedom for all Indebteds. There’s just one hitch: he needs Ruth to act as bait. With charm on his side, he shows Ruth an intense passion she’s never experienced before.

Now Ruth must make the hardest decision of her long, damned life: continue in relative safety as an Indebted with Odie as her lover, or risk their eternal souls for one chance to break the curse. Will she choose the lesser evil?

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Reading Alley and Crimson Romance in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of the book in any way.

The last book in the Hell To Pay series was a pretty intense one, and definitely not how I pictured it would be. Actually the entire story was surprising and different than what I imagined at first.

You have Odie, an older Indebted, who, I'll be honest, wasn't my favorite in the beginning. I let my feelings be a little bit influenced by Ruth's reluctance to let him in, to be honest. But besides Ruth, I kept wondering what was his angle. I knew he showed his cards from the very beginning, and he was pretty honest from the get go about what his plan was and what he wanted, but a part of me wondered if he wasn't more than just the guy who wanted to end Jerahmeel forever, that maybe he wanted more. Then as the story progressed, I started liking him, especially after he shared his story, which is rather heartbreaking. I liked his dedication and his willingness to do whatever it took to free his brothers and sisters from their boss.

Then there's Ruth. Ruth was also a very different heroine than Allie and Hannah. Reading the book, I kept having this impression that she's much more than a nurse and a killer, like those were just masks. I liked the power struggle that went on between her and Jerahmeel. It was an intriguing aspect of the story. I am happy with how the story ended for her, especially with what she found out about her human family, because she really deserved it.

We finally find out more about Jerahmeel, and his story was not what I expected. Of course, knowing him and knowing what he did to Peter and Dante, I have to question some parts of his story. I also wonder if the ending of the book really meant the end of Jerahmeel. I know this is the last book in the series, but you know me, I'm always craving some drama in my books.

The pacing was great, not different from the other two books. I feel like the ending was a little rushed, especially since I still have some questions about this world. Also Jerahmeel's story kind of brought up more questions. It answered a few, but it certainly opened up a whole bunch of others, for me at least. All of that aside, I really enjoyed this book and I'll definitely be checking Jillian David's books in the future.

Book Review: Ecstasy Unbound by Setta Jay

Author: Setta Jay
Series: Guardians of the Realms #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: January 18th 2014
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

As one of the twelve Guardians, Urian has spent the last several centuries in a constant battle to keep the inhabitants of Earth’s Realms under control. Humanity has to evolve, hell beasts need to die, and Immortals need mates. But lately, Uri's mind is overrun with thoughts of when his sexy voyeur will find him again, watching him from the shadows, continuing their wicked game. All Guardians are forbidden contact with the little goddess and her brothers, but his need for her escalating, he finds it increasingly difficult to keep from pinning her down on the nearest surface and making her his.

Alexandra has managed to evade the Guardians and being cast out from the human Realm for centuries, ever since the Creators sent the Gods to sleep for their sins against humanity and banished all Immortals. Always sensing that she was needed on Earth, only once has Alex gone against her instincts and the price she paid will forever haunt her. It is for that reason she forces herself to stay away from the only male who has ever truly enticed her. The only one who has ever made her long for what she knows is dangerous.

In a desperate need to help her beloved brother, she will have to go to the enthralling Guardian, her dark obsession, and even though he will surely attempt to exile her, she won't go easily…

Warning: This book contains explicit and sizzling sex scenes with big dominant males. MFM, ménage, and light bondage.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Setta Jay in exchange for an honest review. This odes not influence my rating or my opinion of the book in any way.

Discovering new authors is such a fantastic feeling, especially in the realm of urban fantasy/paranormal romance. If the stories also happen to have even the smallest tie to mythology and ancient gods, then I'm the happiest reader ever.

I loved the concept of this series. The idea that the Greek Gods were punished due to them being mostly villains is so interesting. I liked reading about how the realms are divided, how the Guardians all have to protect them and make sure that the gods don't wake up. I also liked the story of who the Guardians are. My inner history geek squealed, to be very honest. I also loved the story of how the Gods came to be, or the little part of that story that the readers gets to read about. I am curious to see if the rest of the books in the series also show that and if they explore that aspect more.

I really liked Alexandra. Her backstory is really painful, and it's interesting to see how it still affects her, both physically and mentally. I found that her story was pretty unique, which I loved. Seeing how she had all that power, and yet there were things she couldn't prevent herself from doing or going through was an interesting aspect of her story. I liked her relationship with her brothers. She loves her brothers a lot, and you can really see that, especially with how she's willing to sacrifice herself to save them.

I liked Urian. I liked reading about his struggle to keep from contacting Alexandra, but I also enjoyed the twisted game they seemed to play with each other. It felt almost like a dare, like they were pushing themselves to see who would give in first. Urian is a pretty great Guardian, and I liked how dedicated and how loyal he was to his brothers and sisters. I liked how he helped Alexandra overcome some of her issues, but I would have also enjoyed seeing him teach her how to control what was happening with her.

There's a secondary plot line developing in this book, that I can only hope will be explored in the next books, involving one of Alexandra's brothers. I'm very curious to see what will happen with him in the future. The pace of the book was pretty good, and I am so, so excited to read the next books in the series. The book is also very sexy, which is always nice, and it didn't feel forced or over the top. The physical aspect of Alexandra and Urian's relationship was very interesting and I'm curious to see how that aspect will be explored with the other characters, if it's going to be similar, or if it's going to be very different. Basically I loved this book and I need more. If you're a fan of paranormal romance, you definitely need to read this book.

Book Review: Relentless Flame by Jillian Davis

Author: Jillian Davis
Series: Hell to Pay #2
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal romance
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Release Date: May 4th 2015
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Reading Alley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Immortal. Colossal. Suave. Indebted killer Dante Blackstone has the world at his feet. Every vice, any desire, is his for the asking—until he finds the one person he cannot have: one sweet, diminutive woman who could bring about Dante’s destruction.

Despite her supernatural ability to heal others, a devastating act of evil has left Hannah Miller broken in body and spirit. As she rebuilds her life while on the lam, a not-so-chance meeting with Dante chips away at the walls surrounding her fragile heart. But before their fledgling love can take flight, Dante’s boss sends an evil minion with one mandate: Eliminate Dante’s new reason to break his eternal contract.

As they fight to survive, Hannah’s amazing gift gives Dante one chance to save them both from the vicious minion. How can any love survive eternal hell and annihilation?

The answer lies in Dante’s inferno.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Reading Alley and Crimson Romance in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of the book in any way.



There are books in series that are good, and then there are books that kind of set the bar for the next installments in the series. Relentless Flame is that book for the Hell to Pay series.

First of all, let me tell you that the cover model looks so similar to Kevin Sorbo. If you don't know who Kevin Sorbo is shame on you, and go search him. I had to get that off my chest before talking about the book. My love for the book has nothing to do with KS, just FYI. Anyway, moving on.

Dante is the kind of hero that I love to love. He is cocky, he is sure of himself, and he knows what he wants and acts accordingly. The part that I love about him? He is so freaking adorable when he's out of his element. I giggled like a loon reading his first interactions with Hannah, because he was so confused by her. Here you have an old-as-dirt man that has been with more women than he could ever count, and Hannah renders him speechless. I loved that so much, mostly because I love reading about the inner struggle of any character to realize that they can be bested. Aside from the funny stuff, I love that with him you can sort of see the old, kind of classic upbringing. I love his speech patterns, his vocabulary, even the little phrases in Swedish. A testament to Davis' writing style really, because it was a different experience than with reading Peter's book. I loved that book, yes, but this book had an old-soul feel to it.

Hannah was awesome. Her life was so tragic, and I am so happy with how the story ended for her. I was impressed by her, really. She has an interesting ability, to heal people, and it's interesting to see how that ability isn't helping her heal her soul. I found that aspect of her really intriguing.

I like how the story is going for Jerahmeel. I love how both the previous book and this one show how he is slowly losing it. I also like that he's not portrayed in a typical way, he isn't smooth or silent or just deadly. He seems more deranged, and I like that.

I liked the pacing of the book, it felt fast enough to keep me on my toes, but slow enough to not make the relationship between Hannah and Dante forced. This book also introduced a new character, Ruth, and her book is next. I'm curious how that will go on, and how the rest of the Indebted start fighting for their freedom. I'm not ready for the series to end, though. Is it too much to hope for a spin-off?

Book Review: Kayden/Simon by Alexandra Ivy and Laura Wright (ARC)

Author: Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright
Series: Bayou Heat #21-22
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: August 9th 2016
My Rating: 4.5 cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

ENEMY TO LOVER

Kayden is obsessed with revenge after his parents disappeared when he was just a cub. Now the gorgeous Hunter has discovered the man responsible for betraying them - Joshua Ford - and it’s time for payback. Beginning with the kidnapping of Joshua’s daughter, Bianca. But last thing he expects is to be confronted with the horrifying realization that Bianca is his mate. Will he put revenge before his chance for eternal happiness?

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Sexy male model, Simon refuses to give up his exciting life in New York City to return to the slow heat of the Wildlands. For a decade, many pantera have tried to capture the rogue Diplomat and bring him home, but all have failed. Now it’s Tryst’s turn. The hard, brilliant, and gorgeous, Hunter is the ultimate tracker. But can the admitted beast-girl of the Wildlands capture her prey without losing her heart in the process?

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from INKSlinger PR and Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or rating of the book in any way.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. First of all, I've never before read this series (shame on me, I know), so I was a bit afraid that I'd be lost, that maybe I wouldn't understand the way the series works.

I am very happy that that was not the case. Yes, there are chunks of story that I'm missing, but I didn't feel that way while reading this book, I didn't feel like I was lost in an unknown place, which is a fantastic thing, especially for series this long.

The second thing that surprised me was the format. I felt that writing two stories into one book was a very unique idea, and also a very good one. It made the pacing be a little bit more smoother, more relaxed and yet fast paced. And because they're two stories into one, there's no need to drag the story to get to the page count that you need to get to, so the book is basically filled with scenes that need to be there, if that makes sense. Even with the two stories inside, I feel like the authors did a great job at creating the world and for making it as rich as it is.

Speaking of the two stories, I liked them. Kayden is a guy that has suffered a lot, especially since his parents disappeared when he was really young. I liked that even so, he didn't let that anger and that pain rule his judgement. I liked him, and I hope to read more about him in the next books. Bianca is a heroine that I enjoyed reading about. I liked that by the end of the story she finds courage to do certain things that I don't think in the past she would've done them.

Simon's story was my favorite one out of the two. Simon is a hero that hides stuff, and he hides them really well. I loved him, really. He's one of those characters that just need a bear hug, you know? I liked his interaction with Tryst, I liked seeing him trying to keep one step ahead of her. Tryst is a unique character. As the blurb says, she's more her animal than she is human, and I don't think I've ever read about a character like that before. It was interesting, but I would've wanted to read more on that subject. Maybe if the story was longer, we could've explored that side of Tryst more, but even so, I enjoyed reading the way she sees the world.

Like I said, I really enjoyed this book and I'll definitely be checking the other books in this series out. I may have (happily, I might add!) just found yet another paranormal series to fall in love with.

Book Review: Immortal Flame by Jillian David

Author: Jillian David
Series: Hell To Pay #1
Audience: +18
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Release Date: February 2nd 2015
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Reading Alley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

World War II veteran Peter Blackstone traded his soul so that his wife could live. That was 1945. Since then, Peter has lived an unnaturally long life as a hired killer, providing the life forces upon which Jerahmeel feeds to survive.

Doctor Allison La Croix has a big problem. She randomly sees people’s deaths. She has longed to be free of her twisted “gift” to live a normal life without fear of predicting yet another loved one’s demise.

After a horrific accident, a severely injured Peter arrives in Allison’s ER. The vision Allison experiences when she touches him nearly kills her. He teaches her to block these devastating episodes as she finds a way to unlock his forgotten, passionate soul.

But Jerahmeel’s minion has orders to destroy Peter and anyone he loves. Will Peter’s and Allison’s shattered souls survive the devious plan? Or could their love save them both? Someone will have hell to pay.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Reading Alley and Crimson Romance in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of the book in any way.

I've heard of this book for a while now, and I'm really happy I got to try it. As someone who is obsessed with reading stories with "gifted" people, I was really curious about this book.

Allison was an intriguing heroine. She's got a really dangerous and heartbreaking gift. I can't really imagine knowing exactly how someone I care about will die, and not be able to do anything about it. I was actually very surprised with how sane Allison was. Especially after learning about her family and how her mom hated Allison, for something she couldn't control.

Peter reminded me a little bit of the movie version Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider, only a bit scarier. I liked reading about his inner struggle with what he had to do in order to pay his debt. I liked seeing how the killing didn't make him lose his mind. I also liked how he described the first time Allison touched him felt, I liked the imagery of that sense.

There's a cute secondary character, Quincy, that I hope we'll see more of throughout the series. She's such a cute little girl and I would want to read more about her.

The idea of someone selling their soul to save a loved one is certainly not new, but I was intrigued by how the author approached this theme. I've certainly never read about a group of people being indebted to a single evil entity, in this case Jerahmeel. I'm curious to see if the series will explore how this Jerahmeel gained his powers, if he can be defeated and exactly what is his endgame, if there is one.

The pacing of the story was good, although I had a feeling the ending was a tiny bit rushed. Even so, I really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series, learn more about Jerahmeel and about the Indebted in general.

Book Review: 1001 Dark Nights Bundle Five by Julie Kenner, Lexi Blake, Larissa Ione, Elisabeth Naughton, Angel Payne, Michelle St. James

Author: Julie Kenner, Lexi Blake, Larissa Ione, Elisabeth Naughton, Angel Payne, Michelle St. James
Series: 1001 Dark Nights
Audience: + 18
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: July 12th 2016
My Rating: 4.5 cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

From New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors Julie Kenner, Lexi Blake, Larissa Ione, Elisabeth Naughton, and introducing Angel Payne and Michelle St. James.

Six Dark Tales. Six Sensual Stories. Six Page Turners.

CARESS OF PLEASURE: I'd thought that he was mine, the dark, arresting man who commanded not only my body but my heart. Dante had swept into my life, and I'd succumbed to the burn of passion in his arms. I'd believed we had a love that would last forever, but he'd shattered my dreams and broken me into pieces when he'd walked away.

ADORED: Mitch Bradford knows he’s not good for any woman—especially not his best friend’s sister. Laurel Daley knows what she wants, and her sights are set on Mitch. She knows he just needs a little polish to make some woman the perfect lover. She intends to be that woman, but first she has to show him how good it could be.

HADES: Cataclysm was kicked out of Heaven and is now a fallen angel. All she wants is to redeem herself and get back where she belongs. When she gets trapped in Hades’s Underworld prison domain with only Hades to help her, Cat finds that where she belongs might be in the place she least expected…

RAVAGED: Ari has one singular focus: revenge. His guardian brothers all think he’s dead, but he is alive and chipping away at Zeus’s Sirens every chance he can. When he abducts the wrong female and his identity is finally exposed, it will take the courage of one woman willing to stand up to a warrior who’s become a savage to rein Ari in.

NAUGHTY LITTLE GIFT: From the moment Mishella Santelle locks eyes with Cassian Court, she can see the man beneath the power…the bruised soul for whom hers has been destined. When six months of her life are bargained to Cassian in a multimillion dollar contract, Mishella is helpless against the reaction of her body and soul to this man.

THE SENTINEL: Determined to maintain the friendship that has been her rock since childhood, Diana Barrett resigns herself to keeping her distance from Leo Gage. Leo has worshipped Diana Barrett since they were kids, but she can never know that. When Diana witnesses a murder, she goes to the only person who has ever made her feel safe. Now Leo and Diana are on the run.

Every Dark Nights tale is breathtakingly sexy and magically romantic.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from InkSlinger PR and Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of this book.

Unless you're really not into adult romance books, you've probably already heard of the 1001 Dark Nights series. I adore the series and the idea of putting all of these authors together in what seems like a never-ending series. Another good thing is that, in some cases (I'm looking at you, Larissa Ione!), the stories continue some of my favorite series. Awesome, right?

Caress Of Pleasure by Julie Kenner

Second chance stories are nice to read about. I'm a sucker for redemption stories, mostly because everyone needs a second chance.

Dante was awesome! I really liked him. His sense of right and wrong was infuriating at times, but I understand what he tried to do all those years before, with Brenna. I would love to read how his relationship with Brenna started, to see how they evolved or how their relationship grew from what it was initially.

I also liked that both of them were exposed to the other's version of the story. There's this cool scene where Brenna learns how her actions hurt Dante too, so it was really interesting to read that.

This story also made me curious to see if it was part of a series (YES IT IS!), because I need to read more about these men and women that are basically phoenixes. The series is called Dark Pleasures and I cannot wait to read it.

Rating: 4 cups

Adored by Lexi Blake

I've had Lexi Blake's Masters and Mercenaries series on my TBR for a very long time now, but I never got around to start reading it. I was super happy when I realized that Adored was part of that world. 

Mitch is a very reluctant hero, and it is a miracle Laurel put up with him. I had a moment when I actually contemplated screeching, he was so infuriating. I understood him in a way, but that didn't make it easy for me to accept his behavior. 

I liked Laurel. She was funny and basically a smart-ass. What I loved most about her was her ability to have an answer for anything, a retort of some sort always ready. There were times when I didn't understand her willingness to stand by Mitch's side, though. 

I did consider Mitch to be a bit cold at times, which isn't something I liked all that much. I felt like he let his past influence his decisions too much, but in the end it all worked out.

Can I just say, HOLY MOTHER OF CLIFFHANGERS? Now I just have to read the series because of a certain something that happened at the end of this story. Anyway, it was a good novella and I really enjoyed my introduction to Lexi Blake's M&M series

Rating: 3.5 cups

Hades by Larissa Ione

How do I even start? Any story within the Demonica world is going to get glowing reviews from me, because Larissa Ione is still my queen. It's just a fact.

Hades, the guy who pissed off Azagoth, the guy who basically pisses off everyone just because he can, finally gets his own story and his own HEA. I like that he found his match, because he needed that, but also because he needed to find something worth losing. I feel like Cat is that something, and she helped him do one of the things that I think scared him the most. I'm not going to say what it is, because of spoilers, but let's just say she helped him grow up a bit.

Cat... It's been a while since I read Reaver, and so my memory might play tricks on me, but I like that she got redeemed in this novella. Maybe redeemed is not the right word, maybe she got a second chance is better. She is a funny Unfallen, I'll give you that. I liked her inner monologue, and how she seemed to panic and babble, even to herself. I found that amusing. 

I think that, in the end, Cat and Hades are two peas in a pod and I'm so, so happy they found each other.

Rating: 5 cups

Ravaged by Elizabeth Naughton

I was hooked on this story at the mention of Zeus. The fact that this novella tells the story of so many awesome, mythological creatures had me insanely happy. 

Ari was a great hero to read about. I always love to read about the outcasts, the people who are reluctant heroes, the ones who get a chance, despite what people think about them. His story broke my heart, but in the end I loved seeing that he got answers for what happened to him. I love that he got a HEA. 

Daphne was a great heroine. I liked how she eventually didn't let Zeus's evilness corrupt her, how she saw Ari for what he really was, and for basically giving the guy a chance. Her childhood was harsh and I'd love to go back in the series and see if there's any mention of a certain event from her life in the earlier books.

Speaking of earlier books, this is another series to add to your TBRs if you're a fan or paranormal. The series is called Eternal Guardians and I am definitely planning on reading it. 

Rating: 5 cups

Naughty Little Gift by Angel Payne

Another new-to-me author that I got to find out about with this bundle was Angel Payne. 

This novella tells the story of a young woman born and raised in a very oppressive, closed off environment, that was basically stuck somewhere in the late eighteenth century, with age-old customs that defy the passing of time. I really liked seeing the modern world through Mishella's eyes. It was an interesting experience, and I feel like the author did a good job writing that confusion of Mishella, without making her seem stupid.

Cassian was a confusing hero. I got the impression he hid a lot of things, and I didn't feel that by the end of the story he got to reveal all of his secrets. I think he still has some dark secrets that he's hold on to. Even though his way of helping Mishella out of her family's clutches wasn't as... let's say conventional, I do like that he got her out of that situation. I hated Mishella's parents, and I wanted to punch them a few times.

I did however have a slightly harder time reading this novella, because at times I got frustrated with Mishella. This was a me thing, but I would have wanted her to be harder on Cassian, and not as forgiving.

From what I understand, this book is set in the same world as The Cimarron series, and there's going to be two more installments about Cass and Mishella in the future. I am curious to see if Cassian ends up revealing all of his secrets, and if Mishella will ever go back home.

Rating: 3.5 cups

The Sentinel by Michelle St. James

I like reading about antiheroes. That's what Leo Gage is. He's not a good guy, he's actually a very scary dude. I liked reading about him, just as much as I liked reading about his story with Diana. I also felt bad for Leo, because he had some really dark moments of self-doubt and I just wanted to hug him until it passed. 

Diana gets a glimpse at the life of criminals, and I can't blame her for not freaking out more, considering that she was being hunted by really bad people. I'm curious to see if Leo's actions has consequences later in the series. 

When it comes to childhood-best-friends-turned-lovers, it's kind of hard to get it right, in my opinion. I'm happy that the relationship between them didn't feel forced, nor did it feel like they didn't make sense together, because they did. I also loved the differences between them. It's easy to spot those differences, but I think that's what made their relationship make sense. 

Speaking of series, I saw that this novella is set in the same world as the London Mob series. I'm actually curious to read it, to see if some of the events mentioned in this novella are shown in the series, as well as if the next books will be affected by the events in this story.

Rating: 4 cups

OVERALL RATING

What can I say, I thoroughly enjoyed reading these stories, and I love that I got introduced to new series, new authors, as well as revisit an old favorite series of mine.