Otterly in Love by Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace

Title: Otterly in Love

Author: Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace

Series: #3 in The River's Edge Shifters series

Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Surrendered Press (November 21, 2020)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: An M/M MPreg Shifter Romance

Sometimes the past holds your future...

Omega otter shifter Doc loved his adopted son and wanted to protect him from his past. But when the boy's past flings itself at him in the form of a series of letters, Doce is faced with the heart wrenching decision of either ripping open old wounds or keeping unforgivable secrets from the child.

Rabbit shifter Levi hates his life as Alpha of his Colony. Put there by birthright and held there by his past, he has no choice: If he leaves, they will kill his one true mate. Rabbits were brutal like that.

When the colony is all abuzz with word of a stranger in town, Levi doesn't expect an otter and he certainly doesn't expect the man to be the bearer of both the worst and the best news of his life: His mate was gone and he had a son. And he most definitely doesn't expect to have his rabbit announcing the man as his mate. 

Otterly In Love is a sweet with knotty heat M/M shifter mpreg romance featuring an otter shifter looking out for his son, a rabbit shifter who fears he isn't strong enough to fix the wrongs of his path, an evil sheriff who won't stay gone, a boy who in some ways has more to teach him, true fated love, and an adorable little baby. This is the third book in the River's Edge Shifters series brought to you by the co-writing team of Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace and can be read as a stand-alone.

(Synopsis courtesy of GoodReads)

My Thoughts: I was really looking forward to getting to know Doc more and although this was his story it left me wanting more.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: So, about the synopsis.... for the most part it is exactly what this book is about, but that last paragraph isn't quite accurate. The evil sheriff is taken care of in book 2 and although it's been 4 days since I finished this book, I'm pretty sure I am remembering this book correctly. Also, the "adorable little baby"...not sure which baby this is in reference to. I believe August and Jase's baby is in the book and she is adorable, but she isn't in a lot of the scenes as at least half the book takes place at the rabbit Colony and not in River's Edge. There is another baby, but I believe doesn't make an appearance until the very end. One more complaint about the last paragraph of the synopsis and then I'll move on....it says it is the 3rd book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone. I'm terrible about reading things in order and my GR friends could attest to this. I often pick something up based on what I get approved at NetGalley. I'll pick something up based on what my library has available at the time. I'll even pick something up based on the shiny cover. However, I really think in order for Doc's story (and Xander's as well) to be fully appreciated the first book in the series should be read before this one, at the very least. Book 2 is almost an independent book within the series as the characters in that story don't make an appearance in book 3 but more about that later.

While I did enjoy this book, I was sad that Leo and Ron (from Feline the Love) weren't in this book. I really liked those characters. Also, I know Doc was older, but I don't recall how much older (I'm actually thinkin it never said) and for some reason this bugged me. I like an age gap romance but like to know what ages I'm working with LOL. 

With the background story of Xander being heartbreaking and intense from the first book I was disappointed that part of that story was concluded off page, happening sometime after book 1 ended and book 3 started (but not mentioned in book 2 at all.) I know that is quite vague, but I don't want to include any spoilers for anyone who may want to read the series.

As far as Levi and Doc go, I really wanted more from their story. On one hand it was a really good story, but I think the page count limited the development of a believable love story. As with most fated mate tropes the "I Love You's" happened quickly and in shifter romances sex usually means love. Too bad I'm not a shifter and can't appreciate this type of relationship. Hello insta-love. <insert should shrug here>. 

In a Nutshell: I am definitely moving on to book 4 although I'm not sure who will find their true love as there weren't any new shifters introduced except 3 bunny adults (new adult age so not viable for relationship status in my mind), a handful of rabbit Colony asshats (only good for evil mastermind status), and Mama (a widowed lion shifter who played a major role in helping Levi leave the Colony....loved her by the way.) I guess I'll have to wait until I can pick up book #4, Canine Love You after I finish up my current reads.

Awaken the Darkness by Dianne Duvall

 Title: Awaken the Darkness

Author: Dianne Duvall

Series: #8 in the Immortal Guardian series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Dianne Duvall (July 10, 2018) Audio published by Tantor Audio (July 10, 2018)

Source: Library find via Hoopla

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: He awakens encapsulated in dirt with no knowledge of how he came to be there. Riddled with injuries, he can remember neither his past nor who he is. Nor can he remember what he is. But surely no mortal man could survive being buried deep beneath the earth. All he knows with certainty is that the soothing voice and presence of the woman moving around above enables him to endure the agony of his wounds. And he will do whatever it takes to be with her. When Susan first sees the old two-story house for sale, such warmth and longing fill her that--against all reason--she makes an offer. It will take years of hard work and money she frankly doesn't have to fix up the place. So she can't explain why she bought it. She also can't explain what compels her to spend hours one night, digging in the basement until she unearths a man. A man who still lives and breathes despite having been buried alive. A man whose intense brown eyes glow amber with pain, declaring him far more than ordinary. Susan knows she should keep her distance. He has no memory and possesses gifts that would make most fear him. But as the two work together to unravel the mystery of his past, she finds herself drawn in by his teasing nature and tender touch . . . Contains mature themes. 

My Thoughts:  I just love this series. This one heavily relies on past books in the series so although the premise is fully explained the full impact of what the characters have gone through (specifically Stanislav and Yuri not to mention Seth) it is best to read this series in order with the short novellas as well.

With this one we really hadn't had much time to jump on the Stanislav bandwagon as both he and Yuri were introduced only mid series, but I liked the way his book was handled. The continuing story arch connecting the last 2 books is all but paused while Stan's story played out, but I was ok with this.

The romance part of this book was pretty typical of this series. Both Immortal Guardian and their love interest are thrown together with a whole lot of action and turbulence and the I love you's are quick but satisfying. There were some minor battles within the book but not as many (or as epic as the ones that occur in previous books) but because this book is about Stan and his amnesia this too is ok.

Once again Kirsten Potter does an amazing job narrating. With Immortals from all over the world I fully believe all of her accents and will always listen to these books providing I can get them all easily from my library system.

In a Nutshell: Yep, I'm hooked. I've been binge reading these books. If you know me, you know this isn't how I operate. I get bored easily and will fall off of a particular series fairly quickly. 8 books and counting it hasn't happened yet and I'm not sure if it will anytime time soon. 

Bears Behaving Badly by MaryJanice Davidson

 

Title: Bears Behaving Badly

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Series: #1 in the BeWere My Heart series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (March 31, 2020)

Source: NetGalley

Rating: ☕☕1/2

Synopsis: These social worker bear shifters give the term "mama bear" a whole new meaning! Bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson is back with this brand-new paranormal romance series featuring a foster care system for at-risk shifter babies and teens.

Werebear shifter Annette Garsea is a caseworker for the Interspecies Placement Agency. When a selectively mute and freakishly strong teen werewolf is put in her custody, Annette has to uncover the young girl's secrets if she's to have any hopes of helping her. And not even the growling of a scruffy private investigator can distract her from her mission...

Bear shifter David Auberon appreciates Annette's work with at-risk teen shifters, but he's not sure if her latest charge is so much a vulnerable teen as a predator who should be locked up. All that changes when he, Annette, and her motley band of juveniles find themselves dodging multiple murder attempts and uncovering a trafficking cartel that doesn't just threaten the kids, but risks discovery of the shifters by the wider world of homo sapiens.

My Thoughts: I really really really wanted to love this book. I didn't.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: So, I a long time ago I was in love once. In love with MaryJanice's sense of humor and everything Queen Betsy. Then over the years what was once an amazing love story between a girl and her fictitious besties The Vampire Queen and her consort Sink-Lair became a systematic relationship breakdown. I started to notice Betsy just wasn't who I thought she was. She's not a smart independent strong woman. She's actually quite distracted by shiny things and spends most of her time in her own head with internal rando thoughts. So, you may be asking, what does the Queen Betsy books have to do with the first book in the BeWere My Heart series...technically nothing unless you mistakenly confuse Annette Garsea with Betsy Taylor. 

You'd think a dingbat Vampire Queen wouldn't have anything in common with a professional social worker who takes her charges seriously, right? True story....unless you read this book and see every time Annette opens her mouth to speak, or worse yet witness all of her unsaid thoughts (the many many many internal musings)(in parenthesis)sometimes italicized but mostly occurring in the middle of another person's dialogue. She was freakin' Queen Betsy in a Werebear hybrid body!

The plot itself was fairly interesting....OK not the Annette wanting but not wanting to want David's body plot....which was what I interpreted as the main plot of the book but rather the plot of child shifter trafficking. That plot was actually really interesting but it was a very deep subject matter for such a lighthearted silly book and took a back seat to the sexual attraction between David and Annette.

In a Nutshell: Overall, I'm super disappointed in this book. I was looking for something humorous but better than the Queen Betsy books. I got a Queen Betsy book starring Shifters instead. I'm not sure I'll read the next book...maybe if it's free...even then, maybe not.

Werewolf in Manhattan by Vicki Lewis Thompson

(Original Cover)

(New cover from 2018)

Title: Werewolf in Manhattan
Author: Vicki Lewis Thompson
Series: #1 in the Wild About You series
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher:  Berkley; Original edition (January 4, 2011) reissued by Ocean Dance Press; 2 edition (March 30, 2018)
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: She believed werewolves were a myth…until she met one.

For paranormal romance author Emma Gavin, werewolves only existed between the pages of her novels. They were seductive heroes drawn from her imagination, not living, breathing creatures in the real world. And they certainly were not wealthy lords of industry.

And then the sexy Mr. Wallace sprouted fur.

Offering to pose as Emma’s bodyguard to deter a rogue Were should have been an easy assignment for pack alpha Aidan Wallace. She’s human. He’s Were. The two don’t mix. But he didn’t count on the temptation she would pose to his highly tuned senses. Or how hard it would be to resist her siren call.

Denying the bond that’s drawing them together could cost him his sanity. But surrendering to desire could cost him his life.

My Thoughts: An Ok romance with potential not realized.

The Good: So I really liked Aidan. He really had the making of  great Alpha hero. Tall, gorgeous, genius IQ, and very wealthy. I mean, what else could you want? I also loved the idea our heroine was a paranormal romance writer who writes werewolf heroes. It does get her in trouble with the local Were Pack because her imagination is too close to the truth. I liked the secondary characters as well, especially, Nadia and Aidan's younger brother Roarke. The chemistry between Aidan  and Emma was so good and for the most part the super sexy parts were pretty darn exciting as well.

The Bad: While I did like Emma's choice of careers and her and Aidan's smexy times, I just couldn't get a good grasp of who she was. She flipped from a MarySue who was just kind of boring to someone with a backbone only to become a sexed up vixen and back again. During her backbone times she tried fighting for her "right" to continue writing her fictional novels of werewolves. This of course was after she found out werewolves were real and accepted it in the blink of an eye. As the existence of werewolves has to be kept a secret and the pack community were going so far as to investigate an author's fictional book writing. There were talks of even killing her should she know too much. With that in mind she continued to say things like she'd rather be DEAD than lose her career of writing her novels. I have rights! You can't stop my First Amendment rights! How about stay alive Emma? How about that? Why not change direction just a bit and write about vampires or witches. Oh and lets not get into Emma's snobby "I'm so green" attitude. Looking down on Aidan for his wealth and the lifestyle he has but then justifies letting Aidan pamper her with luxuries and it comes out she has a bunch of designer clothes and designer shoes. Hello kettle. Meet pot.

In a Nutshell: An easy breezy read without a lot of substance but a decent enough read to spend a few hours with. As far as recommending this book I'd only suggest someone looking for some pure paranormal fluff pick this one up.

Gone With the Ghost by Erin McCarthy

Title: Gone With the Ghost
Author: Erin McCarthy
Series: #1 in the Murder by Design series
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Publisher: SilverHart Publishing (May 22, 2017)
Source: Purchased
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Bailey Burke has had a rough six months—it’s not easy thinking your romantic overtures toward your best friend caused him to kill himself. Except that’s exactly what happened. Ryan is very much dead, having shot himself with his own police-issued gun. Guilt and grief shouldn’t cause hallucinations though, but six months after Ryan went into the ground, Bailey is freaking out and swearing his ghost is standing in her kitchen. Which he is…

Ryan claims he didn’t commit suicide, but was murdered, and he needs Bailey to help him find his killer so he can earn his ticket out of purgatory. Ryan’s counting on a stairway to heaven, as opposed to wings, since that might be a little unmanly for a cop, even a dead one.

An expert in home design, with her own staging business, Bailey can tell you where to place a couch to improve flow and comfort, but solving a crime? Not her area of expertise. But with help from Ryan’s former partner, Marner, she is unraveling the mystery of what happened to Ryan that day… and unwittingly putting herself in grave danger.

My Thoughts: Erin McCarthy is the queen of fun lighthearted reads.

The Good, The Bad, And Everything In Between: I love when the paranormal rubs elbows with mystery especially when it's chock full of humor. I giggled, smiled, and literally LOL a couple of times throughout this book. I enjoyed the various characters including Bailey and Ryan but wish they were more fleshed out. The book is rather short which is awesome for me because I have been struggling with sticking with longer books but, honestly, if it had been longer the characters could have been dug deeper into. In addition there is some closure to the mystery aspect but many dangly bits are left....well...dangling. Now I love me some dangly bits but in my books I don't necessarily like cliffhangers...even minor ones. I enjoyed this book so much though, I like to refer to those dangly bits as appetizers for the next course. I'm really looking forward to digging into the next one too.

In a Nutshell: This really was a fun book but make sure you have the next book lined up so you can jump right into it because you're going to want to.

 

Phantom Evil by Heather Graham

Title: Phantom Evil
Author: Heather Graham
Series: #1 in the Krewe of Hunters series
Genre: Romantic Suspense (with paranormal undertones)
Publisher: Mira (March 27, 2011)
Source: Library eBook
Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: A secret government unit, a group of renegade paranormal investigators... and a murder no one else can crack.
Though haunted by the recent deaths of two teammates, Jackson Crow knows that the living commit the most heinous crimes.
A police officer utilizing her paranormal intuition, Angela Hawkins already has her hands full of mystery and bloodshed.
But one assignment calls to them too strongly to resist. In a historic mansion in New Orleans French Quarter, a senator's wife falls to her death. Most think she jumped; some say she was pushed. And yet others believe she was beckoned by the ghostly spirits inhabiting the house — once the site of a serial killer's grisly work.
In this seemingly unsolvable case, only one thing is certain: whether supernatural or all too human, crimes of passion will cast Jackson and Angela into danger of losing their lives... and their immortal souls.

My Thoughts: Another Heather Graham book that had great potential but got mucked up while bringing the romance into the book to become an average read.

The Good: The backdrop of NOLA and the setting of a historical mansion, a new murder interwoven with that of a century old serial killer's terrifying reign on the area all coupled with paranormal elements had me glued to my kindle. The introduction of all the Krewe team and their quirks/abilities was interesting and will keep me coming back to the Krewe Hunters series.

The Bad: Angela and Jackson's romance. Just bad. It was so forced. It felt unnatural. At one point, Angela and Jackson had just met, yet were drawn together, of course, and she kissed him on the check in a "friendly" way to show her appreciation. Now, take into mind Jackson is essentially Angela's boss. They've known each other for a few short hours and she kissed him. Granted, it was on the check but still. I've known my boss for over 11 years and even though I really like him and respect him and his opinion  I would Never. Kiss. Him. Also the ending felt a bit rushed and I was left feeling there should have been more.

In a Nutshell: A decent start to a new series even though the concept isn't a new one and definitely one that Graham has done repeatedly. I'll continue with the series because I overall enjoyed reading this book.

The Vampire's Mail Order Bride by Kristen Painter

Title: The Vampire's Mail Order Bride
Author: Kristen Painter
Series: #1 in the Nocturne Falls series
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Sugar Skull Books  (June 1,2015)
Source: Purchased/ Kindle Freebie
Rating: ☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year. The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better.

Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs, fur, and all.

After seeing her maybe-mobster boss murder a guy, Delaney James assumes a new identity and pretends to be a mail order bride. She finds her groom-to-be living in a town that celebrates Halloween every day. Weird. But not as weird as what she doesn’t know. Her groom-to-be is a 400-year-old vampire.

Hugh Ellingham has only agreed to the arranged set up to make his overbearing grandmother happy. In thirty days, whatever bridezilla shows up at his door will be escorted right back out. His past means love is no longer an option. Not if the woman’s going to have a future. Except he never counted on Delaney and falling in love for real.

Too bad both of them are keeping some mighty big secrets...

My Thoughts: What started out as a really cute book in the beginning turned a sharp corner to average right around the middle and went down from there.

The Good: The town of Nocturne Falls is so cool. It's totally like Halloweentown in the movie of the same name starring the late great Debbie Reynolds. Where all the "monsters" are real and the tourists think they are just part of the theme. Delaney started out nicely also where the more nervous she gets the more she quotes some fun random fact about sweets and chocolate. The Ellingham brothers are intriguing too and I'm actually looking forward to finding out more about them.

The Bad: So what started out really fun took an Instalove turn and a TSTL woman chaser. After a day Delaney admits she's starting to have feelings for Hugh and a day later they are both so much in love Delaney tells Hugh that she is more than willing to have him turn her into a vampire despite that fact that it might kill her. The plot falls flat as the thread relating to why Delaney was in Nocturne Falls to begin with was all wrapped up 2/3rds of the way into the book leaving over 30% of the book left to witness the pathetic back and forth wishy-washy ramblings of Hugh loving Delaney but not wanting to risk the life of another woman when trying to turn her.

In a Nutshell: I don't think this book was a waste of my time but it sure could have been better. I have high hopes for the remaining books in the series though. It's like Halloweentown folks!

Grave Intentions by Lori Sjoberg

Title: Grave Intentions
Author: Lori Sjoberg
Series: #1 in the Grave series
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Kensington  (January 3, 2013)
Source: NetGalley
Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: He’s handsome, reliable, and punctual—the perfect gentleman when you want him to be. But this dream man is Death’s best agent—and now he’s got more than his soul to lose…

One act of mercy before dying was all it took to turn soldier David Anderson into a reaper—an immortal who guides souls-of-untimely-death into the afterlife. But the closer he gets to atoning for his mortal sin and finally escaping merciless Fate, the more he feels his own humanity slipping away for good. Until he encounters Sarah Griffith. This skeptical scientist can’t be influenced by his powers—even though she has an unsuspected talent for sensing the dead. And her honesty and irreverent sense of humor reignite his reason for living—and a passion he can’t afford to feel. Now Fate has summoned David to make a devastating last harvest. And he’ll break every hellishly-strict netherworld rule to save Sarah...and gamble on a choice even an immortal can’t win.

My Thoughts: I loved the idea of this book and was really excited to get to read it. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I was able to but the story just didn't move me.

The Good: In a genre chock full of vampires and werewolves finding a book without either yet still smack dab in the middle of all things supernatural is so very hard to accomplish. This book fulfills the need for the woowoo which is pretty awesome. The interactions between the characters were great and watching David teach Adam how to be a reaper was interesting. I thought the chemistry between David and Sarah was good and their ultimate I Love Yous fell right into place. Also Lori's writing is easy to read. I got lost in her words which made for a more enjoyable reading pace for me.

The Bad: Unfortunately even with an interesting premise this book just didn't move me. At times I found myself bored with what was going on. There were also some holes left unanswered for me which sucked the fun outta the book a bit. Even though the training of Adam was interesting to watch it made it feel more like Adam's book rather than David's. Also David's boss, Raphael, was a douche with no real reason or background to support it.  The whole point of Raphael's input in the book was lost on me too other than to create the possibilities of having two villains. I couldn't figure out the hierarchy of reaping and if Raphael was a boss who did he report to? The Fates were mentioned also which confused me even more as to where this book fell in terms of religion or mythology. It never really committed to either one as the commandments were heavily influenced when it came to those being chosen for reaping yet Fate was an actual pissy being throwing temper tantrums when she didn't get her way (we never actually met her by the way).

In a Nutshell: An average book with a cool idea supporting it. I'm going to read the next one in hopes they get better with more published books under the author's belt.

How to Flirt With a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

Title: How to Flirt With a Naked Werewolf
Author: Molly Harper
Series: #1 in the Naked Werewolf series
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Pocket Books (February 22, 2011)
Source: Scribd ebook
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Northern Exposure

Even in Grundy, Alaska, it's unusual to find a naked guy with a bear trap clamped to his ankle on your porch. But when said guy turns into a wolf, recent southern transplant Mo Wenstein has no difficulty identifying the problem. Her surly neighbor Cooper Graham—who has been openly critical of Mo's ability to adapt to life in Alaska—has trouble of his own. Werewolf trouble.

For Cooper, an Alpha in self-imposed exile from his dysfunctional pack, it's love at first sniff when it comes to Mo. But Cooper has an even more pressing concern on his mind. Several people around Grundy have been the victims of wolf attacks, and since Cooper has no memory of what he gets up to while in werewolf form, he's worried that he might be the violent canine in question.

If a wolf cries wolf, it makes sense to listen, yet Mo is convinced that Cooper is not the culprit. Except if he's not responsible, then who is? And when a werewolf falls head over haunches in love with you, what are you supposed to do anyway? The rules of dating just got a whole lot more complicated. . .

My Thoughts: A fun book that took me way longer to read than it really should have.

The Good, The Bad, and the Other stuff: Molly Harper writes such great quirky heroines. Her humor is spot on with what I enjoy and this book was full of chuckles and it is was a perfect fit for my need for fluff. The cast of characters were well balanced. Mo, who I expected to be more of a Dharma character from her upbringing (but wasn't), was delightful and as this book is told from her point of view (in the first person narrative) it helped that she wasn't a ditz. I really wish I'd had the foresight to read one of my GoodReads friends' review prior to reading this book because she had Joe Manganiello pictured as Cooper. I can tell you that my experience with this book would have been even better with a side of Joe!

The mystery aspect of this book was also an added bonus and I liked that despite the fact that Mo truly knew that Cooper couldn't have been the culprit I thought his concern about himself and lack of memories when in wolf form added more depth to his character and the plot.

Anyway, my one and only issue that still stands out since reading this book (which I finished months ago and am just now getting to my review), is the insta-love feel to the book. Mo and Cooper fall in lust immediately (no issues with that to tell the truth....lust is usually an immediate response to meeting someone...especially a hot naked man on your doorstep). But I didn't like that they succumbed to an I Love You stage a bit prematurely for my taste.

In a Nutshell: If it weren't for some insta-love and a slight feeling of being overly long this book might have been a contender for favorite of the year. As it stands, it definitely was a fun ride and I'm looking forward to my next visit to Grundy, Alaska. Oh and don't let the terrible cartoony cover keep you away...I did and I wish I hadn't.

Desire Unchained by Larissa Ione

Title: Desire Unchained
Author: Larissa Ione
Series: #2 in the Demonica series
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Forever  (March 1, 2009)
Source: Purchased
Rating: ☕☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Pleasure is their ultimate weapon . . . 

Runa Wagner never meant to fall in love with the sexy stranger who seemed to know her every deepest desire. But she couldn't resist the unbelievable passion that burned between them, a passion that died when she discovered his betrayal and found herself forever changed. Now, determined to make Shade pay for the transformation that haunts her, Runa searches for him, only to be taken prisoner by his darkest enemy. 

A Seminus Demon with a love-curse that threatens him with eternal torment, Shade hoped he'd seen the last of Runa and her irresistible charm. But when he wakes up in a dank dungeon chained next to an enraged and mysteriously powerful Runa, he realizes that her effect on him is more dangerous than ever. As their captor casts a spell that bonds them as lifemates, Shade and Runa must fight for their lives and their hearts-or succumb to a madman's evil plans.

My Thoughts: Wow! I loved this book. After finding the first one good but not great I didn't have high expectations for this one but since so many of my bookie friends love this series I was looking forward to reading it. So glad I did!

The Good Stuff: Sometimes a book and it's characters speak to you. This book did that for me. I liked Shade and worried over him as if he were real. I appreciated Runa and the strong woman she was. I'm not sure if I'd have liked her as much if I "met" her prior to her becoming a warg because she sounded a bit like milquetoast but I'm so glad I got to know the person she became. Not only did Ione do an amazing job at fleshing out her MCs, her supporting characters were great too. I'm really looking forward to reading their books as well. As far as the plot goes, I was so engrossed in it I read far later into the night to make sure my H/h were going to be OK.  Oh and Larissa does an amazing job of continuing her world building. I love the setting of the demon hospital!

The Bad Stuff: While I didn't mind any of these things I think others might so I feel I should include them as more of a warning to other readers. Runa runs hot and cold and then hot again in regards to Shade. She hates him. She loves him. She wants to rip his clothes off of him. You get the picture. Shade has a "torture chamber" in his bedroom. That's right folks. Shade is way into BDSM. Not a deal breaker for many but some might have issues with the punishing of women who "need" it even if they leave his lair completely satisfied. Some people might find this bordering on abusive. Speaking of Shade, since he has no plans to ever fall in love he has a history of lovin' and leavin' and cheating isn't beneath him. 

In a Nutshell: Despite some obvious issues with the characters I still loved this book. I will definitely move on to book 3 in the series. Thanks to all my bookie friends who "forced" me to read this series.

Before Midnight: A Romantic Retelling of Cinderella by Jennifer Blackstream

Title: Before Midnight: A Romantic Retelling of Cinderella
Author: Jennifer Blackstream
Series: #1 in the Blood Prince series
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Skeleton Key Publishing (November 30, 2013)
Source: Purchased/Kindle Freebie
Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: Loupe always dreamed of getting married. She yearned for a caring husband who would take her away from her servant-like existence at home with her stepmother and two stepsisters, a man who would love her forever. Those dreams ended the day she was bitten by a werewolf. Now she’s a mindless beast on the night of the full moon—a condition that forever prevents her from sharing a marriage bed. Not even the attentions of a handsome and endearingly strong prince can convince her that the life she wants is still possible.

Etienne is a prince in need of a werewolf. A werewolf himself from birth, Etienne and his family have protected their kingdom with tooth and claw—literally—for thousands of years. Unfortunately, the spell of a well-meaning witch is slowly turning him human. Only the bite of a cursed werewolf, one who was not born with the beast inside, can save him from becoming human. He has no time for anything that will not lead him to a cure for the curse. Not even the beautiful maiden whose gentle nature soothes his soul can take his mind from his goal.

Love cares little for the best laid plans or the impossible. A grand ball. The stroke of twelve. A magic “slipper.” All kinds of things can happen when you don’t leave the ball…Before Midnight.

My Thoughts: While not a one of kind story I appreciated the paranormal aspect it brought to the table immensely
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The Good and Bad of it All: For the most part this book was an OK read. Because it was so short it didn't have as developed characters as I would have liked and the plot was fairly thin with very few twists. I thought Loupe's character was the least likable and contradictory to her very nature. She's nothing more than an abused child yet Etienne seems to see more strength in her than I did. In the end she did get a backbone but it's because of her undying love for Etienne that she did a 180 and not some inner enlightenment that would have made her a strong female presence in the book. Oh and I think her name was silly. She was a bitten werewolf yet had the name from birth....how convenient.

The book sounds bad but it truly wasn't. Despite some repetitiveness in the writing, Blackstream entertained me with her retelling. The prologue was really good and even though it set up the series and had little to nothing to do with this particular book it has intrigued me too continue with the series.

In a Nutshell: Will I continue on with the series? You betcha. There are still 4 princes to read about. A vampire, a demon, an angel, and a god to be exact!

Deliver Me From Temptation by Tes Hilaire

Title: Deliver Me From Temptation
Author: Tes Hilaire
Series: #2 in the Paladin Warrior series
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (December 4, 2012)
Source: Purchased
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Logan Screwed Up... Big Time

When things go bump in the night, Logan bumps back. Vampires, demons, succubi-you name it, he's fought it. His job as Paladin angel warrior is to protect humans. Not fall for one.

She Never Believed in Divine Intervention... Until Now

Detective Jessica Waters protects humans too-with her Glock and a good set of handcuffs. She doesn't believe in fate. But if anyone looks like a gift from the gods, it's Logan. And he clearly knows more about her case than he's letting on...

My Thoughts: While I liked this book better than the first one I find a month after reading it that the book just didn't stay with me.

The Good Stuff: For the most part the cast of characters are really interesting ones. I liked Logan from the first book and liked him even more in the second. However, Valin really stole the show for me. Is he good or is he bad? I don't know but I want more of him. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of Jess investigating the murder that Roland (from the first book) was accused of.

The Bad Stuff: For a cop, Jessica is truly TSTL. I couldn't get over her lack of common sense. She's a detective for Pete's sake! She continually made poor decisions that put her into harms way and when she was almost killed she never reported it. I really can't stand when a character doesn't follow certain specifics that the author had already established. Like, calling for backup which would be standard procedure for a cop. She bugged the crap outta me.

In a Nutshell: As I mentioned before, I read this book about a month ago. Some of the book stuck with me (my obsession with Valin and my anti-girl crush with Jess). However, I have already forgotten the ending. I honestly don't remember if Jess and Logan got their HEA. I'm gonna assume they did as this is a PNR and all but what does that say about a book when the reader lost the entire ending? Despite that issue I'm still going to continue with the series. Valin's story is next up for me. Wooohoooo!

 

Elemental by Brigid Kemmerer

Title: Elemental
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Series: Elemental #0.5
Genre: YA
Publisher: Kensington Books 2012
Source: Scribd ebook
Rating: ☕☕

Earth, Fire, Air, Water – they are more than you dream.
As an air Elemental, 17-year-old Emily Morgan doesn’t have much power. That’s okay—she knows what happens to kids who do.
Like Michael Merrick. He’s an earth Elemental, one with enough power to level cities. Which makes him sexy, dangerous, and completely off limits. At least according to Emily’s family.
But her summer job puts her in close contact with Michael, and neither of them can help the attraction they feel. When forces of nature like theirs collide, one misstep could get someone killed. Because Emily’s family doesn’t just want her to stay away from him.
They want him dead.

My Thoughts: What started out as an exciting introduction to a new to me series ended with disappointment.

The Good Stuff: Having the power of an element is not a new concept but one I enjoy a lot. I liked that there were varying levels of power amongst the Elementals and the idea that the more powerful they are the more they are ostracized by their own kind. I liked that this short story explained enough of this but didn't waste too many of the precious pages over explaining it which would make it more info dump than part of a story. It was also a sweet boy meets girl story and a  potential star crossed lovers story that was developing nicely.

The Bad Stuff: Not being a fan of novellas it's hard for me to be completely open to them without having preconceived notions that every novella will disappoint me by not being developed enough. I'd love to say this one proved me wrong but it didn't. It, unfortunately, reiterated that point loudly. While happily reading through an exciting scene where our boy and girl have become friends and find themselves running from a bad group of kids the story just stops. Literally. Stops. One minute the two are clasping hands and jumping into the water while the bad gang of kids are almost upon them and then.....nothing. The End. WHAT!?!? You can't end a story that way! Well, Brigid Kemmerer certainly did and I hated it. It was a cliffhanger.......on steroids. 

In a Nutshell: Despite the abrupt ending I didn't throw my hands up and discard the notion of this series. Instead I had the need to move onto the first book in the series. I suppose this was the entire point of this novella. Mission: To suck unsuspecting readers in and brainwash them into continuing on no matter how pissed they are. Well played Kemmerer. Well played.

Scent of Darkness by Christina Dodd

Title: Scent of Darkness
Author: Christina Dodd
Series: Darkness Chosen #1
Publisher: 2007 by Signet
Source: Purchased Paperback
Rating: ☕☕☕1/2

Ann Smith loves her handsome, dynamic boss, Jasha Wilder, but her daring plan to seduce him goes awry when she encounters a powerful wolf who-before her horrified eyes-changes into the man she adores. She soon discovers she can't escape her destiny, for she is the woman fated to break the curse that binds his soul. 

My Thoughts: Highlights--points to Dodd for making a tired shifter trope into one of demons and deal making with the devil. A different take and one I found interesting. The clues surrounding Ann and her birthmark were also very compelling which kept me reading late into the night. The Wilders are an interesting bunch...two wolf shifters, a seer, a hawk shifter, a missing brother and an introduction to a man who is nothing more than a mystery...woohooo!

The negative stuff--the first sex scene is practically rape, after which I couldn't see Jasha as a hero. His subsequent seduction attempts toward Ann had me cringing. Ann's reasons for seeking out Jasha at his getaway home felt weak and screamed "I'm a pathetic lonely woman" which made it difficult to see her as a strong woman. Ann's ability to injure an evil shifter towards the end didn't quite seem clear to me and left me scratching my head. And the "Others" and "The Chosen" weren't very well explained in this book. I was thankful I read Dodd's spin off series first because I knew exactly what Ann was saying when she kept thinking that she brings the bad people.

Overall a decent book and I'm definitely going to read the next book. I'm actually more interested in the missing brother's book (#3) as he has essentially been "kicked out" of the family for embracing evil.

 

Deliver Me From Darkness by Tes Hilaire

Synopsis: Roland once was a Paladin, a warrior gifted with special powers to protect mankind in its earliest days. For hundreds of years he fought alongside his kinsmen against underworld fiends until the unthinkable happened: he was turned by a vampire. Forsaken by his brothers and fighting new violent instincts, Roland believes his soul lost. But then his best friend Logan delivers a young woman for protection. She turns out to be a Lost Paladin -- and the only female Paladin left alive. She’s also Roland’s bond-mate.

Karissa Donovan knows the difference between good and evil, and the sexy-as-hell vampire holding her prisoner is certainly not good. Sure, he might not have sucked her dry—yet, but that doesn’t mean she trusts him. But circumstances force Karissa to put her life in Roland’s hands. With each new danger they face, and each subsequent sacrifice he makes for her, she realizes that the question was never a matter of her trusting him, but of convincing him to trust in the integrity of a soul that he’d never truly lost.

My Thoughts:A different (read this as being good)take on the tired Vampire/demon/other paranormal sub-genre but one that could have been executed a bit better.

The Not So Good Stuff:....At the half way mark I was still a bit confused what a Paladin was and what they could do. It seems that each of them have unique gifts but why one would have the gift of vampire frying God's grace (aka: High voltage Holy Light) and another would have the ability to become shadowy mist is still beyond my comprehension.

In addition to my confusion the idea of a 24 year old virgin heroine grates on my nerves. Yes it is possible yet the reasoning behind it was never explained. No she wasn't F'ugly. No she didn't HeeHaw when she laughed. She wasn't Queen of the Looney Bin either. Yet in this day and age this attractive, single, intelligent woman was mysteriously still a virgin (which the hero could smell by the way....TANGENT UP AHEAD~~~~does anyone else find it a bit yucky that the hero could smell her hymen?~~TANGENT OVER). Karissa not only was a virgin but she went from hating and being scared of our hero, Roland (who spoke terms of endearments in French for no apparent reason other than all vampires should speak French...thank you for that BS Ann Rice), to the Newest Member of Slutsville in a millisecond (or less). Her remarkable attitude adjustment from hatred and fear to acceptance of Roland being her mate was jarring and left me wondering how in the world it happened.

Now for the good stuff....The last 1/3 of the book was pretty awesome. Epic battles between good and evil. Tough decisions were made by several people. The lines were blurred a bit between good and evil. Not to mention some characters separated themselves from the backdrop to become intriguing and totally piqued my interest to where I will totally go on to read books 2 and 3 even though the first 2/3s of the book could have been better.

How To Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

Synopsis: So what if he's a bit older and usually regards a human female as dinner, not a dinner date? Yes, Roman Draganesti is a vampire, but a vampire who lost one of his fangs sinking his teeth into something he shouldn't have. Now he has one night to find a dentist before his natural healing abilities close the wound, leaving him a lop–sided eater for all eternity.

Things aren't going well for Shanna Whelan either...After witnessing a gruesome murder by the Russian mafia, she's next on their hit list. And her career as a dentist appears to be on a downward spiral because she's afraid of blood. When Roman rescues her from an assassination attempt, she wonders if she's found the one man who can keep her alive. Though the attraction between them is immediate and hot, can Shanna conquer her fear of blood to fix Roman's fang? And if she does, what will prevent Roman from using his fangs on her...

My Thoughts: A nice piece of paranormal fluff. Not too taxing to read and chock full of humorous dialogue makes this book just plain fun.

What I Liked: The dialogue between the characters was highly amusing. Like this quote between Shanna and Roman about the sex doll in the trunk (Shanna doesn't realize it's a doll. She thinks it's a murder victim.)
Shanna: "I bet that poor girl in the trunk could say a lot about your special talents."
Roman: “She’s incapable of speech.”
Shanna:“Well, duh! Once you kill someone, they tend to be lousy conversationalists.”

and this one which is right after Shanna discovers that as coven master he has a harem full of vampire women, which is tradition.

Shanna: “Oh, poor baby! Trapped in an evil custom against your will. Wait a minute, I think my eyes are tearing up. Oh no. False alarm. Probably allergies.”
Roman: He scowled at her. “More likely indigestion from your acidic wit.”

The introduction of a whole lot of kilt wearing Highlanders was a thumbs up from me also in addition to the Malcontent (evil vampires) plot thread.

What I Didn't Like: I didn't care for Roman's harem. They were whiny, unable to make their own decisions and self centered ("but what about us? Whiiiiiiiiine" ARG!!!!) . Essentially almost everything I hate in a female character. I also thought the "special" vampire sex was weird. The whole idea of it is just preposterous and...well....weird. Pretty much it's mind manipulation where one partner projects the ideas of them having sex into the other persons mind without physical contact.

In a Nutshell: A great introduction to the series. Fun to read and also quick. There were a couple things that could have been done differently but overall a book I really enjoyed reading.

Shadowdance by Kristen Callihan

Synopsis: Once a heart is lost in shadow...

Life has been anything but kind to Mary Chase. But the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals has given her purpose. Now she's been tasked with catching a vicious murderer dubbed the Bishop of Charing Cross. But someone is already on the case—and the last thing he relishes is a partner.

Only someone who lives in darkness can find it.

Jack Talent has been alone with his demons for many years. He never expected to have the willful Mary Chase assist him on the Bishop case. Their age-old rivalry reaches new heights—even as their desire for one another reaches a fever pitch. Though he aches to bring her close, Jack's dark secrets are a chasm between them. With dangerous enemies closing in, Jack must find the strength to face the past...or risk losing Mary forever.

My Thoughts: What a great installment to this series!

What Worked: Jack Talent was everything I hoped he would be and more. I was intrigued by him during book 2. I was heartbroken for him in book 3. In this one I fell in love with him. In addition to Jack, Mary made me a believer of her. I wasn't a big fan of hers to begin with and wasn't keen on the whole GIMs (Ghost in the Machine) as a supernatural being but I found she was every bit a warrior as Jack was. She was not the MarySue I thought she was. That is for sure!

Characters aside, the mystery of was very interesting although not one we readers could have figured out as the big bad evil was one we didn't know. In addition to this, the sensuality was first rate. When an author can dedicate two entire pages on the introduction of a kiss and make it awesome she has mad writing skills(you'll have to read it to get my meaning).

What Didn't Work: It seemed at times the book could have ended earlier. Don't get me wrong, what kept coming up later was worth the 420 odd pages but sometimes it felt a little on the longish side. Also, as with the epilogue in book 3, I could have done without it. Since it had nothing to do with Mary or Jack it felt unnecessary except to peak the reader's interest for the next book. Which is probably the point but it annoys me.

In A Nutshell: So overall a wonderful spectacular awesome sauce of an addition to a fabulous paranormal romance series. I'd recommend the entire series. For reals.

 

A Touch of Darkness by Tina Moss and Yelena Casale

Synopsis: Cassie’s working for a tightwad boss at a pretentious NYC diner, dealing with paralyzing pain that doctors can’t diagnose, and trying to hide her hands that glow purple whenever she ...well, whenever.

So, when a mysterious stranger walks out of her dreams and into her life to spout some nonsense about her being a mythical creature, she chalks it up to one more crazy thing to add to her it’s-a-crappy-life list. Yet, when the stranger’s predictions start to come true, she discovers a world that could shake up her humdrum existence.

My Thoughts: Although the synopsis does have to do with the book it is almost misleading as the events highlighted, in most cases, are so underplayed that they are virtually non-existent during the course of the book.

The Good: An interesting concept based on the synopsis. Yep, I've used that "concept" line before but I truly mean it no matter how many times I say it when speaking about books. The synopsis pulled me in. I was intrigued by why Cassie's hands would glow purple and what exactly she was, if not human. The authors had some good ideas.

The Bad: The execution of the ideas could have been written better. The world building only appears to be halfway complete and the characters are poorly drawn. For example our *ahem* hero, Gabe, mentions that he and another "Fallen", Rafe, are bitter rivals yet the reasoning was never mentioned. In addition, the reason Gabe "Fell" was never covered even though he constantly talked about working toward his redemption. The addition of some over the top violence in the last half of the book that was completely absent in the first half made the sections a bit disjointed as if one author wrote the first half and the other wrote the last. Plus one torture scene appears to have been added just for shock factor. Gabe is tortured by the bad guys for information on Cassie. Yet the bad guys already HAD Cassie. Why they would have to torture him when they had her is beyond me. The lack of real romance within the book makes the H/h's devotion to one another towards the end of the book seem entirely out of place and a bit weird. And finally (not that this is the end of the issues but the end of what I'd consider "The Bad") the character's had an annoying habit of talking to themselves. Meaning, a book written in the third person narrative would utilize inner musings where we, the readers, would be able to see what they were thinking. This book had those thoughts spoken out loud as if the characters were in some weird soap opera.

The Ugly: These are more personal issues I have and might not be something another reader might find to be worse than those mentioned above. However, for me, they are deal breakers.....1)What looked like an interesting idea for a book based on the synopsis proved to be nothing more than an Angels against Demons trope. Been there. Done that. Cassie's "abilities" are so under explained that they barely had any significance within the story to make this book an original. 2)Basic editing errors are more than annoying. Any editor, no matter how seasoned, should have picked up the usage of "peak" instead of "peek" and "dear" instead of "deer". 3) Cassie was TSTL. She has demons trying to capture her and the Angels want her dead. So what does our *ahem* heroine do? She decides she is her own woman and purposely heads out to the Las Vegas strip on her own, without the man who has sworn to protect her from harm, just because she could. Ugh.

In A Nutshell: Unfortunately, this book has way too many issues for this to be a truly enjoyable read. For this reason I will not continue on with the series even though this is only the first book in what will be a series.