Goddess Artemis married human Everius, the cruel Steward of Earth. It was not a happy marriage. Regan, on of Earth'sInformation leads to improvisation
Goddess Artemis married human Everius, the cruel Steward of Earth. It was not a happy marriage. Regan, on of Earth's Guardians who are in rebellion against Everius, decides to kidnap Artemis to force the Steward to reform. When it becomes clear that she's an abused victim and not a valuable hostage, the plan goes sideways. When Regan develops feelings for Artemis, the kidnapping morphs into a rescue. More complications: there are children involved! And yet more complications: demons attack This is a really good, high tension thriller with a super-sized side of steamy and tender romance. The emotions run high as Tegan and Artemis learn to heal their damaged hearts, while fighting for their love, their children, their future, and justice for Earth. Oh, and the demon battles are up there too. It's an easy, engaging, satisfying read, with a definite To Be Continued vibe that doesn't minimize the couple's HEA. Very much worth reading. This is my voluntary independent ARC review. ...more
Somehow Tanika has acquired an unwanted djinn who manipulates her into fulfilling her cherished wish to marry her trueOf heat, magic, and bad bargains
Somehow Tanika has acquired an unwanted djinn who manipulates her into fulfilling her cherished wish to marry her true love and have a family. Trouble is, this bad djinn is a soul eater, so if she asks for her wish to be fulfilled, her true love's soul will be taken and he will die. Talk about a bad deal. And when another djinn, seeking the magic to restore him to djinn homeland, connects with Tanika and her bad djinn things get really wretched. Good djinn falls for Tanika, she falls for him, and it's djinn vs. djinn to see which one can out-maneuver the other to get what he wants. Tanika, of course, stands to lose either way. This is one dark, carb-loaded, and steamy magical romance with a very convoluted path to HEA. It's a fast read. Parts of it got a bit more convoluted than I liked, but I enjoyed the sexy parts, the carb-loading bits, and the angsty and angry drama....more
The last book of a series is often a letdown for me. Not so with this fourth and final story of the Wicked Realms series. All the The last great magic
The last book of a series is often a letdown for me. Not so with this fourth and final story of the Wicked Realms series. All the stellar qualities of the first three volumes are still here - the boldest and most dangerous of quests, the overwhelming odds and the dire consequences of failure, and the sickening malevolence of the evil that threatens the world. Anaria and her four chosen males gain more strength, more depth, and a bond of love even greater than the magic that ties them together as they face their final task - the elimination of the Old Gods and the restoration of the three kingdoms. Together they are heroes to cheer for, to cry for, and to rejoice with - and I did all of that during one epic reading, cover to cover. Viscious is my Throne is the perfect finale to a dark, dangerous, magical, sexy, heroic adventure. This is my voluntary, independent ARC review...more
Cam and Ellie survived their encounter with the murderous mages of Martin House, where Ellie killed the only mage who could control hePayback is scary
Cam and Ellie survived their encounter with the murderous mages of Martin House, where Ellie killed the only mage who could control her shadow. But House Martin wants revenge. Segue Institute, the refuge of humans who fight Shadow, is under attack again and all indications are that House Martin is to blame. Cam and Ellie must once more undertake the mission to subdue the Martin mages. This exciting conclusion of the series sees them gathering their courage and bringing their special talents to bear, but it is their love, and their growing faith in each other and themselves as individuals that hold the key to Segue's survival. High drama, magic-wielding violence, and growing dread make the story so intense that it sometimes feels overwhelming. Beneath it all, the foundation of commitment and trust keeps the reader motivated to see it through to its rewarding conclusion. This is a voluntary independent ARC review....more
This is one wild ride of a short novella. So much happens here that I can't even begin to summarize it. Just say that thereFae foe and unexpected love
This is one wild ride of a short novella. So much happens here that I can't even begin to summarize it. Just say that there's a brink-of-disaster vibe throughout that kept me glued to the story. The threat to mages begins it, but by the end it's clear that Shadow's unrestrained entry into the world threatens mortals, mages, fae, and angels. It also threatens the assorted hybrids who have found lives, loves, and their purpose under the umbrella of the Segue Institute. Mages Mason and Cari, Segue's latest reluctant recruits, are the source of the final conflict as well as the catalyst for its resolution. That they begin as frenemies and end as lovers is a steamy bonus to a magic and mystery imbued thriller of the first order. Call this one UNMISSABLE paranormal romance read. This is my voluntary independent ARC review....more
I giggled all the way through this book. Rebel Black is so adorably clueless in the romance department. Trying to handle an academy of Fangs are funny
I giggled all the way through this book. Rebel Black is so adorably clueless in the romance department. Trying to handle an academy of delinquent but darling new vampires, plus her blackmailing hot vampire "employer" plus a sexy frenemy dhampyre security chief and a werewolf bodyguard who just wants to guard her body a bit closer? With an invisible bunny familiar who is no help at all? Then there's the theft, the murder ( if you can murder an already dead vampire) and the prom from hell - this was a grin fest from page one. And this is my voluntary, independent, much amused ARC review....more
Hazel the klutzy succubus is a boss baker babe with a serious problem. She had a hot time with sexy jaguar shifter and acSexy supernatural shenanigans
Hazel the klutzy succubus is a boss baker babe with a serious problem. She had a hot time with sexy jaguar shifter and accidentally stole so much of his shifter magic that Jack can now only shift into a little bitty black pussycat. No bueno, since he's the Prince of the jaguar shifters. Jack the jag shifter wants two things above all: to regain his stolen jaguar magic, and Hazel. Hazel just wants to open her bakery, and to avoid Jack. This sexy rom-com romps through supernatural New Orleans with more twists and tangles than a kitten-mauled ball of yarn. With all the paranormal people from Satan to the goddesses of fate, vampire covens, witches, shifters, fairies and more, there are plenty of curses, spells, and charms involved. In this deliciously complicated love story, the entertainment quotient is off the charts. If your yen for paranormal romance leans to grin, rather than grim, you will love this book! This is a voluntary, independent, and most amused ARC review....more
Princess Liria has been tutored for years by her loyal guardian, but her magic is still not strong enough to claim the scepteUnexpected love and unity
Princess Liria has been tutored for years by her loyal guardian, but her magic is still not strong enough to claim the scepter and rule. Lord Ronan Morendial, her guardian and regent in the king's absence, has maintained the elves' Winter Kingdom, wielded the scepter, and taught Liria all he can. He has also fallen in love with her. Theirs is a love-hate relationship, and when anger drives Liria to the human realm, her meeting with Sigurn throws them into a triad of deception, mistrust, and a power struggle that could end two kingdoms and Liria's succession to her father's thrown. Filled with roiling emotions, family drama, surprise revelations, and tangled politics, this gripping and steamy MMF ménage romance plunged me into a magical world of frost, fated prophecies, hard-fought struggles and hard-won peace. Liria, Sigurn, and Ronan's relationship is the unforgettable beating heart of it all, and the true magic in this wonderfully written story. This is my voluntary independent and totally enchanted ARC review. ...more
This third book in the series blew my socks off! All the feels, all the danger, drama, betrayal, and blood - OMG! The steamy RH adds anotheAstounding!
This third book in the series blew my socks off! All the feels, all the danger, drama, betrayal, and blood - OMG! The steamy RH adds another hero. Anaria's plan to topple the wicked fae king gets snarled in with side missions - against the witches and her Mommy Dearest, enemies-to-allies conversions, side trips to rescue key players, curing a hero of his lethal disease, and a hero who reveals himself as something unexpected - I nearly got whiplash going through the twists and turns! And for the first time, it looks hopeful, despite the evil Oracle who has the upper hand. IM DYING to read the next book! (Write fast, L.A. McGinnis, please!!!) This is a voluntary, independent, BEGGING for more ARC review....more
Cam, Segue Institute's lead researcher, has fallen hard for Ellie. She's the human with the independent shadow, and Cam has helpCam and Ellie together
Cam, Segue Institute's lead researcher, has fallen hard for Ellie. She's the human with the independent shadow, and Cam has helped her anchor her shadow back to her body. Her control isn't complete; she's dependent on him, and for that reason she won't marry him despite their intense love for one another. A murder at Segue, a rogue mage on the loose, and a dangerous challenge by a powerful mage House send Cam and Ellie into the lion's den with a udesperate mission: kill the mage, avenge theiruu murdered colleague, and counter the mage House's threat to humanity. Erin Kellison's otherworldly tale juxtaposes Cam and Ellie's personal vulnerabilities with their perilous mission to save human beings from mage domination. It pits the power of love against Shadow in an intricate web of deceit and power plays. This nerve-wracking cat-and-mouse game makes a short and un-put-downable read. This is a voluntary, independent, and thoroughly nail-bitten ARC review....more
Layden is "Famine" of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Phoenix is the umpteenth-great-granddaughter of Vlad, ruler of the vampires. HoMonster hash
Layden is "Famine" of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Phoenix is the umpteenth-great-granddaughter of Vlad, ruler of the vampires. However, she isn't a true vampire, but something else. The book starts with their sham wedding night. Their marriage had been forced by Vlad, as a means to get Phoenix pregnant, so Vlad can have control of the child. Had I not read the previous books in the series, none of this would make sense, and... I had trouble with it anyway. The author writes with a dual first person POV, switching between Phoenix and Layden, PLUS the chapters flit back and forth from their past history to their present predicament. I was utterly confused. The romance backstory is incredibly angsty, and both MCs do a great deal of self-pity and whining. which only added to my frustration. By the end of the novel, in present time, they finally achieve HEA, but honestly, by then I just couldn't care. The entire storyline in the present is quite convoluted, and resolution seems to hinge on the introduction, or re-introduction, of more strange secondary characters from yet more other-worldly dimensions. It takes a multi-dimensional paranormal village to raise Phoenix to full being, while Layden kind of stagnates in the background. I've been a fan of this series, but the wonderful emotional depth of previous stories is sadly lacking in this book. I found it a chore to finish, and in this ARC reviewer's voluntary, independent opinion, it wasn't rewarding....more
Mages are soulless magic wielding mortals. Angels are beings of soul and light who belong to the hereafter. Neither can enThe ultimate frenemy romance
Mages are soulless magic wielding mortals. Angels are beings of soul and light who belong to the hereafter. Neither can enter Shadow, the realm of the fae. Those were the old rules. The new rules are in flux, with angels and mages in conflict over the mortal world, and the fae on the loose. Angel Jack Bastian finds himself embroiled in the life of mage Kaye Brand, and against all odds, they fall in love. But she's a spy whose loyalty is suspect. She's a target for the ruler of the mages. She's a wild card, a potential doomsday weapon if war breaks out between angels and mages. How can he love her? How can he not? This is one heck of a chilling spy thriller, a doomed romance that refuses to die, and the best book yet in Erin Kellison's eerie, otherworldly Shadow Series. I hung on every word, glued to every twist and turn, right up to the seemingly impossible ending. This is an incredible story, according to me, your independent and voluntary ARC reviewer....more
I was sucked in and rooted deep in this dystopian world where magic-wielding humans are given a numerical rank based on their magicaGrimly fascinating
I was sucked in and rooted deep in this dystopian world where magic-wielding humans are given a numerical rank based on their magical prowess, and then set up in a closed society where that rank determInes career possibilities, socio/economic status, and potential marriage partners. Taliyah, a fire-wielding lowly 2, is part of a downtrodden underclass. Dan, whose fire magic is a top-ranked 5, should not even associate with her. But she's wrongly accused of murder, and he's a detective who knows she's innocent. The crime story is absolutely riveting. The world-building is desperately real, and the characters likewise. The romance is ultra-slow burn. The only drawback to this first rate paranormal crime drama is an awkwardly timed cliffhanger so abrupt that it's a truncation rather than an ending, but I am so bewitched by this story that I'm gonna grab the concluding book the minute it's published. This isa voluntary independent ARC review....more
The world of Shadow leaks into the mortal world again when a little boy is lured into the Shadows. Ellie and Cam are tasked with the Playing for keeps
The world of Shadow leaks into the mortal world again when a little boy is lured into the Shadows. Ellie and Cam are tasked with the attempt to retrieve him, based on Ellie's unique gift - her shadow van separate from her body. Cam is Ellie's anchor, trainer, and would-be lover. But the strange 3-way dynamic of their relationship threatens to derail the rescue and the romance in this scary, sexy tale of desperation, magic and love. Erin Kellison's world of Shadow mesmerized me more with each book, and I can't wait to read the next one. This is a voluntary, independent ARC review....more
The Shadowman is fae, immortal - and Death incarnate. Layla Mathew's is a journalist an orphan, a foster child, connected to no one. TTogether at last
The Shadowman is fae, immortal - and Death incarnate. Layla Mathew's is a journalist an orphan, a foster child, connected to no one. The fae are restricted to the Shadowland between the mortal world and the Hereafter, but Shadowman long ago defied that restriction, and the borders between realms weakened as a result. Which is why Layla has strange visions, odd sensations, and an obsessive need to investigate Segue, the institute investigating and fighting wraiths and other incursions of magic into human affairs. This last novel in the Shadow Series brings those who started it all to a most astonishing and gratifying conclusion, but not without terror, drama, angst, and more paranormal phenomena. The fear, the excitement and the suspense had me enthralled from page one to the very end. The heat of romance was a welcome respite and a great counterpoint to the grim emotional discoveries Layla endured. Erin Kellison's breathtaking, other-worldly realm of Shadow will linger hauntingly in my mind for a long time. Readers who want a truly paranormal romance will find all they desire in this book, and the series that goes before it. This is a voluntary independent ARC review....more
Shadowsend vampire clan clings to existence by some very frayed threads. The soul jars could destroy the last of the Elders, weakeninLove is inclusive
Shadowsend vampire clan clings to existence by some very frayed threads. The soul jars could destroy the last of the Elders, weakening the arch-enemy Magnis - but that would also destroy four of their own true allies. Magnis is able to circumvent the their wards at will, and his repeated assaults against Aisling have resulted in her losing all her magic. Desperate, Nicolai, the frenemy of all Shadowsend, calls in every favor, makes every bargain, every promise to the most powerful magic-wielders of all - the Three witches, not of this realm, whose price for intervention is Nicolai's eternal loyalty and complete subjugation. For love of Ash, and to save her vampire lovers and the clan she holds dear, Nicolai makes his final deal, and his ultimate sacrifice. Ahh, but deals with witches are never as straightforward as they appear to be. And Nicolai, ancient vampire Elder, master of trickery and escape clauses, proves a worthy opponent to witches, Magnis, and all monsters who seek to harm Ash. Blazing magic duels, bloody battles, desperate gambles, and the over-arcing power of love light up the pages of this last volume of Shadowsend vampire clan's epic fight for vampire survival. Readers will rejoice - but this voluntary. independent ARC reviewer can't help but feel a niggle of regret to see the last of these fierce, loyal, magical, and *drool, sigh* smoking hot vampire heroes....more
The boundaries that once separated this world, the afterlife, and the shadows that divided the two have been weakened and frayed. AmonMe and my shadow
The boundaries that once separated this world, the afterlife, and the shadows that divided the two have been weakened and frayed. Among other consequences, this peculiar one besets quiet, reclusive, uptight Ellie Russo: her shadow is no longer attached to her. Worse yet, it has a mind of its own, a self-centered, gregarious, and highly libidinous one at that. A shamed and desperate Ellie wants her shadow removed permanently, and contacts Dr. Cameron Kalamos of the Segue research team to help her. But he can't. The only solution to her torment involves forbidden angelic interference in human affairs, and a complete re-unification of Ellie and her rebellious shadow. Ellie won't hear of it. This involves more trust than she is willing to give, but the equally abhorrent alternative is eventual death. The oddly disembodied romance that progresses through this fraught struggle for total self-acceptance is the key to its resolution. Readers of Erin Kellison's Shadow World books will find this side novella powerfully touching. This is a voluntary, independent ARC review. ...more
Finally! The long-hinted-at connection between wolf shifter and squad leader Gibson and loyal squad member Erin Jackson blows upAll the pieces fit>/b>
Finally! The long-hinted-at connection between wolf shifter and squad leader Gibson and loyal squad member Erin Jackson blows up into steamy romance! The mysterious origins of the shifter squad is laid bare: how, by whom, and why. Amidst daring escapes, a harrowing flight to safety, tense strategy sessions and a uferociously magical pitched battle, wolf shifters, their mates, and their allies win freedom, justice, and a wide-open future for themselves. This is author Kate Rudolph at her action romance writer's best: a read-past-bedtime, heart-pounding great book. And this ARC review is, as always, honest, voluntary and independent....more
Cillian is an old, battle hardened Morrigan vampire soldier with no room in his life for sentimental attachments likeGrumpy vampire meets his spitfire
Cillian is an old, battle hardened Morrigan vampire soldier with no room in his life for sentimental attachments like love. Sarah McCready is his new next door neighbor, and the newest employee at Mannock Tavern, Irish pub and the Morrigan vampire HQ. In other words, he can't escape her, her scent, her sass, and her refusal to be intimidated. The story of how Cillian came to be what he is is deftly woven into the tale of the ongoing conflicts and deadly perils in the vampire world, and the deeply moving account of a lonely young woman's search for home, family, and belonging. Roxie McClaine's Irish vampires are unique in the PNR genre, fully fleshed-out, three dimensional, emotionally complex immortals who have left none of their humanity behind. Sarah, the heroine is feminine strong, brave but not bellicose, with the heart to endure more than a human body can survive. Cillian and Sarah's love story features against a larger tale of loyalty and survival in the vampire world. The first will nearly break your heart (tissues recommended) while the second will keep you on tenterhooks waiting for the next tale of the Morrigan Brotherhood. This is an independent, voluntary, and totally smitten ARC review....more
Aisling's determination to move from pawn to key player in the deadly warfare that threatens Shadowsend vampire clAssembling pieces of the big picture
Aisling's determination to move from pawn to key player in the deadly warfare that threatens Shadowsend vampire clan is laudable. It proves astonishingly difficult. Still unsure who is friend or foe, whether her mate loves or loathes her, and how her new-found magic can be anything but destructive, Ash does the only thing she knows how to do - she wings it. She takes advantage of every opportunity to learn from whomever is willing to teach her. Her reward is increasing control, power, and the will to use both. She isn't the only one: Rowan, the clan's new and untried King, must also move from puppet to powerful ruler. His struggle to master his royal role, claim true kingship, and unite his clan, includes a final decision on Aisling, his unclaimed mate. This dizzyingly paced story of dual personal metamorphosis sees remarkable growth in Rowan and Ash. Theirs is a steamy and peril-fraught romance. Complicated by death threats, missed clues, and an established menage à trois (Ash, Finn and Darrow), it is nonetheless a journey to freedom of a sort. The terror and bloody violence against Shadowsend escalates, as certain of the Elders, the Council and its vicious mercenary allies, and even recalcitrant minor clan factions attempt to eliminate Rowan's kingdom and enslave Ash's ever-more powerful magic to their own nefarious ends. The gripping, near-disaster magic duels, bloody feints, hair's breadth escapes, and new revelations about key players, all occur at breakneck pace. Ash and Rowan learn a great deal in this complicated and terrifying process. Each realizes at last what they value most, how far they will go to preserve and protect it, and how the means employed must be forgiven when there is no other choice. So, there is resolution of a sort in this harrowing tale: something of rescue, redemption, and completion. And enough puzzle pieces fall into place that Shadowsend's beleaguered rulers at last perceive their true enemy, and their ultimate destruction if he wins. How they may circumvent that annihilation is another story, one for the next chapter in this vividly imagined, emotionally volatile, horrifically addictive epic of vampire survival. ...more