Not my cuppa... storywise... not into the best friend's little sister trope. No shade to anyone who loves it. Just not my thing.Not my cuppa... storywise... not into the best friend's little sister trope. No shade to anyone who loves it. Just not my thing....more
My frist Rebecca Zanetti, and first in this series. There was a lot of set up, for what I'm hoping bears out in future books, which sort of bogged dowMy frist Rebecca Zanetti, and first in this series. There was a lot of set up, for what I'm hoping bears out in future books, which sort of bogged down the pace for me a bit. I'll definitely try another.
QUICK OVERVIEW: (light spoilers...)(view spoiler)[ Our FMC is a very private woman, because she has escaped from a cult and wants to stay that way. A super hottie, MMC, moves in next door and they can't fight the attraction they have. Turns out MMC has been recruited to get to know his next door neighbor and help them infiltrate the cult. Things get complicated... Sexy times. Secrets and lies. (hide spoiler)]
QUICK OVERVIEW: Human woman, FMC, is sold at the slave market to Orcs... they sniff her... when she gets to the Easy read with good bit of spice.
QUICK OVERVIEW: Human woman, FMC, is sold at the slave market to Orcs... they sniff her... when she gets to the main Orc village, it turns out she's the Orc King's mate (he knows from sniffing). At first she's scared. But the MMC, Orc King, is not what she thought -- while he's all Orc-intimidating *AND* she comes with a bunch of Orc bias -- she quickly learns he's a kind, gentle and thoughtful mate.
This had the style/pace/structure of an alien romance or a highland romance... FMC is ripped away from her wold world and brought to a new place/new world -- fish out of water at first, but with her moxy, and the acceptance/guidance/cherishing by the MMC, she adapts and wins over the new folks, and falls in love along the way.
POV: 1st person - FMC's POV (audiobook read by a dude, so that was a bit strange -- being inside her experience with a male narrating -- that being said, he did a great job.)
This didn't live up to the high ratings for me. Very predictable and lacking in creative execution that had potential to be so much better.
FMC is runnThis didn't live up to the high ratings for me. Very predictable and lacking in creative execution that had potential to be so much better.
FMC is running from her totally abusive family. She's a shifter that can't shift because of an accident when she was young... so now she's a useless alpha daughter, which is why her father hates her and treats her like crap and why he is going to match her with a not awesome shifter. Her brother also hates her and is super abusive to her. So, she runs, spur of the moment, and is trying to make the best of this opportunity.
While driving, she gets terrible pains... she stops at a motel, and she gets her period... she's like 20... but how that can that be? She's a shifter that can't shift... and shouldn't be betting a period... FMC runs into the woods (for reasons)... gets chased by wolves... ends up at a remote cabin and super hottie MMC chases off the wolves. He's so big, so hot, so kind...
MMC is super hot for her... but is it just because she's in heat? Is it just the pheromones??? He claims when other shifters want to make a play for her... MMC cares for her. FMC has trust issues and not-good-enough issues. MMC is patient, kind and super bad-ass.
Complications ensue. And it wall works out in the end.
Assassin, MMC "Ice Man" goes on a job, seduces a hottie as part of his job, but then falls for her. FMC is a This was a quick novella holiday romp...
Assassin, MMC "Ice Man" goes on a job, seduces a hottie as part of his job, but then falls for her. FMC is a curvy hottie who doesn't fall for the MMC right away, but then falls hard. Shenanigans ensue. HEA.
Read by my dearest male narrator, Troy Duran, who did a great job.
Hahaha! Mafia smutfest. Ok. Soooo a sassy middle school art teacher, sees a super hottie, dangerous giant, tattooed male, who at first blows her off tHahaha! Mafia smutfest. Ok. Soooo a sassy middle school art teacher, sees a super hottie, dangerous giant, tattooed male, who at first blows her off then tells her lots of filthy things he wants to do to her also adds that he's a criminal, like a real bad one, and she's like, ok sure, let's do this.
Lots of great banter, smart ass snark. Lots of dirty talk. Lots of smut.
There's a story... MMC is in town to take care of a problem (it's her) but he falls for her beautiful perfectness. FMC's fiancé disappeared five years ago and she's been dead inside and out ever since... until hottie MMC comes into her life... she sizzles back to life. He is the #2 leader of the Russian mafia, like in the United States, but has time to fly to Lake Tahoe and f*ck the FMC... and can somehow keep that a secret.
Complications ensue. Spicy times ensue. More complications. HEA.
Overall this story is pretty far fetched... but if you like spicy mafia... this is great for that.
Narrators: Troy Duran, Brooke Daniels and Michelle Sparks did a great job!
The narration was done where there were three voice actors who did the dialogue of their characters which I thought added a lot to the enjoyable listen. For example, Troy Duran, did all the male dialogue and the MMC's POV chapters. I prefer to hear the gruff, growly man parts done by a male voice so this worked for me!
There's just nothing to like here... clearly in the minority based on the the many glowing reviews.
MMC, The Ruthless King, has planned to take the daThere's just nothing to like here... clearly in the minority based on the the many glowing reviews.
MMC, The Ruthless King, has planned to take the daughter of his greatest enemy, to use her for her glitchy gift to see the past in order to bring about the death of her evil abusive father. MMC acquires her and then does mean things to her. But then, things take a hairpin turn to them both liking each other and then fated mates happen...
I'm going to call this dub-con, because she's kind of under a thrall when he takes her for the first time.
This was... fine. I wanted what the synopsis offered... and the premise is good, and it's not a bad story, it just lacks... magic.
Cursed Fae Prince, This was... fine. I wanted what the synopsis offered... and the premise is good, and it's not a bad story, it just lacks... magic.
Cursed Fae Prince, MMC, all powerful and in a real bad mood, is back in the human realm with brutal bloody revenge on his to-do list. When he's out murdering the masses, he sees a human woman, who he feels something for, and he takes her as his slave. He's never had a slave before and caring for a human is hard and annoying.
Our FMC, human woman, who likes books, is the not-so-stoked-to-be-a Fae-Prince's-slave who finds herself at the mercy of the super grumpy Fae Prince. But he's sooo hot. But also he's a dick. But there are reasons he's so grumpy... At one point she saves the all powerful Prince from a human military attack, by tossing herself in front of bullets for him... He then cleaned her wound and gave her old timey human stitches, which seems like a thing he wouldn't know how to do since he's a FAE PRINCE... but ok. She also SAVED HIS LIFE after he killed many humans and was super mean to her... but ok.
They eventually work it out. But it's somehow not super satisfying or engaging along the way.
Super spicy MMF and if you read Katee Robert, you'll be ready for the bit of plot to get things rolling so there can be a LOT of opportunities for smeSuper spicy MMF and if you read Katee Robert, you'll be ready for the bit of plot to get things rolling so there can be a LOT of opportunities for smexy-times. ...more
I did not like this... AT ALL. I should have stopped before I did... DNF @ 85%
The FMC is a twin. She has to take the place of her murdered sister to fI did not like this... AT ALL. I should have stopped before I did... DNF @ 85%
The FMC is a twin. She has to take the place of her murdered sister to find out who murdered her sister. There's a Prince is suuuuper sexy, a singer musician, who is also a vampire and ALSO has to pick a wife, in a bachelor style situation, from a group of humans. The FMC sees a hottie in a club singing all sexy and she's like yum yum, only to find out later he's the vampire Prince. The FMC must take the place of her dead twin in the choosing wife competition... the hitch, she's a witch and the MMC is a vampire... Vampires hate witches and witches hate vampires. SOOOOO THEY CAN'T BE TOGETHER. Buuuuuut the MMC wants the FMC realllllll baddddd (he thinks she's a human)... she wants him too but she caaaaaan't... if he finds out she's a witch, he wonnnnn't underssssstannnnd...
Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever that goes on... they want each other -- he professes his want of her, she says no I can't be with you, but then is like but I am so attracted to him, and they have sexy moments, but then she pushes away and says, no I can't. Pick one of the others, and he's like no I want you, and she's like, I want you too, but I can't be the woman you need. etc. etc. etc.
If I had a nickel for every time she thought, I should tell him what I really am, (a witch) but I'm worried about what he'll think of me, afraid he'll reject me, so I can't tell him...
There's an annoying mean girl...
I liked the MMC's brother the best...
Didn't care for the writing. Didn't care for the plot. Didn't care for the characters....more
Strap in friends... I *really* did NOT like this book... and I'm mad at it for wasting my precious life hours...
Let me start this ranty review acknowStrap in friends... I *really* did NOT like this book... and I'm mad at it for wasting my precious life hours...
Let me start this ranty review acknowledging that writing a book is hard, a paranormal romance maybe harder because of the world building, but if you're going to go down that road and write in this genre, then please for the love of all that is holy and unholy, WRITE A GOOD STORY! A strong awesome female main character, PLEASE!, and a smoking hot amoral male main character!
Here we go... this is going to contain mild spoiling so read on at your own risk. ...more
This could have been better. Based on the reviews my expectations were a little higher than maybe they should have been.
It does say bugpocalypse in thThis could have been better. Based on the reviews my expectations were a little higher than maybe they should have been.
It does say bugpocalypse in the description so I blame myself for getting into this with high expectations. Ha.
QUICK OVERVIEW: Woman, FMC and her cousin, are living in the aftermath of the earth invasion of yucky bugs and scary warrior aliens that are fighting the scourge of the yucky bugs. FMC meets hottie MMC alien warrior but she's freaked out, so he nice stalks her, leaves her flowers and food, and eventually gets her to hang out with him for the day. He knows she's his mate. She doesn't know... she does think he's super hot and his ...more
QUICK OVERVIEW: I liked it. Was a bit slow in places... maybe because it's a debut novel... I would read the next one.
Story/plot: Fairly prediQUICK OVERVIEW: I liked it. Was a bit slow in places... maybe because it's a debut novel... I would read the next one.
Story/plot: Fairly predicable if you read this sort of thing. But not in a bad way. Pace: Started a bit slow, once it got going it was fine. POV: 1st person, duet/both MCs
✅ FMC: She's sassy and strong. ✅ MMC: He's a little emo and agro but I liked him. ✅ Side characters: Lots of them and liked them.
I'm full on addicted to this series! Nikki St. Crowe is killing it with the cast of characters she's created and the world they inhabit and adds to thI'm full on addicted to this series! Nikki St. Crowe is killing it with the cast of characters she's created and the world they inhabit and adds to the high stakes and fast paced plot, giving us new story complications, and revelations along the way. Nikki St. Crowe's got me hook line and sinker, even with the cliffhangers, which I normally don't like, but am on board for this style of serialized writing! This is originally a Kindle Vella series that comes out chapter by chapter, then collected into a season for us to enjoy in larger chunks of 20 chapters per season.
If you loved the CW Vampire Diaries series, and you want something much spicier and darker, this will scratch that itch and then some.
In our 4th season -- things are getting complicated. But not to worry, some things stay the same... Our FMC, Jessie, is back to her old tricks of baiting the dangerous vampire MMC, hoping she'll push him to punish her in dirty delicious ways. Though the spice is sizzling hot, sometimes it's a little on the rough/dark side for me, but I am still into this story and can skim those bits!
Jessie, FMC, isn't learning and growing as much as I'd like, but it does create a lot of opportunities for Bran to punish her... Bran, MMC, is ruthless as ever and radiates massive touch-her-and-die vibes. Together they are trying to navigate their new relationship along with trying to save their siblings on the brink of some real big sary sh*t coming their way, with Jessie riiiiight in the middle of it all.
Can't wait for Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Five!...more
First book had some things I liked, but this one got realllllll tedious. Classic 2nd book syndrome -- if the FMC and MMC got together, well now, in boFirst book had some things I liked, but this one got realllllll tedious. Classic 2nd book syndrome -- if the FMC and MMC got together, well now, in book 2, we have to break them up, separate them, and give them a problem they can cling on to -- In this case, the MMC lied to the FMC and she just can't get over it, but she's drawn to him, but she can't be with him, but her "traitorous body" wants him, but she can't want him, but she does want him but she doesn't want to want him, but when she thinks about it, maybe he did have reasons, but no, but yes, but no... ugh. That drives me nuts.
Meanwhile there's a lot more politics, and people, and alliances and countries, and history, setting up the upcoming war. I also grow very weary of the meetings about alliances and plans that go awry. It makes me feel like *I'm* at work because I have to attend these flipping meetings upon meetings upon meetings!
I'm in it for the romance people! And there was some good banter and some spicy scenes. Fairly repetitive on that front, but whatever, at least it was there!
So if you're in it for the politics and you're entertained by the back and forth (when you know how this is ultimately going to end) and you want some shades of Rhysand/Rowan vibes (wildly powerful fae MMC, who is also super supportive, teaches her what she needs to know to be strong/survive, with a healthy dose of touch her and die) this will be great for you!
This felt very SJM/TOG... in a way that left me wanting to go back and read those.
I'm going to go with 3 stars, because I did finish it... and it's hard to write a novel! But it did end on a non-ending cliffhanger, and that's a peeve of mine....more
This was not for me. For so many reasons... including, but not limited to, not great writing overall, lame FMC, absurd story/plot, outrageous villain.This was not for me. For so many reasons... including, but not limited to, not great writing overall, lame FMC, absurd story/plot, outrageous villain...
FMC is a "curvy little blonde" and she's so very, very clumsy.
The MMC is a warrior who is looking for his mate... also he has two dongs ...more
The Dark King, (aka Night Court Fae King) MMC, Caiden Verran, (think Christian Grey if he was a Fae with fangs) and AnThis was *not* my cup of tea...
The Dark King, (aka Night Court Fae King) MMC, Caiden Verran, (think Christian Grey if he was a Fae with fangs) and Anastasia Steele, oops, I mean, Bryn Meara, 20 something, FMC, is just a sweet girl from the middle of the US who was minding her own business, and attracts the attention of the Dark King.
Luckily, the FMC never knew how much she needed/wanted what the dark king can give her. Also luckily he has a perfect ...more
✧ Elle Jae ✧
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