Review: Consort of Fire: A Paranormal Reverse Harem Novel by Eva Chase 5 of 5 stars

Consort of Fire: A Paranormal Reverse Harem Novel by Eva Chase
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Life is never simple for Rose Hallowell and her 5 consorts - for now she might have hoped to be safe but the oath to keep her silence is not enough to stop her from trying to find ways to get around it so that the witching community can understand the treat to them and find ways to protect themselves too. So they somehow have to find a way to fight fire with fire although who gets burned is unclear.

Wow - so much danger, drama and excitement. It was great to see how Rose and the guys worked together using every means they had to both find ways to get around the oath as well as protect themselves and those they love. There were plenty of surprises and twists/turns as you would assume you knew how it would develop and then another event would happen and it would all change. Through it all Rose tried to keep herself above the tricks that the opposition seemed to be prepared to stoop to. A great read that you will enjoy and want to read what comes next.

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Review: Penance by K.E. Osborn 4 of 5 stars

Penance by K.E. Osborn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sensei is surrounded by drama - his family is hiding from the Japanese Yakuza (an organisation who wants to buy and control everything), his club is at war with them (they want to control Chicago and push everyone else out) and then he meets a woman called Spanner who is the shining light in his world (even though now isn't really the time). She is the complete opposite of him but it's like he is an addict and cannot stay away. You would think it would never work but in a bizarre way they compliment each other completely. Can everyone survive when it seems to all relate to what happened in the past because bloodshed is definitely coming - it's just a case of who is going to pay penance for the sins of the past?

This was a story full of drama, danger and passion. It was lovely to see more of the human side of these MC members that seem to always be there breaking the stereotypes we all have in our heads. It was also great to realise that Sensei is not the robot that he seemed in the first book but is human, has feelings and his connection to Spanner should continue to soften his harder edges. Well written and easy to read and understand I loved the way the story developed from a more localised problem to something quite personal.

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Review: Sun in the Oven: Galaxa Warriors by Milly Taiden 5 of 5 stars

Sun in the Oven: Galaxa Warriors by Milly Taiden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Henley Rourke loves a challenge so when she was asked to go to another galaxy populated by Gorgeous shifters she jumped at the chance. So when she met Damen Iceri she feels she met the ultimate hot shifter until she realises that he is not the one one who wants her. Just like the twin suns the Summit Bear Clan has a pair of shifters in charge - Gunner Lukas is the alpha and Damen Iceri is his omega - the tradition is that they need form a triad to share the same mate. Will Henley be able to handle that kind of situation with two bear shifters and can they work together to find the source of a poison that is being used to kill others so they can have a HEA?

Wow - this story was full of drama, excitement, danger and passion. A great read mixing the Galaxa Warriors and Paranormal Dating Agency together smoothly to create this passionate story. I loved the way it built up into a series of explosive events that culminated into a great finish to the story. It was well written and I could see and feel everything that was being described.

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Review: The Vengeance of Snails by Chrys Cymri 5 of 5 stars

The Vengeance of Snails by Chrys Cymri
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Penny's life has certainly not been dull since finding out about the country of Lloegyr where magical creatures live and she is a liaison between her diocese and the country. Her household has expanded to include a family of gryphons, a snail shark (who sing's hymns) and she sees her fried Raven regularly (who is a dragon). She does have one large secret - she is the one who killed the mother of Clyde (the snail shark) with a shovel and has never told him. However the mystical country does have dangers - in Fact Penny's brother James is still recovering from an incident. This book is the story of Clyde, his interaction with the other snail sharks in Lloegyr and what happens.

Wow - this book was very dramatic and contained a large amount of drama and action. There was so much danger in places but Penny was her usual self and her faith helped her to remain fearless. She kept her humanity and determination to make sure that all creatures were treated the same and that there were no underclasses. It was lovely to read some of her conversations with the various creatures that were not behaving the way she thought was right and fair. Peter became her fiance and struck me as a bit of an enigma not having the same values as Penny - so I'm still going to hold out for the home that she will end up with the person who truly loves her - Raven. Great read that will keep you as addicted as I was.

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Review: Might of the Dragon: a Dragon Fantasy Adventure by Jessica Drake 5 of 5 stars

Might of the Dragon: a Dragon Fantasy Adventure by Jessica Drake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Zara and Lessie are still separated and Zara is stuck in the clutches of Salcombe who keeps her behaving as if she is happy to be there by threatening both her and Lessie. By a combination of Zara's wits and Lessie's determination she manages to escape only to be charged with treason and jailed before a court martial.

Wow - loved this instalment of the story. It was amazing to read about Lessie's love and faith in Zara and what she would do into order to protect her. There was a lot of drama, danger and excitement in sections of the story and I loved the way it ended - I wondered it that might happen and now I'm hoping with everything that it works out and becomes a real and permanent thing (no I'm not going to tell you more - you just have to read it lol).


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Review: The Mirror In My Dorm Room by Lashonda Beauregard 3 of 5 stars

The Mirror In My Dorm Room by Lashonda Beauregard
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Justina Oceans starts her second year of college and everything changes when she walks through an old mirror in her dorm room and ends up as famous star Laurice Haywoods in 1932. Can she handle pretending to be Laurice and be in the company of her talented musician boyfriend Braston Brawns while she works out why she is being drawn back to 1932?

This is a short novella featuring time travel and the past events that happened to Laurice. I liked the underlying time travel story and the effects of Justina going into the past but I did find that the story was lacking the level of descriptive detail I would have expected. In summary a fairly quick read that was enjoyable although lacking in substance.

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Review: Witching on a Star by Erin R. Bedford 5 of 5 stars

Witching on a Star by Erin R. Bedford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Max was intending to go to an ivy league college after graduating high school but then discovers she is a witch and everything changes - she is now going to a witch's academy. There it is very similar to the outside world - she encounters bullies, cliques, sexy bad boys and discovers that it is not as easy as she might have thought and that magic comes with a price - one she is not sure if she is prepared to pay.

I loved this story and the way it developed from Max being normal into Max the student witch. It was great to see that all colleges are the same - mean girls are the same the world over and if you are not prepared to conform you might pay the price. It was very well told and I could feel the frustration and difficulty she was having as part of her switch to a completely new way of life. I really hope she has a better time in the next book.

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Review: Itsy Bitsy Spider by Dale Mayer 4 of 5 stars

Itsy Bitsy Spider by Dale Mayer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Queenie Landry is currently working as an amusement park fortune teller but she used to be a physic adviser for the police with the love of her life Kirk Wallace until a case went bad and she steered the teams in the wrong direction leading to a woman''s death. It was then made so much worse when Queenie gives birth to a son but is in a coma sick only to wake up and discover he is dead. It appears an unknown person has been watching them and interfering in their (and other people's) lives. So when spiders start hanging around Queenie they are both stumped on what they want and what message they are trying to tell her. Can he work out what the message is and what it really means?

Lots of drama and danger in this story that centres around Queenie, Kirk and the unknown person. I loved the ending of the story that was very touching but I did find a little bit of the middle of the story a little boring in places. I loved the conversation with the unknown person and working out who it was and what they have done.

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Review: Sassy Ever After: From Scotland, With Sass by A K Michaels 5 of 5 stars

Sassy Ever After: From Scotland, With Sass by A K Michaels
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Belle is Sassy and on a fine line with her Alpha at the moment so she goes to pick up a visitor to the pack from the airport as part of her attempt to make amends. Problem is he is an incredibly sexy Scotsman and when her Alpha's mate goes near him she finds herself growling at her - what the hell is wrong with her Wolf?? She barely makes it out of the house alive after that behaviour but later that day she sees the Scotsman again and it turns into a very hot encounter. She finds herself behaving like a love-sick puppy and his Wolf is calling to hers like a soul-mate. There are rogue Wolves in the area and they have decided they want Belle - can the two seal the bond before it is too late?

I loved this story. It fit into the Highland Wolf Clan series perfectly and had a perfect balance of drama, danger, love and romance. I could empathise with the events that were happening and was gunning for them finding a solution to all their problems and coming together as they were fated to.

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Review: New York: A Bridge & Sword Prequel by JC Andrijeski 5 of 5 stars

New York: A Bridge & Sword Prequel by JC Andrijeski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Allie Taylor lives in a world with two races - humans and seers. These seers are enslaved by governments, corporations and the wealthy. They are psychic in nature and have a high sexuality. Allie is fascinated by these exotic beings even though she is never likely to ever meet one. Then her boyfriend's band has a gig in New York and seers are visible on the streets there. Whilst she is experiencing trouble with her boyfriend she observes seers being tasered, a terrorist attack and she seems to have a crazy stalker leaving her weird cryptic notes. She also finds that no matter where she is there is a tall black haired buy with the most amazing eyes. Then her trip becomes downright dangerous when a a strange religious cult that venerates seers targets her in a strange ritual which could prove fatal to her.

Wow – great story! I really enjoyed reading about this period before the Bridge and Sword World series started It certainly helped me understand some of what happens in the books and why certain things happen and why the main characters Allie and Revik behave the way they do. Everything was well written and made perfect sense. I could empathise with the characters and understand their feelings and motivations. If you have not read any of the stories in the series this is a perfect introduction.

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Review: Hett: Paranormal SciFi Alien Romance: Dragons of Novai Book 1 by Ashley L. Hunt 4 of 5 stars

Hett: Paranormal SciFi Alien Romance: Dragons of Novai Book 1 by Ashley L. Hunt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After their planet was destroyed the Novai have finally found a new home on an empty planet - however they are not alone. Led by Balor and Hett they arrive on the new planet having had many of their members evolve or die in a transformation, but when Hett stretches his wings and explores the planet more he finds something that will change his people's and in particular his own life forever. Evelyn is headstrong and as the tribe princess she is determined to reach the surface that she only knows of from her late mother's stories however when she finally reaches it she meets an alpha-dragon and suddenly the two races have a dilemma. Can Hett and Evelyn work together and can they all learn to co-exist or will they all die in war?

This was a sweet story about how two people can meet and fall in love and then need to somehow get their people to walk away from war and work together. Some of the explanation of the background felt a bit long but it helped to understand the events as the book developed into the events after their meeting. I liked the detailed explanations of the scenery and the situations they found themselves in and the writing was clear enough that there could be no mistake in understanding the events and the effects of the meeting of the two races. A good start to the series and I am looking forward to find out what happens next.

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Review: Bound to Gods by Eva Chase 5 of 5 stars

Bound to Gods by Eva Chase
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Aria Watson had been brought back from the dead by four hot Norse gods to be their Valkyrie and having got used to her new powers they together with Freya suddenly find themselves trapped in a prison that looks like their home Valhalla but is fake. While trapped there, moments from their past are brought back and they have to live through those memories something that appears to be universally unpleasant. It is certainly an eye opener for them all to relive and understand the impact past behaviours have had on each other - even if often Aria seems to become an arbiter between them trying to stop the hurt and facilitate better relations between them. It meant that large parts of the book went deeper into the characters of each of them and understanding their motivations and the effect that actions can have on others. I think at the end of it I understood all of the characters much better and they all became better because of their emotional journey. Loki became more serious, Thor learnt a bit more diplomacy and that fighting all the time was not the solution, and I understood a lot more about Hod and Baldur and how they might be very different but there really were similarities between them as I would expect with them being twins. It was great to understand Freya better as before this she was very much on the sidelines. I think they also understood Aria better too and so it ended up with a test of trust in each other and whether they could accept, forgive and move on from their own traumas of the past. Well written, a pleasure to read such powerful character building and I can't wait to find out what happens next.

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Review: Awaken: Book 1 in The Dark Paradise Chronicles by Isadora Brown 5 of 5 stars

Awaken: Book 1 in The Dark Paradise Chronicles by Isadora Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is centred around the struggle between good and evil and the impending war between the two. The main three characters are all friends at school who are mixed in this war that is coming in different ways. In this book, two of the three have a love interest which might not work out as you would like (read it and you'll understand).

I found it a little weird when it went back a few times to tell the same part of the story from the other person's viewpoint, but overall I really enjoyed it and became addicted and ended up finishing it when I should have been doing something else. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens in book two - I need to know how some things have worked out and what happens next

Recommended - give it a try and you might find like me you have discovered a new series to be obsessed about

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Review: Quentin Black Mystery Collection (Books #1-4): A Paranormal Mystery Romance by JC Andrijeski 5 of 5 stars

Quentin Black Mystery Collection (Books #1-4): A Paranormal Mystery Romance by JC Andrijeski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Black in White:
Miri Fox is a psychologist who also works as a on/off profiler for the police. They believe they have caught the "Wedding Killer" but when she checks him out Quntin Black claims to be hunting the killer too. He is nothing like Miri expects and she becomes determined to work out what his secrets are. However Black confronts Miri about her "insight" into people and she gets pulled een further into the game to catch the killer and also as a result into Black's world. Can Miri cope with the doubts and fascination with Black as well as handling the views from her best friend (who is a homicide cop) and her own boyfriend who works in intelligence.

WOW - loved this story. The story was intense and the building fascination between Miri and Black was quite lovely at times The relationship between Miri and her boyfriend seemed like it wasn't anything special and I think when she meets Black no one else had a look in. There was lots of action, twists and turns in the story that kept me gripped and reading faster as I got further into the story and became more hooked. I can't wait to see how this develops in the next book of the series.

Black as Night
Miri Fox is a Forensic Psychologist and suddenly finds herself on a plane getting her boss Quentin Black (a psychic detective) out of jail in Bangkok. When she gets there he is working undercover in a gang f local criminals trying to discover who is killing street children and then burning their bodies in a ritual inside a Buddhist shrine. However Black isn't the only one interested in the crimes as it comes to the attention of local sex traffickers and a Russian crime syndicate who don't like this interference.
Miri arriving and helping brings her to the attention of the wrong people and she is suddenly the one being hunted.

Wow - this is intense and full of drama, action, danger and raw emotion. I definitely found myself reading this quicker and quicker as I got more into the story and Miri was in more and more danger. Black was his usual self - dark, moody and very irresistible. Well written and very easy to get lost in the sights, sounds and emotions involved in the story.

** Please note there is a brutal rape scene in this story and so you might chose not to read it because of that.

Black on Black
Psychic detective Quentin Black disappears leaving his partner and forensic psychologist Miri Fox alone in San Francisco as soon as they return from Bangkok. He gave no explanation and gave no clues as to what he is doing, just leaving her the equivalent of breadcrumbs and cryptic hints. Miri is able to feel him more and more every day both when she is awake and when she is asleep dreaming to the point that her life starts to spin out of control as she senses what Black is doing is starting to be out of his control. She can sense he is in danger, but he won't admit it and no one will listen to her when she tries to get help from his staff. She can sense this new job of his is becoming more like a gauntlet and a test proving his loyalty of both his race and the mysterious Lucky Lucifer who controls a seer cult in Europe. So Miri realises she has to save Black even if she has to cross some cultural lines changing her life forever.

Oh wow - this book was all action, drama, danger and one hell of a reveal of information at the end that was impossible to predict. Lots of references to events in the previous books and some cross over to the Bridge and Sword World books which you might pick up easier now the final book in that series has been published. I loved how Miri was the strong one for much of this and she was the one knowing what she wanted and was going out to make sure she got it. Well written and very enjoyable. I have to confess I was unable to stop reading this and might have stayed up very late because I couldn't bare to not know what happened next.

Black is Back:
Quentin Black and Miri Fox are thrown into the middle of a murder case when the victim is found beheaded and tied to a pier (and the man was previously Miri's client). Detectives have tracked the killer (known as The Templar) from LA to San Francisco. He doesn't stop killing in his new location hence the fact that the police department drag Miri and Black out of his apartment to investigate it (they were there as they were going through a Seer mate bonding and by being in the public too soon it affects everyone.

There was a huge amount of drama, danger and action in this story. I loved the way events unfolded and developed as the story unfolded. Everything was well written and easy to understand and feel as it developed. I loved the way there seemed to be plenty of miscommunication due to their cultural differences and felt that was quite understandable considering that Miri was not raised as a Seer. I can't wait for the next story to come along now.

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Review: Black Is Back by J.C. Andrijeski 5 of 5 stars

Black Is Back by J.C. Andrijeski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Quentin Black and Miri Fox are thrown into the middle of a murder case when the victim is found beheaded and tied to a pier (and the man was previously Miri's client). Detectives have tracked the killer (known as The Templar) from LA to San Francisco. He doesn't stop killing in his new location hence the fact that the police department drag Miri and Black out of his apartment to investigate it (they were there as they were going through a Seer mate bonding and by being in the public too soon it affects everyone.

There was a huge amount of drama, danger and action in this story. I loved the way events unfolded and developed as the story unfolded. Everything was well written and easy to understand and feel as it developed. I loved the way there seemed to be plenty of miscommunication due to their cultural differences and felt that was quite understandable considering that Miri was not raised as a Seer. I can't wait for the next story to come along now.

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Review: Phoenix Call by Margo Ryerkerk 4 of 5 stars

Phoenix Call by Margo Ryerkerk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sierra might have removed many of her uncle's generals but he is determined to keep on and get more power. Unfortunately what he is planing on doing will destroy the planet - the Phoenix Emblem was broken into two pieces 300 years ago and if the pieces are reunited a great evil will be unleashed and the world and everything Sierra holds dear would be destroyed. However half of the emblem is now found and so Sierra has to work out how to destroy it before her uncle gets anywhere near it.

Lots of drama, danger and politics in this part of the story. There were a number of blind avenues and wrong turns as they tried to destroy half of the Phoenix Emblem and then try to find the other half. There were points when I felt quite sorry for the bad guys when they were double crossed and killed. I found the story clear and easy to understand even though I did find some of the developments a little strange - maybe it will fit in with the next book when I will understand why some things happened.

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Review: Krystal Blue by Destiny Hawkins 4 of 5 stars

Krystal Blue by Destiny Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Crystal Blue thought she was just a normal girl who was a faster kid from Nevada. She abruptly left her foster home to go to college and study Zoology in California where she met lots of strange people including Alveya Tera - a girl in her class. Alveya is beautiful and a Josbryn family (who seem to be powerful in the area). After a car accident that totals Crystals car she ends up staying with the Josbryns and she starts to realise that maybe things like vampires and witches are actually real after all - who knew? Some of her past now makes sense to her as she always thought the beast her mother died protecting her from wasn't real but something from her imagination and no she knows it must have been real after all. Now she has a new mystery - where does her liking of raw meat come from?

I loved the concept of this story and the way it was built up into something quite dramatic towards the end of the book. The main focus of this book was Crystal and how she started a journey of self discovery as well as discovering all the people around her and what they were. In many ways that mirrors real life as you start a journey like this when you leave home to go to college - it's just that her took on a whole new level. It was great that the characters were all very three dimensional and we could understand their thoughts, emotions and motivations. As this is the first book in the series it had to cover a lot of the background and that meant that it might have felt a bit slow at times, but the dramatic ending more than made up for that. Well written, I enjoyed this book and as this is a new author to me I will certainly read another of her books soon.

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Review: Somebody's Monster by Beau Van Dalen 4 of 5 stars

Somebody's Monster by Beau Van Dalen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vance Steward is a fighter pilot and after the death of their commander he and his crew are still being pursued by a Kraken which is hell bent on killing them. On the last of their power they end up on a strange new territory when Vance is in a freak accident and is gravely injured. He ends up forming a close bond with their alien prisoner Luenos who has been robbed of his sight at a time when he is seeking his long lost family. On his own he makes a promise to Luenos that is going to change their lives forever as they find that enemies are not always obvious and friends and not always what you thought they were.

There was a lot of action, drama and danger at times in this story and so you certainly won't be bored reading this. The relationships between the characters were at times fairly complex and it was nice to see parallels to real life in the way that it was possible for him to misjudge people just as well as it is for any of us today too. I liked the sensitive nature that the more erotic scenes were written and that also helped me to pick up the difference in behaviour between the good and bad guys. Reasonably well written and easy to understand/comprehend.

** Please note this story contains descriptions of M/M sexual acts and so you should not read if this will cause offence.

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Review: Shades of Fae: A Limited Edition Collection of Fantasy Novels by C.K. Dawn by Isadora Brown 5 of 5 stars

Shades of Fae: A Limited Edition Collection of Urban Fantasy and Fantasy Novels by C.K. Dawn by Isadora Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A cracking collection of prequels or full length novels that are all centred around Fae. I will update this as I read and review the individual books inside the collection.

A Kiss of Shadow - Isadora Brown - 4*

Mica Scott is a witch and she has unfortunately indirectly killed a witch herself. She is given a task to find the witch who is lacing human drugs with enchantments, however she has a close shave with her ex-Phillip and supernatural agent Connor Padgett. So when the witch's body is found the next night in the Fae realm she feels guilt and is given the chance to redeem herself - but to do that she has to cross over into the Fae realm and work with Fae Kingsguard leader Gabriel Burr. As they work together it becomes clear to them that it is the tip of the iceberg so they have to put their prejudices aside and work together.

Plenty of drama, danger and testosterone in this story. It definitely set the scene nicely for the next book in this series - I just hope I can wait until it is released. Well written and easy to read, it will reel you in and start the process of getting you hooked on this series and the worlds within it.

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Review: Black On Black by J.C. Andrijeski 5 of 5 stars

Black On Black by J.C. Andrijeski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Psychic detective Quentin Black disappears leaving his partner and forensic psychologist Miri Fox alone in San Francisco as soon as they return from Bangkok. He gave no explanation and gave no clues as to what he is doing, just leaving her the equivalent of breadcrumbs and cryptic hints. Miri is able to feel him more and more every day both when she is awake and when she is asleep dreaming to the point that her life starts to spin out of control as she senses what Black is doing is starting to be out of his control. She can sense he is in danger, but he won't admit it and no one will listen to her when she tries to get help from his staff. She can sense this new job of his is becoming more like a gauntlet and a test proving his loyalty of both his race and the mysterious Lucky Lucifer who controls a seer cult in Europe. So Miri realises she has to save Black even if she has to cross some cultural lines changing her life forever.

Oh wow - this book was all action, drama, danger and one hell of a reveal of information at the end that was impossible to predict. Lots of references to events in the previous books and some cross over to the Bridge and Sword World books which you might pick up easier now the final book in that series has been published. I loved how Miri was the strong one for much of this and she was the one knowing what she wanted and was going out to make sure she got it. Well written and very enjoyable. I have to confess I was unable to stop reading this and might have stayed up very late because I couldn't bare to not know what happened next.

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Review: Warrick by Dale Mayer 4 of 5 stars

Warrick by Dale Mayer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Warrick Canton is in Mason's Navy SEAL team and is going crazy being on the sidelines through injury. He is also starting to turn soft longing for a real proper relationship like his mates seem to have. This is made worse when his girlfriend of 3 years dumps him. Feeling sorry for himself he goes to a barbecue at Mason's house and encounters a fiery redhead spitfire called Penny Magnus who he unfortunately already has met - he's intrigued but only she would give him an inch and a second look. Penny Magnus loves her job as a medical insurance clerk but getting some stubborn men to fill in the forms right is almost impossible. She is open to starting a new romance but it has to be someone who is not difficult - she has learnt that from her best friend with such a difficult relationship that Penny had to help her to see she needed to get out of it. However all thought of potential romances go out of the window when Penny's best friend's boyfriend contacts her blaming her fr the whole mess and seems determined to punish her for it. Warrick ends up working to keep Penny safe - he just needs to not make any mistakes.

Wow - there is a lot of drama and action in this story. You have the best friend and her boyfriend thing, the simmering hot passion bubbling under the surface between Warrick and Penny and then the determination of the ousted boyfriend to punish Penny for her interference. It all adds up to a mixture of drama, danger and action, interspersed with bits of romance and passion that can make you smile. Well written and fit into the whole world of SEALs that the author has created in this fictitious company with its links to serving and non-servicing SEALs. Well written, an easy read which would work well for a vacation read or just pure escapism.

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Review: Black As Night by J.C. Andrijeski 5 of 5 stars

Black As Night by J.C. Andrijeski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Miri Fox is a Forensic Psychologist and suddenly finds herself on a plane getting her boss Quentin Black (a psychic detective) out of jail in Bangkok. When she gets there he is working undercover in a gang f local criminals trying to discover who is killing street children and then burning their bodies in a ritual inside a Buddhist shrine. However Black isn't the only one interested in the crimes as it comes to the attention of local sex traffickers and a Russian crime syndicate who don't like this interference.
Miri arriving and helping brings her to the attention of the wrong people and she is suddenly the one being hunted.

Wow - this is intense and full of drama, action, danger and raw emotion. I definitely found myself reading this quicker and quicker as I got more into the story and Miri was in more and more danger. Black was his usual self - dark, moody and very irresistible. Well written and very easy to get lost in the sights, sounds and emotions involved in the story.

** Please note there is a brutal rape scene in this story and so you might chose not to read it because of that.

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Review: Trouganda by Daniel J. Strait 4 of 5 stars

Trouganda by Daniel J. Strait
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A prophesy was written many years ago on another world and when a baby girl is born with a birthmark like the one described in it her parents fear she is in grave danger and they take her and flee for their lives. They find refuge in the village of Jin and they persuade the greatest SOT master ever to train her in his skills. Nakiata works hard at her studies and has to leave as part of her Final Test to go across the world of Trouganda facing danger at every turn - meaning she has to use all the skills and cunning she has to survive.

This made me think of a mixture of Japanese culture, martial arts and some science fiction all woven together into the beginning of an epic series of stories. The locations and events were described in great details so it was easy to imagine and see in your mind where they were and what is happening. What it was missing was more conversational and internal dialogue so sometimes the people felt a bit like a black box. I also felt that the scene was set so much at the start that I became a little bored - so if that happens to you don't give in - it will get a lot better if you get past that section at the start. I liked the flow of the story and the way everything seemed to lead into the next section. I very enjoyable book generally which I found addictive as it got closer to the end wanting to know what she would encounter next. Well written with lots of technical detail and perceptive comments on the environment.

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Review: Kissed by Night: a Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy by Jasmine Walt by Emma Stark 5 of 5 stars

Kissed by Night: a Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy by Jasmine Walt by  

Emma Stark

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ace Bissett no longer thinks magic is a hoax but has to pretend it still is even though she has four hot gargoyles who will do anything for her and has magic at her fingertips. However she is trying to find the cure to the gargoyles' curse while also working as a homicide detective. Then life gets even more complicated when I new threat is in the city and the murderer is going for anyone who has anyone who is interested in or connected to the occult and Ace is the person who has to find them. Ace then realises that the murderer is actually trying to get her attention and if she doesn't find them soon even the gargoyles could be in danger - which Ace is now realising have become more important to her than life.

This was an action packed instalment to the Dark Protectors series which got much closer to all that Ace holds dear. The story covered a lot of thought by Ace about life, priorities and what was really important to her - which I'm sure we could all do with ourselves. I loved the action, drama and danger in the story and how it was written so that you wondered if this was the end only for something to happen and them to live to fight (and love) another day. The writing was good and I found it easy to read the story and pick up the emotions that the characters were feeling during some of the times where deep thought was involved about their past, present and future.

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Review: Rocking Perfection by Cassandra Lawson 5 of 5 stars

Rocking Perfection by Cassandra Lawson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cami has in the past tried to be the perfect girlfriend - concentrating only on his needs and losing herself and her identity in the way, so she has decided that is it - no more - if only she could get her ex to accept that things are really over. So she decides to make a deal with Xander (rock star and member of Reckless Release) if he pretends to be her new boyfriend she will teach him how to cook perfect waffles like she does. The plan seems to be simple - until he decides to change the rules!
Xander has wanted to be a rock star since forever and you would think he now has it all but his life is missing delicious waffles (I kid you not). After many attempts to get Cami to make her perfect waffles for him he has stopped only dreaming about waffles and is now also dreaming about her. So it was like a gift when she asked him to pretend to be her boyfriend he gets not only the waffles but maybe he can now persuade her to change her mind about dating men and give him a try too?

I loved this story which had some classic themes that were cleverly woven in such a way that it was only towards the end that everything became clear (you'll see this when you get there). I liked the way it slowly developed into something more meaningful than just protection paid for with cooking lessons. It was lovely to see something good happen for Xander and Cami after the traded comments and pleadings for waffles throughout the previous two books in the series. It helps to know the background but I think you could read this stand alone if you really wanted to although they are great books so not sure why you would not want to. It was well written and everything was very clear and easy to understand. It was a nice light read that I definitely found myself reading faster as I got more into the story between Xander, Cami, the rest of the band, and Cami's ex.

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Review: Immortal Kiss by Laura Daleo 3 of 5 stars

Immortal Kiss by Laura Daleo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Behind this story is a history that is centuries old - powerful vampire gods were on the earth and they had no control over their lust for blood so in order to save mankind (who they needed to provide blood to them). However they recognised the weakness in their existence and so they selected 12 humans to transform with their blood and every fifth generation they would provide a person to drain dry in a form of "Blood Lottery". This has continued though the years and is still in operation today. Beth Ryan has always had the company of a mysterious mist as she grew up and when she meets 100 vampire Philippe Delon she finds herself drawn to him convinced he is the source of the mist. They instantly fall in love with each other and she quickly moves in which him and marries him. However she learns of the identity of the real person behind the mist and that she is linked to the blood lottery in a betrayal by a loved one. So she ends up in front of The Council asking for a resolution to this complication in her life.

It's taken me a while to get my head around how I view this book. I find myself conflicted - on the one side there is a love story which could be sweet ad very enjoyable, then there is a situation that makes me uncomfortable - the Vampire behind the mist and his love for her from when he saw her as a baby which appears to have converted into love for her as an adult (which feels sexual in manner) - I also think there is a part of story which is missing because without it the story feels a bit sick - then her behaviour which is more than a little naive and moves so fast to commit her to actions and love which feel more than a little rushed. On the plus side there was plenty of action, twists and turns to keep me interested and I did understand all of the aspects of the story.

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Review: The Gilded King by Josie Jaffrey5 of 5 stars

The Gilded King by Josie Jaffrey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The last city in the world is in the blue sector and it is not well. Julia is trapped in the city walls and she serves the nobility in the background until she meets Lucas (of of them) who believes in fairy-tales which unfortunately the environment Juila lives in does not allow - to her the blue is a prison - one she would gladly escape from into the red if it wasn't for the contamination and death that would await her in the red. However not everyone in the blue is human. Cameron is not human and is quickly losing whatever humanity he has left as he searches the red for the blue's lost queen. It appears the walls of the blue is likely to come down - however what side will the characters in this story decide to be on?

This is definitely the start of an epic tale of humans and supernaturals and the conflicts and politics involved in their civilisation. The world was described and painted in a clear and vivid picture such that I felt I could close my eyes and imagine I was there. I could definitely feel empathy for the main characters and the situations they found themselves in. The ending of this book was nice and dramatic to the point I now wonder what is gong to happen in the next book.

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