Review: An Immortal Valentine's Day by Monica La Porta 5 of 5 stars

An Immortal Valentine's Day by Monica La Porta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alexander Drako may have been a playboy once, but now he is a doting father of three. There is a=to be a nighttime special party for Valentine's Day but he forgot the flowers that Ravenna wants to decorate. So he joins with friends Marcus and Samuel to go to paranormal rehab centre Wolf's Haven to get flowers from their greenhouse that have not been sold. Peter and Ophelia are back from their year-long honeymoon and she is eager to see adoptive father Quintilius who is volunteering at Wolf's Haven so they rush over there. Quintilius is not happy to see Peter as he stole his princess from him. However, they all focus on a crisis at the centre trying to find missing teenager Luisa, a girl who’s run away with a dangerous gang member. Will they be able to find the missing girl and make it back for the party?

I enjoyed this story which had lots of danger, drama and excitement all mixed into a soup of emotions and feelings experienced by the characters. I loved seeing Quintilius and Peter work together and find a way to resolve their differences. It was interesting to see how these strong men had turned to putty as soon as they found love with their women and subsequent offspring. Very enjoyable.

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Review: Rise of the River-Man: Mutter's Story by L.S. O'Dea 4 of 5 stars

Rise of the River-Man: Mutter's Story by L.S. O'Dea
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Unwanted guard Mutter is facing death when he is given a chance - an Almighty says if he will agree to obey (in this case by brutally killing a child) he will take him to work for him. He is then taken to a lab which contains caged strange creatures that bare no relation to anything he has seen before. Then his masters give him shots and taking blood and he starts to fear that he is changing to something else - much more like the creatures in the cages.

I enjoyed this story of Mutter and all the events that happened to him. There were sections when I was appalled at his treatment, enthralled by the bond he had with the one person who helped him, and heartbroken at the way the story ended with such loss. Well written and enjoyable, it was easy to understand.

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Review: The Guardian: A Bridge & Sword Prequel #0.4 by JC Andrijeski 5 of 5 stars

The Guardian: A Bridge & Sword Prequel #0.4 by JC Andrijeski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Revik may have been a lieutenant in the Rooks but he now is in London with a new job and different sets of people watching him. - some to kill him for his past, some to control him and even some who seem to want to bed him. However, he must try to concentrate on his actual job of being the guardian to a Seer known as "The Bridge". She has no idea who or even what she is and is just a human living under the name Allie. She is currently doing the things we all do when growing up and is grappling with her relationship with sexy musician Jaden as no one in her life likes him. Before long Revik grows to hate Jaden and it will take a while for him to admit to himself the reason why and so when Jaden gives him a real reason to really hate him everything gets really interesting.

I loved this story which had huge amounts of drama and excitement, particularly at the end when Revik gets his real reason for hating Jaden. I loved the exploration of emotions in the characters especially Allie and Revik as they separately sorted through their separate problems. It was great to read this and realise that even then there was a pull between them. Well written and very enjoyable.

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Review: The Immortals Collection by Monica La Porta 5 of 5 stars

The Immortals Collection by Monica La Porta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A great collection of 3 books that is a bargain if you want to start the series.

The Lost Centurion - 5*
Marcus is made into an immortal by Apollo and after travelling lots is back in Rome to find and kill the vampire who killed his wife. We then read through a series of situations that contain examples of the emotions of revenge, an analysis of what really is the truth as opposed to hearsay and revenge (does it really make you feel good?) I loved the depth of the characters and how they managed all these uncertainties. The romance in the story was well written and enjoyable without being too sweet and cloying. An enjoyable story that was a great introduction to this series.

The Immortal Greek - 4*
Alexander Drako is handsome, famous, rich, Greek-born and one of the Immortals. Ravenna Del Sarto is an enforcer for the Immortal Council, focused on her career and has no time for rich, spoilt playboys. At a party at Alexander's house, a young immortal commits suicide by jumping off a balcony and Ravenna is sent to investigate. Can Alexander get past her walls or will he be charged with the death?

This was a lovely story with a lot of drama, danger and excitement. Well written and very enjoyable it gave a great insight into some of the politics in the world of paranormal residents in Rome.

The Broken Angel - 5*
Samuel was betrayed by a man he loved and was therefore stranged on Earth as a fallen angel with none of his original powers. Instead, he tries to cope with his life and his pain by working for the Immortal Council headquarters in Rome as a liaison between species. Despised for what he is the only place he feels solace is at the gym owned by his friend Alexander Drako sparing away his own pain. Martina is living in a nightmare thanks to her abusive rich ex-husband, but she focuses her mind on her job working as a pro bono lawyer for abused women. The authorities and her ex constantly deny her justice so he gets solace from working our in the same gym as Samuel so when she is asked to spar with one of the owner's friends she is happy to oblige (even though on the face of it he is crippled). A friendship develops between these broken souls and even though they are from two different worlds they will soon have to fight both human and the paranormal worlds for their right to be together.

This was a lovely story which seamlessly merged the problems they were both having in their own worlds together into a story full of drama, danger and passion as they found each other and then fell for each other. It was great to understand how the two worlds couple connect, collide and try to stay unknown even though they were in the same location. It was heartening to read that they had both found happiness after all the pain each of them had experienced. Well written it was very enjoyable and I loved the HEA at the end.

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Review: Crywood by E.S. Ready 5 of 5 stars

Crywood by E.S. Ready
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Civil War veteran Arlan Crywood is living a peaceful life in the Western USA but it is all put in jeopardy when the farm is hit when locusts attack both his and all the other farm in the area repeatedly. Facing starvation and ruin he takes the difficult decision to use the skills he learnt in war to save his wife and young son. He joins a gang of robbers and participates in their exploits sticking to his own moral code - to hurt no one. However, when he is unable to prevent the rest of the gang committing meaningless violence he decides to stop them and find a way to return home. However, when they follow him back home to take their revenge he finds he has to arm himself for a final time in order to save everything and everyone who is dear to him - even if it involves killing.

I really enjoyed this book - it was incredibly well written and the dialogue, emotions and actions were easy to feel and understand. I felt his frustration as the gang morphed into something that he naively hoped would not happen. I loved the way his wife was such a strong person and able to take part as almost an equal (which for the time the book was set in was very unusual). His solution with the money was very good and exactly the sort of thing you can imagine and expect from him. If you like Western-themed books this is definitely worth reading.

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Review: Worlds Collide by J.L. Hendricks 4 of 5 stars

Worlds Collide by J.L. Hendricks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Natalie was abducted by aliens and at first, will fight the experience and cling to the thought of her fiance back on Earth. However, over time she will realise that he was abusive and that it wasn't a good relationship (so she is better off out of it). Zelan is a pure-blood alien and knows his chance of love with a human is remote but really wants to settle down. When he meets Natalie he knows she is the one. Can his respectful treatment of her and determination to give her the time to make up her mind he hopes it is enough to win her heart. A different alien race of Insectoids are on the planet and hunting for humans to use to reproduce so they can conquer the planet. Can them defeat them and stop the spread?

This was a sweet story of how a slow, respectful and gentle approach will win over what your heart desires. It will also prove to Natalie that she is much stronger than she thinks and that this is a great opportunity to start a whole new life. I loved the story premise and as for the insectoids if you didn't like them to start with you might well at the end. Well written and very enjoyable, this was a nice light read featuring a great example of interstellar relations going well.

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Review: The Hidden Demon by Monica La Porta 5 of 5 stars

The Hidden Demon by Monica La Porta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As a demon, Peter is a pariah but has the skill that he can touch the dead and read their last thoughts, so is tolerated by the rest of the paranormal community. However, he is also cursed because any person that he touches he can influence - so he is convinced that he will live his days out with no intimacy nor any companionship. Wolf shifter and forensic anthropologist Ophelia is in love with her best friend Samuel who is totally in love with someone else so going through a personal crisis. So when the remains of a couple are discovered in an embrace both Ophelia and Peter are pulled in to find out what happened and who they are. Having met on site, their wit, intellect and attraction become something that cannot be denied and they feel an inescapable pull towards each other. Problems start when it becomes apparent that they are forces involved that want the story to remain hidden and they find themselves fighting to save themselves. Can they survive the situation and will the pull they feel between each other become impossible to deny?

This was a great story which has a lot of drama, danger, passion and even inter-species politics all pulled into a story which will suddenly become both deadly and undeniable as they end up fighting to save each other from the forces that would prefer that the truth stayed buried. There were some nice touches in this story and it makes you think how would we each cope as individuals if we were not able to touch people we cared about nor be able to tell the difference between an automatic reaction and true passion. I loved the ending of the story and it was so special to experience how they managed to get past all the problems that were in the way. Well written and a very enjoyable story.


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Review: The Broken Angel by Monica La Porta 5 of 5 stars

The Broken Angel by Monica La Porta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Samuel was betrayed by a man he loved and was therefore stranged on Earth as a fallen angel with none of his original powers. Instead, he tries to cope with his life and his pain by working for the Immortal Council headquarters in Rome as a liaison between species. Despised for what he is the only place he feels solace is at the gym owned by his friend Alexander Drako sparing away his own pain. Martina is living in a nightmare thanks to her abusive rich ex-husband, but she focuses her mind on her job working as a pro bono lawyer for abused women. The authorities and her ex constantly deny her justice so he gets solace from working our in the same gym as Samuel so when she is asked to spar with one of the owner's friends she is happy to oblige (even though on the face of it he is crippled). A friendship develops between these broken souls and even though they are from two different worlds they will soon have to fight both human and the paranormal worlds for their right to be together.

This was a lovely story which seamlessly merged the problems they were both having in their own worlds together into a story full of drama, danger and passion as they found each other and then fell for each other. It was great to understand how the two worlds couple connect, collide and try to stay unknown even though they were in the same location. It was heartening to read that they had both found happiness after all the pain each of them had experienced. Well written it was very enjoyable and I loved the HEA at the end.

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Review: The Immortal Greek by Monica La Porta 4 of 5 stars

The Immortal Greek by Monica La Porta
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alexander Drako is handsome, famous, rich, Greek-born and one of the Immortals. Ravenna Del Sarto is an enforcer for the Immortal Council, focused on her career and has no time for rich, spoilt playboys. At a party at Alexander's house, a young immortal commits suicide by jumping off a balcony and Ravenna is sent to investigate. Can Alexander get past her walls or will he be charged with the death?

This was a lovely story with a lot of drama, danger and excitement. Well written and very enjoyable it gave a great insight into some of the politics in the world of paranormal residents in Rome.

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Review: The Temptation of Four by Eva Chase 5 of 5 stars

The Temptation of Four by Eva Chase
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jemma Moriarty is a criminal mastermind and used to taking what she wants whenever she needs it. However, she does still owe a demonic fiend her soul and she needs to fix that ASAP by tracking down the cult from her childhood and stealing their power source. However, the three guys from London have tracked her down and so she decides to use Sherlock, John, and Garrett again - not only for their detective skills but their bed based skills too (well a girl has needs!). Problem is they are wise to her tricks now so it's going to be a game of cat and mouse with no clear winner.

Loved this second instalment of the series where the characters are developed more and a fourth player also becomes more important in the battle for Jemma's romantic/sexual attention. Definitely a case of the makings of a reverse harem in the works as the series develops. Lots of danger, drama and excitement as the story of how Jemma tries to cut the ties between herself and the demonic fiend. Well written and very enjoyable, I'm loving the way this story is going and can't wait to find out what happens to Jemma Moriarty and her band of willing men.

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Review: Her Viking: A Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance by Alice Wilde 5 of 5 stars

Her Viking: A Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance by Alice Wilde
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Annalise has gone from being a sheltered Princess to being married twice, kidnapped, seen death and visited a Fae kingdom. Together with her three shifters (Roan, Li and Ero) she has to help Ero convince his people (he hasn't seen for decades) that he is real, is the rightful ruler and that her plight is their own too. She also has to try and stop Roan and Ero from killing each other (not an easy job!). In the process she understands Ero much more and that he is not as hard-hearted as he appears. Can they make progress, stay alive and avoid whatever Damien throws at them?

OMG - I certainly didn't see the way this book ended and can only hope that things work out for Annalise going forward (as the chips are even more stacked against her that they were before!!). With lots of drama and excitement, this is definitely a slow burn reverse harem story with some sexual content. I really can't wait to find out what is going to happen next (especially when some of the events of this book come to fruition) where I can definitely see bloodshed on the cards.

** Please note in order to read this book you need to have read the previous two books first or it won't make as much sense nor be as enjoyable.

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Review: Falling for the Devil: Book 1 in The Gods & Monsters Trilogy by Isadora Brown 5 of 5 stars

Falling for the Devil: Book 1 in The Gods & Monsters Trilogy by Isadora Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Harleen is a high school senior living with her Uncle Edgar who is her only surviving relative. As well as studying hard, she is also working to save for college and pay bills (she occasionally has the free time to see her boyfriend too). Enter Andrew, a gorgeous guy with an Australian accent who just happens to be the devil. Edgar enters a deal with Andrew for unlimited wealth - the price is Harleen's soul.

Andrew manages to worm his way into Harleen's life and after a misunderstanding, she finds herself in hell and marrying Andrew. Will she grow to love Andrew or will everything he has worked for fall in a heap and fail. I guess you need to read the book to find out.

I loved this book. Whilst I found the religious undertones a little irritating at times, in essence, it was still a good story, well told. The descriptions of hell were good and I could see it in my head and imagine what it was like. The descriptions of the relationships were clear and easy to understand. Worth a read.

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Review: Deceit and Lies by A.K. Michaels 5 of 5 stars

Deceit and Lies by A.K. Michaels
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When assassin The Black Rose has a new mark - Vampire leader, Cassius Allarde, she has severe issues fulfilling the contract. Can she listen to her heart and spare him or take the path of self-preservation and avoid the Demon's wreath by continuing with the mission to kill him?

Wow - this was one hell of an opener for this series which has so much promise. I loved the struggle between duty to the assassination contract or listening to what her heart was telling her. At many points in the story it wasn't possible to predict which was she was going to choose and so it was nice to read a book with a surprise in the ending as so many books these days feature obvious conclusions. Well written, it was great to feel the emotions involved in the story. Now I just need to be able to find out what is going to happen next!

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Review: Barriers by Patrick Skelton 3 of 5 stars

Barriers by Patrick Skelton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

By the year 2079 Earth is suffering from destructive solar fares and so a class system has arisen on the planet with the healthy elite getting the protection of barrier domes of protection and the sick and the poor are outside of those areas in Sanctuaries within badlands. Nathan Gallagher is a journalist with a disabled son who is in a Sanctuary and that means that Nathan and his wife Sarah's fight to save their son and find a cure classifies them as noncompliant citizens and that starts a string of events as Nathan becomes involved in a mission of a global magnitude as the next global flare is only a few days away and the fate of not just his son but the rest of the world's citizens rests on his shoulders - can he hold his nerve and find the right solution in order to save everyone?

The start of this book was quite confusing as it moved between the present and the past. However, if you can get past that it is a really clever story with some good ideas on what was quite a feasible idea for a story set in the future. I like the parallels between society today in the ways there was the haves, the have nots and the sick. I liked the concept of how they reduced the numbers of sick which neatly dovetails into some of the popular fears around voluntary euthanasia today. I liked the final solution to all of the problems and loved the method used for the final end to a few of the characters. Nicely written it is definitely worth a shot if you feel you can cope with the time shifts at the start.

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Review: Last Rites by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Last Rites by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Darkling Mage Dustin Graves doesn't seem to be able to get a break in life - the response from the enraged Eldest to him murdering one of the old ones is to send rains of ivory fire down from the stars threatening the world and Valero. Somehow Dust and his friends need to find a way to stop the madness before innocent humans are killed. When the ancient gods finally answer a call to battle it becomes apparent that the secret to saving everyone lies much closer to Dustin and his heart than he realises - even if it involves a ritual sacrifice that will end the suffering. Surely losing one life is nothing compared to saving billions?

Wow - once again Dustin is in the middle of the action trying his best to save humans while maintaining his record of irritating gods and fellow mages without exception in his determination to find ways to protect those weaker from the Eldest. As part of the journey he is on in this story, he will sort out his feelings in several areas, find out more about himself and his past, and find himself in a strange position going forward at the end of the book. Running through everything is his sense of humour getting him into trouble (not everyone understands his genius). Many open-ended questions at the end which definitely makes me start to wonder what is going to happen next and can he take any more grief from the Eldest? Well written and very enjoyable, this is definitely a series worth reading - just be careful as you might not be able to put it down.

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Review: Worlds Away by J.L. Hendricks 5 of 5 stars

Worlds Away by J.L. Hendricks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Paris became an orphan at a young age and ended up on the Los Angeles streets and not in the foster system. She was tough and doing well when one day she was spirited out of a field by aliens. Venay is a Commander in the V’Zenian Empire and his job is to abduct humans to become slaves or mates for the males of his species. When he saw Paris across the field he knew he just had to have her. So Paris has a complicated choice to make - become a slave or Venay's mate. Then a rival alien species cause their spaceship to crash on a planet and she has a new decision - think only of saving herself or work with Venay to save everyone from their spaceship by killing all the rival aliens who would treat the humans far worse.

What can I say - I LOVED this story. It had lots of emotions from both the humans and the V'Zenians who were not used to showing and expressing them. It was enjoyable to experience the slow realisation by Paris that they really were mates and she could fight it all the way but it was going to end the same way. The V'Zenians was quite enchanting the way they tried to see the humans as much more than slaves and could relate and converse with them as colleagues and friends as they realised that the humans had skills that made them more useful than lowly slaves. Now I have to get the next book in the series so I can find out what happens next.

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Review: Poisonous Temptation: Division 2 by Isadora Brown 4 of 5 stars

Poisonous Temptation: Division 2 by Isadora Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Aurelia Stone is seen as a joke by her family as she is a witch who cannot do spells so must be just a human. She goes with her sister to watch the vampire gladiator battles but instead of inspiring her magic, seeing Thyos fighting it actually starts a chain of events that could destroy them both. Thyos is part of the feared Berkano clan of vampires but is now reduced to fighting and living alone in the Citta di Paludi. When Aurelia wanders into his own part of the city, is attacked and mortally wounded Thyos saves her and offers her his blood to heal her she goes against the rules and agrees. This sparks a chain of events that causes Aurelia's powers to manifest in a very unexpected and uncontrolled way they are pushed together to escape for their lives. But how can they be together when it is forbidden?

I really enjoyed this story, the whole premise and plot. The forbidden nature of their relationship and the way they did what was right for them no matter the consequences were lovely to experience. My only issue with the story was the way it ended which felt a bit rushed and not so well thought out. I did love their dynamic as a couple and would still want to read more about them in future books in the series though as it was basically very enjoyable more than not.

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Review: Zane by Dale Mayer 5 of 5 stars

Zane by Dale Mayer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Zane is less than impressed at going to Maine to find K9 veteran dog Ketch as he knows he will have to face his drunk father, cold older brother and his ex-girlfriend Angela who is now his brother's widow. He felt finding Ketch would be the easy part of the trip home, but in actual fact, it was complicated when someone else was looking for him too. From Angel's perspective, she has gotten over her husband's death and is please when ane returns - they have some history to clear up and discuss. However, when she has to handle an injured shepherd and a hunter looking to finish the job he started, the future becomes a distant prospect when he turns his attention to two-legged prey from the four-legged he started with.

I loved this dramatic story which had so much danger and drama in it, as well as some heavy emotional discussions around the events around Zane and Angela. I enjoyed the way it showed that sometimes you just have to accept your family for what they are and let it slide in order to get on with life. I loved the way that even though the interference hadn't helped them in the past they could accept that there were also not mature enough to handle things (and that after their life paths they had turned the corner). Another book I couldn't put down until I had finished it.

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Review: Pierce by Dale Mayer 5 of 5 stars

Pierce by Dale Mayer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Veteran Pirce is on the hunt for Salem - a missing K9 veteran who has become missing after his veteran handler Pete was stuck in a hospital in recovery. When he arrives in Colorado it becomes clear that she has been labelled as dangerous and now the law is involved. It seems no one has Salen's bests interests at heart and it appears they don't seem to see Pete as anyone other than someone to forget while they take everything that is his. Pierce is determined to change all that no matter what anyone else thinks! Heidi is a young deputy who is unable to do anything to help Pete and Salem against a background of bribes, greed and corruption - but when Pierce arrives she sees in him someone who will ensure that the right thing is finally done - even if the locals won't appreciate it - so there is soon to be war different to anything Pierce as experienced overseas but he is determined that this one will be one he will win.

OMG - this story was so dramatic and it had so many twists and turns. Amazing to see how corrupt the folks in that area could become and their behaviour and so I was thrilled when Pierce decided to sort the whole sorry mess out. Heidi and Pierce made a great team and it was so nice to realise that they actually had a mutual attraction too. As for the ending wow that was great and perfect for them all (definitely, a happily ever after is ever I read one!). Well written and very enjoyable you will be drawn in by the story which will stop you from putting the book down until you finish it.

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Review: Ethan by Dale Mayer 5 of 5 stars

Ethan by Dale Mayer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ethan has been recovering after a major accident ended his military career and after healing he meets up with Badger the main former SEAL in charge of Titanium Corp. to be given a chance to do something he used to do with an important twist. Cinn (short for Cinnamon) works from home as a project manager but is also involved in global dog rescues. They meet she he walks into her local vet's office with an injured shepherd in his arms and she recognises the human version of a lost soul just like the dogs she helps rescue. Ethan won't stand by when he sees animals being hurt. Can he sort through the events and whatever is possible with Cinn as well as complete his new purpose to rescue Sentry: K9 File 01?

I loved this story which has so much going on that I could not possibly put it down until I knew that everyone was safe. This is a new series written by the author and was a great twist on the ex-forces stories she has written up to now with this addition of war veteran dogs in need of rescue. This story had plenty going on and some great connections into the SEALS of Steel world and characters. I loved the ending and the potential for Ethan to appear in a few of the books later in this series. Well written and easy to understand it was a great story to read and was easy to immerse yourself into.

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Review: Enchanted: That Old Black Magic by Monica La Porta 5 of 5 stars

Enchanted: That Old Black Magic by Monica La Porta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Werewolf Penny Reed is prim and proper and the librarian in Stillwater. Lane Wilde is a were-panther who is on the way to Canada to start a new life and escape his past. However, a spell went a little wrong and it meant that these two strangers will have a one night stand that is just the start of their lives together. Can people and secrets from their pasts destroy what they have?

This is a lovely story with a chance meeting, a little nudge from magic and then drama and excitement all the way. I enjoyed the concept of the story and it was great to experience a prim librarian losing her inhibitions and getting the happiness she truly deserved. Well written it was very enjoyable. I thought that the physical side of their relationship was tastefully done and not too graphic. Very enjoyable.

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Review: Bystanders by Phillip Murrell 3 of 5 stars

Bystanders by Phillip Murrell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Claire Kennedy is a reporter in the city of Colberton. There is a new vigilante who is currently demolishing the criminal empire that has been operating there for some time. Clare is desperate to interview him but he is very elusive and so she decides to name him herself. Votary is the vigilante and he is not interested in her desire to interview him just that he has to protect the city even if there will be some collateral damage and some do not agree with his methods.

I enjoyed the underlying premise of the story for this book but I didn't enjoy reading it as much as I hoped. There was a lot of action which was good but there were times when it felt a bit needlessly violent which I struggled with at times. I can see that it would appeal to any person who enjoyed playing first-person shooter video games but I found it a little bit much at times. The story was easy to understand and very broadly enjoyable.

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