#DGRFave & Review: Pack Darling by Lola Rock

October 30, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

PACK DARLING
Series: Reverse Harem Omegaverse Duology #1
Genre: Omegaverse, Why Choose
Author: Lola Rock
Release Date: July 6, 2021

After surviving childhood at the snooty, stuck-up boarding school for budding omegas, I have everyone convinced I’m a dud.

My awakening? Never gonna happen. Heat, mates, and a fairytale pack life? Maybe next reincarnation.

All I want is to be left alone.

I’m invisible, headed to a blissful solo future until the Wyvern Pack destroys my dream of independence.

Atlas, Hunter, Finn, Jett, and Orion are poison candy. They don’t want an omega, but they need one, even if there’ll never be a real spot for me in their pack.

Who needs a pack? I’ll keep myself safe, same as always.

I’ll never awaken, and I’ll never ever give the Wyverns my heart… Because all they’ll do is rip me apart.

♥Pack Darling is book one in a reverse harem duology featuring an MMFMMM relationship, cursing, and MM scenes. It’s a human omegaverse featuring growly alpha males but no shifters or shifting.

 AMAZON 

I’ll do what I do best. Be a ghost. And before anyone notices, I’ll disappear.

Oh.
My.
Lanta.

Where has this book been all my life? I am such a whore for the rejected mate trope. And this book? This was catnip wrapped in crack. Well, you get what I mean here. This story was absolute book crack and I binge read it in one sitting with bated breath and a giddy excitement I haven’t felt in a long while.

So what do we have here? It’s an omega verse with MMMMMF. Except the pack is totally fine being an MMMMM so when Lilah gets thrown into the mix by their fathers, they’re less than thrilled. Lilah is an omega who has never belonged. She keeps to herself and tries to blend in as much as she can. because when she can’t, she’s the focus of the sadistic teachers and students of her school. She finally has a chance to disappear when she ends up with the Wyverns and even though she knows they’re her mates, she will never have them. She’s used to being unnoticed and mistreated and she’s just biding her time until she can disappear.

First of all I love that Lilah’s resolve was unwavering. She never once lost sight of her desire to leave. And even her attraction to her mates didn’t deter her. This is a survivor through and through, and she’s lived through absolute hell. So the disregard of her mates is nothing to her.

The romance is very much a slow burn, and while it equally drove me out of my mind, I also loved it. I loved watching these bumbling badasses miss what was right under their nose. I loved their unique personalities and their connection to Lilah, even when they fought it.

And the ending? OMG!! They fuck up so epically. And I mean EPICALLY. And the only thing more satisfying was knowing how hard they knew they had to grovel. And they spent the entire second book doing it. GOD. This was EVERYTHING.

If you like a RH omegaverse with rejected mate trope, this is an absolute must read.

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Review: What You See by Cherise Sinclair

December 18, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

WHAT YOU SEE
Series: Sons of the Survivalist #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Cherise Sinclair
Release Date: December 8, 2020

She will risk everything to rescue her friend.

Frankie’s BFF and four-year-old son are trapped inside a fanatical militia’s compound. In Alaska, no less. Wilderness rescues are so not in the New Yorker’s skill set. But she’ll figure it out. She must.

Bull’s new roadhouse server is a mass of contradictions.

The city girl’s reasons for being in Alaska don’t add up. Bull’s been burned by liars before. So, why is he falling for this crap again? Maybe it’s her big brown eyes, exuberant personality—or her generous, compassionate heart. Whatever the reason is, he cares. If she’s in trouble, he’ll do his damnedest to get her out.

The huge Alaskan is terrifyingly compelling–and heartwarmingly concerned for her.

But Frankie refuses to involve Bull in the deadly mess. Her plan to rescue her bestie will work without anyone getting hurt. As she tries her best not to fall in love, she doggedly acquires each skill she’ll need.

Getting shot, though…that hadn’t been on her to-do list.

AMAZON

I adore all things Cherise. Her books are an auto buy for me always. And while I live for her emotionally charged BDSM, her suspenseful contemporary has been hitting the spot quite nicely for me.

I can’t say that I loved this book, but I did like it quite a bit. What I love is Sinclair’s ability to create these imperfect characters that have an amazing balance of flaws and inner strength. Bull is a bit of manwhore, and he has multiple failed marriages behind him that don’t exactly make him eager to try anything serious again. He’s definitely got some trust issues, but you can’t blame the man, knowing what he’s been through.

Frankie is a fierce heroine that puts her life on hold to help out her best friend who may be in a life threatening situation. Her friend and her son are stuck in an abusive relationship and Frankie may be their only hope and she pleads for her help. Frankie blows into the small town looking for answers but gets more than she expected when she meets Bull.

These two don’t get off to a good start and there’s definitely some false impressions that take place because of both of their histories. Frankie has trust issues because of her failed marriage and cheating husband. She thinks Bull is no better than her ex, until she gets to know him and sees the gentle heart beneath the smoldering and rough exterior.

There’s an added element of suspense with the story of Frankie’s bestie and her rescue from the Patriot Zealots. There’s also some additional voices that are added in (like one of my most anticipated characters, Hawk). What I love is how effortlessly these all blend together in the story. And while I loved the romance and suspense, I was also a little bored. There was just this zing that missing for me here. And I can’t place my finger on what it was exactly, only that this story didn’t really grab me. It’s not one that I’ll be thinking of later or coming back to. It was good, but it just wasn’t my favorite. Do I recommend this series? Absolutely. Will I be reading the next one? OMG. Without a doubt. The set up is AMAZING.

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Spotlight, Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway: On The Wings of War by Hailey Turner

September 7, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

On the Wings of War by
Author: Hailey Turner
Series: Soulbound V
Release Date: Print & ebook – September 2, 2020
Length: 109,151 words
Subgenre: LGBTQ Urban Fantasy

Remembering the dead will always give them life.

The coveted Morrígan’s staff is up for sale on the black market to the highest bidder, and SOA Special Agent Patrick Collins will do whatever it takes to ensure the Dominion Sect doesn’t get their hands on it. Returning the weapon to its rightful owner is another step on the long road toward clearing Patrick’s soul debt, but he won’t walk it alone. Jonothon de Vere won’t let him.

Obeying the gods means Patrick must travel to London. For Jono, it means facing a past he thought he’d left behind forever. His return to England isn’t welcome, and neither is their pack, but Jono and Patrick will face the antagonism together. Politics aside, their priority must be the mission, but the bone-chilling secret they uncover in the London god pack will have far-reaching repercussions no one can ignore.

A race against time takes Patrick and Jono from the streets of London to the bright lights of Paris, where hospitality is thin on the ground, the air is filled with whispered prayers for the missing, and the Morrígan’s staff will end up in the one place it should never have gone—a graveyard.

For beneath Paris lie the long-forgotten dead, and when they rise to walk again, the living can only hope to die.

On the Wings of War is a 109k word m/m urban fantasy with a gay romantic subplot and a HFN ending. It is a direct sequel to A Vigil in the Mourning. Reading the first book in the series would be helpful in enjoying this one.

About On the Wings of War by Hailey Turner: This is an exciting sequel that builds on the series plot and makes readers keep wanting more!

AMAZON | AUTHOR SITE

A loud knock on their hotel room door had Jono opening it after Patrick dropped his wards and indicated it was okay. Wade wrinkled his nose in greeting, then held up a stolen bottle of air freshener.“I came prepared,” Wade said, brandishing the bottle at him.

Jono rolled his eyes. “Don’t be rude to housekeeping. Put that back where you found it.”

“I need it more than they do right now.”

“You spray our room, I’m dumping all your snacks in the trash,” Patrick threatened as he finished knotting his tie.

Wade gasped loudly before narrowing his eyes. “You wouldn’t.”

Jono snagged the bottle of air freshener from him. “Where’s Sage?”

“We were gonna wait for you guys downstairs, but she sent me back up because there’s an asshole waiting for you.”

Jono tossed the bottle of air freshener into the hotel room, not caring where it landed. “Who?”

“That Bryson guy.”

Patrick swore and went to grab his suit jacket from the wardrobe. “What the fuck does he want now?”

“Uh, breakfast? Like me? Sage said our table is ready, and I’m hungry.”

Patrick looked fit to murder someone, but he didn’t raise his shields. Jono could still smell him—the underlying bitterness that was Patrick’s own scent, along with the scent of them together and the pack on its own. The mix was better than any cologne on the market as far as Jono was concerned.

“Let’s go,” Patrick ordered.

Jono let him leave first, enjoying the view of Patrick from behind. The suit was decently tailored and fit him well, and it wasn’t every day Jono got to see him clean up nice. Jono figured Nadine probably had a hand in it at some point since it was reasonably on trend.

He let the door close and latch behind him before hurrying after Patrick and Wade. They took the lift down, exiting into the lobby. Sage stood near one of the chaise lounges, dressed casually, with a tote bag on her shoulder. Bryson stood a meter away from her, hands at his sides, not showing throat but not looking like he wanted to fight.

They strode across the lobby, and Jono watched as Bryson turned his head to look at them, eyes hidden behind sunglasses. Beyond the hotel’s sliding glass front doors, it looked as if the sun from yesterday had been swallowed by clouds.

“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t knock your ass into the street?” Patrick demanded in a low voice once they got within arm’s reach, mindful of the front desk workers nearby.

“Because it would go against pass-through rights when I’m not here to fight,” Bryson drawled. He sniffed unsubtly, jaw twitching a little from whatever he was picking up from Patrick.

“Your attitude leaves much to be desired. How many of you have been ordered to spy on us?” Sage said.

Bryson’s mouth twisted a little before he shook his head. “I came by for a chat and to check up on you lot.”

“You mean you came to spy.”

Bryson shrugged expansively, the smile on his face brittle. “Are you surprised? You left an impression.”

“We could leave another one,” Patrick said, one hand in a fist.

 

Hailey Turner is big city girl who spoils her cats rotten and has a demanding day job that she loves, but not as much as she loves writing. She’s been writing since she was a young child and enjoys reading almost as much as creating a new story.

Connect with Hailey Turner:

Newsletter: You can keep up with Hailey’s future projects by joining her newsletter, where you can instantly download several free short stories: http://bit.ly/HaileyTurnerNews

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Giveaway: to celebrate the release of On the Wings of War by Hailey Turner, we are giving away three e-books to kindle email addresses from Hailey Turner’s back catalogue. Open internationally, must be 18 to enter and win.

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Review: Down Too Deep by J. Daniels

October 9, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

DOWN TOO DEEP
Series: Dirty Deeds #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: J. Daniels
Release Date: October 8, 2019

Two single parents and three adorable kids are about to have a summer they’ll never forget in this sexy, heartwarming new novel of the New York Times bestselling series.

Following the sudden death of his wife, Nathan Bell has spent nearly two years burying himself in work and neglecting his biggest responsibility: his daughter. Overcome with guilt, he wants to connect with little Marley, but he doesn’t know how to do it alone. And then Jenna Savage throws him a lifeline.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
A single mom of twins, Jenna is more than capable of taking care of Nate’s adorable two-year-old, and wants to help Nathan however she can. Soon, attachments are made, forcing Jenna and her kids into new territory. And the closer everyone becomes, the more right it feels.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Falling in love forces Nathan to face his biggest fear, and when hearts, both big and little, are on the line, the only thing scarier than needing someone is losing them all.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO

I was just curious. What do you need, Nathan?”
“Right now?”
“Right now.”
He thought for a long moment. “Nothing.”

Le swoon.

I feel like I’ve been waiting FOREVER for Nathan’s book. And I’ll admit that I was equally anticipating and dreading it. Why? Because when you’re this excited for a character, you run the risk of setting your expectations too high. J Nathan’s been setting up his story for 3 books and with every tiny morsel we got of this beautiful man with sad eyes and a heart shattering past, the more you were desperate for his book.

Nathan is a widower that’s still dealing with the fallout from his wife’s suicide and being a single father to his adorable little girl. He’s dealt with things in the only way he can, by letting his parents spend time with his girl while he buries himself in work. This works for him until his father finally says enough and forces him to understand he needs to keep living and build a relationship with his daughter. The only problem is that Nate has no idea where to even begin.

Jenna Savage is Brian’s sister from Four Letter Word and the single mom to two equally adorable twin children. With the father being an absentee parents, her kids are her world. But when she meets Nate in his restaurant and lays eyes on his sweet little daughter, she can’t help but offer him the help he desperately needs in watching her. Thus begins their journey.

I feel like this book was as much about Nate and Jenna as it was about their kids. They were such vivid and at times almost scene stealing secondary characters that you couldn’t help but fall in love with. This is a much sweeter romance that any of the other books in this series. It has a serious undertone of Nate’s wife’s suicide and the aftermath of his dealing with it. It’s emotional yet low on the angst when it comes to the romance. This was very fitting for the type of story this was. I loved Nate and Jenna together. Even though I would have loved slightly more character development between them, they still had crazy chemistry. Admittedly, I couldn’t help but feel like the family dynamic slightly overshadowed their romance in parts. But having said that, I really loved the family dynamic, so I can’t complain about this much.

This was such a sweet and emotional romance about pain and forgiveness and finding love again. It was swoony and perfectly slow paced. I’m happy to report that Jessica totally did Nate’s character justice who also introducing some tantalizing new characters that I’m desperately hoping get their own books!

J. Daniels is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Alabama Summer, Dirty Deeds and Sweet Addiction series.

Best known for her sexy, small-town romances, her debut novel, Sweet Addiction, was first published in 2014 and went on to become an international bestseller. Since then, she has published more than ten novels, including the Dirty Deeds series with Forever Romance.

Daniels grew up in Baltimore and currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two kids. A former full-time Radiologic Technologist, she began writing romance after college and quickly discovered a passion for it. You’ll still catch her in scrubs every now and then, but most of her time is spent writing these days—a career she is eternally grateful for.

Always an avid reader, Daniels enjoys books of all kinds, but favors Romance (of course) and Fantasy. She loves hiking, traveling, going to the mountains for the weekend, and spending time with her family.

To receive an email when she releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! http://bit.ly/jdaniels_newsletter

NEXT RELEASE: All We Want, book six in the sexy and hilariously charming Alabama Summer series. Now LIVE!

She loves meeting and interacting with her readers. Visit her website to see where you can find her! www.authorjdaniels.com

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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Geri’s Review: Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews

September 1, 2018 by ·

MAGIC TRIUMPHS
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Author: Ilona Andrews
Release Date: August 28, 2018

Mercenary Kate Daniels must risk all to protect everything she holds dear in this epic, can’t-miss entry in the thrilling #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series.

Kate has come a long way from her origins as a loner taking care of paranormal problems in post-Shift Atlanta. She’s made friends and enemies. She’s found love and started a family with Curran Lennart, the former Beast Lord. But her magic is too strong for the power players of the world to let her be.

Kate and her father, Roland, currently have an uneasy truce, but when he starts testing her defenses again, she knows that sooner or later, a confrontation is inevitable. The Witch Oracle has begun seeing visions of blood, fire, and human bones. And when a mysterious box is delivered to Kate’s doorstep, a threat of war from the ancient enemy who nearly destroyed her family, she knows their time is up.

Kate Daniels sees no other choice but to combine forces with the unlikeliest of allies. She knows betrayal is inevitable. She knows she may not survive the coming battle. But she has to try.

For her child.

For Atlanta.

For the world.

AMAZON

Goodbyes are hard, and it’s even harder when you’re saying goodbye to a series that you’ve lived and breathed for the last year or so. I never expected how much this series would come to mean to me when I started reading Magic Bites last year. After 9 books, several novellas and one spin-off later, we finally get the final book in Ilona Andrews’ wildly successful Kate Daniels series, and they delivered!

“You and me, Kate. We’re forever.”

Magic Triumphs delivered an ending I will not soon forget. Ilona Andrews had painstakingly laid the foundations of this finale over the course of 10 books and several novellas.Everything that happened in this book was foreshadowed in previous books and delivered in a way that only Ilona Andrews can. I finished this book satisfied and yet oddly, craving for more.

Kate has come a long way from a prickly mercenary who had no friends to a being a loving wife to Curran and now mother to Conlan. But Kate and Curran are on borrowed time. Roland has been relatively quiet after the events in Magic Binds but the specter of his presence has never left Kate or Curran. As long as he is alive he continues threaten the lives of those that Kate loves. This time, there’s even more at stake because Kate and Curran just had a baby, and we all know how Roland likes shiny new things, and Conlan is that shiny new thing that Roland wanted. Honestly, I couldn’t really blame Roland for wanting Conlan because this kid is seriously one of the best addition to this series.

But Roland isn’t the only power threatening Atlanta. An old nemesis is back to settle an old family score. And when I say old, I mean, really, really OLD. I got to say that out of all of Kate’s enemies, this enemy is probably the most powerful. Kate had battled a lot of super powerful beings, including Roland, but this enemy is on another realm in terms of power and the depth of its cruelty. This is the first time where I felt like Kate can’t win, not without Roland’s help. I was so anxious while I was reading it for the first time that after I was done, I couldn’t think straight. I had to reread the entire series and then reread Magic Triumphs again just to give myself time to take it all in because I felt like I missed a lot of things. Boy, was I glad I did that because everything made even more sense.

As I mentioned, everything that happened in this book has been set up in the earlier books. I was lucky enough to be able to re-read the whole series including some of the novellas before I read this book, and it really hammered home the level of dedications the Andrews have to building this world. The level of foreshadowing and call backs they employed throughout the series was nothing short of amazing. So a word of caution. If you’ve missed a book in the series, you better hurry before this one comes out because Magic Triumphs is the third act in the Kate and Roland saga, it wouldn’t make much sense if you haven’t read the rest of the series. This is the culmination of everything so it would be a mistake to read this book without reading the first nine books that came before it, including Iron and Magic.

I’m not going to go into plot details because I think you guys should experience that first-hand, but let me just say that this book packs a wallop. But because Kate’s world is so large now, it’s understandable that some characters get lost in the shuffle or don’t get as much page time as others. Rest assured that the major players are there front and center though. Some notable characters for me aside from Kate, Curran and Conlan are Dessandra and Adora. Man, I really want a Dessandra book now. It’d be hilarious and full of inappropriate things. Adora really surprised me here. I ended up really enjoying her character even more.

And to answer the question on everyone’s mind right now: are there any deaths? Yes, there are notable deaths. And yes, I said “are” so multiple characters are going to die. There’s one death that was kind of disappointing only because we didn’t get to see it but other than that, I have no complaints.

Reading Magic Triumphs was such a rewarding experience from start to finish. The amount of time I’ve invested in this series was so worth it. As much I would love to continue reading about Kate, I’m glad Ilona Andrews decided to end this part of her journey because while I would miss the feeling of looking forward to a new KD each year, Kate deserves her rest and her HEA.

“I promise you this morning wouldn’t be the last time,” he told me. “I keep my promises.

· Filed Under: Adult Urban Fantasy, By Star Rating, Reviews · Tagged With: ,

Review: Disturbing His Peace by Tessa Bailey

May 12, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

DISTURBING HIS PEACE
Series: The Academy #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: April 24, 2018

She’s got probable cause to make her move . . .

Danika Silva can’t stand Lt. Greer Burns. Her roommate’s older brother may be sexy as hell, but he’s also a cold, unfeeling robot. She just wants to graduate and forget about her scowling superior. But when a dangerous mistake lands Danika on probation—under Greer’s watch—she’s forced to interact with the big, hulking jerk. Call him daily to check in? Done. Ride shotgun in his cruiser every night? Done. Try not to climb into his giant, muscular lap and kiss him? Umm…

Greer doesn’t let anything—or anyone—distract him from the job. Except lately, all he can think about is Danika. He’s wanted the beautiful, cocky recruit since the moment he saw her. But she’s reckless and unpredictable, and Greer is painfully aware of what can happen when an officer doesn’t follow the rules. Probation seemed like a good idea, but now Danika’s scent is in his car and he’s replayed her voicemails twenty times. Christ, he’s a goner.

Danika’s melting Greer’s stone-cold exterior one ride-along at a time. Being together could have serious consequences… but breaking a few rules never hurt anybody, right?

AMAZON

Greer is like a pair of distressed leather boots in a shop window. I can admire them and hate them a little for drawing my eye, but I’m definitely not supposed to try them on.

I’ve been itching for Greer and Danika’s story since the first book in the series. Something about their antagonistic relationship with a deep undercurrent of suppressed lust just got my engine roaring. I couldn’t wait to get my grabby little hands on this book and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

What if we get caught?”
“Then you’ll hide your pretty face in my neck while I show them my badge. And when they leave, you’ll keep fucking moving. You want to break the rules, baby? Let’s break them…Once I’m inside you, that’s where I’m staying. God himself couldn’t drag me off. Are we clear?”

Ummm…hot cop fantasy, anyone? Because dang!

Greer is Charlie’s broody older brother that we first meet in Disorderly Conduct. He’s also the lieutenant in charge of the police academy class that Danika is currently trying to finish. To say that their “relationship” gets off to a rocky start is an understatement. Greer’s rough and grumpy disposition certainly doesn’t win him any fans. The man is downright brutal on his cadets, and his past has made him prickly and closed off to everyone else. But Danika has a way of getting under his skin like no one else. And soon their unwilling attraction begins to brew to a degree of scorching that neither one of them can escape.

Danika is used to being the one with the answers. She’s the one coming to everyone’s rescue. But she doesn’t have an answer for the chemistry between her and the untouchable Greer. Their relationship is not quite forbidden, but it’s not one they want exposed either. Danika wants to be a great cop on her own merit. Greer wants nothing to do with relationships and entanglement. Yet somehow the undeniable chemistry between them begins to bring them both some consequences they never saw coming; like feelings.

I loved watching Greer fall harder and harder for Danika. Danika is such a sweet yet strong heroine. This is a woman that can kick some serious ass, but then also has this incredibly endearing hidden soft side. I loved watching Greer bring that out in her. And did I mention the dirty talk? Because holy ovaries, the dirty talk! It was delicious!

Disturbing His Peace was another sexy and entertaining installment in The Academy series, and the perfect book to end it with. It was fun, action packed, and hot enough to set fire to ovaries within a 100 block radius!

I’m fucking yours, you know that?” He drops hot, panting kisses beneath my ear. “I just want to be yours, Danika.”

THE SERIES

DISORDERLY CONDUCT | INDECENT EXPOSURE | DISTURBING HIS PEACE

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Geri’s Review: Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews

November 14, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

MAGIC BREAKS
Series: Kate Daniels #7
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Author: Ilona Andrews
Release Date: July 29, 2014

No matter how much the paranormal politics of Atlanta change, one thing always remains the same: if there’s trouble, Kate Daniels will be in the middle of it…

As the mate of the Beast Lord, Curran, former mercenary Kate Daniels has more responsibilities than it seems possible to juggle. Not only is she still struggling to keep her investigative business afloat, she must now deal with the affairs of the pack, including preparing her people for attack from Roland, a cruel ancient being with god-like powers.

Since Kate’s connection to Roland has come out into the open, no one is safe—especially those closest to Kate.

As Roland’s long shadow looms ever nearer, Kate is called to attend the Conclave, a gathering of the leaders from the various supernatural factions in Atlanta. When one of the Masters of the Dead is found murdered there, apparently at the hands of a shapeshifter, Kate is given only twenty-four hours to hunt down the killer.

And this time, if she fails, she’ll find herself embroiled in a war which could destroy everything she holds dear…

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N

Image result for i have so many feelings gif

This book was fraught with tension from beginning to end. Kate’s courage and mettle has been tested in the past and she always triumphed. But this might be the toughest test she has to face yet. It’s personal and it threatens everything and everyone she worked so hard for.

I was in pins and needles while reading this book. Kate seemed to be vulnerable in this book. She seemed to be floundering. Kate has always been tough so there were some moments in the book where it’s hard to see her so down and helpless, and feeling defeated. It’s hard to read. And I understand why some reviews feel that this was uncharacteristic for Kate especially since she seemed to be waiting for Curran to rescue her. And that somehow, she’s not a badass anymore.

Fortune favors the brave,” I told her. It also kills the stupid, but I decided to keep that fact to myself.”

I admit at first, I was taken aback. But the more I read the more I realized that this is the reason why Kate is special. She’s not the typical “badass” who doesn’t need anybody or feel vulnerable or doesn’t experience self-doubt. She experiences all these things and come out of it stronger and more resolute. I love that Gordon and Ilona showed us that sometimes our heroes feel helpless and that it’s okay for them to need someone come through for them. That’s what makes me root for them.

In Magic Breaks, Kate and Curran are both pushed to the absolute limits. I feared for their lives and the lives of the other characters in this series. I was still traumatized by a major character’s death in the previous book that I was worried for everyone! Yes, even the ones that we can technically consider the bad guys.

That said, I did want to kill Hugh myself. I still hated his character. Ugh. Out of all villains so far, save from the villain of season 1, I find Hugh the most punchable. I just find his character very grating. His backstory is interesting enough but his motivation was too obvious that there is no way Kate would even be tempted to join him like he wanted.

And his constant flirting with Kate wasn’t cute. It was annoying. He’s like that married boss you had right out of college. Handsome, predatory, and predictable. I’m so glad Curran beat his ass twice now!

Image result for yessss gif

Roland was exceptional as a villain, mainly because you can’t quite put your finger on his motivation. Some of his decisions and actions made me question if he’s the big baddie of the series or just a misunderstood father who wants to get to know his estranged daughter. Plus, he’s just so damn likable.

Magic Breaks marks the end of some major story and character arcs in this series. In the first seven books, it was about Kate hiding her identity from her father, Roland. Everything is out in the open now. Every major players in the series knows who she is and they’ll be gunning for her. This book also marks the end of some of Curran’s arc.

Although you can consider this an ending, it’s hardly THE END because some of the decisions that Kate and Curran made will have repercussions. Not to mention there are some loose ends still that needs to be tied. I’m really excited to get to know more about Roland.

All that was missing was a neon sign that read EVIL AND CONFLICTED ABOUT IT with a flashing arrow pointing at his head.”

Overall, this was another solid installment. The humor, the excellent cast of characters, the plot, everything work seamlessly together. And although I must admit that I was expecting a bigger battle set piece especially during Kate and Roland’s confrontation. But I do understand that they might be saving the big battle towards the end of the series. Roland still holds all the cards here, and we really haven’t seen what he’s capable of yet.

If I pass out face down in this water, will you fish me out?”
“Will you promise to call me Your Majesty?”
“Hell no.”
“Then I’ll have to think about it.”

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army.

Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

 

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Geri’s Review: Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews

November 1, 2017 by ·

MAGIC BLEEDS
Series: Kate Daniels #4
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Author: Ilona Andrews
Release Date: May 25, 2010

Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren’t for the magic. When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose.

Kate Daniels works for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, officially, as a liaison with the mercenary guild. Unofficially, she cleans up the paranormal problems no one else wants to handle—especially if they involve Atlanta’s shapeshifting community.

When she’s called in to investigate a fight at the Steel Horse, a bar on the border between the territories of the shapeshifters and the necromancers, Kate quickly discovers there’s a new player in town. One who’s been around for thousands of years—and rode to war at the side of Kate’s father.

This foe may be too much even for Kate and Curran, the Beast Lord, to handle. Because this time Kate will be taking on family…

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^^Me every time I finish a Kate Daniels book!

I can’t give you the white picket fence, and if I did, you’d set it on fire.”

What can I say? AnotheramazinginstallmentintheKateDanielsseries!!!

Kate Daniels, mercenary and psuedo Knight of the order gets to meet a long lost family member. It should’ve been a happy family reunion but this is Kate Daniels we’re talking about and to say that her family is just dysfunctional is an UNDERSTATEMENT!

The stakes just keeps getting higher and Kate is confronting bigger and more powerful beings. Man, the action in this book is top notch. There are so many moments where I don’t even know if Kate and Curran would come out of it alive.

Don’t die on me, you stupid sonovabitch. You goddamn fucking idiot. I told you to stay out of the damn fight! Why the hell don’t you ever listen? I fucking hate you. I hate you, you hear me? Don’t you dare die on me, because I need to kill you with my bare hands.”

There’s also politics and intrigue added to the mix. In the hands of less skilled writers, this book would’ve feel bloated but Gordon and Ilona have proven themselves adept at juggling storylines. But where they really shine is with their characters.

Again, we see growth with each and every character in this series. Kate has changed. She’s still Kate but with each and every book, we get to see her make tough decisions. There’s a really powerful scene in this book where we see Kate struggle with a decision between doing what she was taught to do and doing what was right. That scene was so powerful to me because it speaks of who Kate is and I know I sound like a broken record here but man, she’s such an amazing hero.

The stairs ended. I wished I knew the jackass who’d made the staircase so short. I’d throw him down the damn steps so he could count them with his head.”

But what really makes this book special is the romance department. Look, I’m not one of those people who thinks that a badass heroine becomes less of a badass because she wants love or falls in love with the hero. Nope. I’m firmly in the “heroines can fall in love and still be a badass because we can do whatever the fuck we want” camp. And Kate does what she wants. And she wants the Beast Lord. And I can totally get behind that because while Curran might be overbearing at times, he is learning and making comprises with Kate.

You might want to decide fast. We live in a dangerous world. If you see a chance to be happy, you have to fight for it, so later you have no regrets.”

I love how they negotiated and compromised with each other. They are both stubborn. Both are alpha. Kate has baggage, so does Curran and they both have identities outside of each other. Curran’s life is with the pack, while Kate was a loner. She doesn’t belong to anyone. It would’ve been a disservice to Kate’s character if she suddenly becomes subservient to Curran and vice versa. But somehow Ilona Andrews made it work. That doesn’t mean they didn’t make mistakes. They made plenty of mistakes. They had their share of jealous fits and misunderstanding but the way the authors handled their conflict was wonderful.

Mad gold eyes stared into mine. “Do you miss me, Kate?”
I closed my eyes trying to shut him out. I could lie then we would be back to square one. Nothing would be resolved. I’d still be alone, hating him and wanting him.
He grabbed my shoulders and shook me once. “Do you miss me?”
I took the plunge. “Yes.”

I’ve never read 4 straight books in a series before. Never. I tend to get bored easily even with series I love. But this is just too good to put down. So I’m off to read book 5.

I gave him my hard stare. “You’re a control freak and I fight all authority. And you want us to mate?”
A wicked spark lit his eyes. “Many, many times.”

 

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army.

Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

 

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· Filed Under: A-Z, Adult Urban Fantasy ·

Geri’s Review: Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels #3) by Ilona Andrews

October 26, 2017 by ·

MAGIC STRIKES
Series: Kate Daniels #3
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Author: Ilona Andrews
Release Date: February 20, 2009

When magic strikes and Atlanta goes to pieces, it’s a job for Kate Daniels…

Drafted to work for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, mercenary Kate Daniels has more paranormal problems these days than she knows what to do with.

And in Atlanta, where magic comes and goes like the tide, that’s saying a lot.

But when Kate’s werewolf friend Derek is discovered nearly dead, she must confront her greatest challenge yet.

As her investigation leads her to the Midnight Games—an invitation-only, no-holds-barred, ultimate preternatural fighting tournament—she and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, uncover a dark plot that may forever alter the face of Atlanta’s shapeshifting community…

 

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I was conceived, born, raised and trained with one purpose in mind: to become the best killer I could be. It’s what I do.”

There are two things that I was curious about coming into this series. One, I wanted to know why Kate Daniels is so universally beloved by readers. Two, I wanted to know why the Curran-and-Kate pairing was deemed the OTP by so many who loved the series.

It becomes readily apparent why Kate and Curran are so loved by so many as the series progress. By the third book, I’m now a certified Kate Daniels evangelist.
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Yes! I love Kate’s character. She is one of my favorite heroines ever, if not my ultimate favorite. You just can’t help but love her character! If you look up “badass” in the dictionary, her picture would be in there. She’s brave, resourceful, and so hilarious. She’s also very relatable.

I had imagined our encounter a dozen times. I had constructed long conversations in my head, full of barbs and witty comebacks.
The bastard didn’t show.

And Curran is just the perfect scary, alpha, beast Lord who matches Kate perfectly. They infuriate each other and their interaction and dialogue are so hilarious and scary cute, I can’t help but fall in love with them more and more. I really get why there are so many Tumblr posts dedicated to this couple. They are amazing as individuals and as a couple.

Every time, I think you’ve reached the limit of your arrogance, you show me new heights. Truly, your egotism is like the Universe—ever expanding.”

You sure you don’t want to kiss me goodbye, baby?”
“How about a goodbye kick to the throat?”

Magic Strikes is a high-quality adult UF. It’s not just tightly plotted, with twists and turns, and enormous stakes, it’s also very character driven. Kate Daniels, our titular heroine who now works for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid is working against the clock to find the people who attacked one of her friends. Her investigation led her to the Midnight Games, an illegal fight-to-death tournament attended and participated by powerful and magical beings. And one of them are out to annihilate Kate and the people she’s come to recognize as her friends.

From the gladiator arena type battles to the intriguing and sinister plot, Magic Strikes is a book that once you start, you can’t put down until you’ve finished it. It will consume you. I was so invested in these characters and the story that I couldn’t possibly leave them while their lives hang in a balance!

I think you’re confused as to the nature of our relationship. You and I, we don’t get along. You’re a psychopathic control freak. You order me around and I want to kill you.”

 

I love how heroine-centric this series is. And it’s not just Kate, by the way. One of the things that used to frustrate me with UF is that its heroines tend to be so special that they can’t have any other female characters in the story that might take away from the specialness of the heroine. Every guy has to be in love with her, etc. etc.

Not so with Kate Daniels. There are other female characters that are as beautiful, (if not more so), intelligent and as skillful as Kate. It makes me so happy to see female characters of color in all shapes and sizes having and exercising their agency.

We need a team name.”
“Hunters,” Raphael said.
“Valiant Knights of the Fur,” Dali said.
“Justice Group.” Jim said. “Since Justice League is taken.”

I can’t say enough about this series. If you’re a fan of urban fantasy, I highly recommend you guys read this. Even if you haven’t tried UF before, this series is definitely a great way to immerse yourself in this genre. Yes, the romance may not be central but it still very strong and swoony.

His Majesty needs a can-I girl anyway. And I’m not it.”
“A can-I girl?” Andrea frowned.
I leaned back. “ ‘ Can I fetch you your food, Your Majesty? Can I tell you how strong and mighty you are, Your Majesty? Can I pick out your fleas, Your Majesty? Can I kiss your ass, Your Majesty? Can I…”
It dawned on me that Raphael was sitting very still. Frozen, like a statue, his gaze fixed on the point above my head.
“He’s standing behind me, isn’t he?”
Andrea nodded slowly.
“Technically it should be ‘may I,’” Curran said, his voice deeper than I remembered. “Since you’re asking permission.”

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Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army.

Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

· Filed Under: Adult Urban Fantasy, Reviews · Tagged With: ,
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