Review: Black Rose by Karina Halle

BLACK ROSE
Series:
Dracula Duet #2
Author: Karina Halle
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: March 18, 2023

 

From the New York Times best-selling author of River of Shadows and Black Sunshine comes a new dark gothic romance duet about how love can transcend the ages, but at a deadly cost.

Is it her destiny to love him?

Or is it her destiny to die?

Valtu Aminoff is no stranger to tragedy. Though many know him as the enigmatic vampire that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Valtu’s complex life is far more horrific than any fiction could imagine. When you lose the love of your life over and over again, it can do more than break your heart—it can corrupt your soul.
It’s up to his new lover to decide if Valtu’s damaged soul is even worth saving.

But destiny isn’t done with Valtu yet. And tragedy is always around the corner.

Black Rose is the sequel to Blood Orange and is not a standalone. Snap up this completed dark gothic vampire romance duet if you like:

  • High spice
  • Dark Academia
  • Gothic Setting
  • Vampires vs Witches
  • Spooky vibes
  • Reincarnated love
  • Dracula re-telling
  • Fantasy romance

Please check inside the book for content warnings.

AMAZON

My heart found his again. But his heart doesn’t know mine.

After the jaw dropping conclusion of Blood Orange, I have been on pins and needles waiting for the conclusion of this duet. Suffice it to say I devoured it in my eager anticipation.

The darkness in me calls to the darkness in you…”

I love an epic fated mates story and it doesn’t get more fated that na love story that defies the ages through reincarnation. I felt like these two books were like two sides of a coin, different perspectives but same world. What I’m saying is, that if you expect a similar style of story to Blood Orange, this wasn’t exactly it. It was different. Not in a bad way, but different nonetheless.

While Blood Orange had me in a fiery chokehold, this was more of a sizzling burn. Valtu is not the Valtu of book one, he’s a vampire who lost his humanity to his pain. He lost himself to his grief and. willingly lost himself in the process. When he and Rose see each other, it’s a different journey. We really get to see Rose unending love for him and his redemption and I was so here for it.

Admittedly, I felt the most riveting part of the book was also a bit rushed and saved for the final 10%. I would have loved to spend more time on this part of the story because this what the previous book was ultimately leading up to. It felt like there was some open ended answers and gaps that weren’t fully filled. This may be intentional with a set up for what I’m hoping are more books in this world. Don’t get me wrong, it was satisfying and the couple get a beautiful HEA. But there were things that were merely glazed over that I would have loved to get deeper into.

All that aside, I still greatly enjoyed this book. I loved seeing the darker side of Valtu and Rose’s healing touch. I loved watching Valtu fall for her all over again and I loved the way they fought for each other.

Review: Blood Orange by Karina Halle

BLOOD ORANGE
Series:
The Dracula Duet #1
Author: Karina Halle
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: October 16, 2022

From New York Times bestselling author Karina Halle comes a dark and delicious Dracula retelling filled with secrets and lies, dangerous liaisons and a forbidden, student-teacher, second chance love story with a twist.

“My heart will always find yours.”

Dahlia Abernathy has only known revenge. When her parents were killed at an early age by vampires, Dahlia spent the rest of her life under the thumb of the Witch’s Guild being trained to kill them. Her latest mission sends her undercover to a prestigious music academy in Venice, Italy. Her goal? To kill Professor Valtu Aminoff, her teacher and the notorious vampire who inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

But getting close to a dangerous vampire like Professor Aminoff is one thing. Falling for him is another. With Dahlia’s appearance disguised under a glamor spell, Valtu has no idea that the woman who has become his new dark obsession is actually the reincarnation of the woman he loved and lost twice before.

And Dahlia doesn’t remember that the very man she has been sent to kill is the love of her life.

Will their love come through and transcend time once again? Or are the fated lovers destined to let history repeat itself?

Blood Orange is a modern-day Dracula retelling about the “real-life” Dracula that inspired Bram Stoker. This is a dark vampire romance with plenty of content warnings (please check interior of book for extensive list as it is +++++spicy) and while it is a spinoff of The Dark Eyes Duet, you do not need to read any other books before Blood Orange.

AMAZON

To forget her would be to forget what it’s like to be human, and I’m dangerously close to losing myself all together at times. And so I will write down all I remember of her, in hope that our love might bring about my humanity.

I have a confession and I don’t need you judging me for it, okay?

…This is my first Karina Halle book…
I said not to judge me! What are those judgy eyes? I see them! But anyhoos

I was in the mood for a spicy PNR and boy did this deliver. A fresh take on the story of Dracula, this brought together two of my favorite things; soulmates and dirty talk. *dreamy sigh* Oh and a bit of my Buffy/Angel fetish with the whole vampire, and vampire slayer thing. *another dreamy sigh* But I digress again.

Dahlia Abernathy is in Venice on a mission. Posing as a student, she’s determined on her mission to kill the elusive Dracula…who happens to be her new professor. Oh and he’s also sexier than sin. Dahlia is a witch, who after the gruesome death of her parents by vampires, has killed many in her search for revenge. But nothing prepares her for her encounter with Dracula, Valtu Aminoff.

For my girlies who love their MCs kinky and with plenty of dirty talk, prepare yourself for the experience that is Valtu. I’m obsessed with this man…erm…vampire. Unwillingly, Dahlia finds herself quickly drawn to the one she’s been sent to kill. He’s not at all who she thought he was. She also soon finds herself questioning everything she’s been told her entire life and just how clearly she sees things.

This was an addictive page turner that I devoured in two days. And that cliffhanger? Painful! Desperately need the next book.

Review: The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate by Cate C Wells

THE TYRANT ALPHA’S REJECTED MATE
Series: Five Packs #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Cate C. Wells
Release Date:
November 12, 2021

He rejected me, and then he realized I’m the center of his world. Bummer.

Una
I keep my head down. In this backwards pack, females rank low, and my bad leg makes me damaged goods. It doesn’t help that I’ve never shifted. I don’t mind the late twenties single life, though. No one’s paying any attention as I build an illicit farmer’s market empire.

My roomies and I are doing it for ourselves, and if life under Killian Kelly is stifling, at least it’s predictable. We can deal.

But when biology finally kicks in, I lose my mind. I claim our alpha as my mate. And he rejects me in front of the whole pack.
It’s all good. It only hurts when I breathe. I’ll survive. That’s what I do.

Who wants an arrogant jerk for a mate, anyway? I’ve got a business to run.

Killian
To lead this pack out of the dark ages, I’ve had to be hard. Merciless. I don’t flinch, and I don’t make mistakes.

Una Hayes isn’t my mate.

My wolf might have some kind of strange infatuation, but if she were mine, I’d know it. And I can walk away, can’t I?
And if I keep coming back? If she starts living in my head?

I’m the strongest male in five generations. My pack scrambles to do my bidding. I can bring one quiet female back in line. No one can possibly be as stubborn as I am.

There’s no way I’ve ruined the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

I’m the Quarry pack alpha. I don’t lose.

The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate is a full-grown shifter romance. No cheating. HEA guaranteed. Intended for adult readers only.

AMAZON  

I need not to have fucked up the best thing that’s ever happened in my life before it even happened.

Say it with me: Book. Crack. Where has this author been all my life and why am I only discovering her now? I’m obsessed!

After seeing a friend talk about this book on Instagram, it took only three words to hook me immediately: rejected mate & grovel. Yep. The magic words and formula. I’m a sucker for the rejected mate trope, but a good one is impossible to find. See I love the rejected mate trope but when the MMC is doing the rejecting. Because the grovel that’s surely to come is the most delicious thing about it. And oh my god, the grovel here was just GAH.

Killian is this fascinating combination of fierce and cinnamon roll. Because while his strength is unmatched as an alpha, when he realizes how badly he screwed up, this man does everything to get back in his female’s good graces.

Killian is the alpha of the pack with a unique ability to flip shift at will. His strength is unmatched and his ferocity unquestionable. He’s made peace with the fact that as he’s gone this long without finding his mate, he doesn’t have one. So when the runt of the pack who he’s known his whole life announces she’s his mate, his response is swift and cruel.

Una is the black sheep of the pack. An grossly injury from her youth never having healed properly has impacted her wolf, and she’s never been able to shift. Denounced to the bottom of the totem pole of her pack, she’s made peace with this. Until suddenly the mating bond activates and her mate rejects her. Hurting, desperate, and heartbroken she barely escapes the humiliation of the night. And when she’s offered to remove the mating bond, she jumps at the chance. Then, the true deliciousness kicks in, because her mate comes to his senses and realizes what he did. While he didn’t feel the bond before, he feels it now, but it’s a little too late. And oh the way he tries to get back into her good graces. Half the book is his grovel, and I was so here for it. There was just the right touch of spice to make this even more satisfying. I loved the slow burn of it and I loved watching Una grow into the fierce she wolf, her injury aside. I am absolutely hooked. HOOKED on this series. I’m already dying for book two!!

Review: Munro by Kresley Cole

MUNRO
Series:
Immortals After Dark #18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Kresley Cole
Release Date:
January 25, 2022

A human monster huntress. An immortal werewolf. Could any passion be more forbidden?

The next stand-alone installment in the electrifying Immortals After Dark series by #1 New York Times best-selling author Kresley Cole. Venture deeper into the Lore, fierce realm of the immortals—if you dare. . . .

TORMENTED IN UNIMAGINABLE WAYS

Coming off torture at the hands of his warlock captors, Munro MacRieve never expected to find his mate, or to lose her just as abruptly. Driven to desperation, the ruthless warrior uses his enemies’ own powers to reunite with her—in the distant past.

STOLEN FROM HER TIME

When a crazed werewolf crashes her wedding, Kereny “Ren” Codrina does what any cunning huntress would do: she captures him. Yet she finds herself softening toward the wounded beast—until he turns the tables and forces her into an incomprehensible future.

CAN A HUMAN AND AN IMMORTAL UNITE IN ORDER TO SURVIVE?

As danger mounts, Munro will do anything to make her undying, even sell his soul to an evil sorceress. But first he must convince his fiery mate that she belongs with him. If seduction means her survival, Munro will use every weapon in his arsenal to possess her—forever.

AMAZON  | PAPERBACK | NOOK | iBOOKS | KOBO | GOOGLE

 

 

 

Do I make you nervous, wolf?”
“Bit.”
“How can that be? I’m merely a mortal.”
“Because I want you dearly, and I have a feeling you’re about to use your wiles on me.”

The Lykae and his harridan are finally here and they were worth every agonizing minute of the wait!

The minute I finished MacRieve I was desperate for his twin’s book. That sneak peek at the end? PAINFUL. And considering I finished MacRieve when it released in 2013, suffice it to say I’ve been just a touch rabid in my wait. *sheepish grin* This is hands down one of my favorite PNR series, so I’ll happily wait forever for each finger licking taste of the world. And while Kresley gave us a wait between releases, she’s back with a vengeance in this latest installment.

If you’ve read this series, you know the Hot and Hotter twins. And you also know of the seer who foretold that Munro’s mate to be a harridan. And if you’re like me, you’ve been desperate to see just how this prophecy comes to life. But oh the twist! Not only is Munro’s mate a mortal from another time (read-century), but she’s a monster hunter who hates immortals. *pause for dramatic effect*

We saw their first meeting at the end of MacRieve and let’s just say things don’t go well.

I cannot describe to you all just how happy I was to find myself in this magical world again. Munro and Kereny’s story was EVERYTHING. It was a delicious slow burn full of chemistry and unbearable yearning. When a Lykae finds their mate, that’s it. And Munro is prepared to do anything to have Kereny. Even if he has to make her immortal against her wishes. Ren puts my beloved wolf through hell, and at times I wanted to shake her for her stubbornness. Admittedly, she did take me a bit to warm up to. But much like all Kresley heroines, she’s fierce, sharp tongued, and full of sass, so it didn’t take too long for her to grow on me.

All of my favorites are back, especially my crazy vampire Lothaire, Nix, and a peek into Kristoff. The story is fast paced, full of action, chemistry, and amazing characters new and old. We get a bit of Dorada along with a crazy twist at the end, and all of this makes for one unputdownable read! The queen of PNR is back y’all!

Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the electrifying Immortals After Dark paranormal series, the young adult Arcana Chronicles series, the erotic Game Maker series, and five award-winning historical romances. Her books have been published in 23 countries and consistently appear on the bestseller lists in the U.S. and abroad.

A master’s grad and former athlete, Kresley has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings. 

She lives in Florida with her family and too many pets. 

Subscribe to Kresley’s newsletter: https://bit.ly/KresleyNews

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Review: Bond of Destiny by Larissa Ione

BOND OF DESTINY
Series:
Demonica #20
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Larissa Ione
Release Date: August 24, 2021

Sold into slavery mere hours after his birth to werewolf parents, Tracker spent decades in service to cruel underworlders. Then the fallen angel Harvester transferred his ownership to a human woman who gave him as much freedom as the unbreakable bond would allow. Still, thanks to his traumatic past, he’s afraid to trust, let alone feel love.

But when an acquaintance shows up at his door, injured and in need of help, he finds himself longing for a connection. For someone to touch. For someone to care.

Stacey Orr has had it bad for Tracker since the day her best friend, Jillian, was forced to hold his unbreakable slave bond. At first, the fact that he’s a werewolf seemed weird to Stacey, but hey, her best friend was married to one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, so weird is definitely a matter of perspective. Stacey knows the depths of Tracker’s trauma, and she longs to help him even as he helps her, but breaking through his walls isn’t easy.

And it only gets harder when the only blood family he has, the pack that gave him away, lays claim to him… and everything he loves.

AMAZON

Do you know how obsessed I am with this series? No, but do you? DO YOU?! Because Ione can write 40 more books in it and I’ll be desperately awaiting each new one. Not often you can say that 20 books in, but this series just hits the spot each and every single book.

This is a story I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for. If you’ve read Rogue Rider and Reaver, then you already know exactly who Tracker is. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve been desperately waiting for his HEA because to say that this man has been through hell and back (literally) is a mild understatement. His own parents sold him into slavery when he was just born. As a born werewolf, he knows nothing of his customs. As a born slave, he’s known nothing but misery and still can’t acclimate to life of limited freedom. Even though his slave bond was transferred to Jillian, he’s still not free. And even though Jillian tries to give him everything he was missing in life, it’s tough to accept that life for him.

Stacey was absolutely awesome. She’s a female that owns her sexuality and doesn’t feel ashamed of her history with men. She’s also tough and fierce, which I loved as well. A massive snow storm causes her car to crash and her to be rescued by Tracker. A little forced proximity for the win. Tracker fights his attraction to her, and Stacey feels like Jillian has warned her off of Tracker because of his tragic past and her instability with men. I loved the way these two just clicked. Their chemistry was through the roof and the build up was delicious.

Larissa Ione never disappoints and this story just hit the spot for me. I loved the suspense, I loved the action, and I absolutely loved the romance. The cameos by some of my favorites was also fantastic. I loved getting more of Harvester. I do wish we’ll get a full length novel from Ione soon because as much as I love the novellas, I can’t help but yearn for more.

Air Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career in meteorology to pursue her passion of writing. She has since published dozens of books, hit several bestseller lists, including the New York Times and USA Today, and has been nominated for a RITA award. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her retired U.S. Coast Guard husband, her son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhounds, a King Shepherd named Hexe and a Belgian Malinois named Duvel.

 

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Review: Claimed by JR Ward

CLAIMED
Series:
Laird of the Wolven #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: JR Ward
Release Date: July 27, 2021

A heart-pounding new series set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world, with a scientist fighting to save the timber wolves—and getting caught in a deadly trap herself…

Lydia Susi is passionate about protecting wolves in their natural habitat. When a hotel chain develops a tract of land next to the preserve, Lydia is one of the most vocal opponents of the project—and becomes a target.

One night, a shadowy figure threatens Lydia’s life in the forest, and a new hire at the Wolf Study Project comes from out of nowhere to save her. Daniel Joseph is both mysterious, and someone she intrinsically wants to trust. But is he hiding something?

As the stakes get higher, and one of Lydia’s colleagues is murdered, she must decide how far she will go to protect the wolves. Then a shocking revelation about Daniel challenges Lydia’s reality in ways she could never have predicted.

Some fates demand courage, others require even more, with no guarantees. Is she destined to have true love… or will a soul-shattering loss ruin her forever?

AMAZON

He’d gotten it wrong. She wasn’t his. It was the other way around. She owned him.

I have been sitting on my rating of this book for almost a week now, struggling to figure out how I felt. Ultimately, while there were definitely things about this book that didn’t really work for me, it did hook me enough to want to read the next one, but just not enough to rate the book any higher than I did.

Now for the story. If you haven’t read the BDB series, you may find yourself a little lost here. This is set in the same world as BDB with an overarching story line for Xhex from Lover Mine as well as events spanning from those that happened later in the BDB series. While you get some explanations, if you haven’t read BDB, you may find yourself a bit confused.

Additionally, this is not a standalone. This caught me completely off guard. I was expecting a standalone in an interconnected series, not a cliffhanger. I wish this was made clear to the reader and the cliffhanger here doesn’t catch you unaware.

But those things aside, let’s talk about the story. I love Ward’s brand of story telling. She’s written some of my favorite PNR books. When I saw she’s taking a step from the vampire world to dive into werewolves, I was so here for it. Now usually book one in a new world, does read slower. You have a whole new world to introduce. But while I expected slower paced, I didn’t quite expect to feel as disconnected from it as I did. I found myself bored, skimming the pages. The mystery is what kept me going, but everything else felt lackluster. I found myself struggling to connect to the romance. I never fully felt the chemistry here. It all just felt a bit…bla to me.

Now don’t get me wrong. While the story didn’t blow me away, it still kept me engaged enough to keep turning the pages. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. It was just very bland compared to what I’ve come to expect from Ward. I will say that even though I didn’t expect the cliff, the last 20% off the story is what won me over slightly. That’s when the action really began to take place and the story began to pick up at least a little pace. It hooked me enough to want to read the next book and desperate to see how everything ends. Though it’s still not clear if the next book is the conclusion or if it will be a series focused on one couple.

Review: The Sinner by Emma Scott

THE SINNER Genre: Paranormal Romance Author: Emma Scott Release Date: August 15, 2021

Shy, introverted Lucy Dennings lives a quiet little life in New York City, working for a nonprofit and keeping to herself. Every afternoon, she goes home to her empty apartment and Edgar, her houseplant, and every night, she loses herself in the pages of her beloved romance novels. Her lonely heart seeks solace in tales of passionate, enduring, all-consuming love, but more and more, Lucy feels she’s not just reading for pleasure but searching for a lost piece of herself in the pages. As if she once touched something beautiful but it’s been ripped away. Until one day Lucy discovers a dead body in the alley behind her apartment. Even if it’s too late, her first instinct is to help. Her second is to run. Because the dead body isn’t so very dead, and suddenly, her little world isn’t so little but one in which dreams feel like memories, “inner demons” actually lurk in dark alleys, and a beautiful creature of darkness with amber eyes and wings like night might hold the key to what her heart has been aching for…if she doesn’t fall down the path of eternal damnation first. From USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Emma Scott, comes an emotional paranormal love story of passion, sacrifice, and the soul-deep love of a lifetime…more than one

AMAZON

I should stop inflicting myself on her, but I can’t. She is my weakness. The sweetest vice.”
This was one of the most beautiful, touching, and all encompassing paranormal romances I’ve read in a long while. I’m ashamed to admit it was my first Emma Scott book. I know! I know! Stop glaring at me. I clearly see what I’ve been missing out on. PNR was my first love. It was the genre that got me hooked on romance. So to say that I’m picky when it comes to it is putting it mildly. For that reason, I’m usually weary of contemporary authors trying their hand at paranormal. Because more often than not, world building turns into a data dump. But this was the furthest thing from the truth with this story. It was like a movie rolling behind my eyelids as I was reading it. I loved this world of demons and angels. And the set up of this story was absolutely delicious. You have a beautiful introvert, who is still dealing with the grief of losing her beloved father. When she finds a naked man with wings outside her apartment, she thinks she may be dreaming, but is actually something closer to her nightmares. Lucy is impossible not to love. She’s shy, sweet, and would give the shirt off her back to a stranger. She lives vicariously through her romance novels while wishing her handsome coworker would notice her. But she’s a wallflower that doesn’t mind fading in the background. Caz was….gah. EVERYTHING. The ultimate tortured hero…or anti hero. Whatever. The man was a demon, and not just a demon, but the ultimate demon. His secrets are dark and they run deep, and the more that gets revealed about him, the more desperate I was to learn more. I loved the way they just fit. Like light to dark, ying to yang, they were like two puzzle pieces that just fit. And the more you learn, the more epic it becomes. This was the ultimate story of soulmates and love everlasting. It was beautiful, emotional, and completely unforgettable.

Emma Scott is a USA Today and Wall St. Journal bestselling author whose books have been translated in five languages and featured in Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, New York Daily News and USA Today’s Happy Ever After. She writes emotional, character-driven romances in which art and love intertwine to heal, and in which love always wins. If you enjoy emotionally-charged stories that rip your heart out and put it back together again, with diverse characters and kind-hearted heroes, you will enjoy her novels. Visit www.emmascottwrites.com RECENT RELEASES Someday, Someday (M/M standalone) A Five-Minute Life (standalone) Bring Down the Stars (Beautiful Hearts #1) Long Live the Beautiful Hearts (Beautiful Hearts #2) “At Santa Cruz Central High, we called them the misfits, the outcasts, the weirdos. But most of us knew them as the Lost Boys.” The Girl in the Love Song (Lost Boys #1) : http://bit.ly/2MLnYhU

When You Come Back To Me (Lost Boys #2) : http://bit.ly/37BsCHh

The Last Piece of his Heart (Lost Boys #3) : http://bit.ly/2QeVlfa

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Review: Heartless by Gena Showalter

HEARTLESS
Series:
Immortal Enemies #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: June 29, 2021

Vengeance is irresistible…

Kaysar the Unhinged One, fae King of Midnight, can drive anyone to madness with his song. A ruthless warrior forged in hate, he lives to force his enemies to their knees.

He will stop at nothing to succeed—even abduct and seduce his foe’s beloved bride, ensuring his own child one day sits on the male’s throne.

Except, his prize escapes to the mortal realm before the first kiss, her heart transplanted into a mortal beauty with dangerous secrets…

Chantel “Cookie” Bardot is a professional gamer girl great at trash talking, bad at peopling. After a long awaited surgery, she begins to morph into a powerful fae princess.

Catapulted into a strange land ruled by a cruel but seductive villain, she must battle flesh and blood monsters and navigate royal intrigues.

But the true danger is Kaysar, whose every wicked touch tempts her beyond reason. Should she run…or descend into the darkness with him?

AMAZON 

He struck her as a man who murdered without hesitation, breaking a sweat or regretting his actions.

As someone who’s read Gena’s entire backlist, it’s safe for me to say that this woman can write the alphabet on a sheet of toilet paper and I’d read it. So while I’ve been ravenous for Hades’s book and more of her LoTu, I will still jump at everything else she writes. And a brand new series that’s titled Immortal Enemies? Yeah you bet your patootie I’ll be all over it. No one writes enemies to lovers banter quite like Showalter. Then you add into it her sassy, sharp tongued, and bad@ss heroines meet tortured and uber protective heroes and I’m putty. PUTTY I TELLS YA.

Maybe you should let me go now?” she said. She needed a moment to think without him nearby.
Another chuckle. “Does my proximity bother you, sweetling?”
“Yes,” she burst out. “And I’d prefer an endearment like Machete or Chops. Now be a good boy, and let me go.”

The one thing I’ve come to appreciate about Gena’s stories, is the world building. We get a new world with fae, goblins, centaurs, and seers and I was so here for it. None of it felt like a data dump. All of it felt incredibly vivid, enchanting, and completely addictive.

Kaysar the Unhinged One is certainly appropriately known through the kingdom. The man is practically deranged in his need for revenge. The only thing that drives him is bringing all of the pain and suffering to his enemies who stole everything precious from him when he was just a small boy.

Chantel “Cookie” Bardot is a quirky gamer with a best friend who’s in her 60s and a cat to keep her company. She also has a bad heart and is looking at certain death unless she gets a heart transplant. Now I won’t give you a summary here because you can get everything you need from the blurb. But the second Cookie gets thrust into the world of Kaysar, I was totally and completely invested.

The tension and the relationship building between these two was utterly delicious. Their banter is hilarious and with a vein of sexual tension that’s so good, that by the time they finally give into you, you feel like you may go into flames yourself. There’s nothing better than that build up and man, I loved it so much here. Cookie is a bit of a nut herself. A gamer, she’s a bloodthirsty little thing herself. And when she gets a taste for battle in her new world, she finds she rather likes it. I couldn’t picture a better half for Kaysar’s particular brand of crazy. I loved watching him falling for her in spite of himself and I loved watching Cookie come into her own. I was afraid that having Lulundria’s heart and some of her memories may eventually morph her into someone else, but really it just gave her a boost.

There’s so much build up here that I can’t wait to read next with some secondary characters. Like a certain Frostline prince that lost his loved bride only to lose her all over again when her heart goes into the body of a woman that falls for his mortal enemy. GAH. How epic does that sound? Because NEED.

I will never complain about a new series from the queen of PNR. So even though I’m pretty sure I would go crazy until I get Hades’s book soon, this new series certainly helps. An entire series based on the enemies to lovers vibes? YES MA’AM! BRING IT I say.

Review: The Warlord by Gena Showalter

THE WARLORD
Series: Rise of the Warlords #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: April  20,  2021

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter begins a dark, sexy new series—Rise of the Warlords—with a fan-favorite character from her beloved Lords of the Underworld series, Taliyah Skyhawk. The ice maiden faces off with her greatest enemy, a villain brutal beyond imagining.

For centuries, Taliyah Skyhawk has prepared to become Harpy General, leader of the deadliest female army in existence. One of the requirements? Remain a virgin. But, for a chance to save her people, she must wed the fearless leader of the Astra Planeta, Alaroc Phaethon.

The time has come for Roc to sacrifice another virgin bride to his god. There has never been a woman alluring enough to tempt him from his path. No warrioress powerful enough to overcome his incredible strength. No enchantress desirable enough to make him burn beyond reason. Until now.

With the clock ticking, war between husband and wife ignites. Except Taliyah never expected the merciless king to challenge the future she once envisioned. She certainly never anticipated the thrill of their battles turning into games… The problem is, only one spouse can survive.

Love is a battlefield in Showalter’s The Warlord.

AMAZON

I’ve never been a hero. I’ve never wanted to be. I make a better villain.

Gena Showalter: announces new series
Me:

*giggles in giddy fangirl*

When I saw the new series announcement from Gena, I’m pretty sure I spent hours stalking any and all information on it. Then I spent months, and I mean MONTHS, stalking for the book. The level of anticipation was high, people!

The Warlord is a brand new book in Gena’s Rise of The Warlords series but it’s also an overarching series from her Lords of The Underworld. If you recall the harpy sisters from that The Darkest Surrender? We get Taliyah Skyhawk’s story in this one and man was it delicious.

If there’s one thing that I love about Gena’s books, it’s her fierce heroines. And Taya was all of those things and more. With a bloodline that’s a deadly secret, Taliyah grew up with one goal in life; becoming Harpy General. Leading a deadly army of female harpies is all she wants and she’ll sacrifice anything, including staying a virgin to do it. I know, right?! Plot twist.

Roc is the deadly leader of the Astra Planeta, a fierce army of ancient warriors feared in every realm. His task? To sacrifice a virgin bride to ensure his army receives a mystical blessing. If he fails, they’re cursed to utter defeat for 500 years. And Roc would do anything for his warriors.

First of all, the antagonism and hate lust between these two? *chefs kiss* SO GOOD. Roc is all broody, grumpy, and warlordy. And Taya is sassy, hilarious, and always game to press every button he has and a few he didn’t even know he has. And this reader? Gobbled it right up.

I should probably apologize for my tardiness, and I will, just as soon as I’m sorry. As your men are proving with their nineinch salutes, I’m totally worth the wait. Well, he’s giving me ten.” She winked at Silver. “Bravo, sir.”

As always the world building was enticing, vivid, and full of new characters I can’t wait to read more about. Including a cameo by my beloved Hades. Well not really a cameo, more of a mention. But I’ll take any morsel when it coms to this man. But I digress again.

I loved this book and this new slew of warrior characters. Move over lords, there’s new tortured and brooding warlords. And I’m not one to pick favorites here, but I’m saying I’m dying for the next book! If this one is anything to judge the series by, we’re in for one heck of a ride and I’m already braced for it.

If you’re looking for a steamy PNR with plenty of chemistry, banter, and all of the action with incredible characters that you won’t be able to get enough of, READ THIS.

Review: Bound by Forever by S. Young

BOUND BY FOREVER
Series: True Immortality #3
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: S. Young
Release Date: November 17, 2020

New York Times Bestselling author Samantha Young writing as S. Young.

Niamh Farren has been burdened by knowledge for most of her life. As one of seven fae children born into the human world with the ability to open the gate to Faerie, Niamh’s mission is to guide her fae brethren to do what’s right. Because Niamh has seen what will happen to the human world if she does not protect the gate. Throughout the years, she’s traveled the world with her brother Ronan, using her psychic visions to find the fae-borne and convince them to stay on the path that will keep the gate from opening. She has sacrificed much … but when she loses her brother to the mission, Niamh begins to lose herself.

For nearly one hundred and fifty years, werewolf Kiyo has wandered the planet as a lost soul. Cursed with immortality, he spends his awful eternity as a mercenary for hire. When the powerful Fionn Mór confides the truth about the existence of Faerie and hires Kiyo to protect one of the fae-borne, he accepts the challenge out of boredom, not heroism. Yet Niamh is unexpected in every way the werewolf can possibly imagine.

Guarding Niamh from her enemies is nowhere near as challenging as protecting the fae woman from herself. If Kiyo is to succeed, he must help Niamh find herself again, and not just for her sake. Ignoring the fierce connection between them may no longer be an option. A new enemy is rising and threatening to rip open the gate between worlds. To remind Niamh of who she really is, Kiyo must make the choice to lower his defenses and give into their bond. Or safeguard his own heart … and in doing so lead the human world to the brink of war


AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO

Protecting Niamh from her enemies was one thing. Protecting her from herself was a far greater challenge.

I live for a good PNR, and I was hooked on this series the second I read War of Hearts.

In this third installment an immortal werewolf is sent to protect a powerful fae with visions of the future from a revenge that may cost her her life. I’ve been anxiously anticipating this story ever since
Niamh first made an appearance as a nameless and mysterious secondary character in War of Hearts. Her story really came to a head in Kiss of Vengeance and I highly recommend that you read this series in order to truly get the full impact and experience. You definitely need to at least Kiss of Vengeance in order to fully understand Niamh’s plight and the introduction to Kiyo.

Now if you love your heroes grumpy and uber protective like me, you will fall head over ovaries for Kiyo the second you meet him. When Fionn hires Kiyo to protect Niamh, he’s not exactly thrilled. A loner by nature and one of the only immortal werewolf in existence, Niyo lives a life of secrecy and no attachments. A beautiful but tortured fae that tempts him at every turn is not a complication that he needs in his life. So suffice it to say that the two of them clash epically when they first meet. But then again, Kiyo does essentially kidnap her to protect her. And then she escapes him at every turn to run head first into danger. So this is certainly not a recipe for a smooth relationship.

The chemistry between them is instant even though the relationship is very a much a delicious slow burn. Kiyo fights his connection while Niamh yearns for something…more. I loved her sweet and vulnerable nature in comparison to Kiyo’s cold and ruthless one. I loved watching him succumb more and more to their connection and reveal bits and pieces of his past. I loved Niahm’s mixture of fierce strength and emotional vulnerability. These two were like the missing puzzle piece for the other.

The story was full of twists and turns with a layer of sizzling slow burn romance that I couldn’t get enough of. With each new installment in this series another layer gets peeled back and I can’t wait until the conclusion with book four. Bound by Forever was a wonderful combination of action, suspense, rich world building and swoony romance. I can’t recommend it enough for any PNR lover out there

 Samantha is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty books, several of which have been nominated for Goodreads Choice Awards. She writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction. Her books have been published in 28 languages in 30 countries. She resides in Scotland.

For more information visit http://authorsamanthayoung.com

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