Tag: fantasy

Dirty Alphas: A Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy Romance by Alexa B. James and Angelina Avery

Dirty Alphas: A Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy Romance

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: December 14th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal

Where you can find Dirty Alphas: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Know what’s worse than being forced to marry your depraved, sadistic alpha? 
Hiding his corpse. 

Ten years after storms and seismic disasters ravaged the world, only one major forest remains intact in the United States, and my werewolf pack is responsible for keeping Heartland Forest for the wolves. Jacob Knight may have been a terrible alpha, but he kept the fae, vampires, and man-eating trolls from taking over Heartland. Day by day, they close in on us. 

For two years, I’ve gotten away with murder, and it hasn’t been easy. I live a lie, and it’s eating me up inside. It’s a price I must pay to keep my secrets buried and my pack safe. 

But nothing stays buried for long in Heartland Forest. 

When Jacob’s three alpha brothers ride their motorcycles into town, claiming they want to rent a room in the apartment building I manage, I know they’re here for more than low rent and creaky pipes. 

Do I have what it takes to take on three dirty alphas?

My review:

Its been a while since I have read a good menage book. And I haven’t read a good reverse harem book ever. So when I was approached to read and review Dirty Alphas, I decided to take a chance. I am glad because this book was a good read. Almost a little too bloody for my taste (in romance…other books, I’m fine).

I felt bad for Scarlet. She was forced to marry her Alpha, Jacob Knight. Then she kills him (which I didn’t feel bad for her for doing. He deserved it). What I did feel bad for was that she had to hide that she, herself, was an Alpha. In order for her to do that, she had to give her father power and let him be Alpha. I do wish that more insight was given about how she gave her father power. It was mentioned a couple of times but not much insight was given about it.

What I also liked is that Scarlet had a normal family. Her mother was a freaking hoot. I was cracking up laughing at her scenes. Her father was the opposite. I liked him too. Her sister, I couldn’t stand. What she did to Scarlet was unforgivable in my eyes.

Let’s talk about the Knight triplets. There wasn’t a lot of background given about them. That they were Jacob’s younger triplet brothers. They were given a heads up about his death but decided to leave the pack alone. I understood their decision to go back but thought it was 4 years too late.

I loved how the authors built up sexual tension. The tension between Scarlet and Mack was insane!! It came off the pages. I mean, that dance that they did for the kids set the book on fire….and it was an innocent one. Great sexual tension meant one hell of a sex scene. I had to fan myself. It was that good.

What I also liked is that the authors chose to only have two sex scenes in the book. Like I mentioned above, the first one blew me out of the water. And it was also a typical menage sex scene. I did wince when Aaron joined Mack and Scarlet in bed. For a virgin to allow backdoor access, I was surprised. The second sex scene, with Darrel, was the sweet, heartfelt one.

The main plotline was great. The lengths that Scarlet’s family went through to protect her was amazing. Like I mentioned above, I wish that more information was given about how she shared energy with her father and how that masked her being alpha. I loved how the author resolved that plotline. It was perfect.

The plotline with the brothers coming back was interesting. I wasn’t sure of how their coming back was going to affect Scarlet. I felt that their plotline didn’t move until Scarlet got attacked. Then it got going.

The plotline with the man-eating werewolf was interesting. I was surprised at who it ended up being. And how that werewolf was defeated was fantastic.

Like I mentioned above, there is a lot of violence in Dirty Alphas. The violence could get a little graphic. While I wasn’t turned off by it, some people might be.

I was a little confused by the end of Dirty Alphas. What confused me? Lance. I am not going to say anything more than that. Also, is there going to be another book? Because I got a feeling by how the book ended that there is going to be one by the way this book ended.

I would give Dirty Alphas an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be forced marriage and violence against women. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Dirty Alphas. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher and the authors for allowing me to read and review Dirty Alphas.

All opinions stated in this review of Dirty Alphas are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Dragon’s Shadow by Allison Morse

Dragon's Shadow

3.5 Stars

Publisher: RABT Book Tours

Date of publication: September 24th, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Where you can find Dragon’s Shadow: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Royal twins ripped apart at birth become reluctant champions of good and evil.

Kylie, a teenage science geek, has no faith in people. Instead, she relies on what she trusts the most, the facts––what she can see, touch, and hear but never feel. With enough pain to deal with in her own world, she is thrust into another––a kingdom at war whose strange inhabitants fear one thing the most––the return of the dragon. All of this is illogical to Kylie, but even more so, when she discovers she belongs there.

Her brother, Prince Jarlon, journeys to kill the dragon who has laid waste to his kingdom. His only hope for destroying the beast is help from his sister, whom he has never met. Will their paths cross before the beast’s malevolence infects Kylie and turns her into his creature or will Jarlon have to destroy her, too?

My review:

Kylie is home on a temporary leave from the asylum that her stepfather sent her to after the death of her mother. She is doing her best to fit into the mold that her school and stepfather wants her to be in. All Kylie wants is to be left alone and study science. Gifted an amulet shortly before her mother died, Kylie cannot figure out what it is. What she finds out exceeds her wildest imagination.

Prince Jarlon is the heir to the Hamadriad kingdom. Jarlon was raised by his uncle, the King after his father was murdered and mother disappeared. Jarlon is part of a prophecy that will start when he turns 18. He is content with learning to be the best swordsman and ambassador at his uncle’s side. Keeping peace between the shinwar, humans, and cortali is a balancing act and Jarlon is becoming good at it. But life has a funny way of throwing curveballs at you. His uncle was killed in an attack on the kingdom and everything that Jarlon had been told has been turned upside down. He learns that he had a twin sister and that she might be the downfall of his kingdom and The Order.  He also learns that if she cannot fight against the dragon’s influence, he will have to kill her. Jarlon sets out on a quest to kill the dragon and save his sister.

I liked Kylie and felt awful that she was hurting so bad after Leora died. Her anger and distrust at Richard came off the pages in waves. I also understood why she had a problem trusting people. How those kids treated her in school was awful. The only one who stood up for her was Matt. I could see why she believed what the Dragon was telling her.

Jarlon annoyed me. He decides to intervene with Tryffin when the crowd was going to send him to jail. He didn’t listen to his cousin when he was told to come with him. Instead, he ran to the King and saw his death. When the Lady of the Eyes decided to show him his past, he fought against it. I thought his ruse to get to Richard by posing as a slaver, with Tryffin as his slave, was good. But he gave the rouge shinwar the directions to the southern cortalis hidden village. I, along with Tryffin,  did a “WTF“. I know he thought he was helping but still. I did think that he was brave when he confronted the Dragon.

The main plotline with Kylie, her amulet and the Dragon was well written. There were some plot inconsistencies that I picked up on that made me go “EH” and scratch my head. I enjoyed the plotline and rooted for Kylie.

The plotline with Jarlon, Tryffin and the quest to find and kill the Dragon was wonderful as well. Again, there were some inconsistencies that made me scratch my head. But they were nothing that took away from my enjoyment of reading the book.

The end of the book was amazing. What Jarlon and Kylie were able to do together was not something I expected. While the main fight ended the way I thought it would, I wasn’t expecting Kylie’s decision. Also, the end of the book, made me wonder if there was going to be a sequel.

I gave Dragon’s Shadow a 3.5-star rating. This book was vividly written with a fantastic plotline. I did find some plot and character consistencies. Other than that, this was a book that I enjoyed reading.

I would give Dragon’s Shadow an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is no language. There is violence. There are some triggers. They are mental illness and bullying. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread Dragon’s Shadow. I would also recommend this book to family and friends. I would give a warning about the triggers.

I would like to thank RABT Book Tours for allowing me to read and review Dragon’s Shadow.

All opinions stated in this review of Dragon’s Shadow are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Have you read Dragon’s Shadow

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

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Dragonfire (Dark Kings: Book 14) by Donna Grant

Dragonfire (Dark Kings, #14)

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Date of publication: October 30th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Series: Dark Kings

Dark Craving—Book 0.1

Night’s Awakening—Book 0.2

Dawn’s Desire—Book 0.3

Passion’s Claim—Book 0.4

Darkest Flame—Book 1

Fire Rising—Book 2

Burning Desire—Book 3

Hot Blooded—Book 4

Night’s Blaze—Book 5

Soul Scorched—Book 6

Dragon King—Book 6.5

Passion Ignites—Book 7

Smoldering Hunger—Book 8

Smoke and Fire—Book 9

Dragon Fever—Book 9.5

Firestorm—Book 10

Blaze—Book 11

Dragon Burn—Book 11.5

Constantine: A History—Book 11.6

Heat—Book 12 (review here)

Torched—Book 13

Dragon Night—Book 13.5

Dragonfire—Book 14

Where you can find Dragonfire: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Passion burns hot in Dragonfire, the next Dark Kings novel from New York Times bestseller Donna Grant. 

It was a soul-deep longing, one that got into his bones and settled there, sending whispers of desire through him. The need, the hunger, grew tenfold with every breath. . . .

As a Dragon King, Roman is sworn to protect all mortals–even though they no longer believe in dragons. But deep in the Carpathian Mountains, he discovers a beautiful and mysterious gypsy who possesses the power to see into his very soul. To reignite the fire in his heart. And to help him find the long-lost sword that could save the dragons forever…

Sabina remembers the stories her grandmother told her. Legends of dragons and kings, fire and ice. And she’s never forgotten the dark prophecy that filled her ancestors with fear–a fate they tried to prevent by stealing a Dragon King’s sword. Sabina knows that helping Roman is dangerous. He is a dragon betrayed, and more powerful than any man. He could destroy her in a single fiery embrace. But how can she resist the longing in his eyes–or the feelings in her heart–when their destinies are bound by desire?

Sabina is a Gypsy living with her brother near the Carpathian Mountains. When she was a child, her grandmother told her a story and made her promise to remember it. The story was about a kind Dragon King who’s sword was stolen by her ancestors. Because of that theft, her family was forced to leave their homeland and becoming Romani. She thought it was a legend until she met Roman and Vlad. Roman is helping his friend V find his stolen sword. Traveling to the Carpathian Mountains, they stumble upon Sabina and her brother Camlo. With urging from her brother, Sabina realizes that she needs to help the Kings find V’s sword. Their journey takes them to a mountain in Iceland where V’s sword might be. But there are wrenches thrown into their plans. A mysterious alliance between Druids and Fae threaten their quest. Can Sabina and Roman find the sword? Will they give into their attraction to each other? Or will everything fail?

I was pretty excited to read Dragonfire. I had read and reviewed Heat and enjoyed it. So I figured that I would like this book also. And I did. What I didn’t know was that Donna Grant is writing other series at the same time she is writing the  Dark Kings series. I figured it out when Eoghan and Thea from Dark Alpha’s Hunger were mentioned a few times in this book. As was the Light Elf Queen and the new Dark Elf King. Along with Rhi, Con, Ulrik, and Mikkel. Then a lightbulb went off over my head and I went “No, freaking way“. I am in awe that someone can do that. I have issues with keeping one thing straight in my head. So forget many series of books with many plotlines and characters.

I liked Sabina and Roman together. I will admit that at the beginning of the book, I was a little confused at who Sabina was supposed to be with. And yes, I didn’t read the blurb…lol. I thought it was going to be V for some reason. Because the book started off with the story that Sabina’s grandmother told about him. But once Roman and Sabina met, the sexual attraction and chemistry came off the pages. There was one point when they were in the caves, where I was chanting in my head “Kiss the girl. Kiss the girl” (and no, I didn’t sound like Sebastian from The Little Mermaid when I was saying it to myself).

When they finally did have sex, it was amazing. I will never look at hot springs in the same way again. What I liked, even more, was that the author didn’t let the sexual tension down. She kept it up. Which meant that the other sex scenes were amazing.

I also liked Sabina and Roman as people. They both had gone through some tough times. Sabina’s was losing her mother and stepfather and taking care of Camlo. She had to be strong and wary. Because of Camlo’s disability, she always needed to be on the defensive. Seeing her open up and trust Roman and V was powerful. Roman’s tough times were when he became Dragon King. When he told the story about how he became Dragon King and who he had to defeat, my heart broke for him. But, what made me like him, was his gentleness with Camlo.

I do wish that the author got more into Camlo and Sabina’s abilities. Sabina had the Sight. But what did that consist of? What could she see (other than people being dishonest)? I know that it came into play when she touched V in the cave but still, I would have loved a better explanation. Also, I would have loved a better explanation of Camlo’s abilities. I was also frustrated when it came to getting information out of him. I know that he had the mind of a child but man, that whole scene dragged out when Roman and Sabina were deep in the caverns. What other abilities did he have (other than talking to animals and the Sight)?

The plotline involving V and his sword was amazingly written. The author did a great job at keeping me guessing about where the sword was. Also the neat twist she put in that storyline, I liked. I wasn’t expecting it. But it did explain a whole bunch.

I also liked the storyline with Sabina and Roman’s journey to get the sword. Dangerous doesn’t even begin to describe it. And with the Others magic making it even more dangerous, my heart was in my throat during the entire journey. The end of that storyline had me in tears. But I forgot one thing. Only another Dragon King can kill a Dragon King.

The secondary storylines were good but man, they were vague. Take Con losing the weapon. That was a first for me. What was the weapon? It was something that Con and the other Dragon Kings feared. Because the “Oh Crap” factor went up when V and Roman got the message. The storyline with the Others infuriated me. Why were they doing what they did and how did they know what was going on it the future. Also, the book that Usaeil found in the hidden library. What is with that? And the very last chapter. I wanted to scream with frustration about that.

Like I mentioned above, I wanted to scream at the end of Dragonfire. But, I did like how the author ended or didn’t end the storylines. She ended Roman and Sabina’s happily and gave a hint about who her next book might be about. Which I can’t wait to read!!

I gave Dragonfire a 4-star rating. This was a well written 14th book in the Dark Kings series. I connected with the characters. The plotlines were well written with no lag or dropped storylines. I did wish that more explanation was given about Camlo and Sabina’s powers. And the end frustrated me. I enjoyed reading this book and cannot wait to read book 15.

I would give Dragonfire an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence. There are no triggers. I would suggest that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Dragonfire. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Griffin, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Dragonfire.

All opinions stated in this review of Dragonfire are mine.

I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Dragonfire?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

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Spirit of Prophecy: Paranormal and Sci-Fi Crime by J.J. Hughes

Spirit of Prophecy: Paranormal and Sci-Fi Crime

4 Stars

Publisher: 

Date of publication: April 14th, 2018

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy

Where you can find Spirit of Prophecy: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

What if your past came back to haunt you and stalked the present until it became your worst nightmare? What would you do if you discovered you’re engaged to a murderous psychopath about to go serial?

J.J. Hughes explores the lengths to which we will go, to keep the past from overshadowing the present and destroying the future. Spirit of Prophecy is a highly original, cutting-edge, metaphysical crime mystery with a breathtaking paranormal twist.

Years ago, a terrible atrocity occurred in Apache Indian territory in New Mexico, and now the players take up their positions to execute an act of horrific revenge. If you liked A.G. Riddle’s The Atlantis Gene you’ll love this.

Evil awakens, and Rosetta Barrett, a psychic detective, must settle old scores and heal ancient wounds. She has the highest international security clearance with the Elite Paranormal Intelligence Services [EPIS], but she can’t tell her family or the courts what she really does. Divorce was hell. She lost custody of her children because of her paranormal beliefs, and now she’s fighting to get them back.

Prominent American event rider, Juliet Jermaine, loses her Olympic horse, Gothic, and his rider, Isabella, also dies in a horrific unprovoked road rage attack. Barrett is investigating Isabella’s murder. She has a suspect but gathering sufficient evidence to nail a conviction is proving elusive.

If Rosetta fails to convict the criminal and end the horrific cycle of revenge and retribution, the past is set to explode into the present with dire and explosive consequences.

Time is running out…

Read Spirit of Prophecy and get onboard a metaphysical rollercoaster from the future to the past and back!

Visit the author’s website and get to know J.J. Hughes and her work.
www.moneymagnet.global/booksbyjjhughes

My review:

I was super excited to read this book. The blurb got me going. A paranormal mystery? Sign me up!! I am glad that I read this book because man, it was good.

Rosetta is a psychic detective and a witch. Used to people making assumptions about her, she tries to fly under the radar while solving her cases. The last time it got out that the police was using a psychic, Rosetta ended up losing custody of her children to her manipulative ex-husband. Rosetta is also employed by the Elite Paranormal Intelligence Services (EPIS). Her role with that organization is secret but she does tell people who her job is dealing with karma and past events. Juliet is an Olympic caliber rider who has lost her prize horse and best friend’s sister in a road rage accident. Juliet and Rosetta meet when Rosetta is put in charge of investigating her friend’s sister murder. Who wanted to kill Gothic? Can Rosetta solve the case? Can she also rectify wrongs made over 100 years ago?

Rosetta was a hot mess in this book. The author didn’t even try to cover it up. She was estranged from her children. She smoked too much. She drank too much. She was ghosted by her current boyfriend. Her ex was still trying to control her by how often she saw the children. She wasn’t respected at work because she was a psychic detective. The list could go on. I loved it!! I loved that she was so real. I loved that she was written to be as flawed. I also liked that she was honest about her abilities. That she didn’t hide what she was from people. She was very relatable to me and she became one of my favorite characters in the book.

I didn’t know what to think about Juliet. I felt bad for her because of what she saw. But, at the same time, I was annoyed with her. Her friend’s younger sister died and Juliet was more concerned about her horse dying. That was a big WTF moment for me. I also thought that she was selfish and way too reliant on Matt. She wasn’t going to screw over her best friend but Matt talked her into it. She acted like a child at times too. Like when she found the lipstick in Tommy’s bathroom. They had been together all of 2 days and she is freaking out on him. If I were Tommy, I would have run after that. But, I did like seeing that she did mature towards the end of the book. Again, it was refreshing to see.

I loved how the mystery angle of the book was written. I did figure out who was behind the death of Gothic and Juliet’s friend’s sister early in the book. But I was still able to get into the plotline because the author did a great job of keeping the hints coming. The red herrings and false leads were awesome. I did figure out why the road rage incident happened but was still surprised at how everything turned out.

The paranormal angle of the book was amazing. How Rosetta’s gifts were explained to how she became recruited to EPIS to what happened 100 years ago was fantastic. The author did a fantastic job of connecting everything together at the end of the book. I liked the past life connections that Rosetta, Tommy, and Juliet had to each other.

There was also a romance angle of the book. Of course, Rosetta’s past relationships were highlighted and explained. I felt awful that she was ghosted by Daniel. He could have at least called her and ended it. The whole quasi-triangle with Juliet, Tommy, and Rosetta was a bit weird and awkward but I got over it (as did Rosetta and Juliet). I was also skeeved out by Matt and Juliet’s relationship. Talk about toxic and dysfunctional. I did like Juliet and Tommy together. Rav and Rosetta didn’t gel well in my mind either.

I had mixed feelings about the end of Spirit of Prophecy. Mixed feelings because I was justified by how I felt about certain people in the book. I also was very satisfied with how the mystery angle of the book ended. I did a fist pump and said “Yes” when everything came together. My mixed feelings came in when Rosetta went to New Mexico to oversee something for Juliet. I felt let down. I wanted to see what happened. I wanted to see Juliet’s reaction to everything. I wanted to see Rosetta’s reaction. I also was let down over the fact that after everything, people still felt that they had to judge Rosetta. I am hoping that there will be other books with Rosetta in them. I would definitely read them.

I gave Spirit of Prophecy a 4-star rating. This was a well written paranormal mystery book. The plotlines kept my attention throughout the book. The characters were relatable and realistic. While I did solve the mystery part of the book early on, I was still able to enjoy it. The paranormal angle of the book was fantastic. The author did a great job of explaining things when they happened. I did think that the romance angle was a little much, with all the triangles going on. But, it did add some depth to the book. The end of the book was great but I felt a little letdown.

I would give Spirit of Prophecy an Adult rating. There is sex. While not graphic, it was still there. There is language. There is violence. There are triggers in this book. They would be the death of a child, parental estrangement and abuse of animals. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Spirit of Prophecy. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Spirit of Prophecy.

All opinions stated in this review of Spirit of Prophecy are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Have you read Spirit of Prophecy?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Pandenonium by Sean Farley

Pandemonium

3.5 Stars

Publisher: RABT Book Tours

Date of publication: September 9th, 2018

Genre: Fantasy

Where you can find Pandemonium: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Jackson Armstrong is blessed with an extraordinary memory and a young son who loves him. He is also cursed with a compulsion to gamble that has cost him nearly everything. While chasing another big win, Jackson is killed in a car theft gone wrong and finds himself trapped in Pandemonium, a hellish, urban netherworld where demons rule over man.

Before long, Jackson begins having visions of a mysterious portal. Convinced his visions are the key to escaping Pandemonium and returning home to his son, Jackson forms an unlikely alliance with Lilith, a mysterious demon who has an agenda all her own. As the two are relentlessly pursued by an evil older than time itself, they must navigate their way across a brutal, fantastical landscape and find the portal before it closes forever.

Pandemonium is a dark fantasy adventure that will take readers to the depths of a richly imagined hell unlike any they have experienced before.

My review:

When I started reading Pandemonium, I wasn’t sure exactly how I would like the book. From the blurb, I assumed that this was going to be a retelling of Dante’s Inferno. Yeah, about that. It isn’t. Instead, I read a book about Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, demons and one man who wants to go back to Earth. I did like the book but there were some parts that made me go “WTH“.

Pandemonium is the story of Jackson Armstrong. Jackson is a felon with an amazing memory and a gambling problem. He is sent to Pandemonium when he dies in a car crash. Pandemonium is the place you go before Hell. A type of Purgatory. Shortly after arriving, he starts to have visions of a door. A portal where he can escape Pandemonium and reunite with his son. But, he isn’t the only one who wants to leave. A demon named Lilith wants to go back to the Garden. The two must form an uneasy alliance if they are to find the portal and escape. Can they do it? Can they escape Pandemonium?

Jackson was not a likable man. From the minute he was introduced in the book, I found him distasteful. I like that the author wrote him as not being likable, though. It made reading the book more interesting. Because I didn’t know if I should want him to reach the portal or not. The author did put a neat spin on his character when Jackson’s father appeared in the book. I got to see how Charlie shaped Jackson into what he was alive. By the end of the book, I was feeling a little sorry for him. Only because of his father. Other than that, I didn’t like it.

I loved what the author did with Lilith. He didn’t bother to touch the lore behind her. Instead, he made her into her own person. Loved it. He did reference who/what Lilith was but stopped it at that. I liked that Lilith did have some humanity in her. She could see how Charlie treated Jackson. She saw how Jackson was shaped by his father into what he was. It made her more relatable.

I do have to mention Jackson’s memory. It was amazing. The things he remembered. When I realized exactly what his father stole from him, I was angry. Jackson could have gone places with that memory of his. Instead, he was held back. Made me want to reach through the book and smack his father.

The plotlines in Pandemonium were ok. The main one definitely kept my attention. I needed to see what would happen to Lilith and Jackson. I needed to see if they made it. I did have an issue with the plotlines involving Mr. Cloot and the Pecado. Both of them creeped me out. The Pecado more than Mr. Cloot. I do wish more depth had been given to the Pecado storyline. Where did it come from? Why was it sent to Pandemonium? Where there more of it?

I do want to mention that this book is very violent and there is a descriptive scene of attempted rape. Normally, I am not bothered by violence but in this book, I was. The things that the demons did to the humans were awful. The things that the people did to each other and themselves were even worse.

The end of Pandemonium wasn’t what I expected. I was surprised by what happened. It was out of character for that person to do what they did. I was left asking more questions, though. What was going to happen to that person?

I gave Pandemonium a 3.5-star rating. I did like the book. But I felt that it was almost too violent at times. It was well written with a fast plot line and well-developed characters.

I would give Pandemonium an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is extreme violence. There is language. There are triggers. They are attempted rape. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread this book. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank RABT Book Tours for allowing me to read and review Pandemonium.

All opinions stated in this review of Pandemonium are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Have you read Pandemonium?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

The Wizard’s Gift by Michael Waller

The Wizard's Gift

4 Stars

Publisher:  RABT Book Tours

Date of publication: June 29th, 2012

Genre: Fantasy

Where you can find The Wizard’s Gift: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

The last of an ancient group of wizards leave a gift to the newly arrived race of men. It is revered and cared for by a line of priests until it is stolen, and the high priest and his sovereign murdered by a king who believes himself destined to be a great wizard. But from ancient writings, the high priest had discovered that the gift is not benevolent as was thought. This forces the son of the high priest unexpectedly elevated to his father’s position, and the young prince who is equally suddenly king, into a race to find the gift before it can be used as that may cause the destruction of the world. Accompanied by the retired captain of the palace guard they hope to speed their journey by crossing the Wasteland, a seeming desert, which is fabled to be populated by monsters, and from which no visitor has ever returned. In the course of their adventures, they are hunted by dog-faced men and captured by slavers, but the young prince truly becomes a king, and the priest discovers that he has a destiny that goes beyond the bounds of his world.

My review:

The Wizard’s Gift starts off with an ancient wizard leaving a gift to the men (and women) of the region where he lived. Telling the King of the area that the battle-ax was a good luck talisman, the wizard goes off to die in an enchanted land. The people with whom the battle-ax (and a few books) were left with came to revere and worship the gift. All was well for centuries until one of the priests of The Wizard’s Gift decides to sell out his people to a wizard king. It is there where the story begins. 4 men set off on a quest. One on his own and three together. The single man is determined to find the wizard king. He wants to make him pay for killing his King and razing his city. The other 3 men are also in pursuit of the wizard king. They want The Wizard’s Gift back in their city. It is their quest that is chronicled. A newly minted King, a retired Captain of the Palace Guard, and the High Priest of Bianmares. One of those three men has the destiny to fulfill. Can he survive to fulfill it?

I am going to warn you all, this book starts off slow. There were a few times where I almost DNF’d it because I was getting frustrated at how slow the plot goes. If you read this book, keep soldiering on. The plot gains speed after Caran Tuith buries his father. This is also a longer book, about 321 pages. Usually, I can read a book that length within a couple of days. But, I have been sick and couldn’t concentrate on the book long enough to read it. So, it took me 3-4 days to read it.

My only complaint about the book was that the formatting was wonky. I went from a larger font type to small font type. Also, at one point in the book, there were lines between each paragraph. Which stopped after a couple of chapters. It did get annoying after a while. That did affect how I rated the book.

Other than my complaint about the formatting, I loved the book. The characters were complex and well fleshed out. The author did a fantastic job of character building with them. I connected with everyone but King Premendis and Strantor. I didn’t like him. What they did to Caran Tuith’s father and people were unforgivable.

The world building was awesome in this book. The author took his time building up each area. I had no problem seeing The Wastelands and its inhabitants. Or Bianmares. Or where the mountain men lived.

The plotlines were the same way. Vivid and descriptive. I did have an issue with some of the bigger words but it was nothing that a highlight on my Kindle could solve. I loved that there were no storylines left up in the air. The author also did a great job at bringing all the storylines together at the end of the book.

Speaking of the ending, it was insane!! From the escape from The Wastelands to what Bataan did. I am hoping that the author is going to write a sequel to this book. Because I would 100% read it.

I gave The Wizard’s Gift a 4-star rating. This was a fantastic read. The character and world building were amazing. I did have an issue with the formatting and that did affect my review.

I would give The Wizard’s Gift an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is mild violence. There is no language. There are no triggers. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Wizard’s Gift. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank RABT Book Tours for allowing me to read and review The Wizard’s Gift.

All opinions stated in this review of The Wizard’s Gift are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Have you read The Wizard’s Gift?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

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The Storyteller’s Throne by Jocelyn Bates

The Storyteller's Throne

2 Stars

Publisher: Independent Book Publisher’s Association, Member’s Titles

Date of publication: April 24th, 2018

Genre: New Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Where you can find The Storyteller’s Throne: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Grace was born a storyteller with a beautifully brilliant mind. Trauma twisted her reality into a tale of darkness. Now, at eighteen, Grace has found herself on the shores of a shadow world created to heal a generation. A world whose purpose is to release our emotions from the bonds of youth.

But she is not alone. It’s a world inhabited by others, those working on their own hearts and one other like herself. An amazing and yet afflicted empath and musician by the name of Kai that Grace feels inexplicably drawn to.

Will she be able to handle the suppressed memories of her youth? Accept the vulnerability necessary to explore her own heart and that of another? Fulfill the true purpose it seems she is destined to serve?

Come along with Grace as she learns to uncover her past, harness her gift, open her heart to love and embrace her future.

My review:

I was intrigued when I read the blurb for The Storyteller’s Throne. A woman, scarred by traumatic events that happened in her life, finds herself in a world that can help her heal. It caught my interest. I wanted to know how this world would help her heal. I also wanted to know who Kai was and why Grace had such a connection to him. So I decided to read the book. For the most part, I liked the book. But it was the direction the book took towards the end that made me go “WTH” and give it the rating I did.

Grace’s story disturbed me. She was raped by someone when she was 6 years old. I didn’t like having to read about a 6-year-old being raped. I understood why the author chose to have Grace react the way she did to the rape. Her unresolved feelings led her down a road of self-harm. But once she got into the Shadow Lands, she was forced to face and accept what she went through. But, then her story took a turn that I didn’t expect. Her romance with Kai wasn’t expected as was her traveling into the future. I will get into that later in the review. I couldn’t connect with her.

I felt bad for Kai. His story was different from Grace’s but it was also similar. Kai didn’t speak. He could speak but chose not too. He chose to speak through his music. His entire life, he had been compared to his older brothers and fell short. Falling into addiction, Kai ends up in The Shadow Lands the same time as Grace. I would have loved it if the author kept his character on that path. Instead, he went down a path where he fell in love with Grace. It almost seemed like an obsessive love, to be honest. He was more relatable to than Grace but I still didn’t have a connection.

I would have been fine with the book if it hadn’t gone into an anti-medication rant. Then Grace went into the future. There the adults were medicating themselves and the kids to keep them easy to manage. But the minute that mental health medication was blamed for the kids being zombies, I went “Oh no. This book didn’t go there.” That affected my rating.

Also, I didn’t like that there was Instalove. Instalove is fine in some books but in this one, no. I couldn’t with this book. I also couldn’t deal with Grace and Kai having sex. While I understand that it was healing, it didn’t do it for me.

The end of The Storyteller’s Throne confused me. I am not going to get into it but there were several situations that made me go “What!!” and “How on earth did she not know that?” and “Well, chaos didn’t happen, so now what“. None of the storylines were wrapped up. Which either was an oversight or the author is planning a book 2. I was left unsatisfied with the ending.

I gave The Storyteller’s Throne a 2-star rating. I could not connect with any of the characters. I would have been OK with the book if it hadn’t turned into an anti-medication rant. And there was Instalove.

I would give The Storyteller’s Throne an Older Teen rating. There is sex. There is violence. There is mild language. There are triggers. There are child rape, self-harm, and drug use. Also, there is a strong anti-medication for mental illness in the last half of the book. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would not reread The Storyteller’s Throne. I also would not recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Independent Book Publisher’s Association, Member’s Titles, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Storyteller’s Throne.

All opinions stated in this review of The Storyteller’s Throne are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read The Storyteller’s Throne?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

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Our Life in the Forest by Marie Darrieussecq

Our Life in the Forest

3 Stars

Publisher: Text Publishing

Date of publication: October 25th, 2018

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy

Where you can find Our Life in the Forest: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

In the near future, a woman is writing in the depths of a forest. She’s cold. Her body is falling apart, as is the world around her. She’s lost the use of one eye; she’s down to one kidney, one lung. Before, in the city, she was a psychotherapist, treating patients who had suffered trauma, in particular, a man, “the clicker”. Every two weeks, she traveled out to the Rest Centre, to visit her “half”, Marie, her spitting image, who lay in an induced coma, her body parts available whenever the woman needed them.

As a form of resistance against the terror in the city, the woman flees, along with other fugitives and their halves. But life in the forest is disturbing too—the reanimated halves are behaving like uninhibited adolescents. And when she sees a shocking image of herself on video, are her worst fears confirmed?

Our Life in the Forest, written in her inimitable concise, vivid prose recalls Darrieusecq’s brilliant debut, Pig Tales. A dystopian tale in the vein of Never Let Me Go, this is a clever novel of chilling suspense that challenges our ideas about the future, about organ-trafficking, about identity, clones, and the place of the individual in a surveillance state.

My review

When I first saw Our Life in the Forest, it was in a Read Now email from NetGalley. What attracted me to the book, before reading the blurb, was the cover. This is one of the more original covers that I have seen. I didn’t get why the human body parts were mixed in with trees and flowers. But, having read the book, I understand 100% now. When I read the blurb, I felt that this would be a book that I would enjoy.

I didn’t enjoy reading Our Life in the Forest. Which was a huge disappointment to me. There were no chapters, which was a huge thing for me. That led to me having issues following the plotline. Maybe I am old-fashioned but I need for a book to have chapters. I need those small breaks. Mainly to adjust to anything that was thrown at me during the last chapter.

I did like the storyline and thought it was original. Not a lot of books I can say that about. I liked how the author had Vivianne remembering her life before the forest. I got a good feel for her character and why she did what she did. Now, I didn’t like Vivianne. I thought she was selfish and self-centered. I do believe that the author wrote her that way on purpose. It made what was happening around her come more into focus.

I am not going to get into the ending. I will say that there is a huge twist in the book that I didn’t see coming. One that made me go “WTH” when I read it. I was not expecting what I read and it stuck with me after I finished the book.

What I liked about Our Life in the Forest:

A) The cover

B) The storyline

C) The ending

What I disliked about Our Life in the Forest:

A) No chapters in the book

B) I had an issue following the plotline

C) Vivianne. I didn’t like her

I gave Our Life in the Forest a 3-star review. This is a compelling dystopia. It is not an easy read for me. There were no chapters and I had issues following the plotline. The ending did save the book. It was a stunner.

I would give Our Life in the Forest an Adult rating. There is sex but it isn’t graphic. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread Our Life in the Forest. I am also on the fence if I would recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Text Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Our Life in the Forest.

All opinions stated in this review of Our Life in the Forest are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Until We Are Free (Until: Book 1) by TM Blayte

Until We Are Free (Until #1)

3.5 Stars

Publisher: Alban Lake Publishing

Date of publication: August 1st, 2018

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Dystopia

Series: Until

Until We Are Free—Book 1

Where you can find Until We Are Free: Infinite Realms

Goodreads synopsis:

Nyl Jayms is tasked with kidnapping the Elder princess, to force her brother, the king, to negotiate with humans. The alternative is a war that could lead to the annihilation of both humans and Elders.

A Rider Council faction, led by Nyl’s father, is opposed to any negotiations. They will do anything, including sabotaging his assignment, to trigger a war.

Nyl and his team have to outsmart the king’s elite Royal Guard, to get to the princess, and somehow stay one step ahead of the faction opposed to negotiations. Everyone will be forced to re-evaluate ideology they were raised with, as an impending war looms ever closer.

Join these élite rebel warriors on a journey of war, betrayal, and political scheming, in Until We Are Free. In this debut novel from TM Blayte, faces of friends, family, allies, and enemies will blur. Loyalties will be tested until the determination to be free becomes the only thing that matters. After all, does one person’s freedom mean another person’s oppression?

My review:

Nyl is a 16-year-old boy who has graduated from Rider Training Camp. The Rider Training Camp is where the rebels go to train their children to fight against the Elders. The Elders are an alien race that has taken over Earth. They have kept the humans living there under severe oppression. Nyl’s first mission out of Camp is one that has failed in the past. He needs to kidnap the Elder princess. The leaders of the Rebel faction were going to use her as a bargaining chip to gain their freedom. What Nyl and his friends weren’t expecting were other Riders sabotaging the assignment. War becomes a reality when the Princess escapes. But Nyl isn’t ready for the reality of war. He also comes to realize that the war isn’t exactly black and white. That friendship can change with war. And that you can’t always trust the people who you grew up with.

I liked Nyl. He was smart and he thought well on his feet. He picked up on what was going on with the council before his father told him. Well, he had some help from Tamira with that. What I liked is that while he was dedicated to the Rider cause, he began to see that how the Rider’s went about overthrowing the Elders weren’t the best way to get things done. It was the end of the book that showed how his character had grown. I am to see what he will do with what he knows in the next book.

I thought that the main plotline of Until We Are Free was interesting. It grabbed me from the beginning and kept my attention to the end. It was well fleshed out. I did have some questions about the Elders at the beginning of the book that were answered towards the end. I also had some questions about the different bloodlines that kept coming up in the book. But, again, they were answered at the end of the book.

I wasn’t sure what to think about the plotline with all the double-crossing going on within the Rider hierarchy. I did find it interesting that Nyl’s own father set him up to fail on the first mission. I also think that Nyl’s father knew what was coming at the end of the book. He didn’t seem that surprised by it.

I didn’t care for the bit of romance between Tamira and Nyl. It didn’t add anything to the book. Was it sweet? Absolutely. Was it needed? No. The book would have been just as fine if they didn’t hook up.

Until We Are Free fit in perfectly with the Young Adult genre. It also fits in perfectly with the fantasy and dystopia genre. I do wish that more information was given about the Elders. There was some info given but not enough to appease me.

The end of Until We Are Free was eye-opening. The author did a great job at wrapping up most of the plotlines. He did leave the one with Nyl wide open. Considering what happened in the chapter before the end of the book, I wasn’t surprised. The twist at the end of the book with Mira’s mother was shocking. I cannot wait to read book 2!!

I gave Until We Are Free a 3.5 rating. This book was a good read. It was fast. The plotlines drew me in and kept me interested the entire book. I was sympathetic and liked the main character. The only thing I didn’t like was that there was a relationship between Mira and Nyl. Other than that, I enjoyed reading it.

I would give Until We Are Free an Older Teen rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Until We Are Free. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Until We Are Free.

All opinions stated in this review of Until We Are Free are mine

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Until We Are Free?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

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In the Mood Fur Love by Eve Langlais, Milly Taiden, Kate Baxter

In the Mood Fur Love

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: October 2nd, 2018

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal

Where you can find In the Mood Fur Love: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Three hot stories about sexy shifters from a trio of today’s hottest paranormal romance authors, headlined by bestselling authors Eve Langlais and Milly Taiden!

Bearing His Touch by Eve Langlais
When Becka manages to escape her kidnapper, she finds herself asking help of the man with the nice brown eyes. Stavros can’t say no, not when he knows Becka is his mate, but he does have one dilemma when it comes to claiming her. He’ll have to find a way for her to bear his touch.

Fake Mated to the Wolf by Milly Taiden
Looking for a mate to bring to a party? Wedding? Holiday gathering? Mates Fur Hire is right for you? But what happens when your fake mate ends up being your real one, from New York Times bestselling author Milly Taiden!

The Witch, The Werewolf and The Waitress by Kate Baxter
For centuries, Lowman, Idaho has been Ellie Curtis’s prison. A vengeful witch cursed her with immortality and locked her within the confines of Lowman’s borders, sealing Ellie off from most of civilization for eternity. She’s learned to make the most of it. But when she meets a cocky werewolf who’s part of the élite supernatural law enforcement group, all bets are off…

Colin instantly knew that Ellie was his mate, but when he discovers her secret, he’s determined to help set her free. But in doing so, he might just lose the one thing he knows he can’t live without…

My review:

I know that I have mentioned in another review that I don’t like reviewing anthologies. Doesn’t mean that I like reading them. I find reviewing anthologies difficult. Depending on how long the stories are in the book, my review could go on forever. So, this review is going to be short and sweet.

Bearing His Touch

While I enjoyed this book, it did rub me the wrong way in certain parts. I didn’t like that it took so long for Becka to tell Stavros why she had been kidnapped and beaten. That frustrated me. But,  that was the only thing that annoyed me about the book. Everything else I loved. Stavros was such a goof. I had a laugh over the pot brownies incident. I liked how everything was wrapped up. I did like the twist with Becka’s Poppa. Didn’t see that coming.

Fake Mated to the Wolf

I enjoyed reading this story. I did have an issue with Hawke not knowing what went on in his company. Including what was happening to his mate. I kinda went “Ummmm, ok” when I read that part. But, after that was resolved, I loved the story. I wanted to know more about Robbie and I hope that he is featured in more books. He deserves his happy ending. I did think that Shawna was kind of a jerk to Hawke for 90% of the book. I mean, she knew about how they found their mate. But, she still thought Hawke was two-timing his mate with her? Hello, use your brains girlfriend. I liked the HEA that the author gave to everyone at the end of the story.

The Witch, The Werewolf, and The Waitress

This was my favorite story. Ellie and Colin were such jerks to each other when they first met. I enjoyed watching them fight over that cinnamon roll. Gave me a fit of the giggles. I did feel bad for Ellie. I couldn’t imagine being cursed how she was. Talk about being restricted and lonely. I thought the whole quest to set Ellie free of her curse was great. Including the ending. I will never look at timber wolves, cougars, elk, and coyotes the same again. Shudder. Again, loved the HEA for Colin and Ellie.

There is Instalove in this book but, and I stress this, it worked. Werewolves and werebears are able to find their mates by smelling them. So, I didn’t mind the Instalove at all. Because it fits in with the lore.

The sex in all three stories were hot. I had to fan myself after a couple of scenes because they were that good. If I had to pick the hottest couple, it would be Colin and Ellie. Talk about some steamy sex scenes.

I am not putting up a like/dislike section to this review. If I did that, it would go on forever.

I gave In the Mood Fur Love a 4-star rating. If you like shifter romances with steamy sex scenes, this is the book for you. I will give a trigger warning for Bearing His Touch and Fake Mated to the Wolf. Bearing His Touch has a pretty graphic beginning scene where Becka is being beaten. Fake Mated to the Wolf has a sexist boss and a scene where Shawna is being held hostage in her bedroom by some not so nice guys. Other than that, this book was a great read.

I gave In the Mood Fur Love an Adult rating. There is graphic sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread In the Mood Fur Love. I would also recommend it to family and friends with a warning about possible triggers.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review In the Mood Fur Love.

All opinions stated in this review of In the Mood Fur Love are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**