If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens

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

Date of Publication: October 15th, 2024

Genre: Romance, Horror, Paranormal, Adult, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Paranormal Romance, Fiction, Halloween, Adult Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

An enemies to lovers romance with a spooky twist where two feuding writers end up on a writers retreat together at a haunted castle in Scotland

It’s been months since horror author Penelope Skinner threw a book at Neil Storm. But he was so infuriating, with his sparkling green eyes and his bestselling horror novels that claimed to break Native stereotypes. And now she’s a publishing pariah and hasn’t been able to write a word since. So when her friend invites her on a too-good-to-be-true writers retreat in a supposedly haunted Scottish castle, she seizes the opportunity. Of course, some things really are too good to be true.

Neil wants nothing less than to be trapped in a castle with the frustratingly adorable woman who threw a book at him. She drew blood! Worse still, she unleashed a serious case of self-doubt! Neil is terrified to write another bestselling “book without a soul,” as Pen called it. All Neil wants is to find inspiration, while completely avoiding her.

But as the retreat begins, Pen and Neil are stunned to find themselves trapped in a real-life ghost story. Even more horrifying, they’re stuck together and a truly shocking (extremely hot) almost-kiss has left them rethinking their feelings, and… maybe they shouldn’t have been enemies at all? But if they can’t stop the ghosts pursuing them, they may never have the chance to find out.

Full of spooky chills and even more sexy thrills, If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens is the funny, fast-paced romp romance readers have been waiting for!

First Line:

Pen wondered how drunk she must have been when she accepted this invitation.

Important details about If I Stopped Haunting You

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Pen and Neil)

Content/Trigger Guidance: If I Stopped Haunting You contains content that includes death, gore, injury, injury detail, racism, violence, blood, grief, alcohol, drug use, anxiety, body horror, and gaslighting. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: If I Stopped Haunting You contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is explicit sexual content in If I Stopped Haunting You.

Setting: If I Stopped Haunting You is set in present-day Scotland.

My Review:

When I saw the cover for If I Stopped Haunting You, I immediately wanted to read it. The cover’s illustration was terrific. Then I read the blurb, and my interest was caught even more. There is nothing like an enemies-to-lovers, forced romantic romance with a dash of horror and supernatural to curl up on the couch and read. But now that I have read it, I am a little disappointed.

The main storyline of If I Stopped Haunting You centers on Penelope (Pen) Skinner, Neil Storm, and the events at the writer’s retreat in Scotland. While I did find parts of the storyline engaging, I could not get invested in it for the most part.

The main characters and their relationship made me “meh” about the book. Pen did a number on Neil emotionally. She was just plain nasty to him for 85% of the book. Pen also blamed Neil for being blacklisted in the publishing community when it was her actions (throwing a book at Neil’s head and injuring him) that caused the blacklist. Because of that, I couldn’t wrap my head around her change of feelings for him. It was lightning quick and seemed almost forced.

I did like Neil and felt awful for him. He was suffering from a significant case of writer’s block, which was brought on by Pen’s actions at the conference. So, as with Pen, I didn’t quite agree, or like that, his feelings went straight to lust when he saw her. Again, it seemed forced.

I did like the paranormal angle. If the author had stayed more focused on the story of who the ghost was and why she was haunting the castle, I would have been more invested in the book. But I didn’t like that certain elements were left unfinished, like how the ghost was related to Pen.

The romance angle was a huge part of the book. I felt that the romance between Pen and Neil was forced and unrealistic. They went from hating each other to banging like bunnies within two chapters. In between, Pen kept up her gaslighting and abusive nature towards Neil. It all left a terrible taste in my mouth. Now, saying that there were some pretty hot and explicit sex scenes. I also did get a giggle over Pen busting in on Daniela while she was sexting with her girlfriend over Facetime.

Other elements were enjoyable, but they could not quite overcome what I didn’t like in this book. The author did a great job of showing how nondiverse the publishing industry was. She also created some memorable secondary characters I wished had more page time in the book.

The end of If I Stopped Haunting You was anticlimactic. I was expecting the author to end on a happy, right-now note. Instead, she fast-forwards a year later, and things are still happy for Pen and Neil.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Colby Wilkens for allowing me to read and review this Arc of If I Stopped Haunting You. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to If I Stopped Haunting You, then you will enjoy these books:

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron (Supernatural Singles: Book 3) by April Asher

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

Date of publication: February 13th, 2024

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Witches, Contemporary, Adult, Magic, Fiction

Series: Supernatural Singles

Not the Witch You Wed—Book 1

Not Your Ex’s Hexes—Book 2 (review here)

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron—Book 3

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In April Asher’s new Supernatural Singles novel, a witch takes a stroll on the wild-ish side, sparking an alert that saddles her with her very own Guardian Angel…who happens to be her secret crush―and new roommate.

Olive Maxwell much prefers teaching about the supernatural world to taking part in it and leaves the magical shenanigans to her two sisters―the Prima-Apparent and Bounty Hunter-In-Training. But after assigning her college students a project designed to nudge them outside their comfort zones, Olive realizes that she’s never once stepped a toe over her own…and it’s about time that changed. Her first
trip into the unknown? Moving in with her long-time crush―and friend…tattooed, motorcycle-riding, and pleasantly pierced, Baxter Donovan.

Bax Donovan, Guardian Angel not-so-extraordinaire, has acquired so many black marks on his record it looked like a scantron sheet. He’s given one last chance to keep his Guardian wings intact, a high-profile Assignment he knows all too well. Olive is usually as low-risk as it got. Hell, she wrote the safety manual. But something landed her on the Guardian Affairs radar and his guess was it had something to do with the heart-pounding stunts she’s determined to check off her Dare I Docket list.

Keeping Olive out of trouble is about to be his toughest assignment yet, and not because he’s forced to shake the dust off his feathers and embrace his inner aerialist. He’s at real risk of shattering the only Guardian Angel Code of Conduct Rule he’s yet to Don’t fall in love with your Assignment. And he isn’t so sure that’s a bad thing.

If love didn’t play by the rules, why should they?

First Line:

Committing a felony had never looked so appealing to Olive Maxwell.
Not Your Crush’s Cauldron by April Asher

Important things you need to know about Not Your Crush’s Cauldron:

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Olive and Bax).

Trigger Warnings: There are no trigger warnings in Not Your Crush’s Cauldron.

Language: There is moderate swearing in Not Your Crush’s Cauldron. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Setting: Not Your Crush’s Cauldron is set in New York City.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Olive is the youngest of the Maxwell triplets. After watching her sisters find true love and their true purpose in their lives (one is the Prima-Apparent and the other is a Bounty Hunter in Training), she is content to teach magic at her local college. But, when she assigns her students an assignment intended to make them go outside their comfort zone, she decides to do it with them. The first thing on her list is moving in with Bax, her longtime crush and friend.

Bax is a guardian angel who isn’t very good at his job. His record has more black marks than any other angels in the department. To keep his career, Bax is given a low-risk assignment. To his shock, his assignment is Olive. What Bax wasn’t counting on was Olive trying things outside her comfort zone. He soon begins accompanying her on different outings and fighting his growing attraction to her. One of the three rules of his department is not to get involved with their charge.

As Olive and Bax spend more time together, their attraction grows. But with Olive being Bax’s charge, he cannot make a move on her. Will Olive push Bax out of his comfort zone? Will Bax be able to control his feelings for Olive until his assignment is over? Or will he risk losing his wings for her?

Characters:

Olive Maxwell and Bax Donovan are the main characters in Not Your Crush’s Cauldron. Having been introduced to Olive in the previous book (I haven’t read the entire series, just book 2), I did think that she was pretty mellow and less low-key than her sisters. I felt there was nothing wrong with playing it safe, having outfits for certain days of the week, or having schedules for everything. That’s how she liked her life. I got grumpy during the college party scene where she overheard unkind remarks about her. But, it did get her thinking, and she decided to join the assignment with her students. Bax joining her was an enjoyable addition to the list.

Bax Donovan was an interesting character for me to read. At first, I thought I had him pegged as a slightly bad Guardian Angel who only went through the motions at his job. And I was partially right about that. Bax didn’t exactly put himself out there with his charges (the gargoyle wing scene did make me laugh and wince). But the more I read about him, the more I understood him. He liked Olive and maybe loved her early on in the book. But he had to put aside those feelings when assigned her (because of the rules). On top of that, he had to deal with a father who was borderline mentally and emotionally abusive to him. It was a lot, and he tended to deal with that by shutting down and internalizing it.

The characters from the other books do make an appearance in this one. I loved that they didn’t overtake Bax and Olive’s story. Instead, they added depth to the main storyline. There was one character (Harper) who I would love to see a book about. There were sparks between her and a certain werewolf, and I need to see if that will go anywhere (I hope!!)

My review:

I was excited when I got the widget for Not Your Crush’s Cauldron. I had enjoyed reading the previous book (Not Your Exes Hexes) and planned to read this one if/when it went on KU. So, to say I was excited is an understatement. I couldn’t wait to read this book.

The main storyline of Not Your Crush’s Cauldron centers around Olive and Bax, their romance, Bax’s assignment, Olive’s assignment, and Olive’s attempt to push her limits. It was a well-written, funny, and very hot storyline. I did get sad in spots because of different things that were brought up as the book went on. Examples are:

Bax’s father (who I couldn’t stand).
Olive’s fear of living outside her comfort zone.
The guardian angel conundrum.

But don’t let that stop you from reading this book!! The author interwove those themes throughout the book with tact.

The romance angle of the book was scorching hot. Now, the author did wait to have Olive and Bax have sex until well past the middle of the book. But, by then, the sexual tension had built up, and when they did have sex, it was explosive. I was surprised by Bax’s piercings (an angel with penile and nipple piercings?!?). I should have been because it was talked about up to them having sex. And, of course, the makeup sex was perfect (because each romance novel has hot makeup sex).

I loved the fantasy angle, too. The author did a great job creating a universe where all supernatural beings were out and accepted. The magic was used casually and wasn’t over the top. Even Bax’s guardian angel status (wings included) was treated normally. I loved it!!!

Several secondary storylines involved Olive’s sisters that were interwoven into her storyline. Instead of taking over (and I was afraid they would), the author kept them in the background. Each was wrapped up by the end of the book.

I do want to touch on Bax’s storyline with his father. Michael, his father, was a vast douchecanoe. I couldn’t believe what he said to Olive (at the college party or the Guardian Angels headquarters). He was such an asshat that he went out of his way to try and get Bax fired. Why? Because he couldn’t deal with his son being a guardian angel instead of a warrior. I did like how both Bax and Olive dealt with him. But I do wish that there was a resolution to that storyline. It was the only one that was left up in the air.

The end of Not Your Crush’s Cauldron was perfect. I loved how the author wrapped up Bax and Olive’s love story. I liked that Olive came to her senses and understood why Bax couldn’t tell her about his assignment. And I appreciated that Bax gave her space to do so. I hope there will be a book 4 (as mentioned at the top of this review). I would love to see Harper get her HEA.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and April Asher for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Not Your Crush’s Cauldron. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Not Your Crush’s Cauldron, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by April Asher

Suggested Playlist (feel free to add songs or remove songs)

“Good Days” – SZA
“Lost in the Fire” – Gesaffelstein & The Weeknd
“Watermelon Sugar” – Harry Styles
“Levitating” – Dua Lipa ft. DaBaby
“Electric Feel” – MGMT
“Sweater Weather” – The Neighbourhood
“Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd
“Golden” – Harry Styles
“Stay” – The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
“Heat Waves” – Glass Animals
“Shut Up and Dance” – WALK THE MOON
“Deja Vu” – Olivia Rodrigo

The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: February 13th, 2024

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Contemporary, Adult, Mystery, Fiction, Magical Realism, Magic, Crime, Paranormal Romance

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A magically gifted con artist must gather her estranged mother’s old crew for a once-in-a-lifetime heist, from the New York Times bestselling author of Stranger Suspicious Minds.

Dani Poissant is the daughter and former accomplice of the world’s most famous art thief, as well as being an expert forger in her own right. The secret to their success? A little thing called magic, kept rigorously secret from the non-magical world. Dani’s mother possesses the power of persuasion, able to bend people to her will, whereas Dani has the ability to make any forgery she undertakes feel like the genuine article.

At seventeen, concerned about the corrupting influence of her mother’s shadowy partner, Archer, Dani impulsively sold her mother out to the FBI—an act she has always regretted. Ten years later, Archer seeks her out, asking her to steal a particular painting for him, since her mother’s still in jail. In return, he will reconcile her with her mother and reunite her with her mother’s old gang—including her former best friend, Mia, and Elliott, the love of her life.

The problem is, it’s a nearly impossible job—even with the magical talents of the people she once considered family backing her up. The painting is in the never-before-viewed private collection of deceased billionaire William Hackworth—otherwise known as the Fortress of Art. It’s a job that needs a year to plan, and Dani has just over one week. Worse, she’s not exactly gotten a warm welcome from her former colleagues—especially not from Elliott, who has grown from a weedy teen to a smoking-hot adult. And then there is the biggest puzzle of why Archer wants her to steal a portrait of himself, which clearly dates from the 1890s, instead of the much more valuable works by Vermeer or Rothko. Who is her mother’s partner, really, and what does he want?

The more Dani learns, the more she understands she may be in way over her head—and that there is far more at stake in this job than she ever realized.

First Line

Dani was settled at a sticky back table in the empty dive bar, waiting, when the mark arrived.
The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond

Important things you need to know about The Frame-Up:

Pace: Fast. The storyline of the book takes place over ten days.

POV: 3rd person (from Dani’s POV).

Trigger Warnings: There are scenes involving emotional abuse (on and off page), blood (mostly off page), fire (on page), gaslighting (on page), abandonment (off page and was done to and by Dani), injury & injury detail (on page), toxic relationship (on and off page), grief (on page), sexual assault (off-page but described in general terms via a journal Dani found written by her great-great-grandmother), suicide (off-page but described in general terms in the same journal mentioned previously), and murder (off-page). If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: There is moderate swearing in The Frame-Up. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Setting: The Frame-Up is set in Lexington, Kentucky. A brief chapter at the beginning shows Dani doing business in St. Louis, Missouri.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Growing up, Dani was molded into an expert forger by her art thief mother. But, at the age of seventeen and desperate to get her mother out of that lifestyle and away from her shadowy business partner, Archer, Dani contacted the FBI and arranged for her mother to be arrested. Dani didn’t expect backlash from the people who helped raise her.

That all changed when Archer hunted her down and asked her to forge a painting and steal the original for him. He promised that she would be able to make things right with her mother and with her mother’s gang if she did it. It wouldn’t be easy, though. The painting he wants stolen is in a private collection about to be sold at auction. That means Dani and her accomplices would need to infiltrate the auction. Dani is counting on her ace up her sleeve, her magical talent, and the magical talents of most of the gang to get the painting and get out.

But, with the clock ticking and rival gangs casing the joint, Dani needs to work fast. There is something bothering her about Archer and his reason for wanting the painting. Also, her mother has miraculously decided to talk to her again and shows great interest in the job. Can Dani figure everything out before the heist?

Characters:

The main characters in The Frame-Up are Dani and her border collie, Sunflower. She was a sympathetic character with a heartbreaking backstory. The only thing I was even a little “meh” about was her wanting to have a relationship with Maria (her mother). But I will get into that during the actual review.

The secondary characters (Maria, Rabbit, Mia, Elliot, Brad, and Archer) did add some oomph to the storyline. But I didn’t feel the connection that I did with Dani. I was a little grumpy with Rabbit because of how she treated Dani, but having read the book, I understand why she acted that way. Just remember that things aren’t what they seem with Maria’s gang.

My review:

When I started reading The Frame-Up, I expected it to be a rom-com centered around an art heist. I did think that the premise was strange, but I have read books that featured a jewel thief, so I went with it. Well, the blurb wasn’t exactly right about the book. The Frame-Up is more of a fantasy chick-lit crime book with a touch of romance. And again, I didn’t mind it. But some people do, so I want to give everyone a heads-up.

The main storyline of The Frame-Up centers around Dani, Archer, Maria (her mother), a plan to steal a painting, and Dani reconnecting with the only family she knew. The storyline was well written, but it did lag in spots (mainly at the end when everything went to hell). I found some situations unbelievable, but since this was a fantasy, I went with it. In the end, I did enjoy the book.

I liked how the author took an art heist and made it magical. Except for Mia, everyone had magic powers. Dani could accurately reproduce any painting, her mother had the gift of persuasion, and Rabbit was a whiz on technology. I also liked how the author kept the highest, generally, in shades of gray. Yes, stealing and replacing a painting was awful, but Dani did it for a reason. She wanted to reconnect with Maria. Yes, lying and pretending to be security consultants was terrible, but again, Dani was doing it to get to the painting, and she helped stop heists before they happened.

I was disappointed that the author didn’t explain Dani’s ability. There was one scene where she was reproducing Archer’s painting, and that was it. Otherwise, it was all about the finger tingles and memory of Monet when she was a child.

I liked that the author kept Dani and Elliott’s romance in the background. With everything going on, if the romance were more up in your face, it would have ruined the book. I also liked being kept guessing if Dani would go with Elliott or with Brad for most of the book. That pseudotriangle did keep me on my feet.

Other than the heist, the main focus of this book was the relationship between Dani and her mother. Dani did what she thought was right and turned Maria in. All she wanted was for her mother to be out of Archer’s control and back to being a somewhat normal parent. But, as the book went on and the more Dani interacted with Maria, the more I saw that Maria wasn’t nice.

Archer is the big elephant in the room. He was very mysterious in his dealings with Maria and with Dani. It was in the scene where Dani saw the painting where I thought something was up. And there was. The journal scenes explained so much and explained why he wanted the painting. It also changed Dani’s mind about helping Archer. He got what he deserved in the end.

The end of the book is chaos. There was so much going on and so much revealed that my head spun from processing it all. I was left with a headache and feeling that the book hadn’t ended (if that makes sense).

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Gwenda Bond for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Frame-Up. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Frame-Up, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Gwenda Bond

Suggested Playlist (feel free to add songs or remove songs)

“Paint It, Black” – The Rolling Stones
“Strange Mercy” – St. Vincent
“Pictures of You” – The Cure
“Shadowboxer” – Fiona Apple
“Canvas” – Imogen Heap
“The Gallery” – Murray Gold (from Doctor Who)
“The Suburbs” – Arcade Fire
“Portrait (He Knew)” – Kansas
“Colors” – Halsey
“Vincent” – Don McLean
“Starlight” – Muse
“Land of Confusion” – Genesis

Wings Once Cursed and Bound (Mythwoven: Book 1) by Piper J. Drake

4 Stars

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Date of publication: April 11th, 2023

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy Romance, Fiction, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Young Adult

Trigger Warning: kidnapping

Series: Mythwoven

Wings Once Cursed and Bound—Book 1

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

For fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer Armentrout comes a bold and captivating fantasy by bestselling author Piper J. Drake.

My wings unbound, I am the Thai bird princess
The kinnaree
And no matter the cost,
I will be free.

Bennet Andrews represents a secret organization of supernatural beings dedicated to locating and acquiring mythical objects, tucking them safely away where they cannot harm the human race. When he meets Peeraphan Rahttana, it’s too late—she has already stepped into The Red Shoes, trapped by their curse to dance to her death.

But Bennet isn’t the only supernatural looking for deadly artifacts. And when the shoes don’t seem to harm Peeraphan, he realizes that he’ll have to save her from the likes of creatures she never knew existed. Bennett sweeps Peeraphan into a world of myth and power far beyond anything she ever imagined. There, she finds that magic exists in places she never dreamed—including deep within herself.

First Line:

Peeraphan Rahttana closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, letting her senses expand until she was aware of every dancer waiting in the wings, of every stage tech behind the backdrops.
Wings Once Cursed and Bound by Piper J. Drake

Bennet is hunting for a dangerous magical artifact called The Red Shoes. Any human who puts them on is trapped by a curse and forced to dance to their death. He traced the shoes to a community center where a group practiced a traditional Thai dance. He gets there in time to see Peeraphan, also known as Punch, slip the shoes on her feet. What Bennet wasn’t expecting was Punch to be immune to the curse. Bennett is surprised to find out that Punch is a kinnaree, a Thai bird princess. Aware of her heritage, Punch is surprised to discover a world she didn’t know existed. A world where vampires, dragons, sidhe, and werewolves live and protect (for the most part) humans from beings and artifacts that will hurt them. Punch and Bennet look for a way to release the curse while battling a rogue vampire and a human collector of magical artifacts. Will Punch be able to release the curse and remove the shoes? Will she fully accept who and what she is?

Wings Once Cursed and Bound is a fast-paced book in and around Seattle, Washington. There needed to be more exploring of the city or the islands where Bennet took Punch, and I would have loved more description of the city/islands. But that was a minor quibble because I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Wings Once Cursed and Bound main storyline centers around Punch, Bennet, The Red Shoes, and the search for how to release the curse. I wanted to know if the author would let Punch remove the curse on the shoes. I admit I knew nothing about Thai (or any Eastern Asian mythology), and the kinnaree legend fascinated me. I also liked that the author included several urban legends/myths from around the world.

Several side storylines fed into the main one. Fransisco’s evil, devious plan to sell Punch to the collector was a major sub-storyline. Fransisco was a nasty dude, and I wish Bennet had ended him in that significant fight scene. But if Fransisco continues to be a problem in the series, I see why the author let him live. I liked that Punch blossomed in this storyline. And when I mean blossom, I mean she came into her powers. It was beautiful to see.

The paranormal angle of this book was excellent. I read about lesser-known supernatural entities, such as the kinnaree, karin puksa, kraisorn rajasri, tsurubebi, and the will-o’-the-wisp. I liked that the author mixed lesser-known mythical figures with the regular ones (the werewolves, fairies, sidhe, and vampires). At the end of the book, she included a section called Field Notes on the Supernatural and the Paranormal. The author incorporated all the entities and artifacts (such as Bluebeards Bloody Key, the Noose of the Phayanak, and The Red Shoes)mentioned in the book in the field guide. I hope that she includes this in the other books in the series.

There is a romance angle to Wings Once Cursed and Bound. It starts as Instalust (Bennet was very attracted to Punch but held off because he thought she was at least half human) but soon morphed into Instalove. I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not, to be honest. It felt a little forced. I would have loved to see Punch and Bennet’s relationship blossom slowly instead of falling head over heels within a couple of days of meeting each other.

The end of Wings Once Cursed and Bound was interesting. I can’t get into what happened, but I will say that I liked that Punch and Bennet were able to help some of the paranormal entities they found at the mansion. They also found several supernatural artifacts. I was a little grumpy with how Fransisco’s storyline ended, but I am sure he will turn up in the upcoming books, so I wasn’t sweating it. I also liked the insights into the winged fairies, the sidhe, the brownie, the witch, and the werewolf living on the island with Bennet. I wonder if the author will feature one of them in the next book!!!

I recommend Wings Once Cursed and Bound to anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca, NetGalley, and Piper J. Drake for allowing me to read and review Wings Once Cursed and Bound. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Wings Once Cursed and Bound, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Piper J. Drake:

Mr. & Mrs. Witch by Gwenda Bond

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

Date of publication: March 7th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Witches, Paranormal, Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Paranormal Romance, Magic, Urban Fantasy

Trigger Warning: None

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In Mr. & Mrs. Witch, the next novel from bestselling author Gwenda Bond, a couple discovers at the altar the surprising secret identities they’ve kept from each other.

Savannah Wilde is a witch, a very powerful one—an identity that only her fellow witches know. Following a whirlwind romance that surprised herself and her family, Savvy is all set to marry the love of her life. But she isn’t the only one with a secret that needs to be kept, even from her soon-to-be husband.

Griffin Carter is a top agent for a clandestine organization that, well, used to primarily hunt witches, but now mainly tries to shut down supernatural threats their own way. He can’t wait to lay his eyes on the woman he’s about to spend the rest of his life with.

As Savvy walks down the aisle to Griffin, the wedding quickly goes from blessed day to shit show when their true identities are revealed. To say there’s bad blood between their factions is putting it mildly. Savvy and Griffin are tasked to take the other out, but when they discover a secret that could take down both of their agencies, they realize the only way to survive is to team up. With assassins hot on their trail, will Savvy and Griffin make it out alive to try again at ‘I do’?

First Line:

This is the most something day-weirdest, defintely the weirdest-of Savvy’s life, and it’s barely past noon.
Mr. and Mrs. Witch by Gwenda Bond

Savvy is getting married to Griffin and can’t be happier. Her life is complete. But there are some things that Savvy isn’t telling Griffin. Things like she is a powerful witch, her bedraggled street cat is her familiar and a jaguar, and she belongs to an organization called C.R.O.N.E. Griffin is also over the moon about marrying Savvy. Like Savvy, his life is complete. And, also, like Savvy, he has things he isn’t telling her. For instance, he is a top agent for a covert agency (H.U.N.T.E.R.), C.R.O.N.E.‘s top nemesis. His agency hunts and executes witches (and other paranormal beings). Everything comes to a head before the vows are spoken, revealing who Savvy and Griffin are to each other. They know something is up when they receive the order to take each other out. Soon, both discovered a secret that unties the organizations and goes back centuries. It is up to Savvy and Griffin to set things right, even if that means taking down their organizations. Can they do it? Will they be able to reconcile?

I was thrilled when I got the email from the publisher with the invitation to read and review this book. I loved reading and reviewing Not Your Average Hot Guy and The Date From Hell. The snark and humor in those books made me laugh out loud. So I knew I would like this one (and guess what, I was right).

As I read Mr. & Mrs. Witch, I was strongly reminded of Mr. and Mrs. Smith (the movie with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie). It even followed the same basic plotline. Since I liked the movie, I enjoyed reading the book.

Mr. & Mrs. Witch is a fast-paced dual plotline book that takes place in the past and the present. The book was equally split between Savvy’s and Hunter’s 3rd person perspectives. The author marked from whose perspective I was reading and let us know if the book was set in the past or the present. I was very thankful that the author did this because I get lost easily during books like these.

The main characters in Mr. & Mrs. Witch were well-written. I loved the different nuances that Savvy and Griffin had in their personalities. But, as much as I liked them, I couldn’t wonder how they kept such big secrets like Savvy’s familiar being a jaguar or Griffin adding a hidden weapons room to the house. The author explained everything later in the book, but it didn’t make sense to me then.

The main storyline was exciting and well-written. I liked how the author took us from a stopped wedding to fighting off assassins to uncovering a huge secret. This storyline’s twists and turns made it hard to predict what would happen. I figured out how the storyline would end, but I was still surprised at how it happened. Oh, and let’s not forget the snark and humor. I was laughing my butt off during certain scenes.

The other main storyline was how Savvy and Griffin met. I thought it was adorable and couldn’t get enough of their accidental meetings and how they gradually fell in love.

Mr. & Mrs. Witch fits perfectly into the romance genre. I loved reading the past part of the book to see how they fell in love. Savvy and Griffin also had insane chemistry, which made the sex scenes super hot.

The end of Mr. & Mrs. Witch was action-packed and a H.E.A. all rolled into one. I liked how Savvy and Griffin solved their issue with the organization. Other than saying it was perfect, I will only get a little into the ending.

I would recommend Mr. & Mrs. Witch to anyone over 21. There is sex, language, and violence.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Gwenda Bond for allowing me to read and review Mr. & Mrs. Witch. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Mr. & Mrs. Witch, then you will enjoy reading this books:

Other books by Gwenda Bond:

Not Your Ex’s Hexes (Supernatural Singles: Book 2) by April Asher

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

Date of publication: February 7th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Witches, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Romance, Magic, Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Series: Supernatural Singles

Not the Witch You Wed—Book 1

Not Your Ex’s Hexes—Book 2

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In April Asher’s next Supernatural Singles novel, Not Your Ex’s Hexes, a one-night-stand between a willful witch and a broody half-demon conjures an adventure that wouldn’t be complete without several magical mishaps.

For her entire life, Rose Maxwell trained to become the next Prima on the Supernatural Council. Now that she’s stepped down, it’s time for this witch to focus on herself. And not think about her impulsive one-night stand with Damian Adams, a half-Demon Veterinarian who she can’t get out of her head. Neither of them is looking for a relationship. But when Rose is sentenced to community service at Damian’s animal sanctuary it becomes impossible for them to ignore their sparking attraction. A friends-with-benefits, no feelings, no strings arrangement works perfectly for them both.

After a sequence of dead-end jobs, it’s not until Rose tangos with two snarly demons that she thinks she’s finally found her path. However, this puts Damian back on the periphery of a world he thought he left behind. He doesn’t approve of Rose becoming a Hunter, but if there’s one thing he’s learned about the stubborn witch, it was telling her not to do something was one sure-fire way to make sure she did.

Working—and sleeping—together awakens feelings Damian never knew he had…and shouldn’t have. Because thanks to his ex’s hex, if he falls in love, he’ll lose his heart and humanity.

First Line:

Each close encounter chipped away at Rose Maxwell’s luck like a pickax through melted butter.
Not Your Ex’s Hexes by April Asher

After all the heavy reading I have been doing, I needed a book that acted like a palate cleanser. A palate cleanser, you ask? You know, something light that doesn’t take a ton of concentration to read. And Not Your Ex’s Hexes was the book I needed to read. It was a cute romance that had me alternately laughing and wiping tears from my eyes.

Not Your Ex’s Hexes is the second book in the Supernatural Singles series. This book can be read as a standalone, but after reading it, I recommend reading book one first. There were references to events in book one that had me confused. But saying that, the author did include a glossary at the end of the book that helped me immensely with some of the terms used.

The plot for Not Your Ex’s Hexes was cute and kept my attention. Rose Maxwell doesn’t know what to do with her life. She is floundering after stepping down as the Prima of the Supernatural Council in New York City. After an animal rescue goes haywire, Rose is sentenced to community service at half-demon Damian Adam’s veterinary practice and animal sanctuary. Rose, who had a one-night stand with Damian months before, realizes that her attraction to him isn’t going away. So she proposes a solution—keep their sexual relationship as a friends-with-benefits, no strings attached deal, and Damian agrees. Damian cannot fall in love or he will die per a hex that his teenage girlfriend put on him. When a new job puts Rose in the crosshairs of the strongest and meanest demons out there, Damian realizes how he feels about Rose and what the consequences are. Can Damian break his hex? What kind of job would put Rose in danger? And will they admit their feelings for each other?

Not Your Ex’s Hexes is a medium-paced book in New York City and Long Island. I liked seeing a more magical view of New York City.

The characters in Not Your Ex’s Hexes were terrific. I loved the depth the author gave Rose, and I could sympathize with her floundering. I even liked grumpy Damian at the beginning of the book. The secondary characters did complement the main ones, even if I was mystified by who some of them were.

Rose—I loved her view on life, and I connected with her on a deeper level than some of the other characters. Her comments and observations of other supernatural beings (including her family) made me laugh. She had a joy that came off the pages.
Damian— As I said in the previous paragraph, I liked him from the beginning. He had a rough start in life but rose above it. The only thing I didn’t like was his hex. He was hexed by a teenage witch who kept going on above grand gestures. It was explained towards the end of the book but still. It was a lot of drama for something that could have been explained immediately.

Not Your Ex’s Hexes fit perfectly into the romance and paranormal genre. The romance was your typical romance, but the author put her spin on it with the hex angle. With the paranormal genre, I liked that the author didn’t just stick to werewolves, vampires, and witches. There were also other paranormal beings floating around (one I think will be in the next book).

The storyline with Rose, Damian, and their love story was well written and made me laugh. I don’t remember laughing as much as I did with any other book. I liked that they had an unconventional start to their relationship and an unconventional relationship after that. Rose’s sunny outlook on life went well with Damian’s more grumpy persona (hence the sunshine and grump trope). The only thing that I did wish was that more was given about Damian’s demon and his demon bounty hunter background. I was fascinated by that.

The storyline with Rose, Damian, his ex, and his hex was as well written as Rose and Damian’s love story. I liked how the author kept who Damian’s ex was until almost the end of the book. I also liked the spin she put onto a hex that seemed cut and dry. Again, my only complaint was that it took almost twenty years to give an explanation. But, then again, I think Damian wouldn’t be the person he was if it was explained. I also loved his “grand gesture” toward Rose at the end of that storyline. Oh, and Rose was not friendly to Damian’s ex when she found out who it was. Her not being nice was cute and made me laugh.

The end of Not Your Ex’s Hexes was everything I thought it would be. I loved that it ended with a HEA (sorry about the spoilers). I also liked that it showed who the next couple would be. I can’t wait to read book three because of that.

I would recommend Not Your Ex’s Hexes to anyone over 21. There is language, violence, and sex.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and April Asher for allowing me to read and review Not Your Ex’s Hexes. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Not Your Ex’s Hexes, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Through a Dragon’s Eyes (Chronicles of the Four: Book 1) by Marissa Farrar

Through A Dragon's Eyes: A Reverse Harem Fantasy (Chronicles of the Four Book 1) by [Marissa Farrar]

Publisher: Warwick House Press

Date of publication: April 24th, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Reverse Harem, Romance

Series: Chronicles of the Four

Through a Dragon’s Eyes—Book 1

With a Dragon’s Heart—Book 2

Into a Dragon’s Soul—Book 3

Format Read: eBook

Purchased from: Amazon as a free Kindle book

Trigger Warning: None

Goodreads Synopsis:

A magic long forgotten.Four races divided.An epic journey.

She lost her brother, now will she lose her life?

Ever since the Treaty was signed after the Great War, one hundred and fifty years earlier, the separate races of Xantearos have been divided. Only every six months do a select group come together for the Passover—a time to trade much needed produce.

In the human city of Anthoinia, Dela Stonebridge has already lost her brother to The Choosing, and now it is her turn. The grueling journey across the mountains, through the Southern Pass, is always dangerous, but when magic and madness descends, she discovers herself exiled with the leaders of the three other races—the Elvish, Moerians and Norcs.

With the Treaty broken, they learn the secret to the unity of Xantearos lies in a magic long thought dead… that of the Dragonstone and the Dragonsayer.

Can they put their differences aside and work together to make their way back to their homelands? Or will they be walking into a war between each of their races?Get the first book in this brand new, fantasy, reverse harem series!

First Line:

Dela Stonebridge couldn’t take any more of her mother’s tears.
Through a Dragon’s Eyes by Marissa Farrar

Beginning of Book Impressions:

Through a Dragon’s Eyes starts with Dela (the female main character) chosen to be part of an expedition that takes place twice a year. This expedition helps restate a peace treaty with the other three races that humans share their lands with. It also helps give much-needed resources that the other races might need. The Treaty has been ongoing for 150 years and is required to keep The Treaty in place. Also, part of The Treaty is that magic is outlawed. It would help if you kept this in mind as you read the first half of the book. It is important.

I liked that the author chose to highlight each race before continuing the story with Dela. The races were the Norcs, the Moerians, the Elves, and the Humans. Each race was different. The Norcs lived high in the mountains, were massive, wore little clothing, rode mountain goats, and had bison pulling their carts of coal. The Moerians lived on the plains, were smaller than the Norcs and but bigger than the Elves, and rode their horses bareback. The Elves were slight, aged very slowly, were magic users, and rode stags. And then there were the humans. The humans walked, had oxen pulling their carts, and were smaller than the Elves and were weak. Another thing that set the other races apart was that the Norcs, Moerians, and Elves sent their leaders on these twice-yearly missions while the sent humans were varied (but no leaders). So, it would help if you also kept this in mind while reading the book.

The end of the beginning of the book is when Dela and her group set off to the meeting place. Several things happen to the group before they arrive. Put it this way, people were dropping like flies, and it was making the group nervous. Dela was also having lucid dreams about flying. Those dreams were getting more and more vivid the more time she spent on the road.

Mid-Book Impressions:

The middle of the book is when it started getting interesting. See, once the humans arrived at the meeting place, the shit hit the fan. I am going to use bullet points for this because writing would take forever.

Warsga (the Norc) hears the humans coming. He openly and silently mocks them. Once he sees Dela, he is impressed with her. He is also the first one to see the danger in The Long White Cloud and urges everyone to get moving.
Orergon (the Moerian) is the quiet one of the group. I really couldn’t get a feel for him except that he was somewhat of a badass. I mean, he was the ruler of ALL the tribes, and you don’t get there by being soft. He also saved Dela when they were running from The Long White Cloud.
Vehel (the Elf) was the youngest (or oldest…depends on how you look at it) of the group. His own family hated him (didn’t say why but I figured it was because of him being able to use magic). He used magic to shield Warsga, Orergon, Dela, and himself from The Long White Cloud. Doing so broke The Treaty.
The Long White Cloud battle. Ok, so I had a WTF was that moment while reading this part. This whole group didn’t stand a chance against it. Put it this way, it was like a blizzard on steroids, and that had demons things that couldn’t be killed living inside it. Yeah, frightening. I didn’t blame Warsga urging everyone to run. He knew what it was. Once it overtook the group, it was carnage except for our main characters. Vehel used magic to shield them, and when Warsga tried to cut his way out, he teleported everyone across the continent!!

The end of the middle of the book is when the group wakes up in the middle of nowhere. After taking some time to recover, the group decides to start walking to well; they don’t know where. That is when a…….murder hornet takes Dela. There was a name for it in the book, but I am calling it a murder hornet. She is paralyzed by it and brought to the burrow, leaving the boys frantic.

Surprisingly, for a reverse harem book, there is no sex. Zero. There was some flirting between Warsga (and a memorable scene where he wondered if he would fit inside Dela, which made me giggle a little). There was sexual tension all over the place, but no one acted on it. Honestly, with everything going sideways, there wasn’t time for Dela to have sex with anyone. It was a refreshing change of pace.

End of Book Impressions:

The end of the book starts with Dela’s dramatic rescue from the murder hornets. Vehel risked his life to get Dela out of there. But there was a small, teeny-tiny problem. Dela was paralyzed. So, the boys decided to continue their trek and try to find help.

They did find help. They found a Fae village surrounded by a protective barrier. The author’s version of the Fae was horrifying. They had tiny wings and sharp pointed teeth. The only reason the Fae decided to help Dela was because of her ring. I am not going to get into it was an exciting twist. The Fae also suggested Dela go to a mountain and see what is there. I wasn’t surprised by what was revealed. I figured it out when Dela was dreaming. But it was still exciting to read!!

The end of the book was a cliffhanger. I’m not too fond of cliffhangers, and this one wasn’t any different in my eyes. But it did its job and made me want to read the next book!!

My Overall Thoughts on Through a Dragon’s Eyes:

I enjoyed reading Through a Dragon’s Eyes. The story kept my attention, and I loved the lore. The author did a great job of not adding any unnecessary details to the book. The book was a fast read. What I enjoyed was that there was NO SEX!!!!

I would recommend Through a Dragon’s Eyes to anyone over 16. But that is this book only!!! I have a feeling the other books are 21+. It is a clean book with minimal violence. There is one kissing scene with Vehel and one scene where Dela and Warsga eye fuck each other.

Her Fiery Viking (Her Elemental Viking: Book 1) by A.J. Tipton

Publisher:

Date of publication: September 12th, 2014

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Erotica, Contemporary

Series: Her Elemental Viking

Her Fiery Viking – Book 1

Her Steamy Viking – Book 2 (review here)

Her Winged Viking – Book 3 (review here)

Her Rock Hard Viking – Book 4 (review here)

Her Christmas Viking: Holiday Magic – Book 5 (review here)

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mikkel just might be too hot to handle. He’s an ancient Viking, cursed with immortality and the compulsion to burst into an uncontrollable ball of fire when enraged. After centuries of tragedy, Mikkel fears the fury within him and the danger he poses to anyone he lets too close.

But when Joanna, a smart, sexy engineer angry at the world, explodes into his life, Mikkel can’t resist her smoldering allure. Has the time finally come to let someone in and embrace the fire? Or will their fiery passion scorch these lovers?

This mature romance includes incendiary bar room shenanigans, harrowing kidnapping, high speed car escapades, and a love strong enough to heal even the most damaged of hearts.

NOTE: Each book in the “Her Elemental Viking” series stands on its own and can be read in any order.

Note to self…..do not read erotica A) in public and B) next to a very nosey older woman. The older woman was reading over my shoulder, during a pretty explicit sex scene; she gasped and said, “You should be ashamed of yourself, reading stuff like that” My reply “You shouldn’t be reading over my shoulder, you old bird” (I reserve the right to make what I said more PC). Seeing that I was at Miss B’s orthodontist appointment, probably not the place to read this type of book, she shouldn’t have been reading over my shoulder. Oh well, lesson learned.

Mikkel is this super hot demolition expert over a thousand years old and has an awful anger management problem. He bursts into a fireball when he gets angry (which is quite often). The book starts with him banging a secretary in his boss’s office.

Joanna (also known as Jo) is a female engineer with a huge anger management problem. She has more of a hair-trigger temper than Mikkel. Put it this way, on the first day of her new job, Joanna tasers someone and manages to alienate her new boss. I think she is my book soul mate.

For a short story, this book did pack a lot into it. The author wasted no time in having Joanna and Mikkel hook up. In the bathroom of their favorite bar after getting spent. After that, it was a fuckfest. But I did learn that Joanna developed anger management issues after her sister was murdered. Mikkel’s, well, I am not going to go too much into that.

The ending was pretty good, too-full of action, no sex, but action where there was fighting, etc.

I would recommend Her Fiery Viking to anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and explicit sex scenes.

If you enjoyed reading Her Fiery Viking, you will enjoy reading these books:

My Fair Assassin(Paranormal Misfits: Book 1) by C.J. Anaya

Publisher: C.J. Anaya Publishing LLC

Date of publication: March 26th, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fairies, Fae, Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Magic, Novella, Urban Fantasy

Series: Paranormal Misfits

My Fair Assassins—Book 1

My Fair Traitor—Book 2

My Fair Imposter—Book 3

My Fair Invader—Book 4

My Fair Princess—Book 5

Where you can find this book: Amazon | AbeBooks | Alibris | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads synopsis:

NEW AND EXTENDED VERSION

It’s not everyday a teenage girl is singled out for assassination.

Crysta has come to accept the fact that she is freakishly different. Her shocking white hair, creepy powers, and weird eating habits have prevented her from fitting in with her various foster families. Now that she is fully emancipated and providing for herself, she hopes that life will settle down and become something halfway normal.

Her hopes are shattered when a dangerous man with lethal intent breaks into her apartment, but this enticing stranger isn’t what he seems. Is he here to kill her or protect her from others who will?

My Fair Assassin is a romantic short story with elements of paranormal and urban fantasy woven in for an entertaining read. It also touches on social issues involving personal self-esteem and acceptance. Adults and teens alike will enjoy getting lost in the pages of Crysta’s story as she finally comes to accept who she is…or rather what she is.

When I started reading My Fair Assassin, I was “meh.” Who would be OK with a strange guy appearing in their apartment and announcing he was there to kill her? Not me. I would be running around the apartment, screaming my fool head off. Crysta was laid back about it. Once I got past that first chapter, the book gets much more interesting.

I liked Crysta’s character. She looks different, is a vegan, and she has powers. She is down-to-earth, funny, and sarcastic. She suffers from poor body image. She filed her ears down to fit in and dyed her hair blonde. I felt sad when she explained why she did that. It reflects what teenagers are going through in today’s society. As a teen girl’s mother, it is refreshing to see these issues addressed.

Jareth is a hottie. Think of a male version of Crysta but with more powers. I didn’t like that he knew everything and let it trickle down to her. Considering her self-esteem/trust issues, it was a wise choice, and you could tell how much he cared about her.

I didn’t care for the Instalove BUT it went well with the story. Jareth had Instalove first. It made sense. You need to read the story to understand what I am saying.

The ending was interesting. Things came out that surprised me. One of those things, I figured out as soon as Jareth appeared in Crysta’s apartment. The other main thing surprised me and made me sad for Jareth.

I would recommend My Fair Assassin to anyone over 16. There is some violence, mild language, and some kissing.

If you enjoyed reading My Fair Assassin, you will enjoy reading these books:

Destined for a King (The Bastard Brotherhood: Book 1) by Ashlynn Macnamara

Destined for a King: The Bastard Brotherhood by [Macnamara, Ashlyn]

Publisher: Loveswept

Date of publication: September 6th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Fantasy Romance, Adult, Historical Fiction, Paranormal Romance, High Fantasy, Medieval

Series: The Bastard Brotherhood

Destined For a King—Book 1

Claimed by the Commander—Book 2

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Indigo | Kobo | Apple Books

Goodreads Synopsis:

Bestselling author Ashlyn Macnamara, hailed by Jennifer McQuiston as “a born storyteller,” introduces the strapping, audacious outlaws of the Bastard Brotherhood in this enchanting tale of forbidden love between supposedly sworn enemies.

Though she is intended for the king, Calista Thorne picks up a crossbow to defend her ancestral home, Blackbriar Keep, from a gang of landless knights. She even manages to sink a poison-tipped arrow into their commander, who survives long enough to conquer the Keep and claim Calista for his own. Now, with her father’s life at stake, Calista must nurse the brigand back to health, and the strangest thing happens: She finds herself fascinated by his tautly muscled body, and enthralled by his hotly whispered demands.

Ever since his father’s death, the fearsome warrior they call Torch has been consumed by his quest for revenge. Taking Blackbriar Keep is the first step in that plan, and—by the three gods—it won’t be the last. But after taking one look into Calista’s smoldering gray eyes, Torch discovers a passion nobler than retribution. He will fulfill his destiny and take her from the usurper king, even in his weakened state. For with Calista’s love, no man has ever felt more powerful.

I was excited about this book when I saw the synopsis. “Oh wow, Jolie, it’s a Middle Age romance, and it is going to ROCK,” I thought.

Talk about setting myself up for a huge disappointment.

Destined for a King did have a great start. The book starts when Blackbriar Keep is overtaken by Torch and his knights. Calista, Lord Thorne’s daughter, and only child, manages to shoot Torch in his leg with an arrow and wounds him. After announcing to the keep (and her parents) that he will marry her, Torch passes out. Turns out that the arrow was tipped with kingsbane and poisoned him. Torch’s second in command orders Calista to heal Torch. He threatens her with this: If Torch doesn’t live, neither will she or her parents. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention Calista is promised to the King, Magnus Vandal. Also, Torch claims that he is the long-lost heir to the throne, Josse Vandal.

Got that. Good. Because after all that is revealed, the book gets confusing.

I was not fond of Calista at all. She was headstrong and prone to doing things that got her and others in trouble. Like sneaking out of the keep to see her old tutor, Brother Tanctrid. She asked him about what happened with the King and Torch. I still don’t understand how she did it, with the keep being as defended as it was.

Then there is Calista’s mother. She drove me nuts. Always reminding her that she was “destined for a king” but never saying why. What got me was when she told Calista, “remember why I named you,” and then NEVER WENT INTO THE REASON!!!! WTH. Why did she name Calista her name? WHY? Inquiring minds want to know over here.

Calista gets attacked by Brother Tanctrid after she wakes him from his trance. I thought he would end up being a vampire with all the talk about blood. It isn’t blood that he wants. Calista is affected by his attack, but not in the way you would think.

There is Instalove too. Calista goes from hating Torch to being in love with him within 4 days. Excuse me while I gag. I hate Instalove. At least give it a week or so to develop. The sex scenes were great and delicious.

The ending was good, too, leaving the book open for other books in the series.

I would recommend Destined for a King to anyone over 21. There is sex and mild violence.

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