Search
Search results
Merissa (14024 KP) rated A Whisper of Claws (Steel Vanguard #1) in Books
Apr 13, 2026
A WHISPER OF CLAWS is the first book in the Steel Vanguard series, set in the same world as The Hawks series, but in a different land.
And I made a mistake! A huge one! I had all weekend to read this book, and I started it on Friday night. I also finished it on Friday night. Well, technically, it was Saturday morning, but either way... I should have known better. I really should have. It's a JLR book, which means I'm never going to be able to put it down once I start.
Anyway, in case you haven't already been able to tell, this was a fantastic story that gripped me from the very beginning. There is no slow build-up to this story. It starts with a death and continues on from there, giving the backstory in a natural way as the story progresses.
The characters are all great, although some need to get their heads out of their a$$es. Yes, I'm looking at you, Luke and Shane! Okay, so Luka kinda did, but still... it took long enough. Izzy deserves a medal for putting up with him. She is a strong, independent character who was a delight to read.
You don't have to have read The Hawks series to enjoy this one. There is enough backstory and world-building for anyone. Plus, the overall story arc is going to be a good one, and I can't wait to read more in this series. The Steel Vanguard are bound to have a multitude of adventures, with love and loss along the way, and I am here for it! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 10, 2026
And I made a mistake! A huge one! I had all weekend to read this book, and I started it on Friday night. I also finished it on Friday night. Well, technically, it was Saturday morning, but either way... I should have known better. I really should have. It's a JLR book, which means I'm never going to be able to put it down once I start.
Anyway, in case you haven't already been able to tell, this was a fantastic story that gripped me from the very beginning. There is no slow build-up to this story. It starts with a death and continues on from there, giving the backstory in a natural way as the story progresses.
The characters are all great, although some need to get their heads out of their a$$es. Yes, I'm looking at you, Luke and Shane! Okay, so Luka kinda did, but still... it took long enough. Izzy deserves a medal for putting up with him. She is a strong, independent character who was a delight to read.
You don't have to have read The Hawks series to enjoy this one. There is enough backstory and world-building for anyone. Plus, the overall story arc is going to be a good one, and I can't wait to read more in this series. The Steel Vanguard are bound to have a multitude of adventures, with love and loss along the way, and I am here for it! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 10, 2026
Debbiereadsbook (1761 KP) rated Nothing But the Night (Basic Instincts #2) in Books
Apr 20, 2025
It hit all of the buttons I was expecting and some I wasn't.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarain, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Basic Instincts series and I have not read book 1, Now Comes The Dark. I did not feel I missed anything by not doing so, so I would say this can totally be read as a stand alone. Roman and Mallon pop up, but only in passing.
Marc is not happy with the local police about their lack of progress in finding his brother's killer. Because Marc does not believe that Theo's death was an accident. Enter Jason, a local private detective. But just as his investigation gets moving, their chief witness is murdered and both men find themselves in a fight for their lives, with no clue who is behind it all.
I just wanna say: Well played, Mr Collins, so very well played! I did not see the whodunnit coming at me, not at all! I love being kept on my toes, I really do. So, I loved that coming out of nowhere and whooping me upside the head!
As Marc and Jason get to know each other, their relationship builds. I liked that build up and when it spilled over. I can't say I liked the reason it spilled over, and I'm not going to elaborate due to spoilers, but I think when it does spill over, it was exactly at the right time for these two.
It moves at speed sometimes, and slows up in others, just enough for you to catch up. It's dark and deadly, and sweet and emotional. Steamy and smexy. It hit all of the buttons I was expecting and some I wasn't.
I absolutely need to read book 3, but I've no clue who that would be or even IF there will be a book 3! And at some point, I'd like to go back and read book 1.
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in the Basic Instincts series and I have not read book 1, Now Comes The Dark. I did not feel I missed anything by not doing so, so I would say this can totally be read as a stand alone. Roman and Mallon pop up, but only in passing.
Marc is not happy with the local police about their lack of progress in finding his brother's killer. Because Marc does not believe that Theo's death was an accident. Enter Jason, a local private detective. But just as his investigation gets moving, their chief witness is murdered and both men find themselves in a fight for their lives, with no clue who is behind it all.
I just wanna say: Well played, Mr Collins, so very well played! I did not see the whodunnit coming at me, not at all! I love being kept on my toes, I really do. So, I loved that coming out of nowhere and whooping me upside the head!
As Marc and Jason get to know each other, their relationship builds. I liked that build up and when it spilled over. I can't say I liked the reason it spilled over, and I'm not going to elaborate due to spoilers, but I think when it does spill over, it was exactly at the right time for these two.
It moves at speed sometimes, and slows up in others, just enough for you to catch up. It's dark and deadly, and sweet and emotional. Steamy and smexy. It hit all of the buttons I was expecting and some I wasn't.
I absolutely need to read book 3, but I've no clue who that would be or even IF there will be a book 3! And at some point, I'd like to go back and read book 1.
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Shadow's Claim (Prime Omegaverse #3)
7.0
Rate It
Book
She hid in shadows to survive. Now she belongs to one. For three years, Nova has played a...
Dub Con Omegaverse Fantasy Science Fiction Dark Romance Monster Romance
Debbiereadsbook (1761 KP) rated Healing Her (Healing Duet #1) in Books
May 19, 2025
very little smexy times, for a shifter book!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Calvin turns 21 in a week, and the weight of his pack will be on his shoulders. A week away before then, is just what he needs. But then he gets on the ferry and his wolf goes nuts. His mate is on the boat, and she is in danger. Paisleigh is sold to pay her family's debts, and the ferry ride will only take her deeper into the darkness. But a bright light shines in the young man who takes an interest. Can he rescue her, before her soul is broken?
Ok so, I can't say I loved this book, but for the most part I did enjoy it. I found myself nitpicking though and even now, as I'm typing, more springs to mind!
Paisleigh is on the same ferry to Aberdeen as Calvin, who lives on an island. Yet Calvin's Alpha and father didn't know her pack? There is a scene where they are holding hands, and the next bit, they touch for the first time. I also got a bit confused at times who was speaking, cos there is a huge supporting cast.
Lots of inconsistencies, that put me off a bit.
There is, for a shifter romance, very little smexy times. Now, part of that is on the back of what Paisleigh goes through before she gets rescued. Or, rather, what she MIGHT have gone through. While it's all laid out for you, on page, the world into which she has been sold, Paisleigh is fortunate to not actually get too far down the path.
And, it is first person, present tense and multi point of view, so you know :-p
But I did finish it, and I jumped straight into book 2, so it wasn't all bad.
3 good stars
* same worded review will appear elsewhere
Calvin turns 21 in a week, and the weight of his pack will be on his shoulders. A week away before then, is just what he needs. But then he gets on the ferry and his wolf goes nuts. His mate is on the boat, and she is in danger. Paisleigh is sold to pay her family's debts, and the ferry ride will only take her deeper into the darkness. But a bright light shines in the young man who takes an interest. Can he rescue her, before her soul is broken?
Ok so, I can't say I loved this book, but for the most part I did enjoy it. I found myself nitpicking though and even now, as I'm typing, more springs to mind!
Paisleigh is on the same ferry to Aberdeen as Calvin, who lives on an island. Yet Calvin's Alpha and father didn't know her pack? There is a scene where they are holding hands, and the next bit, they touch for the first time. I also got a bit confused at times who was speaking, cos there is a huge supporting cast.
Lots of inconsistencies, that put me off a bit.
There is, for a shifter romance, very little smexy times. Now, part of that is on the back of what Paisleigh goes through before she gets rescued. Or, rather, what she MIGHT have gone through. While it's all laid out for you, on page, the world into which she has been sold, Paisleigh is fortunate to not actually get too far down the path.
And, it is first person, present tense and multi point of view, so you know :-p
But I did finish it, and I jumped straight into book 2, so it wasn't all bad.
3 good stars
* same worded review will appear elsewhere
Wicked Games (Silvercrest U, #1)
10.0
Rate It
Book
Killian I hate obscure school rules. Especially the one that says siblings have to room together...
Contemporary Stepbrothers MM Dark Romance
Scoop Me Up (Love in Maplewood #7)
7.0
Rate It
Book
Falling for a straight guy is putting extra nuts in the rocky road to my life goals... I have two...
Contemporary MM Romance
Debbiereadsbook (1761 KP) rated Taming of a Wolf (Viking Wolves #2) in Books
Jun 19, 2025
Bites differently to book 1 but no less powerfully!
Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Viking Wolves series, and I do recommend you read book 1, Heart of a Wolf before this one. It will give you a better picture of what Anders does to warrant his exiling. You do get a recap here, but I think you need it from Kieran's point of view to get the full effect.And, cos I bloody said so!
I loved book 1, I really did. And I loved this one too. It doesn't bite the same way as book 1, but it's bite is different and just as powerful!
While book 1 is a slow burn, this is full on INSTA for Anders and Jamie and I loved the marked differences in the two tales. I'm gonna be doing a lot of comparisons but I will try to keep them to a minimum!
What I particularly loved, and this probably makes me a bit weird, was the pain these two carried. Anders, for what he did, what he thought he was doing for the better of the pack, but deep down?? He was hurting just as much as Wulfric was at the death of his parents. But he wasn't any better able to stop that than Wulfric was. And Jamie, at the death of HIS parents, that he believes was his fault. I cried when they both told the other their deepest pain.
I loved that Anders was able to get some sort of closure with his brothers. I expect there is more pain to come from the other brothers though, about their parents death.
Loved the introduction of Gunnar's mate, and the revelation that Lyall's is still alive. I hope I get a chance to read their books!
Loving this series, and I highly recommend them!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in the Viking Wolves series, and I do recommend you read book 1, Heart of a Wolf before this one. It will give you a better picture of what Anders does to warrant his exiling. You do get a recap here, but I think you need it from Kieran's point of view to get the full effect.And, cos I bloody said so!
I loved book 1, I really did. And I loved this one too. It doesn't bite the same way as book 1, but it's bite is different and just as powerful!
While book 1 is a slow burn, this is full on INSTA for Anders and Jamie and I loved the marked differences in the two tales. I'm gonna be doing a lot of comparisons but I will try to keep them to a minimum!
What I particularly loved, and this probably makes me a bit weird, was the pain these two carried. Anders, for what he did, what he thought he was doing for the better of the pack, but deep down?? He was hurting just as much as Wulfric was at the death of his parents. But he wasn't any better able to stop that than Wulfric was. And Jamie, at the death of HIS parents, that he believes was his fault. I cried when they both told the other their deepest pain.
I loved that Anders was able to get some sort of closure with his brothers. I expect there is more pain to come from the other brothers though, about their parents death.
Loved the introduction of Gunnar's mate, and the revelation that Lyall's is still alive. I hope I get a chance to read their books!
Loving this series, and I highly recommend them!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Debbiereadsbook (1761 KP) rated Mayfair Madame (Mayfair heights #1) in Books
Sep 21, 2025
Ms Adams smashes it, she really does!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Ok so!
I have followed Ms Adams from the beginning, and her skill as an author continues to grow. THIS book, though, is a step away from her usual fair, and I will be honest, wasn't sure how it was gonna go.
I need NOT have worried! Because Ms Adams smashed it, she really did!
Naomi lives in Mayfair Heights, and runs an escort business. A physical assault (on page, but needed) brings her into contact with Ellie Sharpe, a detective dealing with her case. For both of them, there is powerful attraction, but they cannot act on it, until the case is dropped and Ellie and Naomi are free to do as they wish. But someone doesn't want to let it go. And both women carry some emotional baggage. Can they find the love they both so desperately want and need?
I loved this, I really did.
I loved that both Naomi and Ellie have a say. I loved the way things developed between the two of them. I loved the emotional connection and how Naomi SAW Ellie, even if Ellie didn't want to be seen.
I loved the steam level here. While not especially explicit, the physical connection between Ellie and Naomi is powerful and it shows in the way they are together.
It is a bit darker, Naomi gets assaulted a couple of times, but I think it is needed to get the point across.
I LOVED the whole team who live in Mayfair Heights! Some characters have piqued my interest more than others, but they all pulled a string and I look forward to those strings being unravelled.
Thank you, Ms Adams, for falling in love with the cover, the picture portrays Naomi beautifully and I cannot wait to get to know the others in more detail.
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Ok so!
I have followed Ms Adams from the beginning, and her skill as an author continues to grow. THIS book, though, is a step away from her usual fair, and I will be honest, wasn't sure how it was gonna go.
I need NOT have worried! Because Ms Adams smashed it, she really did!
Naomi lives in Mayfair Heights, and runs an escort business. A physical assault (on page, but needed) brings her into contact with Ellie Sharpe, a detective dealing with her case. For both of them, there is powerful attraction, but they cannot act on it, until the case is dropped and Ellie and Naomi are free to do as they wish. But someone doesn't want to let it go. And both women carry some emotional baggage. Can they find the love they both so desperately want and need?
I loved this, I really did.
I loved that both Naomi and Ellie have a say. I loved the way things developed between the two of them. I loved the emotional connection and how Naomi SAW Ellie, even if Ellie didn't want to be seen.
I loved the steam level here. While not especially explicit, the physical connection between Ellie and Naomi is powerful and it shows in the way they are together.
It is a bit darker, Naomi gets assaulted a couple of times, but I think it is needed to get the point across.
I LOVED the whole team who live in Mayfair Heights! Some characters have piqued my interest more than others, but they all pulled a string and I look forward to those strings being unravelled.
Thank you, Ms Adams, for falling in love with the cover, the picture portrays Naomi beautifully and I cannot wait to get to know the others in more detail.
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Sugar Rush
8.0
Rate It
Book
Jordy - I’ve had a giant crush on Kieran for as long as I can remember, basically as soon as his...
MM Omegaverse Romance
Debbiereadsbook (1761 KP) rated Still Waters, Deep (Between Hill and Sea) in Books
Apr 18, 2026
love the descriptive passages!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is the first in a new series by Ms Sheppard, and it reads a little bit different to her other books.
Seren is an archivist, and Talise a hydrologist. Catrin wrote about the water of Llyn Du, over 100 years ago, before she disappeared and now all three ladies are entwined by a red thread of fate.
It took time for the threads to weave, and as such, I didn't know where it was all going for a long time. It meant I had to slow down my reading, and concentrate really hard, which in turn meant it took me longer to read. Not a bad thing, just needs a comment, cos Book Feelings are important!
I enjoyed that Seren and Talise have a voice, and Eifion doesn't. I think if he had, the water might have muddled a bit(see what I did there?) between Catrin and Talise, around the lake and what was happening to Talise and what had happened to Catrin.
It's full of Ms Sheppard's signature Welsh myths and legends. There is a bit at the end that talks about Llyn Du and the red thread of fate. I didn't read it. but some might fine it helpful.
It's also full of descriptive passages that you can actually feel. You can feel how the lake reacts to Talise. You can feel how heavy the bell is, how Talise can feel it in her bones. You can feel how Seren reacts to the red thread, so far away from the lake. I love these passages, the way Ms Sheppard writes them. They come across so beautifully, so emotionally, so real.
There is no violence, and no smex. And I loved that there isn't!
Like I said, first in a new series, all connected by that red thread of fate, Welsh myths and nothing more. I look forward to reading what comes next!
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is the first in a new series by Ms Sheppard, and it reads a little bit different to her other books.
Seren is an archivist, and Talise a hydrologist. Catrin wrote about the water of Llyn Du, over 100 years ago, before she disappeared and now all three ladies are entwined by a red thread of fate.
It took time for the threads to weave, and as such, I didn't know where it was all going for a long time. It meant I had to slow down my reading, and concentrate really hard, which in turn meant it took me longer to read. Not a bad thing, just needs a comment, cos Book Feelings are important!
I enjoyed that Seren and Talise have a voice, and Eifion doesn't. I think if he had, the water might have muddled a bit(see what I did there?) between Catrin and Talise, around the lake and what was happening to Talise and what had happened to Catrin.
It's full of Ms Sheppard's signature Welsh myths and legends. There is a bit at the end that talks about Llyn Du and the red thread of fate. I didn't read it. but some might fine it helpful.
It's also full of descriptive passages that you can actually feel. You can feel how the lake reacts to Talise. You can feel how heavy the bell is, how Talise can feel it in her bones. You can feel how Seren reacts to the red thread, so far away from the lake. I love these passages, the way Ms Sheppard writes them. They come across so beautifully, so emotionally, so real.
There is no violence, and no smex. And I loved that there isn't!
Like I said, first in a new series, all connected by that red thread of fate, Welsh myths and nothing more. I look forward to reading what comes next!
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere