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I got this as a freebie a few months ago as I hunted for books to finish my Paranormal Roman & Urban Fantasy A-Z challenge on Goodreads.

This starts with Avaline doing her job as a lifeguard at the lake when she is attacked with magic by two assailants who know her name. She wakes up a month later to learn she, too, has magic. A dangerous magic. She has two choices and decides to stay at the school to learn how to control her vox magic.

I can't decide whether I liked this or not.

Everything was happening so quickly in it. She meets the guys, she lusts after them, she sleeps with one of them very quickly. She gets to lessons and on her second try ever she manages to make fire. I just expected things to take time...for her to initially struggle considering she didn't even know she had magic until a day or two ago.

I struggled to connect with the characters and wasn't really convinced by their relationships. I didn't feel any real sort of chemistry going on between any of them. Once again, I feel like this bit was rushed. I get lust but... I wasn't a fan of how the author wrote the romance parts.

This story had a lot of promise but we don't really learn much of anything. Ava learns about magic in lessons but we don't get to hear it. To me it feels like a bit of paper that's been scrunched into a ball and then flattened causing creases and ripples that means some details in the story have been glossed over. It could do with expanding a little with more details on certain aspects.

At this point I don't believe I'll be reading more of this series.
  
***ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

4.5 stars.

I’ll start by saying I really, really, liked Riker. He might have tried to act like a hard-ass but he wasn’t. Something right from the start grabbed me about him and I went a little mushy. Awww… :P And he was hot, too!!

Nicole turned out to be quite ballsy and I liked that about her. Riker needed someone like her in his life. I liked how she told it to him straight and if he didn’t like it, then she either fought to make him listen or walked away, making him come to her.

The secondary characters were quite fun too. Hunter, the head of the MoonBound clan, made me smile a lot. Playing is video games and saying some of the stuff he did. Myne, a fellow member of the clan, was another favourite. He might have come across at the beginning of being some rather scary ass vampire but by the end, he’d grown on me.

I feel I have to mention that first sex scene. It was HOT!! As was the second. Crikey, Larissa Ione knows how to write passionate scenes between her characters.

The storyline was different, with vampires being slaves to humans and I wondered how it was all going to work out. I wasn’t disappointed, it was a hell of a journey. I was happy, sad (I almost cried a few times), and angry at various points in this. But to me that made it goooood. Really good.

If you’re a fan of Larissa Ione then this isn’t to be missed. If you like steamy paranormal romance, again, this isn’t to be missed. I highly recommend it.

P.S. I am so going to look up what an origami vampire looks like :P
  
Eternal Flame (Guardians #1)
Eternal Flame (Guardians #1)
Valerie Twombly | 2013 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book has a twist on the tale of vampires in that they have been chosen by the gods as protectors of the human race and actually dwell in an alternative realm. They are all hot and some have special skills. They all have a weakness, which are silver bracelets, as we find out with Marcus.

There are too many excellent characters in here to name them all but I will admit to having a soft spot for Seth and Baal! An excellent book and, I hope, the start of a new series. How it ended leaves it wide open for the next book along, whilst also neatly tying off this story.

There are a couple of reasons I haven't given this 5 stars. For one, there is insta-love and... bonded mates or not, this bugs me. For someone who has not been in a relationship for 5 years and has been so hurt in the past, it just beggars belief that she would fall into bed with Marcus after the first date, no matter how big the attraction.

I would also liked to have known more about the gods, who they are and what their role in this is. I get the feeling they have a big part to play in this but we don't really hear much about them. Are they Egyptian? I'm not sure although Egypt plays a big part in this.

On the whole, a totally enjoyable paranormal romance with a twist. If you enjoy hot alpha males, demons and shifters all in one book then I can recommend this one to you.
 
* 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. *

July 23, 2016
  
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Merissa (11805 KP) rated Night's Deep Hush (Reveler #4) in Books

May 8, 2021 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)  
Night's Deep Hush (Reveler #4)
Night's Deep Hush (Reveler #4)
Erin Kellison | 2014 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.

This is the fourth part of a series and must be read in order for you to receive the full benefit.

We return to the two characters who started this series, Malcolm Rook and Jordan Lane. They are on the run from pretty much everyone and stay no longer than 3 days in any one place but it appears that 3 days is too long as Malcolm feels a 'ping' in his head that tells him they have been found. He sends Jordan out alone to get the food in the hope that it will keep her safe. Jordan knows something is up but refuses to become one of those girls so just does as she has been asked.

So, that's the start of the story. What happens to Malcolm? Will Jordan be ok? Let me just say that this story moves along at the same fast pace as the previous ones do... and Jordan is no wilting wallflower! She is not only ok, she is able to deal with Vince Blackman AND find Rook so that she knows what is going on. She also manages to get messages to her sister and Harlen so she is far from helpless which is just brilliant reading.

I loved the fact that although this story is about Malcolm and Jordan, we nevertheless see other characters that we have met in the previous books and so keep up to date with them too. Vince is becoming a character of interest so I will be watching him!

If you want a Paranormal Romance that doesn't have sparkly vampires or overgrown werewolves, then why not give the Rêve a try?


August 14, 2016
  
Hunted by a Jaguar (Eternal Mates #4)
Hunted by a Jaguar (Eternal Mates #4)
Felicity Heaton | 2015 | Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Iolanthe is a 3000-year-old elf with a brother who we know and love. She has escaped from the "confines of home" when told that she would be marrying a male of her parents' choosing after she reached her 1000th birthday but hadn't yet found her fated mate. She frequently goes on treasure hunts and also manages to get herself in - and out - of scrapes.

Kyter is the owner of Underworld, a nightclub in London where fae and 'other' are welcomed. He makes a journey back to the village of his birth due to tragic circumstances and finds himself on a path that will intersect with Iolanthe's. They are both after an artefact and neither of them is in it just for fun.

As this book unfolded, I was convinced it was a solid 4-star. After all, Vail is the one who has stolen my heart and I honestly thought that no one could compare! I have to say that Kyter came close though. He is a flawed male who reacts with instinct instead of sense when he realises that Iolanthe is his fated female. However, he is also man/jaguar enough to realise his mistake and work to put it right, even if it means laying himself on the line. Kyter was sneaky in weaving himself into my affections but I wouldn't want it any other way.

A fast-paced and well-written book that has enough action in it to keep you on the edge of your seat along with passion that flows off the page. Once again, I have no hesitation in recommending this to all fans of Paranormal Romance!
 
* 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!
September 12, 2016
  
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Merissa (11805 KP) created a post

Jun 1, 2022  
The murder of a marquis, an accidental kidnapping, an elite vampire death squad, and a beast stalking the French countryside? All in a day’s work for a member of the les Dames Dangereuses.

As the most enviable comtesse of the tonne, Charlotte de Brionne was almost satisfied with her wealth, power, and rather tepid marriage, until her murderous husband betrayed her.

Now she has seized the chance to make a more adventurous start with les Dames Dangereuses, an order of women spies in service to the French crown. But her latest assignment is rudely interrupted when she is kidnapped by a crossbow-wielding madman, who turns out to be not at all mad only rather surly and annoyingly handsome.

Lieutenant Antoine de Valle has no idea what to make of the exasperating, untrustworthy, and frustratingly beautiful woman he’s suddenly saddled with, but his honor demands he see Charlotte safely home. Especially since it’s his fault she accidentally witnesses his murder of a marquis, ends up on the wrong end of a brutal vampire death squad, and barely survives an encounter with the Beast of Gévaudan.

In fact, the more Antoine tries to keep Charlotte safe, the more trouble they find themselves in. And the harder it is for Antoine to remember his honor in the face of Charlotte’s dangerous charms.

Publisher: Mystic Owl
Print Length: 282
Language: English
Genre: Paranormal Historical Romance
Publication Date: May 19, 2022
Buy Link: mybook.to/AgentandtheOutlaw
Check out the series: mybook.to/LesDamesDangereuses

Love the Les Dames Dangereuses series and want to stay up to date on Lily Riley's next release? Follow Lily on Amazon here: author.to/LilyRiley or check out her website: https://www.authorlilyriley.com/

#bookstagram #HistoricalRomance #ParanormalRomance #bookseries #BookBoost #blogtour #booklove #bookrecommendation #newrelease #bookrelease #newrelease2022 #bookstagram #romancestagram #spicybooks #vampirebooks #mysteryromance
     
B(
Beguiled ( Betwixt & Between book 3)
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
226 of 230
Kindle
Beguiled ( Betwixt & Between book 3)
By Darynda Jones
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Paranormal Women's Fiction with a bit of class, and a lot of sass, for anyone who feels like age is just a number!

Newly indoctrinated witch, Defiance Dayne, discovers there’s more to life after forty than she'd ever imagined possible. Especially if one is a charmling, one of only three in the world, with enough magics to make her a target for every power-hungry warlock out there. When one of them sends a hunter to town, she knows it’s time to take her talents seriously before the hunter takes her life.

She decides she has three things to do before she can die. Find out who killed her beloved grandmother, teach her BFF the finer points of spellcasting before she blows up the world, and figure out how serious her relationship with the Adonis living in her basement really is. If it’s heading in the direction she’s hoping for, she can die happy. Though, admittedly, she’d rather not. Die. Happy or otherwise.

None of that will matter, however, if she can’t figure out how to foil the supernatural assassin who’s been sent for her. Until then, it’s business—and hopefully romance—as usual. Now if she can only figure out how to tame a lacuna wolf.

This author never disappoints! I really am enjoying this series I think it’s quirky and love how it’s a middle aged normal woman as the lead. We see how finding her birth family and her magic changes her life and brings so many new people and adventures. Really worth a read as it’s easy to get into and a fun light read.
  
TW
The Wolf Next Door (Westfield Wolves, #3)
Lydia Dare | 2010
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Wolf Next Door by Lydia Dare
Genre: Paranormal werewolf romance, historical fiction
ISBN:9781402236969
Published: June 1st 2010 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Rating:

Years ago, William Westfield and Pricia Hawthorne were in love—but Pricia's heart was broken and she refuses to let the scoundrel forget it. She knows now that he never committed the accused crime… but she can't bare to give her heart to him again. Even though she wants to.

Will has established his reputation as the best lover in six centuries. And he knows he did it to get Pricia out of his head. He still loves and adores her, snotty remarks and spirited personality and rule-breaking attitude and all. But when he is forced to visit the Hawthorne house to escort his sisters-in-law, he discovers that another man—another Lycan man—is pursuing her hand in marriage. Will doesn't think: The games are over. He decides that he will do anything and everything to keep the other werewolf away, and claim her forever.

This was, out of the three Westfield stories, my favorite. From the time I started reading, I couldn't put it down. It was fast-paced, exciting, and romantic. Although can I say that the covers—for this one and the others—could have been better? Still, I loved the story.

Will has always been my favorite Westfield, because of his happy, funny, warm, laid-back personality… and I loved seeing him desperately in love, trying his hardest to charm Pricia's socks off. Pricia is my favorite kind of heroine: the kind that can hold her own, especially with five brothers. Put Will and Pricia together, and you have an epic couple: They love each other, they hate each other. But they only hate each other because they love each other… a never-ending circle, a never-ending conversation, and a never-ending story… but a very satisfying ending to the book.

The plot was a lot more exciting than Dare's other werewolf stories—not to say the others aren't exciting. But this one surpassed the others. The other Lycan threatening Will's happiness added a good conflict to the story. Pricia's execution of torture on poor Will was both pitiful and hilarious. There was a war going on between the two wolves, and a war going on between the lovers, and it made for a stay-up-until-3-AM kind of book.

One of the reasons this one was probably my favorite, was because it wasn't sappy. I'm not saying the others are: but there was this running theme of the woman telling the man she was in love with him, and the man not admitting it until way too late, and causing problems because of it. There was none of that in The Wolf Next Door. Will straight up told Pricia that he loved her. He told her father he loved her. He told his brothers, and her brothers, that he loved her. And it made their romance much better and much more believable.

Magic, romance, heart-break, rivals, witches, and true love…all tied together with a sweet, naive, innocent little devil, and a very handsome werewolf. This one is begging to be re-read.

Content/recommendation: Little language, some sex. Ages 18+
  
SV
Second Verse
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).


I first saw this book on Goodreads, and I knew I had to have it when I read the word "haunted" in the book synopsis. I'm so happy I had a chance to read this book because it was awesome!

I think the blurb is fantastically written! It definitely made me want to read the book, and I like how it doesn't even mention the tiniest spoiler which I love.

I'm not a big fan of the title simply because it make me think of a book about someone's struggle with music. It doesn't really give off the whole ghostly mystery book vibe.

I also don't really care for the cover simply because based on just the cover, it never made me want to pick up the book to read it. I would've liked to have had a creepier looking cover for this book even if the cover photo is, what I think, supposed to be the picture Lange drew.

I did enjoy the world building very much. I felt that the world of Second Verse definitely had solid building. I was experiencing everything that Lange was, or at least, it felt that way. As for the setting, I was a bit confused at the very beginning about the type of school they were in. It was mentioned they had a creative period and there was talk about music, but it never really talked about them being in a music school. Perhaps it was implied, and I just couldn't work it out at the beginning or maybe I just read about it and forgot.

The pacing was only slow for about the first 5 or so pages. After that, the pacing picks up and holds your attention for the rest of the book only letting you go once the book comes to an end. I was super enthralled throughout the entire book (with the exception of the first few pages).

I really enjoyed the plot! There is a major element in this plot that I won't talk about due to spoilers, but it wasn't mentioned in the book's blurb. I would've never guessed it was a book on that theme. Trust me, I'd elaborate if I could, but I don't want to spoil it for those that may wish to read this book. There is a plot twist that I never saw coming, and the ending was just wow! I will say that the ending does leave this book open for a sequel.

The characters felt very real. I enjoyed the character of Lange. It was interesting to see how she reacted to everything around her. I felt as if I probably would've made the same choices if I was in her shoes. Vaughn is also a likable character, and I loved how he was always trying to make Lange feel safe. They were such a cute couple! Even though Ginny wasn't an actual character, it was still interesting to read about her and her love for her beau.

The dialogue flowed very smoothly, and the character interactions felt real. The language used works for this book and its genre.

Overall, Second Verse is a fantastic read that incorporates a bit of mystery, paranormal, and romance. It definitely held my attention, and I was sad when I had come to the end of the book because I didn't want it to end.

I'd recommend this book to those aged 14+ who enjoy paranormal, mystery, and romance books and those who love great plot twists.

<b>I'd give Second Verse by Jennifer Walkup a 4.5 out of 5.</b>

(I received a free paperback copy of this book from the tour host in exchange for a fair and honest review).
  
Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Synopsis: September 3, 1940. Ten peculiar children flee an army of deadly monsters. And only one person can help them—but she’s trapped in the body of a bird. The extraordinary journey that began in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children continues as Jacob Portman and his newfound friends journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. There, they hope to find a cure for their beloved headmistress, Miss Peregrine. But in this war-torn city, hideous surprises lurk around every corner. And before Jacob can deliver the peculiar children to safety, he must make an important decision about his love for Emma Bloom.

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fiction

Audience/Reading Level: Middle School+

Interests: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal

Style: Light Read

Point of View: Third Person

Difficulty Reading: It was a very easy read and know even younger individuals will be able to understand what the underlying meaning of the story is.

Promise: Like its predecessor, this second novel in the Peculiar Children series blends thrilling fantasy with newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reading experience that will delight readers of all ages.

Quality: Like your favorite cake with extra whip cream and ice cream. 😉

Insights: When I first read this series, I read Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs first to get a better understanding of the characters since I had a feeling that there was going to be a lot of references to it. I was right. I honestly fell in love with this series and love the way that Ransom Riggs writes. It just captures my attention and transports me into a world of fantasy that is a great escape from reality!

Favorite Quotes: “Laughing doesn’t make bad things worse any more than crying makes them better.”

“There was romance in the unknown, but once a place had been discovered and cataloged and mapped, it was diminished, just another dusty fact in a book, sapped of mystery. So maybe it was better to leave a few spots on the map blank. To let the world keep a little of its magic, rather than forcing it to divulge every last secret. Maybe it was better, now and then, to wonder.”

What will you gain: A love of a new fantasy world that will make you wish, you too were a part of the Peculiar children’s world.

Aesthetics: I absolutely love the vintage style this series has. The photographs help give an idea of who and what the characters look like. The way that Ransom Riggs writes, just draws anybody of any age into the plot and storyline, like an enchantment that takes you from the real world, into a world filled with magic, hope, love, and adventure.

“Some truths are expressed best in the form of myth.”