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Thicker Than Water (Redwater Demons #1)
10.0
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“Hate is learned, hunter. And I see you were a very good student.” “Thanks. I try.” ...
Debbiereadsbook (1702 KP) rated Thorns The Bloom (Venusverse #3) in Books
Oct 8, 2025
far darker than 1, but so good!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 3 in the Venusverse series. I have not read book 2, but these can be read as stand alone books. There is a bit at the beginning that explains this world better.
Sam, an omega, moves clear across the country to get away after an attack by 5 alphas leaves him pregnant and alone. He doesn't want anything to do with alphas, ever again. But meeting Theo throws him off.
What I especially loved about this book, was the slow burn between Sam and Theo. Once Theo knows what happened to Sam, he really does just set out to be his friend, but his alpha-ness draws him closer to Sam every day. But Theo lets Sam set the pace of their friendship, and that endears him to Sam all the more.
I loved that Theo goes all out to be Sam's friend. Bringing him lunch, reading up on his condition. And when Sam's new life is threatened, Theo puts all his past behind him and approaches the one person he never thought he would speak to again.
Sam's attack isn't on page, but the aftermath is. How Sam reacts in certain situations and the trauma that comes from that. It really is needed to make Sam's point, I think.
First person, present tense and multi point of view but I didn't notice it again til I was filing the book! These book grab me and do not let go.
This is far darker than book 1 but still a. . .
5 star read
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 3 in the Venusverse series. I have not read book 2, but these can be read as stand alone books. There is a bit at the beginning that explains this world better.
Sam, an omega, moves clear across the country to get away after an attack by 5 alphas leaves him pregnant and alone. He doesn't want anything to do with alphas, ever again. But meeting Theo throws him off.
What I especially loved about this book, was the slow burn between Sam and Theo. Once Theo knows what happened to Sam, he really does just set out to be his friend, but his alpha-ness draws him closer to Sam every day. But Theo lets Sam set the pace of their friendship, and that endears him to Sam all the more.
I loved that Theo goes all out to be Sam's friend. Bringing him lunch, reading up on his condition. And when Sam's new life is threatened, Theo puts all his past behind him and approaches the one person he never thought he would speak to again.
Sam's attack isn't on page, but the aftermath is. How Sam reacts in certain situations and the trauma that comes from that. It really is needed to make Sam's point, I think.
First person, present tense and multi point of view but I didn't notice it again til I was filing the book! These book grab me and do not let go.
This is far darker than book 1 but still a. . .
5 star read
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Merissa (13901 KP) rated The Bear's Broken Omega (Grizzly Ridge #3) in Books
Dec 4, 2025
THE BEAR'S BROKEN OMEGA is the third book in the Grizzly Ridge series, and is about Zander, sheriff of Grizzly Ridge and bear shifter, and Reid, a traumatised for more than one reason warlock. You don't have to have read the other two, but I think it helps, if only for background.
Reid was abused as a child, starts rebelling and spreading his wings, and is forced into a mating that he never wanted, and is abused once more. So when I say he has trust issues, trust me. He does, and with fair reason. Zander is the sheriff and doesn't expect to find his mate in the middle of a battle, but there you go. He understands that Reid needs treating gently and tries to give him space, while also showing that he can be trusted and relied upon.
This is a slow-burn of a story, made more complicated for the main characters when they realise Reid is pregnant with his captor's baby. My heart broke for him, even as I cheered him on. I loved how he made Zander work for his affection, and I loved even more how Zander completely understood and didn't play games in return.
There are hints for at least two more books in the series - Garrett and Kit, and Nathaniel and George. I honestly can't wait to read these.
This series is full of hurt and trauma, while showing that the love of the right man/shifter isn't all that you need, but it goes one helluva long way to making your world right again. Definitely recommended!
** 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!
Dec 4, 2025
Reid was abused as a child, starts rebelling and spreading his wings, and is forced into a mating that he never wanted, and is abused once more. So when I say he has trust issues, trust me. He does, and with fair reason. Zander is the sheriff and doesn't expect to find his mate in the middle of a battle, but there you go. He understands that Reid needs treating gently and tries to give him space, while also showing that he can be trusted and relied upon.
This is a slow-burn of a story, made more complicated for the main characters when they realise Reid is pregnant with his captor's baby. My heart broke for him, even as I cheered him on. I loved how he made Zander work for his affection, and I loved even more how Zander completely understood and didn't play games in return.
There are hints for at least two more books in the series - Garrett and Kit, and Nathaniel and George. I honestly can't wait to read these.
This series is full of hurt and trauma, while showing that the love of the right man/shifter isn't all that you need, but it goes one helluva long way to making your world right again. Definitely recommended!
** 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!
Dec 4, 2025
Merissa (13901 KP) rated Festive Trees And Mistletoe (Hope Valley Christmas #3) in Books
Dec 9, 2025
FESTIVE TREES AND MISTLETOE is the perfectly named book three in the Hope Valley Christmas series. You don't have to read the other books before this one, although I'm sure you'll want to.
Pete is the one who lives in Hope Valley, well, Charnwell actually. He runs a Christmas Tree Farm and Garden Centre with his sister, Sadie. Charlie was spending time over Christmas and New Year in the village pub when he got dumped. Pete and Charlie meet on New Year's Eve, when both of them end up outside, unwilling to witness all the happy couples around them bringing in the New Year. There is a spark of attraction, but Charlie has literally just been dumped, so nothing happens. Not until the next December anyway...
This is a cosy read, full of Christmas cheer, and two men who really belong together, but decide they are going to be 'just friends'. You can imagine how well that works out, but they do have a couple of little speed bumps along the way. Both of these guys are wonderful, but Pete is seriously a 'good guy' in the best way possible. Throw in a hot lumberjack vibe too, and all is good in the world!
I loved that this was mostly low angst, with just the usual quandaries and worries that every new relationship brings when you live in two different places. Cooper and Jax also made my heart melt!
All in all, this was a brilliant Christmas read, that is slow-burn but high heat. I absolutely loved it and HIGHLY RECOMMEND it.
** 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!
Dec 9, 2025
Pete is the one who lives in Hope Valley, well, Charnwell actually. He runs a Christmas Tree Farm and Garden Centre with his sister, Sadie. Charlie was spending time over Christmas and New Year in the village pub when he got dumped. Pete and Charlie meet on New Year's Eve, when both of them end up outside, unwilling to witness all the happy couples around them bringing in the New Year. There is a spark of attraction, but Charlie has literally just been dumped, so nothing happens. Not until the next December anyway...
This is a cosy read, full of Christmas cheer, and two men who really belong together, but decide they are going to be 'just friends'. You can imagine how well that works out, but they do have a couple of little speed bumps along the way. Both of these guys are wonderful, but Pete is seriously a 'good guy' in the best way possible. Throw in a hot lumberjack vibe too, and all is good in the world!
I loved that this was mostly low angst, with just the usual quandaries and worries that every new relationship brings when you live in two different places. Cooper and Jax also made my heart melt!
All in all, this was a brilliant Christmas read, that is slow-burn but high heat. I absolutely loved it and HIGHLY RECOMMEND it.
** 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!
Dec 9, 2025
A Liar's Moon (Strength of the Pack #2)
10.0
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Chasing this story could make him. But it might also break him. This should be easy—slide into...
MM Paranormal Romance
Merissa (13901 KP) rated Sweetest Blood in Books
Feb 10, 2026
SWEETEST BLOOD is a standalone paranormal romance between a witch and a vampire. Throw in a cursed sister and an evil coven, and there you have it.
This is a long book, and I'll be honest, I wondered how it could fill the book. But it does, and in such a way that you don't even notice the pages skipping by. I loved how Felix was a feeder and how he ended up with Severin, but I also loved how he was honest with Sev from the beginning. He is a saucy little minx, constantly teasing and pushing Severin's boundaries in the most perfect way. As for Severin himself, well, he's my favourite character of them all. He is cool, calm, and collected... until one of those he considers a friend or family is threatened.
Not only do Felix and Severin find their mates, but so do a multitude of others (don't worry, I won't name names!), so you get an all-for-one kind of story. I would say this is a surprisingly low angst story, considering the evil coven, etc., that is both a slow burn and fated mates insta-lust. Felix and Severin don't rush into a relationship (for reasons), but when they do, hold onto your hats, because it steams up pretty quickly!
The first book by this author I have read, and if their other books are like this, then it won't be my last. 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!
Feb 10, 2026
This is a long book, and I'll be honest, I wondered how it could fill the book. But it does, and in such a way that you don't even notice the pages skipping by. I loved how Felix was a feeder and how he ended up with Severin, but I also loved how he was honest with Sev from the beginning. He is a saucy little minx, constantly teasing and pushing Severin's boundaries in the most perfect way. As for Severin himself, well, he's my favourite character of them all. He is cool, calm, and collected... until one of those he considers a friend or family is threatened.
Not only do Felix and Severin find their mates, but so do a multitude of others (don't worry, I won't name names!), so you get an all-for-one kind of story. I would say this is a surprisingly low angst story, considering the evil coven, etc., that is both a slow burn and fated mates insta-lust. Felix and Severin don't rush into a relationship (for reasons), but when they do, hold onto your hats, because it steams up pretty quickly!
The first book by this author I have read, and if their other books are like this, then it won't be my last. 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!
Feb 10, 2026
Debbiereadsbook (1702 KP) rated A Lifetime of Tomorrows (Shattered Men #1) in Books
Apr 6, 2026
darker, but brilliant!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is the first in a new series frm Ms Adams, and it tackles some difficult topics: addiction, self-harm, internalised homophobia. Mention of suicide, both thoughts and intent. Please heed those warnings if you have any issues.
I loved this! It's not an easy read, by any means, given the subject matter involved, and Harvey and Killian are both struggling with a lot of different things. I loved how Killian seemed to be a catalyst for Harvey to push his boundaries, but hated that Killian (unintentionally) pushed Harvey that little bit too hard.
Harvey's issues span from a single event and it takes time for that event to be made clear. You can see why he thinks the way he does, once you know what triggered it all, but until that point, I couldn't figure Harvey out, at all and I loved being kept on my toes.
Killian's problems are different, and very early on we get why he set off down the road he did. No less traumatic than Harvey's but very different. I loved that Killian knew Harvey was going to be someone important in his life, from very early on.
It's a slow burn, given Harvey being how he is, but I think it was right and proper than it was.
My only niggle, I would have liked to hear from both men, during that 3 year gap. While this is still a 5 star read, I feel that would have just been the icing on the cake!
I loved the epilogue!! Beautiful!!
5 full an shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is the first in a new series frm Ms Adams, and it tackles some difficult topics: addiction, self-harm, internalised homophobia. Mention of suicide, both thoughts and intent. Please heed those warnings if you have any issues.
I loved this! It's not an easy read, by any means, given the subject matter involved, and Harvey and Killian are both struggling with a lot of different things. I loved how Killian seemed to be a catalyst for Harvey to push his boundaries, but hated that Killian (unintentionally) pushed Harvey that little bit too hard.
Harvey's issues span from a single event and it takes time for that event to be made clear. You can see why he thinks the way he does, once you know what triggered it all, but until that point, I couldn't figure Harvey out, at all and I loved being kept on my toes.
Killian's problems are different, and very early on we get why he set off down the road he did. No less traumatic than Harvey's but very different. I loved that Killian knew Harvey was going to be someone important in his life, from very early on.
It's a slow burn, given Harvey being how he is, but I think it was right and proper than it was.
My only niggle, I would have liked to hear from both men, during that 3 year gap. While this is still a 5 star read, I feel that would have just been the icing on the cake!
I loved the epilogue!! Beautiful!!
5 full an shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
To Tempt A Troubled Earl (Regency Rossingley #1)
8.0
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A chancer and a rogue, Kit Angel is down on his luck. Presenting himself at Rossingley Hall in the...
Historical MM Regency Romance Enemies to Lovers Hurt / Comfort
Merissa (13901 KP) rated Courting the Dragon Warrior (A Royal Arrangement #2) in Books
Mar 6, 2026
COURTING THE DRAGON WARRIOR is the second full-length novel in the A Royal Arrangement series, and I would definitely recommend you at least read the first full-length story, if not the prequel novella, too. Instances that happen in both stories are mentioned here, so I think having the full information is best.
Moving onto this one... Elias and Gerard are connected in a way neither realises until they actually meet. During the war, Gerard fought a lightning archmage, who was a secret weapon the Draconians didn't know about. He nearly died and was left with massive scarring to his face and body, and blindness in one eye. He thought he'd killed the archmage. Elias fought a dragon and nearly died, leaving him with massive scarring on his leg. But he thought he'd killed the dragon. Seeing the connection here? Elias realises their connection early on, but has taken a vow not to disclose the identity of any archmage, including his own.
And then you also have the wider view - of stepmothers and fathers, of betrayals and plots within plots, and friendships and foes that you just don't know if you can trust! I thought this was brilliantly written, with a smooth pace and plenty of action in and out of the sheets. I loved how Elias and Gerard grew together, their relationship being a sort of slow burn on the emotional side while moving fairly fast on the physical side.
All in all, this was a great addition to the series, and I can't wait to continue with the series. Absolutely 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!
Mar 6, 2026
Moving onto this one... Elias and Gerard are connected in a way neither realises until they actually meet. During the war, Gerard fought a lightning archmage, who was a secret weapon the Draconians didn't know about. He nearly died and was left with massive scarring to his face and body, and blindness in one eye. He thought he'd killed the archmage. Elias fought a dragon and nearly died, leaving him with massive scarring on his leg. But he thought he'd killed the dragon. Seeing the connection here? Elias realises their connection early on, but has taken a vow not to disclose the identity of any archmage, including his own.
And then you also have the wider view - of stepmothers and fathers, of betrayals and plots within plots, and friendships and foes that you just don't know if you can trust! I thought this was brilliantly written, with a smooth pace and plenty of action in and out of the sheets. I loved how Elias and Gerard grew together, their relationship being a sort of slow burn on the emotional side while moving fairly fast on the physical side.
All in all, this was a great addition to the series, and I can't wait to continue with the series. Absolutely 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!
Mar 6, 2026
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Doll House in Books
May 15, 2018
Slowly but surely, I’m getting caught up on my NetGalley reviews. (I’m waaaay behind.) This time around, I finished reading The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan. It’s a slow simmer with a bit of predictability and a lot of unnecessary information, but in the end, Morgan manages to redeem the book through fast-paced, constant action.
The plot is a bit all over the place for the majority of the book, but, like The Roanoke Girls, this seems to be a technique used to drive the story forward. That said, the chapters end with a bit of suspense before the jump to another character. (Also, it should be mentioned that I HATE how Morgan switches between first and third person.) Unfortunately, the first 80% of the book feel like a drag. There’s little to no action, with the most exciting parts being an apparent flashback to the antagonist’s past. The last little bit of the book picks up drastically, which was a nice relief from what came before.
I said earlier that it’s a slow burn, and The Doll House really is. Morgan leaves enough clues throughout the book that a reader can pick up on something awful culminating at the end, but its done in a manner that is simply alright. For instance, the conflict between Ashley and her husband is unnecessary. The title, The Doll House, is a bit of a misnomer because aside from a few parts of the house showing up and a few references to it, the dollhouse is very rarely mentioned. (Also, let’s take a moment here to point out that the dollhouse on the cover of the book is white and it’s made extremely clear that the actual dollhouse is pink. That would have been a simple photoshop fix.)
Now, the characters in The Doll House are really something else. Personally, my favorite is Ashley, the self-conscious, overweight mom of three whom I feel is quite realistically depicted. Corinne is more skittish than my Dad’s dog, which is pretty impressive. Which… it amazes me that she keeps her job with how much she calls out in the book alone. The male characters are alright, albeit apparently quite handsome. Andy is a pig, but you’d have to read the book to see why.
Overall, I didn’t hate or love this book to death. It’s a pretty solid three out of five, which is better than some of the other stuff I’ve read lately. I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review.
The plot is a bit all over the place for the majority of the book, but, like The Roanoke Girls, this seems to be a technique used to drive the story forward. That said, the chapters end with a bit of suspense before the jump to another character. (Also, it should be mentioned that I HATE how Morgan switches between first and third person.) Unfortunately, the first 80% of the book feel like a drag. There’s little to no action, with the most exciting parts being an apparent flashback to the antagonist’s past. The last little bit of the book picks up drastically, which was a nice relief from what came before.
I said earlier that it’s a slow burn, and The Doll House really is. Morgan leaves enough clues throughout the book that a reader can pick up on something awful culminating at the end, but its done in a manner that is simply alright. For instance, the conflict between Ashley and her husband is unnecessary. The title, The Doll House, is a bit of a misnomer because aside from a few parts of the house showing up and a few references to it, the dollhouse is very rarely mentioned. (Also, let’s take a moment here to point out that the dollhouse on the cover of the book is white and it’s made extremely clear that the actual dollhouse is pink. That would have been a simple photoshop fix.)
Now, the characters in The Doll House are really something else. Personally, my favorite is Ashley, the self-conscious, overweight mom of three whom I feel is quite realistically depicted. Corinne is more skittish than my Dad’s dog, which is pretty impressive. Which… it amazes me that she keeps her job with how much she calls out in the book alone. The male characters are alright, albeit apparently quite handsome. Andy is a pig, but you’d have to read the book to see why.
Overall, I didn’t hate or love this book to death. It’s a pretty solid three out of five, which is better than some of the other stuff I’ve read lately. I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review.