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Dragon's Mate Volume One: Books 1-3
8.0
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Enjoy the Dragon’s Mate series in this convenient bundle. Volume One contains the first 3 books...
Paranormal MM Romance Dragons
Debbiereadsbook (1862 KP) rated The Devil in Books
Mar 6, 2022
Passed a very enjoyable, if slightly longer than usual for this page length book, couple of hours.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
A rare male Omega, Skylar becomes The Devil, an outlaw. Horace, an Alpha, is the Pinkerton tasked to capture him, and bring him in, dead or alive.
So, first things first.
This book is translated from Italian. English is my first (and only!) language and in places, it comes across as very proper. There is no slang, or abbreviations. Its all very correct, mind, just very PROPER. It does make for a slow read, for me, cos my mind was making it more . . .what's the word . . . . .common? I suppose that's the best fit. I kept translating the very proper English, into everyday.
It was, however, a very good read! I liked it, quite a lot.
Horace is Alpha, and a Pinkerton, and needs to bring in Skylar. But something about Sky's picture and then his scent throws Horace. He can't give the man up. Sky doesn't want an Alpha for his heat, he'll ride it out like always. But this heat is particularly bad, and Horace arrives at the right time. It's primal, their first mating.
I liked that things with Sky's gang aren't fully explained at first. It all comes out, just not in one go. It does take a little bit of time for things to fully be explained though, and I did manage to put some of the clues together correctly (for a change!)
I liked the world building, that Alphas and Omegas (both male and female) were dying out, given how the female Omegas were now treated. Betas are the dominant type. I liked that the war ran sorta along side the American civil war, that sort of time line.
It's well written and, proper speak aside, well delivered. It's short and steamy and both Horace and Sky get a say.
Passed a very enjoyable, if slightly longer than usual for this page length book, couple of hours.
I should mention, but it in no way affected my reading, is the formatting is slightly different to a standard form. It just looks different, is all. I know that some people have issues with stuff like that, and so I thought knowing ahead of time would make it easier. It certainly helped that I was given a heads up.
First I've read of these two authors, I will certainly read more.
4 good, but very proper, stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
A rare male Omega, Skylar becomes The Devil, an outlaw. Horace, an Alpha, is the Pinkerton tasked to capture him, and bring him in, dead or alive.
So, first things first.
This book is translated from Italian. English is my first (and only!) language and in places, it comes across as very proper. There is no slang, or abbreviations. Its all very correct, mind, just very PROPER. It does make for a slow read, for me, cos my mind was making it more . . .what's the word . . . . .common? I suppose that's the best fit. I kept translating the very proper English, into everyday.
It was, however, a very good read! I liked it, quite a lot.
Horace is Alpha, and a Pinkerton, and needs to bring in Skylar. But something about Sky's picture and then his scent throws Horace. He can't give the man up. Sky doesn't want an Alpha for his heat, he'll ride it out like always. But this heat is particularly bad, and Horace arrives at the right time. It's primal, their first mating.
I liked that things with Sky's gang aren't fully explained at first. It all comes out, just not in one go. It does take a little bit of time for things to fully be explained though, and I did manage to put some of the clues together correctly (for a change!)
I liked the world building, that Alphas and Omegas (both male and female) were dying out, given how the female Omegas were now treated. Betas are the dominant type. I liked that the war ran sorta along side the American civil war, that sort of time line.
It's well written and, proper speak aside, well delivered. It's short and steamy and both Horace and Sky get a say.
Passed a very enjoyable, if slightly longer than usual for this page length book, couple of hours.
I should mention, but it in no way affected my reading, is the formatting is slightly different to a standard form. It just looks different, is all. I know that some people have issues with stuff like that, and so I thought knowing ahead of time would make it easier. It certainly helped that I was given a heads up.
First I've read of these two authors, I will certainly read more.
4 good, but very proper, stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
A Kitten For Daddy: Pride Pet Play
6.0
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Real love comes when you least expect it… Kolly My name is Kolly which is the perfect name...
Contemporary MM Age Play Pet Play Romance
Debbiereadsbook (1862 KP) rated Tales of Bryant in Books
Apr 11, 2019
so bllody sweet, but so SO good!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Jumping straight in here, cos let me tell ya! This book landed on my kindle at silly o’clock on a Monday morning. I did not have to be at work for a couple of hours, so I jumped into read a few pages before I must move. And boom! Book finished before 930!
I loved this book! Bar one thing, but I will come back to that.
This is actually billed as four shorts, across the four seasons around Bryant Park in New York. It is, though, the story of a relationship that starts in Byrant Park, between Isamu and Brian, which spans the year.
And it is so bloody sweet! I mean, any sweeter, and it would be pure sugar!
Oh, don’t get me wrong, it’s steamy, and sexy. It’s emotional and dreamy. It made me choke up in places and laugh in others. But my underlying feeling (ya’ll know I’m ALL about the book feelings!) was that this book was SWEET.
And I LOVED it!
Isamu is young, a student of film, delivering sweet treats to the park. Brian is an executive (not really clear of what, but hey, who cares!) He’s been oogling Isamu for months, and the feeling is entirely mutual. Isamu makes sure to be the one to deliver Brian’s treats to the park, just to get his own sweet fix. When Brian eventually plucks up courage to ask Isamu on a date, he jumps at the chance. The rest, they say, is history. Until that is, Brian says something that makes Isamu run.
My only niggle, the thing that stopped it getting the full 5 stars? Only Isamu has a say. And I really NEEDED Brian to have a voice! Isamu makes Brian think, challenge his own rules, makes him WANT to have that relationship he swore off so long ago, and I needed to hear him say WHY Isamu does these things. And he doesn’t. I’m all for saying if a single point of view book carries the full 5 stars, but here, I really needed Brian and I don’t get him.
Isamu though, is lovely! A sweet young man, trying to find his muse for his final assessment, his camera going everywhere with him. And I do mean EVERYWHERE! Loved that Brian was not at all phased by the camera in his face a huge amount of the time!
This author is fast becoming a favourite of mine, and I look forward to reading more!
4 very sweet, but very good stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Jumping straight in here, cos let me tell ya! This book landed on my kindle at silly o’clock on a Monday morning. I did not have to be at work for a couple of hours, so I jumped into read a few pages before I must move. And boom! Book finished before 930!
I loved this book! Bar one thing, but I will come back to that.
This is actually billed as four shorts, across the four seasons around Bryant Park in New York. It is, though, the story of a relationship that starts in Byrant Park, between Isamu and Brian, which spans the year.
And it is so bloody sweet! I mean, any sweeter, and it would be pure sugar!
Oh, don’t get me wrong, it’s steamy, and sexy. It’s emotional and dreamy. It made me choke up in places and laugh in others. But my underlying feeling (ya’ll know I’m ALL about the book feelings!) was that this book was SWEET.
And I LOVED it!
Isamu is young, a student of film, delivering sweet treats to the park. Brian is an executive (not really clear of what, but hey, who cares!) He’s been oogling Isamu for months, and the feeling is entirely mutual. Isamu makes sure to be the one to deliver Brian’s treats to the park, just to get his own sweet fix. When Brian eventually plucks up courage to ask Isamu on a date, he jumps at the chance. The rest, they say, is history. Until that is, Brian says something that makes Isamu run.
My only niggle, the thing that stopped it getting the full 5 stars? Only Isamu has a say. And I really NEEDED Brian to have a voice! Isamu makes Brian think, challenge his own rules, makes him WANT to have that relationship he swore off so long ago, and I needed to hear him say WHY Isamu does these things. And he doesn’t. I’m all for saying if a single point of view book carries the full 5 stars, but here, I really needed Brian and I don’t get him.
Isamu though, is lovely! A sweet young man, trying to find his muse for his final assessment, his camera going everywhere with him. And I do mean EVERYWHERE! Loved that Brian was not at all phased by the camera in his face a huge amount of the time!
This author is fast becoming a favourite of mine, and I look forward to reading more!
4 very sweet, but very good stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Debbiereadsbook (1862 KP) rated Take The Shot (Philadelphia Bulldogs #1) in Books
Jun 9, 2020
really good read x
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Sometimes, you just need a book that you just fall into, losing all around you, and reading about 2 people falling in love. And this is such a book.
Dinah lost her husband 2 years ago. Moving on seemed like a good idea, and a bad one, all at the same time. Her neighbour provides some eye candy, but he is so much younger than she is and she doesn't think he would want anything other than friendship. Noah lives in the next door apartment. Noah has lusted over Dinah for ages, but she was married, then widowed. He wasn't gonna make a move til she was ready. If she never did, he would be heartbroken, but he would rather have Dinah as a friend, than not at all.
This is a delightful read! I'm not the greatest fan of first person books, I make no secret of that, but I really rather loved this one!
Noah, bless him, 22 years old, lusts after Dinah, has done since he met her. But he kept it to himself, she was married. And after he died, he found himself helping her in more ways than he ever expected. But he waited, he WAS waiting for Dinah. Waiting for her to let him know she was ready to move on. He would wait, however long it took. Til his housemates gave him an ultimatum: Ask her out, or one of them would. They could see what Noah could not, that Dinah was lusting after Noah as much as Noah lusted after her. They just had to act on it.
And it is wonderful when they do! Yes, the attraction is powerful and hot, but there is much emotion here, not just steamy sex. There is much between these two, BEFORE they get to the bedroom, which would be spoilers to explain. And I really found those bits far better than the sexy bits, but thats not to say the sexy bits aren't good :-p
There is a supporting cast who have their own problems, and I hope they all get their story in this series.
The hockey bits, I will admit, I tended to flip over, but then something happened in one and I had to go back, so, yeah, I actually read the hockey bits after that!
There are a couple of lines that are repeated, more times than was really necessary. BUT! I've seen that this is the author's first book, so I'm not really complaining, I'm just saying!
A thoroughly enjoyable read, so for a first time author? Well done, Ms Flynn, very well done.
4 good solid stars
**same worded revivew will appear elsewhere**
Sometimes, you just need a book that you just fall into, losing all around you, and reading about 2 people falling in love. And this is such a book.
Dinah lost her husband 2 years ago. Moving on seemed like a good idea, and a bad one, all at the same time. Her neighbour provides some eye candy, but he is so much younger than she is and she doesn't think he would want anything other than friendship. Noah lives in the next door apartment. Noah has lusted over Dinah for ages, but she was married, then widowed. He wasn't gonna make a move til she was ready. If she never did, he would be heartbroken, but he would rather have Dinah as a friend, than not at all.
This is a delightful read! I'm not the greatest fan of first person books, I make no secret of that, but I really rather loved this one!
Noah, bless him, 22 years old, lusts after Dinah, has done since he met her. But he kept it to himself, she was married. And after he died, he found himself helping her in more ways than he ever expected. But he waited, he WAS waiting for Dinah. Waiting for her to let him know she was ready to move on. He would wait, however long it took. Til his housemates gave him an ultimatum: Ask her out, or one of them would. They could see what Noah could not, that Dinah was lusting after Noah as much as Noah lusted after her. They just had to act on it.
And it is wonderful when they do! Yes, the attraction is powerful and hot, but there is much emotion here, not just steamy sex. There is much between these two, BEFORE they get to the bedroom, which would be spoilers to explain. And I really found those bits far better than the sexy bits, but thats not to say the sexy bits aren't good :-p
There is a supporting cast who have their own problems, and I hope they all get their story in this series.
The hockey bits, I will admit, I tended to flip over, but then something happened in one and I had to go back, so, yeah, I actually read the hockey bits after that!
There are a couple of lines that are repeated, more times than was really necessary. BUT! I've seen that this is the author's first book, so I'm not really complaining, I'm just saying!
A thoroughly enjoyable read, so for a first time author? Well done, Ms Flynn, very well done.
4 good solid stars
**same worded revivew will appear elsewhere**
Debbiereadsbook (1862 KP) rated Sticky For You (The Rhubarb Effect #1) in Books
Sep 20, 2024
Tim is a live wire and he likes to sing!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Did you ever read a book, and think "What the ever loving heck did I just read??" (only, you know, more sweary words than some review sites will allow!) Well, this is such a book!
Max moves to Valentine Growville with his odd little pride and immediately feels at home. Meeting Tim, his mate, knocked him for six. I mean, Max is an Alpha lion and Tim is. . .well . .Tim is rhubarb. A rhubarb omega. Can they make this work?
It's so much fun, it really is and I laughed a lot, A LOT reading this book and I rarely react out loud when reading, (listening is a whole 'nother matter, though!)
Max is an Alpha of a pride of lions, bulls, llamas and other things that I forget already but they all have a love of rhubarb. Moving to Growville was a necessity, since they got hounded out their last pride. Tim is.. . . excitable! He really is a bit of a live-wire and he likes to sing. Especially once he realises he is Max' mate and Max can hear him in his head. Singing becomes the easiest way to woo Max and I have to admit, I found myself singing along with those songs that Tim sang, but changed some words for to make it fit better for him and Max.
It's steamy . . but in a kinda weird way. The way rhubarb mate is a little offputting, I will admit, but now I know what to expect, I'll be better prepared.
It is a lot of fun, it really is, right up to the point where things go wrong for Tim, but if he had just talked to Max, it could all have been avoided.
And also the point where the real monsters come to town. But that was not explained, and you have to piece the clues already thrown at you to figure out who they are. I'm fairly certain, but with Sayle at the helm, one can never be too sure!
I loved the references to fingerlings!
I love Sayle, you know I do, and I've read some Brown before, with 4 and 5 star reads from her on my shelves. How they came up with this idea, I have no clue, but it really was a fun read! The setting is set nicely for book two, and I see now whay the whole of Max' pride love rhubarb!
Will it win any literary awards? Nope, but I don't care cos I thoruoghly enjoyed it!
4 very funny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Did you ever read a book, and think "What the ever loving heck did I just read??" (only, you know, more sweary words than some review sites will allow!) Well, this is such a book!
Max moves to Valentine Growville with his odd little pride and immediately feels at home. Meeting Tim, his mate, knocked him for six. I mean, Max is an Alpha lion and Tim is. . .well . .Tim is rhubarb. A rhubarb omega. Can they make this work?
It's so much fun, it really is and I laughed a lot, A LOT reading this book and I rarely react out loud when reading, (listening is a whole 'nother matter, though!)
Max is an Alpha of a pride of lions, bulls, llamas and other things that I forget already but they all have a love of rhubarb. Moving to Growville was a necessity, since they got hounded out their last pride. Tim is.. . . excitable! He really is a bit of a live-wire and he likes to sing. Especially once he realises he is Max' mate and Max can hear him in his head. Singing becomes the easiest way to woo Max and I have to admit, I found myself singing along with those songs that Tim sang, but changed some words for to make it fit better for him and Max.
It's steamy . . but in a kinda weird way. The way rhubarb mate is a little offputting, I will admit, but now I know what to expect, I'll be better prepared.
It is a lot of fun, it really is, right up to the point where things go wrong for Tim, but if he had just talked to Max, it could all have been avoided.
And also the point where the real monsters come to town. But that was not explained, and you have to piece the clues already thrown at you to figure out who they are. I'm fairly certain, but with Sayle at the helm, one can never be too sure!
I loved the references to fingerlings!
I love Sayle, you know I do, and I've read some Brown before, with 4 and 5 star reads from her on my shelves. How they came up with this idea, I have no clue, but it really was a fun read! The setting is set nicely for book two, and I see now whay the whole of Max' pride love rhubarb!
Will it win any literary awards? Nope, but I don't care cos I thoruoghly enjoyed it!
4 very funny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Debbiereadsbook (1862 KP) rated Thicker Than Water (Redwater Demons #1) in Books
Jul 27, 2024
freaking loved this book!
Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This book, right here, is what I love MOST about reviewing. I come across a blurb that I love the sound of, by an author that is new to me, and the book blows me away! I freaking LOVED this book!
Julian is a demon hunter. His latest job finds himself adopted by the demon he was sent to kill. But she's just a little girl, and he cannot. He then finds said toddler kidnapped from him, and a demon contacts him, to share custody! (I'm sorry, but that really did make me chuckle!) But as Cassius and JJ bond over Desi, pieces are being moved on the cheesboard, and it's not very clear who will come out on top.
Like I said, freaking loved this book!
I loved the jump straight in for JJ and Desi. I loved the gentle way we are told about this world and the people and demons in it. The world building is excellent, and I could keep up and follow what was being thrown at me at all times. Cass and JJ have redefined the SLOW BUILD! I love the gradual way the attraction builds between these two. It's slow and subtle, and one of them thinks/says something and its "say what now??" SOme funny moments, too.
It's violent in places. JJ bears the brunt of that but not all is on page. MUCH is implied. I liked that we don't get it all, but we get some clues as to how bad it really was.
While JJ and Cass have a slow build, when we get to the main event?? Totally fade to grey and I freaking LOVED THAT TOO!! I'm big enough to admit, I like my books on the steamy side, and I'm also big enough to admit that not all books nned to be explicit. I loved that this one was not.
Betrayal of the highest order is painful for JJ, but Cass comes to the rescue, in his true form. And I loved that there was no indication that demons in this world had another form! There is some indication who might be next, at the end of this one with a bit of the next book. Actually, it gives you the next TWO books, I hope!
This is a new to me author, at the start of a new series. Two questions I ask myself when I read new authors and starts of series: will I read more by this author?? And will I continue the series. My answers to both questions is a HELL FREAKING YES!!
I can't fault this, I really cannot.
5 full and oh-so shiny stars!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This book, right here, is what I love MOST about reviewing. I come across a blurb that I love the sound of, by an author that is new to me, and the book blows me away! I freaking LOVED this book!
Julian is a demon hunter. His latest job finds himself adopted by the demon he was sent to kill. But she's just a little girl, and he cannot. He then finds said toddler kidnapped from him, and a demon contacts him, to share custody! (I'm sorry, but that really did make me chuckle!) But as Cassius and JJ bond over Desi, pieces are being moved on the cheesboard, and it's not very clear who will come out on top.
Like I said, freaking loved this book!
I loved the jump straight in for JJ and Desi. I loved the gentle way we are told about this world and the people and demons in it. The world building is excellent, and I could keep up and follow what was being thrown at me at all times. Cass and JJ have redefined the SLOW BUILD! I love the gradual way the attraction builds between these two. It's slow and subtle, and one of them thinks/says something and its "say what now??" SOme funny moments, too.
It's violent in places. JJ bears the brunt of that but not all is on page. MUCH is implied. I liked that we don't get it all, but we get some clues as to how bad it really was.
While JJ and Cass have a slow build, when we get to the main event?? Totally fade to grey and I freaking LOVED THAT TOO!! I'm big enough to admit, I like my books on the steamy side, and I'm also big enough to admit that not all books nned to be explicit. I loved that this one was not.
Betrayal of the highest order is painful for JJ, but Cass comes to the rescue, in his true form. And I loved that there was no indication that demons in this world had another form! There is some indication who might be next, at the end of this one with a bit of the next book. Actually, it gives you the next TWO books, I hope!
This is a new to me author, at the start of a new series. Two questions I ask myself when I read new authors and starts of series: will I read more by this author?? And will I continue the series. My answers to both questions is a HELL FREAKING YES!!
I can't fault this, I really cannot.
5 full and oh-so shiny stars!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Debbiereadsbook (1862 KP) rated Mating With Monsters (The Red Agency #2) in Books
Dec 11, 2025
creeping up from book 1!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in The Red Agency series, and while not strictly necessary, I do recommend you read book 1, Matching With Monsters before this one. Somethings happen in that book that are referenced in this one, and they are not fully recapped. I think you can get the gist of it, so it is just a personal recommendation, is all.
Cami is Ari's best friend, one of them. After dealing with her boss for so long, and at Ari's insistence, she signs up for The Red Agency to be matched with a monster (or 4!) She finds herself face to face with a one night stand, Raif; her boss's thorn in his side, Cyrus; the werewolf who saved her in book 1, Teagan and then, her boss, Damon, who are all in a clan, if estranged somewhat. And then they find out she has a stalker, so all bets are off, they they double down to keep her safe.
Well played with the stalker! I have 3 pinned for that, and then it's someone totally else and I loved being played with that!
It is, again, very much Cami and HER monsters but I epected that so it didn't come so much as a surprise. And again, single person point of view. However, this time, there wasn't just ONE I wanted to hear from, I wanted them all! I'm just flipping greedy, I know but it's how I felt!
There was some history as to how these guys came to be a clan, and that is different from book 1, so I enjoyed that.
It's steamy, and I think steamier than book 1, but not entirely sure why my book brain thinks that! I did like that Cami was intimate with all 4 guys seperately, BEFORE they were all together, and when they were mating, Cyrus was just himself, none of his shades took part.
Loved that all four guys were different monsters, and not from birth. Cyrus was cursed, and is like Anubis. Teagan is a werewolf, Raif and incubus and Damon is a devil. They all have their quirks and they use them to please Cami as best they can.
Lyssa is the third friend. Some things happen here that lead into her book, which is next. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on that book, cos I think it might be the one that tips over to 5 stars. I gave book 1 4 stars, and we creeped up a bit here to . . .
4.5 stars (rounded down for the blog)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in The Red Agency series, and while not strictly necessary, I do recommend you read book 1, Matching With Monsters before this one. Somethings happen in that book that are referenced in this one, and they are not fully recapped. I think you can get the gist of it, so it is just a personal recommendation, is all.
Cami is Ari's best friend, one of them. After dealing with her boss for so long, and at Ari's insistence, she signs up for The Red Agency to be matched with a monster (or 4!) She finds herself face to face with a one night stand, Raif; her boss's thorn in his side, Cyrus; the werewolf who saved her in book 1, Teagan and then, her boss, Damon, who are all in a clan, if estranged somewhat. And then they find out she has a stalker, so all bets are off, they they double down to keep her safe.
Well played with the stalker! I have 3 pinned for that, and then it's someone totally else and I loved being played with that!
It is, again, very much Cami and HER monsters but I epected that so it didn't come so much as a surprise. And again, single person point of view. However, this time, there wasn't just ONE I wanted to hear from, I wanted them all! I'm just flipping greedy, I know but it's how I felt!
There was some history as to how these guys came to be a clan, and that is different from book 1, so I enjoyed that.
It's steamy, and I think steamier than book 1, but not entirely sure why my book brain thinks that! I did like that Cami was intimate with all 4 guys seperately, BEFORE they were all together, and when they were mating, Cyrus was just himself, none of his shades took part.
Loved that all four guys were different monsters, and not from birth. Cyrus was cursed, and is like Anubis. Teagan is a werewolf, Raif and incubus and Damon is a devil. They all have their quirks and they use them to please Cami as best they can.
Lyssa is the third friend. Some things happen here that lead into her book, which is next. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on that book, cos I think it might be the one that tips over to 5 stars. I gave book 1 4 stars, and we creeped up a bit here to . . .
4.5 stars (rounded down for the blog)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Debbiereadsbook (1862 KP) rated The Prince of Asgard (The Nine Worlds #2) in Books
Mar 22, 2026
the emotions creep up and I loved watching them fall!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in The Nine Worlds series, and it can be read as a stand alone. I would recommend, however, that you read book 1, The Magic of Vanaheim. It will give you a better understanding of this world, the Norse mythology and the wonderfulness that is Ms Nansen's writing!
Thori kills a dragon a few years ago, and now he finds himself sold, as a thrall, to the man who loved that dragon. He just needs to kill that man too, and he can be free. But there are other things at work, and Thori needs to work WITH Njord to save the world they live in. He's just not sure he can let Njord go, once they have.
I loved book one, Hakon and Talvi do pop up here. But you don't need their story to follow this one. There is a little overlap between the two, because I wrote in that review: But the biggest question is just what is going on with Talvi's uncle and the thrall??
Well, now I know!
I loved this book, I really did. Thori and Njord (Talvi's uncle) butt heads right from the start, but it's the way they grow closer that I loved. It's a proper slow burn, and it was right and proper that these two took some time to become fully invested in the other.
Lots and lots of Norse and Viking mythology and lore and again, some I knew of, some not. But I've given up trying to match my (very limited) knowledge to what's on the page because I'm fairly certain, what I think I remember from wherever I picked it up, is wrong and I'm getting mixed up. So once I stopped, I was able to fully engross myself in this book, this world and these people.
Some violence, but hey! Vikings and witches and all manner of deadly beings, so to be expected. I found the smex a bit lighter (than book 1) but no less powerful and steamy. The emotions creep up on both Thori and Njord and I loved watching them fall.
There was a sort of third act break up, sort of, but Thori remedies that beautifully! And with such a gift!!
I don't know who might be next, I'm sure there were clues here, but I might have missed them, concentrating on Thori and Njord as I was but I WILL read it. There is clearly a bigger picture I'm yet to see, but my book brain is screaming at me, that something bigger is going on that is already clear!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in The Nine Worlds series, and it can be read as a stand alone. I would recommend, however, that you read book 1, The Magic of Vanaheim. It will give you a better understanding of this world, the Norse mythology and the wonderfulness that is Ms Nansen's writing!
Thori kills a dragon a few years ago, and now he finds himself sold, as a thrall, to the man who loved that dragon. He just needs to kill that man too, and he can be free. But there are other things at work, and Thori needs to work WITH Njord to save the world they live in. He's just not sure he can let Njord go, once they have.
I loved book one, Hakon and Talvi do pop up here. But you don't need their story to follow this one. There is a little overlap between the two, because I wrote in that review: But the biggest question is just what is going on with Talvi's uncle and the thrall??
Well, now I know!
I loved this book, I really did. Thori and Njord (Talvi's uncle) butt heads right from the start, but it's the way they grow closer that I loved. It's a proper slow burn, and it was right and proper that these two took some time to become fully invested in the other.
Lots and lots of Norse and Viking mythology and lore and again, some I knew of, some not. But I've given up trying to match my (very limited) knowledge to what's on the page because I'm fairly certain, what I think I remember from wherever I picked it up, is wrong and I'm getting mixed up. So once I stopped, I was able to fully engross myself in this book, this world and these people.
Some violence, but hey! Vikings and witches and all manner of deadly beings, so to be expected. I found the smex a bit lighter (than book 1) but no less powerful and steamy. The emotions creep up on both Thori and Njord and I loved watching them fall.
There was a sort of third act break up, sort of, but Thori remedies that beautifully! And with such a gift!!
I don't know who might be next, I'm sure there were clues here, but I might have missed them, concentrating on Thori and Njord as I was but I WILL read it. There is clearly a bigger picture I'm yet to see, but my book brain is screaming at me, that something bigger is going on that is already clear!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere