Genre: Paranormal Romance

Review: Burn by Suzanne Wright

Posted September 18, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: Burn by Suzanne WrightReviewer: Casee
Burn by Suzanne Wright
Narrator: Cat Doucette
Series: Dark in You #1
Publisher: Piatkus
Publication Date: November 26, 2015
Format: Audiobook, eBook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Casee
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 301
Length: 13 hours and 32 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
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four-half-stars
Series Rating: five-stars

Part of a small demon lair in North Las Vegas, tattooist Harper Wallis lives a pretty simple life. That changes overnight when she discovers that her psychic mate, or ‘anchor’, is a guy who’s rumored to be the most powerful demon in existence. Compelling, full of secrets and armed with raw sexuality, Knox Thorne is determined to claim her as his anchor, creating a psychic bond that will prevent their inner demons from ever turning rogue. The billionaire also wants Harper in his bed. She’s not so sure she wants either of those things. No one seems to know what breed of demon Knox is, only that he’s more dangerous than anything she’s ever before encountered. But he refuses to walk away. And when an unknown danger starts closing in on Harper, it seems that Knox is the only one who can keep her safe.
As Prime of his Las Vegas lair and a successful businessman, Knox Thorne is used to being in control. He’s also used to people fearing and obeying him. Harper does neither, which unexpectedly amuses him. Unpredictable, elusive, and complex, she draws Knox and his inner demon like nothing ever has. Knox is used to getting what he wants, and he wants Harper. He’ll have her, and he’ll keep her safe from the threat that looms over her. Because Knox protects what’s his. He won’t allow anyone to take her from him. Even if it will mean letting the demon inside him rise and wreak the havoc it was created to make.

It’s been some time since I read this book, but I’m going to give this review my best shot. I LOVED THIS BOOK. I’ve read all the books in the series & I can honestly say that this series will be in my top five of the year. I just adored it.

In the demon world, all demons look for their anchor. An anchor is a psi-mate that prevents a demon from turning rogue. Rogue demons have no sense of right or wrong, they are just mindless killing machines. All rogues have to be put down by someone in their lair. Harper Wallis is a sphinx that grew up among imps, so she’s an imp at heart. When she accompanies her cousin, Khloe, to a demon fighting ring, the last thing she expects is to meet her anchor. Not only does she not expect to find her anchor, she never expected it would be the infamous Knox Thorne.

Knox is the Prime of his lair that is known for not putting up with bullshit from any of his demons. When he inadvertently reaches out to Harper psychically, they both know instantly that they are anchors. Anchors, well, they anchor each other. Knox never thought he needed an anchor because he has fierce control over his demon. When Harper bursts into his life, he realizes how wrong he is. Now all he has to do is convince Harper to bond with him. This is not the same thing as mating, but it is just as important.

They are soon embroiled in a passionate affair, but Harper knows that Knox’s demon won’t be interested in her for long. He’s known for not committing to any woman that he gets involved with and Harper doesn’t see why it would be any different for her. Fortunately (or unfortunately), Knox’s demon becomes fully attached to Harper. Now that Knox has convinced Harper to bond with him, he now has to convince her to mate with him. The only issue is that she doesn’t know what kind of demon he is. Knox is afraid as soon as he tells Harper, that she will immediately pull away from him.

It doesn’t take long for Harper to realize that Knox is the one for her. Even knowing that, she’s unsure of their relationship. Knox is the first demon she’s slept with and she knew it would change everything for her. Now that she’s in his life, she is being targeted by his enemies.

I loved this book from beginning to end. I loved how strong Harper was. I loved how mushy Knox could be when it came to Harper. I just loved everything about it. I’m kind of sad that it’s not a new read for me because I would love to experience it all again. I’ve read (and listened) to all the books in this series & it only gets better and better.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5.

Dark in You

four-half-stars


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Review: Soul of the Witch by Deanna Chase

Posted September 11, 2023 by Holly in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: Soul of the Witch by Deanna ChaseReviewer: Holly
Soul of the Witch by Deanna Chase
Narrator: Gabra Zackman
Series: Witches of Keating Hollow #1
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: March 14, 2018
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 242
Length: 6 hours and 12 minutes
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three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Welcome to Keating Hollow, the village full of love, magic, and cupcakes, and where nothing is more important than family.

At age eighteen, after a potion tragically backfired, Abby Townsend left Keating Hollow and her magic behind to find redemption. Ten years later, after being summoned by her family, she’s back. As soon as she drives into town, she’s already plotting her inevitable exit, but she can’t quite escape the pull of the tightly knit magical community or the soulful gaze of the one man she’s never forgotten. And when an eight-year old witch not only leads her back to her magic, but also steals her heart, Abby’s about to learn what it means to embrace the soul of a witch.

I found this while browsing KU and decided to give it a try after reading the blurb. After an incident just before high school graduation that left her best friend dead, Abby left Keating Hollow and has spent the ten years since running from her past and her magic. When her father becomes ill she agrees to come home to help him and her sisters. Seeing “the one who got away” the second she comes into town doesn’t help her feel any better about the situation, but she can’t deny there’s a certain appeal about being back home with the people who know and love her best.

Clay was devastated when Abby left town, even though he knew why she felt she couldn’t stay. Now that she’s back home he’s having a hard time keeping away from her, but his daughter has to be his priority and he can’t risk letting her get attached to Abby when she’s made it clear she won’t stay.

As Abby works to unlock her magic and forgive herself, they both realize what they have might be enough to save them both.

This was a quick, light read. I enjoyed the town of Keating Hallow, as well as Abby and her sisters. I didn’t love that the “mystery” of what happened in the past was drug out until almost the end of the book, but I still enjoyed reading about Abby settling back in the town. I do wish we’d had more of Olive, Clay’s 8-year-old daughter. The romance was sweet and I liked the story overall.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Witches of Keating Hollow

three-half-stars


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Sunday Spotlight: Ghostly Game by Christine Feehan

Posted May 14, 2023 by Casee in Features, Giveaways | 3 Comments

Sunday Spotlight is a feature we began in 2016. This year we’re spotlighting our favorite books, old and new. We’ll be raving about the books we love and being total fangirls. You’ve been warned. 🙂

I read this book back in March. It was one of the better books in the series!

Sunday Spotlight: Ghostly Game by Christine FeehanGhostly Game by Christine Feehan
Narrator: Jim Frangione
Series: GhostWalkers #19
Also in this series: Predatory Game, Street Game, Ruthless Game, Shadow Game, Power Game, Murder Game, Covert Game, Toxic Game, Phantom Game, Ghostly Game
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: May 2, 2023
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 400
Length: 11 hours and 15 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
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Series Rating: four-stars

It's fight or flight in this sultry, suspenseful GhostWalker novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

Gideon "Eagle" Carpenter is used to rolling with the punches life has thrown at him. It's the only thing that's kept him alive. He and his team of GhostWalkers have seen and experienced it all. He does his best to live with all the sins written on his soul. Then he hears the laughter of a woman with the ability to erase--even for a few previous moments--the darkness of his past.

Laurel "Rory" Chappel has always been a nomad. She's accustomed to taking care of herself, despite the physical challenges she lives with. She thinks she's too weak to find real love, but that doesn't stop her interest in Gideon from turning into a full-on addiction. He's all rough edges and danger contrasted with a tenderness that makes her feel safe. Still, after a life spent in motion, she's not sure she knows how to stay in one place.
Gideon hopes he can persuade Rory to take a chance on him with every electric touch. But soon, life conspires against him, forcing the GhostWalker to risk everything to protect the woman he loves....

Excerpt

The waitress approached the table and set a beer in front of Gideon. “Ice-cold. Compliments of our bartender.” She picked up his warm bottle. “She doesn’t like anyone drinking warm beer.”

Gideon’s gaze jumped to Rory’s. Those emerald eyes met his. He felt a jolt through his entire body like a white-hot bolt of lightning. His vision focused completely, using the piercing gaze of the eagle, and it was easy enough to see the sweep of her long dark lashes and the smattering of freckles spread across the bridge of her nose. He gave her a smile and lifted the bottle, mouthing, “Thank you.”

She inclined her head, which caused the overhead light to shine on the mass of curly dark cherry–colored haired pulled up into that messy knot. Instantly his body reacted with an unfamiliar tightening that was far more than an ache. Then another customer claimed her attention. She’d noticed him in a roomful of people. That gave him some satisfaction. It also sent his warning system going off big-time.

“She doesn’t go home with anyone, and she doesn’t allow anyone to go home with her,” Gideon mused aloud. “I have to do something different, something to intrigue her enough that she might take a chance on me.”

“She’ll take a chance on you,” Javier said. “You’re the only person in the bar she sent an ice-cold beer to. Notice mine is still warm. I don’t think she knows I’m alive.”

Gideon appreciated the cold beer even more because Rory had sent it to him. “Women fall all over you, Javier. It’s just as well she didn’t notice you, and I don’t have to shoot you when we leave.”

Javier laughed. “You’ve got it bad.”

“Look at her.” It wasn’t just about her looks. If that was all it was, Gideon could have passed on her, even with the incredible chemistry. The draw was the woman. Her laughter. The way she treated others. Everything Javier had reported about her. What his little sparrow spy had shared.

“I’m looking at you, Gideon. I don’t need to look at her.”

“Help me figure out how to hook her. She’s leery.”

“Half the battle is getting her attention. You’ve managed to do that,” Javier pointed out. “She won’t let you go to her apartment. She won’t want to go to your place. Not at first. That will freak her out if you ask her. She’s going to want to feel like she’s safe.” Javier looked Gideon over. “You don’t look safe, bro. In fact, if I was a woman, I wouldn’t ever be alone in the dark with you.”

Gideon gave him the finger, making sure to keep it along the neck of the beer bottle away from the bartender. Javier was having way too much fun at his expense.

“Maybe we should have the women befriend her. They could come to bar and talk about what a great guy you are.”

“Fuck you, Javier. You know they’d be worse and more invasive than your investigations.” Which was true. Jaimie, Rose and Rhianna were fiercely protective of the men in GhostWalker Team Three. Jaimie and Rhianna had grown up on the streets with them, and Rose had married into the team. Gideon wasn’t about to unleash those women on Rory.

“I’ll figure it out.” If he was going to win his lady, he was going to have to do it on his own.

He heard a soft sound emerge, the perfect replica of a field sparrow, the little female singing her song. Looking up, Rory was singing the notes as she made several drinks at once.

Gideon looked down at the ice-cold beer she’d sent to his table and responded by sending back the notes of the male field sparrow. The song was short and to the point, asking the little female if she wanted to meet him later.

She sang the notes again as she worked, and he answered her a second time. Startled, Rory looked up, her eyes meeting his. A small smile lit her face. Her nod was nearly imperceptible. But he didn’t miss it.

Excerpted from Ghostly Game by Christine Feehan Copyright © 2023 by Christine Feehan. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

GhostWalkers

Giveaway Alert

We’re giving one lucky winner their choice of one of our Sunday Spotlight books. Use the widget below to enter for one of this month’s features.

Sunday Spotlight: May 2023

Are you as excited for this release as we are? Let us know how excited you are and what other books you’re looking forward to this year!

About Christine Feehan

Christine Feehan Author

I live on the beautiful Northern California coast and draw much inspiration from the beauty around me. I've always been a writer, for as long as I remember. My sisters were forced to read all of my books from the time I could write a story on paper.

I love family. I love my brothers and sisters, my children, my grandchildren and my great grandchildren. My home was always full of kids and children give me so much joy.

I also love my "sisters of the heart", those friends who have supported me through my life, laughed with me, cried with me and loved me regardless of how crazy my life got. I am a strong supporter of women helping each other which is why I became a third degree black belt and taught self-defense to women who'd been abused.

I love people and dogs, good books and great coffee and I'm lucky to know just how blessed I am.


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Review: Lassiter by JR Ward

Posted April 19, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 2 Comments

Review: Lassiter by JR WardReviewer: Casee
Lassiter by J.R. Ward
Narrator: Jim Frangione
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #21
Also in this series: Lover Unbound, Lover Avenged, Lover at Last, Lover at Last, The King, The Shadows, The Beast, Lover Enshrined, The Chosen, Lover Mine, The Thief, The Savior, Where Winter Finds You, The Sinner, Lover Unleashed
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: April 11, 2023
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 480
Length: 15 hours and 17 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
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two-half-stars
Series Rating: three-stars

The next book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series!
In the next installment in J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, a fallen angel finds love with a mysterious female—who could be his destiny... or the embodiment of his utter destruction.

I don’t even know where to start with this review. My emotions were very conflicted when I finished this book. On one hand, I really liked being immersed back in the Black Dagger Brotherhood. It always hits me with a sort of nostalgia because I remember exactly where I was when I first read Dark Lover. That book hit me hard & has continued to stay with me through the last 18 years. I remember buying it from a used book store thinking that it was interesting that a man was writing romance novels (little did I know). I loved that book from the first page to the last. On the other hand, I didn’t love this book. I thought I would. I’ve been waiting for Lassiter’s story for quite some time. More than Tohr’s actually (and I really wanted that book). Lassiter has been such an interesting character from the first moment he appeared on the page. I think that JRW’s writing has changed & it’s not necessarily for the better. Unfortunately.

Lassiter & Rahvyn were supposed to be the main characters in this book, but I didn’t really feel like that was the case. I liked reading their story, but the Lash & Devina thing was absolutely ridiculous. I don’t care about Lash or Devina’s POV. As a matter of fact, it almost ruined the book entirely. When I would get to another chapter about those two, I felt like throwing my Kindle. It was really boring & I just didn’t give a fuck about those two. I understand that they were integral to the story and all that, but ffs, lay off a little. Devina’s character needs to be put out to pasture. She is so over-the-top bad that it’s just absurd. Lash isn’t much better.

The best part of the book was Lassiter & Rahvyn’s mating ceremony. I really felt that the ceremony & the love between all the characters was embodied very well. Still, that didn’t excuse the rest of the book. Even the (usually amusing, although sometimes annoying) anecdotes were eyeroll inducing. I would have DNFed it, but I really wanted to see what happened with Lassiter & Rahvyn. Unfortunately, I think that I’m going to call a halt on this series, even after the (kind of) cliffhanger. I also didn’t appreciate how she fast forwarded the series. I thought it was really poorly done.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Black Dagger Brotherhood

two-half-stars


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Review: Ghostly Game by Christine Feehan

Posted March 20, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 2 Comments

Review: Ghostly Game by Christine FeehanReviewer: Casee
Ghostly Game by Christine Feehan
Narrator: Jim Frangione
Series: GhostWalkers #19
Also in this series: Predatory Game, Street Game, Ruthless Game, Shadow Game, Power Game, Murder Game, Covert Game, Toxic Game, Phantom Game
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: May 2, 2023
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 400
Length: 11 hours and 15 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

It's fight or flight in this sultry, suspenseful GhostWalker novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.
Gideon "Eagle" Carpenter is used to rolling with the punches life has thrown at him. It's the only thing that's kept him alive. He and his team of GhostWalkers have seen and experienced it all. He does his best to live with all the sins written on his soul. Then he hears the laughter of a woman with the ability to erase--even for a few previous moments--the darkness of his past.
Laurel "Rory" Chappel has always been a nomad. She's accustomed to taking care of herself, despite the physical challenges she lives with. She thinks she's too weak to find real love, but that doesn't stop her interest in Gideon from turning into a full-on addiction. He's all rough edges and danger contrasted with a tenderness that makes her feel safe. Still, after a life spent in motion, she's not sure she knows how to stay in one place.
Gideon hopes he can persuade Rory to take a chance on him with every electric touch. But soon, life conspires against him, forcing the GhostWalker to risk everything to protect the woman he loves....

Rory Chappel is a nomad. She moves from city to city, working as a bartender, but not making any real connections with anyone. That changes when she lands in San Francisco. Not only does she meet a great group of women at her apartment complex, but that’s where she meets Gideon Carpenter. To Rory, Gideon seems too good to be true. He’s attentive & attractive among other things. Rory is used to being on her own, so having so many people care about what happens to her in such a short amount of time throws her off her game. She usually only stays in a city for a few months, then she moves on. She’s not exactly running from anything, she just moves when the urge strikes. It’s not going to be so easy to leave San Francisco. So she starts wondering if she should plant some roots.

Gideon Carpenter is a GhostWalker. Before that, he was an abused child that grew up in a violent household. There are decisions that Gideon made in his life that he regrets to this day. When he first hears Rory’s laughter, he knows he has to find her. When he does find her, she takes his breath away. Rory doesn’t put off the vibe that most GhostWalkers do, but he’s certain that she is a GhostWalker. That would be the only thing that would explain the instant & irresistible attraction he has to her. Then he goes and fucks everything up by telling his team her secrets. It wasn’t that he wanted to tell them, but above all, Gideon is a protector.

This book was unlike any Christine Feehan book that I’ve read in the past. This book was based more on emotion than sex. I don’t think the sex actually happened until about 90% into the book. I was okay with that because at times, Christine Feehan overdoes it with the physical. Honestly, I’m still a little confused about the plot. There was a whole suspense aspect that was weird. Like it didn’t fit into what I’m used to in a GhostWalker novel. Although, that might have ended up being a good thing. This is one of the few series that I still read by Christine Feehan & I plan on continuing with it. It’s interesting & hot. This world that she has created is pretty amazing.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

GhostWalkers

four-stars


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