Publisher: Self-Published

Review: Knight’s Redemption by Sherilee Gray

Posted February 27, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: Knight’s Redemption by Sherilee GrayReviewer: Casee
Knight's Redemption by Sherilee Gray
Series: Knights of Hell #1
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: October 24, 2018
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 298
Add It: Goodreads
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three-stars
Series Rating: three-stars

With one fatal mistake, immortal demon hunter Lazarus started a chain reaction that set him and his five brothers on a collision course straight to Hell. There's only one way to save them all-claim his mate, a sweet beauty he doesn't deserve and will only end up hurting. But immortals fall hard, and walking away from her when it's over is going to be near-impossible. When bookstore owner Eve Taylor starts hearing the thoughts of others, she is certain she's losing her mind. Until the day a wickedly seductive and dangerous warrior appears and introduces her to a terrifying new world-one she has been part of her whole life and never knew. Now, with a traitor consumed by darkness and driven by revenge hunting them, they have one chance at survival. But they must give into the scorching desire that, if they let it, could destroy them both.

Eve Taylor is a local bookstore owner that has no idea that the paranormal exists. When a strange man comes into her shop, she is instantly wary. When he kills one of her regulars, who is actually a demon, she loses her shit. Eve has always known she was different than other people, but she had no idea how different she was. It’s only been recently that she has been able to hear thoughts of those around her. Even then, she never considered that the supernatural existed, let alone that she would end up abandoning the life that she has built.

Lazarus is a Knight of Hell. His sole purpose on the Earth is to protect it from demons. When he first senses Eve, he instantly knows who she is to him. His mate & the other half of his soul. The only problem is that he doesn’t want a mate. After losing the woman that he thought of as a daughter, Lazarus blames himself for her death. While the demon side of him wants Eve desperately, he will never put her in a position where her life will be put at risk. Then he gets to know her & all his plans go straight to hell (heh).

This book was an extremely easy read. Lazarus was pretty annoying what with his refusal to take Eve as his mate, or even tell her that she is his mate. He’s so determined to protect her that he almost fails to see what is right in front of him. Eve was a great heroine, a woman that knows her own mind & wants to learn. As a newly awakened demi-demon, she is just coming into her powers & Lazarus might be the only one that can help her mater them.

I liked this book enough to read on, though it wasn’t spectacular by any stretch of the imagination.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Knights of Hell

three-stars

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Review: Beyond Destiny by Georgia Lyn Hunter

Posted February 20, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: Beyond Destiny by Georgia Lyn HunterReviewer: Casee
Beyond Destiny by Georgia Lyn Hunter
Series: Fallen Guardians #8
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: December 27, 2022
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 480
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four-half-stars
Series Rating: five-stars

Can a creature of the dark and an angel conquer a forbidden love?
As a new Guardian, bloodshed and death have become Ely’s way of life. During a skirmish, she faces off with a demon unlike any, whose sexy swagger and wicked smile throw her off her stride. Until he opens his mouth. Then she wants to kill the maddening male. Yet, every time he’s near, the draw to him is inexorable…but he’s her sworn enemy.
They call him Sicari, an assassin. Except he is something worse—a monster. Bound to a hellish existence, Nate shuns entanglements of any sort until a female who’s as lethal as the weapons she wields cracks through his armor with just a glare. Their attraction is undeniable, but they can never be. Not when his all-consuming desire for his beautiful nemesis becomes as dangerous as his need for gore and death.
As their emotions unravel and eternal heartbreak looms, both succumb to a dark passion, awakening Nate’s sinister side. With enemies closing in and time running out, Nate must sacrifice everything to protect the angel he loves. But Ely will battle the entire Dark Realm to save him, even if it means facing a fate from which there is no escape…
Another slow-burn dance in this 126k+ words enemies-to-lovers story!

Ely is an Empyrean princess who escaped her realm to Earth after her parents tried to force her to mate. It’s taken Ely time & effort to prove to her fellow Guardians that she is worthy of the job. After months in Gaia’s realm, Ely is finally gifted with her Guardian weapons. All Ely wants to do is fit in with her brethren & protect humans from an evil they don’t know exists.

Nate was left for dead as a child & his savior gave him a demon symbiont to save him. Aba had no idea when he gifted Nate with the symbiont that it would have been better if he let him die. Nate’s life is not easy, in fact it’s hell. Being bound to an archdemon in the Dark Realm, Nate is known as Sicari. Assassin, killer, demon. Then he meets Ely & she turns his world upside down.

Ely is drawn to Nate even as she’s repelled by her feelings for the demon at first. As their paths cross again and again, Ely begins to suspect that Nate is her mate even if he is not her destined mate. When Nate’s wyvern side comes out in the Dark Realm, Ely will do anything to save him, even give her own life.

The author mentioned in the Afterword that this book was long than she intended. I think it was the perfect length as we got to know Nate’s story & how Ely has been a part of his life for far longer than either of them have realized. I loved this book from the first page to the last. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Fallen Guardians

four-half-stars

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Review: Ancient Vengeance by Katie Reus

Posted February 6, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: Ancient Vengeance by Katie ReusReviewer: Casee
Ancient Vengeance by Katie Reus
Series: Ancients Rising #6
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: December 27, 2022
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 300
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four-half-stars
Series Rating: five-stars

She’s been sheltered her entire life…
Stella is from a fierce and ancient dragon line, but when her kingdom was invaded and half her family slaughtered, everything changed. She’s been taught to fight, to protect herself, but now that one of her sisters is back after being thought dead, she realizes it’s time to make some changes. After years of being smothered, she needs freedom, to spread her dragon wings and experience life. So when her grandmother tasks her with a job in New Orleans, she jumps at the chance to strike out on her own and prove herself.
He's never met anyone like her…
Dragon shifter Rhodes is a killer. An assassin. And he’s been ordered to kidnap the dragon princess Stella as vengeance against her clan. He’s always finished his contracts—until he meets her. Now he’ll do anything to keep her safe. To claim her forever as his mate. But first they’ll have to overcome the danger stalking her—and then he’ll have to figure out how to get her to forgive him for betraying her.

I love dragon shifter books. Other than reading Thea Harrison’s Elder Races series, I haven’t really read dragon books. Katie Reus is one of my favorite new-to-me authors & favorite authors in general. She writes such an amazing story & really brings the characters to life. As a reader than has gotten pickier as the years pass, I really appreciate her even more.

Rhodes has been hired by the fae to kidnap Princess Stella of the Nova realm. Except he knows she didn’t do the things that the fae are accusing her of doing. After following her around for weeks (i.e. stalking) her, he decides that he has to protect her. When she heads out of the realm on a mission to New Orleans, Rhodes barely stops her from being taken by the Fae.

Stella wants to prove to herself & her family that she is more than just an ornamental princess. After being sheltered her entire life, Stella is ready to spread her dragon wings. She wants to prove that she can be an asset to her clan & her people. When Rhodes arrives right when she is poisoned by the fae, she immediately (& incorrectly) assumes that he is a bodyguard sent by her family. Rhodes doesn’t correct her. To do so would mean she would be unprotected as she would certainly never forgive him for lying to her.

Stella is on a mission to find a crown that someone stole from her clan. Although she knows that the fae are a problem, she won’t stop looking for the crown. She feels it’s her only chance at proving herself. Both Stella & Rhodes are drawn into the new world in New Orleans where clubs are only open twice a week & payment goods are traded for services. It is quite a post-apocalyptic world that Reus has created here. I love it.

Rhodes knows that Stella is his mate, but her mating manifestation isn’t appearing which is pretty devastating to him. He doesn’t even consider the fact that the poison could have affected her in that way. Which is weird, because even I guessed that is why. Overall, I loved this book. I thought Stella & Rhodes were both amazing characters & a great team. I’m so excited that these books are being released almost back-to-back. Yay for dragons!

Rating: 4.25 out of 5.

Ancients Rising

four-half-stars

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Review: Promise Me Always by A.L. Jackson

Posted January 30, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: Promise Me Always by A.L. JacksonReviewer: Casee
Promise Me AlwaysNarrator: Connor Crais, Samantha Brentmoor
Series: Redemption Hills #4
Also in this series: Give Me a Reason, Say It's Forever
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: January 30, 2023
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 491
Length: 12 hours and 37 minutes
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four-stars
Series Rating: five-stars

I should know better than to let Tessa McDaniels pretend to be my fiancée.I’m a dark, dangerous disaster who leaves destruction in his wake.But when she offers to pretend to marry me to help me get my kids back, I can’t refuse. They are the one thing I have left to fight for.
Milo Hendricks found me at my lowest.Battered and broken by my ex with no place to call home. When he insists I stay at his cabin with him, he sparks the feelings I’ve tried to suppress.He’s only supposed to be my friend, but every time he comes in the room, he makes my knees weak.This gorgeous, tatted, mountain-of-a-man who’s riddled with secrets.
Tessa is everything I crave but can’t have.I shouldn’t touch her.Shouldn’t make it real.But she’s a red-headed flame I can’t resist, and I can’t help but take her to my bed.
Now we’re falling into an abyss of passion and need.Loving her is easy.Only we’re tied in ways we don’t know.I’ll do anything to protect her, but it’s my past that might destroy her in the end…

Tessa McDaniels was introduced as Eden’s quirky but loving friend in Give Me a Reason. She became more prominent of a character as the series continued, until it was obvious she needed her own book. Tessa is a woman that is holding out for her “Ace”. Due to the situation she finds herself in after her brother is injured, Tessa doesn’t think she will ever find her Ace.

Milo Hendricks is a bouncer at Absolution. The head tough guy. But the head tough guy wasn’t really a tough guy at all. He’s a softie. Hard on the outside & gooey on the inside. It made for quite the contradiction. All Milo wants in his life is to get his kids back from their grandparents. After his wife died, Milo was certain that he had (and lost) his chance at happiness. Then he meets Tessa & all his thoughts go up in smoke.

After Tessa finds herself in an unimaginable situation, Milo is there to help her pick up the pieces. He is there for her when she feels like she has no one else. Even her gang of girlfriends and their families aren’t enough to make her feel less alone. Then Milo comes in & saves the day. The least she can do is help him get it kids back. Right? Because it’s a great idea to lie to everyone you love. I did have a hard time with that even though I understood.

This was definitely a friends-to-lovers book. It was so nice to see Milo & Tessa’s friendship grow into more. I loved both these characters. Milo was everything a tortured alpha hero should be. Tessa was a combination of sweet and spunky. They just fit. They fit from the very first page they came together.

It took me five long days to finish this book. ALJ generally tends to write angsty novels, but this one took angsty to a whole other level. Like I was feeling anxiety when I was reading this book. I felt relief when it was over because I just couldn’t take it anymore. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good book. It was a great book. It was just a lot. A lot of blame, self-hatred, grief, and love. It really did have everything that I usually love when I a read an ALJ.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5.

Redemption Hills

four-stars

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Review: One Percent of You by Michelle Gross

Posted November 14, 2022 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: One Percent of You by Michelle GrossReviewer: Holly
One Percent of You by Michelle Gross
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: May 5, 2019
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 341
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four-stars

Make no mistakes about it. I know what I look like to others. Young, government-aided, pregnant mom. They see Lucy on my hip, and they see a mistake. I mean, why else would someone have a child so young, right? They couldn’t be more wrong. I’m too busy most days between parenting, work, and finishing up my last year of nursing school to let their judging gaze tear me down until he moves in the vacant house next to the apartments I live in.
His cold, blunt observation of us doesn’t differ from any other stranger. He doesn’t know me, but he’s already painting a picture of who he thinks I am in his mind. He judges my very round belly, Lucy’s inability to leave him alone, the bags under my eyes, and the fact that I could not care less what I look like anymore.
He’s a rude guy. Stays that way for months too. Then something happens, I’m not even sure what. Judgmental Guy decides Lucy and me — as well as baby Eli — are worth his friendship.
Turns out, Judgmental Guy isn’t too mean — okay, he kind of still is. But he graduates to Elijah. I build an unlikely friendship with him which deems it necessary for him to start smiling around me and my kids.
I’m wrong again. Elijah isn’t rude. He’s terrifying. His strange acts of kindness are unraveling me. Elijah is only my friend.
Right?
Oh, fudge. I think I’m wrong. Again.

One Percent of You by Michelle Gross is a single-mom contemporary romance. My friend Ames recommended this book to me. If not for her, based on the blurb and the first chapter, I probably wouldn’t have read it. I’m glad I did. It turned out to be really cute, though it could have used a good edit.

Elijah sort of accidentally on purpose scared a little girl in the grocery story and stole her bag of chips. Then she moved into the apartments next door to his house, and became his arch-nemesis. He’s feeling pretty judgmental about her and her obviously pregnant single-mom, but also kind of intrigued. As time goes on, Elijah comes to realize he’s been a jerk and he becomes friends with the little family.

I loved how Elijah was sort of intrigued by this little family of Hadley’s, despite his resistance to kids. The way he and Lucy, Hadley’s daughter, formed a bond was adorable. There were a lot of editing errors and I thought Hadley held onto things a little more than she should, but overall it was a great read. It was just what I was in the mood for at the time.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

four-stars

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