Source: Kindle Unlimited

Review: Spiral of Need by Suzanne Wright

Posted May 29, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: Spiral of Need by Suzanne WrightReviewer: Casee
Spiral of Need by Suzanne Wright
Narrator: Jill Redfield
Series: The Mercury Pack #1
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 320
Length: 10 hours and 40 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Ally Marshall isn’t just a wolf shifter — she’s a Seer.
But a girl doesn’t exactly need special powers to know that Derren Hudson despises her entire kind. Disdain practically rolls off the Beta of the Mercury Pack . . . disdain mixed with a healthy dose of desire. And no matter how much the ruggedly handsome male appeals to her, this is one call of the wild she’s determined to ignore.
After one betrayal too many, Derren doesn’t have much use for Seers — except for Ally.
Forced into acting as her protector, he finds himself intensely and passionately drawn to the woman who incites his primal instinct to claim.
And when enemies target the pack, Ally’s gift may be just what the Mercury Pack needs.
Can he put his distrust aside, or will he force himself to turn his back on the one woman who makes his inner beast howl?
Coming September 29, 2015...

Ally Marshall is a Seer and empath. When she is accused of hurting the Beta female of her pack, Ally knows it’s time to go. After drifting from pack to pack over the years, Ally is ready to find her place. She never expected that place to be with the Mercury Pack. Unbeknownst to Ally, her foster brother contacts Derren Hudson, who is the Beta of the Mercury Pack, to protect her, Ally knows instantly that Derren hates her kind. He wants nothing to do with her, which is fine with Ally. She is used to being on her own and taking care of herself. It only takes a few short days for Ally to prove herself to the pack when she saves the Alpha female’s life.

This was the first book I’ve read by Suzanne Wright & holy shit was it steamy which is exactly how I like my romances. The struggle that Derren felt over his feelings for Ally was very real. He had a real prejudice against Seers, but as he got to know Ally better, he realized that she is nothing like the Seers that he knew in the past. It takes awhile for the Pack to warm up to Ally (except Shaya), but she eventually proves herself. Ally is very dominant herself, which makes her and Derren butt heads quite a bit. He loves her dominant side, but he always wants her to submit to him in some ways.

I found this book to be very likeable & an easy read. As of this writing, I am on book five of the series & I’ve loved every single book. I can’t wait to go back and read the Phoenix Pack series!

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The Mercury Pack

four-stars


Tagged: , , , , , ,

Review: The Rest of Me by Ashley Munoz

Posted May 22, 2023 by Holly in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: The Rest of Me by Ashley MunozReviewer: Holly
The Rest Of Me by Ashley Munoz
Narrator: Scarlette Everdeen, Sean Hardisty
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: October 18, 2019
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 284
Length: 8 hours and 7 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars

Death never simply settles for the life it claims.It’s greedy.It stole all of our lives that night and while it put my husband in the ground, it left my four children and me behind.After an ugly year of grief, something had to change.
My sister suggested open spaces, big skies and fresh air in the heart of Wyoming.We settled into our shared estate the best we could until I met my new neighbor.Arrogant, bossy and rude; Reid was easily the worst person I’d ever met. I'd decided to write him off entirely until I realized he was the only local horse instructor.
I’d heard that if I could get my kids onto a horse, they’d start to heal. Desperation had me creating an alliance with him. Envy had me craving the connection he had with them.
Distracted by the newness of our situation, I missed how close his demons danced to my ghosts. While I was ignorantly letting him take my heart, it was too late to realize . . . He’d already stolen it once before.

I discovered this book through a reel on Bookstagram. The blurb intrigued me so I decided to give it a go. I wasn’t really expecting a dark, angsty read, but the heroine’s husband died a year before the story opens, so she and her children were still in the grieving process, which made for a darker tone. Plus, the MMC had some trauma of his own.

When Layla’s husband died unexpectedly, she gave herself and her children a year to grieve. They’ve basically been in a fog since then, but on the exact one year anniversary of his death she knows she has to push forward so they can find a new normal. For six months they’ve been living in a small town in Wyoming, but they haven’t really interacted with the town much or really settled in. As part of their healing process they start riding lessons with the neighbor next-door. Reid has recently moved back home and is trying to adjust to his new normal as well. It’s a struggle, but spending time with Layla and her kids helps him in unexpected ways.

I really liked Reid and Layla’s four children. The kids were doing their best to find their way without their father, and Reid really stepped into a role they needed. He didn’t take the place of their dad, but he helped them heal and move forward in a positive way. The best part of the book for me was the small ways they interacted with each other. I really felt for him as he tried to give Layla space while also being there for her.

Layla I had a harder time with. She didn’t really deal with any of her grief in the year since her husband passed, so she still had a lot of emotions to work through. I felt for her in that regard. But the way her kids suffered because she wasn’t ready to face anything? I had a harder time with that. Especially since she played hot and cold with Reid and the kids for the majority of the book.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but I’m still trying to decide how I feel about the ending. I saw the plot twist coming, though I had hoped that I was wrong. For all that I enjoyed the romance and the way they all came together, I have a hard time believing that this is an issue that’s put to bed and will never come up again. Especially the way Layla acted throughout the book, constantly pushing Reid away and getting angry at him for making her feel things she wasn’t sure she should (attraction, love, etc). I don’t blame her for it, because I can’t imagine her grief, but that doesn’t leave me with a lot of confidence that she wouldn’t throw his transgressions back in his face at some point. Or that the kids were really as okay with everything as they said. They might feel that way now, but what about down the road?

With a different FMC, this may have worked better, but the way Layla acted throughout the book left me feeling vaguely uneasy about the overall resolution and their HEA.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

four-stars


Tagged: , , , , , ,

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
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
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


Tagged: , , , , , ,

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
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
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


Tagged: , , , , , ,

Review: The Last Second Chance by Lucy Score

Posted September 21, 2022 by Holly in Reviews | 4 Comments

Review: The Last Second Chance by Lucy ScoreReviewer: Holly
The Last Second Chance by Lucy Score
Narrator: Tanya Eby
Series: Blue Moon #3
Also in this series: No More Secrets , Fall into Temptation
Publisher: Self-PublishedFormat: Audiobook, eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited, Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating First
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars


What would it take to get one last chance?

Joey Greer is done having her heart broken. Eight years ago, after a horrific car accident, Jackson Pierce—her high school sweetheart—abandoned her. Abandoned his family. Abandoned the town they'd both grown up in, and fled to Hollywood. He never looked back, and she never forgot him.
Or forgave him.
Now he's back, pretending like the past doesn't exist, wanting another chance. And even though she still feels the undeniable connection between them, the fiery attraction that burns her up from the inside out, Joey’s determined to keep him at a safe distance.
Jackson Pierce can't tell Joey the truth about the night when he left her in the hospital. It would ruin more than just their relationship, and he can't do that to her.
The entire town of Blue Moon knows that Jax and Joey are meant for each other, but Joey isn’t interested in giving him a second chance. All he can do is give her flowers. And picnic lunches. And a dog.
Oh, and handcuff himself to her for charity.
Will this second chance be the last one Jax needs to win back Joey's heart, or is the past too much to forgive?

The Last Second Chance (Blue Moon #3) by Lucy Score is a second-chance romance between high-school sweethearts.

Jax and Joey were high school sweethearts who had their whole lives planned out. Until the night they hit a deer and Joey ended up in the hospital. When she woke up the next day Jax was gone. 8 years later he’s back in town and has made it known that he’s here for Joey…

He wants to pick up where they left off, but Joey can’t forgive him for abandoning her…especially since hasn’t given her a good reason for why he left in the first place.

I liked this book. Joey and Jax were good together and I liked the way Score built up the town and wove the other characters from the series through the story. It felt like I was right there living their lives with them. I did think the book was a little too long, and I struggled with both Joey and Jax at times. But overall it was a light, easy read that I enjoyed.

3.75 out of 5

Blue Moon

three-half-stars


Tagged: , , , , , , ,