Source: NetGalley

Review: Magic Claims by Ilona Andrews

Posted June 12, 2023 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: Magic Claims by Ilona AndrewsReviewer: Holly
Magic Claims by Ilona Andrews
Series: (Kate Daniels: Wilmington Years #2, Kate Daniels #10.6
Also in this series: Magic Shifts, Magic Shifts, Magic Binds, Magic Bites, Magic Strikes, Iron and Magic, Magic Triumphs, Magic Bites, Magic Bleeds , Magic Burns, Magic Strikes , Magic Slays , Gunmetal Magic , Magic Rises , Magic Strikes, Magic Mourns, Magic Bleeds, Magic Dreams, Magic Slays, Gunmetal Magic, Magic Gifts, Magic Rises, Magic Tests, Magic Stars, Magic Shifts, Magic Steals, Magic Breaks, Magic Breaks, Iron and Magic, Magic Binds, Magic Triumphs , Magic Triumphs
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: June 13, 2023
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
Point-of-View: Alternating First
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 240
Add It: Goodreads
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A new town, new friends, new challenges…. And a new heart-stopping adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling author, Ilona Andrews. Kate, Curran, and Conlan may have left Atlanta for Wilmington, but the usual magic mayhem has also hitched a ride!

Kate and Curran have just settled into their new home and their 'low prolife,' when a local businessman approaches them with an offer they can’t refuse. A mysterious evil has spawned in the nearby forest and is holding a defenseless town hostage. The ‘due date’ is rapidly approaching.
It’s exactly the kind of fight the Lennarts can’t resist, not for the prize the town offers, but for the people who will surely die if they ignore it. If they succeed, they’ll be rescuing an entire community and can build a strong new base for their family and the Wilmington Pack. If they fail...well, fail is a four-letter word.
Nothing comes without a price. Now Kate must decide if she has what it takes to pay it.

Magic Claims (Kate Daniels: Wilmington Years #2) by Ilona Andrews is the perfect continuation of the Kate and Curran we-suck-at-retiring saga.

Kate and Curran have settled into Wilmington and are just about finished renovating their new home when a neighbor comes by with an offer for a large parcel of land; something Curran can’t resist. Kate isn’t convinced until she hears about an ancient evil lurking in the woods on the land they were offered – an evil that keeps demanding human sacrifices. Now they both need to do what they do best – find the threat and neutralize it, with some help from new and old friends alike.

Okay, this is honestly the book I’ve been waiting for since I picked up my first KD book all those years ago. Finally, we’re seeing the potential we knew was there. I can’t share too much without spoiling everything, but I’m not going to lie, I needed to see Kate and Curran exactly where they are. I very much hope this is the start to another 10 book series….(why no, I will never be satisfied with what we’ve been given. I NEED MORE, thankyouverymuch).

The villain was interesting and the hints of things to come really grabbed me. If you’re new to KD, I don’t recommend starting here, but I do think you can start with the previous book if you just aren’t interested in going back to the beginning of the Kate Daniels world (though I think you should).

At the time of this writing, the book hasn’t even formally released yet and I already want to ask for the next one. Yes, I realize I am the problem. I can’t help it. I love that Julie’s story was tied in here, and things are open for more to come. I’m honestly just so excited to see where things go I can’t stand it.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Kate Daniels: Wilmington


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Review: Ancient Warrior by Katie Reus

Posted May 15, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: Ancient Warrior by Katie ReusReviewer: Casee
Ancient Warrior by Katie Reus
Series: Ancients Rising #8
Also in this series: Ancient Vengeance, Ancient Sentinel
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: April 11, 2023
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 246
Add It: Goodreads
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

The last time she saw him…
Long before The Fall, before the world changed forever, tiger shifter Harlow worked in Black Ops for the safety of all shifters. She excelled at her job, loved everything about it, until the male she loved tried to kill her. So she was forced to kill him first.
She killed him.
Now Aodh is back. And this fierce, dominant dragon shifter won’t stop until he gets answers. But things aren’t what they seem and now he has more than a battle with Harlow on his hands. If they want a chance at a future, they’ll have to take down an ancient enemy who has targeted not only them, but their friends—and it’s going to take uniting all their skills to survive.
Author note: Each book in the series can be read as a stand-alone, complete with HEA and no cliffhanger.

Harlow has always been a character that I was curious about. She was such a badass from the moment she appeared. I was really looking forward to seeing who the hero would be that could deal with her dominant personality.

Long before The Fall, Harlow & Aodh worked on a Black Ops team. They were responsible for policing the supernatural. When Aodh turned against Harlow, she was forced to kill him. Or so she thinks. Even after all the years that have passed, Harlow still feels the loss of her would-be mate. Now Aodh is back and wants revenge on Harlow & the rest of the team for deserting him. The only problem with that is that he loves Harlow deeply & could never hurt her. He has no idea why she or the rest of his team abandoned him, but he does know that he won’t let her go so easily.

When Aodh returns, Harlow knows that something went terribly wrong. The man that she thought she killed was not Aodh. It was a witch that wanted Aodh for the dragon inside him. After draining him of his powers for decades, Aodh is finally free. Now Harlow & Aodh have to work together with the rest of their pack to find the witch that destroyed both their worlds.

I loved both Harlow & Aodh. While it was hard for both of them to forgive the other one, they realized that they would have to work together to bring down the witch responsible for so much pain & suffering in their lives. I enjoyed Harlow immensely. She was a great heroine. Aodh wasn’t bad himself, but it was really Harlow that shined on the pages. My only complaint was that the book was way too short.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5.

Ancients Rising

four-stars


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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: Ancient Sentinel by Katie Reus

Posted April 10, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: Ancient Sentinel by Katie ReusReviewer: Casee
Ancient Sentinel by Katie Reus
Series: Ancients Rising #7
Also in this series: Ancient Vengeance, Ancient Warrior
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: January 24, 2023
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 137
Add It: Goodreads
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three-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

He never expected her…
Jaguar shifter Ren never expected to fall for anyone again—not after the last woman he opened his heart to tried to cut it out. Literally. But the moment he met Grace, he fell fast and hard for the sweet human. Except she’s made it clear she’s only looking for friendship, and he wants it all.
But he’ll do anything to claim her heart.
Grace officially has a crush on her friend—a quiet jaguar shifter with kind eyes and deadly skills. However, he hasn’t given any indication he wants more than friendship. So she vows to move on—until they’re given an assignment by their Alpha. When they’re stuck together under the same roof, sharing one bed, it becomes impossible to hide her attraction. But then an unknown threat surfaces, putting Grace’s life in danger, and Ren will stop at nothing to protect the woman he knows is his mate.

Grace has had a crush on Ren for quite some time. At the beginning of the book, she decides that she’s going to lay it all out there. She’s going to go for it & tell Ren exactly how she feels about him. Her plans are derailed when she heads to his home & finds him hugging a woman. Her hopes & dreams of being with Ren are instantly dashed. It seems that all they will ever be is friends. Ren wants Grace with a fierceness that surprises even him, especially after what he’s gone through in the past.

This is a rather short review because it was a rather short book. I would say that it is more a novella than a full-length book. I didn’t really connect with either Ren or Grace. There was no backstory into Ren’s past. They got together fairly quickly, then the book just ended. It wasn’t a bad book, it just wasn’t my favorite in the series.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Ancients Rising

three-stars


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Review: Ghostly Game by Christine Feehan

Posted March 20, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 3 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
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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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