Showing posts with label 36-Vengeance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 36-Vengeance. Show all posts

Review // Clown Motel by Lani Lynn Vale

November 21, 2023

Clown Motel by Lani Lynn Vale

All her annoyingly persistent texts and unauthorized visits had paid off.
I was hers.


Clown Motel by Lani Lynn Vale

Clown Motel by Lani Lynn Vale


Rating - ★★★★1/2
Standalone - Welcome to the Circus #4
Release - November 21, 2023
Genre/Trope - Contemporary Romance / vigilante
POV - dual 1st person
Heat - explicit scenes
Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 282 pages

It’s not every day you meet a man at the bar, stare at him for hours, and then right when you decide to make a move, he gets up to leave. Worse, when you follow him outside, you see him completely change his appearance by shucking a wig and a button down shirt, dropping them into the nearest trash can.

When Crimson looks around to see who noticed the complete one-eighty that’s just taken place, not a single person notices or cares. When she looks back, he’s gone.

Dejected, she leaves, thinking maybe she’d hallucinated and made the whole night up.

Only, just as she passes a dark alley, she’s taken. Literally and figuratively.

That’s the night that Winston Cyrus Osborn, III walks into her life.

***

Crimson is the worst type of woman.

She’s curious.

And curiosity kills the cat in his line of work.

With nothing else left to lose, he’s set to rid this world of the filth that infests it. And in doing that, he’s made a lot of enemies that would like nothing better than to ruin him and every single person he cares about.

At every turn, she’s there, insinuating herself into his life. And despite his attempts to keep her at arm’s length, she blows past every single barrier he erects.

He should really stay away.

He should also make sure that she stays out of his business.

Yet, he keeps letting her in. And she keeps reminding him why he wants her to stay.

Find it here:
Goodreads * Amazon

Clown Motel by Lani Lynn Vale

My Two Cents

I thought I knew what I was stepping into. Three books deep and I figured I knew what to expect from this series. Book four has thrown me for a loop. It went deeper, it went harder, and all the ugly pain got out... at least for the Singh siblings I've met so far.

I feel like I should be embarassed by how much I enjoyed Crimson's stalker vibes. The way that she didn't allow Winston any personal space gave me life! It wasn't like he wasn't aware of her every move too and that shared obsession was beautiful to witness.

I watched him from across the room.
I didn't know who he was.
I didn't know why he was there.
I didn't know why I was there.
What I did know was that I wanted him.
I'd never wanted someone so much in my life.

Winston had a backstory that broke my heart, but it wholly explained his hesitance to have something real with Crimson. She had her own story of trauma and honestly, no one had it easy. However, whatever they saw within one another made them better people and I was just happy to read about their journey.

I laughed, I cringed, I cheered, and I almost cried. Clown Motel was a remarkable read.

Other books in the series: Fun House * Freak Show * Show Off


Clown Motel by Lani Lynn Vale

The Author

Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.

Visit https://lanilynnvale.com for more information!

Throwback Thursday // Vengeance and Vigilantes

October 26, 2023


Hey everyone and welcome to another Throwback Thursday! Every week I'll be sharing my book recommendations within a romantic trope.

Today I'm sharing with you the first five books posted on the blog dealing with vengeance and/or vigilantes. These stories are usually a win for me and I am always on the lookout for another stunner. If you know of any, please let me know.

I really love this trope and I hope if you haven't read any of the following books, you'll give one of them a try :)



Betrayed by a Kiss by Kris Rafferty


I remember, back in the beginning of my romance reading journey, I had asked my Goodreads friends for suspense recommendations and this one popped up a few times. It was so much better than I could have expected. It involves a somewhat naive hacker, a jaded ex-detective, and a plot to bring down corruption.

Find my review HERE



The Matriarch by Sloane Howell


I went through a time that whatever this author put out, I got my hands on it. The Matriarch is so different from anything else I had read from him at the time and I was hooked. I remember being bummed that there wasn't a book to follow. The story felt unfinished or maybe I was just greedy for more. If there is another book in this world he created, and you know about it, please please please leave that info below.

Find my review HERE



Dirty Wicked by Shayla Black


I'm not the only one who is a huge fan of the 1001 Dark Nights world, am I? I've only read a few books in this series by Shayla Black, which I enjoyed, so when I saw this novella available, I knew I'd be in for a great read. I was right. There's just something about a sexy PI willing to lay everything on the line for his client that gives me tingles.

Find my review HERE



Blood Script by Airicka Phoenix


This book made me fall for this author's words. It being my first pirate romance book, I knew I'd never look at anything naval the same way again! Captain James Crow was absolutely freaking delicious!!

Find my review HERE



Unhinged by Natasha Knight


It's been a while since I've read from this author, but I know that the next book I pick up will test my boundaries in the best of ways. More suspenseful than dark, her words and the worlds she creates seem very realistic... and scary. This tells of a military man with tons of damage and the woman who may have done him wrong.

Find my review HERE

Review // Scarred by Emily McIntire

April 19, 2023

Scarred by Emily McIntire

Sara Beatreaux is not my problem.
Normally, I wouldn't care.
I shouldn't care.
But I do.

────── ♔ ──────


Scarred by Emily McIntire

Scarred by Emily McIntire


Standalone - Never After #2
Release - January 4, 2022
Genre - Dark Romance / enemies to lovers / vengeance / retelling / royals
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 348 pages

She doesn't belong to him...she belongs to the crown.

Prince Tristan Faasa was never destined for the throne. That was always his brother, Michael. The same brother responsible for both Tristan's tormented childhood and the scar that mars his face. When their father dies, Michael is set to assume the throne, and Tristan is set to steal it. The leader of a secret rebellion, Tristan will stop at nothing to end his brother's reign. But when Michael's new betrothed, Lady Sara Beatreaux arrives, Tristan finds himself in the middle of a new kind of war. The kind that begs the question of what's more important, the crown or the woman about to wear it.

Sara has one plan. Marry the King and eradicate the Faasa line, even at the risk of her own peril. But she never expects the Scarred Prince. He's dangerous. Forbidden. And one of the men she's been sent to kill. But the line between hatred and passion has never seemed so thin, and as secrets come to light, Sara grows unsure of whom she can trust—torn between vengeance and the villain she was never supposed to love.

Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon


Scarred by Emily McIntire

My Two Cents

3.5 "Burn it all down" stars

Not quite a retelling, but it did have a lot in common with The Lion King. A scarred prince, some nefarious goings on, and a love story. I guess a villain deserves a happy ending too!

When his father dies, Tristan is alone in the world. His brother has the throne, the council is corrupt, and their people are starving. Tristan is determined to change things. His goals are dangerous, but he seems to laugh in the face of danger. << see what I did there?

When Sara's father dies, she vows revenge. She means to kill every member of the Faasa family, hopefully bringing back prosperity to her beloved lands. While her family schemed for her to be chosen as the King's future wife, she plotted and planned. And when she finally meets her future family, it's easy for her to imagine them all dying from her blades.

But then she gets to know Tristan, the outcast, the man in the shadows. He's nothing like what she thought he was and everything she needed in her life. With her conviction waning, can she find a new passion with him?

"The truth is, I am yours. Wholly. Inexplicably. Painfully. Unconditionally." He moves my hand until the dagger presses against his throat. "And if you need to sacrifice my soul so you're able to live with yours, then do it."

While I enjoyed this story, I wish someone had warned me that it was a slow build on the filth. I loved Tristan's obsessive, possessive self and his dirty mouth, but I wanted more. I know I'm greedy, but so much of this book was about these two fighting against their growing feelings that I wanted to spend time with them as a couple.

And yes, the author does offer an epilogue, but I would have to sign up for the newsletter and I'm not about to do that. No offense, but I'm on a newsletter cleanse. So I'm here, at the end of the book, happy that this couple gets to actually be a couple, but hopelessly wanting more. I'm good with all of the murder-y mayhem that happened, I was gleeful whenever Tristan's madness appeared, I'll never look at hash the same way again, and I liked everything in between. I'll be checking out the next book in the series for sure.

The Author

Emily McIntire is an Amazon Top 15 and Publishers Weekly best selling author known for her Never After Series, where she gives our favorite villains their happily ever afters. With books that range from small town to dark romance, she doesn’t like to box herself into one type of story, but at the core of all her novels is soul deep love. When she’s not writing you can find her enjoying her family, or lost between the pages of a good book.

Find more information at https://www.emilymcintire.com

Review // Hooked by Emily McIntire

March 25, 2023

Hooked by Emily McIntire

"You are, without a doubt, the only good I've ever known." - Hook

────── ♔ ──────


Hooked by Emily McIntire

Hooked by Emily McIntire


Standalone - Never After #1
Genre - Dark Romance / retelling / vengeance
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 312 pages

Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon

He wants revenge, but he wants her more…

James has always had one agenda: destroy his enemy, Peter Michaels. When Peter’s twenty-year-old daughter Wendy shows up in James’s bar, he sees his way in. Seduce the girl and use her for his revenge. It’s the perfect plan, until things in James’s organization begin to crumble. Suddenly, he has to find the traitor in his midst, and his plan for revenge gets murkier as James starts to see Wendy as more than just a pawn in his game.

Wendy has been cloistered away most of her life by her wealthy cold father, but a spontaneous night out with friends turns into an intense and addictive love affair with the dark and brooding James. As much as she knows James is dangerous, Wendy can’t seem to shake her desire for him. But as their relationship grows more heated and she learns more about the world he moves in, she finds herself unsure if she’s falling for the man known as James or the monster known as Hook.

Hooked is a dark contemporary romance and the first complete standalone in the Never After Series: A collection of fractured fairy tales where the villains get the happy ever after. It is not a literal retelling and not fantasy. Hooked features mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised. For all content warnings, check the author's website.

My Two Cents

4 "Even a villain deserves to be loved" stars

I absolutely love retellings and this one is loosely based on Peter Pan. I really enjoyed experiencing the nostalgia for one of my childhood classics.

James "Hook" Barrie was driven by the dark deeds that happened in his past. His family was assassinated. He was terrorized by his hateful uncle. He was surrounded by the criminal underworld and flourished. He had the makings of an intriguing and mysterious villain and with his British accent... let's just say that I had no trouble liking this character.

Wendy was another story. Incredibly naive and sheltered, she lived a life of privilege, blissfully unaware of where her wealth and influence actually came from. All she knew was that her loving father was suddenly distant. He was hardly around and all she wanted was to draw him closer. She wasn't prepared for a man like Hook and who she became when she was with him.

It all started with a little bit of faith.
Misplaced trust.
Missing pixie dust.
And a villain who just needed to steal a little love.

Betrayal was everywhere, but together, these two found a freedom neither had ever known. For the first time, Hook found himself caring about something more than his thirst for revenge. And Wendy was becoming the woman she always dreamed of being. Someone who's thoughts and concerns mattered to someone. With Hook prepared to give her everything she wanted and needed, she only had to sacrifice one thing... her father.

Could she do it?

Read the book and find out!

The Author

Emily McIntire is an Amazon Top 15 and Publishers Weekly best selling author known for her Never After Series, where she gives our favorite villains their happily ever afters. With books that range from small town to dark romance, she doesn’t like to box herself into one type of story, but at the core of all her novels is soul deep love. When she’s not writing you can find her enjoying her family, or lost between the pages of a good book.

Find more information at https://www.emilymcintire.com

Review // Ares by Penny Dee

August 15, 2022

Ares by Penny Dee

Here we are.
Like I said, not a part of the plan.
But his kiss is like catnip and I can't get enough of it.

────── ♔ ──────


Ares by Penny Dee

Ares by Penny Dee


Standalone - Kings of Mayhem MC: Tennessee #3
Release - August 26, 2022
Genre - MC Romance / revenge plot
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5 / several descriptive scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by Give Me Books
Length - 277 pages
Publisher - Indie


A wounded biker with a checkered past. A feisty dancer with a secret. An unexpected love that could destroy them both.

I was born a monster.
Seven feet tall with fists the size of balloons and an even bigger…boot size.
I’m a demon in the ring and a devil between the sheets.
But even I’m no match for her. The demoness with the bright emerald eyes and hair the color of snow.
She’s everything I’ve run from my whole sorry life and the only thing I’m afraid of, so why the hell do I find myself on her doorstep time and time again?

I’m not a good man. She should run as far as possible from me.
After doing time for a crime I didn’t commit, I took my revenge on those responsible.
It was brutal. It was bloody. It was satisfying.
Now she wants me to do the same thing for her.
But she isn’t being completely honest with me.
And when I find out the truth, there’ll be consequences for us all to pay.

My Two Cents

4.25 "Sex and Secrets" stars

I cannot tell a lie...
I instantly fell in love with Ares.
I'm talking... I fell hard.
The prologue was devastating. Everything that happened, his heartbreak, the unfortunate consequences...
How could I not love this broken man?

The author did an incredible job of picking a cover model because he fit Ares to a tee.
Perfection I say!

Ares had his heart broken in the worst way and had given up on ever having that special someone.
Rory was the first woman to make him question his lonely existence.
But she's hiding something that could tear them apart.
Something that could devastate all of the beauty they were creating together.
And although her secret bothered me, making me want to shake a ho, I got it. I got her. And I still liked her a lot.

So there's that.

There's also an insane subplot of craziness with some serial killers that I'm still trying to figure out.
Why?
I liked the added suspense, but it wasn't even necessary.
And yet, I found it wildly entertaining.

I loved Ares. I loved the way he found love. I loved who he found love with. I'm falling for the other members of the club. And I'm looking forward to loving each and every one of them!

About the Author


Penny Dee writes contemporary romance about rockstars, bikers, hockey players and everyone in-between. Her stories bring the suspense, the feels and a whole lot of heat.

She found her happily ever after with an Australian hottie who she met on a blind date.

Visit http://www.pennydeebooks.com for more information

Review // Cold Light of Day by Toni Anderson

June 24, 2022

Cold Light of Day by Toni Anderson

He wasn't just good looking, he was perfect. The scent of clean sweat mingled with his cologne—warm, male, virile. Dammit. She fidgeted uneasily. Why couldn't he have a paunch and some flab? Maybe a broken nose or a unibrow, with a severe case of BO?

────── ♔ ──────


Cold Light of Day by Toni Anderson

Cold Light of Day by Toni Anderson


Standalone - Cold Justice #3
Release - November 16, 2014
Genre - Romantic Thriller
Multiple POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 3 out of 5 / descriptive scene
Format/Source - ebook gift from Amazon
Length - 350 pages
Publisher - Indie


What happens when an FBI agent falls for the daughter of the most notorious spy in US history?

Physicist Scarlett Stone is the daughter of the most notorious Russian spy in FBI history. With her father dying in prison, time is running out. Using a false identity, she gains access to the Russian ambassador's Christmas party, searching for evidence to prove her father's innocence.

Former Navy SEAL, now FBI Special Agent, Matt Lazlo, is instantly attracted to Scarlett but when he discovers she lied to him about her identity, he hunts her down with the ruthless efficiency he usually reserves for serial killers.

Not only does Scarlett's scheme fail, it puts her in the sights of people who reward unwanted curiosity with brutality. The FBI—and Matt—aren't thrilled with her, either. As the agents involved in her father's investigation start dying, and the attempts to stop Scarlett intensify, Matt and his colleagues begin to wonder. Could they have a traitor in their midst?

My Two Cents

4.5 "Spies are among us" stars

This was my favorite book of the series so far! This author has such a fun way of pulling intrigue, suspense, messed-up-ness, and romance together and it really works for me. I was glued to these pages, hurriedly flipping to find out what the heck was gonna happen next. Each event had me baffled, wondering who was really in control of things. Read it and you'll see. It's messed up.

Scarlett's life was turned upside down when her father, an esteemed FBI agent, was accused and convicted of being a Russian spy. Believing in his innocence, she was determined to find evidence and clear his name. She didn't really think her plan through, trying to do more than she was capable of, putting her right in the crosshairs of the very people who perpetuated the conspiracy in the first place.

Thankfully, despite being deceived by her in the beginning, Matt became the hero that she needed. He had the skills and the resources to get things done, helping her dodge bullets and bombs in the process.

I loved this story and if I were to complain about anything, it would be the lack of a happy ending. This author hasn't given me one yet, but I'm satisfied (for now) with the way the story ends. Happy-for-nows aren't the best, but they're definitely better than the alternative.

This series will be seeing me again and I'll be back with my thoughts on book four!

About the Author

Toni Anderson writes gritty, sexy, FBI Romantic Thrillers, and is a New York Times and a USA Today bestselling author. Her books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, Readers' Choice, Aspen Gold, Book Buyers' Best, Golden Quill, National Excellence in Story Telling (NEST) Contest, and National Excellence in Romance Fiction awards. She's been a finalist in both the Vivian Contest and the RITA Award from the Romance Writers of America. More than two million copies of her books have been downloaded.

Best known for her "COLD" books perhaps it's not surprising to discover Toni lives in one of the most extreme climates on earth--Manitoba, Canada. Formerly a Marine Biologist, she still misses the ocean, but is lucky enough to travel for research purposes. In January 2016, she visited FBI Headquarters in Washington DC, including a tour of the Strategic Information and Operations Center. She hopes not to get arrested for her Google searches.

For more information, visit https://www.toniandersonauthor.com

Review // A Cold Dark Place by Toni Anderson

June 10, 2022

A Cold Dark Place by Toni Anderson

She'd never had a lover so beautiful before.
Never touched a body like this.
But that wasn't what made Alex beautiful.
He called to something inside her.
She didn't know what it was but they fit.
Perfectly.

────── ♔ ──────


A Cold Dark Place by Toni Anderson

A Cold Dark Place by Toni Anderson


Standalone - Cold Justice #1
Release - April 1, 2014
Genre - Romantic Thriller
Multiple POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 3 out of 5 / several descriptive scenes
Format/Source - ebook purchase from Amazon
Length - 350 pages
Publisher - Indie


Former CIA assassin Alex Parker works for a clandestine government organization hell-bent on taking out serial killers and pedophiles before they enter the justice system. Alex doesn't enjoy killing, but he's damn good at it.

FBI Special Agent Mallory Rooney has spent years hunting the lowlife who abducted her identical twin sister eighteen years ago. Now, during an on-going serial killer investigation, Mallory begins to suspect there's a vigilante operating outside the law.

When Mallory starts asking questions, Alex is ordered to watch her. As soon as they meet, the two begin to fall in love. But the lies and betrayals that define Alex's life threaten to destroy them both—especially when the man who stole her sister all those years ago makes Mallory his next target.

My Two Cents

4 "Seriously messed up" stars

I really enjoyed this story. I liked how the author described certain scenes and events, making me feel like I was watching an episode of Criminal Minds. It was creepy and a bit scary and the murderer's perspective only made it more of a thriller.

It was exciting to know (or at least feel) like no one was safe. Mallory was a rookie agent who had a bit of arrogance that made her feel that she was untouchable. She was a smart and tough cookie, who was no stranger to tragedy ever since her identical twin was taken and has remained missing. All she wants is to find out what happened to her and get some justice. Alex was a man who was burdened by the tragedy as well. A trained killer, he was extemely patriotic, but he knew how to color outside the lines.

This story worked so well that I'll definitely be reading more of this series.



Before I started writing this review, I took the time to read a few others and I was absolutely shocked. Quite a few remarked that they were disappointed because of the graphic sexual language.

This was a good storyline but I don’t care about graphic love scenes that last about 25 pages when I bought a thriller!! I also couldn’t stand the filthy language in the book.

Ummm... what?! It was slightly descriptive, but nowhere near explicit. Seriously, if people want clean stories, they shouldn't read anything out of the Christian section. And if they don't want sex, don't read romance. Because a romance book without sex isn't really a book I wanna read.

Regardless, the romance fed the story because without it, we'd be lost as to Alex's motivations where Mallory was concerned.

About the Author

Toni Anderson writes gritty, sexy, FBI Romantic Thrillers, and is a New York Times and a USA Today bestselling author. Her books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, Readers' Choice, Aspen Gold, Book Buyers' Best, Golden Quill, National Excellence in Story Telling (NEST) Contest, and National Excellence in Romance Fiction awards. She's been a finalist in both the Vivian Contest and the RITA Award from the Romance Writers of America. More than two million copies of her books have been downloaded.

Best known for her "COLD" books perhaps it's not surprising to discover Toni lives in one of the most extreme climates on earth--Manitoba, Canada. Formerly a Marine Biologist, she still misses the ocean, but is lucky enough to travel for research purposes. In January 2016, she visited FBI Headquarters in Washington DC, including a tour of the Strategic Information and Operations Center. She hopes not to get arrested for her Google searches.

For more information, visit https://www.toniandersonauthor.com

Review // Alpha's Blood by Renee Rose & Lee Savino

May 04, 2022

Alpha's Blood by Renee Rose & Lee Savino

All my life I've been waiting for this.
All my training, all my hard work for one goal.
I'm going to kill Lucius Frangelico.

────── ♔ ──────


Alpha's Blood by Renee Rose & Lee Savino

Alpha's Blood by Renee Rose & Lee Savino


Standalone - Midnight Doms #1
Release - April 18, 2019
Genre - Paranormal Romance / vamps & shifters/ revenge trope
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / frequent and explicit
Format/Source - ebook purchased from Amazon
Length - 158 pages
Publisher - Indie


I BOUGHT HER. I OWN HER. BUT SHE'LL NEVER BE MINE...

A Vampire King…
The moment she stepped on stage, I had to have her in my bed. My submissive, kneeling at my feet.
But this captive virgin is more than what she seems…
A spy in my kingdom. A weapon honed by my enemy. She hates me, but hate is a passion perilously close to love...

A captured queen…
All my life I’ve trained for one purpose. One ultimate goal: kill the Vampire King.
I expected a fight. Pain. Torture. I didn’t expect to want him. My body is a weapon he turns against me.
But I can’t forget my fallen pack. My quest for revenge. My mission is simple:
Seduce him. Earn his trust. Bring him down.
Above all: don’t fall in love.

My Two Cents

4 "Revenge and Love are the best cocktail" stars

Who doesn't love a 'good mixed messages, utter betrayal, revenge' plot?

Lucius was a very old vampire who ruled over some pretty sketchy vamps. He was surrounded by disloyalty and believed he was destined to be alone. To avoid the boredom of everlasting life, he attends a shifter auction, hoping to find a spark, something to break up the monotony. He finds Selene instead.

She will rue and fear me, and I will teach her how pleasant it is to obey.

I really enjoyed this one. The dynamic the authors created between the characters... treacherous and exciting, dirty and delicious. I couldn't get enough of the almost cat-and-mouse game going on here. She's out to kill him. He knows this and still seduces her. She can't help but start falling for him, calling into question everything she thought she knew.

Actually, they were both questioning themselves. A relationship between them was taboo, but could they resist? Could I?

"I have condemned you to a life in darkness. You will never see the sun."

I lean forward and twine my arms around him, needing to feel him. "I do not need the sun," I tell him with all honesty. "You are all the light I need."

I'm telling you, this was a fun and totally dirty read and if the following books are anything like this one, I plan on reading them.

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling Author Renee Rose loves a dominant, dirty-talking alpha hero! She’s sold over a million copies of steamy romance with varying levels of kink. Her books have been featured in USA Today’s Happily Ever After and Popsugar. Named Eroticon USA’s Next Top Erotic Author in 2013, she has also won Spunky and Sassy’s Favorite Sci-Fi and Anthology author, and Romance Reviews Best Historical Romance. She’s hit the USA Today list ten times with her Chicago Bratva, Bad Boy Alpha, Wolf Ranch books, and various anthologies.

Visit http://www.reneeroseromance.com/ for more information



Lee Savino has grandiose goals but most days can’t find her wallet or her keys so she just stays at home and writes. While she was studying creative writing at Hollins University, her first manuscript won the Hollins Fiction Prize.

She lives in the USA with her awesome family You can find her on Facebook in the Goddess Group (which you totally should join).

Visit https://leesavino.com/ for more information

Review // Wicked All Night by Jeaniene Frost

January 21, 2022

Wicked All Night by Jeaniene Frost

“Are you incapable of being afraid?” I asked with admiring exasperation.

“No.” Now his tone was clipped. “When you vanished with Phanes, and every prophetic feeling I had screamed that you’d die if I didn’t find you, I was terrified.”

────── ♔ ──────


Wicked All Night by Jeaniene Frost

Wicked All Night by Jeaniene Frost


Night Rebel #3
Release - February 23, 2021
Genre - Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy / vamps, demons, lesser gods
Heroine POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5 / one real scene
Format/Source - ebook borrowed from the library
Length - 364 pages
Publisher - Avon


Set in the Night Huntress World, ancient deities are poised to wreck havoc, unless vampires Veritas and Ian can stop them!

A gift from the gods…

Veritas and Ian have finally defeated their worst enemy, but the power it took to pierce through to the netherworld has unexpected consequences. Soon, Veritas is forced to rely on the last person she trusts—a golden deity named Phanes, who seeks far more than a temporary alliance with the beautiful vampire.

Can unleash hell…

But an escape from the netherworld soon pits Veritas and Ian against supernatural beings seeking to rule over mortals once again. Now, they must rally friends and foes alike—if the vampire council doesn’t execute Veritas first. Plus, a wedge between Veritas and Ian threatens to destroy their love. Can they stand together against the unearthly powers about to be unleashed? Or does their love—and humanity—not stand a chance?

My Two Cents

4 "Not the ending I was hoping for" stars

I don't think I have to tell you how much I've enjoyed the three books that make up the epic love that existed between Ian and Veritas. I don't have to... but I will!

At the end of the last book, Ian and Veritas finally took down the baddest of the bad. At least as far as they knew. No one (not even I) could guess that things could get so much worse. I'm talking the apocalypse is coming worse.

A self-important, arrogant, evil, and kinda had to go demon was bad enough. Having to hide her true nature was bad enough. Worrying about losing Ian was bad enough. But when Veritas unwittingly lets free three lesser known gods to wreak havoc on the world... yeah, no one was prepared for that.

So I loved these books. I loved Ian. I loved Veritas. I loved their friends and family. I loved the plots. I love the worlds that were created. I loved the author's words. I'm just really feeling the love right now. And while I didn't exactly love the way this particular book ended (I'm greedy and needed more of a happy ending), I'm in love so it doesn't change a thing.

I'm in love with the lengths Ian and Veritas would go to keep each other safe. Their love is everything in these stories, even if the plot is what takes up most of the space. It's their feelings, their emotions, the fact that they were each other's first... THAT'S what kept me going.

And don't even get me started on the side characters. I'm told most of them had their stories told already and I cannot wait to dive into them! Can someone tell me if there will be more for V's brother, Ashael? I want to see him again and again and again. I also hope this isn't the last time I see Ian and Veritas. They need to make several appearances in the future. And please... someone please... can we get a petition started for their dad's story? I'm intrigued by this male. Seriously, I'm desperate for him to get a story. The way he talked about how their kind loves... yeah, I need all of that.

Excerpt

Two hard knocks on the door woke me. I hadn’t intended to fall asleep after Ian made good on his promise to fuck me into a state of temporary muteness, but I had. Then again, I’d done a lot of things I hadn’t intended to do over the past two days. What was that saying about making the gods laugh? All you had to do was tell them your plans?

“Sod off, whoever you are,” Ian said without opening his eyes.

The door burst open in a shower of wood, revealing Cat.

Ian cursed as he leapt up from the bed. “Really, Reaper? Kicking the door in? This isn’t even your house.”

“I know, but this news is important and I drew the short straw, so I’m here and Spade isn’t,” Cat replied, looking anywhere except at Ian. “Figured it was the best time to interrupt since the horses finally quit stomping up their stalls from all the racket. Unless that banging around was you two and not the horses? Wait, don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.”

I got out of bed, too. Now Cat was almost staring at the ceiling to avoid looking at our nakedness. How silly.

“We don’t have anything you haven’t seen before,” I said before adding dryly, “even if I am Death’s direct descendant.”

“It’s not you,” Cat said, her strained tone proving that, if she were human, she’d be blushing. “It’s his, um…you know.”

“You barged in for a reason, so spare us your Puritan modesty and get to it,” Ian said impatiently. “Besides, you must have seen a cock piercing before, and if you haven’t, Crispin owes you an apology for being such an unimaginative lover.”

“Fine, let’s get this over with,” Cat muttered, and dropped her gaze below Ian’s waist.

“Wow,” she said after a stunned moment. “Really jammed that thing right in there, didn’t you?” Then, her head tilted to the side. “Is that one single bar straight through the tip? Or are there two different piercings on either side-?”

“Focus, Reaper,” Ian interrupted.

“Right,” Cat said, shaking her head as if to clear it. “What did I come in here for again? Oh, yeah. We’re all in deep shit.”

About the Author

Jeaniene Frost is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Her works include the Night Huntress series, the Night Prince series, the Broken Destiny series, and the new Night Rebel series. Jeaniene’s novels have also appeared on the Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal, ABA Indiebound, and international bestseller lists. Foreign rights for Jeaniene’s novels have sold to twenty different countries.

Jeaniene lives in Florida with her husband Matthew, who long ago accepted that she rarely cooks and always sleeps in on the weekends. In addition to being a writer, Jeaniene also enjoys reading, writing, poetry, watching movies, exploring old cemeteries, spelunking and traveling – by car. Airplanes, children, and cook books frighten her.

Visit https://www.jeanienefrost.com/ for more information

Review // Wicked Bite by Jeaniene Frost

January 19, 2022

Wicked Bite by Jeaniene Frost

“Whether you’re Veritas the Law Guardian, Ariel the vampire-witch, or Death’s scary demigod daughter. Doesn’t matter. In all your forms, in every manifestation of yourself, I love you.” ~ Ian

────── ♔ ──────


Wicked Bite by Jeaniene Frost

Wicked Bite by Jeaniene Frost


Night Rebel #2
Release - January 28, 2020
Genre - Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy / vamps, demons, demigods
Heroine POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5 / one real scene
Format/Source - ebook borrowed from the library
Length - 387 pages
Publisher - Avon


Some promises are meant to be broken...

Veritas spent most of her life as a vampire Law Guardian. Now, she's about to break every rule by secretly hunting down the dark souls that were freed in order to save Ian. But the risks are high. For if she gets caught, she could lose her job. And catching the sinister creatures might cost Veritas her own life.

Some vows are forever...

Ian's memories might be fragmented, but this master vampire isn't about to be left behind by the woman who entranced him, bound herself to him, and then disappeared. So what if demons, other Law Guardians, and dangerous, otherworldly forces stand against them? Come hell or high water, Ian intends to remind Veritas of the burning passion between them, because she is the only person seared on his mind--and his soul...

My Two Cents

5 "I laugh in the face of danger" stars

I'm starting off by saying that this series is AMAZING!! Seriously, if and when you meet Ian, you'll be so freaking thrilled. Add Veritas to the mix... non-stop excitement!

Seriously, if you haven't started this series yet, why not? What is stopping you???

While I'd love nothing more than to tell you everything that popped off in this book, to tell you all of the things I loved, I can't. No spoilers, right?

So here are some of my favorite things...

🪄 Ian, of course. This vampire is a constant surprise. His sarcasm, his wit, his charm, his fearlessness, his bravery, his honor, his passion... what is there not to love?
🪄 Veritas was also catching me off guard. When we left off, she sacrificed her own happiness for Ian's. Could her heart be any more true? And then when he does whatever it takes, pissing people off along the way, how was she supposed to resist him? And then her powers? Only gets better. Oh and her family gets bigger *hint hint*
🪄 the magic is always fun. When they both go against Dagon (again), I was blown away by how much I enjoyed those scenes.
🪄 everything. Seriously, there wasn't a moment of boredom, annoyance, frustration, or the like. I was engaged, entertained, and in love!

The ending of this one introduces some new drama for the next one and I can't wait to find out how it all unfolds. As long as these two remain together, I'm good.

Wicked Bite by Jeaniene Frost

Excerpt

You can find the first three chapters here: https://www.jeanienefrost.com/night-rebel-series/wicked-bite/

About the Author

Jeaniene Frost is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Her works include the Night Huntress series, the Night Prince series, the Broken Destiny series, and the new Night Rebel series. Jeaniene’s novels have also appeared on the Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal, ABA Indiebound, and international bestseller lists. Foreign rights for Jeaniene’s novels have sold to twenty different countries.

Jeaniene lives in Florida with her husband Matthew, who long ago accepted that she rarely cooks and always sleeps in on the weekends. In addition to being a writer, Jeaniene also enjoys reading, writing, poetry, watching movies, exploring old cemeteries, spelunking and traveling – by car. Airplanes, children, and cook books frighten her.

Visit https://www.jeanienefrost.com/ for more information

Review // Shades of Wicked by Jeaniene Frost

January 17, 2022

Shades of Wicked by Jeaniene Frost

I didn't care if this was stupid or too soon or dangerous or would leave me heartbroken. I needed him like I'd never needed anything before.

────── ♔ ──────


Shades of Wicked by Jeaniene Frost

Shades of Wicked by Jeaniene Frost


Night Rebel #1
Release - October 30, 2018
Genre - Urban Fantasy / vampires, demons
Primarily Heroine POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5 / only one real scene
Format/Source - ebook borrowed from the library
Length - 326 pages
Publisher - Avon

The Rule Breaker...

Master vampire Ian is unrepentant, shameless...and every shade of wicked. He's made one too many enemies in his two centuries of existence, including Dagon, a demon who now lays claim to his soul. Ian's only chance to escape Dagon is to join forces with a Law Guardian, but he's never been able to abide by the rules for long.

The Law Maker...

Veritas' normal role is police, judge, and jury to reprobates like Ian. But she has her own ax to grind with Dagon, so if she can use Ian as bait...well, all's fair in law and war. As they scour supernatural hotspots to perfect their trap, Veritas soon realizes Ian's carefully cultivated, devil-may-care roguish image hides something much more powerful. And Ian discovers Veritas has shocking secrets of her own. As they're drawn to each other with a passion as intense as their peril, either love or justice will prevail. But each will have devastating consequences.

Find Shades of Wicked here:

Goodreads * Amazon


My Two Cents

4.5 "Ian is dee-lish" stars

I've been told that I can't call myself a lover of PNR unless I've read a few authors... and Jeaniene Frost was one of them. I can happily say that not only have I tried this author, I loved what she gave me to read!

Ian was absolutely ridiculous. Powerful, intelligent, sexy, this male blew my mind with the way he lived his life. He was the exact opposite to the cool, collected and calculating Veritas. I loved the dynamic between them. How he riled her up, drove her mad, made her burn.

And when they really started to get to know each other, when they saw and realized the truth of one another... what they had became so beautiful.

"You won't fail." His voice vibrated from his intensity. "People like you have the rarest form of bravery. Friends and lovers might be willing to die for each other, but that's partly selfish. Risking everything for people you don't know is real bravery. You made all those people Dagon killed yours to avenge when you didn't have to. Then you became a Law Guardian so you could funnel more persecuted people to safety while also punishing those who abuse others. All this puts you right under the council's nose, but you did it anyway. You are awash in that rarest of braveries, Veritas. Dagon doesn't know it, but he doesn't stand a chance against you."

Long story short, Ian gave up his soul for no reason, the demon who owns him is evil to the max, Veritas wants to kill said demon, and she and Ian team up to take him down. We get to meet other characters who I'm told have their own stories out there (Hello Bones, Cat, Mencheres, etc.). We get to meet the grim reaper? I don't know who the beautiful male is that is also Veritas's father, but I'm hoping to learn more about him. He sounds yummy!!

I do wish there was more sex in the story (I know, I'm such a dirty little ---), but Ian and Veritas are so hot together. Call me greedy but I want more! I loved the cliffy at the end and while I don't know what will happen next with this couple, I'm here for it. I'm here for all of it. I don't even have to tell you I found a new author to collect stories from.

Shades of Wicked by Jeaniene Frost

Excerpt


About the Author

Jeaniene Frost is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Her works include the Night Huntress series, the Night Prince series, the Broken Destiny series, and the new Night Rebel series. Jeaniene’s novels have also appeared on the Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal, ABA Indiebound, and international bestseller lists. Foreign rights for Jeaniene’s novels have sold to twenty different countries.

Jeaniene lives in Florida with her husband Matthew, who long ago accepted that she rarely cooks and always sleeps in on the weekends. In addition to being a writer, Jeaniene also enjoys reading, writing, poetry, watching movies, exploring old cemeteries, spelunking and traveling – by car. Airplanes, children, and cook books frighten her.

Visit https://www.jeanienefrost.com/ for more information

Review // Breaking Badger by Shelly Laurenston

July 26, 2021

Breaking Badger by Shelly Laurenston

The big tiger shifted back to his human form and Finn Malone stood naked in front of her with all those amazing muscles, covered in the blood of her enemy. And for a Viking female absolutely nothing could be sexier.

Breaking Badger by Shelly Laurenston

Breaking Badger by Shelly Laurenston


Honey Badger Chronicles #4
Release - August 31, 2021
Genre - Paranormal Romance
Multiple POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / one scene
Format/Source - eARC provided by the publisher
Page Count - 368
Publisher - Kensington Books

Buy it here: Amazon


It's instinct that drives Finn Malone to rescue a bunch of hard battling honey badgers. The Siberian tiger shifter just can't bear to see his fellow shifters harmed. But no way can Finn have a houseful of honey badgers when he also has two brothers with no patience. Things just go from bad to worse when the badgers rudely ejected from his home turn out to be the only ones who can help him solve a family tragedy. He's just not sure he can even get back into the badgers' good graces. Since badgers lack graces of any kind...

Mads knows her teammates aren't about to forgive the cats that were so rude to them, but moody Finn isn't so bad. And he's cute! The badger part of her understands Finn's burning need to avenge his father's death--after all, vengeance is her favorite pastime. So Mads sets about helping Finn settle his family's score, which has its perks, since she gets to avoid her own family drama. Besides, fighting side by side with Finn is her kind of fun--especially when she can get in a hot and heavy snuggle with her very own growling, eye-rolling, and utterly irresistible kitty-cat...

This book was... wildly entertaining!

I know this story is supposed to be about a honey badger named Mads and a fierce tiger named Finn, but... it was about so much more than them! This book had so many people popping in and out, so many perspectives trying to push themselves out there and make themselves heard, so many action scenes that highlighted the madness of everyone that it was hard to ignore everyone else.

At its core, Breaking Badger was about Finn and his brothers wanting to get to the bottom of who murdered their father and looking to the honey badgers for help. However, those badgers don't like to help anyone else but each other. Then there's Mads, who has been terrorized by her family her whole life and we're all wondering when this girl will finally stand up for herself.

I had a whole lot of love for the absolute absurdity that happened in this story. From the crazy and intense action scenes, the hilarity of the banter, the camaraderie between all of the characters, and the slow burn of the romance, I was hooked! The mystery of how the father of the Black Malones is still unsolved and I'm looking forward to seeing what these people do to find their answers.

Originally from Long Island, New York, Shelly Laurenston has resigned herself to West Coast living which involves healthy food, mostly sunny days, and lots of guys not wearing shirts when they really should be. Shelly Laurenston is also The New York Times Bestselling author G.A. Aiken, creator of the Dragon Kin series. For more info on G.A. Aiken's dangerously and arrogantly sexy dragons, check out her website at www.gaaiken.com.

Visit http://www.shellylaurenston.com/ for more information!