A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne

All Reia ever wanted was freedom.

Known as a harbinger of bad omens and blamed for Demons eating her family, Reia is shunned by her entire village. When the next offering is due and the monstrous Duskwalker is seen heading their way, her village offers her an impossible choice – be thrown into the prison cells or allow herself to be sacrificed to a faceless monster.

However, he is not what he seems. His skull face and glow eyes are ethereal, and she finds herself unwittingly enchanted by him.

All Orpheus ever wanted was a companion.

Each decade, in exchange for a protection ward from the Demons that terrorise the world, Orpheus takes a human offering to the Veil – the place he lives and the home of Demons. The brief companionship does little to ease his loneliness, and their lives were always, unfortunately, cut short.

He'd thought it was a hopeless endeavour, until he met her. She’s not afraid of him, and his insatiable desire deepens within every moment of her presence.

But will Orpheus be able to convince Reia to stay before she’s lost to him forever?



Honestly, I didn't want to like this story as much as I did. I kept thinking to myself 'but he's a monster'. I kept having to remind myself that he wasn't human because he was chockfull of humanity. For a monster, he was more human than most of the humans. And Reia was the perfect person to shine a light on how amazing he was!

The author did an incredible job of bringing this mythical land to life. From the atmosphere, the weather, the demons, the beings, the everything. It was written extremely well. And it was hard to avoid liking the characters, especially the sweetness of Orpheus. He was magical!


I liked the idea of how this story paralleled Beauty & the Beast, without the beast changing to human. Orpheus remains Orpheus right to the end. And while I personally wouldn't be falling in love or having sex with him, he was lucky enough to find a human who could see him for who he truly was.

Who better to relate to his feelings of loneliness and not quite belonging than Reia? She knew what it was like to be ostracized and shunned, and for the first time, with a monster no less, she was offered acceptance and a home.


While I didn't like when Reia would manipulate Orpheus, considering how nice and forgiving he was, I liked her for the most part. Orpheus, however, was the character I loved. The monster. Go figure.

When I started this book, I didn't realize that it was the first in a series, and after meeting and learning about Orpheus and where his kind comes from, I'm strangely fascinated to learn more.


Opal Reyne is an Australian Author who has been a fan of the Adult Paranormal Romance genre from the moment she picked up a book of it - and has never looked back.

She loves everything spicy, smutty,and everything boarder-line monster loving. She started writing because of her love of the written word, and because she wanted to build a diverse world of mythological creatures, while also showing the beauty of all ethnicities of humanity. She thrives to produce a plot driven, character developing book while sprinkling in enchanting imagery.

-Duskwalker Brides a series that features a very real monster who never turns into a handsome prince.

-Witch Bound is a series of Dragon-shifter males falling for their species enemies, Witches!

-She currently has a completed series called 'A Pirate Romance duology'.

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Beauty and the Villain by V.F. Mason

Once upon a time I had it all.
I thrived in all the power and luxury this world had to offer.
Until I found out the hideous truth.
When a man I considered a friend betrayed me in the worst possible way.

The scars on my body burned anew every single day as I only craved one thing.
Revenge.
And to execute it I had to strike him where it would hurt the most.
His family.

I patiently waited in the shadows for more than a decade for his beloved daughter to grow up.
Unaware that a villain was ready to steal her far, far away.

I used to be a prince once.
But a certain underworld king destroyed my life.
The price for his betrayal is his daughter: the princess of the dark castle.



Beauty and the Villain seems like a cross between a redemption and a revenge plot and it grabbed me by the throat right from the beginning.

Rush is the dark prince who is willing to do anything and everything for the vengeance that burns through him. His life was ripped apart and the man who ruined everything doesn't get to live his life untouched. What better way to make him suffer than to take his daughter and do... whatever he wants?

Aileen is the young woman who doesn't have a clue of the reality she lives in. She doesn't really know her father, her family, herself. That doesn't stop her from defending them with everything she's got. It doesn't stop her from fighting against the kernels of truth to what Rush reveals. All she knows is that she's his captive and she has to find a way to escape this villain.

I'm loving the mystique surrounding Rush and his castle on an island. What really happened? How did he become obsessed with revenge? What exactly was done to him and his family? And will his newfound heart have the power to save him? Save Aileen?

Book two can't come fast enough. I just hope Aileen finds some sense in the meantime! She's too focused on thinking she knows everything already, despite evidence to the contrary, typical to the newly adult, and I can only hope that she learns something from the suffering she receives.


V.F.Mason always loved reading books and had quite a few fights with her mama over the genre she liked (romance, duh!) She studied filmmaking and thought that would feed her desire for stories, but that didn't happen.

Finally, when she was tired of all those voices in her head, she sat down and wrote a book. It was a huge decision to make and she thanks her friends and family for supporting her in it.

When she is not writing, she can be found with her friends doing all sorts of crazy things or reading recent romance books that were written by her favorite authors.

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

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Stolen by the Warlord by V.K. Ludwig

I stole her soul… now I will fill her womb.

The leaders of Solgad call me a rebel. They banished my tribe to the drought-cracked plains, denying me what is mine by right—the title of warlord and a place among those who wield power.

But not much longer.

To save those under my protection, I steal an Earth woman away from her betrothed. With a sting of my tailclaw between her ribs, I force a soulbond on Ceangal, ruining her for all males to come. Once I put my child in her belly, her influential father has no choice but to support my claim.

With my tribe at the brink of collapse, the female’s reluctance toward me means nothing. I stole her soul, yes, but she will surrender her body. Come her next heat, she will beg me to fill her with what only I can give.

It may save my tribe.
Or destroy us both.

Stolen by the Warlord is a full-length novel, and the first book in the Sci-Fi Romance series Ash Planet Warriors. While this is a spin-off to Garrison Earth, taking place 20 years after the invasion, the series can be read on its own.




The cover... ridiculous.
The blurb... not worthy of this story.
This book... so much better than I could have expected!

Toagi was seen as a rebel warlord, his rightful claim deemed unsubstantiated, and he was treated as scum. All he wanted was to protect his people, ALL of his people, and his tribe needed help. To solve his problem, he stole the intended bride of another warlord, a woman of power, bonded her, determined to make things right. He didn't intend to fall for her.


For her part, Ceangal didn't go quietly into the good night. She was smart and despite some early misconceptions based on rumors and not fact, she came to see that Toagi was so much more than people made him out to be. She discovered that he was honorable, loyal, intelligent, and probably the best male she'd ever known.


I adored this story. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, the underlying tension of the warlords and the world they inhabit, basically everything. Honestly, the only reason I didn't give this five stars was due to the fact that a lot of words from an alien language were used without definition. I had to try to work out the meanings myself, which was a bit tiresome. Other than that, this book was perfection for me and if you're someone who loves alien romance with plenty of heart and substance, you'll love this!


If I could introduce myself the way Daenerys Targaryen does, then it would probably sound like this:

mother of two children and the Clan of the Woodlands series,

drinker of two cups of coffee a day,

admirer of the Whippet and the Thoroughbred,

breaker of every single diet after two weeks,

loser of important ID’s,

caretaker of eleven hens,

minder of my own business and

lover of forests and mountains.

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

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Ella and the Emperor by Honey Phillips

An alien emperor. A silent young woman.

Captured by aliens as a child, Ella was raised as the beloved pet of a kind alien couple. One night of blood and terror destroyed her sheltered life and shattered her voice. Now she’s a slave in the emperor’s palace.

Alone in a terrifying new world, she clings to the person who saves her - the dashing young emperor. But the handsome alien also arouses unfamiliar longings in her heart.

When Emperor Karthajin rescues a silent female from an attack, he does not expect to become an object of worship to the enchanting little creature.

New to the throne, surrounded by smiling faces and hidden enemies, he finds unexpected comfort in the innocent human who trusts him so completely. But as his feelings grow stronger, so does his reluctance to expose her to the viciousness of the Imperial Court.

Can an emperor lose his heart to a human slave? And will his empire ever accept such a match?



I'm still not sure how I feel about this one. I couldn't connect to the characters and it kind of felt like I was reading this story through a filter. Things were happening, but they weren't really penetrating for me.

Ella was stolen from Earth as a child. She became a slave to a somewhat benevolent couple who wanted her to remain a child. Why? Well, it all becomes clear as the story goes, but for quite some time, everyone believed that she was a child. I can't even comprehend being 18 and acting like a kid. Add the fact that she couldn't or wouldn't talk... yeah, it was hard to get behind.

Then there's Karthajin. As emperor, he never seems to have a free moment. He doesn't remember the last time he had some fun. With Ella, everything he'd forgotten was brand new. She brought out the best version of himself, as he did for her.

I will say this... the way the author described his manhood... Let's just say that I couldn't imagine something like that, but the idea of it was a bit enticing. Don't tell!


Honey Phillips writes steamy science fiction stories about hot alien warriors and the human women they can’t resist. From abductions to invasions, the ride might be rough, but the end always satisfies!

Honey wrote and illustrated her first book at the tender age of 5. Her writing has improved since then. her drawing skills, unfortunately, have not. She loves writing, reading, traveling, cooking, and drinking champagne - not necessarily in that order.

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

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Deb and the Demon by Honey Phillips

An alien prince. A pregnant slave.

Deb is ripped away from her comfortable life on Earth and sold as a slave to a vicious alien. Six months later, all she has to live for is the child now growing inside her. Her child’s safety is worth any price, even submitting to the disturbingly attractive alien who has just purchased her.

Rastrath hides a sharp mind behind a careless facade. He may be a Prince of the Royal House, but he has always been despised for his mixed blood, even by his own mother. A female who values her child more than herself is an unexpected prize - one that comes wrapped in a luscious package.

When an unexpected danger forces them into a marriage of convenience, the stakes are raised. Can Deb trust Rastrath’s feelings for her are more than a desire to protect his investment? Can Rastrath follow his duty and build a family of his own at the same time?



Okay, so here's the deal, and I really hope I don't come off sounding like a jerk, but... I do not like stories in which the heroine is already pregnant for another dude. I really don't. And despite the fact that Deb became pregnant through unorthodox means (triggers people), I still couldn't get down with it.

It didn't help that Deb wasn't the warmest, most encouraging heroine I've come across. She made things so very difficult for me.

But Rast... yeah, this prince really made this story for me. He was sweet and kind and generous and loyal to a fault. He was also harboring a lot of hurt. And yet he was such a blessing to everyone, especially Deb. I love how dedicated and patient he was with her. He was the epitome of everything she needed and I loved every moment with him.

So while this wasn't my favorite story of the series, Rast definitely made an impression with me. Kudos to the author for that and for making me want to keep on reading!


Honey Phillips writes steamy science fiction stories about hot alien warriors and the human women they can’t resist. From abductions to invasions, the ride might be rough, but the end always satisfies!

Honey wrote and illustrated her first book at the tender age of 5. Her writing has improved since then. her drawing skills, unfortunately, have not. She loves writing, reading, traveling, cooking, and drinking champagne - not necessarily in that order.

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

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Cam and the Conqueror by Honey Phillips

He made a bargain. She was the payment.

Torn from her quiet life on Earth, Cam doesn’t expect to end up enslaved to an alien ruler. But even as he trains her to submit to him, she begins to see through her master’s cold facade. While her body learns to surrender, her heart learns to love.

Exiled by his people, Kievan Rus has fought to establish his place in the galaxy. The space station he rules with icy control is the outward symbol of his success and it means everything to him - until a beautiful woman challenges his restraint. Her warmth eases the cold he has felt for so long.

But Kievan has promised a trained human female to a member of the Royal House. If he fails to deliver, everything he has struggled for is in danger, including the lives of everyone on board his station.

Can Kievan abandon everything he has built? And if not, can Cam’s love survive such a brutal betrayal?



After meeting Kievan in the previous book, I really wanted to see him again. I even mentioned it in that review (see here).

I really should have been prepared for what I found here. Based on Kievan's actions before, when he had to convince people of his ownership of Beth, I really should have known. But I wasn't and I didn't and here we are. I read some alien BDSM and I can't complain.

Kievan had saved Dragar and Beth from a disgusting prince's evil machinations and still owed the prince a human slave. That's where Cam fits in. He's supposed to train her for her future and yet she was made for him. How can a dom ever resist a true sub?

While there wasn't much to their relationship outside of sex, it seemed to work for them and therefore it worked for me. I found myself enjoying this far more than I could have expected. I guess I'm a sucker for filth!


Honey Phillips writes steamy science fiction stories about hot alien warriors and the human women they can’t resist. From abductions to invasions, the ride might be rough, but the end always satisfies!

Honey wrote and illustrated her first book at the tender age of 5. Her writing has improved since then. her drawing skills, unfortunately, have not. She loves writing, reading, traveling, cooking, and drinking champagne - not necessarily in that order.

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

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Anna and the Alien by Honey Phillips

Anna Elliott wanted to get away. But an alien spaceship was not on the itinerary.

All Anna needed was a calm, relaxing vacation. Instead, she finds herself enslaved aboard an alien spacecraft and forced to help an injured prisoner — a huge, golden-skinned warrior. Even wounded, he arouses her in ways she’s never known. But if he dies, so does she.

When the spaceship crashes on a strange planet, she must put her trust in him to survive. But the passion he stirs in her may cause her to lose her heart as well.

Jakkar is a Sardoran mercenary searching desperately for a new planet to replace his dying home world. He never expected to be injured, captured, and then shipwrecked. Forbidden to mate outside his species, he can’t help but be tempted by Anna’s curvy body and her caring heart.

Now he’s responsible for the small group of survivors — and the luscious little human he’s determined to claim as his own.

Can a girl and her alien find happiness on a deserted planet at the far end of the galaxy?



Jakkar was such a yummy alien and Anna, though she had some growing to do because her situation was utterly hopeless, she was brave and sweet. I'm so glad I went ahead and tried a new-to-me author, although she wasn't new new because I had promoted her work in the past. Actually, I did promo for this book before its release and added it to my tbr right away — where it stayed until now. So YAY me for branching out AND tackling my to-read list.

This story was just filthy enough and action-packed enough for me to give more of this author's stories a go. Seeing as how the side characters will be getting stories of their own, I've got plenty of books to devour. The writing, the characters, the plot, the everything has made a fan out of me and I would definitely recommend this read to anyone who enjoys scifi romance.

I'll see you at the next one!


Honey Phillips writes steamy science fiction stories about hot alien warriors and the human women they can’t resist. From abductions to invasions, the ride might be rough, but the end always satisfies!

Honey wrote and illustrated her first book at the tender age of 5. Her writing has improved since then. her drawing skills, unfortunately, have not. She loves writing, reading, traveling, cooking, and drinking champagne - not necessarily in that order.

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

The Scotch King by Penelope Sky

Joseph Ingram made the mistake of stealing from me—four million dollars. He took my intelligence without paying for it. And thought he could get away with it.

Think again.

Now I’ll take something from him—something irreplaceable.

His sister.

Collateral.

But even when Joseph doubles the amount of money he owes me, I don’t give her up.

Nope. I have an image to maintain.

So I keep her.

And I’m not giving her up.

Find The Scotch King on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gIJhju

Crewe was delicious! Let me just get that out there before anything else about this book. He was freaking yummy!! Penelope Sky did me a huge favor with this character. I find that usually, when an author calls their story a dark captive story, that they will still soft sell it. Not this author. When his captive acted up, he was quick to put her in her place... until he fell for her.
London was the worst kind of captive. She talked back, she acted up, and she felt entitled. I couldn't stand her, but I lived for every time that Crewe snuffed out her entitlement or reminded her of her situation. I loved when one of her many questions went unanswered. I loved when he degraded her, demeaned her, humiliated her, and made her feel less than. Crewe is the only reason this book gets three stars and if I do continue to with this series, it would be just to see more of him.

A New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Penelope Sky is known for her dark romance that makes you fall for her characters….no matter how dark they seem. Her books are being translated into several languages around the world, and she’s sold more than a million books worldwide. She lives in a small town in California with her husband, where she spends most of her time writing on the back porch.

I used to be a sister, a daughter, a girlfriend and a friend. A poet, a dreamer and an honor student. But now... now I'm alone, left to fend for myself, with no one to look out for me.

Blood to Dust by L.J. Shen

Standalone
Release - July 17, 2016
Genre - Dark Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5/several scenes
Format/Source - Kindle Amazon purchase
Length - 266 pages
Publisher - Indie

His name is Beat, and I should hate him.

Bound, blindfolded and bruised, I'm tied in his basement, waiting for the men who stripped me from clothes and humanity to collect his debt to them. Me.

His name is Nate and I should hate him, but I don't.

I'm not supposed to know his real name, even worse, I'm not supposed to care. He is nothing to me but means to an end. The plan is simple: break free, collect the pieces of my broken soul, kill the bastards and run away.

His name is Nathaniel Thomas Vela, and I've never seen his face, though I hear that it's beautiful.

Behind the rugged and handsome exterior, there's a quiet murderer, a killer who thinks guns are for pussies and ends people with his bare hands.

His name doesn't matter, neither does his face, but what does matter is my heart. And right now, sadly, it's his.

Blood to Dust is a standalone, full-length novel. It contains graphic violence and adult situations some may find offensive.

Find your copy of Blood to Dust on Amazon
FREE to read with Kindle Unlimited

While it wasn't as dark as I thought it was going to be, considering the blurb, Blood to Dust was full of the off-the-wall craziness I've come to look for in my dark reads. Prescott was a puzzle that I still haven't been able to solve. She was a woman burdened by pain, betrayal and secrets. The life of horrors that she had to live was not for the feint of heart. Good thing this girl was a survivor.


Nate had never had it easy. He suffered through childhood, finally freed himself only to be tried and judged as a criminal. Never really fitting anywhere, this too-pretty-for-his-own-good man carved his own path. When his boss tasked him with holding onto Prescott, keeping her prisoner until his son could 'fetch' her, Nate planned to do just that. Only Prescott had other plans. And when he heard her story, when he found out why she was such a hot commodity, he realized how truly alike they were. His heart, that organ of his that knows the difference between right and wrong, switched sides.


And then it was utter chaos. Granted, what Prescott and Nate did defied imagination. None of it was realistic, but it was still tons of fun to read. She got her own brand of justice and through blood and more pain, these two kindred spirits found their own happily ever after.

“You don’t get a say in this shit,” Ink announces with borrowed authority. I can hear the uncertainty leaking from him. He’s what I call an easy job. If it were just him watching over me, I would have been dancing in Iowan cornfields far away from here by now, Sebastian and Godfrey’s heads tucked in that Nike bag.

“You make me uncomfortable.” I yank my arm away.

“What, and the other guy makes you warm and fuzzy?” He sounds genuinely offended.

Beat inches closer behind me, and I feel the heat of his body drifting into mine. He’s close. Hot-jock-leaning-against-your-locker close. It’s going to be hard to bypass someone his size.

“You think I’m nice?” His breath moves through the plastic of his mask, tickling my ear. I shudder down to my toes. His mouth smells like peach. How bad can a guy who smells like a peach be?

“Nice-r.” I clear my throat, my eyes still trained on Ink in front of me. Ink shakes his head, indicating that I’m dead wrong. The air becomes chilly. Why hadn’t I noticed it’s so chilly?

Because it’s not. It’s August in California, and I’m cold because I’m frightened.

“Let’s test your theory. I’m going to touch you now. Move without permission, and I’m breaking your arm.”

My busted lower lip splits open again as I scowl at his threat. He definitely looks like a guy who makes good on his threats.

“Okay.” I lick my blood, my voice tender.

Beat kicks my legs open and brings my arms up, patting me down dryly, like airport security. His rough fingers stroke the curves of my shoulders as he moves down from my skull to my outer breasts, circling them lazily. Down to my stomach…lower to my tensed inner thighs, pushing the fabric of my mini dress away to make room for his warm paws.

Every muscle in my body is ready to plow forward, to run away, to try and hurt him; the memory of every experience I’ve had that started this way demands for me to take action. But this…it doesn’t feel like a violation. The sour taste of bile has yet to explode in my mouth.

His hands move down my legs, stroking my ankles…then he stops.

“Got something inside?” He squats down, hooking one of his thumbs into my ankle boot. His masked face is eye level with my pelvis, and warmth spreads along my bones like hot wax.

“No,” I lie. There’s still a slight chance he won’t check.

But he checks.

Beat jerks my boot out and a Swiss army knife falls with a clank on the concrete pavement. I let out a sigh and drop my head. Shit.

Happy thoughts.

Frozen yoghurt with Preston down the local mall.

Curling up on the egg-swing with a Mia Sheridan book.

Water lilies blooming over the artificial pond in the Burlington-Smyth’s garden.

A genuine smile from a stranger.

Beat stands up slowly, his gleeful mask zeroing on my face. It all looks like a scene from a horror movie.

And I’m the victim.

L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to twenty different countries.

She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.