──────　♔　──────

The Killer's Vow by Aria R. Blue

I was sent to kill her, but…
They say that she’s cursed.
Every man that locks eyes with her meets the strangest death.
The first time I saw her was through the lens of my rifle.
I was sent all the way from Russia to kill Vera Reznikova, the Bratva princess.
She was my exquisite target.
But I knew when I saw the beautiful torment in her eyes that I’d end up breaking all of my rules for her.
All I’ve ever been is a businessman and a killer.
And she’s a breath of fresh air. Something wild in this predictable world.
Something about her makes me turn my back on the men who sent me and forget about the consequences.
Her lush body fits right in my hands. Her soft mouth yields to my touch. Her icy eyes sparkle just for me.
I claim her as mine.
I vow to protect her at all costs.
She doesn’t know who I really am, but it goes both ways.
And as I uncover her family’s secrets, I learn that there’s a kernel of truth in every rumor.
Even ones about curses.



You know I picked this up because of the cover, right? You see those eyes? 😍😍😍

So to say that I was already predisposed to love the hero of this story would be an understatement. Simon was delicious! Not only was he a natural born killer, he had a soft side and an absolutely filthy side. I loved getting his dirty talk.

This story had tons of potential, but I wanted it to push it a bit more. Every time it seemed to touch a darker edge, too many notes of sweet kept butting in. And the romance of Simon and Vera was sweet, even when she tried to be hard towards him.

I adored the fact that the author made the heroine someone who should never be underestimated. She had her 'damsel in distress' moments, but really, she was able to be her own hero, which I thought was so cool.

The writing was excellent, the characters were lovely, the plot was interesting. Enough so that I would enjoy reading more from this author and perhaps get to know some of the side characters who played such important roles in Simon and Vera's lives.

──────　♔　──────

Angela Davis: An Autobiography by Angela Y. Davis

Angela Davis has been a political activist at the cutting edge of the Black Liberation, feminist, queer, and prison abolitionist movements for more than 50 years.

First published and edited by Toni Morrison in 1974, An Autobiography is a powerful and commanding account of her early years in struggle.
Davis describes her journey from a childhood on Dynamite Hill in Birmingham, Alabama, to one of the most significant political trials of the century: from her political activity in a New York high school to her work with the U.S. Communist Party, the Black Panther Party, and the Soledad Brothers; and from the faculty of the Philosophy Department at UCLA to the FBI's list of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.
Told with warmth, brilliance, humor and conviction, Angela Davis’s autobiography is a classic account of a life in struggle with echoes in our own time.





This was but a glimpse into the life of one of the most pivotal and prolific activists in the world and it packed one heck of a punch. I loved that Ms. Davis revealed her vulnerabilities, her doubts, her growth, her learning, and eventually her stance. She didn't just spout rhetoric — this book was full of her strengths and her flaws, her ups and her downs, her rise and her falls. What an incredible woman!

I was transported to Birmingham in the late 40's and early 50's, experiencing the blight that was segregation. I walked with her as she excelled at school, work and play... all around the world. I held her anger at the continued injustices the police, the politicians, the white public were inflicting onto innocent men and women. I felt her passion to provoke and inspire change. From her philosophical lessons to her charges of conspiracy, kidnapping and murder, Angela Davis took us along for all of it.

I spent as much time researching the people mentioned throughout this book as I did reading about them. My heart broke with hers over the senseless deaths of Jonathan and George Jackson. Her pain was all I could see when she went on trial with Ruchell Magee. Her words: [He] was all of us, not only in the way he was made a scapegoat of racism, but also in his resiliency, in his refusal to concede defeat.

While I did find the writing to be extremely dry, more textbook than story, I couldn't help but find myself lost to the history amidst the pages. The people she crossed paths with weren't just characters. They were people who lived and died, people who gave her so much, people who she connected to on another level. It is terribly difficult to find those types of connections these days. In a time with no cell phones and what we would call primitive technology, their words transcended small towns or major cities. They were spread across the globe!

And while I didn't agree with all of her ideology, I could see the logic behind many of her concepts and beliefs. Angela Davis is Black, a woman, and a communist. During the time period this autobiography covers, everything that made her... well her... was something to be persecuted. However, she had so much support that she couldn't let it get her down, even if she wanted it to. Despite the manipulations, lies, and illegal acts of those in the system, she didn't fall. She didn't waver. She stood strong and proud, knowing and understanding that it wasn't about her as an individual. She became a beacon for anyone who wanted to fight. A ray of hope for those who felt hopeless. She was someone to admire and respect and I love her for continuing to charge into battle to right every wrong.

Oh, you should check out this interesting interview I found between Angela Davis and Ava DuVernay: https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2020/08/angela-davis-and-ava-duvernay-in-conversation

──────　♔　──────

Immortal's Honor by Rebecca Zanetti

First comes danger . . .

When Vampire-Demon Sam Kyllwood discovers he’s the keeper of some mysterious circle, he laughs it off. When he finds out that his younger brother is supposed to fight to the death in said circle, he snaps right to furious. And that’s before he starts uncontrollably making things explode —it turns out it’s never too late to develop deadly new immortal abilities. But even those explosions are nothing compared to what happens when he tries to handle a very suspicious, brilliant and beyond sexy human female whose piercing eyes ignite a heat that rages deliciously outside even his unbreakable control…

Then comes desire . . .

Honor McDovall is one of the best interrogators Homeland Security has ever had. But no matter how well she appears to fit in, her mystical gifts are slowly driving her mad. She doesn't understand them, she doesn't want them, but for now, she'll use them to detect and defeat danger until she completely loses her mind. Unfortunately, her job brings her face to face with the deadliest man she's ever met—and she senses Sam is even more gifted than she is. Yet once they kiss, she realizes he's also more dangerous than the enemies suddenly coming from every direction. Good thing they both like to play with fire . . .





Was this book supposed to be as hilarious as I found it to be?

Immortal's Honor was Sam Kyllwood's story. Yeah, yeah. Honor was there too, but it was Sam who definitely stole the show.

As The Keeper, a title Sam absolutely hated, he and the Seven, the three keys and the lock were responsible for stopping the unstoppable. It seems that Ulric has only gotten more powerful, able to summon people to his prison world and do some pretty serious psychological (and eventually physical) damage.

And remember... not everyone wants to stop Ulric. The Kurjans believe he has served his time. You know, because killing 100 innocent women is an act you can find redemption for. The Cyst seem to be following their wayward general, Jaydon, who had his own plan — replicating the same ritual Ulric did so he could be just as untouchable. All of the 'bad guys' had their own agenda and it appeared that they all wanted to kill Sam.

Then there was Honor. This lady made me laugh so freaking much! From the moment she met Sam, she gave him a hard time. I think she was the first heroine that I've seen in this series who maimed her fated mate and basically left him for dead. How could I not find the humor in that? As an enhanced female, her power was at once powerful and mysterious. I'm still not sure exactly what she can do, but I know that what I've seen so far is amazing. That scene where she amplified the other enchanced women's powers... with her mind... such a unique touch!

It was pretty clear that the chemistry between these characters couldn't be denied, despite how hard they tried. I loved how everyone and their mama were pushing these two together. Shoot, I just loved seeing everyone up in the place. I enjoyed seeing how the shifter community had completely embraced Sam and Garrett, how devoted Bear and Nessa are to each other, how Flynn was such a great brother, how the truth has finally been shared with Sam's family... This book gave me everything!

There was plenty to love about this story and here at the end, I can't wait until the next book in this series. It's Garrett's turn!!


When will Hope stop being so reckless and naive? This thing she has with Drake is driving me nuts, especially because we know that he isn't the good guy she makes him out to be. Dude just tried to kill her favorite uncle. WTH?! And her swinging between Pax and Drake is annoying. Oh and Pax's whole The Defenders plot has me both curious and infuriated. I'm super excited to see these kids really get their chance to shine and tell their story.

"I appreciate your attempts to get to know me, so let me give you this. This challenge from you, this stubborn fight inside you, does nothing but turn me on." He waited until his words sank in and her eyes widened before continuing. "Your being pliant and obedient bores me. So you have a choice to make. Do you want to bore me or arouse me?"

She blinked. "How about I rip off your head and shove my socks down your headless corpse?"

Amusement grabbed him so quickly he couldn't help a quick bark of laughter. "Aroused it is, then." He slamed the door and crossed around the car to retake his seat. Oh, he couldn't keep her, but she was making that reality look bleak. Maybe someday when he took care of his problems, he could look her up.

Rebecca Zanetti is the author of over forty romantic suspense, dark paranormals, and contemporary romances, and her books have appeared multiple times on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. She lives in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest with her own Alpha hero, two kids, a couple of dogs, a crazy cat…and a huge extended family. She believes strongly in luck, karma, and working her butt off…and she thinks one of the best things about being an author, unlike the lawyer she used to be, is that she can let the crazy out. Upcoming series are: The Blood Brothers, The Realm Enforcers and The Scorpius Syndrome.