"You're just... good, Edin. Kind. And generous, and selfless. And you..." I flushed, feeling exposed. "You make me calm. You soothe me."
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Edin by Lily Mayne
Standalone - Monstrous #2
Release - May 19, 2021
Genre - M/M Fantasy Romance / forced proximity
POV - Single 1st person
Heat - 5 out of 5
Format - ebook borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 410 pages
Release - May 19, 2021
Genre - M/M Fantasy Romance / forced proximity
POV - Single 1st person
Heat - 5 out of 5
Format - ebook borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 410 pages
I was just a boy when the monsters rose on earth, forcing humans to flee to the coastlines and live in cramped, dirty, military-controlled cities. I enlisted as soon as I could to escape.
Now, I’ve been in the military for twelve years and have the scars—and missing body parts—to prove it. As a hardened soldier who’s spent his fair share of time out in the Wastes—the dangerous place where monsters roam free—I didn’t think anything could surprise me anymore.
But then circumstance forced me together with a big, annoying purple monster who’s arrogant and bossy and pushes all my buttons in the worst—and best—ways. I need his help, and I hate needing anyone’s help. But the more time I spend with him, the more I realise that maybe there’s more from him that I need. And that he might need things from me too.
But I’m still a soldier. I still have responsibilities. It doesn’t matter how I feel about Edin, because we can’t be together. It’s too dangerous.
That doesn’t stop me wanting him, though.
Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon
My Two Cents
4 "I love Edin so much!!" stars
I didn’t like this one as much as I did the first book (Soul Eater). I loved Edin. I loved him from the first time he was introduced through Wyn. I knew I’d love him more in his own book and I did. He was such a happy go-lucky male, but he also had so much depth to him. A tragic past weighed heavily upon him, however, he was still able to find and inspire hope, feel deeply, and, in many ways, honor his people.
Hunter was hard to like. It took most of the book for me to change my mind about him. He was selfish and self-serving. I get that he was desperate to save his friend, but even he recognized that he wasn’t being a good person. I believe Edin deserved so much more from him, right from the start. Here’s this overgrown alien who stops to help you, puts himself in danger for you, cares for you, etc. He gave far more than what he got.
I was so happy to see Wyn and Danny again and for some more justice to be served. Bye bye Mallory lol.
Edin and his purple c*ck ruled the show and I enjoyed how Hunter found a new part of himself. He loved submitting sexually for Edin. In the end, they were well-matched and I'm actually looking forward to seeing both of them again in the books to come.
Have I mentioned how in love I am with the fan art for this series???
The Author
Lily Mayne writes what she loves to read: achingly sweet yet gritty romances against unusual backdrops—dark, futuristic, dystopian and more.
She enjoys reading and writing (duh), cooking and baking, watching terrible horror movies and many other hobbies that would have potentially made her an ideal Victorian maid. Just a really lazy one.
She currently lives in the UK with her husband and several fluffballs, who like to make a lot of noise while she’s writing.
Find out more here: https://lily-mayne.com
Hello hello and welcome to another recap!
I had to continue my mental break from all things internet, which included my blog and my social media. I've been crocheting and spending time with my kids—activities that are certain to jolt me back into a better head space. And honestly, I'm feeling a lot better. So hopefully this means you'll be seeing me again all over your blogs, pages and feeds.
As you can guess, April was not a great reading month for me, but here's what I've got...
Stats
Total Books Read: 4
Total Pages Read: 1425
Genres: Contemporary (2), Dark Romance (2)
From my TBR: 1
Avg. Rating: 3.63
Total Pages Read: 1425
Genres: Contemporary (2), Dark Romance (2)
From my TBR: 1
Avg. Rating: 3.63
All the Books
There weren't any real standouts of the month, however, the book I'd recommend is:
Tattered by Devney Perry
Added to my tbr
Book Haul
I haven't bought any books in a while. And lucky for me, most of the books I've added to my TBR are in Kindle Unlimited.
I can only hope my May reading is so much better than what I've been going through for the last several months. And I hope you find only the best reads!
Talk soon,
I can only hope my May reading is so much better than what I've been going through for the last several months. And I hope you find only the best reads!
Talk soon,
xo, Natalie
The Sacrifice by Shantel Tessier
Standalone
Release - April 6, 2023
Genre - New Adult Contemporary / vengeance, arranged marriage
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 5 out of 5 / plenty of BDSM elements
Format - ebook borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Length - 535 pages
HIS LADY
A Lord is to marry after he graduates from Barrington University, an elite college for the rich. A Lady’s job is to help him fit into a world unaware of his secret society. The Lord does not get to choose who he spends the rest of his life with. But there is always an exception to the rule. And I just so happen to be his.
I VOW. YOU VOW. WE VOW.
I was to wed a Lord of my parents’ choosing. Wealth can’t buy you everything, or I would have had freedom years ago. Instead, my strict parents made sure I lived a dull life in a mansion resembling a prison.
But on my wedding day, I was handed over to another man—an even more ruthless Lord that my family hated.
Tyson Riley Crawford only wanted me for his revenge. I’m nothing more than a debt to be paid. I didn’t have a say in the matter. So when I said my vows before the congregation, I knew I’d break them. Consequences be damned.
Too bad I underestimated my husband and didn’t realize he was more determined to punish me than I was to succeed at escaping. He’ll make me choke on those words I used to bind myself to him.
Yet even he couldn’t have seen what our future held. Ultimately, we’re all just pawns in a game that none of us can win unless you’re willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice … and even that may not be enough.
A Lord is to marry after he graduates from Barrington University, an elite college for the rich. A Lady’s job is to help him fit into a world unaware of his secret society. The Lord does not get to choose who he spends the rest of his life with. But there is always an exception to the rule. And I just so happen to be his.
I VOW. YOU VOW. WE VOW.
I was to wed a Lord of my parents’ choosing. Wealth can’t buy you everything, or I would have had freedom years ago. Instead, my strict parents made sure I lived a dull life in a mansion resembling a prison.
But on my wedding day, I was handed over to another man—an even more ruthless Lord that my family hated.
Tyson Riley Crawford only wanted me for his revenge. I’m nothing more than a debt to be paid. I didn’t have a say in the matter. So when I said my vows before the congregation, I knew I’d break them. Consequences be damned.
Too bad I underestimated my husband and didn’t realize he was more determined to punish me than I was to succeed at escaping. He’ll make me choke on those words I used to bind myself to him.
Yet even he couldn’t have seen what our future held. Ultimately, we’re all just pawns in a game that none of us can win unless you’re willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice … and even that may not be enough.
I gave it 3.25 STARS. I enjoyed the characters, even when I thought the heroine was acting dumb. While Lake acted like she knew it all, she knew very little. Her ignorance is what drove this story though. Tyson had so many secrets and even I was guessing, right to the end, what his motives were and why things were happening the way they were. Honestly, I wanted to rate this book higher because it was hotter and more deceptively devastating than I thought it would be. However, in the end, I felt that things were left dangling a bit.
For starters, why did Whitney hate Lake so much? And Luke, what was his deal? And why were so many people more loyal to Luke than Tyson? What was he offering them? And the father... it was all a bit messy (or a lot).
I think the problem I had was that while the mystery of the plot was interesting and kept me engaged, I wanted a bit more when the mystery was solved. I needed more answers. So while I loved what grew between Tyson and Lake, their volatile and not quite normal relationship, I wanted more.
────── ♔ ──────
Red Havoc Rogue by T.S. Joyce
Standalone - Red Havoc Panthers #1
Release - February 7, 2017
Genre - Paranormal Romance / instalove
POV - Dual 3rd person
Heat - 3 out of 5
Format - ebook purchase from Amazon
Length - 232 pages
Annalise Sutter is a newly Turned shifter determined to get her life back on track. The problem? Her inner panther is a monster that attacks anything that breathes. She’s had to let go of her old life completely to protect the people she loves, and the one thing that has kept her steady through this transition is Jaxon Barns. They’ve been texting for months, but he’s anti-shifter and she can’t tell him what she has become. When a spot on a notoriously private panther crew comes up, she jumps at the opportunity to pledge in desperation to get her animal under control. Too bad that means leaving Jaxon behind, because what human is going to put up with an out of control shifter who lives way out in the boonies?
Jaxon Barns is harboring two things—a massive grizzly in his middle and an equally big chip on his shoulder about being born a shifter. He grew up in the Gray Back Crew, but can’t seem to settle down long enough to stay in one place. The only thing that eases the ache of being a rogue are the text messages that come from Annalise. She feels like the only real thing in his life, and when she disappears mysteriously one day, he knows something has gone really wrong. Now he’ll have to track her to panther territory to save her from herself.
But maybe the panther inside of her isn’t the biggest danger to Annalise’s safety anymore. Perhaps now, the biggest threat to her future…is him.
Jaxon Barns is harboring two things—a massive grizzly in his middle and an equally big chip on his shoulder about being born a shifter. He grew up in the Gray Back Crew, but can’t seem to settle down long enough to stay in one place. The only thing that eases the ache of being a rogue are the text messages that come from Annalise. She feels like the only real thing in his life, and when she disappears mysteriously one day, he knows something has gone really wrong. Now he’ll have to track her to panther territory to save her from herself.
But maybe the panther inside of her isn’t the biggest danger to Annalise’s safety anymore. Perhaps now, the biggest threat to her future…is him.
I gave this 3 STARS. I loved that Jax and Annalise shared a deep connection before they had even met. Not knowing that the other was a shifter, they delved into more intimate topics and became the person the other relied on. So when Annalise knew she had to start over in a remote part of a new town, she was sad to let Jax go. She was having trouble controlling her animal and this new crew was known for taking in broken people. And she was very broken.
Jax wasn't willing to let her go. Known as a wanderer, he had a pack, but loved the open road. So he had no trouble leaving his family and tracking down Annalise. However, when he finds her, the reception from her new pack isn't exactly warm. She's everything he could ever want, he's everything she could ever need, but her pack forbids them to be together.
I loved the way they snuck around, not able to get enough of each other. I found this story to be sweet, funny and sexy. I enjoyed meeting the members of both packs and I hope they feature in some way in other books from the series. I did want more depth in this book, hoping for a little bit more of these two as a happy couple, but I was quite content with the way everything played out.
────── ♔ ──────
Yearning For Her by Tiffany Roberts
Standalone
Release - March 21, 2023
Genre - Paranormal Romance
POV - Dual 3rd person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 396 pages
A wicked incubus. A curvy, delectable human female. One night of passion that changes everything.
Willow Crowley’s world comes crashing down when she discovers her boyfriend has been seeing another woman. The dream she’d held of a life with him is shattered in an instant, leaving her alone with nothing except heartache.
She vows to never open herself to that hurt again…
Until a seductive, otherworldly stranger with white hair, piercings, and icy blue eyes promises her a single night of pleasure. No strings attached.
But that night isn’t enough for him. He wants more, more than she’s ready to give. How can she trust him not to break her heart when he isn’t even human?
Kian has lived promiscuously for four hundred years, feeding on the desire of the humans he and the fae considered prey. But when he locks eyes with a purple-haired female, something inside him shifts irrevocably.
No one else can sate his hunger.
He wants her.
Needs her.
Yearns for her.
Yet she refuses to submit to the carnal delights he promises. She wants more. She wants…love.
Can he mend her broken heart? Can he love a mortal woman?
Willow Crowley’s world comes crashing down when she discovers her boyfriend has been seeing another woman. The dream she’d held of a life with him is shattered in an instant, leaving her alone with nothing except heartache.
She vows to never open herself to that hurt again…
Until a seductive, otherworldly stranger with white hair, piercings, and icy blue eyes promises her a single night of pleasure. No strings attached.
But that night isn’t enough for him. He wants more, more than she’s ready to give. How can she trust him not to break her heart when he isn’t even human?
Kian has lived promiscuously for four hundred years, feeding on the desire of the humans he and the fae considered prey. But when he locks eyes with a purple-haired female, something inside him shifts irrevocably.
No one else can sate his hunger.
He wants her.
Needs her.
Yearns for her.
Yet she refuses to submit to the carnal delights he promises. She wants more. She wants…love.
Can he mend her broken heart? Can he love a mortal woman?
I gave this 3.25 STARS. I adored Kian and for the first hero I've ever read from this writing duo, color me impressed! He was absolutely swoon-worthy. As an incubus, he'd slept with hundreds of people and he didn't really seem to discriminate. He fed off of their pleasure so I guess he didn't have to be choosy. But there was something different about Willow. After their one night stand, he quickly realized that he couldn't feed from anyone else. She satisfied him in ways he'd never experienced before. And while she might be reluctant to give into him, recently getting over a bad break up and not trusting in what Kian has to offer, he wasn't about to let her go.
There was a lot to love about this story, from Kian's absurd methods of wooing Willow, his refusal to take no for an answer, his obsessive and possessive thoughts and feelings when it came to her, and pretty much everything Kian did. My only issue was how long and hard Willow had him working for it. I got that she had trust issues and I didn't blame her. But she did and said some hurtful things that irked me. So while I could understand her motives, I didn't have to like them.
I also wanted a bit more from the ending. There was this whole underlying plot with a nefarious and villainous incubus and with all the lead up it was resolved quickly. I was hoping to see if there was any fallout. And of all the incubi that Kian knew, why didn't we hear from or meet them? I can only hope there will be another book about another incubus and Kian makes a special guest appearance.
Sara Beatreaux is not my problem.
Normally, I wouldn't care.
I shouldn't care.
But I do.
Normally, I wouldn't care.
I shouldn't care.
But I do.
────── ♔ ──────
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
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
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
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