Review // To Kiss a Demon by Stephanie Rowe

October 11, 2021

To Kiss a Demon by Stephanie Rowe

He'd been in the darkness so long, he'd forgotten about what it was like to be around someone who was so alive.
Who vibrated with energy, with passion.
She hadn't even cared that he was damned.

────── ♔ ──────


To Kiss a Demon by Stephanie Rowe

To Kiss a Demon by Stephanie Rowe


Standalone - Immortally Sexy #4
Release - October 19, 2021
Genre - Paranormal Romance / instant connection
Primarily Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 3 out of 5 / lots of intimacy, however, slow to actually consummate the relationship (nearly the end)
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 315
Publisher - Authenticity Playground Press

When Paige quit her job as Satan's minion, she thought she was finally free. But when she accidentally incinerates an angel, she discovers she's on the fast-track to becoming a soulless, evil wraith. The only way to save herself? Enlist the help of the deliciously sexy shadow warrior sent to push her over the edge.

To save his brother, Jed Buchanan sold his soul to Satan Jr. for all eternity. But when the immortal assassin winds up in Paige's bedroom during a botched mission, the sassy temptress offers a possible way out if he'll team up with her.

Everyone from heaven to hell wants to get their hands on the weapon Paige is becoming, and time is running out. Can the tormented assassin find the peace and love he's always desired with an irreverent wraith who refuses to give in to her dark side?

Purchase Links


My Two Cents

Was I supposed to giggle so much?
Paige, the Rivka, had me tittering all over the place.
And Jed wasn't half bad. He was able to give as good as he got.
And let's not get into the swooning mess I became.

Paige, with all her purity and embrace of life, needed him, an evil bastard with no redeeming traits at all.


Paige was a newbie Rivka, who quit her job serving Satan, and discovered something horrific about herself... her touch killed anything and anyone with goodness inside. The girl who loved people, who craved intimacy, who wanted to explore everything the world had to offer, couldn't touch her nearest and dearest. She had never felt more alone. And then she met Jed, who not only could withstand her touch, he didn't die, and he could possibly help her rid herself of the killer wraith.

Leather, muscles, and a badass attitude? This was her kind of guy.


I loved this book! Loved it!! And seriously, if I wasn't so disappointed by the ending, I would have given it all of the stars. Written beautifully, full of sunshine, suspense, sensuality, and substance, this story made me laugh and sigh and love. I think I would have loved it even more if I read the books that came before it (which I will be remedying forthwith). I loved Paige. I loved Jed. I loved Rafi. I loved Theresa. I found Satan and his son to be hilarious. I want to know more about Derek, Quinn, Justine, Becca... gosh, I want to know everyone! I'll definitely be reading more from this author!

Review // A Shadow in the Reaping by Brynne Weaver

October 09, 2021

A Shadow in the Reaping by Brynne Weaver

If he thinks he's going to be all flirty and I'm just going to tell him all my secrets and place my trust in him, he's got another thing coming. I haven't survived this long by letting my guard down to a hot guy with a sick body and some pretty words.

────── ♔ ──────


A Shadow in the Reaping by Brynne Weaver

A Shadow in the Reaping by Brynne Weaver


The Shadow Realm #1
Release - September 27, 2021
Genre - Paranormal Romance / enemies-to-lovers
Heroine POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5 / slow burn
Format/Source - eARC provided by Book Sirens
Page Count - 288
Publisher - Indie

A siren who must stay silent to survive.

An executioner with a bounty he cannot kill.

Lu has been living a quiet, undercover life, a vampire hidden in the quaint village of Sanford. Afraid that her voice will give her secrets away, Lu has lived for years without words, speaking only to the one witch she can trust. Except, of course, when it's time to hunt. When it comes to luring in her victims, no song is sweeter than Lu's.

But when Lu's hunt is interrupted by Ashen, a mysterious and striking Reaper of the Shadow Realm, it seems like fate has finally caught up with her. An executioner with a soul to claim, Ashen doesn't realize he's stumbled on the bounty of an immortal lifetime until it's too late. As the two enemies are forced to work together to solve a crime that shouldn't be possible, it's more than just secrets that emerge between them.

With every moment that passes, Lu finds it harder and harder to live like a shadow among her enemies, especially the enigmatic demon she's bound to. She might just be a little bored of living the quiet life. But for Lu, nothing is more inseparable than danger and desire.

...And there are few creatures in any realm more dangerous than Ashen.

*mature themes, including violence, strong language, & sexual content*

Purchase Links

Amazon CA 🡪 https://amzn.to/3AixPBr
Amazon US 🡪 https://amzn.to/3iIsvBn
Amazon UK 🡪 https://amzn.to/2YwLXdn
Amazon AU 🡪 https://amzn.to/3Bo8TKr

FREE to read with Kindle Unlimited

My Two Cents

Hold up...
Wait...
That ending though!
The story kept building and building and when it got to the end... WHAM!
I'm hit in the tits, waiting on tenterhooks for this story to continue.

Lu was a riot and a half. While I could have done with less pop culture references (yeah, I love WAP too), nothing could really take away from how marvelous I found this character to be.

By now, most people know that I can't stand stories told from a single perspective. I always find something lacking, something missing, and wishing I could hear another side. And while I did feel this way, meaning Lu's voice wasn't strong enough (how ironic?), I was still able to fall in love with the way this story was told. There was humor, violence, the standard dose of tension when two enemies are in forced proximity, subtle hints of romance, and tons of otherworldly imaginings. How could I not love it?

A vampire and a reaper. No one could say they were a true match and yet, what was developing between them worked. I wanted and needed them to be together. To take out anyone who went against them. To triumph over everyone. For everything that Lu had gone through over the millenia (though who would know it when she looks and acts 25), I wanted her to catch a break. And just when I thought Ashen would be the one to help her... the rug got pulled out from under me.

So yeah, the cover of this book (ain't it gorgeous) pulled me in, but it's the story that will keep me going. Book two can't come soon enough. More of Lu's crazy, please!

Review // Marked for Seduction by S.J. Rowe

October 07, 2021

Marked for Seduction by S.J. Rowe

"It's your choice. How do you want to meet the Almighty, as a thief or as someone trying to make amends for her past crimes?" - Maliki to Tess

────── ♔ ──────


Marked for Seduction by S.J. Rowe

Marked for Seduction by S.J. Rowe


Standalone - Cain and Abel series #1
Release - August 14, 2021
Genre - Paranormal Romance / slightly enemies-to-lovers and slightly forbidden
Primarily Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5 / a few scenes
Format/Source - ebook provided by the author
Page Count - 216
Publisher - Indie

Thieves don’t get caught…

However, Tess’s career both started and stopped when she was. Her hand wasn’t the only thing she would lose this time. What was she to do: save her skin or let another die?

Primes choose loyalty over personal joy…

For over 200 years, Maliki didn’t regret exchanging his death for a life filled with duty and to right the wrongs that killed him. Under the watchful eye of an outsider makes it harder, especially with one that keeps tugging on a heart he thought was lost. When forced to choose, will he kill the Kayen, the soulless creatures of the night, or the talented thief hired to steal the secrets of his hidden society?

Does love make a soul whole?

Forced to work together: one to save three lives, the other thousands. Are they willing to push aside their desire to find those that betrayed them? Both have no problem surrendering their souls to spare another’s life, but are they willing to sacrifice their hearts this time?

Purchase Links

Amazon CA 🡪 https://amzn.to/3l6EJp0
Amazon US 🡪 https://amzn.to/2WCve7I
Amazon UK 🡪 https://amzn.to/3uzF4nu
Amazon AU 🡪 https://amzn.to/3A7qN2x

Free to read with Kindle Unlimited

My Two Cents

I love when a new-to-me author's work gives me the giggles. Marked for Seduction was funny, sexy, and a wee bit suspenseful. Throw in some supernatural drama and it made for quite the entertaining read. Tess was a thief with a huge heart while Maliki was a male who was slowly discovering that love could play a part in his life too. They didn't make sense, their romance was almost forbidden, and yet something about them worked.

I'll admit that I'm intrigued by the idea of the whole Cain and Abel secret society of immortals or semi-immortals, locked in an endless battle of good vs. evil. I do wish that I learned more about the inner workings of that society, the people who make it their priority to protect humans, and even the evil ones who look at humans as fodder. For instance, why did I find out so much about everyone else's super powers, but nothing about Maliki's? Did he not have one?

Overall, a solid story and I'll probably read from this author again.

September 2021 Bookish Recap

October 05, 2021


Hello again! Can you believe we've already made it through September? Seriously, how is time moving so quickly right now?!

Again, I spent this month reading quality over quantity. Actually, I've read a ton of ARCs, which is so freaking cool because it's been a while since I've gotten any of those.

So here's what my September was all about book-wise:

Best Books

I got to read some amazing books, several of which were worthy of all the stars, however, the ones I loved most...


And yet, all of the books I read were great (some absolutely awesome) and they were...

Pure Requiem by Aja James
Jerk It by Lani Lynn Vale
Pure Destiny by Aja James
Inmate of the Month by Lani Lynn Vale
Dirty Gambit by Airicka Phoenix
Saving Silver by Xavier Neal
Coldhearted Bastard by Jenika Snow
Immortal's Honor by Rebecca Zanetti
The Killer's Vow by Aria R. Blue
The Boss by Melanie Moreland

Book Haul

No physical copies this month, but I did indulge in some of the ebook deals I shared on my blog. All books were $2 or less!



I also got the Fall in Love book bundle that had a limited time release.

Added to my tbr

Now here is where things start getting interesting. One of my goals this year was to read more of the books on my reading list and to resist adding too many more. I'm failing people!! At least, I failed this month. Who knows when I'll ever get to read these, but authors need to slow the heck down so I can read all of the books!!


Reading Stats

I read a total of 3756 pages across 13 books AND all of the books ended up being ones I'd recommend. I actually requested or was approached for ARCs, which made for a welcome change this month. So here's how I did:





What Else?

Absolutely nothing. I'm still trying to find the energy to post consistently. I'd like to get back to doing the Top Ten Tuesday posts (I really miss that community). And I'd love to try another reading challenge. Or I might just keep doing whatever it is I am (or am not) doing right now. Maybe I'll surprise you.



What are you looking forward to for October? I hope it's as incredible as we deserve it to be!

Talk soon,


xo, Natalie

Release Blitz // Coldhearted Bastard by Jenika Snow



Title: Cold Hearted Bastard
An Underground Kings Series Standalone
Author: Jenika Snow
Genre: Contemporary New Adult Romance
Release Date: October 5, 2021


BLURB

From USA Today bestselling author Jenika Snow comes a full-length gritty mafia romance that blurs the lines between right and wrong... and love and hate.

He didn’t have a heart... but he wanted hers.

All I knew about life was anger and violence. Pain and suffering. Kill or be killed.

I was a “fixer” for the Ruin—a syndicate for the Bratva, Cosa Nostra, Cartel, and any other organized crime faction that dealt in the darker, crueler aspects of humanity.

I was a free agent who was called upon to do things weaker men didn’t have the stomach for.

And when you surround yourself with death for long enough, soon, you didn’t remember what it felt like to be alive.

And then I saw her. She was a fragile little thing who tried to be strong. But I could tell she’d seen too much horror in the world, too much of the ugly within people. I should have stayed away. I’d only bring her farther down into the darkness.

But for the first time in my life, I felt a stirring in my chest, this protectiveness and possessiveness toward another living person. And it was painful. It made me feel alive.

Lina tried to hide how broken she was, but I was an old friend of being ruined. She held secrets I’d find out. Because for the first time in my miserable life, I wanted something for myself. I felt something more than apathy and indifference.

I wanted to possess the innocence she clung to. I wanted to break it open and consume it for myself.

I could look into her too trusting blue eyes and knew I’d maim for her. I’d kill for her. And that became our truth when her past finally came back for her, when my present tried to destroy her.

They thought they could take the one thing—the only thing—I’d ever wanted for myself. They were wrong.

When I looked at her, I felt some of the monster that made me who I was retreat back to my black soul. He’d never leave... but he’d share the space.

For her.

A complete standalone novel in the Underworld Kings series.




My Review








PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU





EXCERPT

He had me off the ground and spun around so fast I grew dizzy. And then my chest was pressed against the boxing ring rope, Arlo’s massive body against mine, every inch of him burning me where he touched.
“You should get your money back if this is what they taught you.” I could hear the teasing, annoyed note in his voice, and my own irritation rose.
“You’re bigger than me, stronger.” I turned my head to the side so I could look at him, but that was a foolish move, as it brought our mouths dangerously close together. “I don’t have my pepper spray, and I don’t have the added benefit of fearing for my life and getting that kick of adrenaline.”
My breath caught, my lungs tightening, when this dark, strange look covered his face.
“You should be afraid right now, moy svet.” His words were low… deadly. “You should be more afraid of me than anything else in the dark.” He leaned in an inch. “If you knew who I truly was, you wouldn't be so close to me.”
I looked down at where his hand gripped the rope on either side of me, the tattoos on his fingers sneaking up the back of his hand disappearing and going up his wrist and forearm. I’d never been one to think tattoos were attractive, but on Arlo, it made him brutally beautiful to me.
“You’re so tiny, moy svet.” He made a low, gruff sound and pushed away from me. I closed my eyes and breathed out just as he said, “Again.”
And so for the next several hours, I sparred and grappled with Arlo until I was sweaty and sore, more tired than I’d ever been, but had never felt more liberated in all my life.






AUTHOR BIO


Starting out as an avid reader, Jenika took up penning her first story and published it in 2009. Since then, she’s written books in just about every trope and sub-genre in romance.


AUTHOR LINKS