Books I am looking forward to in 2023

 Books of 2023 I am looking Forward too so far

1. Kill the King by Elizabeth Dear (Books One and Two will be reviewed in 2023)

2. Make a Wish by Helena Hunting

3. Backup Plan by Jill Shalvis

4. Capture the Sun by Jessie Mihalik

5. Hard Hit by Brenda Rothert

6. Games with the Orc by Kathryn Moon

7. Love you now by Julia Kent

8. Tessa’s Trust by Rebecca Zanetti

9. Protector by Susan Stoker

10. Knot My Mate by Alice Clyde

11. Leviathan’s Debt by Merri Bright

12. Shattered Truths by H. Hunting

13. Shadowcraft Academy by Yve Vale

14. Alcott Hall by Emily Rath

Worst Books of the Year

Here are the books I really didn't like this year. They were all rated 1 or 2 Stars and I had massive issues with them. Either they were new authors and this was the first chance at reading them or they were authors I've read before and this was just a bad book.

1. Branded by Scarlett Finn – Graphic Rape and Kidnapping 

2. Barbarian’s Captive by Maddie Taylor – Subjugation of FMC 

3. Hunted for the Pack by Natalia Prim – Too many POV led to bordom and confusion 

4. Knights Full of Magic by Angela Edgehart – Lack of Character Development, FMC and MMC take lovers before they marry 

5. Dirty Kingdom by Amelia Winters – Graphic Rape and just plain poor writing, Cliffhanger ending 

6. Alien’s Prize Bride – Just an idea and not an actual story 

7. Ragnarök Rising by Nora Ash – Graphic Rape, no character development or world building 

8. Enchanted by Demelza Carlton – Misogynistic comments brushed off as jokes, Asshole MMC  

9. Sanctuary by Melle Amade – Cliffhanger ending, Weirded out by the teenagers having sex, Fated mates of 17 year olds 

10. Immortal Secrets by Renae Wright – Love interest using her to get revenge on someone else, Cliffhanger ending, discombobulated telling of story 

Best New Authors of 2022

In no particular order here are just some of the new authors this year who made me crave more stories by them and to blow through their back catalog. They left me wanting more and no two are alike. There are some dark romances, academy, omegaverse, and just a mix of books here. I truly do fall for books for different reasons. 

1. Kathryn Moon – I blew through everything she wrote and want more.

2. Yve Vale – She writes different kinds of stories that include space aliens and academy. This variety just worked for me this year and I read everything she had out and wanted more.

3. Lola Rocks – This is one of my all time favorites this year and I think made every list but the worst. The books just hit my feels just right and it makes me want to go back and reread/relisten to them.

4. Leona Page – Very dark books and hit the right notes with me

5. Merri Bright – This is another author where I found her back catalog and blew through everything that was available

6. Kate Messick – Reviews coming in 2023 Let’s just say her books are amazing and her character development is spot on. 

7. Brenda Rothert – So many good hockey books/players

8. Kimberly Lemming – So much humor and weirdness

9. Anna Carven – So many good space aliens

10. Flora Quincy – Reviews coming in 2023 the books were good mix of Alphaholes and some really strong FMC

Favorite Narrators of the Year

 Audio Books are how I get through life. I listen while doing chores and grocery shopping. I used to listen way more when I commuted but even working from home I still finds time to listen. Here are some of my favorite narrators I listened to this year.

1. Amanda Ranconi’s able to give different voices to each character. She can do so many accents and make you fall into so many books. She is always one I am willing to listen to. I did so many relistens to books she narrated this year for Molly Harper.

2. Alexandra Harris is someone who works with Anne Bishop for her stories. She always enjoy listening to her give voice to different characters.

3. Lorelei King is also another amazing narrator. She has given voice to so many books that I’ve listened to this year. The one that comes to mind is Patricia Briggs Mercy books.

4. Along those same books Holter Graham narrates Patricia Briggs Alpha and Omega series. I am not usually a huge fan of men doing women’s voices but he does an excellent job getting the different characters.

5. Troy Duran and Kelsey Navarro narrated the Pack Darling books by Lola Rocks and I loved those books in audio. Troy and Kelsey work well together, bringing the characters to life and giving each of them their different personalities.

6. Jarman Day and Melissa Schwairy took on Lola and the Millionaires by Kathryn Moon. There are a lot of characters in this book, and I loved how Jarman and Melissa gave voice to each of them. I have no idea how these people handle narrating smexy time but woo boy spicy.

7. Khristine Hvam narrates the books for Michelle Sagara books. I love what this woman does with each character. 

8. Vivienne Leheny took on Overlord by Anna Hackett characters and did an amazing job.

9. Stella Bloom and Jason Clarke worked together to bring Starry-Eyed Love by Helena Hunting. I’ve always loved Stella Bloom. She brings so much to the books when she gives voice to the characters. Jason Clarke was also amazing in this book.

10. Charlotte Kane is the final one for this list. She narrates for Shelly Laurenston and does an awesome job with each character. She just brings to life the characters and makes me fall into the story.

Most Viewed Posts for the Year

 These are the posts that seem to resonate most with people. Good and bad a like these books had the most views for the year.

1. Overlord by Anna Hackett

2. Wicked Oath by Jenna Wolfheart

3. Crow Bones by Anne Bishop

4. Spiral of Need by Suzanne Wright

5. Bad Alpha by Kathryn Moon

6. Coven’s Captive by Ophelia Bell

7. Revenge of the Gods by Leia Stone

8. Wrath of the Gods by Leia Stone

9. The Witch Chase by Ginna Moran

10. Eventide of the Bear by Cherise Sinclair

Surprises of the year

Some of these will overlap with other lists as it is books that took me by surprise in the best and worst ways possible. 

1. Petal Plucker by Iris Morland – Surprised me by how mad I got at the ending. It was a pretty dang good book up until the last couple of chapters and then bam shit. I’ve never been so mad at a book before

2. Tryst in the Dark by Grace McGinty – I had read other books by Grace and they had been ok but nothing that drew me in so quickly and kept me enthralled as this one. 

3. That Time I got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming – I borrowed from KU and blew through this book and then the second one. I figured it was going to be the standard Para Rom and it was not. It had so much humor and it kept me wanting more because of how good it was. 

4. Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik – I’ve liked other books by this author and they usually run 4 stars but this one just hit all the boxes for me. Space adventure, pirates, enemies to lovers. I also liked most of the secondary characters. 

5. Pack Darling Part One by Lola Rocks – This book and Part 2 really did surprise me. It had some pretty negative reviews but I tried a sample and couldn’t put it down. It gives all the good things about a bully romance with some really good redemption trope in book 2. Which is why both books are on the list. They give you all the feels and you are rooting for Lilah to get her happy ending. 

6. Pack Darling Part Two by Lola Rocks – Well written redemption and heroin saving herself 

7. Barbarian’s Captive by Maddie Taylor – I enjoyed other books by this author and didn’t have any issues with some of the BDSM themed items in the book but this one just rubbed me the wrong way. 

8. Faith and the Dead End Devils by Kathryn Moon – I’ve liked so many of Kathryn Moon’s books and this one just bored and frustrated me. 

9. Orc from the Office by Kate Prior – this was selected for a book group read and figured it would be ok but it was one of those that I fell in love with the spicy but sweet insta love book. 

10. Falling for Autumn by Jarica James and Chloe Gunter – This was a sweet romance that just took me by surprise. It was cute and not normally something I fall for but the characters were well written and so were the secondary characters. 

Best Books of the Year

List of My Top 10 Books of the Year and Why I liked them so much. Ironically when figuring this one out it was harder to justify why I liked them best vs the worst list where I could come up with a couple words to describe my hate of the book. Some of these were just the books hit just right that they kept me interested and wanting more. They are also books that I’ve reread already this year as I did enjoy them so much which is why I’ve selected them. Here’s the best of the books I’ve read this year. If you're interested in the review just click on the title and author and it will take you to the review. 

1. Tryst in the Dark by Grace McGinty – Well written omegaverse story 

2. That Time I got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming – Well written story that is weird and has a lot of humor 

3. Bewitched by Elise Faber- Love a good hockey book, Well written and great characters 

4. Pack Darling Part One by Lola Rocks – really well written bully, omega romance 

5. Pack Darling Part Two by Lola Rocks – Well written redemption and heroin saving herself 

6. Protector by Anna Hackett – well written end of a series with a heroin who saves herself 

7. Fated Blades by Ilona Andrews – Great character development and in short story 

8. Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik – Well written story with great characters both primary and secondary

9. Crow Bones by Anne Bishop – Great addition to a series with more world building and character development 

10. Bond of Destiny by Larissa Ione – Well written short story with great characters and made me want to go and reread the entire series

Starry-Eyed Love by Helena Hunting

 

4 Star

Audio: 5 Star

London Spark just broke up with her boyfriend when she was out getting over her heartbreak when she’s hit on by some guy at a bar. She brushes him off as it’s not been long. Now several months later she has to present to a multi-million-dollar company so they will want to partner with Spark House for future endeavors. What she wasn’t planning on was finding out the CEO Jackson Holt was the guy who hit on her in the bar. She wants him and he wants her but it would be inappropriate for them to start a relationship while working on this one event. Will they be able to hold out until the event is done?

I really enjoyed Jackson and London’s story. I listened to the audio book and loved the narrators, Stella Bloom and Jason Clarke. They did an amazing job bringing these characters to life. One of the things about this love story that was so good was the fact that Jackson wanted to wait to start something so nothing could be construed as her getting a leg up because of their relationship. This does cause problems as she thinks he doesn’t want her. It was just a really cute story and I loved how it worked itself out to get them their happy ending.

Book 2 Spark House

Amazon 

Phase of Fate by Coralee June

 

2 Stars

Halle is the ordinary child, shunted to the side for her prodigy sister until the day the paired shift of her sister rips the throat out in front of Halle. She wants nothing to do with shifters ever again until it is discovered she is also a prodigy. She finds out that all prodigy pairs are being killed by their shifter and they need to find out why. She refuses to help but is forced to go through the tests and try to discover what is leading to the deaths. Will they find out what is the cause? Will she get past her trauma and accept her mate?

I wanted to like this book, but I couldn’t. It ends on a cliffhanger which automatically knocks a star off, but the characters also frustrated me. Halle was so whiny and she never really tried to help herself. All she did was complain about being a prodigy and how she wanted nothing to do with the shifters. I get watching her sister being murdered by the partner was devastating but she was determined to continue the hate no matter what. It got old really fast. She’s also used by everyone around her and put in danger and no one seems to care. I liked that this was a new way to look at shifters and mates. This is about the only thing I liked about the book.

Book 1 Phase Mountain Pack

Amazon 

Freak Show by Crystal Ash

 

2 Star

Melody has always liked the circus so when her family problems become to much she runs away to join the circus. She quickly discovers her childhood memories were all an allusion and the circus is not all that it’s cracked up to be. She’s stuck and then she finds a true friend in “Stilts” Connor. When the final night of the circus happens, they see something that changes everything. What will become of them?

I struggled with this one. I couldn’t keep all the mates straight and I was very confused about where the book was going. I don’t normally give a second book a chance with as low as I rated this one but I like her other books and will be giving book 2 a chance. I am hopeful that book makes this book makes sense.

Book 1 Harem of Freaks

Amazon 

Den of Monsters by Avery Song

 

3 Stars

People with debt are required to attend the masquerade to clear it. Esmerelda was never supposed to go but her father’s debts were too much and she enters where she meets Joaquin, Talon, Dagger, Croix, and Creed. They may be evil men but she wants to see their monstrous selves. The more she reveals and the more debt she clears the stranger things become. Will she take out those who want her dead and get her men?

I enjoyed this story up until the end. It was going along quite nicely and I was digging finding out all the secrets this book had to give until the last couple of chapters. Then it was bam let’s change everything and make it seem like everyone was aware and set it all up to get Esmerelda “father”. It was just very jarring that it was all turned on its head and made to seem like she was now aware of everything. It just didn’t work for me. I will be reading book two when it comes out in January because I did like the writing.

Book 1 Devils Serenade

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My Kind of Wonderful by Jill Shalvis

 

3 Star

Bailey Moore wants to do everything she can in life, skiing in the Rockies is just the latest she wants to do. This is her second chance at life and she is going to do everything before she dies. When she meets Hudson Kincaid she wants him but he has his own issues he’s working through. Will they be able to get past their traumas to find their happy ending?

I like this one but I struggled with it. Both of the protagonists have scars from the past that they’re dealing with and that makes the book interesting. One of our biggest issues it seems like the characters fell in love with each other’s looks and not their personality their looks will eventually go. It’s still very well written still an OK book. If you want to continue the series you are going to need to read this one because this entire series is interconnected.

Book 2 Cedar Ridge

Amazon

Seductively Undead in Dark River (Dark River Days, #4) By Grace McGinty

 

4 Stars

Twenty years Raine has been dealing with being the leader for those with weird supernatural powers. She is DONE! She wants out of this responsibility so she can have time with her family. The council agrees to let her step down BUT only after she finds someone to take her place. This person must be stronger than she is and be able to take her in a fight. The only one anyone can think of is The Night Demon. Since he is in Amsterdam Raine and her men will have to go there and talk him into taking over for her. When they meet him for the first-time things don’t go the way they plan but will it work out?

Book 4 picks up much later in Raine’s timeline. She's been on the council for a while and she's just really tired of dealing with all of them. I found this hilarious because no one who should be on the council should be happy about being on the council.  This book is literally a journey of finding out if she can find someone who's strong enough and better who will sit on the council and take over. Without spoilers she does not get what she wants in the most hilarious way possible. I like how the series ended and it makes me want to go and read the rest of the books that are linked to the series but aren't part of the series. It very much was a good ending to complete the overall arc of rain's life. The only aspect I miss and wish that had been touched upon was what happened with her original family. But that's something that I'm curious about and not necessarily everybody else would be curious about

Book 4 Dark River Days

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Guardian Queen by Dana Marton

 

3.5 Star

Tera and Batumar are back on their island. They are need to liberate their people and take out their enemies. This is their final fight and they need to do whatever they need to do. Will they be able to take back their island without losing everything?

For me this part was a little bit on the slow side just like book 2 was. It does conclude the story nicely and I like how it ends and I did like the writing of the author. I just wish it'd been more concise and more compact between book 2 and book 3. Overall really good series to read loved this series would read it again in a heartbeat makes me wish that the author had more books out that are paranormal fantasy type versus suspense romance.

Book 3 Hardstrom Saga

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Pleasantly Undead in Dark River (Dark River Days, #3) By Grace McGinty

 

4 Stars

Raine is trying to settle down and not have so much chaos in her and her guys’ life. She needs to open the Immortal Cupcake shop but she needs to learn how to bake first. It would also help if psychos would stop leaving dead bodies and animals on her doorstep. She’s also dealing with long lost relatives wanting time with them. Can she just get some peace and quiet?

I like the balance of psycho to nice guys in her harem. This balances her out and gives her both the nice and the naughty all in one relationship. I like the growth that each of the guys have made since book one. Raine has also grown and changed since book one, but she still has her issues that she's working through, which is nice because nobody is going to make massive changes in 2.5 seconds. Overall, it was a really good story. Meshed well with books 1 and 2. Still ended on a cliffhanger but not really a cliffhanger. If you don't want to read past book 3, you don't necessarily need to read past book 3. I, of course, still want too, and I will be picking a book four.

Amazon

Faith & the Dead End Devils by Kathryn Moon

 

3 Stars

Faith Robins has been stolen from her brother, held captive, used against her will, and finally auctioned off to the highest bidder. With a twist of fortune before she can get to those who bought her she is rescued by an MC gang. They plan on keeping her safe and finding her, her forever pack, but it won’t be them. Will they be able to resist her?

I enjoyed the story but felt it focused more on some of Faith’s mates and not all of them equally like other books have. I wanted more of Bear and King, but they had such a small role in the story overall. I also want to know what happened after they left the MC and went out on their own. There was this whole big handover when the four guys left with Faith, but the epilogue just was about their new life and nothing about the former MC. It’s probably just a me thing but I want to know if they fell apart and if the guy who took over was ousted. It was fine but isn’t one of my favorites in this series.

Book 8 Sweet Omegaverse

Amazon

Happily Undead in Dark River By Grace McGinty

 

4 Stars

Raine has discovered her maker and killed her to save her lovers. They are not in the clear. Vampire council has questions she and the rest of the town need to answer for.

This book starts where the first one ended. We are starting to see the fallout of the doctor kidnapping humans for blood. I enjoyed seeing Raine with her two non-vampire mates. Even with the two shifters things get crazy and she roles with it. Still enjoyable to see Raine coming into her own. Can’t wait for book 3.

Book 2 Dark River Days

Amazon

 

 

4 Stars

Sana is an alpha and her father is forcing her to mate another alpha for an alliance. She isn't interested in the arrangement and after the murder of her friend her plans are set. She decides the best course is to run. This doesn't stop her father from sending out guards to try and track her down and when she's injured it's a close call. If not for the help of Tallis and Cyrus she would be back at home. Her plan is to stay with them just long enough to heal but the more time she's with them the more she wants to stay. Will she be able to walk away from them?

I loved getting Sana's story. It does overlap with book one but it's completely from her side and doesn't really talk about what Emmy had to feel so there is no overlapping feeling. It was interesting to see her come into her own and find her path as well as reconnecting with her siblings in the end. The relationship with Tallis and Cyrus was HOT and I loved seeing a male omega. The guys balanced her out and their relationship worked. I still want her mother to get her comeuppance.
Book 1 Casin Village

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Petal Plucker (The Flower Shop Sisters #1) by Iris Morland

 

1 Star

Dandelion "Dani” Wright is too busy running her family's flower shop to have a life. High school crush Jacob West is back in town and she wants but he's the competition.  Is she gives in it could jeopardize everything.

I have never been so mad at a book then I was when I finished this book. I actually was set on a 4 until the end. Jacob steals the ideas the Dani came up with for a competition. He literally started a relationship with her to get the design she was planning. Instead of her getting mad and him groveling to get her back AS HE SHOULD. She apologized because Jacob's daddy was struggling, and they were going to lose the business without winning the design. WHAT FUCKING BULLSHIT IT THIS? Dani goes from doing her own thing to be a passive woman who takes care of her man. It’s been a while since I read the book and I am still mad about how it ended.

Amazon

Accidental Sorceress by Dana Marton

 

4 Star

To gain allies Tera and her lover High Lord Batumar have to survive the journey across the sea. They need to team up with unsavory characters and there is no guarantee it will bring them alias and let them save their people.

Don't like anyone. A whole bunch of characters are killed off in this book. I still enjoyed it but I would like someone and bam dead. This one was a little bit more bogged down than the first book. It also took more time for me to read where the first I blew through. I still liked all of the characters and the continue to grow and change. It also builds on book 1 and isn't resolved so you will need to read book 3 for the conclusion. There are a couple of shockers in the book that surprised me. Well worth the read.

Book 2 Hardstrom Saga

Amazon

Hanna and the Hitman by Honey Phillips

 

4 Star

Hanna's been kidnapped from Earth and is now being treated like a performing animal. Kept on display in seedy bar in a cage she wants out. The help comes from an unexpected source, an alien warrior. Aidon  frees her but isn't sure what to do with her. He knows he needs to get out of the bar and off planet. How he will do this he's not sure or what to do with this strange female. The more time they spend together the less he wants to part with her but his planet is dangerous. Will he keep her?

The story was predictable but hit all the right notes for me. I liked gruff Aidon and Hanna never gave up even though she had been given a crappy situation. I liked the dynamics between them and that ultimately Hanna just wanted him. It was a super quick read.

Book 8 Alien Abduction

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Fallen Feather by Merri Bright

 

4 Stars

She was useless and not worth anything, so she decided to sacrifice herself to save Sanctuary. This makes her lose everything, her friends, her old name, and her sweet, sexy soulmate. When she walked through the gate she got to meet Rumple who puts her back together and sends her back. Even with her sacrifice there are those in Sanctuary who hate the glitter and want a regime change. Protectors start going missing, Feather is determined to find them. What she finds is the real danger isn’t in the gate failing but something else.

Cliffhanger Ending!!!!!

This starts right where the last one ends and it was awesome to see Feather’s newest mate “Rumple”. I liked to see her growing and changing and helping her guys grow and change. There are some character deaths in this book and they were heartbreaking to see happen in the book. The biggest issue is the book ends on another cliffhanger and you are left wondering how this series is going to end. There are some sexy times between Feather and some of her men but not all of them. Overall, the pacing of the book was good, and it fit with the first books. Just frustrated with having to wait for the conclusion to the story.

Book 2 The Forgotten Angel

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The Orc from the Office (Claws & Cubicles, #2) by Kate Prior

 

3 Star

Janice has a massive oops in the office and mate bonds her co-worker Khent from the IT Department. HR gives her the option to stay away from Khent or to fully mate him. She’s sure they should stay apart but when she starts looking at inappropriate content at work which brings her back into contact with Khent and she’s not sure she wants to walk away from him.

This was an interesting story. I enjoyed it but there wasn’t much too it. I want more from this author and this series. Janice did irritate me a bit as she wanted Khent but kept doing the I want you but I don’t. Considering how short of a story it was it went on way too long. It was cute, funny, short, and quick to read.

Book 2 Claws and Cubicles

Amazon

Newly Undead in Dark River (Dark River Days, #1) By Grace McGinty

 

4 Stars

Mika McKellen wakes up dead in a stormwater drain outside a small Canadian town. She finds out she’s been changed into a vampire and will need a new name. She decides to be known as Raine and has to start learning about her new life. The sheriff is trying to figure out who turned her as it goes against everything the town believes in. She’s not sure what she wants out of her new life and she’s missing her old one. Will she find who turned her and will she be able to accept her new life?

I very much enjoyed this story. Mika/Raine was going through a lot throughout this book and life keeps throwing new things to deal with at her. It makes her seem more real. She isn’t perfect and she has doubts and flaws. I loved how real she was about the change and how hard it was for her. She has breakdowns about not seeing her family again but also found joy in her new life. I liked the guys who she’s interested in, Tex, Brody, Judge, Walker, and X. They each have their own personalities and meld well together. It does look like she is going to keep acquiring new guys into her harem starting with X. Even though this ends cliffhanger esq it wasn’t a cliffhanger. If you hate it you find out who killed her but the ending does open up the plot for the next book.

Book 1 Dark River Days

Amazon

So Pucking Over It (Rush Hockey Trilogy, #3) by Elise Faber

 

4 Stars

Axel and Bailey are back for the conclusion to their story. Life keeps throwing issues at them. Will they be able to weather the storm and find their happy ending?

This was a nice conclusion to Axel and Bailey's story. It definitely was a tearjerker just without it started and how it ended. I wanted to see more with Axel's mom. It talks about her waiting trial but not the actual conclusion and I kind of wanted to know if she was convicted of anything that she so rightly deserves to be convicted of. Can't wait for Bailey's aunt's story.

Book 3 Rush Hockey

Amazon

Lost Feather by Merri Bright

 

4 Stars

She has no past and no name and has no idea what the rules are. When she is caught by High Angelus Gavriel killing a very bad man he drags her back to her new home, the Sanctuary. There she will need to cleanse herself of all of her smut as she is the dirtiest protector they’ve ever seen. The High Angeli have no idea what to do with her and she doesn’t believe she is who they think she is.

Cliffhanger Ending!!!!

If this wasn’t a cliffhanger ending it would have been a 5 because I loved this story. It was a really interesting story that had a lot of humor but also sad moments. I liked all the guys they hint at Feather ending up with. Also, that she loves Glitter. Glitter, glitter everywhere L😊. The ending had me in tears. OMG the ending was so heartbreaking, and I can’t believe I have to wait for the next one.

Book 1 The Forgotten Angel

Amazon

Ragnarok Rising by Nora Ash

2 Star

Annabelle thoughts you're just taking a vacation to Iceland.  Come to find out it's not just a trip to Iceland it's the beginning of Ragnarok. To help the demigods not end the world she's going to have to meet with them to give them a leg up. Will she be able to help them?

I wanted to like this one it's an interesting concept but when you take away someone's choice to choose and force yourself on them there's nothing else to the story but rape.  Annabelle ends up with 5 Norse gods.  Who do nothing but fight even though they need each other to survive. They demand that Annabelle make a decision as to who she's going to be with because can't possibly be with the enemy. And to top it all off, you then have the book ended in a cliffhanger.  At this point I'm not interested in continuing the series but that may change if I hear good things about it

Book 1 The Omega Prophecy

Amazon

Brilliant Starlight by Anna Carven

3 Star

Abbey and Tarak are back. The queen is dead but the empire still stands The only way to keep Abbey and their daughter safe is to take everyone out who will harm them.

This felt like a serial. Going over the same details irritated me, I liked the conclusion overall. I just wanted a little more editing and new story.

Book 8 Dark Planet Warrior

Amazon

 

Hexed by Yve Vale

4 Star

Shayla is just trying to survive until she is old enough to get out and away from her abusive mother. Her mother and the mother’s boyfriend have tried for years to get Shayla’s magic to come out. Nothing has worked to get her to present so her plan is to run on her birthday to get away even though her BFF doesn’t want her to leave. When her BFF talks her into going to a party Shayla hooks up with a random guy who just so happens to be her fated mate. He refuses to accept her but is forced to bring her to the academy to learn her magic. While there she finds out that her history isn’t what she thinks it is and her magic is different. She also finds more mates than she knows what to do with. When strange things start happening and her BFF goes missing will she work it out before it’s too late?

I was digging this book until the cliffhanger ending. I loved how strong Shayla was. She had a lot of stuff she had to put up with and she just kept trucking. When her first mate rejects her, she basically says f*** this. I am better than you. She meets new friends and reintroduced to old ones and I loved that she was so determined to be the best she could. The one big issue was the cliffhanger. I need the next one and it’s not out yet but I will be checking it out when it does even if it ends on a cliff.

Book 1 Shadowcraft Academy

Amazon

Monsters and Mistletoe by Harpie Alexa, Cassia Briar, Cara Bryant, Rachel Callahan, J.E. Cluney, Kassandra Cross, Salem Cross, Elizabeth Dunlap, Poppy Jacobson, Rena Marks, Luna Pierce, C. Rochelle, Salem Sinclair, River Starr, LJ Swallow & Kyla Quinn, Yve Vale

 

4 Star

Holiday anthology of Monsters from authors Harpie Alexa, Cassia Briar, Cara Bryant, Rachel Callahan, J.E. Cluney, Kassandra Cross, Salem Cross, Elizabeth Dunlap, Poppy Jacobson, Rena Marks, Luna Pierce, C. Rochelle, Salem Sinclair, River Starr, LJ Swallow & Kyla Quinn, Yve Vale.

I'm not a huge fan of Box sets usually. There tends to be too many books in there that I don't like versus the books that I do like. This one is not that I enjoyed most of the books in this one. I didn't feel I needed to read other books by the authors to understand the stories. In fact I picked up a couple new authors that I want to check out their back catalog to find out what else they written cause the books were that good. Well worth picking up and giving it a shot to see if you can find some new authors.

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Catastrophe Queen by Emma Hart

 

3 Star

Mallory is in need of some quick cash after a fire burned down her apartment. She's forced to live with her sex obsessed parents and she’s tired of walking in on her parents in compromising situations. She gets a job as a personal assistant for Cameron Reid. It's just supposed to be make copies and coffee and just keep every thing orderly. But she's known as the catastrophe queen for a reason. Plus the more time the spend together

Borderline 2.5 as there were some things that frustrated me. First it ended sooner than it should which left questions. There were a lot of grammatical/spelling errors. If I notice it's bad. I would pass on it until she fixes the errors.

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Enchanted by Demelza Carlton

2 Star

Enchantress Zuleika was summoned by the king to help him with a problem. Instead of letting her do her duty he forces himself on her. She curses the King and swears she will never help him again. She travels the world learning new things and helping those in need. When one of her father's ship goes off course causing financial problems she heads to the last known location and discovers the Beast. The Beast is Prince Vardan. He's been cursed and will only help if she breaks the curse. She's willing to help even if he's a beast. When secrets are revealed will they be able to find their happy ending?

I love a good retelling of a fairy tale. I don't mind explicit sex scenes. What I do mind is misogynistic statements being made and then we're supposed to brush it off as a joke. No thank you. I liked Zulerika. She was a woman who is dealing with a lot after she's sexually assaulted. She deserves better than a love interest who cracks a joke about wanting to ravish the FMC who had already been raped. When the Prince is called out on the statement, he's all it was a joke. He was just an ass through most of the book. I would skip this one.

Book 1 Romance a Medieval Fairytale

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Bentley by Melanie Moreland

 

3 Star

Three young men meet in college. Each have been shaped by their past. Bentley has always followed the same routine until he meets Emmy. She allows him to be spontaneous and free. When Aiden and Mattox meet her for the first time they see the draw and want her just as much as Bentley. When trouble arises in the men’s' business and that leads to concerns for Emmy's safety will they be able to keep her safe?

Quick and easy read. The bad guy was obvious from the beginning for me. My biggest issues with the book was it relied to much on the tropes to squeak by. Rich guys meet free spirit fall madly in Love. Business deal problems cause danger to FMC. SPOILER

 

 

The bad guy is someone the guys trust and have known for years who feels screwed over. That's the extent of the book, Not a lot of world or character building. Worth a read if you're looking for a straight romance.

Book 1 Vested Interested

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Wolf’s Lady by Jessica Marting

 

3 Star

Lady Adelle Thornber was caught in a compromising situation she's forced to go to the wild's of Scotland to marry the reclusive baron. Lord Henry MacAulay is not what she was expecting. He is the sole heir to the Roseheath title and alpha of his pack he needs to find a mate. He expected to pick his own mate at some point but with being forced into a marriage with a disgraced noble woman and his secrets what kind of marriage can they have? The more time they spend together the deeper in love they become but Henry's secret is still between them. He is terrified once she knows Adelle will leave him. What happens when it's all revealed?

I enjoyed this one a lot. It's a historical romance but also paranormal. Lady Adelle is a strong character and Lord Henry was a caring man. Neither wants to upset the other but they end up falling in love with each other and it was super sweet. Definitely light and quick read.

Book 1 Magic and Mechanicals

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Ishtar’s Blade by Lisa Blackwood

 

3 Star

Childhood companion to King Ditanu, Iltani was called away to do her training to become his Blade. She is happy to be back but everything has changed and her once fun friend and love is now stoic and serious. She must find her place at the castle quickly to keep all those she loves safe.

I wanted to like this more than I did. Everyone seemed perfectly fine with cheating and forced mating because it was for the good of the kingdom. Then to top it off you literally kill off all obstacles for Iltani to be with Ditanu. It was just too much for me to appreciate. I loved her writing style and the idea of the book just the implementation of the romance irritated me.

Book 1 Ishtar's Legacy

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Sanctuary by Melle Amade

 

2 Star

Shae’s crush is dating her best friend. To help her get over the hurt she decides to go with the bad boy Aiden. When secrets are revealed what will she do?

Everyone is lying to her. Her parents are abusive and it's never explained why. Her friends suck a lot and not in a good way. Everyone just kind of bad for her and leave her out which ends up hurting her. Then it ends on a cliffhanger. Rope on all future books.

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A Good Demon is Hard to Find by Kate Moseman

 

2.5 Star

After divorcing her cheating ex-husband Erin accidentally curses him and a demon showed up. Great Earl of Hell Andromalius specialized in wickedness and revenge. He wants to help Erin get her revenge and he makes a mean coffee. When her ex announces his wedding plans she needs more. What will Andromalius come up with for her?

I wanted to like this more than I did.  It had humor and it had some cute moments but I felt it was lacking romance. There isn't enough time for these two to actually fall in love. There wasn't even any revenge against the ex. Just fell flat for me and then ended on a cliff. Skipping the rest.

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Alien Found by Julie K Cohen

3 Star

Ruby is willing to do any thing to escape Earth including joining a mail-order Bride and become an alien's wife. Escaping from the Alien husband was also smart. Stowing away on a ship probably not so smart. The zyanthan who owns the ship claims all on board as his. This now includes her whether she likes it or not. He's on a mission and can use her to help him get what he needs. When all the secrets are revealed will they be able to get past the lies?

Ruby frustrated me so much. She had no faith that Torin was there to help. She caused a lot of her own problems. There were many times she was TSTL. On the flip side I adored Torin and he deserved a better mate. Still good enough to continue the series.

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Immortal Secrets by Renae Wright

2 Star

Her mother is Cinderella and the fairy tales have it all wrong. Cinderella isn't a down on her luck woman abused by her family but a siren. Now with her daughter Kira, they are the last sirens. The rest of the world wants then dead and gone as Cinderella has been nothing but evil. Kira is forced to go to school and her classmates want her dead. She's just trying to survive. She may have allies who love her or are they just using her for a means to an end?

The description of the book makes it sound awesome but it wasn't. I skimmed so much of this book. It had an interesting concept but it just doesn't work. Kira has been abused by her mother her whole life and ends up having this continue at the academy. The men she ends up with all use her to one get Something out of her because of her mom and two physically assault her as punishment. Again all because of her mom. At least by the end of book 1 these people had done nothing to make up for being massive dicks. I'm skipping the rest of the series.

Book 1 Royal Glass Hearts

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