Golden by Elise Faber

4 Stars

I’ve seen her.

I’ve watched her.

But…I can’t allow myself to have her.

My job as the owner of an elite security company for celebrities and athletes alike means that I don’t have a problem putting myself in harm’s way to protect my clients.

But I do have a problem when it’s Lauren who’s caught in the crossfire.

Literally.

I need to protect her.

I need to keep her safe.

I just…

Can’t let my heart get involved.

Way too short. I wanted more with Lauren and Pascal. It was so good and I loved seeing Pascal get his HEA since he’s been in so many other books. Flowed nicely but for some of the development of characters you need to read the previous books.

Part of the Gold Series

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Twilight of Ember by Tessa Hale

4 Stars

I’d always wondered what it would be like to have a family. I just never expected to find it with five mysterious strangers who have more secrets than I could ever imagine.

Getting a scholarship to Evergreen University and majoring in premed means I need to keep my head down and focus on my studies. But campus is full of distractions…

The football god with his golden retriever charm. The tortured one with his vicious tongue. The broken boy with his determined protectiveness. The merciless billionaire with a penchant for spoiling me. And the genius professor with his brilliant mind.

They make me feel like I belong for the first time since my parents were murdered. And when they touch me, my whole world sparks to flame.

But they have enemies. Those who would give anything to harm what they hold dear. And while they’ll do whatever it takes to keep me safe, sometimes falling in love will put you right in the line of fire…

I really enjoyed this book and immediately started the second book. I liked the Hayden was unaware of what she was and who her mates were. It flowed nicely but does end on a cliffhanger ending but this is pretty standard for Tessa Hale.

Book 1 Dragons of Ember Hollow

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Demon Kissed by Katie May and Ann Denton

4 Stars

I fucked up.

Honestly, how was I supposed to know that a love spell was actually a summoning spell...and that it would actually work?

Now, I have five demons at my beck and call, their sole purpose to fulfill my heart's deepest desire - which is to make William Washington fall head-over-heels in love with me.

Their solution? Insert themselves in every aspect of my life in order to make William jealous. As my fake boyfriend? Check. As my sexy new teachers? Check. As the psychotic, sexy stalker who follows me around? Check.

Their goal is to make William fall in love with me.

And my goal is to not fall in love with them in the process.

Interesting take on summoning. I enjoyed the story and the characters. It building into a nice story. It does end on a cliffhanger ending but worth reading and I can’t wait to read the rest of them.

Book 1 Darkest Flame

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Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan

4 Stars

Iris DuPree meets August West in a sports bar during her last semester of college. It's the conversation of a lifetime and sends sparks flying in every direction. The connection is undeniable...but the timing is all wrong. August is poised for the NBA draft, and Iris belongs to another man―basketball's "golden boy" and August's long-time rival.

The two go their separate ways, but they often recall that electric night and what could have been. While August has embarked on his all-star life, studded with wealth and fame, Iris's perfect public relationship has become a nightmare behind closed doors. A tarnished dream of fool's gold.

When August re-enters her life, the world seems briefly bright again, but Iris's darkest nights are not over yet. To survive, she must build her own strength and trust that her bond with August can endure after all this time.

Even when her fraudulent prince has vowed never to let her go.

Read the warnings. There is on page SA with the Iris. It is graphic and bad. This book starts slow for me but once it picks up it moves and I loved the story. There are hard topics in the book, and they’re handled well. Definitely one of my favorite reads so far this year.

Book 1 HOOPS

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A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic by J Penner

3.5 Stars

A human, a dwarf and an elf walk into a bake-off…

In the heart of Adenashire, where elfish enchantments and dwarven delights rule, Arleta Starstone, a human confectionist works twice as hard perfecting her unique blend of baking and apothecary herbs.

So when an orc neighbor secretly enters her creations into the prestigious Elven Baking Battle, Arleta faces a dilemma.

Being magicless, her participation in the competition could draw more scowls than smiles. And if Arleta wants to prove her talent and establish her culinary reputation, this human will need more than just her pastry craft to sweeten the odds.

While competing, she'll set off on a journey of mouthwatering pastries, self-discovery, heartwarming friendships and romance, while questioning whether winning the Baking Battle is the true prize.

I wanted to love this book as I loved the idea and the writing style. I couldn’t get passed how whiney FMC was. Everyone is boosting her up and she just tears herself down. She never gets better, and it frustrated me so much. I liked the writing style so much I will check out book 2 to see if the characters are better.

Book 1 Adenashire

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Demi’s Guardian by Kitt Lynn

3 Stars

Max

Demi might be the most captivating woman I've ever met. She's smart, funny, and unbelievably beautiful. And she's so clearly out of my league.

But that doesn't mean I can't admire her. Protect her. And maybe even love her from afar.

Demi

I've never been one for love and all that nonsense. I've spent too many years pretending to love alphas who used my body for their own pleasure. Most were kind, and few I even grew to adore, but I'm not dumb enough to believe they had any real feelings for me.

No. Love isn't for me.

But fun? Now that's something I'm good at.

Very consistent with the other books in the series. There isn’t a big bad like other books. It was all about Demi transitioning. I enjoyed the transition aspect but I loved how Max fell for her as a beta. It didn’t change when they got together and she became an omega. I loved that he was willing to travel for her since she had an itch to move around.

Book 3 Casin Village

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Broken Howl by Katie May and Ann Denton

4 Stars

As an omega, my job is to be the docile female—smile when they tell me to, do whatever the alphas say, and wait for the moon tide ritual when I’ll finally find my true mates.

Nobody can tell how truly broken I am inside.

When I find my perfect mates—two powerful, possessive alphas and one flirty beta—I decide to do the unspeakable.

Reject them.

Why would they want to be with someone as messed up and jaded as me? Someone who’s been used and spit out more times than I care to count?

But these shifter men? They refuse to let me go.

A twist of fate lands me on Reject Island, only…I’m not alone. I’m being hunted by the very three men I rejected—the men who still set my skin ablaze with every look in my direction.

They’re dangerous, psychotic, and possessive. And they want to see me pay.

Add into the mix a sweet, damaged delta I meet on the island, and I’m up to my elbows in sexy wolf shifters.

But the truth is…

I didn’t only run from my mates to spare them the pain of being with me. There’s someone after me, someone bad, and if he finds me, all of our lives will be forfeit.

Will I learn how to scream to the moon? Or will my howl always remain broken?

This was a hard read for what happens to Teegan but I loved how she gets out of the problem. The guys bar 2 were jackasses and needed to do more groveling. I also wanted to know what happened with the pack but that was kind of brushed away.

Part of the Reject Island Series

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Save a Vamp Take a Crown by Sedona Ashe

4 Stars

A week ago, if someone told me I’d be trying to talk a vampire into feeding from me…

I would’ve laughed in their face.

Love has a way of making people do crazy things.

Zyon is my vampire soulmate, and I have the bite marks to prove it.

But we have to keep our romance a secret… for now.

I can’t imagine being with anyone else, but the vampire queen commanded me to step back and pretend Zyon hasn’t already claimed me as his mate.

I swear, if I see one more woman fawn over him, I might just snap. The only reason I haven’t lost it is because Zyon is making it very clear to every single person in the castle that he only wants me… so the vampire women trying to steal him away from me can suck it!

Adding to my list of worries is the way my body seems to have a mind of its own… as though something inside me is desperate to get out. I have a feeling that whatever is locked away isn’t interested in playing nice with my soon-to-be vampire family.

And did I mention I feel like I’m being watched?

But that’s impossible, right?

Journee puts up with so much in this book. MMC had 0 backbone and that frustrated me soooooo much. The twist at the end was a major surprise and was very interesting. Interested in seeing where the next book takes us.

Book 2 Flawed Fates

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Shattered Stars by Hannah Haze

4 Stars

The more I discover about my mysterious past, the deeper I'm pulled into a web of mysteries, secrets and lies

And the more I'm pulled towards the men fate has destined are mine.

Well fate can go to hell.

I can't forget the way they’ve treated me and I certainly can’t forgive the hurt.

I won't give in to my feelings no matter how much they plead.

At least that's my plan until fate intervenes again and throws all our lives into danger.

So frustrated by the end of this book. It ends on a cliff and the next book isn’t out. More info is revealed and Rhi has more magic than we know. Curious to see where the last book takes us. The guys don’t really make up for being dicks but I loved how they’ve all fallen. Can’t wait for the conclusion.

Book 3 Arrow Hart Academy

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Save a Life Tell a Lie by Sedona Ashe

4 Stars

Stalker or vampire?

The choice is yours, but if you make the wrong one…

You die.

He’s spent months watching my every move. Stalking me from the shadows, waiting for the right moment.

When he strikes, I’m not ready.

I’m surrounded by strangers, and far from anyone who might have cared, or at the very least, noticed if I suddenly disappeared.

He’s closing the distance, leaving me with a terrifying choice: take my chances with my stalker, or seek help from a monster more powerful than him. Making the wrong choice could cost me my life.

Risking it all, I throw myself at an extraordinarily handsome stranger. A stranger who just happens to be a vampire. He also happens to be the crown prince of vampires, and he’s disgusted by humans.

I haven’t even been bitten yet, and my life already sucks.

It’s too late to rethink my plan, and I’m out of options. I beg the stranger to claim he knows me.

Instead, the vampire claims me.

But my stalker isn’t ready to admit defeat, and the vampire I sought refuge with isn’t willing to let me go.

A stalker. A vampire. A choice that might end my life.

This was on the shorter side but such a good read. It’s not a complete story and you do need to read the next one. There’s no development in the characters or world building but it still worked for me. I do wish there was some world building to explain things but still loved it.

Book 1 Flawed Fates

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Twisted Ties by Hannah Haze

4 Stars

Secret memories locked in my head, an assassin on my tail, and strange powers I shouldn't possess are the least of my problems. Because now I'm bonded to a man I barely know.

My body may be pulled towards him, but my heart can't forgive his betrayal.

And he isn't the only one.

I'm sick of being treated this way and I'm sick of not knowing who I really am.

No more secrets. No more lies.

I'm determined to learn the truth.

No matter what the cost.

More information is revealed in this book for everyone. I still love Rhi but the guys are still irritating me. OOOPPPSS I guess we’re fated so sorry for being a dick was the mantra. This is not a grovel and I don’t like guys who screw up not making it up. I still loved the progress in this book but again it ends on another cliff and it royal sucks.

Book 2 Arrow Hart Academy

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Grim Tidings by Amanda Lee

2 Stars

Grim(ace) while you work ... Aisling Grimlock is having a bad week. Well, actually, she’s having a bad life -- not that she's complaining. Okay, she's totally complaining. After being laid off from her secretarial position, she has no choice but to join the family business, and now she’s a full-time grim reaper. That’s right. She collects and transfers souls to the hereafter. Cool, huh? Not quite. On the second day of her new job, Aisling (literally!) stumbles over a dead body that’s not on her list and the stakes are suddenly raised because, when a name isn’t on the list, that means someone stole it (and that's never a good thing). Aisling’s family, which consists of a tempestuous father and four overbearing older brothers, are hot on the case – but the answers they’re coming up with aren’t exactly soothing. It seems a contingent of wraiths have descended on the area, and they’re not just dangerous for unsuspecting souls and the general populace. The Grimlock family is at risk, too. If that weren’t bad enough, Aisling finds herself inexplicably drawn to Detective Griffin Taylor – the police officer who considers her a murder suspect. Oh, and she's a wraith-magnet -- although, truth be told, she's more interested in Detective Taylor. Aisling is determined to prove that she has what it takes to be a great reaper – even if it means risking her life and proving her father and brothers wrong when it comes to her competence level. When things finally become clear, will Aisling survive long enough to make things right? Or, will she fall prey to the wraiths and the individual controlling them?

Good idea but you need actual movement in the story. Instead it’s just sibling fighting throughout the book. It was cute at first but the more fighting that took place the more I wanted to bash heads together. There was a major pacing issue as well. As I said nothing happens in this book. It’s a couple things here and there but no forward movement with no world building. The idea is cute but not implemented well. Going to pass on the other books.

Book 1 Aisling Grimlock

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Fractured Fate by Hannah Haze

4 Stars

Fate wouldn’t tie me to these men, would it?

Sent to the ruthless academy for magicals after years hiding from the authorities, I'm behind, poor and, with my pet pig in tow, struggling to fit in.

No surprises I'm picked out for ridicule by the other students - as well as the teachers.

And four men in particular seem determined to make my life here hell.

The man who caught me.

My grumpy, sharp-tongued professor.

The star of the school's dueling team.

And the academy's deadly heart-breaker.

They all find their own special way of torturing me, but I'm determined not to bow.

I hate them.

And yet when I'm with them, I feel like a fish on a hook, tugged in their direction, my insides swirling with a lot more than simply hate.

Is this magic or something far more dangerous?

I loved this academy book. Rhy made the book. She was kept hidden and away from the magical for a reason but we still don’t know why by the end of the book. The guys are major dicks throughout. Winnie is the best BFF ever. She draws Rhi out and gets her to open up. I loved Pip the pig as the pet. You don’t normally see pigs as pets, so I liked it. This does end on a cliff and luckily the next is out otherwise I would be mad. The book is building up to an interesting story but not quite there yet.

Book 1 Arrow Hart Academy

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PS You’re Intolerable by Julia Wolf

5 Stars

My boss, Elliot Levy is intolerable, and I tell him so everyday…in the little notes I write and then hide in the back of my desk.

I can’t exactly say to his face that I’m convinced he’s a cyborg, considering I'm about to become a single mother and I really need to keep my job as his assistant.

Elliot never looks at me, so he doesn’t even notice I’m pregnant until I’m seven months along. The first thing he asks is if I’m planning to come back to work once I have the baby.

Not unexpected.

What is unexpected is Elliot coming to my rescue when I need a place to stay after my daughter is born. While living with him, I get to see a whole other side of him…especially when he walks around his house without a shirt on.

Which he does, ALL. THE. TIME.

I shouldn’t look, but I can’t help it. He’s gorgeous in a suit, but out of one? Devastating.

Elliot shows me he isn’t the heartless robot I once thought. It’s still terrifying to take a chance on him, even when he holds my baby like she’s precious to him, and he touches me like he’s been longing to for ages.

Now that he has me, he isn’t letting me go without a fight.

And Elliot Levy didn’t get where he is in business without learning a few underhanded tricks. What will he do to keep me? To keep us?

P.S. I think I’m falling for you.

This was a surprise read for me. I find this on Instagram and sometimes those books aren’t good but this hit all the marks for me. I loved the main characters. The notes FMC made every day before she would go and talk with MMC were hilarious. When he found them and got a kick out of them I laughed so hard. It was such a cute thing for her to do. The pacing was great and I loved the world building in this book. I loved how MMC was with FMC and her baby Joey. I will definitely be picking more books up by this author.

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Destined Mate by Jen L Grey

2.5 Stars

Fate stripped everything from me and forced me to face my worst nightmare.

As the adopted and weakest member of my pack, I’ve always been an outcast and mistreated, especially since I've never been able to shift into my animal form.

Every time I try to find a way to escape my personal hell, my pack leader stops me, vowing that I'll never be free from him.

Then the worst happens.

A group of my pack members attack me.

Alone, outnumbered, and stuck in my human form, I'll fight for my life even though there’s no hope for survival.

Until a group of unfamiliar wolves come to my aid.

The sexiest and strongest of them, Bodey, is adamant to protect me.

And something inside me tugs toward him almost unnaturally.

But it turns out things aren't what they seem.

There might be something more to my past than I knew . . . and Bodey might be the very person I need protecting from.

The idea of this series is a good one but you have to be really stupid to not figure out the outcome of the book. And I don’t mean who she ends up with or the general plot. I mean who the FMC is and how important she is. It was a nice set up but it frustrated me so much. I got through this one and started the next and quickly DNF. Going to try a different book by this author.

Book 1 Twisted Fate

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