Tormented Girl by Lexie Winston

3 Stars

Property destruction, aggressive threats and an injured family member is what Harlow and the Summers family are having to deal with.

Who is responsible or why this is happening is anybody’s guess?

But amidst all the drama, Harlow is trying to forget the hurts of the past and establish a new relationship with her adopted siblings, even if what she feels for them isn’t overly familial

A trip to Hawaii with Jaxon and Kai is just what she needs to forget about her worries for a while.

Or is it?

Will trouble follow them to the tropical paradise or will they get to relax and unwind and see where the holiday takes them.

With this one you finally see some relationship movement…FINALLY. There’s also a change of scenery as Harlow heads to Hawaii with Jaxon and Kai. I love the one on one we get and more backstory for the guys. This one is where my interest started to wane. It’s the same stuff from the previous books just repeated. The author seems to add side characters to suit the needs of the story. Still enjoyed it but getting frustrated by the lack of movement in the story.

Book 3 Neighpalm Industries

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Dangerous Heat by Olivia Lewin

4 Stars

Trapped and taunted with a deadly heat barrelling toward me, I’m separated from the only men I’ve ever trusted.

Handing myself over to the enemy didn’t go as planned.

My captor isn’t the cruel man I thought he was. Shan is lost in the past, insistent on dealing with his trauma alone. Caspian is fighting against his nature, putting us all at risk. Ozzy is growing distant and restless, but is silenced by his curse. Emmett is battling to keep everyone together.

As past actions threaten to tear apart our tentative trust, one question hangs over my head…

Am I safer staying put, or trying to escape?

All I know for certain is for this heat, it’ll be far too dangerous alone.

Loved where this book went with Freya. It’s interesting to see the growth and changes that happen with the characters. There are twists and turns in it that made me so happy. This book is more a book about relationship development than the story moving forward but it was still worth the read. It still ends on a cliffhanger.

Book 2 Frayed

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Frayed Trust by Olivia Lewin

4 Stars

I’m a hidden Omega with murderous impulses…

Can you blame me? With my designation it’s kill or be killed, or worse. Just ask my sister.

After the Sanctuary thrust her into the arms of a monster, I swore I’d never follow in her footsteps. Not when I revealed five years ago, and not now. I’d make it alone. No Sanctuary. No Alphas. No plan.

I didn’t really think it through.

Even if I don’t need an Alpha to take care of me, my body does. And I’m running out of time to find one of my choice. With my heats getting closer to lethal every month and a vampire kingpin who knows my identity, my only hopes are the mysterious strangers investigating my long string of murders.

Shan, the bland angel with a penchant for the rules (and making me follow them, even when he doesn't). Caspian, an incubus-fae hybrid who’s equal parts sensual and vulnerable. Em, the team’s muscle who’s inexplicably absent from the investigation.

Add in my sassy, cursed feline familiar and we have ourselves a party. And the best heat of my life, if I can bring myself to trust them with my secrets. But can I repair my frayed trust before it’s too late?

I loved this book and Freya was just awesome. The guys were also really good. I loved the snark, and the backbone Freya has. She’s determined to never be forced like her sister and take out people who are just bad. The guys you know she’s going to end up with are investigating the murders she’s responsible for and chaos ensues. Can’t wait for book 2.

Book 1 Frayed

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Noir Reformatory by J.R. Thorne and Lexi C Floss

3 Stars

Wrapped in a world of sin and sexy alpha angels.
Forever defined by my black wings.
My father, King of the Nora, sent me to Noir Reformatory to atone for crimes I didn’t commit.
So what’s a girl to do? Escape, obviously.
Except I need allies to accomplish that feat and no one wants anything to do with King Sefid’s daughter. If anything, my claim to the throne has only made running that much harder, and worse, I’m stuck with two hot angels standing in my way.
Auric is my supposed guardian, his white wings marking him as my superior in this deadly playground. Only, I’m his princess and I refuse to bow to a warrior like him.
And Novak, the notorious Prison King, is hell-bent on teaching me my place. Which he seems to think is beneath him. In his bed.
This prison resembles a training camp for soldiers more than a reformatory for the Fallen. I suspect something nefarious is at play here, but of course, no one believes me. I’m the guilty princess with black wings. Well, I’ll prove them all wrong. I just hope it isn’t too late.
My name is Princess Layla.
I’m innocent.
And I do not accept this fate.

This one has more questions than answers. It feels like you come into the story part way into it. The writing is good and even though I have so many questions I’m willing to give it a shot since all are out.

Book 1 Noir Reformatory

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Pack Dutton Part One by Megan Cain

3 Stars

Biology’s a bitch, and I’m the punchline.

I spent the first eighteen years of my life thinking I was a beta. But when my omega designation hit, my uncle had already sold me to a cult of alpha worshiping psychos. When their leader decides to claim me as his fifth wife, I realize I’m never getting out.

Until my saviors appear in the form of an FBI pack that raids the compound and saves me.

Crew, Rhett, Kellan, and Jude aren’t what I expected, but they might be exactly what I need to survive the new world I’m thrown into. Omega rights are being decimated by new laws at every turn, and when you’re a trophy for the highest bidder, there’s no such thing as playing fair.

But the one thing I am sure of? Pack Dutton is playing for keeps, and I’m the prize.

The rating for this can go up once part 2 is out but the ending was just so bad. Hazel is kidnapped and it just ends. The next book isn’t out until August, and I am mad about it. For this specific book. I enjoyed the characters and the give and take with the pack. I wanted more world buildings to explain why they do what they do. I very much need the next one.

Book 1 Pack Dutton

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House of Omega by Roxy Collins

4 Stars

I AM WORTHY.

My stepbrother has my future mapped out. I’m going to be his pack’s companion when he bonds his omega next spring. As a beta, he’s tried to convince me it’s the best I can hope for, even if it includes duties with his pack that make me shudder.

But I want more. My dream job is to be a designer for House of Omega, the most elite luxury goods company in the world. But a ruined interview dashes my hopes, until a chance encounter with a beautiful male omega, Max. He needs my help securing a wealthy pack, and I suddenly find myself tangled up with the Rose Pack, the owners of House of Omega.

Because if they want to court Max, he insists I’m part of the package. I have my hesitations, not least of all because my stepbrother threatens to destroy anyone who dares to keep us apart. But my off-the-charts chemistry with Max convinces me to move into the Rose Tower, and soon I’m living and working with the wildly attractive Rose alphas.

Everything I’ve ever wanted seems to be in my grasp, especially when the lines between companion and mate start to blur. And when my stepbrother comes to claim me, I realize I don’t just want to fight to be Max’s plus-one.

I want to be the complete package.

But is there really a place for me in the House of Omega?

I love a good beta story and this one didn’t disappoint. I loved the connection between FMC and Max. They were all in with each other even without the Alphas but adding in the Alphas made it that much sweeter. Everyone brought something new to the pack. It made for a good read.

Book is apart of Pack’s Companion

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Hell Kissed, Fire Kissed, Soul Kissed by AK Koonce

3 Stars, 2 Stars

Rhys was not expecting her night to end the way it did but she will do anything to get away from the alpha who wanted to make her his whore. She is on a journey to find her family and a way to stay far away from her past. Will she be able to find all her answers and get her HEA?

This was one book that was split into 3 weird parts. It didn’t make sense to split up and book 1 is the only one I enjoyed. It went downhill so quickly from book 1. The descriptions for books 2 and 3 didn’t match with what happened in the book and it was disappointing. I also have so many unanswered questions. If given a chance I would skip this one.

Book 1 – 3 Rejected Realms

Hell Kissed 

Fire Kissed 

Soul Kissed 

Random Encounter by Allyson Lyndt

3 Stars

Adrienne meets Dustin and Phillips when they volunteer to be the nude models for her art class. She is intrigued by them and wants them but can’t be in a relationship right now. She’s just changed jobs and on her first day she finds out these men she’s so intrigued by are her new boss and coworker. They are in a relationship but open for more but nothing too series. With everything going on with her is she willing to take what she can get or will she demand it all.

The guys needed to have their asses handed to them way more than they do. They were dicks and the Adrienne deserved better. I loved her and she’s been screwed before which makes me want her to have better guys. I think my biggest issue was the guys had their relationship and because of them not being open and honest it screwed with their relationship with her and put her life in danger. The guys sort of make it up to her but more begging would not have been a disappointment. Enjoyed the author’s writing and world building so I will read the next one in the series.

Book 1 Three Player Tag Team

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Cursed by Yve Vale

 

3 Stars

Everything was up in the air for Shayla and her mates. They need to finally mate each other. They need to take down the bad guys but keep each other safe. Can they finally take out the evil men and be safe?

I struggled with this book. I liked the first two as there was a lot of connections made between Shayla and her mates. This one felt like it was hurry up and wait. There was a lot of sex and not a lot of movement with the plot even though this is the last book in the series. Things are resolved it just felt like this book was all about the sex and mating. Things were thrown out in the end that came out of left field. Overall, it was just ok. The author has said she will be continuing in this world and I am curious to see how those work out.

Book 3 Shadowcraft Academy

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Jinxed (Shadowcraft Academy, #2) by Yve Vale

4 Stars

The mystery mage now knows Shayla’s unique power and he’s more determined than ever to steal her life force. Still struggling with her fated mates leads to Shayla struggling with everything. Every step she takes forward it feels like she takes 4 steps back. The more she learns of each of her mates the more she wants to have her HEA. Will they discover who is behind the abduction and draining of supernaturals?

This book starts where book 1 ends and it progressed nicely. It builds on what was going on in book 1 and makes for an interesting read. There was more character development and some redemption with the mates that definitely needed to happen for their mating to happen. The ending does end on a cliff again. It wasn’t horribly cliffhanger-y. Several things wrapped up nicely but new plots were started that lead into book 3 which should be the last book. The last book should be interesting.

Book 2 Shadowcraft Academy

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Knot for Hire by Violet Fox

 

2.5 Stars

Colt, Gabriel, Elliot, Wade, and Bryce from Pack Steel, need an omega and think Lark is perfect for them. The problem for Lark is they already have an omega, but their omega is male and is pretending to be a beta. She is tired of being arm candy for alphas and is considering their offer. When things come up and people question if their relationship is real she needs to decide if she’s all in.

I’ve liked other books by this author, but this was not one of my favorites. It was a bit disjointed and had a pacing issue. At one-point some of the alphas and the beta are attacked and it’s not addressed. It’s glossed over. It was an interesting concept, but it needed work. Then it ends in on cliffhanger and I need the next book.

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The Shield and Axe by M.K. Robert

 

4 Star

Elwyn is well aware her only reason for living is to marry well and bring a connection to her community. She is worthless without a good marriage. When she is traded to a neighboring community she expects the experience she had with her father’s community. Instead she finds women are respected and encouraged to do things that make them happy. She’s also not being forced into a marriage but given a choice of who she wants to end up with. Will she find her HEA?

I loved this story and it probably would have been a 5 star read but it ended on a freaking cliffhanger ending and the new one isn’t out until May 2023. I loved how much Elwyn grows and changes with the encouragement of Thorsten and Trygve. They both want her and don’t care if she’s with the other one. When the ending came I was so incredibly angry because I wanted them to conclude the their story with them getting a HEA and that is not what we get. I can’t wait for the next book to come out.

Book 1 Vikings Saga

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The New Guy by Sarina Bowen

4 Star

Hudson Newgate is tired of being known as the new guy. Every year he’s traded to a new team. The latest move is to Brooklyn. He’s trying to keep his head down so that they will sign him with a no trade clause, but an injury might not get him what he wants. On a night out he meets single dad, Gavin, who just so happens to be the newest athletic trainer for the team. He shouldn’t want something with Gavin as that isn’t keeping his head down but there’s just something about him that he can’t walk away.

I really enjoyed reading this book. There are a lot of struggles Gavin and Hudson have to deal with in their lives which makes for all the drama in the book. The relationship between them was super sweet and you are rooting for them to get their HEA. My biggest issue with the story is something I can’t talk about without ruining the ending. Let’s just say that the ending frustrated me and also disappointed me. The part that did doesn’t have to do with the relationship but something secondary to the plot but it is a big tell so read the book and see my frustration.

Book 8 Brooklyn Hockey

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Fake it Till You Mate It by Flora Quincy

 

3.5 Stars

She was supposed to marry her perfect pack and then it all went to hell. Years later she’s back in town looking for a divorce so she can marry her new mates. When the courts throw a wrench in the works what will happen?

I loved this second chance romance. There is so much to unpack and figure out where everything went wrong. I loved the process to get to the happily ever after. There are so many personalities in the book, and they just mesh well. There are some grammatical and spelling errors that should have been caught in editing. I caught several and usually I miss these issues. I knocked off a half star for that. Other than that it flowed nicely and I fell into the book. I can’t wait to see the next book.

Book 1 A Package Deal

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Despicable by Rory Miles

 

2.5 Stars

Bellatrix at 27 figured she wouldn’t ever find her fated mate. When her parents choose to move across the country to join a new pack she decided to go with. When they arrive she finds her fated mate but he rejects her for not being a virgin. Since she was rejected she is sent to the reject islands to live out her days.

This book needed more backstory and worldbuilding to make sense. I don’t know if one of the other books in the series would make a difference as they are all written by different authors. I did like Bellatrix. She was strong willed and gave no shits to what others thought about her. She was determined to live her life to the fullest. I liked the guys she ended up with, but the murder mystery just seemed weird and out there. I would be interested in trying again if there was some explanation as to why she had to go to the island but her fated didn’t. Like because he rejected her he isn’t going to go nuts but she might. Please explain the thought process. It needs some work.

Part of the Rejected Island Series

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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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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.

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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

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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

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Found by Jayne Rylan

 

2 Star

The Shields security team works in a gray area. They go in when the police can't. The team has been trying to take down a sex trafficking ring and find Laurel, the boss’ sister. With the latest raid they are finally able to track her down.  How she will be is anyone’s guess. Nolan brings her and her friend Jace in to be protected. Will he keep them safe and keep his hands to himself?

Sex trafficking warning!

 

I wanted to like this book. I've read other books by her and I like her style. My issue is Nolan hooks up with Laurel and Jace almost immediately after they are rescued. They had been trafficked and used. Even though they’ve been out of it they still have the trauma and it was never addressed. I find it hard to believe someone who had been through what they have would jump into a relationship. The other issue is it says book one but it's apart of another series and you need to read that one first to understand what is going on. I’ll skip this one in the future.

Book 1 Powertools: The Shields

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