Surge by Maya Nicole

2 Stars

My life changed forever the day my father's oil rig crashed into the ocean. Now, three men want answers I don't have, and they'll do whatever it takes to get them.

Jax, Morgan, and Blake want to destroy me, but I know their secret.

I’m questioning everything I knew to be true. Especially when the truth about them leads to discovering a deep, long-hidden secret about myself.

They aren't who they appear to be... but neither am I.

Riley gets handed a crap hand. Dad has been MIA all her life and now mom is running. This ends up on a cliff and it’s an interesting concept just not implemented well. On top of that Riley is really stupid. She’s told to keep secrets and she reveals it to all the guys who were being dicks to her. That was strike one for me. Strike two and three was no world building and no character development. Skipping the rest of the series.

Book 1 Salinity Cove

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Chaotic by T.S. Snow

3 Stars

Battle Mage or Magical Engineer?
Easy choice, right?
Engineer. Obviously.
I'm Charisma Carter, tech genius and nerd extraordinaire.
I actually used to be Charisma Silverstorm, member of one of the six elite Arcane Families,
until my family shunned me when I turned 18 because my magic wasn't strong enough.
However, where I lack in magic I more than make up for with the tech I develop, if I do say so myself.
Apparently, I'm not the only one.
From the minute I received my diploma as a magical engineer,
It seems like my world has turned upside down.
Now members of all six families are competing to get me to work for them.
They're willing to use anything, from bribes to charm.
It's not enough that the heirs to Arcane are walking sex gods,
they also have a lot of money and exceptional magical skills.
As our paths intertwine,
I have to try to stay true to who I am, who I've always been, and not succumb to their charms.
But how can a girl resist when the future she always dreamed of is right at her fingertips?

I really liked Charisma. She was weird but kicking but. I wanted more backstory and world building in this book. The book was a quick read, but it ends on a massive cliffhanger ending. I will be trying the rest of the series as I am very interested to see how this all plays out.

Book 1 Arcane Mage

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Academy of Six by AK Koonce and Aleera Anaya Ceres

2 Stars

Deadly monsters live in all of us. The Academy of Six has just never seen a monster as terribly mundane as Izara Castillo. And that is a dangerous problem.

She has four semesters to not only understand her supernatural abilities, but harness them as well. Everything at the Academy is a disaster, from Interdimensional Travels through hell to the other hell they like to call Gym. Bullies push her, test her, and simply try to kill her. A few broodingly protective roommates and a scary fake boyfriend could help.

Or make her life impossibly harder. Pretend to date the emotionally detached demon, they said. What’s the worst that could happen, they said.

It’s make or break within this prison of a school. If she succeeds, she’ll finally know what she’s capable of, who she truly is, and where she came from. If she fails…she dies.

There is no world building or character development. You’re dropped into this story with no explanation as to why things were the way they were. I liked the idea of the series but needed more to fall for the book. Like why I should care about anyone or anything in the book. I may try the next book to see if it gets better but I need a break.

Book 1 Origins of the Six

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Supernatural Academy: Year One by Jaymin Eve

3 Stars

Maddison James is about to discover some truths about the world.

Firstly … supernaturals exist.

WTF?

Secondly … she is one, even though no one seems to know exactly what kind.

Double WTF.

Thirdly … she’s about to go back to school.

Well, things just got a little more interesting.

The Supernatural Academy is where shifters, vampires, magic users, and fey are educated. Where they are taught about their abilities, and how to function in the human world. Maddison already has the human part down, but this supernatural thing is an entirely new dangerous game.

Example one: mean girls who can actually turn you into a frog.

Example two: Asher Locke, a god at the Academy. Not literally … well, who knows for sure. He certainly acts the part, as do all of his minions who worship him.

Asher drives her crazy, because apparently gorgeous and arrogant is her thing. Sparks fly between them, and the more they’re thrown together, the more Asher is determined to figure out what’s been blocking her abilities.

Until the moment the truth is revealed, and they find out nothing in this supernatural world is what they thought.

Including each other.

Maddi is thrown into a supernatural world she wasn’t aware of. She rolls with the punches so she can discover everything she can. It’s one of the things I liked best about her. I also liked all the guys and secondary characters. Some of my issues with the story is it jumps around on the timeline. It jumps ahead in the time to move the story along and it doesn’t make sense and was very jarring. There also needs to be some character development to like/hate some of the characters. Overall, I liked it enough to continue the series.

Book 1 Supernatural Academy

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Willing Sacrifice by Latrexa Nova

3 Stars

Willing Sacrifices is a collection of the first four novellas of Sacrificed to Monster Gods, including the prequel, Enthralled by Shadows -- Enthralled by Death, Enflamed by Fire, Ensnared by Dreams & Terrors, and Entrapped by Mythos.

“There is nothing more monstrous than a god.

If you don’t find offerings before the veil between worlds is thinnest… they will eat the world. The planets, the sun, the galaxies beyond, nothing will ever be enough.

Although... there are those who look for what the gods have to offer. Willing sacrifices..."

There was an overall trope of the gods are in need of a good partner to rescue them through smexy time. The first couple of books were good but then the plot became very repetitive by the second and third book and that’s about when my interest fizzled out. Still worth giving it a shot as it was an interesting read.

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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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Dragon’s Bride by Alex Lidell

4 Stars

A bargain struck. A pact made. Now the dragon princes must forge me into a bride.

Except dragons’ brides are molded from childhood—while Tavias’s pack has mere weeks to make me into a passable one. To teach me to fight. To behave. To mate.

As our ship slices through the perilous sea toward the Equinox Trials, the danger isn’t confined to evil creatures in the ocean’s depth. Here, aboard a naval ship, I discover more than I bargained for. Friendship. Fear. Lessons in intimacy that awaken desires I never knew existed.

I’m in this for one reason only. To win my freedom. I know better than to lose my heart. Don’t I?

The book started right where 1 ended. We get more of their traveling and a whole lot of steam. You see a deeper connection between Kit and most of the dragons. Without spoilers I saw the way the book ended the way it did and how it all played out, but I loved the way it got there. It does end on another cliff, and I can’t wait for books 3 and 4.

Book 2 Her Royal Dragon Pack

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Dirty Lying Faeries by Sabrina Blackburry

4 Stars

For better or for worse, the newest changeling has arrived . . .

When Thea Kanelos’s best friend drags her to an art gala (that’s definitely not her thing), she doesn’t expect a chance encounter with Devin Grayson to change her life forever. The handsome stranger isn’t just anyone—he’s a powerful fae, charged with bringing Thea into his world.

Believing that she’s always been human, Thea must accept that everything she’s known about herself up until now has been a lie. She’s not human at all. She is a fae—funny, because she doesn’t even believe in faeries.

But with strange creatures now visible on the street and fangs and colors flashing in the shadows, it can’t be denied: faeries are real. And with the Winter Solstice approaching, a magnificent ball will bring her fully into the fae world and draw her closer to Devin with whom she has a deepening and dangerous attraction.

As her new powers awaken, Thea learns she plays a more pivotal role to the fae than she ever imagined. And when the barrier between the human and the fae worlds begins to crack, it will be up to her to save not just herself, but everyone she loves from a terrible fate.

Loved this take on the Fae. Thea was amazing and so relatable. Devin was awesome if a bit of a dick but does get better by the end. Loved most of the secondary characters except Thea BFF. She annoyed me throughout the book. I think she was supposed to annoy so meh. My biggest issue with the book is I am left wanting to know what ended up happening with Thea family. It is explained she will have to limit contact for reasons you will need to read to find out. The book just kind of ends without any resolution between Thea and her family. With that said I still can’t wait to pick up book 2.

Book 1 The Enchanted Fates

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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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Dragon's Captive by Alex Lidell

4 Stars

For once, I thought being an orphaned slave would keep me safe. Yet when the dragon princes come for their promised bride, Lady Cordelia, they take me too. Why? Because they are immortal assholes who like to hoard.

But when Cordelia is killed, the dragons have a big problem: if they return without a human mate, they’ll lose their throne. 

So we strike a deal. I play bride in exchange for my freedom. All I must do is survive the bridal trials, manage the mating mechanics, and remember that dragon royals are killers, not friends.

All I must do is not fall in love.

Loved this one. It was just getting good, and it ended in a cliffhanger. Kit is so strong and willing to put the dragons in their place. The guys are dicks and arrogant. They grow on you. The guys are very different and have their own issues. she balances them out. I can't wait to see how the trials workout for them.

Book 1 Her Royal Dragon Pack

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Wayside by A.A. Gordon

2.5 Stars

The Dowrra are human females descended from Inanna, a goddess of love, whose dormant desires erupt when they meet their destiny and mate with powerful, supernatural creatures.
Oblivious to her Dowrra heritage, curvy red-headed stunner, Gwendolyn Rhys never imagined there was a reason for her lack of passion and poor choices in boyfriends.
Then, 500-year-old Miguel Santos, vampire Prince of Wayside Coven, walks into the downtown Toronto diner where she’s serving and changes everything.
Gwen is blindsided by desire. Her heart beats so hard she can feel it pulsing in her fingertips. She’s unnaturally captivated by the tall stranger’s full mouth, rugged jaw, and sculpted body. Her hunger is confusing, disturbing, magnetic – intoxicating. She’s never known such fierce yearning.
Miguel is equally mesmerized by this bold human who doesn’t seem to fear him. The heat of her desire flushing under her soft skin is pure temptation, but it is her innocence and feisty intelligence that fascinates him. Such a powerful impulse can only be a Dowrra bond forming.
Miguel charms Gwen with the city’s glittering nightlife, black tie events, and luxury cars, but his obligation is to maintain the shaky truce between humans and the paranormal. As tensions rise, he’ll need to protect his Dowrra mate, but will Gwen accept Miguel’s dark secret before it’s too late? Can the proud, self-assured vampire prince humble himself for love? Will they survive the war that threatens to unravel their destiny?

This book had a good idea but wasn’t implemented well. It frustrated me that everyone knew what was going on but Gwen. Plus, Miguel is all in while holding this huge secret. When it’s revealed he’s just going to walk away from her because he doesn't think she can handle what he is. He doesn’t give her an option to stay. So frustrating. She deserves better. I might give book 2 a chance to see if it gets better and to see how everything plays out but I need a break from it.

Book 1 The Dowrra

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Kurt’s Honor by Jade Thorn

 

2 Stars

Shop keeper by day, badass demon fighter by night. Grace's life isn't really that complex until the day Kurt sweeps into her supernatural store. Handsome, talented, and with an ego the size of China, he's a handful, but not more than she can cope with. He just needs a little 'attitude adjustment'.
Chicago, on the other hand, has more trouble than either of them can deal with, and if they don't get to the bottom of this sudden influx of demons, the whole city will be at risk.
Kurt is the best and brightest of The Brotherhood's elite corps and Grace packs a punch nobody expected, but even combined will they be enough to save the city?

I’ve liked so many books by Jade Thorn, this one hurts. I didn’t like this one at all. Kurt was an asshole throughout the book and doesn’t get any better. Grace deserved so much better than what she gets. It’s an interesting concept but when you hate one of the main characters it makes it hard to read. I did read the description for future books, and it looks like the main conflict continues with the men Grace is going to end up with being dicks and still getting her. I will be skipping.

Book 1 The Brotherhood

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Tanglewood Witches by Genevieve Jack

3 Stars

Bound to each other by unexpected magic...

Hauled out of bed by a brutish soldier and tossed into a stone cell, the last thing Alena expects is to come face to face with wealthy businessman Orpheus. The rake almost tricked her into his bed once and is the one man she's tried to avoid ever since. To her utter dismay, she learns he's her new partner in a forced mission: to acquire a celestial weapon, one protected by the gods.

Orpheus never anticipated meeting anyone like Alena, let alone deceiving her. Could their immediate connection be due to a common secret—ancestral magic? To win this game of the gods thrust upon them, he'll have to earn her trust again and heal old wounds before it's too late.

The biggest surprise for both of them? Surviving their quest is just the beginning. Together, they have the potential to build a dynasty of powerful witches and wizards. All it will take is a book, a tree... and a dragon.

I loved the first part of this book with Alena and Orpheus. The story was cute and interesting to see how things they did led to what happens in future books. Where the book lost me was when it switched to one of their daughters. It just seemed out there because it wasn’t clearly marked in the book. All of a sudden we had new characters being named and I flipped back to see what I missed. It was ok. Interested in seeing how book two plays out.

Book 1 The Three Sisters

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Cursed Vampire by Brogan Thomas

3 Stars

Half unicorn, half bloodsucker, all trouble.

When her secret gets out, can this feisty teenager survive?

Tru Dennison’s life feels like a sick joke. Still grieving her adoptive grandad and kicked out by her useless uncle, the seventeen-year-old is juggling two jobs just to afford a roof over her head. The last thing she needs? A shifter customer biting her during a shift.

Already battling a strange illness she can’t seem to shake, Tru’s terrified the bite will expose her hidden bloodline to the supernatural community. And when the wound makes her condition even worse, she starts to realise there’s far more to fear than just discovery.

Now everyone wants a piece of her—and they’re not playing nice.

Can Tru’s rebel spirit save her when she becomes the prize in a deadly supernatural tug-of-war?

Cursed Vampire is the thrilling third standalone novel in the Creatures of the Otherworld urban fantasy series. If you love snarky heroines, forbidden romance, and magical mayhem, you’ll adore Brogan Thomas’s feisty adventure.

I’m so angry with this one. It ended but Tru doesn’t end up with the guy. I was so confused that I looked it up to see if the next book was hers and it wasn’t. which led to a deep dive into published books by this author. She spun this one off into another series. Just why? Why wouldn’t you continue the story in the next book and conclude it. Instead, the next book is a different set of characters in this world and I have to pick up the other series to get the conclusion for Tru. It kind of turned me off and I am going to take a break from this author for me.

Book 3 Creatures of the Otherworld

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Cursed Demon by Brogan Thomas

3 Stars

She enjoyed life as a demon’s pet. Until the cries of an innocent tore her world asunder…

Emma Case is freaking out. Being surrounded by monsters is risky enough without breaking the rules, but when the soft-hearted girl hears a pup in distress, she can’t resist trespassing on forbidden ground. And after discovering the unfortunate creature is a wolf-shifter, she’s stunned when the child’s pack accuses her of the crime and abducts her for interrogation.

Tortured for information she doesn’t have, Emma pleads desperately for her handsome tormenter to believe her. Yet as the naïve young woman tumbles deeper into the realm of supernatural intrigue, she unexpectedly manifests frightening powers she has no idea how to control.

Will Emma’s hidden heritage prove a blessing or a bane?

Cursed Demon is the second standalone book in the character-driven Creatures of the Otherworld urban fantasy series. If you like sassy heroines, laugh-out-loud humour, and white-knuckle thrills, then you’ll love Brogan Thomas’s action-packed tale.

I loved book one but this one wasn’t as good. This is the brother from book one and he was a dick in book one and he’s a dick in this book. FMC deserved so much more than him and his bull. I noticed with book one there’s no real conclusion to the story and book two continues that which left me wanting. I still enjoyed the overall story and will try the next one.

Book 2 Creatures of the Otherworld

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The Gods We Obey by Auryn Hadley

3 Stars

As priests, we are meant to obey - but our duties are to our gods, not mere men.

Zeal is back, and he's seen by more people every day. The God of Temptation grows stronger, but High Priest Kinen has found the one thing that can stop a god: disbelief. The return of our gods means an end to his power.

And Kinen isn't ready to lose.

Over time, the priests of our temple have surrendered their power in the name of our god. We're trained to obey, to help, and to be Zeal's tools when he cannot help himself - and now that has become a problem.

Because power is given, never taken, and we have surrendered far too much. It's time for things to change, before our complacency destroys our gods. And yet, habits are such hard things to break.

What we need is a rebellion - and I'm going to start it.

Our gods never expected blind obedience, so it's time to give into the temptation to fight back. But will the price for this be more than I can pay? I just can't believe this is what my path was meant for - or is this all just a game between gods and men? Because we, the Priests of Temptation, have been betrayed.

I have prayed.

I have obeyed.

Now I'm doing it my way.

Too many pointless things in this book. Giving a 3 for overall series not for this book. This one does wrap everything up nicely but it takes forever to get there. It got very preachy ny the end of the series and I got bored. Overall if trimmed down it would be a good series but as is it is too long.

Book 6 The Path of Temptation

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The Prayers We Pray by Auryn Hadley

2 Stars

Be careful what you pray for - because even gods can be tempted.

The Temple of Temptation is broken. The system is failing the priests who serve faithfully, but Zeal isn't missing. He's simply powerless - or was.

As more priests believe in our god, the balance of power has been shifting. Temptation is thriving. Miracles are happening. The High Priest is struggling. In his attempts to control me, he's making it almost impossible to help the other gods.

Something has to give, and I'm worried it might be me.

With the last semester of my initiate training underway, things are supposed to be looking up. I finally have instructors who are grading me fairly. I no longer feel like a failure. However, my ties to the nobility of our barony have drawn just a little too much attention. The wrong kind.

The High Priest wants to get rid of me. My enemies want to destroy me out of jealousy. The nobility wants to put me in my place. My lovers want to protect me at all costs because things are starting to get dangerous.

None of that will stop me because gods aren't the only ones to answer prayers.

I am the voice of Zeal. I walk with the Blade, the Shield, the Temptation, and the Shadow. We are the devoted, five priests determined to serve our gods in any way they demand - but the divine holds no power over men who don't believe. Faith offers little to those who think they are the ones who should be worshipped.

Gods want love. Men want power. Everyone knows temptation.

To save Zeal, I'm tempted to destroy everything...

Even our traditions.

I am determined to finish this series because I need to know how the series ends but I think 6 books is way too many books for the storyline. This one has the same issues as the past couple of books. No movement and repetitive throughout the book. Only one more to go.

Book 5 The Path of Temptation

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The Ways We Betray by Auryn Hadley

3 Stars

To protect those who matter most, we will betray others in ways we never expected.

This is supposed to be a good year. With a new set of instructors - and ones I know well - I'm sure it will be. For once, things are finally starting to go my way. My mentors are proud, my family is closer than ever before, and I am happy.

Unfortunately, the gods are tired of waiting. Every day, Zeal grows stronger, but Ambition, Inspiration, Perception, Compassion, and Intuition don't. They're fading, with no hope in sight.

Except me.

Piece by piece, my god has built me up, given me "weapons" to use, and made me into the kind of woman I can be proud of. He calls me his partner and that isn't an empty title. It means more than just serving him. I can tell by the longing in his divine eyes.

My success doesn't go unnoticed, though. My haters want to destroy me, but let them try. Petty bullying is too childish for me to worry about. With so many priests able to see the God of Temptation now, I no longer care who likes me and who doesn't.

And that's my biggest mistake.

Because my god doesn't run this temple. He doesn't make the rules. With a single signed paper, I'm no longer as safe as I thought. Friends are going to be betrayed. Lovers will suffer. Somehow, I have to fix this.

I am the Priestess of Temptation, Zeal's chosen.

Someone is going to be punished.

I almost hope it's me.

Just like the last one this book dragged on because of the repetitiveness. The story is just plodding along with no new conflict. Nari was just trying to get people to remember what they are there for. Something new or different would be nice.

Book 4 The Path of Temptation

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Games We Play by Auryn Hadley

3 Stars

We're tempted to play games, thinking they will give us more power - but that only works if we win.

After spending the holidays with my guardian's family, it seems that everyone in the temple has the wrong idea. The Baron isn't my patron. He's not even a friend. In truth, I hate the man.

But the rumor mill is strong, and jealousy is running rampant.

This is all just one more excuse for my instructors to hold me back, lower my grades, and try to force me to choose one path. I can't! My god needs me to save him, and the Path of Temptation gives me the power to do that.

Except that I'm drowning in the pressure, feeling like I'm failing my god. I need to make people believe in him, but how can I do that when I can't believe in myself? All these mind games are starting to pile up, and it's tearing me apart.

But Zeal is getting stronger.

That's enough to keep me going. No matter how hard they try to push me down, I'll just keep fighting back, learning to play this game better each time. I will not become the victim here, because I'm not doing this alone. My lovers will always stand with me.

But this is not a game.

If we fail, we'll lose everything -

Including each other.

This one continues where the last ended and the story progresses but not quickly. One of the biggest issues I had was the repetitive conversations that were had plus the inner dialogue which slowed the story down drastically. It was still good but needs work.

Book 3 The Path of Temptation

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Paths We Lay by Auryn Hadley

3 Stars

To find temptation, we must lay our own path.

For the last ten years, I thought I was nothing special. I was just another priestess in the Temple of Temptation. One of many. Little did I know that my god has plans for me. He intends to make me powerful.

But what I will become is up to me.

For centuries, things here have always been done the same way - and the gods are now paying for it. Somehow, I'm expected to revive the faith. I'm their last hope, but no one is quite sure how I'm supposed to do that.

That means I'm making this up as I go. My god is begging me to become something new. My temple wants me to respect traditions. My instructors want to force me to follow their rules.

I just want to save my god.

With my three men, I know I'll figure it out. That is not the same as this being easy, though. Even worse, being "special" makes those around me jealous, and giving in to temptation is a part of our nature. When my guardian's family gets involved, things get infinitely more complicated.

The temple wants to break me.

My success or failure depends on the path I choose.

I just hope I find the right one.

The big reveal was big, and Nari has a lot to do and defend in this book. Some of the relationship stuff frustrated me in this one but it was minor. It wasn’t as good as book one but still good. Wished it would move a bit faster.

Book 2 The Path of Temptation

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