Break my Bones by Grace McGinty

4 Stars

Andrei Ludokov

A drunken promotional after party involving unlimited vodka, several social media influencers, puck bunnies for miles, and the goalie from an opposing team, leads to a massive mistake.

No, not a surprise pregnancy. I was drunk but not that drunk.

No, this mistake was worse because even months later, I can’t get it out of my head and it’s effecting my performance. My coaches are on my case because I’m dragging ass on the ice. My friends are all worried because I holed up in my hometown for the entire off season.

There’s only one thing to do, and there’s only one person who can help me. Juniper. My best friend and the social media manager for the IceCaps. Sure, she’ll give me her disappointed face. That sighed, “Dammit, Ludo,” that I’ve heard at least once a month since we were fourteen. But in the end she’ll help me, because she’s my Juniper Berry and she wants me to be happy.

I just needed her to commit to it before I had to face “The Norse God” on the damn ice again and all my carefully controlled mistakes spiral out of control.

If Rigby Engman and River Cooper can have some kind of polyamorous lifestyle in the NHL, why can’t I?

Really enjoyed the story and the characters. I wish Juniper was more the focus versus Ludo and Eric’s relationship and hiding that relationship. It also read as Ludo wasn’t truly interested in Juniper but Eric pushed it so he went along with it. I still enjoyed the reading.

Book 2 Penalty Box Players

Amazon 

Wicked Girl by AJ Merlin

3 Stars

The murders may be over, but my heartache is back in full force, thanks to my mother and my own misgivings.

When I return to Winter Grove early and end up relying on the pack to help me out, I’m sure it’s a new form of torture. Instead, I find myself growing closer to August and Foster. I can’t help but think they’re dragging me deeper underwater, with no intention of letting me up for air anytime soon.

To add to the confusion, a new arrival at the university has a grudge against the pack, and she knows that getting to them is easier when she’s targeting anyone who’s more vulnerable than the boys.

And that might include me, despite how much I want to stay out of it.

But when she goes after my place at Winter Grove and the pack that I might be willing to call my own, will I just let her? Or will I take a few lessons from my vile boys and show her I’m not so quick to surrender?

Picks up rightish where the last ends. You get more info about each of the guys. The struggle Mercy has with her new roommate is something everyone can relate to. The secondary story behind the romance was better in this one. It fleshed out the guys' past. I loved that they came together to help Mercy. Overall, a good duology. 

Book 2 Knot Their Toy

Amazon

Vile Boys by A J Merlin

3 Stars

Nothing says welcome to your dream University like dead bodies and a warning to stay in my lane.

It’s almost impossible to get into Winter Grove University, so when I’m accepted on scholarship, I know my life will change for the better. Or will it?

When an alpha starts harassing me to join his pack, I’m left with no choice but to tell him I belong to another. The thing is, I name drop the richest, most notorious pack on campus.

Dorian, Foster, and August aren’t happy when they find out, and the tension between us grows. These vile boys know how to hold a grudge, but when I’m forced to spend time with them, I can’t stop the connection that’s growing between us.

With a killer closer than we thought, will I lose everything I’ve ever wanted or will I become the omega I never thought I could be?

I did love this book. It was a good story but there were issues with the secondary plot. Mercy is both strong and weak. She is on her own and is somewhat sheltered. She isn't willing to put up with the alphas being dicks but also caves to Dorian, Foster, and August. If the entire story was about what the Vile Boys do to Mercy throughout the story would be a solid 4 stars, but it wasn't. There is a murder on campus that they get dragged into. This part of the book isn't well developed at all. Mentioned in passing until they all get dragged into it. It didn't really add to the story. Overall good "bully" romance. Can't wait to see what book 2 has to bring.

Book 1 Knot Their Toy

Amazon 

Knot Without You by Lucy Scott Bryon

2.5 Stars

𝗜’𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲, 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀.

The instant I saw King I knew he was my scent-matched Alpha, and boy did he drive that point home. The second time I met him was when my bestie, who also happens to be his daughter, introduced us. Yep, that was a plot twist I never saw coming.

My Scorned Girls have always said ‘slots before knots’ but in one night the friendship we share is changed forever by my need for King. Throw in the fact one of his enemies knows about me, it’s little wonder I stop sharing secrets with the girls. When those threats become physical I start lying through my teeth.

I don’t even tell them about Maverick who scents as good as he fights, or the doctor I accidentally claim. Of course those Alphas have deadly secrets of their own.

I know we’re living a dangerous life but the heart wants what the heart wants - and I want to call those Alphas mine. No matter the distance we try to maintain our paths keep crossing and it doesn’t take long to see that nothing is going to stop us packing - not even their Alpha rivalry.

What threatens our future isn’t telling the Scorned Girls, it’s the very reason we’ve had to keep each other a secret.

In the darkness that follows all I can do is hope they didn’t lie when they said we’d be together…because I’m not sure I want to survive, not without them.

She was never a priority for the rest of the pack. It made me so mad that all the guys put Tristan last. It was all little rejections in the pack. Everything was overly complicated between pack members. Not to mention how discombobulated things were because they tried to include things from other books. It’s a rare bad book from this author.

Book 3 Scornedverse

Amazon 

Pack Apollo by Brandy Slaven

3 Stars

Welcome to North Five University a place where both independence and packs can be found.

Billie Bardot has lived in poverty her whole life and wants nothing more than to make something of herself. Disregarding North U's reputation for omegas finding their packs, she wants to be able to support herself and her mom without any help. Working at the bar pays the bills, but she can dance circles around social media. When word gets back to Pack Apollo, they decide she's exactly what they need for their business and maybe for their pack too.

The book had potential but need more fleshed out characters. Even if a book is short it still needs good character development. I also felt the ending was rushed with not enough groveling for what happened between characters.

Book 1 North Five University

Amazon 

Cheating Death by Sarah Reynolds

4 Stars

Sunday is an empath and she knows the rules to stay away from the other supernaturals but she’s not given a choice when her brother goes missing. She now has get help from a vampire. This brings her too close to other supernatural world and she must rely on Grayson to help get her brother back. But can they keep their hands to themselves?

This was a weird book I couldn’t put down and when I finished, I wanted to start the second book immediately. I wanted more world building and some things explained. I also with the author used the characters names vs pronouns because there were times it was difficult to determine who was speaking or being spoken too. I have zero problem with the one character asking to be referred to as they/them however, when the author is talking the collective plus this character it made me reread the paragraph a couple of times to figure out who was involved. It does end on a cliffhanger which was a bit disappointing but book 2 is out.

Book 1 House of Marchese Saga

Amazon 

Myths and Monsters by Beatrix Hollow

2 Stars

My plan was to travel the country writing about the things I see and to get away from my strange family. Instead, my first stop in West Virginia shows you can never get away from the strange. Will I survive what’s coming for me?

This book had a good idea but needs work. There was no world building or character development. This led to the book basically being all about sex and nothing else. Nothing wrong with that but I like to have some story with my sex and this was not the case.

Amazon