A Dance with the Fae Prince by Elise Kova

3 Star

Katria knew she would be married off at some point so there was no point in falling in love. When her stepmother marries her off to mysterious Lord Fenwood she was only upset at leaving her horse and her sister behind. When she is given strange rules about not ever looking at her husband or leaving the house at night, she agrees to them until her curiosity got the better of her. When she stumbles into a ritual where her husband is supposed to get the magic from the ancient kings and steals the magic, she’s stuck traversing the fae wilds until they can find a way to give the magic over. When it comes time to make the transfer will long held secrets change everyone’s mind?

Where I liked the first book this one wasn’t as enjoyable to me. Part of that came from wanting more with the characters we met in the first one. This book follows with Greek myth but is Psyche and Eros. Katria can’t ever look at her husband and she does, and all sorts of chaos happens. I was very bored with the beginning of the story and when she finally sees what is going on the story picked up for me. I also didn’t feel Katria’s stepfamily really got their comeuppance.  Overall, it was an ok story but not as good as the first one.

Book 2 Married to Magic

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The Torid Affair by Laurann Dohner

 

3.5 Star

The crew on the Defcon Red are called on to help calm the riots on the planet Torid. Research Specialist Jessa Brick is pressed into service to help those who are injured. She is shocked by the inequality on the planet and is furious when she is pressed to help certain people over others by the governor. Veslor Medic Maith has always been annoyed by Jessa but seeing her work and her dedication changes his opinion of her. When things get dicey Maith is ordered to protect Jessa at all costs. This means they spend all their time together. As more information is discovered on what led to the riot the more danger Jessa is in. Will they be able to make it out unscathed?

I enjoyed this story. I particularly like seeing how Jessa got out of her forced servitude by the earth forces. The reason for the lower rating was the book seemed rushed at the end. It was a flow issue of the story was moving along nicely and then either we hit some wall and Dohner felt she needed to conclude the story right now and rushed the ending. It was a good read up until Jessa and Maith got back to the ship. When they were on the planet it was moving along nicely. I also didn’t feel they wrapped up the stuff going on planet side well because they were rushing the relationship. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and fit the rest of the series.

Book 5 Veslor Mates

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A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova

 

3.5 Star

Humans were hunted by the elves for centuries until a deal was struck that one specific woman would be selected to be queen. The queen was there to help the elf king. For the woman it is a death sentence. Luella is glad she isn’t this woman and spends her days learning herbology and how to take care of the towns people. Until one day it is discovered that she was the one marked to be queen. Taken from all she’s known and just wanting to go home she is very confused by her new role. She plans on finding some way to get out of Midscape and go home to her people. Will the elf king Eldas be able to help Luella get everything she wants?

This book is listed as a YA book, but it doesn’t read as a YA. It very much reads as a fantasy book for an adult. The only thing that might label it as a YA would be Luella being 19. There is a lot of adult content in the book. It is a riff off of Hades and Persephone. Eldas being Hades coming and taking Luella away from her life. Luella eventually falls for Eldas and doesn’t want to leave him just like in the myth. Overall, the story was interesting take on the myth, and it was enjoyable.

Book 1 Married to Magic

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Reaper Unexpected by Debbie Cassidy

 

4 Star

One day everything was normal until it wasn’t. The world is filled with ghosts and other dead things. The reapers came to take control of the dead creating the city of Necro where all ghosts go before the next step. There are few reapers, so they create soul relocation agents to help gather the spirits and put them into holding. Fee is dealing with life with sarcasm and her wit until a bar fight. She gets involved and a reaper dies leaving her his knife. Now pulled into this world she doesn’t want and lusting after several of her trainers. How will she handle this new life?

I enjoyed Fee and her men that we met in this book. I was not as in love with Conah as others are. I liked the dickiness of Mal and the stoniness of Az. I am interesting to see where the series is going.

Book 1 Deadside Reapers

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Hour of the Lion by Cherise Sinclair

 

3 Star

Victoria Morgan was a marine and a black ops agent and thought she was prepared for anything. Until she rescues a young man from kidnappers. He shocks her when he transforms into a cougar. Before he dies, he begs her to let his grandfather know about his death and what his kidnappers were doing and that he was gifting Victoria to him. She can’t refuse. When she gets to his town, she meets Calum McGregor and his brother. They protect the town and the secrets it holds and aren’t sure what to do with Victoria. While Victoria is investigating the town before revealing her message she begins to fall for the brothers. What she wasn’t expecting was the kidnappers following her to town.

I enjoyed this book. There were times I very much wanted to shake the guys and say OMG she’s new. How do you not give her a break? When it all works itself out it was a good story. I loved seeing the guys squirm over getting her to come back to them. Overall, it was a good story.

Book 1 Wild Hunt Legacy

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Eros by Carly Spade

 

3 Star

Elani Stewart is done with true love. She feels love can be found using science to find the compatibility of two people. When her clients start dropping off, she tracks it to a bar where her former clients swear the bartender has found them the love of their lives. When she confronts Alex about his claims, he makes a bet with her. Who will win the bet of love?

This book was more like the first book Hades, and I loved it. I loved seeing Elani fight her feelings for Eros. I enjoyed seeing them work through secrets and finding their happy ending. What I didn’t like was the how it seemed like Elani was such a shrinking violet. She faints when she finds out about him being Eros. It was frustrating. It wasn’t the be all end all to the book and there were other things I liked enough that countered this issue.

Book 4 Contemporary Mythos

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A Shifter’s Sin by Debbie Cassidy

 

3 Star

Quinn has made it her life goal to make herself useful to the pack who doesn’t want her. When she is notified, she has inherited property from her mother her alpha orders her to go and bring back a relic the pack there has. She agrees to go and bring it back. When she gets to Hawthorne Cove, she finds out everything isn’t as it seems, but she is still determined to do as her alpha says. All she has to do is infiltrate the Hawthorne pack and find the relic.

I enjoyed this but with reservation. I had a hard time understanding why Quinn would keep running after her pack for their approval when the Hawthorne pack is willing to take her in and train her without her having to do anything. Another issue I had with this book was it ends in a cliff hanger esq ending. I’ve read all that are out now, and they all end this way, and you will want to wait until they all are out so you don’t have to wait for the conclusion of the story. I didn’t discover this until I finished the most recent book and had some very choice words that I have to wait.

Book 1 Wolves of Hawthorne

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