To be honest, I am a bit confused about the system. There are Sentinels, who are guard spies for the court, but they take money for The Magical World
To be honest, I am a bit confused about the system. There are Sentinels, who are guard spies for the court, but they take money for sexual encounters as part of the trade. There are Shields and Guards who do different kinds of magic and don’t get along with each other. Then there are the Priest mages, who seem to be overseers. What I do understand is that alchemy is the basis of the magic, and gold is used to convert materials into other materials.
Think ‘Game of Thrones’ for a Russian? court. The different Houses are in a stasis until the mad queen dies, leaving a teenager on the throne. Sophie stays at the heart of the action due to her love for a Sentinel. As such, the jewels and gilding of court, the Pomp and Circumstance, are detailed and make a lovely atmospheric read.
The Characters
Sofia is a distressed young woman (mid-twenties) who is in a loveless arranged marriage to a count much older than her, with 3 stepdaughters about her age. She is already awkward at socializing, and the situation means she is treated the same as her supposed stepdaughters: like a child. Her husband and her uncle, the ArchMage, both abuse her physically and mentally. But she cannot escape.
She was a kept child, only able to leave the house once during her youth, and now a second time. Nothing prepared her for court. She is immediately attracted to Alexei mostly because he actually talks to her in a normal manner, not dismissive, nor treating her like a child.
Her chaperone and cousin, Lev, is a likeable drunk, and I love the funny moments between them. He believes the archmage wants to force him into the religious fold, and he drinks constantly to forget it.
Lev’s supposed fiancé, Zoya, has her heart set on Aleksei, which complicates things. Her character is not well described.
Alexei, like Lev and Sofia, is tortured, carving into himself to avoid insanity, as he is forced into sexual situations for the queen, and he tries to protect the younger tsar-to-be from the queen. He has lost himself through all his obligations. Aleksei was assigned as a guard to keep him from competing for the throne, since he is older than the legitimate son.
Romance : (spicy, open-door, consensual and hold-your-kleenex)
This leads to the romance: Aleksei is one of the Sentinels, about her age. He remembered their one encounter long ago and basically takes charge when he realizes she is too naive and hesitant. I think everyone loves a fairy tale romance like this, but of course there is a surprise I didn’t expect.
I just absolutely love the story so far! But I loved GoT, too.
Some keywords: Older woman younger man Multiple pov Head in a music box Accidental assassin Cliffhanger ending First in a series...more
Good, not great. This book series makes me want another retelling, except with a dark, morally grey set of characters and more steamy moments.
⁃ Pop Good, not great. This book series makes me want another retelling, except with a dark, morally grey set of characters and more steamy moments.
⁃ Popcorn prose ⁃ M/F ⁃ Greek Gods retelling
I must be on a divine retelling kick because I am reading two books with Greek gods at once. For the description, I have yet to see an academic atmosphere. What I have read about is Pandora attempting to fight Titans and discovering the obstacles towards her dream job as a soldier. At the heart I think the book is a coming-of-age type of fantasy, where Pandora attempts to allow her sister, Persephone, to find her own escape, while Pandora tries to escape the entrapment of parental expectations....and discovering that she cannot do anything she wants in life.
Been there. It’s a harsh transition from being told the world is your oyster and that you can do anything you want to, then discovering that you are not a genius at every occupation. Pandora realizes she is not as muscled as the men, nor as beautiful or capable of diplomacy as her mom. I really like how she struggles with finding her own way.
Pandora’s box is not Pandora’s in this retelling. Zeus owns it, and it traps the Titans once they subdue the giants. However, Zeus is better at, uh, delegating...yeah, that’s it. He disappears before any action, having assigned Apollo and Pandora to the capture. In the midst of all this, Pandora realizes she is enamored over Apollo, but Ares approaches her about dating.
The characters: ⁃ I like Aphrodite. She is outspoken about her past with Apollo and bakes cookies. Who doesn’t love coming home to the smell of chocolate chip cookies? ⁃ Hades: I also like him. He takes in all the gossip.
I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first set. My mind kept asking “where is the academy part?” Also, it seemed to be in a teenage voice but aimed for an adult (i.e. sex) audience.
The Romance: * Yes, there is sex. It’s consensual and unchaotic, and I loved that there is an “other woman”, the ex, to add some drama to the romance. ...more
These are two people who misunderstand the term ‘love.’ Love is not the same as obsession. They meet the legal definition: both have an obsessive emotThese are two people who misunderstand the term ‘love.’ Love is not the same as obsession. They meet the legal definition: both have an obsessive emotional liking for each other.
Charlotte escaped from a deranged man who held her captive for a week and is now attending therapy classes. While she is intensely attracted to her professor, she tries to avoid him. He, however, has skills like stalking, breaking and entering, and manipulation in his repertoire. Fyre’s only good quality here is his unwillingness to rape or entrap her in the same way.
This is a novelette designed purely for those of us who love obsessive, stalkerish book boyfriends and don’t care to have a cast of characters or complicated plot. The writing style is good, and the two characters are well-designed.
Despite being a dark romance with a hint of forbidden attraction, this story is consensual.
TW (trigger warnings): ⁃ Tortured (past tense) heroine ⁃ Tortured (in the past) hero ⁃ Violent fight between two males over the woman ⁃ Drug use ⁃ Murder in the name of love
To be honest, the TW might be enticements to read this? ⁃ Not a standalone...more
This is not a standalone! Anna: 31-Year-Old Librarian returning to school as a shifter...without shifter powers. Subject to a prophecy from book 1.
BalduThis is not a standalone! Anna: 31-Year-Old Librarian returning to school as a shifter...without shifter powers. Subject to a prophecy from book 1.
Baldur: Evil Master Vampire occupying the academy, or her nemesis.
Jericho: Dead fated mate Orpheus: new potential mate (I bet there will be a debate over best book boyfriend here).
Accidentally along for the ride with Anyi, who goes back in time: Raven: raven shifter, fellow student, “Familiar” Lorcan: professor “daddy”
First Book: {A Dusk of Stars by Lyra Forger}
My review: While I only mildly liked the first book and considered it my least favorite of Lyra Forger’s, the second book is much more engaging.
You don’t see the death of a main character in most romances (the last one I remember is Kim Harrison’s series). Now Anna has lost her love, and she wants to find him so badly she is willing to travel back in time to save him. Unfortunately, with her inexperience, she accidentally portals to the early years of the academy along with Raven, who is stuck in raven-form, and Lorca. Finding period clothing is easy, but portalling back to her time is not. The portal is in the middle of the cafeteria in a crowded room, and her attempts to infiltrate lands her in the hot seat next to the prince of that time.
I loved the initial meeting between Anna and the grumpy MMC in the cafeteria. The whole scene was the real start of my interest. She acts weird. I can see why he pays attention to her after years of females flocking after him ad nauseam. His mother has been a harpy about getting a child, although his older sister is actually the heir who should have children. What better rebellion but to affiance to a lower-class servant with no social skills and no interest in him?
Honestly, it feels like a hash between Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast and Snow White. I think fairy tale remake-lovers will love this.
Anna/Anyi: how do I say this? Manipulative. Spiteful. Distrustful. I don’t like her that much, but I do like how much she cares for others.
Orpheus: I looked up his name. There once was a poet whose music lit the sky with wonder. He is a real catch, willing to give up what he loves to let her fly free. His love of experimental science on Dream magic just made me want to swoon.
The plot dominates, so this technically is a fantasy with a strong touch of romance, I think. There are a couple of scenes I really liked. The romance develops to a climax, but this story is far from finished.
Tropes: [] Girl Saves Guy [] Time Travel romance: or can you reverse time to save a marriage? (Hint: not in real life) [] Fake? or Forced Marriage [] Slow burn to spicy [] Plot twist at the end [] Science with sorcery! Woot!...more
Hayley is a high school BBW (curvy girl) who knows how to dress to impress. She’s an online influencer of makeup, and she is almost at 1 million folloHayley is a high school BBW (curvy girl) who knows how to dress to impress. She’s an online influencer of makeup, and she is almost at 1 million followers. Successful, smart-looking...and upperclass. Her vibe online is self-affirming.
Starting with someone so self-empowering, so optimistic, made me wonder where the story was. For the first 30% I was immersed in makeup and bangles. This story was about playing Barbie! I almost DNFed.
However, the Thanksgiving scene turned the story on its head. The first 30% was setup, describing Hayley as a person, but a Thanksgiving massacre left her a 17-year-old orphan. Her sister had been a zombie equal-rights activist, and Hayley was now faced with being a zombie. It was sobering.
With an abusive uncle and an absentee uncle, outright attacks by her neighbors and schoolmates, it was looking bleak. Zombies were treated as rabid raccoons. But her former social network success caught a TV show scout’s eye, and the story became much more interesting. The prize: I don’t care, because the scout promised her a healed body for participation! Without missing limbs and open wounds, who would care what she was?
This story is wonderful if you like a supernatural take on reality TV competitions (I do). I love underdogs who overcome difficulties with a positive attitude and wish I could. I am still working on the attitude.
I also liked the writing style. For example, this is one of the best examples of emotional expression: “I turn my head away from him, blinking rapidly, fighting for control over the wind rushing my ears and rain threatening to fall from my eyes.”
Hayley’s magic was the kind no one recognizes: she imparted beauty and happiness. It matched her “before” personality. Once her family was targeted for assassination, her personality changed, but the competition helped her reconnect to her rainbow personality.
❤️ The Romance: ❤️ There were 3 guys as potential lovers, and each were caring, thoughtful, and different. Of course, we had a werewolf, a wizard, and a vampire. We had a potential age gap/student-mentor relationship. We had a two competitors’ relationship. The first novel left with a cliffhanger, so we didn’t see if this is a MF or a Reverse Harem, but I love stories with the guys competing over the girl.
The plot wasn’t bad, but it was nothing special. Jace was damaged with PTSD, and his one goal in life was vengeance, destroying every living soDNFed.
The plot wasn’t bad, but it was nothing special. Jace was damaged with PTSD, and his one goal in life was vengeance, destroying every living soul from another pack. Despite requests to take time to heal, he wanted to murder even children from the other pack. He hid from his pack, ignored the mate bond, and generally acted like sour hermit.
Lydia, meanwhile, embroidered while stuck with an unfamiliar pack she ‘married’, but could not understand his pain.
After 7 chapters of his and her viewpoints, I felt all the pining and none of the plot moving forward. I am not a fan of duel POV precisely because of this type of writing, where two characters basically think about nothing beyond the other one, with no personality growth.
If you crave pining, romantic angst, and fated mates, you might enjoy this more than I. ...more
Okay, I admit I downloaded the book because of the title and cover. Normally I prefer good people dealing with a dark world, but“Happy murderversary,”
Okay, I admit I downloaded the book because of the title and cover. Normally I prefer good people dealing with a dark world, but sometimes I need something fresh...and what better than an assassin and a male POV?
26 years old with 30 kills tattooed on his fingers left Fitch a drunken, chain-smoking telekenetic who could barely reach his target in time. Needless to say, everyone knew his name, and he was excellent at last-minute escapes.
They called him the Marionette, but the real puppeteer was his The Bloody Hex’s leader, Grimm. Grimm had an easy way to manage Fitch: his younger brother Donovan. Donovan had no powers, but he grew up in the gang and was about to be conscripted despite his ‘disability’. Fitch, however, wanted Donovan to stay innocent, normal, and safe.
Fitch’s latest murder made the headlines. Since the loss of another member of the gang allowed Donovan to be initiated, Grimm punished Fitch by demanding he ensure that Donovan’s first kill be successful.
I could see why Donovan was so enthusiastic about joining the gang, since it was the only family he knew. I could also see why Fitch drank so much, dependent upon a villainous profession he didn’t desire.
I spent most of the novel wanting this self-destructive man realize he can take control of his life and stop the madness ...more
The blurb is accurate. Pandora trained for 3 years to be a Watcher, one of the Olympian policemen, yet the ruNOTE: My review is for the Boxed Set 1-4:
The blurb is accurate. Pandora trained for 3 years to be a Watcher, one of the Olympian policemen, yet the rumors indicated that women in the force were treated as ‘booty calls’ while the men did all the work. Cronos, the leader of the Watchers, kept coming on to her. Unable to accept such a fate, Pandora could not pass the exam and gain her badge.
When her sister, Persephone, mentioned she wanted to become a Watcher, Pandora ignored her plea, not realizing that Seph didn’t want to become a Watcher so much as control her own fate. Demeter, their mother, was so engaged in improving the family’s social standing that Seph was doomed to marry Zeus, a known womanizer.
During the engagement announcement party, Pandora met Apollo, and she finds herself attracted to this drunk. He refused to leave her side, though, and helps her bring up Seph’s disappearance with Zeus. Embarrassed (finally!), Zeus ordered them to investigate. Not the Watchers. It made me wonder if Zeus didn’t trust the Watchers, either.
The plot was obviously a set of serials unadapted for a novel, but I found the dialogue between the characters snappy and fruitful, until I didn’t care if the plot was slow or non-existent at first. The characters are well-developed, and they are fun to follow. I felt like they all spoke in the same petty manner, but I liked it a lot.
This book is blatantly smexy, with a Stockholm-syndrome feel. ⁃ Captive romance ⁃ Beauty and the Beast ⁃ Monster romance with tentacle-like branches This book is blatantly smexy, with a Stockholm-syndrome feel. ⁃ Captive romance ⁃ Beauty and the Beast ⁃ Monster romance with tentacle-like branches ⁃ Knotting ⁃ Rape ⁃ Multiple entries ⁃ Must have no triggers ⁃ M/F pairing, dual POV
I love realistically gritty stories right now. The beast, Reynaeros (Rhinoceros to make fun of him) is what I would describe as monstrous. He cares nothing for the multiple women he captured for his gruesome underground fight club, and he rapes them for his own gratification.
There was a shock where he touched me, then a shape began to appear on my skin. It was like a scar, raised and slightly paler than the rest. “What is that?” “It is our contract, Kiera. You willingly participated in my fight and now you belong to me.”
Kiera made the mistake of looking at the white-haired, blue and green swirled eyes in a fight club her BFF dragged her to. To save him from fighting, she agreed to swap places, not knowing it was a permanent contract. In my mind, it was an obvious setup.
Unfortunately for her, the captor has existed, cursed, on Earth for hundreds or thousands of years, but he kept himself a recluse. He modernized with TVs and showers but avoided any modernization of social intellect. What this means is that human women are treated as property.
Let’s talk about sex. There is a lot of it. It’s blatantly non-consensual. If you have any triggers regarding rape, don’t touch this novel. Kiera rages through her capture, and her captor, Reynaeros, feels all her emotions. Bored through millenia and suspecting she might be able to help him stop the curse, he engages her again and again. As a strong woman, she refuses to cave and fights back in her own way, slowly realizing that she can gain some control using sex. He is remarkably unsavvy about anything beyond straight force. A kiss floors him, for example.
But at some point strangers break in and molest her. It’s seriously depressing because she has no control over the situation. But it’s an important plot point. I realized that her constant abusive relationship with Reyn has hardened her enough to survive and move beyond the rape. I almost cried.
I don’t want to condone such behavior but I think I understand more about the dynamics reading this in a fantasy.
For example: “I don’t need you to come lecture me about the proper way to be a prisoner, so you can just go tell your master that I’m fine.” Doesn’t that statement make you wince while applauding Kiera? Or this one: “I’d like to read a damn book so I can escape into a world significantly better than this one. A horror book, for example.”
Other Characters: There are several minor characters. This is not a shallow M/F fluff novel.
Theme:
I realized later in the book that this must be a story about redemption. Kiera, once she finds her own sense of control and power, brings Raynaeros from his inflexible mentality to a more-empathic and caring being. It’s beautiful to read. And to be honest, the more emotional the angst is the more powerful the ending becomes.
REVISION:
After reading other reviews that the ending was rushed, I agree. I mentally created my own HEA because 80% of the way through a man named Grayson, who was portrayed as dating her bestie, Eli, suddenly was described as hunting her down with the police force as if he loved her, not Eli. It was very confusing. I could understand if he was rescuing her for Eli’s sake, but I also found the explosive gunfire, chase scenes, and her feats of Olympic gymnastics pulled me out of the story into disbelief land.
Don’t get me wrong; I loved the story up to that point and would read it again, stopping at 80% and making my own HEA. ...more
“Just stay here.” “No.” “But you’re usually good at following orders.” “That’s in the bedroom, ReThis story is so funny!
I copied a few lines to show you:
“Just stay here.” “No.” “But you’re usually good at following orders.” “That’s in the bedroom, Reiley,” he says,
“I peek at my phone under the table. No messages. Maybe he’s still asleep after all the sex I don’t care about.”
⁃ DigTheDialogue ⁃ Found Family ⁃ Creative use of Toys ⁃ Lots of sexy moments, usually funny ⁃ He saves himself ⁃ Dom/sub? Kinky. ⁃ What happens when you suddenly find your bland world is filled with demons hunting you down, and your aunt kept a large secret from you that could kill you? Lucky for Reilly, scarred from many encounters, the answer comes packaged in an incubus, my favorite type of demon ...more
Vexxion, the MMC: “I hadn’t asked questions. I never did.” “I’d played the role of the Wraithweave master, the one controlling every other piece on theVexxion, the MMC: “I hadn’t asked questions. I never did.” “I’d played the role of the Wraithweave master, the one controlling every other piece on the board.” What a conflicted character. Vex sees his fated mate (I think) and just decides to become her guard, her constant shadow. This is not a master planner and manipulator of the pawns. This is a person who wants to delve deeper into the fate given.
When he sees Tempest training her dragon, their eyes lock, and he realizes his world has changed. We don’t know why, but he starts following her around like her own shadow, preparing her meals, jumping in between her and her enemies...
Tempest: FMC, an orphan who is now a dragon trainer for the Nullin camp. Despite a lame leg, she is capable of protecting the village against the raiders they call Dregs. When she was only 4 years old, she arrived already scarred and scared, and her life has been devoted to protecting the Nullins, or humans without powers, against Dregs, or golems. She is not a wilting flower, so Vexxion’s interference is not appreciated.
Tempest is self-assured enough to think she can assassinate the fae king. The Nullins, people like her, are riding dragons along the war front to protect the other Nullins, but they are suffering under his rule. To accomplish this, she requests the option to bond to a fae, which means collaring and control. For some reason Tempest thinks she is immune to the magic.
Vexxion trains her and protects her. Their feelings are so strong that the plot twist at the end will toss you sideways like a car wreck. Make sure book 2 is out before you read this!
⁃ Rumplestiltskin retelling ⁃ Capable, independent girl ⁃ Alchemy ⁃ Monster love ⁃ Spicy moments ⁃ Maze of Illusions - Not a standalone.
Styrland (Sto ⁃ Rumplestiltskin retelling ⁃ Capable, independent girl ⁃ Alchemy ⁃ Monster love ⁃ Spicy moments ⁃ Maze of Illusions - Not a standalone.
Styrland (Storyland) is a place I want to revisit. It is so refreshing to see the fae described as the myths depict them: gold and coins turn into leaves at the crack of dawn. Bargains, like bargains with demons, can steal parts of your ‘soul’: your youth, your creativity, your blue eyes...with such painful options at stake, it is no wonder that humans avoid the forest closest to faerie.
Eleanore is a beautiful young girl coveted by the most handsome of villagers, and the most vain. Her father is ill, so she labors to create gold out of base metals. The recipe includes a faerie mineral, so she travels to the bazaar to bargain with her jewelry.
Unfortunately for her, her vain suitor gets captured after poaching the King’s lands, and she is offered as his bribe. Or shall we say, bride? The king is so greedy he wants to keep her for her skills. On the run, she realizes she has to make a bargain with the beast. The circumstances are absolutely believable!
Bargaining for freedom as the door is being splintered is not the best time to create a lock-tight agreement. Waking up in Faerie, she tries to argue herself back home. I don’t know if I would, since the king would find her. Then she would have to honor the bargain in addition to imprisonment.
Magnets?” I repeat. “They attract metal and can move it without touching it.” “I didn’t think humans had powers like this,” Halima says, visibly confused. I roll my eyes. Fae and their complacency,”
Theme: “Cursed to bear a heart of gold, unless I can find someone who can change it.” The phrase is so poisonously lovely. “Heart of gold” usually depicts generosity to a fault. Here it has a double meaning. This gold is the result of sibling rivalry. The person who suffers the most is the more generous one. This gold is the microplastic of our world, the biproduct of a necessity.
Eleanore is overwhelmed when she discovers the fate of the entire realm depends upon her science. We all hopefully want to be the superhero that saves the world, but no one wants to experience the journey. What if we lose?
Eleanor is resourceful, clever, and relatable. I like her a lot. When given a seemingly impossible task to save the realm from being gilded to oblivion, she uses a blend of science and magic to overcome the heroic tasks set before her. I love how she saves herself from being strangled by a snake and later uses the illusions of her own fears to her benefit.
Supposedly, this is a story of love overcoming the worst corruption, but I found the process of becoming a hero much more engaging.
The Characters: ⁃ Ruskin: Rumplestiltskin, the fae who changes every moon, the lord of the seelie court ⁃ Halima: half-fae guard, gruff but extremely loyal and probably my favorite character with her wit ⁃ Destin: courtly fae more concerned about mud on his shoes than protecting Eleanore ⁃ Fiona: fellow human at court...[spoiler] not. ⁃ Ruskin’s sister, who also has a claim to leadership of the Seelie Court.
Trigger warnings: ⁃ Spice: at least two instances. ⁃ Torture (flaying, dismemberment). ⁃ Snakes, if you fear them. ...more
“I wanted to merge my magic with his until we could no longer tell whose was whose.” Yet so far Cora and Farranen were unable to manage more than a fe“I wanted to merge my magic with his until we could no longer tell whose was whose.” Yet so far Cora and Farranen were unable to manage more than a few kisses.
Theodora is the teenager in a woman’s body. Somewhat clueless, she is the perfectly sweet and curvy kind of woman that attracts friends and lovers. Ghosts follow her like little lost puppies. Two elves follow her. And a young teenage werewolf follows her she named Dog.
After killing the queen in the previous book, Cora has been practicing ‘feeling’ the fae magic, and she realizes that she might be growing stronger and can detect magic. When Farranen discovers this, he admits most fae lack her ability, so he uses her to help him find the queen’s key. Lief’s spies have reported that the fields have blackened with decay in the absence of a Light Court ruler; the key would lead them to a replacement.
The Romance: This is a book that doesn’t quite hit the mark for me. The romance is spicy and sweet and uncomplicated. Neither elf has dimension, and I cannot see any attraction. There are some lovely moments, though. Farranen’s profession of love is quite emotional: “Theodora, my blade exists only to protect you. My body exists entirely to please you. I exist, solely to be with you.” But I feel no connection between the two, so the deep confession just makes me wonder if Farranen has any motivations of his own.
The book is supposed to be funny, but none of the quips work for me.
The real mood-killer for me is Cora herself. I prefer smarter main characters, especially if they are of working age. I just wanted to bop her on the side of the head constantly.
The Theme: I DNFed at 50%, but I did catch on to the idea. Without compassion and empathy, mankind will destroy the land we depend upon...and no key of knowledge will save us. It was entirely too close to home and too close to some of my terrible fears right now.
* Older woman writer * Ghost summoner * human-fae romance * tries too hard to be humorous * Can be a vacation read * Not good as a standalone. Book 3 in a series. ...more
When Vespera, herbalist, (or Calanthe, an ancient witch) meets the Feral King all trussed up like a• Older woman • Self-sufficient FMC • Captive Heroine
When Vespera, herbalist, (or Calanthe, an ancient witch) meets the Feral King all trussed up like a pig, she thinks he could be the worst thing possible...a politician. OMG, ...more
“What power did angels have anyway? Or did they just stand there and pretty you to death? Terrifying.”
While you can read this as a standalone, there i“What power did angels have anyway? Or did they just stand there and pretty you to death? Terrifying.”
While you can read this as a standalone, there is a bombshell reveal if you have read the other parts of this series! Plus, the world has expanded phenomenally since the beginning, where I was afraid the world simply included undead and demons.
First, the evil villain: Ferro Grey is a vampire of fae magic. He steals it for temporary boosts to his power, and over time that has caused him to look younger. He probably is the only fae-powered being who can withstand iron, and he uses it to dominate. What I love about him is his adorable interest in learning the current teen pop culture and adopting their mannerisms. All other mages are his subjects.
“there was no turning down Ferro Grey. What he wanted he took”
Somehow the Wraiths are controlled by his clan, and any mage complex is free of wraith attacks. The Order wants to investigate, sending only one angel, Jack Bastian.
Jack: the Guardian angel who saved her once, is back to bargain with her to spy on her own people. As one of the fighting angels, he can hold his own. But as an angel, he is also cold, controlled, and organized.
This doesn’t sit well with Kaye Brand. She reminds me of the boozy and overprivileged wife whose husband runs around behind her back. Surviving a wraith attack damaged her, and I love a flawed hero. Suddenly Jack asks her to do something with her life, and she is faced with her own insecurities.
Once Kaye stops running and starts taking control of her life, even Grey has trouble containing her. She manages to resurrect her house and her reputation over his attempts to subjugate her, and it is a glorious climb. The mage houses are uneasy allies. The angels are motivated to interfere, and Kaye has discovered secrets that disgust her.
The romance: Angels may be damaged by Mage shadow [magic] but that doesn’t stop Bastian and Kaye’s attraction. “I didn’t think you owned sensible shoes,” he said in a bid for levity. And she was in head-to-toe black, another first. “Yeah, well, this body that you like to look at so much requires maintenance.” But attraction is a problem in a working relationship, and Jack has to maintain his bodyguard role while FMC woos the villain, Ferro Gray.
I think I liked this book so much because the heroes are so heroic. Kaye and Bastian admit their love halfway through the novel. Yet later Kaye, hired by the angels to find the connection between the wraiths and mages, must agree to marry Grey. It’s heart-rendering.
I could say a lot more. The first book was good. The second one was better. But I think this one has got to be the best, and how many series can you count that improve with every book?
⁃ multiple POV ⁃ M/F slow-burn and spicy (2 instances of adult behavior. Not for teens!) ⁃ Rats! Ick. ⁃ Angel/witch romance ⁃ Cameos - Beautiful prose...more
“I thought you didn’t want me as a matchmaker anymore because I’m not as good-hearted as you thought.” I also worried that I failed him. I fear he wil“I thought you didn’t want me as a matchmaker anymore because I’m not as good-hearted as you thought.” I also worried that I failed him. I fear he will no longer want to be around me.”
The Players: -------------------- ⁃ Eros (of course): Sweet, cinnamon bun hero who only has eyes for Dee ⁃ Dee (the naive girl who has started out on her own to become a wedding photographer but has an unrequited love for her roommate) ⁃ Carl (the roommate who finds a new lover) ⁃ Mercy (the new lover) --------------------
Well, I am not a meet-cute kind of reader, apparently. I laughed and shook my head “NO!” when Dee starts her first real job by falling off a cliff. Well, no wonder Karma and Death showed up. Next thing you know Irony will be the next new God on the block.
But the story quickly started boring me. Eros may mention a job, but he doesn’t really care about it. I think he accidentally shot himself with his own arrow again. Eros is so sweet on her, and it is obvious she doesn’t recognize infatuation when it grabs her by the eyeballs. Since Dee still has a crush on her roommate, Eros resolves to help her.
Next thing we know they are going out on fake dates to impress Carl...who has his own girlfriend. The dates are too bland for me. I want more of the first contact. I want it to be funnier. The writing is fine, but I realized I don’t want anything that mimics life because I am not searching for love; I already have a significant other.
The good: ⁃ If you like a doting, attentive SO, Eros fits the bill. ⁃ If you like an easy, fun read, you have got it. ⁃ He swoops in to save the day. ⁃ Fake Dating. ⁃ Office romance (sort of). ⁃ M/F single POV ⁃ Only One Bed ⁃ Cinnamon role hero ⁃ Curvy FMC...more
Bailey is so aggravating for a while. I like her character, but she gets overly angsty about the fated mate situation. After she started her true loveBailey is so aggravating for a while. I like her character, but she gets overly angsty about the fated mate situation. After she started her true love, her job, she detects her fated mate and spends half the novel attempting to avoid him. I love the concept but wish the avoidance lasted only 30% instead of 50%. By the time she gives in to the inevitable, I am exasperated at her.
Bailey is a self-starter with her own social gossip channel [she calls it a news channel] for shifters.
Amusingly, her fated mate (I won’t be a spoilsport) spends part of the novel clueless about his feelings. I can understand, and it makes their dance around each other much more interesting.
But the real reason the story shines is, in my opinion, due to two side characters: Keoni, the “big brother”, and Issaia, “a player.” They are my favorite characters. Issaia, in particular, turns punishment into flirtation...twice. His scenes steal the show!
Romance: Hide your wedding ring and grab some ice. The spice is frequent and detailed later in the book!
“I am just starting a career I love. No mate will want me to wander from mating party to mating party, letting shifters hit on me for my channel. It’s better this way.”
Again, my favorite moments involve Isaiah and Cassandra.
Theme: The idea of fated mates is used in a way to combat static family traditions and the inflexibility of genetics:
⁃ “When we get mates, we lose our minds, we give in to this temporary feeling of happiness, and we forget all our plans”** “you’re literally minimizing another human being down to being born just to do what you want, to live how you want. Do you hear how insane that sounds?”
“Fated mates are an unfair match-up. Someone always gives up something. “
The Ending: OWEE. Don’t read this book until the second one is published! It hurts. While there is no cliffhanger, the story is not finished.
[spoiler] Do I want Nassau and Bailey to get back together? I don’t know. I honestly see Nassau as me in college exploring the career options and realizing that my own insecurities and mental capacity prevented me from some careers. That epiphany and angst is a hard road to travel. All the signs point to them getting together later, but I love a good plot twist.
I was disappointed that the stalker was taken care of behind the scenes. The stalker was an excuse. [/spoiler]...more
Characters: I love well-written characters. ⁃ Annalise: probably has “want to be me” all over her. She’s promoted to lead dancer for a production compCharacters: I love well-written characters. ⁃ Annalise: probably has “want to be me” all over her. She’s promoted to lead dancer for a production company when she sees through the veil. I love dancing and imagining I can see fairies...don’t we all? She’s resourceful, bossy in bed, and quite scared of the dark now. ⁃ Custo: probably the most amusing angel ever. He swaps places with Shadowman to return to earth, escaping “utopia” to find everyone thinks he is a wraith. ⁃ Lucas: one of the angels ⁃ Wolf: the shadow stalker
The Romance: He tried to gently push her away, but he ended up grasping her hips to bring her closer. ⁃ …oh, please, yes…* It is full of angst: “And she was a passing…what? Flirtation? ⁃ The thought razored through her hurt.* ⁃ It was all right, though. Screw-ups were important. ”* I love how Annalise’s strength of will comes through. And Custo professes his love through music. Sigh. Lovely.
Is it a PNR or an urban fantasy with romance? The plot is focused on romance, but for those of us who tire of romance with a bare dribble of plot, this is sooo refreshing. For Annalise, her dancing makes dreams come true, opening faerie’s doors. But wishes turned into reality are still just 2-dimensional renditions. I cannot help but think of Wolf as a Shakespearean temptation towards her ultimate glory. He’s full of want, full of need, but has no true face and no true history of being. He can only take on the aspect of a person.
But with a world beset by shadow wraiths, this wolf is not the only threat, and Custo returns from his death to try and save her. Custo is not the typical angel, having murdered and tortured in order to support Adam’s crusade, but his whole existence seems to be motivated towards protecting other people, including Annalise. He titles himself her guardian angel.
Outside, the wraiths are still pursuing Talia from the first novel, who is now pregnant.
⁃ It’s a little bit sci-fi ⁃ It’s an expansion of the world from the first novel: with angels as well as wraiths ⁃ I love the seer! And the wolf! ⁃ FMC is a dancer! Yes!! ⁃ Angsty love ⁃ Spicy ...more
Loading...
