🧐 OUR WEEK IN REVIEWS 📚 Reviews and Recommendations

💖 OUR PICKS FOR THE WEEK 💖
📚  06/16/2019 📚

🐾 Forbidden Seduction by R.L. Kenderson
⚖️ Taken by Alison Aimes
❣️ Alpha's Blood by Renee Rose
🍄 Shadows and Sorcery: A Multi Author
Fantasy and PNR Collection
⏱️ Art of Sin by L.M. Halloran
💔 Hurt by Lydia Michaels

GOODREADS  AMAZON   BOOKBUB

Forbidden Seduction by R.L. Kenderson

Demi has spent her life suppressing her true nature.
She had it all worked out, right down to how to scratch her monthly itch, and it was working. Until him.
Saxon was a sentinel for the local cat shifter clan. It was his job to police and protect the supernaturals. A job he took seriously. That sense of responsibility sometimes bled over into other venues of his life. That is how he ended up experiencing one of the most sensuous and erotic nights of his life.
The night he tried to warn off a sassy and sexy Demi.

This was such a sweet romance with just the perfect touch of humor blended with just the right amount of suspense to create one exciting and entertaining romance.
The story line was easy to follow and kept me engaged. There were a few secondary story lines that revolved around the supporting cast that definitely has my curiosity peaked.

I am new to this series and am excited to go back and read the first few episodes as well as seeing where the author takes the future cast in this series.
Amazon   Kobo  Nook  Google


Taken by Alison Aimes

A world where absolute power goes unchecked - Where corruption knows no bounds- And where lives, and deaths, are nothing but cheap means of entertainment to please the whims of the elite.
A world that Ava had escaped from.

She is seeking a miracle.
Freedom from the corruption - Freedom from the tyranny - Freedom from the humiliation and pain.
Her hope is dashed when she finds herself trapped in a living nightmare. Deep in the core of the labor camps of Dragath25’s.
Right into the midst of those who no longer have any reason to hold on to their humanity, but every reason to feed their darkness.
Will her fate among the depraved be even crueler than her life as a breeder?
Valdus and his men choose to fight the Council's corruption. They lost. Their fates are now sealed in the hell that is Dragath25.
Valdus has planned and waited for the day he could save his men and exact his revenge. And now it seems the key to his freedom has been delivered directly into his hands. He just needs to keep her alive long enough to get the council to respond.

Ava was everything I like in a heroine - Smart, quick-witted, fast to respond and despite the odds, she gave everything she had, every darn time! I enjoyed that she did not make excuses and that she still had a shred of humanity after everything she had been through.
Valdus was the anti-hero hero. I know that's a tough one. He was a true leader in every sense of the word. He put his men before himself. He stepped up and made the tough decisions.
**sigh** I want a Valdus.

Lots of action and bloodshed dotted with some pretty horrific scenes of cruelty blended in with suspense and one sweet yet smoking romance.

I did not read book one in this series - I was able to read this without it but IMO if I had read the first in series this would have been twice as intense.
Amazon 


Alpha's Blood: A Vampire Shifter Romance by Renee Rose

This is my first book from this series and it can easily be read as a standalone.
Selene is a young wolf shifter who has spent her early adult years training for one task. To seek vengeance for her packs brutal slaughter. Xavier knew the truth behind the massacre. He sought her out, brought her into his home, provided her with the training required to implement justice. It was lonely. At times extremely brutal but she knew it was necessary to become the perfect weapon. She was ready.
Lucius, the reigning king of vampires, was bored. there was not much left on this earth to surprise him. Despite knowing he would not participate Lucius attends an auction that offers trained willing pets. The little white-haired beauty that is headlined as the perfect submissive turns out to be not so submissive. Knowing something is not quite right but unable to pass up the draw of a little excitement and possibly the taste of conquest - He bids - He wins - He owns.
Sometimes the truth is more painful than the lie.

I want to be careful not to give out spoilers. Despite this being a quick read I found myself drawn to the main characters from the opening scene. The story line is easy to follow with perfectly timed surprises to keep the reader engaged and definitely entertained. You know who the villain is, you know who the hero is, yet you still don't see it coming.
Selene was not afraid to accept her feelings which I was so happy for. She did not do the wishy-washy want him don't want him, that so many heroines do. The chemistry between these two was electric. They never fell under the pretense that they were anything other than mater/pet - target/assassin. A werewolf can't fall in love with a vampire, right?

I would enjoy a story that has what happens after. I also am going to go back and see if any of the supporting characters have their own stories as I really really enjoyed them. All the cast was quite enchanting, to be honest.
Amazon 


Shadows and Sorcery: A Collection of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Novels

What a fabulous collection of Fantasy and Paranormal stories.
The few I have read so far are complete first in series stories, each was well over 100+ pages.
This has some of my favorite authors from these genres as well as some new authors for me to discover.

Elemental Fae Academy by Lexi Foss
This is the start of an RH series and let me say right now this is NOT your typical wham bam we are all happy in the harem story!

Claire is celebrating her 21st birthday doing what many do -drinking and having fun with friends. All is good in her world until a dare turns her world into a living nightmare.

Exos prefers the role of a warrior to the stuffy life expected of those on the council. Oh, he has the royal blood to make him king but he abdicated the role to his brother, the more rational of the two. He prefers the challenge of an enforcer to the bland life of a ruler.

When the halfling Claire comes of age the council decides that Exos will be her protector and her teacher.
The question is can he protect her from herself?
From the fae who believes she will be the deliverer of the end of days?
His heart?
This was such an emotional and fun read. Wait till you meet Titus! The world building was creative colorful. The cast was out of this world (literally :) ) Solid story line


Within Me by Dani Rene
This is the first in series (I am hoping!). We are given some of the story's background enough to lead me to believe a future series will be unveiled. We meet some of the characters. And best of all we get to take one twisted journey.
Talia IMO was a bit of an odd man (woman) out in her early years. Her love was unrequited and when she lost him she sort of withdrew until she decided that maybe she needed a new start. A new town. A new life. I think she got a bit more than she bargained for.
Kade knew the prophecy. He knew how this had to end. He also had an advantage that would ensure the future was to his liking.
Killian, we do not get a lot on him except he is pretty much evil incarnate. Seriously he bathes in its darkness.
One woman -
Two Brothers -
Only two could be left standing
Amazon   Kobo  Nook 


Art of Sin by L.M. Halloran

Strap in and hold on tight you are in for one wild ride! Oh and just a teeny tiny heads up - this ends on a cliff hanger that may have you white knuckling your reader, don't worry though the answers are coming!
Gideon - I think he is a bit touched. Sexy, intelligent gifted - the bad boy everyone wants but no one truly knows. Oh and maybe a tad possessive.
Deidre , the calm and collected business woman has been tasked with 'babysitting' Gideon- heavens forbid he should do something that might comprise the deal. But Deidre the woman? Something much darker sparks within her.
Art of Sin grabs the reader from the opening and does not let go. Each chapter felt like a new restraint, a twist in the story that drug me deeper into an emotional fun house.
The characters are vivid - The story line captivating.
If you enjoy a true romance that ticks all your emotional boxes -
This is it!
Amazon 


Hurt by Lydia Michaels

"Dinnae underestimate your resilience love. You never know how much ye can take until ye reach a point where ye can't take no more." - Callan

Callan did all the wrong things for all the right reasons. He had traded his soul for those he loved. He had tried. His last promise he would fulfill.
His past scarred upon his skin. A reflection of what was left of his wretched soul. A tapestry, a warning for others that only darkness remained in the man before them.
Except for Emery. Emery could see the light that still shone within Callan's eyes.
Emery had her own demons to walk with. She wanted to be seen but her world had taught her that each blow was required and acceptance was penance.

I had a hard time with Hurt. Emotionally I was rattled. A few times I had to step back and remind myself it was fiction. Callan and Emery were not real. Gods if the scenes didn't feel so damn real though. Each blow. Each prayer. Each unheard cry for mercy.
Please take the warning at the opening of this book seriously.

Callan was the type of character that just had me. Right from the bloody start, I felt an emotional attachment to his character.He was the big guy that despite being ferocious you knew would take the hurt away. He loved fiercely and may the gods help anyone who harmed what he loved- because he knew no mercy.
Emery was such a quiet soul. She longed to be loved, truly. Her strength of will to survive, to overcome was amazing.
Two lost souls journey together battling the darkness that is life.
**sigh** This is a love story.
I loved this couple. The way their relationship blossomed. How they found their strength and hope in each other.
My heart was in pieces by the end of this tale.

The story line goes back to "before" then jumps to the now. This is consistent throughout the story line and in my opinion, tells both tales perfectly. We get to see what created the man called Callan. We get to peek at the monsters that hide in plain sight. There are a few twists and turns that quite possible may send you into a moment of cardiac arrest. Just breathe and believe.
And NO Kindle throwing (You want to be able to read book 2).
Amazon   Kobo  Nook  Google

#LMHalloran #ReneeRose #RLKenderson #LexiFoss
#LydiaMichaels #AlisonAimes #DaniRene

#PNR #Shifter #KU #UrbanFantasy #Anthology
#Adventure #Romance #WomensFiction #SciFi
#Suspense #Contemporary #vampire #Fae