📚 Our Book Picks for the Week 📚
Reviews and Recommendations
Oct. 11th
Reviews and Recommendations
Oct. 11th
A bit of a dark theme running this week
and FYI all the duets/series are complete
🧚 Midnight Fae Academy by Lexi C. Foss
🧛 Heart of Dracula by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
👸 The Princess Tied by Cari Silverwood
⚔️ Rite of the Omega by Eva Dresden
⚖️ The Land Where Sinners Atone by V.F. Mason
🐻 Arctic Bite by N.J. Walters
See all of our reviews and recommendations
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Midnight Fae Academy: Book Two by Lexi C. FossBlurb:
I'm in purgatory.
Hell.
A Midnight Fae dungeon.
All because my mates betrayed me.
Shade swears he's innocent.
Zeph promises that what he did was for my own best interest.
Meanwhile, Kols isn't apologetic in the slightest, his cocky arrogance claiming fate intervened at just the right moment.
I hate them all.
Crave them, too.
And now I have to work with them to solve a millennia-old secret, one that involves my true heritage.
Our Thoughts 💭:
😭 Heart shattered ... I knew there was more to our dark shadow
This episode was IDK
Intense?
Fast-paced?
Emotional?
Explosive?
All kinds of white-knuckling my kindle WTH moments
Book two opens right where we left off -
Our little earth fae Aflora
Locked up -Betrayed - Cold and Alone
Trapped in a misogynistic world she doesn't understand, being judged for a crime she didn't commit
But like so many things in the dark fae realm -
Nothing is what it seems
This (if you can believe it) blew away the first book in this trilogy
I thought book one was intense -
This took "emotional roller coaster" to a whole new level
And the secrets? How could you?
The lies? The self-sacrifice?
Aflora stay strong - believe - under all that pain and betrayal you know the truth
Shade you can do this - you have done it before - believe
Zeph I kind of like you
Kol you are still a bit of a horse's backside
I know I say this repetitively but it's because it's true
Foss has a gift. Each release she gives to her readers is an innovative story line filled with idiosyncratic characters and the most ingenious world-building
Every. Single. Time.
#midnightfaeacademy #reverseharem #dark #paranormal #fantasy #romance #lexicfoss #kindleunlimited
Amazon
Heart of Dracula by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
Fall under Count Dracula's spell in this wickedly fabulous revision of a classic favorite
Fantasy is and always has been of my favorite genres and Count Dracula was one of my first true villain crushes.
There is something fascinating and enticing about a man who sold his soul for revenge. Who traded his humanity to seek justice on those who killed his one true love because of their misplaced zealot beliefs.
And Kingsleys Vlad?
He is the poster child for "misunderstood" villains
"Light the torches, bring your weapons, and stop me if you can. You will fail. And when you do - when you kneel - it will be at my feet. " - Vlad
Where to start 😲
As in true Kingsley fashion, she has taken a classic and warped it - just a touch mind you - offering her readers a labyrinth of possibilities that push the boundaries on what is plausible.
An offering of dark carnal delights that tempt the most stoic of readers to take a taste from the darker side
Props to our heroine Maxine! She is level headed (thank the darkness) and takes the steps to see the whole picture before jumping to hysterics.
Why cry over spilled milk?
Maxine is touched (not like that 🙄 ) She is an empath, and a strong one. Her gift also comes with a darker aspect one which prevents her from engaging in skin to skin contact.
She has accepted that this is her lot in life. Truly, what's a gal to do?
Vlad ...
What can I say.... licked him he's mine 🤸♀️
Seriously though he has far exceeded my previous Vlad crushes.
I could recap the blurb for you but I'm not 🙄 I will tell you that this was an amazing read. I was easily sucked in and found myself resurfacing a few hours later. It was one of those reads that I could clearly see the events as they unfolded. I could hear the characters' voices. The cheeky playboy. The stout second in command. The older soldier who looked upon you as though you were his child. The dreamer. The female warrior filled with hope. The warlord who resonated death.
And the empath who saw behind the veils.
I heard every sound
Experienced every touch
Bent to every blow
Need to collect my thoughts and chillax - book hangover in progress
Oh, and this ends on a cliffy 👀
I read an ARC and I bought the paperback 🤗
Heart of Dracula by Kathryn Ann KingsleyBlurb:
Caught in a war between the living and the dead, which side will Maxine choose?
Boston, 1897
Death’s arrival in Boston was heralded by a crimson moon and screams in the night. The Vampire King will claim what he wants in the city, unless someone is brave enough to stop him...
Maxine Parker’s life is an agonizingly solitary one, and not by choice. life. Her empathic ability renders it impossible for her to touch a living soul without killing them.
But she cannot kill what is already dead.
Our Thoughts 💭:
Fantasy is and always has been of my favorite genres and Count Dracula was one of my first true villain crushes.
There is something fascinating and enticing about a man who sold his soul for revenge. Who traded his humanity to seek justice on those who killed his one true love because of their misplaced zealot beliefs.
And Kingsleys Vlad?
He is the poster child for "misunderstood" villains
"Light the torches, bring your weapons, and stop me if you can. You will fail. And when you do - when you kneel - it will be at my feet. " - Vlad
Where to start 😲
As in true Kingsley fashion, she has taken a classic and warped it - just a touch mind you - offering her readers a labyrinth of possibilities that push the boundaries on what is plausible.
An offering of dark carnal delights that tempt the most stoic of readers to take a taste from the darker side
Props to our heroine Maxine! She is level headed (thank the darkness) and takes the steps to see the whole picture before jumping to hysterics.
Why cry over spilled milk?
Maxine is touched (not like that 🙄 ) She is an empath, and a strong one. Her gift also comes with a darker aspect one which prevents her from engaging in skin to skin contact.
She has accepted that this is her lot in life. Truly, what's a gal to do?
Vlad ...
What can I say.... licked him he's mine 🤸♀️
Seriously though he has far exceeded my previous Vlad crushes.
I could recap the blurb for you but I'm not 🙄 I will tell you that this was an amazing read. I was easily sucked in and found myself resurfacing a few hours later. It was one of those reads that I could clearly see the events as they unfolded. I could hear the characters' voices. The cheeky playboy. The stout second in command. The older soldier who looked upon you as though you were his child. The dreamer. The female warrior filled with hope. The warlord who resonated death.
And the empath who saw behind the veils.
I heard every sound
Experienced every touch
Bent to every blow
Need to collect my thoughts and chillax - book hangover in progress
Oh, and this ends on a cliffy 👀
I read an ARC and I bought the paperback 🤗
#heartofdracula #vampire #gothic #horror #romance #kathrynannkingsley #kindleunlimited
Amazon
The Princess Tied by Cari Silverwood
"band of ragtag travelers drawn by a common cause to defeat evil."
It has all kinds of danger and ...
Who am I kidding -
The Princess Tied is another wonderfully entertaining mash-up release from Silverwood that delights the mind while tantalizing the bits
Our heroine the Prim and Pernicious Princess Po is taken by
The dashing villainous hero John (Don't judge) - who is juggling with his conscience when it comes to proper princess etiquette - to assist in the rescue of his brother The lost prince Xander who was taken by the evil storyteller and his tentacled minions
Their journey intersects with the Seller Shade who's wares seem to suit the situation and soon becomes the sidekick that assists them in their quest for justice and the warrior let us not forget him
Along the way, they must overcome many perilous predicaments
And so much more
The Princess Tied by Cari SilverwoodBlurb:
"Falling in love with the has-been noble I lined up to marry is sadly wrong."
Princess Pollianna the First, smartest royal ever.
Wrong is about to get wronger.
Square-jawed, handsome Xander gets kidnapped and his brother, John, returns from Hell. The fire in this guy's eyes says he's not to be messed with.
With Princess Po tied and roped over his horse, with hand firmly clasped on her ample ass, John sets out to rescue his beloved bro, while not looking at aforesaid cute ass…or doing anything bad to it. As he travels the roads, a ragtag band falls in around him.
True Love will light their way, except John doesn’t believe in True Love.
“As wholesome as a threesome up against a thorn-entangled wall.”
Our Thoughts 💭:
This is a story about a "band of ragtag travelers drawn by a common cause to defeat evil."
It has all kinds of danger and ...
Who am I kidding -
The Princess Tied is another wonderfully entertaining mash-up release from Silverwood that delights the mind while tantalizing the bits
Our heroine the Prim and Pernicious Princess Po is taken by
The dashing villainous hero John (Don't judge) - who is juggling with his conscience when it comes to proper princess etiquette - to assist in the rescue of his brother The lost prince Xander who was taken by the evil storyteller and his tentacled minions
Their journey intersects with the Seller Shade who's wares seem to suit the situation and soon becomes the sidekick that assists them in their quest for justice and the warrior let us not forget him
Along the way, they must overcome many perilous predicaments
And so much more
#theprincesstied #dark #folklore #romance #carisilverwood #kindleunlimited
Amazon
Rite of the Omega by Eva Dresden
Aida is a prisoner - important to remember this as it helps keep what she endures in perspective.
I am a touch torn with regards to her.
She knows only the walls of her keep.
The lies that have crafted her world.
The kind cruelty her master has shown her.
Until the day her stars align
Then?
All he ll breaks lose.
Adia awakens to find that she is now a true possession. A simple slave. And her new owner despises her.
He ensures that she knows her place is beneath his feet.
I'm going to admit I'm still not sure what happened in the alter room. We are given clues but I'm missing an important piece that will tie everything together.
Aida is an Omega so her capitulation to her vile master is not something I questioned. However! There is no way in all the fiery realms of Hades that I would forgive that self-absorbed power-hungry weak mage a moment of my kindness or understanding!
Er'it is an abhorrent arse that will never ever be able to compensate Adia for the cruelty he bestows upon her!
This does end on a cliffy...
I'll be back to update when I'm not a seething mass of anger and hatred
Yeah ... NO still mad as a hornet
I need book two now and I am praying to whatever deity protects the fictional that Er'it gets struck by lightning (that is being nice) and Aidia finds her happily ever after
Rite of the Omega by Eva DresdenBlurb:
Orphan. Jealously guarded possession. The object of her cruel guardian’s desires.
These are the only things Aida Vertia has known in her life. Locked away in the high towers of Logoria, the seat of Aeslomor, she has little contact with the outside world. Knowing nothing of its splendor and beauty, she sees only the cruelties within the sooty stone walls of her prison.
Then he comes on the crest of a raging inferno. Destroying everything she’s ever known. Freeing her from one prison for the cold, hard chains of the next.
Our Thoughts 💭:
I enjoy the darker side of Omegaverse and this definitely tested my boundaries. It was the way he punished her for his weakness. The absolute heartless acts he was able to justify.Aida is a prisoner - important to remember this as it helps keep what she endures in perspective.
I am a touch torn with regards to her.
She knows only the walls of her keep.
The lies that have crafted her world.
The kind cruelty her master has shown her.
Until the day her stars align
Then?
All he ll breaks lose.
Adia awakens to find that she is now a true possession. A simple slave. And her new owner despises her.
He ensures that she knows her place is beneath his feet.
I'm going to admit I'm still not sure what happened in the alter room. We are given clues but I'm missing an important piece that will tie everything together.
Aida is an Omega so her capitulation to her vile master is not something I questioned. However! There is no way in all the fiery realms of Hades that I would forgive that self-absorbed power-hungry weak mage a moment of my kindness or understanding!
Er'it is an abhorrent arse that will never ever be able to compensate Adia for the cruelty he bestows upon her!
This does end on a cliffy...
I'll be back to update when I'm not a seething mass of anger and hatred
Yeah ... NO still mad as a hornet
I need book two now and I am praying to whatever deity protects the fictional that Er'it gets struck by lightning (that is being nice) and Aidia finds her happily ever after
#riteoftheomega #bloodrites #duet #omegaverse #darkromance #evadresden #kindleunlimited
Amazon
The Land Where Sinners Atone by V.F. Mason
So many thoughts and emotions swirling around me right now
I can't express everything this story was -
I will share some thoughts a few key rambles -
I can, with all certainty, say
Do NOT pass this one up!
Best read of 2020!
"The biggest lies we tell ... are spoken to ourselves. "
Would you believe me if I said that as I read the final chapters I was crying and doing the inner happy dance at the same time?
You should, this is VF Mason's work after all.
So many twists.
Phoenix and Zachary's lives were interconnected in ways that...
well once revealed I was speechless
Serendipitous!
That's the word
"But forgiveness is like love; it's either freely given or has no meaning at all. "
I did eventually forgive Zachary. I think I will always hold a small shred of anger towards his actions but not him.
Not sure if that makes sense.
He was blinded by his pain and instead of facing the emptiness he redirected it upon the cause.
Vengeance isn't always as fulfilling as we believe it will be.
It's easy while lost in our grief to become the monsters we so hate.
"Enjoy life to the fullest, but also be careful. Don't sacrifice yourself at the altar of others, because the funny thing about sacrifices? No one remembers you made them when they turn their back on you. "
So much pain, so much loss.
Phoenix was definitely given the short end of the stick.
I raged at the injustice.
I cried at the betrayal
I cheered for her every time she got back up
I stood a bit taller for each false apology she brushed away
She bent, she broke, she took some time on the pity pot -
Then she gathered the pieces, realigned the best she could with what was left, took a deep breath and took another step forward
This can be read as a standalone easily.
But if you have read previous books from this series - we get cameos!
#thelandwheresinnersatone #dark #serialkiller #romanticsuspense #vfmason #kindleunlimited
The Land Where Sinners Atone by V.F. MasonBlurb:
Once upon a time she became mine. Mine to destroy.
I used to have it all.
Successful career.
Loving husband who adored me.
A future full of possibilities.
A perfect fairytale nothing could break.
Until one day, life as I knew it was crushed into tiny little pieces.
I was charged with a murder I didn't commit.
And no matter how much I begged for justice, no one believed me.
Least of all the man who promised to stand by me through anything.
Our Thoughts 💭:
I can't express everything this story was -
I will share some thoughts a few key rambles -
I can, with all certainty, say
Do NOT pass this one up!
Best read of 2020!
"The biggest lies we tell ... are spoken to ourselves. "
Would you believe me if I said that as I read the final chapters I was crying and doing the inner happy dance at the same time?
You should, this is VF Mason's work after all.
So many twists.
Phoenix and Zachary's lives were interconnected in ways that...
well once revealed I was speechless
Serendipitous!
That's the word
"But forgiveness is like love; it's either freely given or has no meaning at all. "
I did eventually forgive Zachary. I think I will always hold a small shred of anger towards his actions but not him.
Not sure if that makes sense.
He was blinded by his pain and instead of facing the emptiness he redirected it upon the cause.
Vengeance isn't always as fulfilling as we believe it will be.
It's easy while lost in our grief to become the monsters we so hate.
"Enjoy life to the fullest, but also be careful. Don't sacrifice yourself at the altar of others, because the funny thing about sacrifices? No one remembers you made them when they turn their back on you. "
So much pain, so much loss.
Phoenix was definitely given the short end of the stick.
I raged at the injustice.
I cried at the betrayal
I cheered for her every time she got back up
I stood a bit taller for each false apology she brushed away
She bent, she broke, she took some time on the pity pot -
Then she gathered the pieces, realigned the best she could with what was left, took a deep breath and took another step forward
This can be read as a standalone easily.
But if you have read previous books from this series - we get cameos!
#thelandwheresinnersatone #dark #serialkiller #romanticsuspense #vfmason #kindleunlimited
Amazon
Arctic Bite by N.J. Walters
Like I normally seem to do I dropped into this series a touch late. It is okay though as this was a standalone. It does however interconnect with characters from the previous book - it is also only the 2nd in the series.
Where to start?
The world-building I believe would be a good place.
This was an enticing mix of lore and myth and a touch of magic
There was a bit of shifter magic, some vampy visitors, some deities and a visit from a possible omniscient presence of powerful but unknown origin (so not giving this away)
I possibly quite literally wanted a bit more of this side of the story but alas I will have to temper my greed for now
This story spotlighted our two main characters but it also gave us small tastes of some of the 'other kind' that were creeping in the shadows as well as a bit of the running backstory of which there were a couple of different storylines.
I definitely will be adding this series to my must-read list. It was fun and engaging with a bit of suspense and a whole lot of heat.
Alexei is investigating the culpability of a contract.
He may be an assassin for hire but as a Forgotten he doesn't kill the innocent.
Make no mistake he is a monster but he also knows that there are worse monsters out there than him. Better to give your darkness a direction.
As soon as he scents his target everything gets flipped upside down.
But he knows enough not to get personal with his kills.
Or maybe not?
Something is different with her.
Is she hiding her darkness?
Is this a trick?
Cassie was a refreshing mix of vibes from the bad-arse heroine to the sweet as pie girl next door - both worked well for her character.
Just wait till her secrets are spilled - Her skeletons are plenty - Some even she wasn't aware of.
Alexei- what a snuggle bear - He has secrets too and a back story that leaked a few tears from me.
As for our couple -
insta-lust followed by a solid build to their relationship. Again, I have to say I do wish I had more time with this couple.
I was a bit surprised to hear the truth behind the contract and even more shocked at the turn of events.
I'm hoping as this series continues we will get some of the mysteries left unsolved ... well solved.
Until then?
Watch your back
Arctic Bite by N.J. WaltersBlurb:
Being immortal doesn’t mean you can’t die. It just means you’re damn hard to kill.
When Alexei Medvedev joined the Forgotten Brotherhood—paranormals hired to assassinate other paranormals—he knew it wouldn’t be a cake walk. But his next target is one of Death’s own Reapers gone rogue. For the first time since he started this gig, “damn hard to kill” feels more like “damn near impossible.”
Our Thoughts 💭:
I'm hooked!Like I normally seem to do I dropped into this series a touch late. It is okay though as this was a standalone. It does however interconnect with characters from the previous book - it is also only the 2nd in the series.
Where to start?
The world-building I believe would be a good place.
This was an enticing mix of lore and myth and a touch of magic
There was a bit of shifter magic, some vampy visitors, some deities and a visit from a possible omniscient presence of powerful but unknown origin (so not giving this away)
I possibly quite literally wanted a bit more of this side of the story but alas I will have to temper my greed for now
This story spotlighted our two main characters but it also gave us small tastes of some of the 'other kind' that were creeping in the shadows as well as a bit of the running backstory of which there were a couple of different storylines.
I definitely will be adding this series to my must-read list. It was fun and engaging with a bit of suspense and a whole lot of heat.
Alexei is investigating the culpability of a contract.
He may be an assassin for hire but as a Forgotten he doesn't kill the innocent.
Make no mistake he is a monster but he also knows that there are worse monsters out there than him. Better to give your darkness a direction.
As soon as he scents his target everything gets flipped upside down.
But he knows enough not to get personal with his kills.
Or maybe not?
Something is different with her.
Is she hiding her darkness?
Is this a trick?
Cassie was a refreshing mix of vibes from the bad-arse heroine to the sweet as pie girl next door - both worked well for her character.
Just wait till her secrets are spilled - Her skeletons are plenty - Some even she wasn't aware of.
Alexei- what a snuggle bear - He has secrets too and a back story that leaked a few tears from me.
As for our couple -
insta-lust followed by a solid build to their relationship. Again, I have to say I do wish I had more time with this couple.
I was a bit surprised to hear the truth behind the contract and even more shocked at the turn of events.
I'm hoping as this series continues we will get some of the mysteries left unsolved ... well solved.
Until then?
Watch your back
The copy I read was complimentary
#articbite #forgottenbrotherhood #paranormal #romance #njwalters
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