Today’s team review is from Olga. Olga blogs here https://olganm.wordpress.com/ Olga has been reading The Cleansing by Victoria Alvear. This is my first experience of reading one of this author’s novels, and I was impressed by the story and how … Continue reading
The Vampire Prince by Juliette N. Banks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars
The vampire Prince is the first book in the Moretti Blood Brothers series of spicy romances.
The story opens with a human called Willow who catches the eye of a striking stranger while at a medical facility. Brayden rescues Willow when she is knocked over as she leaves her appointment and he escorts her home.
This story has a fated mates theme and Brayden is soon waiting on Willow’s doorstep offering a no-strings attached seven nights of hot romance before he has to leave California.
Seven nights turns out not to be enough and Brayden must admit that he is a vampire prince and that he wants Willow for his mate. There are a few complications within the vampire world and Brayden has duties to his brother who is also his king. However, these issues are pretty much in the background.
This is a high heat romance with a very dominant lead male character which I found overpowered the rest of the storyline. I felt it left little room for any empathy for the characters and their actions.
Book Description:
Can Brayden protect the throne and win Willow’s heart before it’s too late?
Powerful vampire prince Brayden Moretti doesn’t want to be king, but his brother has fallen ill. With hostile vampire rebels threatening the throne, and no cure in sight, Brayden distracts himself with sassy Willow. Facing that she’s his fated mate means giving up his sexy playboy lifestyle, but soon that becomes the least of his worries.
Willow is focused on building her freelancing business, and done with men, when she crosses paths with a gorgeous silver-eyed stranger. After spending a sizzling week with him she discovers his secret and is faced with the biggest decision of her life.
As danger descends upon the Moretti royal family, can Brayden protect them while proving to Willow their love is worth giving up her humanity? Or will she return to her world and save herself?
Instinct Unleashed: Titan by Kenzie Kelly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Instinct Unleashed: Titan is an action themed paranormal romance.
Hiding from her ex-husband, Virginia has faked her own death and is now under protection from the US Marshalls. However, the safe house is compromised and they go on the run through snow filled woods.
Gunfire and the noise of pursuit draw the attention of Titan and ex-forces security officer and a shapeshifter. Titan rescues Virginia and his boss agrees to take over her protection while her husband is brought to court.
Complications occur over claims that Virginia stole evidence about her husband’s criminal activities. The leak in the US Marshalls office set several groups after Virginia who all think she has the means to name and shame them.
The romance between Virginia and Titan is an insta-love, fated mates scenario with a bit of heat. However, there are a lot of action scenes with Titan losing his mate on more than one occasion. At one point Virginia draws in help from her two best friends, one of them is Gaelynn and the series continues with Gaelynn’s tale. I did find an annoying number of typos in my kindle version which I downloaded from Amazon. Particularly mis-spelling of Virginia’s surname in late chapters and missing capitals in dialogue.
Book Description:
Virginia Reid faked her own death to escape her criminal husband.
She intended to lay low with the U.S. Marshals until the federal trial put him away for life.
If only it were that easy.
Even being presumed dead isn’t stopping her Ex from hunting her, and when it comes out she is in possession of recordings that reveal his illegal dealings—and his partners—the number and variety of people wanting to make sure she stays dead multiplies.
Bodrick “Titan” Vinson just wanted to enjoy a rare week off at his cabin in the woods.
But when a car chase invades his serenity and leaves bullet holes in his trees, he can’t help but be curious.
The strong woman caught in the gunfight calls to him in a way no other ever has. He’s found his mate, something becoming increasingly rare for shifters, but that was the easy part.
Now he needs to keep her alive.
This action packed full length novel can be read as a standalone, has no cheating and a guaranteed HEA!
Today’s team review is from Noelle. Noelle blogs here https://saylingaway.wordpress.com Noelle has been reading The Human Countermove by Logan Sidwell. I do like good science fiction and I found this book intriguing on many levels. The nation of Iom is … Continue reading
Moon Stalked by Aimee Easterling
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars
Moon Stalked is the first book in the Moon-Crossed Wolves urban fantasy series.
This story offers something a little different in the shifter sub-genre of fantasy tales. Honor uses her wolf pelt to help her shift and the fur can also be used to heal her family.
The story opens as Honor seeks her cousin’s stolen pelt. Without it he has become seriously ill and time is running out if it cannot be found. In her search Honor meets a lone werewolf who insists he wants to help. She’s wary of him at first, but when she gets into trouble she must accept his offer for her family’s sake.
Honor’s search takes her to a human family where a son is dying from cancer. The pelt has definitely been in the house, but Honor cannot trace it again. The story is complicated by a series of murders and the clock is ticking for Honor’s cousin as he weakens by the day.
This story has a hint of romance but the main theme revolves around the mystery of the missing wolf pelt and the strength of found family. I liked the road that this tale took, but at times I missed a plot point or two which caused a bit of confusion.
Book Description:
When your cousin is dying, you’ll do anything to save him…even trust a werewolf.
Someone stole the magical skins that let Honor’s family shift into wolves. Now she has seven days to reclaim her cousin’s pelt before he dies.
The trail leads to a mansion where Honor is surprised to find she’s not the only shifter present. Luke is a werewolf born with his beast inside, no pelt required. Her people call his kind thieves, yet he’s offering an alliance she desperately needs.
As bodies drop and time runs out, Honor races to find the killer hiding in plain sight. But her twin sister’s trust is shattering, her cousin is fading fast, and the werewolf watching her back is making her rethink everything she’s ever been taught.
Today’s team review is from Sandra. Sandra blogs here https://www.firthproof.co.uk/index.php/book-reviews Sandra has been reading My Greek Island Christmas by Effrosyni Moschoudi. Cathy Roussos, along with her nine-year-old son Leo, is heading to the Greek island of Santorini as temporary housekeeper on … Continue reading
The 📢 Tell Us About’ Meme is hosted by Marsha from https://marshainthemiddle.com/ This month’s topic Style Icons was chose by Suzy! Anyone can join in and write their own post and there is a linky set up to add your posts for others … Continue reading
Spiral Books The Ones Who Never Left. by Gabrielle MullarkeyMy rating: 3 of 5 stars 3.5 stars The Ones Who Never Left is a haunted house thriller set in Yorkshire. Newly weds Hugh and Lucy leave London hoping for a … Continue reading
Love Spell Academy: Book 1 by Annie Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Love Spell Academy is the first book in a new adult paranormal romance duology.
Failing college after the recent death of her mother should not have surprised Jet, but she was disappointed in herself. Yet her dad was overly understanding and was glad to have her home. He then dropped a bombshell that her mother had actually died when a magical potion went wrong.
Jet’s life is turned on its head and she blunders into a world with rules she does not understand. The family pet ferret suddenly talks, her mother was a witch and for a non-magical human, Jet appears to have a lot of unexplained new skills.
This was a fun, fast-paced story with a gutsy heroine and a hot love interest. The story centres around a love potion but there is also a popular chosen one sub-theme. Magic and mayhem abound and this was a happy way to spend a few hours of fantasy escapism reading.
Book Description:
A hilarious paranormal romance about parents, shagging, underdogs, and the perfect love potion
I thought flunking out of college was the worst thing that could happen.
But then my mother’s ferret told me I was doomed.
I really should have paid more attention.
Now I have a boy stalking me through a pewter bowl (don’t ask, just know he kisses like fire.)
Some dark enchanter is trying to kidnap me to make golden babies. (No, not literally gold.)
And apparently I’m supposed to select several members of a h– oh, I better not say it. My dad might be reading this. Let’s call it a boy band. With lots of banging. (And probably not on drums.)
So it’s time to figure this mess out. That my mom did magic. And so can I.
And I guess I have to beat the bad guys and save the world.
Oh wait. Not the world.
Just me.
Game on.
Ursus Borealis by D.L. Lewellyn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ursus Borealis is the first book in the shifter romance Starlight Chronicles trilogy.
This story is mainly set in a small town in Northern California. After the tragic loss of her best friend Thomas, artist Selena begins a new life plan and is drawn to the town of Quincy. Here she creates her idyllic home and makes friends in a place that sits on the edge of forests and Sierra Nevada mountains.
Surrounding Selena is a mystery from her childhood; a magical man left a mark on shoulder which hasn’t been any concern until this time. However, the vague familiarity of a holy man who appears soon after a tiger rescues Selena from an attack by a mountain lion, doesn’t shock her as much as she might have expected.
Andras Johns is a respected and well-liked businessman in the community of Quincy. His towering presence and attractive nature intrigue Selena and the interest that she has for Andras appears to be mutual. Andras and his colleagues have their own secrets, but Selena is about to become a very important part of his life.
Entwined within this romantic tale is a strong ancient magical theme. This appears to be part of a long cycle of battles which have been fought over the years. As this is the first book in the series, there are many unanswered questions especially as the story ends with a cliff-hanger. My version had a glimpse of the second book and the story continues with the addiction of some new players.
I liked the romantic elements, shifter societies and the mysterious beings and I thought that the author did a good job introducing all the elements. While the romance is fairly heated it is not so explicit that it overwhelms the storyline. There are some good battle scenes and Selena’s self-defence abilities are impressive. I enjoyed this story and would be happy to pick up the next book in the series.
Book Description:
Selena Aires is fine with her nine-to-five life in the city and using her spare time to create art instead of making friends or finding love. Then her mentor insists she’s on the wrong path. When he dies suddenly, her grief and faith in his convictions prompts her to move to a small town in the lofty Sierra Nevada Mountains.
But more is waiting for her than the invigorating pine-scented air and endless trails, even more than a surprising creative niche in a quaint old pub and making new friends. What Selena didn’t expect was an encounter with an astonishing man whose barely restrained power calls to something buried in her she didn’t even know was there.
The Alpha of the North Star Pack thought he’d faced every challenge until he lays eyes on the new human in his territory, a beautiful artist with the heart of a warrior and an alluring scent his primal side can’t ignore. Andras Johns knows instantly his life will never be the same.
Now the two of them must find a way to merge their opposing worlds while Selena grapples with her feelings for a man with a mystery beneath the surface, and she faces a destiny that’s expanded beyond her wildest imagination, a destiny fraught with peril in a world that just keeps getting stranger.
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