Review: Aaron (The Casanova Club Series Book 7) by Ali Parker

Aaron by Ali Parker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Piper’s Author

Aaron was a slow starter. He’s a writer of romance novels, an introvert who lives with his characters more than real live people. He forgot Piper was turning up and had to be reminded when she showed up in his lobby. His apartment hadn’t been cleaned ages and dishes filled the sink. He was sweet and bumbling and embarrassed.

Despite this lack of instant romantic connection, Piper was determined to help Aaron in whatever way possible. It was really interesting watching their relationship form from this initial dynamic.

A lot happened in this book in relation to Piper’s family and it was interesting to see how the act of participating in the Casanova Club has started to change Piper and how she is with them.

I really liked Aaron and like Piper I’m sad to say goodbye. But there are still 6 more guys to go!

Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Jeremiah (The Casanova Club Series Book 6) by Ali Parker

Jeremiah by Ali Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Piper’s Logger

I didn’t know what was going to happen with Jeremiah. He seemed the strong silent type. He’s a logger with his own very successful company, and a self-made man. He’s a very isolated guy, with only a few friends that he doesn’t see very often. He works really hard and takes great pride in what he and his crew do.

This book was less heartbreaking than the last, but there are still plenty of emotions flying around. Piper is still unsettled about Miles when she arrives, not to mention motion sick from the boat plane. It takes her a while to relax into spending time with Jeremiah, especially as he is so self-contained. Piper throws herself into things by volunteering to work on his crew whilst she is there. Joining in with the thing he loves most means she gets to see him in his element. He’s tall, dark and handsome and difficult to resist.

It seems surprising that Piper is not even through half her men by the end of this book, and her parents still don’t know!

Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Miles (The Casanova Club Series Book 5) by Ali Parker

Miles by Ali Parker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Piper’s Photographer

Miles is a photographer and is sent all over the world photographing nature, culture and wildlife. His life is exotic and solitary. Taking the time to spend with Piper seems alien to him, but it is something he’s determined to do. He takes Piper away with him on his assignment to the Cook Islands.

This book was a heart breaker. Still overwhelmed with her feelings for Wyatt, Miles shouldn’t have stood a chance. But he was patient, kind and a true gentleman. On top of that he was gorgeous and they were in tropical paradise. This author writes about travel and conveys a sense of place that strikes to the heart. Giving a sense of where Piper and Miles are helps understand why they become closer.

Piper really gets put through the mill in this book and I got a lump in my throat several times. The author really captured sorrow so well it made my eyes sting. I really hope that Piper gets a break in the next book. Her poor heart surely can’t take much more.

Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: The Mane Attraction (The Pride Series Book 3) by Shelly Laurenston

The Mane Attraction by Shelly Laurenston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hilarious Paranormal Romance

I love this author, she writes banter like no one else. If you need a good laugh out loud book, then any in this series will do it. This book is ideal for someone looking for a sizzling paranormal romance with a bit extra. It not only has laughs, and romance, it also has outside plot.

Mitch, a lion shifter, is a cop, who is currently in hiding because he has a bounty on his head. He has to give evidence in a murder trial for a mobster he saw murder a young girl, whilst he was undercover. He’s currently hiding with his brother and whilst staying with him he met Sissy Mae Smith.

Sissy Mae is a wolf shifter and an alpha female, and some would say she has a screw loose. The female has no fear and no filter, and Mitch thinks she’s the best friend he ever had because no one else is as much a mischief maker as he is, except Sissy Mae.

When Mitch gets shot, Sissy Mae takes him to Tennessee to her home town to hide him from the bounty hunters. This home town is one she couldn’t wait to get away from as a teenager and hates to visit. Family politics ensue along with danger, and just maybe a touch of romance?

I really enjoy reading these books. They are pure escapism, but they aren’t boring or too predictable. I highly recommend them.

Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: The Sword of Avalon: Year One Recruit (The Sword of Avalon Series Book 1) by L Cross

The Sword of Avalon: Year One Recruit by L. Cross
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I would probably give this 3.5 stars if I could.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the author for review purposes. My opinions are given below and are my own.

To start off I would like to say that the blurb for this book gives quite a lot of information that isn’t contained in the actual book. This seems odd to me. You shouldn’t get more information from the blurb, it’s meant to be a hint, not a missing chapter.

This is a short book and it’s quite interesting. The MFC is Artura Drake and her whole life she thought she was normal. However, one day she sees something that mortals don’t normally see, she saw Minotaurs and then resisted a memory wipe from The Sword of Avalon Academy. This unusual ability lead her to be invited to attend a college for magic users. During her trials she extracted a sword from a stone, something no one had done in over a 1000 years. It seemed the Lady of The Lake had seen something special in her.

Her special case leads her to being placed in a dorm with three other talented magic users, with whom she quickly makes friends. She also becomes friends with two of the magic users who saved her from the Minotaurs, Lance and Wyn. The third member of that group, Morgan, appears to hate her for some reason.

When one of her new friends is accused of performing black magic, Artura asks to be part of the investigation. Sadly, she is paired up with Morgan.

The mystery does not get solved in this book and it feels chopped off. This doesn’t feel like a complete book, just part of one and that kind of thing frustrates me if I don’t know it's going to happen when I start reading. Aside from that, it was an entertaining read and the characters have potential, even if they have not yet reached it in this first book of the series. I think that the series, as a whole, might be more enjoyable than the individual parts, but we’ll have to wait and see until the next book comes out in early 2020.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Wyatt (The Casanova Club Series Book 4) by Ali Parker

Wyatt by Ali Parker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Piper Meets A Beautiful Cowboy

Ali Parker likes to put her readers through the mill. How is it possible for all these different guys to melt my heart each time? Wyatt is a gentle, strong and loyal man. He was devoted to his family but is all alone now, working the ranch his father left him. His two ranch hands are younger and treat Wyatt like an older brother. They are hard working, funny and loyal to a fault.

Along with Wyatt, we get to know his community. We get to see the life Piper would have if she chose Wyatt. She would have hard work, a loving husband, children and a supportive and friendly community. That future is very appealing to Piper and the reader is always going to sympathise with that kind of longing. Through Piper’s eyes we fall in love with Wyatt’s ranch and life. This book is hard to walk away from because we want the HEA that seems promised.

This book is slightly more plot heavy than the last two, which more about finding out about the set up, Piper, her family and then the men she’s involved with. The book explores more about the future of both Piper and Wyatt.

I don’t want to read the next book, because I don’t want to leave Wyatt behind, but then I do because I want to see what happens next.

Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Easton (The Casanova Club Series Book 3) by Ali Parker

Easton: The Casanova Club #3 by Ali Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Piper’s Football Player

This book was such a surprise. Easton started out as expected, as a bit of a selfish egotist, who cared more about himself and having a good time than anything else. Then he met Piper who just carried on being her sweet self and shocked him by being a genuine person.

I was really impressed with the way Ali Parker managed the transition between the sweet Joshua and the self-absorbed Easton. After getting so invested in Joshua I was surprised that I found myself liking Easton as he gently peeled back his layers and shared them with Piper. It would have been easy to make Easton unlikable and difficult to give a contrast with the previous book, but the author didn’t take the easy way out. I get the feeling that by the end of the series the reader is going to be as wrung out by all the emotions as Piper is.

I like how Piper is on a journey and finding things out about herself as much as the men are. She is taking part in the Casanova Club to help her family out but she knows that she needs to come to terms with what that will mean for her at the end of the year.

I was impressed with this book, it was nuanced and well paced and I felt heavily invested with both characters. I don’t know how I’m going to manage the other 10 guys, I think I’ll be in tears by the end of it all!

Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Joshua (The Casanova Club Series Book 2) by Ali Parker

Joshua by Ali Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Piper Meets An Artist

Oh Joshua, what a gorgeous man you are! This series gets off to a cracking start with Piper spending a month in Quebec with Joshua, an artist who comes from a wealthy family but who went on to become successful in his own right without the support of the family money. He is talented, kind, generous and supportive. He is close to his parents and trusts them completely. Having chosen to disappoint them and not follow family expectations he understands Piper wanting to escape from her parents restaurant, and he is supportive and honest about what his situation was and is.

Piper is thrown into a life of luxury in Canada and falls for Joshua much quicker than she thought possible. She goes on fantastic dates and spends time with a gorgeous and caring man. There is an amazing connection with him both emotional and physical and there are plenty of hot scenes to demonstrate that fact!

The author is great at helping you suspend disbelief that this could never happen in real life. She helps you walk through this crazy process hand in hand with Piper and Joshua and feel what they are experiencing, every step of the way.

The book is well paced and the connection between Joshua and Piper is nuanced and well written. I really enjoyed this book which caught me up in a different world for a few hours. Sometimes a good romance is what you need to pick you up! I can’t wait for the next book.

Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Piper (The Casanova Club Series Book 1) by Ali Parker

Piper: The Casanova Club #1 by Ali Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Working Class Girl Seeks Billionaire

These concept series can sometimes be a bit contrived, but they can also be really fun too. As the first book in this series was free I decided to see if it would annoy me or delight me. After reading it I have to side on the positive end of the spectrum.

Piper is a 21 year old student who also works loads of part time jobs and works in the failing family business. Her parents’ business is going under and she is giving it everything as well as trying to keep passing all her courses. Her parents’ dream is killing hers slowly but surely as she is forced to pour more and more time and energy into it for less and less reward.

Her best friend Janie works for a billionaire and she reveals that he runs a club of business men who join together to try and find a wife. One girl is selected and they each have a month to woo her. If at the end of the year she chooses not to get married she gets $1m. Piper is determined to get her chance to win that money and if dating 12 strangers is what it takes then she wants that chance.

I liked Piper. She is hard working to a fault, bright, ambitious and loyal and isn’t afraid to dream despite her situation. Her friend Janie is pretty interesting. She’s supportive but realistic about what the opportunity could actually mean to Piper and goes all out with her boss to try and make it happen.

We are briefly introduced to all the men involved and some of them are not pleasant guys. I’m glad there will be some variety over the 12 books, because how else will she narrow down a decision!

It’s a fun start to the series and I’m looking forward to the next book.

Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Risen (Rise of The Iliri Series Book 10) by Auryn Hadley

Risen: A Reverse Harem Epic Fantasy by Auryn Hadley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Brilliant Resolution

This is the final episode in The Rise of the Iliri Series, well kind of, because there is another book coming out and it’s a full length epilogue. I am SOOOOO pleased there is another book because the ending of this was kind of abrupt after a massive 10 book saga. Slowly building tension over the course of 10 books means that when it ends it can feel a bit sudden, no matter how well done it is.

The book starts with a lot emotion after Sal is lost. Because of all the emotional turmoil it feels like the book is slow to start, but once it does, the pace of the book picks up, slowly gathering more and more momentum.

Without Sal around, the slack has to be picked up by her mates. Jase in particular as first mate has to step up and lead for the first time. He is supported by the other three mates as they feel the need to draw close without Sal.

There is not as much about Ryali in this book, which is a shame because I love her character, but having her in place to support Dom back in Anglia means that the army can concentrate on moving forward without worrying about being stabbed in the back at home.

It’s in this book that Shade finally comes into her own, being let off the leash to keep the Terrans at bay whilst the army recovers from Sal’s loss. Having the love and support of her two mates gives her confidence and being allowed to use her ability to protect those she loves is a relief.

There are some mighty plot twists in this book, which make it really hard to talk about it in much depth. Whilst this makes it frustrating to review, it does mean the book is great to read. You keep getting surprised and dragged along to the next chapter to find out what happens next.

This whole series has turned out to be one of my favourite ever fantasy reads. It is written so well that the world lives on in my mind even after the final page is read. In my mind all of the characters are all still living their lives, having adventures, falling in love, raising their families and living free from fear. Auryn Hadley created a wonderful world filled with wondrous creatures with magical abilities and breathed life into characters that you wished were real.

Woven into the whole saga are stories about relationships between families, friends and lovers. There is so much written about the way different cultures interact and different races can relate to each other. The series debates the nature of political systems, searching for a way to create one that is fair for all. All these things, on their own, are captivating to read, together they create a wonderful reading experience.

There is so much in this series that I know I will read it over and over again. I’m so pleased there is going to be a full length epilogue novel, because I’m far from ready to say goodbye to this world.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: V Games (The Vampire Games Series Book 1) by Caroline Peckham

V Games by Caroline Peckham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Hunger Games with Vampires

This book is part The Hunger Games and part Urban Fantasy. It’s a weird description but then it’s an unusual concept. Selena has just been imprisoned for the murder of her abusive Step-Father. No one believed her story of abuse and therefore was convicted and at 18 years old she is tried as an adult.

Her cell mate is Cass, an arsonist. They become allies fairly quickly, which is all to the good when they get taken from prison in the middle of the night to an island in the North Sea with another 23 young women. There they are treated like game pieces as they are forced to fight for their lives, and their freedom if they survive. All they have to do is avoid dying when the feral vampires are let loose.

Varick is a vampire, but not a feral one. He is tamed with the use of threats and semi-regular feedings. He is the liaison between the women and the kidnappers during the games. He is drawn to Selena, a unique occurrence since becoming vampire. He wishes for her survival but is very limited to how he can help.

The women and the vampires are all prisoners of the Helsing family, hunters who have become twisted and worse than what they once hunted.

It’s a really unusual story, with the hunters being the bad guys and vampires being the victims. You find yourself rooting for murderers to survive just one more challenge.

I really like Selena as a character. She is a survivor, but she is not twisted by her past as much as some of the other women. She tries to retain compassion when others have let their’s fall by the wayside. She is loyal to her allies, especially Cass. However, she is a realist and chooses to survive if at all possible.

The writing style is smooth and easy to read and it’s nice to read an Urban Fantasy set in the UK for a change as there aren’t many. I really like the premise for the book and the plot keeps you guessing all the way through.

It’s an enjoyable book and I’ll probably read the rest of the series at some point.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Griffin: Cerberus MC Book 8 (Cerberus MC 2.0 Second Generation Series Book 3) by Marie James

Griffin: Cerberus MC Book 8 by Marie James
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Entertaining, but not the best in the series

I don’t think this was the strongest Cerberus MC book I’ve read. It was pretty predictable and didn’t have much building up of tension. The style of writing was easy and natural but I just didn’t feel there was much of a plot and to be honest, Griffin was a bit of an idiot.

Griffin and Ivy grew up together in the MC but they weren’t really friends. Ivy always had a huge crush on Griffin and never really looked at any other man, despite being away at college for two years.

Griffin went into the marines when Ivy was 16 and then when she was 18 she went away to college in Rhode Island, hundreds of miles away. They didn’t really see each other until Griffin got discharged from the marines and Ivy came home to see if he was ok.

Griffin was going through some severe trauma but I really didn’t like the way he treated Ivy initially. Ivy was sweet and naive, how that happened when she grew up in an MC I don’t know, but that was the character. He went out of his way to shock her and push her away in the most unpleasant way possible rather than telling her straight that he wasn’t in the right place to be anything to her.

I also felt that Ivy was too forgiving, but that is just my personality and I wouldn’t make the choices she made so it annoyed me a bit. However, the choices she made were consistent with the way her character was written, so I can’t complain too much. I just thought that even though she initially stood her ground, she did let him get away with a lot.

So like I said, not my favourite Cerberus MC book, but as I enjoyed the rest, I’d probably pick up the next in the series when it comes out.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Sweep of the Blade (Innkeeper Chronicles Series Book 4) by Ilona Andrews

Sweep of the Blade by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Vampires in Space

I am a huge Ilona Andrews fan. I pretty much love all of the stuff written by this husband and wife author team. This book is the fourth in the series, but I think it can possibly standalone even though a few references will be lost without reading the earlier books.

I originally read this story in weekly chunks, as they were released for free, but unedited, by the authors on their website. I couldn’t wait for each installment and hated any delays. It was so good to read the story in it’s entirety.

So as you can guess, this review is going to be positive. I enjoyed the free version and then downloaded the book, obviously I liked it. The reason I like it was that Maud is an amazingly strong, intelligent and fierce woman. She was raised as an innkeeper, a race of humans who provide hospitality in a neutral setting on earth for intergalactic guests. The human population at large does not know about the inns or the guests, and the innkeepers have magic provided in conjunction with their inns to house their guests appropriately and keep the peace between the various races.

Maud left her parents’ inn to marry a vampire and they had a child together. Vampires are an intelligent, political and martial race. Strength of arms is a vital component of their society. When they were then cast out of her husband’s House when her husband’s scheming endangered his brother, the Lord Marshall of his House, because of his jealousy, they were exiled to a lethal planet to live out the rest of their lives. Being cast out taught the fierce Maud how to survive no matter what, so she could ensure the safety of her daughter, even after the death of her vampire husband. Though innkeepers have magic, it is mainly through the inns themselves that their magic manifests. Maud was mainly human whilst trying to survive the horrors of her exile.

It is against this background that we see Maud travelling to a new home after being proposed to by another vampire, they love each other, but there are huge hurdles to surmount.

I love Maud who above all wants safety and security for her daughter. She wants her half vampire child to have a full and satisfying life, which she would not be able to have on earth because of her vampire DNA being so evident. I really admire that Maud is willing to try loving another vampire after the way she was treated previously by another House. Though willing to try this new life with the vampire she loves, she is very hesitant to marry and rely on her husband for her position.

This is not so much a traditional romance, it's about the time after a proposal. It's about already being in love, but having to make a life together when both of the people involved have very different backgrounds.

There is everything in this book, there is politics, military maneuvering, romance, family angst and fierce battling. It’s a great sci-fi story and I loved every page. This authoring team writes superb books, I recommend you go and read some of them immediately.

Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Level Up (Violent Circle Series Book 5) by SM Shade

Level Up by S.M. Shade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Pure Hilarity

I cannot express quite how funny this book is. Like the rest of the series you need to make sure you aren’t in public whilst reading this book because you will laugh until you cry. This will lead to you having to explain to innocent bystanders about dinosaur suits and exploding trucks.

Apart from laugh out loud hilarity this is actually a really sweet love story. Trey is the final guy from Frat Hell left single. He has a massive crush on Sasha who works as a tattoo artist and they even had a one night stand. Sasha is a little gun shy after her last relationship imploded but she is really drawn to Trey, even though she’s fighting it.

Alongside their relationship we see how great the community spirit is in Violent Circle and how tight the Frat Hell guys are with each other and their girlfriends. It’s the kind of group of friends you wish you had when you were at College. They do ridiculous things, tease each other and stand by each other without reserve.

This is the last book in this series but I am so happy that the author is doing a spin-off series ‘Slumming It’ which deals with some of the people we’ve met during the last few books. This is the kind of book you read whenever you are feeling a little down and KNOW you will be laughing within a few pages. It’s the perfect pick me up on a rainy day and all the books in the series are the same.

This book is in Kindle Unlimited, so I’ve always read them that way, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be buying them all at some point because they are books I know I’ll re-read when I’m in the mood for a good giggle.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Mark of Salem (Seeking Salem Series Book 1) by Jodie Szarmch

Mark of Salem by Jodie Szarmach
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Great Plot, Really Didn’t Like the Characters

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed it, but not as much as I thought I should. This book has great ingredients; a powerful young witch with a mysterious past, two cat familiars devoted to their witch, a dark witch who has renounced his past, a hellhound and a struggle between dark and light powers. The plot is intriguing, there is sex galore and the characters are initially interesting. BUT, I couldn’t connect with any of the characters.

The MFC, Salem, is a 25 year old witch who seems to have the attitude of a 15 year old. She is demanding, contrary and moody. She seems to want to have her way NOW or else. She attracts all these people to her but she seems to have charisma in 15 second bursts. Whilst I understand she is in a difficult position she doesn’t seem to care that everyone is going out of their way to help her.

It’s not just Salem who is annoying. The hellhound Elijah is evil, and I get that, I really do, but his mood swings are as bad as Salem’s. He’s being nice one minute and the next he’s trying to kill Salem’s allies.

One of the cat familiars, Briggs, is a sweet and loyal guy and one of the only characters I liked, with the exception of Arthur the butler. His twin brother Bryce, though, is selfish, demanding and has a temper.

Gideon the dark witch is so complicated I can’t get a handle on his personality at all. At first he seems a coward, then he seems kind, then he’s been led around by his libido, then he’s secretive and dictatorial and then he’s brave. He’s just all over the place with very little explanation about why!

So as you can see, I just couldn’t connect with any of them really. I just couldn’t see why they’d put up with Salem at all, or her put up with them!

I don’t think I’ll be reading the next book, even though it probably explains a bit more about the characters and why they are the way they are, but I’m not prepared to risk it.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Medusa: The Wronged (Gods and Monsters Series Book 1) by JJ King

Medusa: The Wronged by J.J. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Interesting Take On The Medusa Myth

I would probably give this 3.5 stars, if I could.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, but I’d read a book about Medusa a few months ago that I enjoyed so I decided to try this one too. I’m glad I waited a while between the two Medusa books because this was very different.

In this book Medusa is an urban fantasy writer with a Facebook group, which made me smile. She lives with one of her sisters and has come to accept her lot as a woman with a head full of snakes. However, her third sister, who they haven’t seen in 35 years is in trouble and they have to help her.

Whilst trying to help her sister, Medusa meets her ex-lover, Poseidon, the man who she was cursed for loving. 2000 years have passed since their last meeting and Medusa doesn’t know how to handle it.

Whilst I enjoyed the plot, I just didn’t feel a connection to Medusa. The way she was written just didn’t resonate with me. She wasn’t a particularly sympathetic character and whilst a curse and losing her loved ones is horrible, she is still very self centred. It felt as if the author had got sucked into thinking purely about mythology and plot and the characters' personalities got left a little bit by the wayside.

There were also some minor editing problems that were relatively easy for me to skim across, with one exception - ANTI-chamber! Just NO, it’s an ANTE-chamber. An anti-chamber would be the opposite of a chamber, perhaps the outdoors. It’s a silly thing to make me snarl, but it is what it is!

I’m not sure I would read the next in the series. It wasn’t a bad book by any means, but I have a really big TBR list and there are lots on there that I want to read more than the next book in this series.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Something Wicked ((University of Morgana: Academy of Enchantments and Witchcraft Series Book 1) by Emma Dean

Something Wicked by Emma Dean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well Thought Out Follow On From The Chaos of Foxes Series

This book follows on from the Chaos of Foxes Series, but that series doesn’t have to be read in order to enjoy this book. There are characters from the previous series that feature in this book, but they are introduced as if they are new to the reader as well, as the main character, Mika, doesn’t know them well.

Mika is a broken witch, who was defective magic. This is a common theme from Chaos of Foxes. Mika’s father and brother have recently been stripped of magic and shunned for their part in a conspiracy to make male witches the rulers of witches, even though they have less magic than the women. Mika’s mother died very recently of what Mika believes was a broken heart.

Mika postponed going to Morgana University due to the problems with her family so she is a semester behind. She is scared to let anyone close to her both physically and emotionally, as her magic is unpredictable and dangerous. She has been very isolated for a long time and is worried about attending the university.

On arrival Mika is installed in a dorm with Audrey, a witch born from a human family who has had her own difficulties, and they strike up a friendship quickly. She also attracts the attention of several male students.

Mika is a mysterious witch from a very wealthy family that was filled with traitorous witches. Her friend is a human born witch, who is very gifted. These facts all make her stand out and cause conflict.

I really like the idea of this book, which follows the fall-out experienced by an innocent party from the resolution at the end of The Chaos of Foxes series. Mika is an interesting character with a fascinating back story. I also really like Audrey who is supportive yet forceful with her new friend. The men in the story are only barely introduced in this book, but they are intriguing.

The cliff hanger is annoying in any book, except ones where the next book in the series is already available. Thank goodness that’s the case in this instance, or I’d be upset and give a lower star rating out of temper.

This book is interesting and well thought out. The characters are fascinating and story has great promise, though the characters are the main focus for this book. Emma Dean has created a fabulous world with The Chaos of Foxes Series and I’m glad that this world is continued in this new book. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series to find out more about this captivating new character.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Havoc (Rise of The Iliri Series Book 9) by Auryn Hadley

Havoc: A Reverse Harem Epic Fantasy by Auryn Hadley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s Even Better Than The Last Book - How Is That Possible?

I think my brain exploded! This book is incredible. I was on tenter hooks throughout the whole thing. I re-read the whole series before starting this latest book and I’m so glad I did. It reminded me of all the ins and outs of the characters and the complicated plot and culture and this is certainly a series that is worth re-reading.

The plot for this book is brilliant. It’s split into two, with one part being about Sal and her army and the other part being about Ryali (Zep’s Ex) in Anglia. The army is on the move with many many miles to go. More people join every day as each battle is fought. We meet new characters that become acquaintances and old acquaintances become friends.

I really love the new story arc with Ryali. She is arrives in Anglia with her and Zep’s daughter and is immediately put to work when she comes across a scientist in the sub basement of Arhhawen. He is looking to find a way to help prevent Sal becoming insane and asks Ryali to help him research. As a member of Sal’s family she has the right to look in the Royal Library. This one request takes Ryali on a journey into the palace and into noble Anglian Society. She makes new friends and starts to understand her own strength as an Iliri female. The new friends she is making are human or mainly human and she realises that human society has it’s problems as well and she may be in a position to help her new friends.

I love how the two strands of this story bounce back and forth, each time making me wish I was reading about the other one because they are both so good. The first time I read about Ryali I was annoyed that I wasn’t reading about Sal, but after a little while I got so sucked in I could have happily read a whole book about her experiences.

This author is simply fantastic at creating multi-dimensional characters. As soon as you start to read about a character you can almost smell them. Each character has unique character traits and history. As with Ryali, you would welcome whole books about each character because you want to know them, even more.

This book has a lot about Ayati or fate in it and Sal’s relationship with it and her place in the history and fate of all Kaisaes before her. Her request to find an answer to her fate is a sign of her unwillingness to sacrifice herself the way others have in the past. It also shows that she’s already different because she’s asking for help.

I cannot state enough how much I LOVED this book. I really hate to wait for book 10 but I know I’m going to have to. It probably just gives me an excuse to re-read the series again, so I can’t complain about the wait, too much!

Book 10, Risen should be available on 13th September from Amazon UK and Amazon US, and is already available for pre-order (and yes I've pre-ordered it!).

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Upheaval (Rise of The Iliri Series Book 8) by Auryn Hadley

Upheaval by Auryn Hadley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fighting Against Fate

Sal is through being manipulated by fate and she is determined that she won’t lose any more of her friends and family to it’s cruel twists. However, every Kaisae before her has surrendered to insanity or death and she is sure that she is going to die before the end of the war. Her loved ones aren’t so sure that Sal has to die or that she will go insane. They are sure if they can just get her to rely on them all just a bit more she won’t disappear in her own head.

This book is all about fighting Ayati, Fate, and accepting help when it comes.

The series just gets better and better. I really need the next book soon!

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Dissent (Rise of the Iliri Series Book 7) by Auryn Hadley

Dissent by Auryn Hadley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Battling the enemy within

This book is all about the Alliance between Anglia and the Confederation. It takes Anglia a long time to get through to the Confederation and there are many trials and tribulations involved in trying to gain freedom for the Iliri of the Confederation. Not all Iliri want to leave. Some want to stay and make a change that lasts. At the same time there is a lot of resistance within the Confederation that Anglia has to fight in more ways than one.

The Iliri need to accept help where it’s offered but also learn when not to trust.

Once again this author writes with nuance and power. I was captivated from start to finish and I can't recommend the series as a whole enough. You must read these books!

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: The Rise of the Iliri: Volumes 4-6 by Auryn Hadley

The Rise of the Iliri: Volumes 4-6 by Auryn Hadley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Superb Box Set Continuing An Engrossing Series

This isn’t a review of the books in the set, but of the box set as a whole. I’ve already reviewed the individual books and am happy for people to check those reviews out, but wanted to leave a review again after reading this box set, rather than the separate books.

The reviews for each book can be found here:

Inseparable - Book 4
Tenacity - Book 5
Resilience - Book 6

The second time of reading this series has not diminished my enjoyment in any way. This series is one that can be enjoyed over and over again because it is written so well.

The characters are fascinating, the world building is superb and the plot is captivating beyond words. When you start reading this box set, be prepared to want to spend every free moment reading it and be ready for tired eyes come morning.

This volume covers how Sal is treated on her return from her Anglian mission with Jase. There is a lot of ground covered and the plot twists are many, so it’s hard to describe what happens without giving any spoilers. Essentially the volume is about how the treatment of the Anglian humans changes the way Iliri are treated by others and how they view themselves.

There are some tear jerking moments in this volume and it is impossible not to feel for Sal and the rest of her pack, but Iliri are too strong to stay put down for long, no matter how horrific the things they encounter.

As well as all the trauma involved in this box set there is much attention to detail with the way humans respond to challenges and crises and alternatively how another species might handle the same.

Once again, I recommend this series wholeheartedly and wish more people would read it because it is brilliant. I also recommend getting the box sets because I’m pretty sure they save you money. I wouldn’t know because I always read in Kindle Unlimited, but I am really tempted to buy all these books because I know I will re-read them.

Borrow For Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: The Rise of the Iliri: Volumes 1-3 by Auryn Hadley

The Rise of the Iliri: Volumes 1-3 by Auryn Hadley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amazing Fantasy With Strong Female Protagonist

I originally read these books as individual volumes and fell in love with Sal and the Black Blades. When the latest book came out I decided to re-read the books to enjoy the build up once again. This box set was a great way of doing that, as it keeps the story flowing. These first three volumes work brilliantly as a set because they follow seamlessly into each other and end at a distinct pause in the story.

Sal is a purebred Iliri female, possibly one of the last. This race is often enslaved in the CFC, the land where she was born. There is very little excuse needed to conscript Iliri into the army, where they are still treated as slaves. Sal was conscripted into the army two years ago and as soon as she got promoted she applied to join any Elite Unit she could. She was finally given a chance to join the Black Blades, the best of the best. When she arrived she discovered that Iliri were hiding a lot from the outside world; their culture, their strength and their abilities. As a dominant purebred female Iliri she draws men to her and the Black Blades are the first people to make her believe this could be a good thing.

Sal was raised by humans and as such has no knowledge of the Iliri culture or language and her time with the Black Blades teaches her a lot, not only about her people, but about herself too. She grows stronger and helps tie the Black Blades tighter together, something that can only get them noticed and not always for good reasons.

This author is superb at world building. She weaves together clever strands of culture, history, geography and language together to craft a complete world in which the plot and characters can stand. Not only does she do this for one country, but several. Then on top of phenomenal world building, she crafts characters that we can bond with immediately, not just because we like them but because we can understand them. There are not just one or two characters created to bond with this in this series, but dozens of them of several different races. Then the plot, which glides along, forcing you to turn one more page even as your eyes start to close at 2am. I am unable to stop reading these books until forced to by the outside world or the end is reached. I get so wrapped up in Sal’s adventures I can never seem to pull myself away. As you might expect from an author who carefully constructs a complex world, the plot is flawlessly built, with politics, army tactics and social interactions all building on each other.

I cannot rate this book highly enough. If you like fantasy books, or strong female characters of any kind, I would be very very surprised if you didn't love this as much as I did.

Borrow For Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Fighting Fate (Finding Fate Series Book 2) by SM Olivier

Fighting Fate by S.M. Olivier
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tough To Read In Parts

This book goes for the throat. If you are looking for a nice easy Reverse Harem I would suggest you walk away from this series, because it has real guts and emotions. This author really doesn't shy away from difficult situations for her characters and SM Olivier puts Peyton through the mill even more in this book. She's had a difficult childhood with a man she thought was her father, beating her regularly, so you can imagine how bad it is if I say this book has worse stuff happening to her.

Apart from how harrowing this book is, it is also quite beautiful. Peyton has lots of love to give and needs to receive it in return, and her group of guys are well set to provide it. All her men have also had difficulties in their lives, so they understand how important love and loyalty can be. As well as having trials, her men have all been loved, even if it wasn't by their parents, it was from Mam and Da, who adopted them either legally or metaphorically. I love how in this book we get to see more of the characters of Mam and Da who brought real happiness to so many people despite not being in the book at all, except as a memory. I also love how Peyton seems to want to take up the mantle of Mam and look after her guys and the children left behind after Mam and Da's death.

Though Peyton is young, she is also someone who had to take on a lot of responsibilities at home very early on, as her mother worked two jobs to keep them afloat. She is great with the little ones, which in part can be explained by working with classes of youngsters at her old dance school and dance camps. But it is also explained by her need for family, because her own is so lacking.

This really is a very moving book and it's hard to convey how gripping it is without going in to more detail, which I don't want to do, to spare you from spoilers. You really should read this series. I can't wait for the next book. I'm also going to look at her other works because I enjoyed this series so much.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Peyton's Path (Finding Fate Series Book 1) by SM Olivier

Peyton's Path by S.M. Olivier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Angsty NA Reverse Harem

I do love a good Reverse Harem and this is a very slow burn RH book. The characters are all unique and interesting with very colourful pasts that are revealed slowly throughout the book. They all have their issues and those issues affect their relationships with each other. As the main characters are in their senior year at high school there all the shenanigans that go on at that tumultuous time of life, but there are also family histories that play into current difficulties.

Peyton has just found out that the man she think is her father isn't, he's actually her biological uncle. This comes as somewhat of a relief because he's an horrendous parent. Peyton was given this information as part of an explanation as to why they uprooting and travelling to another part of the country to live in a cottage on the grounds of her grandfather's house. Her biological father and his father live in her grandfather's house. Apparently her after her grandmother's death, her grandfather decided that he wanted to bring the family back into the fold by offering her step-father a job in the family firm, something he desperately needs as he has a rubbish employment record.

This situation is pretty awful with resentment coming from her biological father and his new family. Her step-father isn't happy about raising his brother's child all these years and being cut off from the family money. Peyton's mother is a doormat and Peyton has spent most of her life trying to protect her mother.

Starting at a new school has meant losing her dance scholarship at a prestigious dance school, the support of her best friends and their families, and her job at the dance school. Peyton knows that people are going to gossip about her and she has no support. Then she meets a group of friends and things start to look better.

There are quite a few triggers in this book, so be aware if you wish to avoid talk of suicide attempts, death of a family member, abuse of spouse or child and bullying.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Fate of Draga (The Draga Court Series Book 6) by Emma Dean

Fate of Draga by Emma Dean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amazing Finish to a Fantastic Series

This book was the perfect ending to this marvelous series. It was the culmination of all the wonderful plot strands and intriguing characters. It kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through and satisfied my soul at the end.

This book covers the battles to free the Hai system and then the Khara System. Their numbers are limited and the odds seem overwhelming but the Queen keeps making allies that help in the fight.

We see multiple POV throughout the book, as in the rest of the series, and this gives us the full picture of the action taking place through the final weeks of the war. I like that we get to see what happens to the ones left behind waiting, as well as those on the front lines.

Adelina is a fantastic character. Throughout the series she has blossomed from a shy submissive to the most dominant member of her race. She has taken the lessons taught by her loved ones and applied them ruthlessly. She shows only her strength to the outside world, but with her mates she allows herself to be comforted by their love. At the same time as being a dominant force, she is compassionate and honest. She shows real signs of being a wonderful Queen.

This book has so many surprising twists you will never predict how the ending is achieved. This author is very talented at crafting a story, and weaving the characters and world around it, in a way that makes you forget everything other than the book you are reading. You will lose chunks of your life to this series, but it is worth it!

You really should read this whole series because the journey is wonderful and the ending is perfect.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Queen of Draga (The Draga Court Series Book 5) by Emma Dean

Queen of Draga by Emma Dean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Fight Goes On

This is a wonderful series and more people should read it. It has everything you could want; love, sex, intrigue, politics, character development, excellent world building, and above all captivating story telling. Emma Dean is a master storyteller. Her pacing and plot structure is superb, keeping the reader on the edge of their seats throughout of the series, but interspersing it with moments where characters pause to bond or change directions with their lives.

This book is about freeing the Drakesthai and also finding a way to cure them of their sterility and find out who caused it, in order to punish them. This means Adelina starts her reign as Queen by fighting a war in a foreign system at the same time as solving a whodunnit in her own system. Her comfort is that she is surrounded by people who love her and will do anything to keep her safe.

This whole series is a treat for any fan of Sci-Fi or Reverse Harem Books.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Heir of Draga (The Draga Court Series Book 4) by Emma Dean

Heir of Draga by Emma Dean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Pain and Tragedy

I’ve just read a review for this book that stated they didn’t understand why there weren’t more reviews for this series, and I can’t agree more. This series is vastly underrated because it absolutely brilliant. Though it is an RH book, it is a very slow building one and each addition takes a long time. Plus, the people surrounding Adelina are not all part of her harem, some are just friends and advisors, which I like. Sometimes RH gets a bit romance orientated. Have a longer series like this one allows the characters and their motivations to breathe a little. This feels more like a Sci-Fi series than a pure romance novel. Set in space in the future with wars between systems and advanced technology seems to meet the definition.

After Raena, authorises the marriage of Adelina and Varan, they decide to have their wedding before they leave for the Hai System. Having the wedding quickly is meant to give the public confidence that life goes on with the Royal family at the helm, no matter what.

With the invasion causing more and more deaths, the need to get to Hai, in order to find new allies, is even greater and all of Adelina’s diplomacy and language lessons have never been more necessary. Having the love and support of Varan, who becomes closer to her every day, and Nadyah and the tolerance of Roxy, enables the planning to go smoothly, despite the tight deadlines.

Becoming the Heir, is something that pushes Adelina further into her dominance. She isn’t afraid of her inner wolf anymore, even if other people are.

There is a lot of heart break in this book, interwoven with the usual incredible plot development, world building and character depth. There is so much going on in this book, as there is in every book in the series, that you never really see what is coming next. I’m constantly being blindsided with plot twists. I LOVE it when that happens.

You really should read this series because it’s excellent!

Borrow Free With Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Jasmine of Draga (The Draga Court Series Book 3) by Emma Dean

Jasmine of Draga by Emma Dean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Brilliant Series

This series has just captivated me. With each book I get entwined further and further with the lives of Adeline and her loved ones.

In this book we see Adeline start to spread her wings as she begins to accept her own nature more. She stands up for herself more and starts to show who she is underneath the submissive mask she has always hidden behind.

The aftermath of the fall of Treon has shaken everyone to their core and put pressure on everyone. It has stripped people back to their purest need to help their people survive.

Varan’s proposal to Adeline puts a strain on Adeline’s relationship with Nadyah, but we begin to see the depth of Varan’s loyalty to the people of Draga, and to Adeline in particular. Prince Nash may not have expected Varan to protect Adeline in quite this way, when he asked for his help in keeping her safe, but it seems that it is a good way to do it.

We also start to see more of the true nature of the rest of her family. The relationship with her brother Asher and Veri becomes more interesting as they develop deeper feelings for each other. Raena becomes more erratic and ruthless and Ian works himself to the bone in a last ditch attempt to save his father. We do not see much of Giselle and William in this book, but getting to see more of Asher and Ian is very interesting.

Emma Dean really has crafted an incredible story and once I started it, I have been unable to stop.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Crown Of Draga (The Draga Court Series Book 2) by Emma Dean

Crown Of Draga by Emma Dean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

War Comes Closer

I love when I’m right about a series. I was sure that this series had great potential from the first book, and this second book confirms that I was correct in my prediction. With this book the plot becomes much more complex and the characters really seem to speak with vibrancy and depth. As we get to know the characters the changes in the POV seem less jarring. We want to know what happens next with each character.

Adeline is coming to terms with her differences to the rest of her Royal family. Nadyah’s support and friendship help her as she comes into her own as she officially becomes an adult woman. Her status changes in this book and she tries to get others to see her as a competent adult capable of much more than previously thought.

As Adeline changes her behaviour she butts heads with her older sister Raena, the Heir to the throne who has all but taken over as ruler because of their father’s ill health. Adeline is determined to be of service to her people and give Raena good advice, but getting that advice to be heard is often difficult.

With all the changes going on in the Palace it is easy for most to ignore the rumours of disappearing space ships coming from the Outer Rim. Adeline along with new friends and allies know something is coming and try to plan for it as best they can.

Once again this book is filled with great plot and world building. We learn more about the history of their Society and their genetics, and how those genetics affect their relationships with each other.

With the coming of war there is impetuous for romances to speed up, and attractions to be acted on. This book is filled with romances of different levels and intensity which adds heat to the book that wasn’t as significant in the first book.

All round another very enjoyable read.

Borrow Free With Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US

Review: Princess Of Draga (The Draga Court Series Book 1) by Emma Dean

Princess Of Draga by Emma Dean
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Much Potential For An Intriguing Series

I recently finished reading The Chaos of Foxes series by this author and had seen this series recommended in an RH group on Facebook. I really enjoyed The Chaos of Foxes so decided to continue on my path with this author. I was really surprised, because it has a very different feel to the other series, so far.

This book feels like an introduction. The main character Adelina is intriguing. She is very submissive in a Royal family designed to genetically be more dominant than anyone else in the system. She has a shy and sweet demeanour, but there is much more to her than her mask of submission displays.

Adelina is coming of age, and as such is going to taught by a courtesan about sex. The courtesan going to teach her is a employed by a House of Courtesans, but also by the Royal Spy Mistress. Loyal to the throne, Nadyah is instantly drawn to the princess and quickly sees there is more depth to her than most ever realise. Not only is Nadyah to teach Adelina, but she is to be her Lady in Waiting as well, and Adelina must decide if she can trust her.

The Royal family is currently in turmoil as the King is dying and the Crown Princess is taking over. There has also been an invasion of one of their allies, and that Royal family has been wiped out. There is fear that their system will be next.

We are introduced to many of the rulers of the other planets in the system, as they prepare to gather for the Ball that hands over ruling to the Crown Princess. There are a lot of characters with differing motivations and dreams. As this was the first book in the series, with lots of characters, it felt a bit choppy and overwhelming.

Aside from the cast of thousands, this is a very promising book. The world building is superb and I’m so intrigued by what else is come, relating to the different cultures and the genetics that were altered by the Ancient Humans in order to stop themselves destroying mankind.

The characters are also fascinating. Each character seems fully realised with depth, conflicts, hopes and dreams. The plot promises to be complex, with equal parts political thriller and romance. I can’t wait to read the next book.

Borrow Free From Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US