Tag: 18+

Review: Redemption’s Edge by Alyssa Day

Published on by Amanda

5 / 5 Stars!

This is a thrilling conclusion to the Vampire Motorcycle Club series!

We get this story from the perspectives of Meara and Edge. Meara is a 300-year-old vampire, and Edge is the newer addition to their family turned by her brother Bane. He’s a scientist who spent time captured and experimented on by the chamber. Though it takes place before this book, it greatly affects him as a person, and has more consequences than anyone else was aware of. While Meara has spent her time mostly alone besides her brother, she has her own secret she’s been keeping.

I completely enjoyed this! Meara and Edge are both closed off for different reasons, so not as much of their emotions are spoken, but their chemistry is off the charts. They’re incredibly alike in their need to protect others and sacrifice themselves first for others. The action building their relationship and their search and fight with The Chamber built beautifully throughout the book. All of the characters were relatable and wonderful. I hope someday we get more of their stories.

This book can be read as a standalone, but you definitely miss out on a lot of the background with the Chamber, the other couples, and even the beginning to the romance between Meara and Edge, so I would read the others first.

I was lucky to receive an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher before release!

Book blurb from author’s website:

The sexy conclusion to the series readers are calling “Vampire Diaries for grown-ups” from New York Times bestselling author Alyssa Day.

Review: Legacy of Temptation by Larissa Ione

Published on by Amanda

5 / 5 Stars!

I needed this spark to go back to the Demonica series after 14 years!

Legacy of Temptation is a standalone in the new Demonica Birthright series by Larissa Ione. This series takes place after her Demonica and Horsemen series and is in the same world. I went into it basically with no background. I had read the first few books 14 years ago but remembered very little besides the basics. So much has changed!

This follows our heroine Eva, spokesperson and Guardian for The Aegis, the pro-human, anti-demon and supernatural agency. She’s sent with a select contingent to visit with the Demon Activity Response Team (DART). In theory it’s to learn to work together. In reality, it’s to spy. There she meets Logan, the human appearing son of the Horseman known as Death. We follow along as they get to know each other, though they are both supremely against the other agency, and of course sparks follow.

There is so much information in this book. Not being super familiar with this world, and not remembering or yet meeting so many of the characters from the other series’ books, there was a lot of catching up to do. That being said, I never got lost and stayed with the story. It was just a whole lot to wrap my head around, and so much happened! Ione has 16 years of this world’s development, so it is extensive.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will continue it. I’ll also go back to the other series when I have time and catch up, but it’s a lot of books!

Thank you to #NetGalley for this #arc so that I could read this ahead of release! This book comes out February 6th!

Book blurb from author’s website:

Eva Tennant, like everyone at The Aegis, hates demons. But she loves her job as Deputy Spokesperson for the global demon-slaying organization, and she’s excited to be in the running for Chief Spokesperson. All she has to do is not screw up the two-week exchange program with The Aegis’s rival agency, the Demon Activity Response Team. But things go horribly wrong when a murder turns her into a fugitive from justice and puts a demonic target on her back.

Logan, son of the Horseman of the Apocalypse known as Death, has dedicated his life to fighting demons alongside his colleagues at DART. He loves fighting, females, and his pet hellhound, Cujo. What he doesn’t love is The Aegis, whose leadership attempted to slaughter him at birth. Understandably, he balks when he’s ordered to protect an Aegis Guardian responsible for the deaths of his friends. Really, he’d rather feed her to Cujo.

But when an old enemy rises from the ashes, Eva and Logan find themselves giving into temptation even as they sacrifice the things…and people…they love the most.

Review: Of Elves & Embers by Elle Madison & Robin D Mahle

Published on by Amanda

5 / 5 Stars

I was thoroughly immersed in this world!

Of Elves & Embers starts off with a girls’ weekend to Vegas… that goes horribly wrong.

Ember has always felt off in her world, like something was missing. She’s lived a rough life and been mostly alone. This all changes when she’s taken through a portal in Vegas and becomes the captive of the Shadow King.

Now she’s surrounded by people who thinks she’s someone else and seem to hate her on sight. As she struggles with feelings of deja vu and unexpected memories that are not from her human life, it becomes a race for her to discover the truth, while dealing with consequences and threats from the past.

This book is full of fantastic characters that you love, hate, and hate to love. The world unfolds beautifully, as does the details Ember is missing. I couldn’t stop reading, as I waited for it to all unfold.

For me personally, an unexpected second chance is incredibly emotional, and I cried right along with Ember. There is some spice, but it’s the emotions behind it that make it so moving and so impactful. I adored this book!

Of Elves & Embers releases February 6th! Thank you so much to the authors for the ARC copy to read before release!

Book blurb from Goodreads:

A princess bound in flames.
A king living in shadows.
A forgotten vow written in the stars.


When I jetted off to Vegas for a reluctant girls’ weekend, the last thing I expected was to tumble through a portal into an alternate reality.

Now, I’m stuck in a world straight out of a fantasy, collared by a king who can’t stand the sight of me, and roped into a deal he insists I struck in a previous life – a life where I was an Elven princess, arch-rival to his court.

I keep telling myself it’s all a crazy dream, but the memories that barrage me every night are too real to ignore. And, as much as I hate to admit it, there’s this inexplicable pull towards this mysterious elf – my captor, my adversary, and, bizarrely, my protector.

King Hadeon is hiding things about our shared history, and I’m not sure I’m ready to dig into that mystery. Even if I dared, the revelations might be more than I can handle.

With the Moon Court Elves gunning for me and wraiths threatening to destroy everything, I’m racing against time and fate. I need to piece together my past life before it’s too late, and before history decides to repeat itself.

Review: Awakened Knight by Viktoria Karlyle

Published on by Amanda

Releasing February 1st!

5 / 5 Stars!

A quick and enjoyable read! I can’t wait to delve into this world more!

Novellas are always interesting to me, because an author has to set a world, start a romance, and have a quick plot, all often within 100-200 pages! This novella delivers!

It’s a lovely paranormal fantasy romance set in Las Vegas. We follow the vampire knight Roman, as he returns from a fight with unexpected results. Then we meet his human masseuse Jessica, who lives a normal life working hard to take care of her and her grandmother.

They are two people who believe they are meant to be alone, but their attraction is instant. Can a human and a vampire work? Will both of their secrets end things before they even start?

It’s a fast story, but that’s to be expected for what it is. As an introductory to this world, it’s a great start and am looking forward to more!

Thank you to the author for providing the lovely, advanced reader copy before release!

Book blurb from Amazon:

Torn between duty and desire – can he fulfill his purpose and keep the love of his life by his side?A vampire on a mission, Roman and the rest of the Knights of Darkness are hell-bent on saving every captured vampire from Lucem Diem. 

But when an operation goes awry, the last thing Roman expects is to come face-to-face with his lifelong mate – who turns out to be a red-headed human.

Jessica believes she’s born to be alone. 

Aside from her grandmother, she can’t find it within her to make friends, much less a romantic relationship. Even her hottest clients can’t make her open up! 

But when she meets a mysterious high roller who whisks her away to a world of glitz and glamor, Jessica wonders if her life can finally change for the better.

However, the more they spend time together, the more she feels there’s something Roman isn’t telling her.

Roman knows Jessica deserves the truth about his true self, but will she be able to accept him? Or will she turn the other way and run?

Jessica has secrets as well. 

And as her purpose gets clearer, she has to will she finally embrace who she is and let people in? Or will she continue living within the walls she built for herself?

Join Roman, Jessica, and the Knights of Darkness in a thrilling adventure as they go to great lengths to uncover the truth to defeat Lucem Diem. 

Can the Knights of Darkness ever accept Jessica as their own? Or will Roman have to choose between his family and the love of his life?

Review: Heir Undisputed by Hannah James

Published on by Amanda

5 / 5 Stars!

Book 2 is just as good as book 1!

Definitely read Heir Undeniable first, as this book picks up immediately after book 1.

We follow along with Jonathan and Christina as their relationship evolves. They’re so caught up in each other and in love, but still live their lives both separate and together.

They face some major normal life challenges, a long with supernatural ones. We get to delve deeper in to the past, the vampire world, and how things ended up where they are.

I’ll be honest, I got frustrated at first, because there were a lot of chapters sprinkled in that shared Jonathan’s past. While I loved learning about it, I also was eager to move along in the story. However, those glimpses really show how he’s grown as a person (vampire, whatever). I’m guessing it’s also a bit of foreshadowing at how things might develop, but we’ll see.

Also, I just want to applaud the author for characters’ consistent consent, working through of toxic behaviors and owning up to what they do wrong.

I am lost in this world and I cannot wait for the next book!

Book blurb from Amazon:

Relationships can be tricky. Even more so when the person you’re with is unlike anyone else you have ever dated before.

Jonathan is everything I’m not. He speaks more languages than I can count, he has an apartment in every major city, he has more money than I know what to do with.
And he’s over 800 years older than me. And he’s the vampire crown prince.
Needless to say I find myself in unknown waters.
To top it all off, there are things on the horizon that will push both Jonathan and me to our absolute limits. Neither of us are used to relying on others, but sometimes you have no choice, and it might as well be the person you trust with your deepest secrets.
The question is, am I strong enough to deal with the darkness that is creeping up on us? Is our relationship?

***

In all the time I’ve been alive, I have never been happier than I am now. After centuries of trading fleeting connections for loneliness, I finally found the one whom my soul was meant to love.
To be on the receiving end of Christina’s unconditional love was a gift I never dreamt would someday be mine, and I was determined to do everything in my power to keep it. Even though I still thought myself undeserving.

Yet, it gave us no reprieve from a companion that I knew all too well: Death.
Will I be able to hold onto this new-found happiness? Or will encroaching danger rip it from my arms?

Review: Heir Undeniable by Hannah James

Published on by Amanda

5 / 5 Stars!

I fully enjoyed this book! It’s like Twilight and Fifty Shades had a baby (with better writing), mentioned so many of my favorite pop culture references, and kept me reading for more!

Christina Miller is your average grad student who works at a horror escape room, lives with her mother who she’s super close too, and keeps busy scraping to get by. She is feisty and smart, though not super confident.

Jonathan Langdon is a rich, worldly, and a several hundred-year-old vampire. He has such old-world charm and manners, all the while thinking like an adult with dirty thoughts.

This book is such a compelling mix! There’s so much innocence at the beginning with the burgeoning romance. Yet, there’s action, violence, and hunting. Plus, there’s spice! Jonathan is all about taking things slow with Christina, but his thoughts are explicit, and the spice is wonderful!

I fully love every single character in this book too. Jonathan is super close to his family, while Christina and her mom have a Gilmore Girls-ish relationship. The banter everywhere is witty and kept me laughing. All the while, the world building continues as we learn about the darker side to the vampire world.

I cannot wait to read the next book, which just came out. In fact, I’m going to do that right now!

Blurb from Goodreads:

You know how people always say everyone is special in their own way? Right. Everyone but me.
I’ve always been completely ordinary and perfectly plain. Even my name is boring: Christina Miller. Nothing sets me apart, and all I have is my mom, a mountain of debt, and a job at an escape room. On my first day as manager, the whole thing seems to be coming down around me.
Until a mysterious stranger offers his help. But underneath his calm, polite exterior lies a heart familiar with darkness and death, and I’m faced with a decision that only I can make: Do I accept that side of him, or lose all of him?
∞
I’ve never wanted nor needed anyone.
Until I met her. Until the fire in her soul sparked something in mine that I thought I lost a long time ago.
Yet, I can never tell her who I am. What I am.
I am Jonathan Langdon, and I am the great-grandson and the only known living male descendant of the First Ever Vampire, Ambrogio, cursed to a life eternal by the sun-god Apollo. And I’ve always felt that way, cursed, until she looked in my eyes and saw my soul.
But what would she do if she ever learned the truth? Will she run, or will she stand up and embrace the Night?
When my enemy gets a little too close, we may just find out… Whether I want to or not.

Review: Master Botosoni by Sylvia Black

Published on by Amanda

4 / 5 Stars!

While I always enjoy a long and detailed story, sometimes I just want a quick read that’s both interesting and spicy. Master Botosoni is definitely that!

This story is both from the perspectives of Master Botosoni, a pureblood master vampire in the middle of a war with the rogue vampires, and Catina, a beautiful woman with visions and an awful family. Botosoni is led to Catina to get her help finding the rogues and seeing who else is involved. What he finds is a woman unlike most he’s known, who has extremely accurate and detailed visions. Catalina always trusts her visions and knows that she’s being pulled by destiny to help.

This is book 9 of the Masters of the Consulate series. I haven’t read the others in the series yet, but enough background was given that it wasn’t an issue. Many couples were side characters in this book, and I’m assuming that their stories are told in the other books.

This book had spice and a good story, that while fast paced, was still an enjoyable read. As a lot of this story takes place in an adult club, there was less of that theme to the relationship between Botosoni and Catina. I’m curious how much of it is in the other books!

Thank you BookSirens for the arc!

Blurb from Goodreads:

A pureblooded vampire on a mission to hunt.
An innocent psychic with the strictest of rules.
When destiny speaks, will she break all of the rules for love?

As a pureblood, I am prepared for anything the rogue vampires bring my way. I will stop at nothing to keep them from driving us into the ground.

When a dark-haired beauty can lead us to the blood-thirsty villains, it’s clear destiny has sent us another sign.

The beautiful innocent will be mine someday. The fact she is forbidden will not deter me in any way.

But when Catina’s visions lead her into a shifter filled den, there are seconds to spare.

The decision is easy—make her my queen and end the rogues together. But when she awakens, will she choose me and immortality, or follow the rules?

Master Botosoni is the explosive ninth book in the Masters of the Consulate series by Sylvia Black. It is a deliciously dark, fated mates, enemies to lovers, age-gap, vampire mafia romance. You will love these novels where the passion is fiery, the loyalty is fierce, and the stakes are high. Each book in this collection is a stand-alone, with different characters and a guaranteed happily ever.

Review: Kameryu Dreamer by Matt Mememaro

Published on by Amanda

4.5 / 5 Stars!

More like 4.5 stars, but I rounded up! I’m rarely surprised by twists in a story, but this was as shocking in certain things as GoT!

Kameryu Dreamer is definitely spicy! It starts out following our fairies the Collectors, as they go about their lives collecting dreams from humans and selling them to other fairies. There is one extremely popular human, Jace, who’s vivid dreams and memories make his standout more than all the others.

Jace is living his best life playing in a band and finding different girls to go home with every weekend. Until a group of fairies show up and make him an offer he can’t refuse. What follows is a mostly consensual (magic is involved so I won’t say totally) binding to a contract and his going to Kameryu (in Fairy) with the Collectors as per the Fairy Queen’s orders.

Let’s be honest, Jace is shallow. He reminds me of a lot of my guy friends when I was younger, both from bands and who were DJs, whose lives revolved around what they did and the hottest girl they can find every night. He’s confident, yet still happy to accept “enhancements” from the fairies.

The majority of this book is spice. We follow Jace through his escapades with the Collectors. Did I mention there are five of them? His eventual run in with the queen goes as expected. Then there’s the lovely handmaiden of the queen who piques his interest from day one. There are also some shady happenings around Kameryu, and the enigmatic Sorch, the Queen’s elvish assassin/bodyguard.

For those who don’t like violence, though it’s in a small percentage of the book, it is extreme, so fair warning. Seriously, don’t mess with Sorch.

This book is not your typical fantasy romance, but I think that’s what had me enjoying it so much. Plus, the lack of constant female relationship dramas that give me anxiety. Ha!

Now we’re set for the next book as we go into the elvish lands, and I cannot wait!

This book comes out February 3rd on Kindle Unlimited or you can pre-order now! I did so that I can read this again before book 2 comes out. I was lucky enough to receive the eARC from the author.

Book blurb from Amazon:

When this carefree mortal falls head-over-heels for an otherworldly being, will foul corruption stop him from sealing things with a kiss?

Jace Osmond is sexy, confident, and brash. So, when the hunky band member wakes up to find his room full of faeries, he’s happy to listen to the beautiful creatures’ contractual offer. Agreeing to sleep with them and swap his sensual dreams for gold, this is one trip to faerieland that’s all upside.

Shocked to meet a faerie who makes him forget every other pretty face, Jace’s interest in the colorful coterie fades as he tries to woo the impossibly out-of-reach woman. But his passionate pursuit of the ethereal woman gets complicated when he’s claimed by the queen of the realm for use as her personal plaything.

Can he break free of an enchanted prison and win his way to his love’s side?

Kameryu Dreamer is a spicy romantic fantasy. If you like saucy characters, edge-of-your-seat tension, and dark steamy action, then you’ll adore Matt Mememaro’s out-of-this-world encounter.

Buy Kameryu Dreamer for a dangerous passion play today!

Review: Faebound by Saara El-Arifi

Published on by Amanda

4 / 5 Stars!

Stories of the gods and elvish prophecies drive this book.

We follow the stories of Yeeran, an elvish colonel, and Lettle, her diviner sister, This begins as a very military fantasy, as we follow Yeeran through her first day as colonel of the Waning army during the Forever War. She’s given a prophecy by her sister, and in following it, she gets herself exiled.

Not wanting to be apart from her, Lettle and Yeeran’s captain Rayan follow her into exile. What they don’t expect is to encounter fae, who are just a part of their fairytales as far as most elves are concerned. They’re then drawn into the fae world and their lives are turned upside down.

I did enjoy this book. The unique world building, the different magic system, and the different worlds and cultures was very interesting. I just wish everything had been explored a little more.

I also really love the diverse cast of characters, the normalization of queer characters and different sexualities and viewpoints of relationships, and the representation of characters with disabilities that weren’t limited by those things. The hetero and sapphic romances were a breath of fresh air, though often felt more lust driven than deeper.

The story was rather slow in some parts, and that took me out of the book quite a bit. I really feel like the author was setting up for the next book in the series, and I hope that all this setup really shines through in the next book. I’m not sure if there were supposed to be big twists in this story, but to me it was all rather obvious how the prophesies would play out and how other events came to be.

Overall, I’m very happy that I read this, and loved a lot of the elements. It just missed the mark for me in being a truly amazing book. I have full confidence though, that it will find it’s perfect readers out there.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me the eARC before release!

Blurb from author’s website:

DIVIDED BY BLOOD. IMPRISONED BY FATE. BOUND BY DESIRE.

WELCOME TO THE INTOXICATING WORLD OF THE FAE.

Yeeran is a warrior in the elven army and has known nothing but violence her whole life. Her sister, Lettle, is trying to make a living as a diviner, seeking prophecies of a better future.

When a fatal mistake leads to Yeeran’s exile from the Elven lands, they are both forced into the terrifying wilderness beyond their borders. There they encounter the impossible: the fae court.

The fae haven’t been seen for a millennium. But now Yeeran and Lettle are thrust into their seductive world – torn between their loyalty to each other, their elven homeland, and their hearts. . .

Review: Colossal by Alexandra Norton

Published on by Amanda

3 / 5 Stars!

Earth has been abandoned, and the human race is spread around the galaxy.

Orion is an entitled, shallow commander’s son, who has been banished to Mars by his mother for over a decade. He gets the news that it’s time for him to return and learn to take over command.

Kaia lives on Riker 109 as a scavenger. Her boss wants her to target Orion on his stop from Mars to Colossal, the colony ship. He wants her to make it to Colossal and get him information on how to access the ship. It’s full of resources and the best tech, due to its goal of finding New Earth.

The book follows their journey as they get to know each other, journey along Colossal, and use each other for their own means.

I greatly enjoyed the world building and unique aspects of the world and the ship itself. I had a hard time feeling very invested in the relationship forming between the two of them, as it’s more trauma bonding than anything else most of the time.

It definitely ends on a cliffhanger though, so now it’s time to wait until book 2 comes out!

TW/CW – check the authors website for full content warnings: though the dubcon is more like sexual assault with FMC feeling she “deserves it”, suicidal ideation, suicide, sexual violence, knife play

I was lucky to receive an ARC from the author to read.

Blurb from author’s website:

The predatory alien blood in Orion Halen’s veins makes him dangerous. Volatile. Addictive. But desire burns brightest in the depths of darkness… And the fall can feel so good.

Kaia never imagined her lifelong mission would lead to this: a sacrificial lamb on a colony ship, chosen to bear an heir for the ship’s ruthless soon-to-be commander. To Orion Halen, she’s a means to an end—a piece to play in his twisted game. But Kaia is no ordinary pawn.

Even as their machinations intertwine and secrets grow deep, an insatiable attraction takes root. Their dance of power and seduction blurs the lines between pleasure and pain. There’s a cruel lure in Orion’s glacial eyes. A mere touch threatens to expose a hunger Kaia can’t afford to let herself indulge, because she’s hunting for something far more precious than her own survival. But desire burns brightest in the depths of darkness… And it’s so tempting to give in.

Colossal: Dark Romance in Deep Space is a steamy science fiction romance novel where morally gray protagonists navigate treacherous desires in a slow burn that satisfies the senses and leaves the reader aching for more.