Tag: ARC Reviews

A Vampire’s Midlife Crisis (Misfits of New Orleans: Book 1) by Valerie Twombly

4 Stars

Mid-life romance

Having reached a time in her life, Sabrina, 53, is about where she wanted to be.  Her daughter is attending college, and Sabrina is running her own business.  But, going out one night with friends to a Vampire club-yes vampires are real, and humans are aware of them-Sabrina is mugged on her way home, and dies, or close enough that a vampire who turns out is her daughter’s boyfriend has no choice but to turn her or let her die.  The story becomes more engaging after that, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.  I was given an ARC of the book from BookSirens and this is my honest opinion. 

Fae Witch’s Vampire Guard (Dark Lords of London Book 3) by Jessie Donovan

5 Stars

Fated time traveler

This book gives us Reika Hashimoto and Stone Riley’s story.  As the prior two books in this series, one of this couple is moved from the present day back into Victorian England.  This is a short book, but very enjoyable.  Stone is the half-shifter half-vampire head of security for Leo Yates and his wife, the witch Yesenia.  Yesenia has the power to bring fated mates together, which is the premise behind the stories.  Each of the books can be read as a single story but are better when read in order so the characters and background story mesh together.  I received and ARC of the book from the author through BookFunnel and this is my honest opinion. 

Huntress Reborn: Paranormal Women’s Fiction (Supernatural Midlife Mystique) by Brenda Trim and Tia Didmon

2 Stars

What a mess!

I don’t know where to start with this review.  So many things that concern me.  The main character is confusing, and I can’t figure out who and what she is and what she wants to become.  Her backstory isn’t enough to understand what she’s been through, or where exactly she’s going.  Secondary characters are even less developed.  I’m thinking this was supposed to be a prequel, but it reads more like the authors wrote out their notes and posted them as the story.  With what’s been written, I don’t even like the main character, and really don’t care what happens next.  The book needs so much, I cannot recommend it.  I received an ARC of the book through Booksprout, and this is my honest opinion.

Dark Alpha’s Command (Reaper #15) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

I love this book!

This book is one of the best in this series!  Donna Grant uses her Dark World effectively in writing her books, and this one doesn’t disappoint.  We first met Balladyn in her Dark Kings series, and he’s become an important part of this, her Reapers, series.  Balladyn is a complex character, and this book brings almost all of his facets together for the reader to enjoy.  This is the only part that I have a concern with, and it’s from prior books he has been in love with and in hate with another character.  Here in Dark Alpha’s Command, he has completely moved on…after thousands of years invested in his feelings, he’s over them in a blink of an eye.  But if I ignore that concern, this book is outstanding.  The two main characters are well-developed, both have interesting back stories, and present themselves as people you’d want to know.  The continuing story is intricate and the arc from the last few books continues to build, and because of that, additional characters from Donna’s Dark Sword and Dark Warrior series make appearances.  With a tight story line and fast pace, I didn’t want to stop reading.  This book is not a cliff hanger, but the overall story arc isn’t finished yet.  But Dark Alpha’s Command is a satisfying read.  I cannot wait for the next book.  Well Done Donna Grant!  I received and ARC of this book from the author through Book Funnel and this is my honest opinion. 

Just This Once (Chicago Billionaires Series) by Alexis Winter

5 Stars

For Adults Only!

This book is about Savannah Grace Monroe, a pretty brilliant young woman who becomes COO for Baxter Technologies.  The owner is Warren Bexley, CEO, who is 15 years her senior and unmarried.  When Savannah interviewed for the job, she is 26, but Warren decides she is the best person for the job.  4 years later, they are friends, but each is hiding an attraction to the other.  The story is well written, with fully developed characters.  Chapters alternate between Savannah and Warren, giving their points of view.  In addition to being and age-gap, boss and equal subordinate, the story introduces Savannah proposing a “Just Once” encounter, which changes their friendship.  And the author, to make this even more interesting adds blackmail to Warren’s plate. 

  I enjoyed this book very much, and my only issue is that it seemed to go on too long- I’d have suggested about 50 pages or so less of the back and forth between Savannah and Warren.  Other than my issue, the story is satisfying and complete.  I was given an ARC of the book through Booksprout, and this is my honest opinion. 

Vampire’s Fae Witch Healer (Dark Lords of London, #2) by Jessie Donovan

4 Stars

Book 2 of the Dark Lords of London

This second book of the series gives us the vampire sister of Leo Yates (Book 1), Nora who has lived a traumatized life while she was a teenager, and the brother of Yesenia Vale, Dr. River Vale.   Yesenia was attempting to use her Witch Time Bender powers to bring into the past a Fated Mate to a vampire.  She did not focus on Nora, but Nora’s Fated Mate is who she has brought back in time- who turns out to be her brother.  The story continues as the two try and reconcile their different lives.  Jessie Donovan gives us quite a bit of backstory for both of these main characters, which would allow a reader who hasn’t read the first book to read this one with minimum problems.  The characters are well developed, and the plot is easily followed.  This series is a new direction for the author and shows that her imagination knows no bounds.  I was given an ARC of this book by the author, and this is my honest opinion.

The Gunslinger’s Guide to Avoiding Matrimony by Michelle McLean

5 Stars

Desolation, book 2

Another fun Western, written by Michelle McLean.  We return to the small town of Desolation, that is so far off the beaten path, that almost no one arrives there.  Except former criminals.  Adam Brady is trying to outrun a Bounty Hunter, and he ambles into the town.  Once he starts looking around, he stumbles into Nora Schumacher, who’s nearly on the shelf, and is tall and plain.  And so, starts a very funny, sweet tale that has ups and downs, and enough angsts to bring tears to a reader’s eye.  Well worth reading, characters from Ms. McLean’s first book are found throughout this one, and they add to the story.  I hope there will be another book in the series.  I received an ARC of this book from the author through NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.

Vampire’s Modern Bride (Dark Lords of London Book 1) by Jessie Donovan

4 Stars

New Series!

This is the first book in a new series by Jessie Donovan.  Set here in our time briefly, it moves back in time to 1890s London.  Vampires, shifters, and fae are common in both times, and our heroine, Yesenia Vale, is a Time Bender, but she is unaware that she holds magic at all.  Thrust back in time, she meets a Dark Lord of London (there are several) Leopold Yates.  Leo is a vampire.  This is their story. It is well written with good characters.  Jessie Donovan gives us quite a bit of backstory, and the history of this different timeline from what we know.  This book also sets up the second book.  I enjoyed reading this ARC and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.  I was given an ARC of this book by the author through BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion. 

The Boss Prince (It’s Raining Royals #1) by Alix Nichols

4 Stars

A fun read!

This is the first book in the series It’s Raining Royals, but I read it third, after The Bastard Prince and The Beast Prince which are books 2 and 3.  I enjoyed this book so much.  This one especially can be read as a stand-alone, but it sets up the story for books 2 and 3.  The Boss Prince is Max Delaroche, who at the start of the story is given a quest, to look for a missing key that will be necessary to save his family’s kingdom.  To assist him in finding this key, he is partnered with a woman whom he’s never met- Lucie Laborde.  The circumstances of their meeting are funny, setting the tone for the rest of the book.  The author, Alix Nichols, has written a smart, interesting mystery-romance.  Her characters are human, flawed, and very likeable.  Of the three books in this series that she’s written so far, this one is my favorite, but I did enjoy all of them.  Well written, with no obvious grammatical errors, the story is worth reading.  Hopefully book 4 will be out soon, as the overall story, the mystery, gets into your brain, and the reader wants to know what happens next.  I was given an ARC of the book through BookSirens and this is my honest opinion.

Mansplainer (Last Man Standing #3) by Avery Flynn

4 Stars

Great finish to the series!

I really enjoyed this final book of the series, which features the last Beckett cousin, Nash, and his “date” Michelle (Chelle) Finch.  This is a fun book, with Nash really starting out as a “mansplainer” to everyone he meets.  And Chelle is the unexpected woman whom he finds before his turn at winning a bet between him and his two cousins.  For me the book was a bit slow in the middle, but I laughed out loud at some of the situations the main characters found themselves in.  Avery Flynn is one of my favorite authors, and this is a worthy effort for her in finishing this series-but she left enough of the story open that there could be additional books about the other cousins.  Mansplainer can be read as a stand-alone, but for the best experience, read the prior two books.  I was given this book by the author through Prolific Works, and this is my honest opinion.