Ash Bringer  (A Storm of Fire) by Courtney Leigh

Description….. 

The Draak, an ancient race of dragon shapeshifters, claim Earth after centuries of absence. To some, the Draak are like gods. To others, they’re invaders. To Everly Ghlass, they’re the ones that took everything from her. 

After her adopted father is convicted of killing a high ranking Draak, Everly enters a deadly competition to win his freedom. Her plans are shattered when the brother of the of the murdered Draak claims the keys to her fate. Draven Tempest is one of the oldest Draak, a man with a literal raging fire in him and plenty of pent up anger. Anger he plans to direct at Everly. Now she has a choice. She can fight until it destroys her or surrender to a dangerously alluring new life. 

At first, it’s a cruel, psychological game, but as time passes, the fearless Everly Ghlass begins to chip away at Draven’s hardened exterior to find something aggressive…and passionate.

As the two inch closer to a threshold that will leave them both changed forever, conspiracy and rebellion threaten the balance of the world. With war on the horizon, Everly and Draven must discover where they stand or be torn apart in a storm of fire.

My Review….. 

Now that was good. The first book in a new series, always a hard one, if it’s not strong enough, then people won’t be interested in reading anymore. It’s written by the characters points of view (not a big fan, but today it works) 

Everly needs to win the Red Race, it’s the only way to free the only person other than her parents (who are dead) she’s ever loved. He’s been like a father to her, so him being wrongly imprisoned doesn’t sit with Everly at all, she can’t break him out, but if she wins the race through the maze, she can have anything she wants, and Everly knows exactly what she wants!!! 

Draven knows that his kind don’t belong here, (but they did once, a long time ago) but the humans weren’t strong to hold onto this place, so it’s now belongs to the Draak, and so does everything on Earth. To Draven human women are vessels to use, and anyone not loyal to his race, are vermin to be exterminated!!! 

That was a hard book to read, it was amazing stuff, but the animosity that Draven had for humanity was sometimes overwhelming to read, his disregard for human life, and they were all either pets or pests, and so took it out on Everly!! I have to admit I didn’t think he’d ever get past the revenge he wanted for the death of his brother, but like most arrogant alpha males, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.. And fall he did, the brand he placed upon Everly was meant as a punishment, however, it backfired. He felt her emotions, dreamed her dreams and got an insight into his infuriating “pet.”

Everly held her own through most of the book, entering a race to the death for her adoptive father. Winning the race, only to be told her one wish wasn’t to be granted, instead she was to be “branded” and used like cattle (her thoughts) she was prepared for physical torture, to be “used and abused” she certainly didn’t go down without a fight, she fought him physically, and mentally. She didn’t want to understand him, but living under his roof, Everly saw a different side to him, and the Draak in general, they weren’t all killers, they are nurturers, they love their family and the human women who bear their offspring. 

The hierarchy of the Draak takes a little getting use to, Draven although the strongest, isn’t the leader, that title belongs to a brother, he’s a fighter not a diplomat. 

And both have decisions to make, there is a war coming, the rebel humans are fighting back. 

So will Everly be able to get past her loathing of the Draak? Can she forgive her “captor and master” for killing her father? Can Draven look past his loathing of the human race? 

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Fury Unleashed (Forgotten Brotherhood series) book 1 by N.J Walters

Description……

Maccus Fury, a fallen angel, is trying hard to keep his sanity. Seems being an
assassin might be catching up with him. Now, Heaven, or Hell, has sent a beautiful
assassin to kill him. Lovely. She’s pretending to seduce him, and he’s okay with that. She’s smart and snarky—but she has no idea what she’s walked into. And he’s more than peeved that they only sent one person. They’re going to need an army if they want him dead.

Morrigan Quill is one of Hell’s bounty hunters. She sold her soul to keep her sister safe, and now she’s working off her contract by catching bad guys and dragging them back to hell. When Lucifer makes her a new offer––that’s definitely too good to be
true—she can’t say no. All she has to do is kill a powerful and crazy-hot fallen
angel, who will totally kick her ass in battle.

Good thing he won’t see what’s coming next.

My Review…..

Maccus has been on earth for a very long time. An assassin. A fallen angel (a friend betrayed him and he fell) but he’s become a very powerful fallen. Learning all manner of weaponry and skills. He survived his wings being taken from him when he fell from heaven, he learned to survive hell, and everything that was thrown at him, so he’s distrustful of others, yes he’s surly and never smiles, but I don’t think I’d be too sociable either. And someone wants him dead. Good luck with that, he’s not easy to kill…..

Morrigan gave up her life and soul to protect her baby sister. She’s now a bounty hunter for lucifer. She’s good at her job, no innocents, just bad humans and demons. She hates her job, it’s a lonely one, but what else can she do about it? She has twenty five years of servitude, she’s done ten, only another fifteen to go!!

OMG!!! Morrigan finds out the guy she’s been sent out to kill is “The Hunter” an elite killer, this is going to be impossible, she’s not going to be able to fill out the contract with Lucifer, her soul will be dammed, and she will be tortured for eternity!!

We follow Maccus and Morrigan through a series of twists and turns. Watch as Maccus struggles with his feelings for Morrigan, he can’t trust her, can he? She’s there to kill him, but he’s also got to kill her. It’s a whole lot of mess, but he can’t deny the sparks that fly between them. Morrigan on the other hand has accepted that Maccus will kill her eventually, so she’s going to enjoy her time with him whilst it lasts. But she can’t help hoping its not for a long time, she’s come to understand the warrior and somehow ease his troubles, if only for a little while. And she’s determined to see a smile on that gorgeous face.

There is something going on in the background? Why would lucifer and Gabriel want Morrigan and Maccus dead? They work for opposite sides, is there something going on that lucifer and Gabriel only know about?

The forgotten are a band of immortals that clubbed together to give each other information. They hardly ever meet up (being on your own for centuries can cause paranoia) Maccus and a vampire called Asher (there is a story there that I’m sure we will hear about eventually) started up the Band of Immortals.

I liked this book, very fast paced, lots of action (maybe just a little less of the sex scenes) very detailed. The streets of New York came alive with the details that the author wrote about. The characters were great, very likeable, there didn’t seem any fillers (people in the book that didn’t need to be there) Hoping we get another book soon. Hoping we get to meet the Band of Immortals.

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Sister’s of the Coven (Daughter’s of the Warlock) book 1 by Amelia Shaw 

Hers to Tame (Nola Knights) book 2 by Rhenna Morgan

Description….

Book two of NOLA Knights, the heart-stoppingly sexy spin-off series by Men of Haven author Rhenna Morgan

As an avtoritet for the most powerful crime syndicate in New Orleans, Kir Vasilek doesn’t act without purpose, doesn’t speak without thought and never, ever loses his cool. The lives of his brothers, his family, depend on it. But then Cassie McClintock strolls back into his life, and staying cool is next to impossible. Cassie was the one who got away—and Kir is willing to break all his own rules to keep it from happening ever again.

It’s one thing to report on the Russian mafia; it’s quite another to sleep with one of them, especially one as dangerous, and as sinfully sexy, as Kir Vasilek. Even though the information he once provided helped make her career—and the memory of his touch still keeps her up at night—Cassie knows too much about his world to go down that path.

But when Kir reaches out for help after a rival family comes for one of his own, Cassie doesn’t want to say no, either to investigating a gruesome murder or to the heat that pulls her right back into his arms…and his heart. Taming Kir—and helping to save the family she’s come to call her own—is not the story she thought she’d write, but it’s the one she’s determined will get a happy ending.

Hers to Tame is the highly anticipated follow-up to His to Defend. And don’t miss Roman’s story in Mine to Keep, coming soon from Rhenna Morgan and Carina Press.

My Review……

I’ve not read the first book, but I don’t think you need to worry too much.

Kir use to be a bodyguard for the Bratva, now he runs a crew of his own, but he’s not the boss, that title belongs to his brother Sergei “His to defend” although not blood brothers, they guard each other’s backs and love each other like brothers. After watching Sergei fall for Evette, Kir longs for the same connection with a woman, but his past won’t allow that to happen (being sold into a Bratva as a young boy changed him) so Kir settles down to fact he will remain alone.

Cassie is a reporter but, she’s not really had a good story in a while. She needs a fresh story, but going back to a source she used before maybe difficult. But if she needs to stay at the top of her game, Cassie is going to have to swallow her pride and ask the one man she walked away from.

Almost from the moment they reconnect you can see that Kir wants Cassie on a permanent basis. Not just as help finding out who killed a member of his crew, but as a companion, maybe even more of a commitment!!! He makes plans to show her his world and his family.

Cassie really likes Kir, but she knows about his background and is very wary, but after meeting his “family”, she sees a different side to the Bratva and Kir. But there is her job to consider! Won’t people wonder how she got her stories? And will they assume they will favour Kir and his family?

But there is the murder to solve, and Cassie’s involvement may put her in the firing line! Is someone targeting her? Kir? Or the whole Bratva?

I liked this book, in fact I’m off to find the first book. The sex isn’t too over the top, and there is isn’t too much either😉The connection between Sergei and Kir got me wanting to find out more, and what made the boss man fall for Evette, and then there is Roman (another group leader) he’s as close to Sergei as Kir is (and rumour has it, that his book is next)

I’d recommend this book all day long. The plot flows really well. Characters are a delight to read about. And doing research on the author I found a series in which a lot of characters that we meet in this book are from (so this in theory is a spin off series) but you don’t need to read it, it just gives you more info on the characters. But I think that’s another series to be added to my never standing TBR list 😉

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The Anti Honeymoon by Bethany Michaels  

Description….. 

No groom? No Problem.

When her fiancé tries to turn their wedding into a publicity stunt, Jenna ditches the nuptials, and the groom she shouldn’t have been with in the first place and skips straight to the honeymoon. The getaway driver, her ex-fiancé’s former business partner, Zach, is the perfect guy to help reshape her romantic newlywed itinerary into an anti-couple, anti-romance, anti-honeymoon adventure for two.

They trade couples yoga for kickboxing lessons. Five-star dining on the beach for pizza and beer at a dive bar. Forget couples massage, Jenna’s getting that tattoo she’s always wanted, and dares Zach to get one, too. And those naughty boudoir pics she took in place of romantic sunset snaps? Those aren’t going in anyone’s wedding album. Not that Zach will forget them anytime soon.

As each item on Jenna’s anti-couples list is checked off, the anti-honeymoon with Zach feels more and more like the real thing, and she wishes the list was just a little bit longer…and even steamier.

My Review….. 

The anti-honeymoon by Bethany Michaels is a funny book….. 

Poor Jenna feels like the whole of her wedding is a publicity stunt, the dress is horrid, the shoes too tight, but when her fiancé puts her two favourite people in the world in a tiny corner, Jenna’s had enough. It doesn’t feel right and after talking to Aggie (one of the people she invited) Jenna has some serious thinking to do….. 

Zach doesn’t know why he’s come to this stupid wedding, he and Eliot haven’t been friends for a while, and when his ex-best friend walked away with the company they both worked on, that was the final nail in their friendship. Was Elliot trying to reach out with an olive branch? Or was it something else? 

But before he can pull away, the back door of the car opens and a pile of while lace falls in….. 

Zach helps Jenna to escape from the wedding. He then helps her get to the resort she’d booked for the honeymoon. 

Zach hits a snag, he’s beginning to really like Jenna, would it be inappropriate for him to hit on the ex-fiancée of his ex-best friend? 

Jenna and Zach seemed a much better fit than Jenna and her ex. 

The “to-do list” Jenna has compiled made me chuckle, from couple yoga to kick boxing. It’s all in the name, it’s the opposite of whatever she had written. 

I got the feeling that Jenna and Eliot were more of a parents wish for them to be together (they’d also known each other for years, until he’d asked Jenna to marry him) 

Jenna and Zach are totally different, both into each other, ready to have a laugh and complement each other. 

With both hoping that the anti-honeymoon will last for just a little longer….. 

But what happens when the Anti-honeymoon is over? Where will it leave them both?

And is Zach using Jenna for information on a failing company that he use to half own? 

I must admit it’s the first time I’ve heard of any of those things being done on honeymoon. But it did have me chuckling at odd moments. 

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Alpha and Omega (Project Blue) Book 1 by Carol T. Luna

Description ……

Ao never believed in monsters—not after being branded one since childhood. Exiled, he lives with his adoptive guardian, Kaisei Aizawa, amidst verdant valleys surrounded by desolation. 

Humanity only had themselves to blame for the wretched landscape. Their war poisoned the seas. Their greed coveted the fertile and the green.  

Their ambition set it ablaze. 
One hundred years had passed since the war banished Talus to the skies. Doomed to chase the sun, the once proud nation survives as a floating city. But the fallen always hunger for more. 

When the Talarians descend to claim the earth as their own, Ao escapes capture—but nothing is without its price. The only man he ever saw as family, Kaisei, is imprisoned instead.  

Ao vows to rescue him, no matter the cost—even if it means taking a stand against the most powerful nation left on earth. He knows of the risks. He knows of the dangers. But never would he know that someday, somehow, he would finally believe in monsters.

My Review…..

After killing his sister, Ao was banished, he would have died if it hadn’t been for the Doc, he took him, and began to teach him trapping and showed Ao how to fight, how to put that restless energy into something else. They live a simple life, going to the outpost to trade. It’s Ao’s highlight, and he has managed to get a gift for his friend and guardian. Not quite sure how old Ao is, I’m thinking late teens maybe.

They are trading when it all goes horribly wrong for Ao. Talarians are seen in the distance, this land they live in isn’t to be invaded. But that’s not what happens, Ao goes to fight, and in the ensuing commotion, his beloved friend and guardian Kaisei is taken!!

Reading the back cover, I got the distinct impression that Ao was either disfigured or looked like a monster. So are we talking metaphorically? Because he killed his sister?He’s an outcast in his village, so maybe he sees himself a monster.

Ao needs to find and rescue Kaisei, if not for his friend, Ao would have been lost. He’s been like a father to him, but Ao has no idea where to go, so he follows the slave train in the hopes of seeing and maybe freeing Kaisei…..

Ao is captured by the Talarian’s, but he manages to escape. Still hoping to find Kaisei, Ao never gives up hope, and there are a lot of things he has to do in order to survive…..

Ao is found and cared for by a group of freedom fighters known as the Silver Legion. He joins them in his bid to find and rescue Kaisei. There are plenty of battles to keep the bloodthirsty happy. Monsters that hunt them as well as the Talarian guards. Ao gets himself into a few scrapes, and a few close moments to dying. But his will to survive is stronger than his will to give up, he knows Doc is alive, and would be searching for him if he could.

So does Ao find Kaisei? Will he be persuaded to join the Silver Legion? And what are the Talarian’s up to? And why do they only want the young people? A few questions that I’m hoping the next book will answer 😉

Wow, that was really good. A post apocalyptic world. The author had really captured it well. The fight scenes were pretty well graphic, but brief. The characters were really well thought out, and I could picture them really easily. Daru was one of my favourite’s the trader and friend, some of his witty comebacks had me chuckling. Gen a silver legion fighter, her dry sense of humour is a good companion for Ao as they search for his guardian. The scenes flow from one chapter to another (you get some that seem to jump around too much) I’m definitely ready to read book 2.

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Worth the Wait by Traci Douglas  

Description…….

Mandy Reynolds needs a reset on life in so many ways. Her acting career isn’t
exactly where she’d hoped it to be. She can’t even get a job as a germ for a
commercial. When she inherits half a house she sees it as a sign and heads home to
Heavenly Falls, Illinois. She’ll sell the house, and use the money to take her
career to the next level in Los Angeles. That is if she can convince her
hard-headed––and stupidly gorgeous–– ex-stepbrother, Alex Noonan, to sell fast.

The last time Alex saw Mandy, she was a gangly teen, who followed him around like a
sad puppy. But she’s grown into a smart and funny woman, who is as frustrating as
she is beautiful. The fact that they have to live in the house––together––while they
fix it up, is one temptation he doesn’t need. And while he’s having fun spending
time with her, she’s moving on soon, and he needs time to heal. 

Plus, she has no idea he’s got a secret that could put a monkey wrench in all of her plans...

My Review…..
Mandy needs help, her acting career isn’t where it should be (well in her opinion), so when she gets the news she’s to inherit half a house, it’s the answer to her prayers, fix it up… sell it on…. easy…. well it would be if it wasn’t for her brother, well stepbrother, well in fact not even that now their parents are divorced, he won’t help her.
Alex wants this house, he has plans, and they don’t include Mandy. He wants to use the house as a showpiece, to show potential customers what he can do. Being an ex-investigator for the IRS paid the bills, but after being shot, Alex now suffers with anxiety and PTSD. So working on the house, he’s hoping will help him.
Neither can afford to buy one another out, so they agree to work together, fix the house, then Alex can buy her out. Then Mandy will be back on the road to stardom.
The story trots along, with both Mandy and Alex fighting and repairing the house, they also take sneaky peeks at one another.
Mandy thinks she’s nothing like her mother, she was into being with “the one” the relationships never lasted. So subconsciously she’s always on the move, and never getting involved in any long term relationships. The love affair between her mother and Alex’s father lasted only for a year, but long enough for Mandy to have an enormous crush.
Have to admit love affairs between siblings isn’t on my reading list. I know it’s only step-siblings, (but I have stepdaughters, and I just couldn’t see my son and his stepsister ever being a couple) but that’s my opinion. But saying that, it’s a nice story. Plenty of loose ends that could have been sorted. And plenty of questions that went unanswered. A little frustrating at times.
So will Mandy move on, once the house is ready? Will Alex be able to see past his failings? Can he forgive Mandy for caring, and wanting the best for him? And can they be more than step-siblings?

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CIRCLE OF THE PACK (The Quytel Series) Book Three by JANE S. MORRISSEY

Description…….

Devil at the Gates by Lauren Smith

Description…..

A duke with a dark past rescues a the daughter of a fencing master. What begins as a battle of wills becomes a battle of heart as Christmas works its magic.

My Review ….

This book originally started out in a box set. But the author has now released it on its own.

A short story set in the late 1700’s.

The Duke of Frostmore, also known as the Dark Duke, or the Devil of Dover. Redmond “Red” Barrington wasn’t always like the title he was now known as. He’d been a better man, but after finding his new wife in bed with his brother, Redmond had stepped off the cliff and into hell. His heart black and cold, vowing never to love again…..

Harriet needed to escape, her stepfather had plans for her, and they weren’t very nice ones. Escaping without her beloved mother was hard, but she was dying and Harriet couldn’t risk her. So with the aid of the housekeeper and her coachman she makes a bid for freedom…..

Harriet goes to the Dark Duke’s home to ask for his aid, her carriage has over overturned and the driver is badly injured. it’s not a good idea, in fact it’s a dangerous idea, but what choice has Harriet got? She won’t go home, not whilst that man is there. She needs the Dark Duke’s help.

An agreement is made, she will stay until she is well, and her coachman’s leg has mended. Then he will help her reconnect with her mother’s family.

Yes it has the predictable ending, and the journey getting there was a little rough. Red didn’t want anyone in his home or heart, but Harriet managed both. She stirs feelings in him that he thought were long dead. But he won’t love again, that hurt the last time he did it.

Once Harriet got to know Red a little better, saw past the bluster and anger, saw the man still hurting after seven lonely years. But she won’t trust him, he may give her back to her stepfather, or worse, take her himself. She must remain on guard at all times.

It’s a nice little read. I know it was intended as a Christmas read, but I didn’t get it then 😉but it’s nice my written, and can be read in a few hours.

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