BLOG TOUR Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray

Hi friends! Welcome to my stop on the tour for Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray, organized by Toppling Stacks Tours (formerly TBR and Beyond Tours). Please check out my post to learn more about the book, read my review, and learn more about this fabulous debut author too. If you want to pick up your own copy (since this book comes out tomorrow), I've included the links for you to be able to do so. Make sure you show some love to the other tour hosts too. The link to the schedule is below. Happy reading everyone!

Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray Tour Schedule (Toppling Stacks Tours)

About the Book

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Crescent City meets Fourth Wing in this fast-paced and romantic debut, in which a teenage girl must survive ruthless werewolves, a glittering court, and deadly politics to exact revenge on the monsters who destroyed her.

After a vicious werewolf attack on the night of her seventeenth birthday party, Vanessa Hart loses everything she loves in a split second. Her best friend, her father, and even her home.

Bitten and imprisoned without explanation, Vanessa endures an agonizing transformation into the very beast that maimed her, and her captors make it clear she cannot escape: she will either swear her life to the Wolf Queen’s Court, or she will die.

With no other choice, Vanessa joins their enchanted Castle Severi—where flowering vines grow through the walls, gifts are bestowed by the stars, and a claw can break through skin as easily as silk—but she hasn’t forgotten what they stole from her.

Vanessa still seeks vengeance, scheming in the shadows even as she finds herself mesmerized by the golden prince Sinclair Severi, who threatens to steal her heart though he is promised to her nemesis. And by his brooding, disgraced cousin, Calix, whose smoldering gaze hides even darker secrets. Immersed in the magic of their whimsical yet cruel society, Vanessa soon learns not all is as it seems.

The Court is at war, and she may simply be a pawn in its lethal game.

Content Warning: murder

Review of Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: September 30th, 2025
Format: eARC (Courtesy of Publisher/NetGalley)
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

I've followed Jordan Gray (and her critique partner/best friend Shelby Mahurin) on Instagram for years, so it was so exciting to see all of her years of work come to fruition when she got her book deal. And when I finally got to read her debut novel, Bitten, it was an oh my god moment (in the best way possible). Bitten pulls no punches with vicious world building, and is probably one of the most memorable young adult paranormal romance/romantasy books I've read in a long time. So many twists and turns, heart wrenching moments, and that ending - I'm gonna be thinking about that for a while and I'm crossing all my fingers and toes that a sequel comes out soon (please please let there be a sequel).

The worldbuilding I think was my favorite part of the book. After Vanessa's brutal transition and introduction to the Wolf Queen's courts, she's metaphorically thrown into the deep end as she must learn the hierarchy or be killed in the process. Between the hierarchy (going from the ruling Kings and Queens down to deltas and omegas), along with the nobility structure, there was a lot to learn but I was all here for it. It was engaging and fast paced along with a little bit of political intrigue.

The romance was also entertaining. There's a palpable tension between Vanessa and Crown Prince Sinclair, but of course the aformentioned hierachies and nobility make things complicated. Especially when Vanessa is an anomaly as a Bitten werewolf who carves out her own place in the hierarchy. There were just enough moments of them giving into the tension to be satisfying, so I'm excited to see where the author will take their relationship in the future.

Overall, an amazing book and I'm so glad I had the chance to read it early (even if it means I have to wait longer for the sequel). I highly recommend it to fans of paranormal romance or romantasy books, especially if you love werewolves. Thank you to the author, the publiser Little, Brown Childrens, the team at Toppling Stacks Tours and Netgalley for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book as part of my participation in the tour. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the book immensely. Please note - all opinions expressed in the review are my own, and not influenced in any way.

About the Author 

Jordan Stephanie Gray is the debut author of the young adult werewolf romantasy, Bitten, and the adult mermaid romantasy, The Wicked Sea.

When she isn’t dreaming up the fantastical and romantic, she is likely cuddling her two pugs and two chihuahuas in sunny Florida.

You can follow her journey through up-to-date newsletters on Substack and on Instagram.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW My Haven (Bewitched and Bewildered #16) by Alanea Alder

My Haven (Bewitched and Bewildered #16) by Alanea Alder
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: August 26, 2025
Format: eBook

"My Haven" by Alanea Alder, the sixteenth book in the Bewitched and Bewildered series, is another great example of found family and paranormal romance. Meryn and the others have finally made it to the city of witches, Storm Keep, met the Irownwood brothers, and are ready to finally take on whoever the villainous mastermind(s) is there. The oldest Ironwood and unit leader, Caiden, also finds his mate, and that was a very unique and fun pairing.

As this book is the first of an (expected) five books in the Storm Keep arc, a lot of the major action is just being set up. The Witches council has been introduced, the clash between the Witches council and the Elders council is coming to a head, and we're starting to be introduced to more characters who may have a role in the conflict. I am so excited to meet the mom of the Ashleigh brothers and the Ironwoods. I also really liked Mr. Compton's character, and I feel like he'll be a big help going forward.

Caiden and Genevieve were a really fun pairing. The way Meryn sets up their meeting was ingenious, and I thought the comment about how both of their love languages are (at least partially) based in food was a nice touch. The side mating of Arlo (Genevieve's pseudo brother/best friend) was hilarious in how it came together, and I'm curious to see how Troy will play a part in the action going forward.

Overall, another excellent book. I highly recommend this series to those that enjoy books that are a cross between paranormal romance and urban fantasy, and that are filled with moments of humor and heart (especially considering the strong emphasis on found family). Best to read the books in order for the optimal experience.

REVIEW Vendetta Road (Torpedo Ink #3) by Christine Feehan

Vendetta Road (Torpedo Ink #3) by Christine Feehan
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: January 28, 2020
Format: eBook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Berkley

Vengeance Road by Christine Feehan is the third book in the Torpedo Ink series, and while entertaining will definitely not be for everyone. Explosive, action packed, and filled with romance, its also filled with explicit violence and sex scenes. 

While the members of Torpedo Ink are all powerful in their own right and have worked on building a life for themselves on the coast, they are not by any means "stable". All of the members suffered long term abuse when they were children, and its left them scarred and unable to perform as 'normal' members of society. When they find their person though, thats it for them and Ice and Soleil are no exception. The book is dark and full of scary things (like the human traffickers the club works to hunt down and stop), but there are also happy moments.

Ice and Soleil grow together, and figure out their own way to make their needs work. As opposed to some of the other relationships in the series, theirs felt balanced. I'm definitely commited to seeing more of their relationship in the future, and hope they continue to show up in more books (like Anya/Reaper, Steele/Breezy, and Blythe/Czar have). I would recommend this book to mature fans of paranormal romance, who love the motorcycle club sub-genre and the found family trope.

REVIEW My Warrior (Bewitched and Bewildered #13) by Alanea Alder

My Warrior (Bewitched and Bewildered #13) by Alanea Alder
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: August 25, 2020
Format: eBook (Personal Library, Kindle)
Publisher: Sacred Forest Publishing

“You respect my job and trust in my abilities, yet, still know when to treat me like a woman.”

My Warrior, the thirteenth book in the urban fantasy meets paranormal romance series Bewitched and Bewildered by Alanea Alder was another humorous and entertaining read. There’s still a lot of tragic and terrible things going on in Eire Danu (the home of the fae), but the warriors and their mates are getting a lot closer to figuring out what’s going on. Enter Brie, a deputy sheriff working under local law enforcement. After her surprise mating with lion shifter warrior Ari, they work together to save more people and outsmart the ferals and reapers working against them. 

Ari and Brie have an entirely different dynamic that most of the other couples and I loved it. Brie is a warrior in her own right, and not really domestic at all. Ari embraces that, and never tries to stifle who she is. Brie also ends up being an integral part of outsmarting the enemy, as she’s not stuck in the same way of thinking as the paranormal warriors (who have developed their methodologies over the course of hundreds if not thousands of years). She works well with Menace (a.k.a. Meryn) and they both kick butt. It’s sad that the middle books of a city’s story arc leave so much hanging, but there’s still a lot of action happening to satisfy readers. 

Overall, an excellent read with great worldbuilding. We’ve been building towards heading towards the final paranormal pillar city Storm Keep (home of the witches), and I’m so excited to see Meryn and company wreak havoc and chaos on the witches (especially considering how much shady stuff they’ve been up to). I highly recommend this series to those who enjoy humorous mixes of urban fantasy and paranormal romance. 

REVIEW My Eternal Light (Bewitched and Bewildered #15) by Alanea Alder

My Eternal Light (Bewitched and Bewildered #15) by Alanea Alder
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: August 27, 2024
Format: eBook (Personal Library)
Publisher: Sacred Forest Publishing 

Readers finally get Kincaid’s story in My Eternal Light by Alanea Alder, the fifteenth book in the Bewitched and Bewildered series, and it was so worth it. I devoured it within a day. Those who enjoy paranormal romance books complete with lots of humor, large relatable casts of characters, and great worldbuilding should pick up this series ASAP. 

The action of the storyline is moving very quickly in this book. There are a lot of story threads that are coming to a climax, and I particularly enjoyed Meryn’s interactions with the demon in this book. Ryuu is once again a support to Meryn’s shenanigans, but the other squires had their moments in the book too. Eire Danu has been such a pleasure over the last couple of books, but I’m excited to see how things play out as Meryn and Aiden head to the final pillar city (Storm’s Keep). 

My only complaint about the book was the lack of more individual time with Zadie and Kincaid. It made sense in the context of the book, but they definitely didn’t get as much alone time or on-page romantic moments as Brie and Ari, Zoe and Gage, or Cas and Priest. Don’t worry though - there is sufficient romance and the twosome seemed to accept their bond the quickest out of any of the other couples. Thankfully, with the role that Zadie’s going to play in the paranormal world, I’m confident we’ll see more of them in the future. I’m also super excited to get to see more of Kincaid’s family in the future.  

Overall, another excellent installment in the Bewitched and Bewildered series. Can’t wait for the next installment, especially with who the author teased is the next warrior to be featured. 

REVIEW My Salvation (Bewitched and Bewildered #14) by Alanea Alder

My Salvation (Bewitched and Bewildered #14) by Alanea Alder
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: August 29, 2023
Format: eBook (Personal Library)
Publisher: Sacred Forest Publishing

“Bad times go away likenight facing the dawn. You just have to hold out.”

Alanea Alder’s fourteenth book in her Bewitched and Bewildered series, My Salvation, was another romance packed and humorous read. Focusing on one of the final unit members in Eire Danu, Priest Vi’Aerdan as he finds his mate in Cassandra Vi’Iliya, the unit warriors are still facing the mounting feral problem and doing their best to discover why the lights of Eire Danu are dimming. 

Meryn and her merry band of misfits have been one of my favorite parts of the series, and Cass and Meryn have such fun interactions in the book that I was giggling as I read. One of the things I love about this series is that each of the females have their own strengths, which compliment that of their mates so well. Priest struggles to make peace with his bird half after being ostracized by his biological family, and Cass has been isolated from her people for a very long time after the death of her parents. They make their own little family together, and I’m so excited to see how their relationship progresses in the future. It’s a very sweet love story, complete with themes of found/chosen family. Getting to see the hints of the relationships of other couples from previous books is always a treat too - I’d personally love to see a prequel of sorts detailing how the Queen and Brennus initially met. 

The worldbuilding of this series has been excellent. The gang started in Lycaonia (seat of the shifters), then moved to Noctem Falls (home of the vampires), and has now been stationed in Eire Danu for the last couple of books. Given that each city gets about five books, we’re about ready to move to the final city (Storm Keep) and I’m so excited to see Meryn wreak havoc and chaos on the witches (especially considering how much shady stuff they’ve been up to). 

Overall, this was another fantastic read. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, My Eternal Light, which should focus on Kincaid. He’s such a unique character whose full of power (and completely clueless on how to use it), so I’m hopeful the super witches can help him focus as he finds his own happily ever after. 

REVIEW Dark Memory (Dark #33) by Christine Feehan

Dark Memory (Dark Series #33) by Christine Feehan
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: October 3, 2023
Format: eBook + Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Berkley 

Dark Memory is the latest installment in Christine Feehan’s Dark series, and I’m really loving the series arc featuring the tarot card users and the ancients of the monastery. I was happy to dive into Petru and Safia’s very unique love story, as this is another action packed book filled with suspense, romance, and great worldbuilding.  

Similar to all of the other books in the series and specifically the other books featuring ancients of the monastery, Petru has been searching for his lifemate for thousands of years. Unlike the other male leads, however, Petru actually found an incarnation of his life mate long ago. When faced with an impossible choice (that I don’t want to spoil) he found himself unable to save her and forced to wait until she was born into a new body to find her again. Once he does find her in Safia, he’s surprised to see that she’s a fierce warrior and protector of her people. I really appreciated seeing how he embraced all of her wholeheartedly and was so determined to give her what he could (i.e. a marriage in the ways of her people, more time with her family) since he could not afford to wait to claim her once they met. The more modern partnerships where each life mate balances each other have been my favorite parts of the recent Dark series books, and I hope that trend continues in the future. 

With the last couple of books in the series (starting with Dark Tarot), Ms. Feehan has been building a major storyline with ‘the Beast’, the four gateways and those who guard them. Compared to some of the other storylines (i.e. the mages, the lycans) I have been really engaged with devouring every detail about what’s going on with Justice. There’s another major detail revealed about the importance of tarot cards in this book, so I’m excited to see the eventual climax where Justice makes his play to escape. I really hope it happens soon, and that we get to see cameos from all of the gatekeepers and keepers of the tarot card decks when it does. 

Overall, another great book from Christine Feehan. Jim Frangione did a great job bringing Safia and Petru’s perspectives to life with his performance in the audiobook. I look forward to the next installment featuring the final gate guardian and tarot card user, and getting to see Benedek (and hopefully Nicu’s) lifemate. Any adult readers who are fans of the paranormal romance genre and love great worldbuilding and the fated mate trope would likely enjoy this series. For the best reading experience, I would recommend reading the books of the Dark series in order. However, each book is written such that it largely stands on its own (you do miss some minor context details) and you could start wherever you’d like if one book appeals to you more than others. 

REVIEW Shadow Dance (Shadow Riders #8) by Christine Feehan

Shadow Dance (Shadow Riders #8) by Christine Feehan
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Release Date: August 22, 2023
Format: eBook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Berkley 

Shadow Dance by Christine Feehan was another entertaining addition to the Shadow Riders series. Focusing on a different branch of the Ferraro’s in New York, Geno Ferraro is now center stage as he finds his other half in an unlikely place and an even unlikelier person. 

Geno and Amaranthe have a unique relationship. They first meet after Amaranthe is caught in a trap Geno sets, and realizes she is a shadow rider and his shadow wants to connect to hers. As an accomplished shadow rider herself, Amaranthe is used to doing things on her own. However, as a typical Ferraro and alpha male type character who is used to taking care of those in his family, Geno has to balance his need to protect with respecting her independence and her training. The romance is a bit repetitive, mirroring some of what’s present in previous books, but the unraveling mystery was enough to draw me back in when the romance faltered. 

While the story is a bit slower paced than other books in the series, and at times does seem like a bit of a transition phase in the larger storyline of the series, it maintains the same level of suspense and action that are present in her other books. I also enjoyed how the family aspect remains a large part of the story. The previous generation of shadow riders were awful humans and even worse parents (which becomes more evident in this book), but this generation of shadow riders is doing their best to keep family at the heart of all that they do. Francesca is still the unquestioned heart of the group, and they are slowly expanding their family one person at a time. 

Now that we have moved the action to New York instead of Chicago, I’m curious to see which Ferraro sibling will be the focus next (assuming she doesn’t jump to another branch of the family). I would recommend this series to those who might enjoy a darker set of paranormal romance books that feature family at the center of everything. 

REVIEW To Ravish a Rogue (Dangerous Tides) by CM Nacosta

To Ravish a Rogue (Dangerous Tides) by CM Nacosta
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: eBook (Kickstarter)
Publisher: Bonkers Romance 

Out of all the books in the Peculiar Tastes Kickstarter or the Dangerous Tides Kickstarter, CM Nacosta’s To Ravish a Rogue has been my favorite so far. With some of the most unique supernatural creatures from mythology and lore being included, I absolutely had to finish it in one sitting. 

Lady Charlotte Davenport is willing to do whatever it takes to get home and get to her sister. She could care less that having a woman onboard a ship is usually considered a bad omen, but no captain she approaches (directly or covertly) is willing to take the risk. Her last chance is to pretend to be a serving boy and sneak onto Captain Lin Jurel’s ship, The Malediction. However, the ruse is not as simple to maintain as she might think, given that the captain sees through it immediately and starts messing with her to get her to reveal herself. A hilarious high seas adventure ensues as the two clash, and inevitably give into their feelings. And once they did, boy was it entertaining and worth the wait.  

To Ravish a Rogue shares a world and some side characters with the other books in the Dangerous Tides Kickstarter. There are some Easter eggs present that reference other books. I loved the paranormal aspect of Charlotte and Lin’s characters, and while I don’t want to spoil anything I must say I was super shocked with the reveal of what they are. I’ve never seen Charlotte’s species appear in a romance book before, but the author did a fantastic job with it. I was most certainly not expecting one of the biggest things that happened in their bedroom interactions that involved Charlotte’s ‘downstairs teeth’ (do with that reference what you will) and a prized part of the captain’s anatomy, but it made for one of the most memorable moments of the book. 

Overall, To Ravish a Rogue by CM Nacosta was an incredibly unique, entertaining, and enjoyable read. Now that I’ve been introduced to their writing, I will definitely be going back and checking out their backlist of other monster/paranormal romance titles as soon as possible. If you enjoy mature paranormal romance reads, this would be a great choice. I also think readers who enjoy series that share worldbuilding but are designed to be able to be read as standalone novels should give this book a look-see. 

CONTENT WARNINGS (Courtesy of the Author): Sex work, sex bargain, female main character’s (FMC) reliance on gender binary, light gore and violence, soft vore, somnophilia, non-human anatomy, It’s a good thing he has two of them, and SO MANY teeth.

About the Book

Charlotte Davenport is a woman on a singular mission: get onto a ship bound for Atlantis by any means necessary, and get home to her sister. When she joins the crew of the Malediction, she has no idea she's made herself an unwitting captive of its pirate captain. Lirian Jurel is cocky and secretive and infuriatingly handsome, and she can't shake the feeling that he's laughing at her . . . but Charlotte has a secret of her own, and she'll do anything to keep it. After all, who could possibly understand the life of a monster?

Captain Lirian Jurel has only one thing on his mind — the next adventure. Fucking, feasting, and fighting — it's a pirate's life for him, and he loves the watery path he's chosen. He's never been able to stay away from danger, and Charlotte Davenport — the impudent little witch disguising herself as a member of his crew — seems like the most dangerous creature he's ever encountered.

Striking a bargain to bring her home is an easy trade for having her warm in his bed . . . But bringing her home means saying goodbye, which is harder than he anticipated.

When you're a vicious sea monster like him, being alone is the wisest course of action, but once they reach Atlantis, Lirian vows to help Charlotte see her journey through — wherever it leads.

About the Author

C.M. Nascosta is an author and professional procrastinator from Cleveland, Ohio. As a child, she thought that living on Lake Erie meant one was eerie by nature, and her corresponding love of all things strange and unusual started young. She’s always preferred beasts to boys, the macabre to the milquetoast, the unknown darkness in the shadows to the Chad next door. She lives in a crumbling old Victorian with a scaredy-cat dachshund, where she writes nontraditional romances featuring beastly boys with equal parts heart and heat, and is waiting for the Hallmark Channel to get with the program and start a paranormal lovers series.

REVIEW The Fae Queen's Captive (Peculiar Tastes #6) by Sierra Simone

The Fae Queen's Captive (Peculiar Tastes #6) by Sierra Simone
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Release Date: October 4, 2022
Format: eBook (Kickstarter)
Publisher: Bonkers Romance 

Sierra Simone’s The Fae Queen’s Captive, the sixth and final book in the Peculiar Tastes series, was another stellar installment to the Shadow Market universe. If you enjoy paranormal romances with heavy fae influences, a sapphic love story, and unique worldbuilding then I think you should check this book out. 

By day, Janneth Carter is an archaeologist working on another dig site in Scotland and finishing her graduate degree. However, despite her seemingly fulfilling job and life, she’s always wanted more. On Samhain, after investigating mysterious strangers at their dig site, she finds out she may have bitten off more than she can chew as she’s whisked away to the Faerie realm and to the court of the illustrious Stag Queen.

I was expecting this book to be much more like the others in the series; a paranormal romance full of explicit sex scenes with action that progresses very quickly from the first page to the last. However, despite there being no shortage of sexual counters (faeries in the Stag Court love their orgies), I was surprised to see that there’s also a sense of explored vulnerability. Janneth has always been told that her wants were wrong or made to feel lesser by those she’s been intimate with. The Stag Queen Morgana has taken up the heavy burden of being queen after the recent passing of her mother, and if you’ve seen the artwork released for the Kickstarter you’ll know that she has a very obvious physical vulnerability. Janneth and Morgana’s relationship delves into these issues, with it overall being very body positive and emotionally tender. The ending of the book was fairly predictable after reading the other stories in the series (especially The Death God’s Sacrifice), but I appreciated it nonetheless (and wasn’t too bothered by the predictability)

Ms. Simone went for it with all of the faerie references in building the world within her book, and I was practically giddy while reading because of it. I liked seeing hints of the different courts within the Faerie realms and the references to the Faerie tradition of stealing mortals and keeping them as playthings; both children and adults. I was also quite impressed to see the references to mortal interpretations of faerie stories that she included (which helped tie in Janneth’s profession to the story). 

There is shared worldbuilding between the different Peculiar Tastes/Shadow Market books, but there is little to no crossover between characters. I did enjoy the tiny Easter Egg-esque nods to the other books. For example, the druid who raises the veil every year so the Shadow Market can happen is a common reference in the book (a nod to The Death God’s Sacrifice). There are also some moments in the book that seem to reference characters from The Captive Merman’s Promise and The Demon’s Bargain. 

Overall, The Fae Queen’s Captive was another short enjoyable paranormal romance/fantasy tale. It didn’t quite have the plot twists that some of the other books had, and I’m still saddened by the fact that all the books in the series are so short, but it was an entertaining read nonetheless. I’m so excited that the Shadow Market books have introduced me to some new authors I’ve never heard of before (I was previously only familiar with Katee Robert), and it makes me excited to check out Sierra Simone’s back-list as well as the upcoming Dangerous Tides kickstart in the near future. 

CONTENT WARNINGS (Courtesy of Author): Violence, Murder (of Baddies), Blood, Explicit Sex, Hunting, Intoxication, Uneven Power Dynamics

About the Book

Save some of your screams for the queen, there’s a good girl…

Janneth Carter has given up on magic these days. She’s done being curious, insatiable, dreamy; she just wants to finish her graduate degree and spend the rest of her life as a sensible archeologist. So the last thing she expects when she goes to her dig site on Halloween night is three mysterious strangers standing outside an ancient Scottish grave.

Okay, well the actual last thing she expects is for those strangers to kidnap her and drag her into fairyland.

Once in the vivid, carnal world of Faerie, Janneth is at the mercy of the coldly lovely and incredibly cruel Stag Queen. Desperate to get home to her own world, she offers the Queen a bargain: she’ll be a willing captive, the queen’s pet, so long as the Queen promises to keep her safe until Janneth leaves Faerie.

But fae promises are complicated things, and nothing in Faerie, even pleasure—even love—comes without a price…

About the Author

Sierra is a voracious reader of all things including the smuttiest smut, young adult, piles of non-fiction for research, and everything Bill Bryson (especially on audio).

She loves writing the dirtiest things that she can think of, King Arthur, sparkling water, Tarot, coffee, leggings, and learning new words daily. 

Her previous jobs have included firing ceramics, teaching living history lessons in one-room school house in full, 1904-approved school marm attire, and working as a librarian for several years—not in that order

She lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, two children, and two giant dogs. (And two cats, but they're so naughty we don't talk about them.) 

Her novels have been published in Czech, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, and Romanian. She's been featured in Buzzfeed, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly, Marie Claire, and Library Journal with a starred review.

REVIEW Back in a Spell (The Witches of Thistle Grove #3) by Lana Harper

Back in a Spell (The Witches of Thistle Grove #3) by Lana Harper
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: January 3, 2023
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Berkley 

Check out my review of the first book in the series, Payback's a Witch

Check out my review of the second book in the series, From Bad to Cursed

Nineve Blackmoore, or Nina, has been out of sorts ever since her fiance broke things off about a year ago. In an effort to cheer her up and get her back to normal, her best friend suggests she go on another date; no strings attached, with someone she’d never normally consider, just to get back in the swing of things. Enter Morty Gutierrez, the non-binary owner of The Shamrock Cauldron. Things end up going haywire on the first date though, and Nina and Morty are forced to work together to figure out why Nina’s magic has suddenly started to go haywire and what they’re going to do with their budding witch bond. 

I absolutely loved Lana Harper’s first two books in The Witches of Thistle Grove series, Payback’s a Witch and From Bad to Cursed. I had high hopes for Back in a Spell. It’s the first book in the series to feature a Blackmoore front and center, the romance is pansexual, and the love interest is non-binary. The book was an interesting and engaging read, but there were a couple of issues that prevented me from giving the book a full five stars. 

First of all, there were a lot of things happening all at once. A large chunk of the story focuses on Nina’s self-discovery and breaking away from the toxicity of her family, but the actual interactions with her abusive mother and grandmother are fairly limited. I felt I was missing a lot of context as a reader. As a result of the missing context, the victory and the growth Nina achieves at the end of the story don’t feel as earned. There was also a lot of development for the worldbuilding of Thistle Grove and its magic - some of the references the author brought in were really cool, and sent me down a rabbit hole of internet searches and extra reading. Sadly, I think the reveals lost a lot of their potential impact with all the other stuff going on since readers didn’t have a chance to just sit and absorb them. Finally, there’s the romance with Morty - somehow Nina’s brother Gareth got more on page time than the actual love interest. When Morty was on the page, the lust between the two was evident but other relationship aspects felt unauthentic. For example, I can get behind instant love/lust but I didn’t really get why Morty went from zero to sixty with their opinion on Nina’s family. 

One specific aspect of Morty and Nina’s relationship I wanted to touch on was the non-binary representation (which I think a lot of other readers and reviewers have noted as well). This was seemingly a big aspect of the marketing surrounding the book, and the author makes a point of including a moment where Morty shares their pronouns (he/they) early on in the story. However, from that moment on it seems like everyone only uses he or other masculine descriptions for Morty. It was almost like the fact that Morty is non-binary stops being a thing from that moment on. The execution of this particular plot point left a lot to be desired. 

Back in a Spell is an enjoyable witchy read, with some highlights like the new witchy lore being introduced and Nina’s journey of self-discovery. However, readers looking for a paranormal romance similar to the first two books might be better off waiting for the next installment, In Charm’s Way, which seems to tease a new twist to all the happenings in Thistle Grove. 

About the Book

An awkward first date leads to a sparkling romance between one of the most powerful witches in town and a magical newbie in this rom-com by Lana Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Payback’s a Witch.

Even though she won’t deny her love for pretty (and pricey) things, Nineve Blackmoore is almost painfully down-to-earth and sensible by Blackmoore standards. But after a year of nursing a broken heart inflicted by the fiancée who all but ditched her at the altar, the powerful witch is sick of feeling low and is ready to try something drastically different: a dating app.

At her best friend’s urging, Nina goes on a date with Morty Gutierrez, the nonbinary, offbeat soul of spontaneity and co-owner of the Shamrock Cauldron. Their date goes about as well as can be expected of most online dates—awkward and terrible. To make matters worse, once Morty discovers Nina’s last name, he’s far from a fan; it turns out that the Blackmoores have been bullishly trying to buy the Shamrock out from under Morty and his family.

But when Morty begins developing magical powers—something that usually only happens to committed romantic partners once they officially join a founding family—at the same time that Nina’s own magic surges beyond her control, Nina must manage Morty’s rude awakening to the hidden magical world, uncover its cause, and face the intensity of their own burgeoning connection. But what happens when that connection is tied to Nina’s power surge, a power she’s finding nearly as addictive as Morty’s presence in her life

Get your copy of the book on Bookshop.org

About the Author

Lana studied psychology and literature at Yale University and law at Boston University. She is a graduate of the Emerson College publishing and writing program and the author of YA novels Wicked Like a Wildfire, Fierce Like a Firestorm, Blood Countess, the forthcoming Poison Priestess, and the forthcoming adult rom-com, Payback's A Witch, from Berkley Books (10/5/21). Lana was born in Serbia and lived in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania before moving to the United States. She lives in Chicago with her family.

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REVIEW Recovery Road (Torpedo Ink #8) by Christine Feehan

Recovery Road (Torpedo Ink #8) by Christine Feehan
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: January 24, 2023
Format: Audiobook (Personal Library)
Publisher: Berkley 

Christine Feehan’s Recovery Road is the latest addition to the Torpedo Ink series and focuses on Kir ‘Master’ Vasiliev. The only member of the club who still has a criminal record, Master is the one the club calls on when they need to take care of things within the walls of a prison. Fiercely loyal to Czar and the others, Master does his duty with the knowledge that each return to prison is slowly killing him and the thought that his brothers and sisters in arms see him as expendable. Once he meets Ambrielle Moore and saves her from a ring of human traffickers, however, both of their lives are changed forever. 

Before I go into anything further, please, please check the trigger warnings before starting to read this book. If you’ve been keeping up with the series and the members of Torpedo Ink, you know that Torpedo Ink did not have happy childhoods and Master was no exception to that rule. Despite all of the heavy topics the author deals with, they do a great job with balancing the violence and darkness with the romance and action. The list I’ve included below is by no means exhaustive, but it should at least give readers an idea of what to expect.  

I really found myself connecting with Master and Ambrielle. They both have a way with numbers, and their relationship seemed more authentic and real than those featured in previous books. No matter the fact that they only knew each other for minutes prior to getting married, they just seemed to click like they found their missing piece. I loved how Ambrielle brought Master out of his shell - the scene in the Floating Hat was touching, and it was nice to see how invested the club members are in all of the children. I was extremely amused by Seychelle and Savage’s prank on Jackson - I burst out laughing, which isn’t something I can say has happened often in the books I’ve read by Christine Feehan (the last time I can remember was maybe Mikhail’s prank on Gregori in Dark Celebration?) 

On a separate note, I really appreciate how they switched narrators from Jim Frangione to Ryan West. Given that Jim Frangione has narrated so many of Christine Feehan’s books for her other series, the new narrator helps differentiate them a bit. 

Overall, Recovery Road is another powerful, dynamic and emotional paranormal romance title from Christine Feehan. It, of course, also includes the sizzling scenes that the author is known for. Master and Ambrielle’s story is one of the deepest in the series so far and definitely tugged on my heartstrings. I hope they continue to make appearances in future books. 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Human trafficking (victims, discussed), Rape (Victims, discussed), Explicit sex, Pedophilia (Victims, discussed), Torture (Flashbacks and discussion), Child abuse (victims, discussed), Parental Death (on page), Violence, Guns

About the Book

Kir “Master” Vasiliev doesn’t care whether he lives or dies. He’s a burnt-out shell with no one and nothing but his club. Whatever Torpedo Ink needs, Master will put himself in harm’s way time after time. If he doesn’t make it back, he’s certain everyone will move on just fine.

Investment banker Ambrielle Moore knows her own mind, and she’s not willing to settle for anyone. So when a second-rate gangster and his thugs try to coerce her into marriage—and giving up all of her family’s money—she’s having none of it. Until they turn to cold-blooded murder.

Grieving and enraged, Ambrie is ready to go scorched earth on her captors when Master shows up anticipating a damsel in distress. But Ambrie is nothing like he expected, and everything he never knew he desired....

About the Author

Christine Feehan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author multiple times over with her portfolio including over 90 published novels, including five series; Dark Series, GhostWalker Series, Leopard Series, Drake Sisters Series, the Sisters of the Heart Series, Shadow Riders and Torpedo Ink. All of her series have hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestselling list as well. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature (PEARL) in 1999. Since then she has been published by various publishing houses including Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards since Dark Prince.

Check out my reviews of other books by Christine Feehan