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 Queen Takes Rose (Wicked Villains #6) by Katee Robert

Queen Takes Rose (Wicked Villains #6) 

by Katee Robert
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: November 10, 2020
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Trinkets and Tales LLC (Self Published by Author) 

I’ve been on a recent streak of reading all of Katee Robert’s books, and Queen Takes Rose is the final installment of the Wicked Villains series. Aurora has appeared in all of the previous books, and now it’s finally time for her to take center stage. Once again, it was quite intriguing to see how the author took the skeleton of the original fairytale and twisted it to fit the series. However, for some reason, the female dominant characters that the author writes don’t seem to click for me as much as others. 

Aurora has definitely grown since the first time she was introduced to the series. I was intrigued by the dynamic between her and Malone and some of the references you can recognize from the original fairytale. Like many of her other series, this one has a connection to another set of books - specifically, Malone is connected to the Sabine Valley series (which at this point, I’m going to have to pick up and read out of sheer curiosity). In addition to Malone and Aurora, Katee Robert continues their trend of LGBTQ+ positive characters with a non-binary former Amazon serving as Malone’s head of security. 

Despite liking Malone and Aurora as individual characters, I wasn’t super invested in their relationship. I flipped through their ‘scenes’ together instead of devouring every word. I kind of missed the types of scenes that Aurora participated in with the previous installments of the series (i.e. the Scene with Isabelle, Gaeton, and Beast in book 4). I also thought it was weird that Malone wanted Aurora submissive 24/7 instead of only when they were scening together (like the other dominants in the series such as Jafar or Hook do), but that might just be a lack of exposure to such characters more than anything else.  

Overall, Queen Takes Rose was definitely another entertaining book. It just wasn’t my favorite out of the series or something I’d see the need to reread in the future. Narrators Lacy Laurel and Jenny Nordbak did an excellent job bringing the story to life with their performance in the audiobook narration. The Wicked Villains series would be a great choice for mature readers who aren’t put off by taboo dark romance stories that reimagine classic fairytales. 

CONTENT WARNINGS (Courtesy of Author’s Website): Parental Death (mother, comatose for long period of time and heroine makes choice to end life support), assault, explicit sex

About the Book

Once upon a time I made a deal with the devil. It turns out I like playing in the dark. Over the years, I’ve become someone I’m proud of, someone dangerous.

I’ll never be as dangerous as Malone, though. She’s one of the most feared leaders in Carver City, and her reputation is more than earned. Years ago, we had a single night together and she’s ignored me ever since.

Imagine my surprise to discover she’s scheduled me for the final two weeks of my contract. Maybe I should be afraid. Everyone else fears Malone. Instead, all I feel is anticipation. It’s time to balance the scales, once and for all.

The villains aren’t the only ones in Carver City a person should be wary of crossing.

Sometimes the prettiest flower hides the deadliest poison…

About the Author

Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over a million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.

 

Katee is represented by Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency.

Katee Robert Author Website

Connect with the Author on Instagram

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BLOG TOUR The Stained Sea (Omen Book 1) by Paul Carver Williams

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE STAINED SEA by Paul Carver Williams Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway! 

About The Book:

Title: THE STAINED SEA (Omen Book 1)

Author: Paul Carver Williams

Pub. Date: March 31, 2023

Publisher: Paul Carver Williams

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 279

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THE-STAINED-SEA 

In the wake of a lost messiah, an oppressed religious sect known as ‘the singers of Oros’ are targeted by those in power. A lone singer calling himself Runo works tirelessly to revive the faith of his people by any means necessary. Even if it leads to bloody experiments, and cold-hearted manipulation. A young slave named Cai is called on by a philosopher to aid in a catalogue of the wealthiest families in Grecuria, starting with the owner of the library where he works. On his journey he must confront a past that isn’t his own. Lastly, Sailing on a sky ship surrounded by merchants, Mele Amahki was given passage to begin a new life. However, everything changes when their pink sky turns blue, and they find themselves in a new, unexpected world where things are much the same as back home, except her people do not exist. She finds herself thrust into positions of power, entirely unsure of what is best for her crew. Knowledge, religion, power, and blood run through the veins of the Grecurian islands. But through three headstrong individuals, the veins will be cut, and darkness will stain the sea.

About Paul Carver Williams:

An LGBTQ, Black-Latino young adult with an eclectic taste in music, Paul Williams has struggled with his identity, eventually leading to mental illness. However, with support from his siblings, he gained new confidence to express his inner emotions through art and writing. At age seventeen, he published his first book. In 2018, along with his friend, Icesis Street, Paul won the technology Student Association (TSA) 1st place State award for Children's storybooks. He is now working endlessly to carve a place for himself among the creative professionals and pave the way for other talented ‘students’ of art and literature. 

In his newest book, Shadow of Hades, Williams reveals themes of grief, often what we commonly associate with death. He hopes readers are moved to examine their lives on a smaller scale, feel invited to empathize with all aspects of the world and see the magical playground that is our shared universe. The world seemed uniquely grim at the time Williams wrote Shadow of Hades, and that darkness is nuanced in the characters, however, he still provides a glimmer of hope to the readers for a world that desperately needs it and that we should all keep close to our hearts.

Website |  https://instabio.cc/20520NQozji 

Giveaway Details: 

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE STAINED SEA, US Only.

Ends May 6th, midnight EST.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba21651/

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

4/1/2023

I'm Into Books

Guest Post/IG Post

Week Two:

4/3/2023	Mythical Books	Guest Post/IG Post
4/4/2023	Reads by Radus	Guest Post/IG Post
4/5/2023	Two Chicks on Books	Guest Post/IG Post
4/6/2023	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
4/7/2023	Writer of Wrongs	Excerpt
4/8/2023	@jael_and_jenessa_reads	Review/IG Post

Week Three:

4/10/2023	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
4/11/2023	@fieldstone_lfl	IG Post
4/12/2023	Jazzy Book Reviews	Excerpt/IG Post
4/13/2023	Books and Kats	Excerpt
4/14/2023	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt/IG Post
4/15/2023	OneMoreExclamation	Review/IG Post

Week Four:

4/17/2023	Author Z. Knight’s Guild	Review/IG Post
4/18/2023	Living in a Fictional Reality	Review/TikTok Post
4/19/2023	Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog	Review/IG Post
4/20/2023	Lifestyle of Me	Review
4/21/2023	The Momma Spot	Review
4/22/2023	Review Thick And Thin	Review/IG Post

Week Five:

4/24/2023	@lexijava	Review/IG Post
4/25/2023	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post
4/26/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic
4/27/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
4/28/2023	Brandi Danielle Davis	IG Review/TikTok Post
4/29/2023	Breysreviews	IG Review

REVIEW The Gargoyle's Captive (A Deal with a Demon #3) by Katee Robert

The Gargoyle's Captive (A Deal with a Demon #3) 

by Katee Robert
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: March 28, 2023
Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)
Publisher: Trinkets and Tales LLC (Self Published by Author) 

The Gargoyle’s Captive by Katee Robert, the latest installment in the ‘A Deal with a Demon’ series, is an enjoyable and steamy read (though it feels a little rushed). All of the events in the various books take place somewhat simultaneously so they can be read as standalones - this book focuses on the leader of the gargoyle territory Bram, and the human he chooses from Azazel’s auction, the former monster hunter Grace. 

“‘I’m sorry’. I smile even though my eyes are burning. ‘We keep saying that to each other, over and over, for our pains that words won’t fix.’ ‘Sometimes there’s nothing else to say.’”

Both Grace and Bram are dealing with a lot of trauma and loss. Readers get to see the events of the book from both of their perspectives, and how they connnect over the course of the book and bond over the past experiences. As one might expect from a Katee Robert book, the romance is trope heavy - some of the tropes you can expect are a monster romance, forced proximity, and a slight enemies to lovers take. There are of course, a lot of steamy scenes, and I was quite impressed by the author’s ingenuity with working Bram’s gargoyle attributes into those moments (the wings, the horns, the rock hard skin…)

Given the length of the book (slightly less than 200 pages on an e-reader), there isn’t a lot going on outside of Bram and Grace’s relationship. No new characters of particular import pop up, and there’s minimal worldbuilding. The build-up of the conflict and the reveal about Grace’s mother fell flat for me. I do appreciate the cameo from Ramanu (still my favorite character in the entire Deal with a Demon literary universe), but I was left wanting more from the book overall. 

If you want a quick monster romance book that you can finish in an afternoon, this would be a great choice for you. However if you’re looking for a longer romance tale, complete with extensive worldbuilding and in depth character development you might be better served with looking at another title on Ms. Robert’s backlist instead. I’m still invested in the series, but its not quite my favorite of all her books so I’ll be eagerly awaiting the final installments of the series, especially Azazel’s book The Demon’s Queen. Readers will be pleased to know that these books (at the time of writing this review) are available to read for free on Kindle Unlimited. 

TRIGGER WARNINGS (Courtesy of the Author’s Website): Elements of Suicidal Ideation (referenced briefly), Murder, Blood, Giant Spiders, Dubious Consent (Agreement Given Under Duress), Violent Familial Death (Historical, Off-Page), Abuse (By Parents, Off-Page, Historical), Violence, Blood Magic)

About the Book

Grace is a monster hunter who went into her demon deal with eyes wide open. Years ago, her mother made the same choice and was never seen again, and the answers Grace seeks can only be found in the demon realm.

She doesn’t care that she’s auctioned off to a gargoyle. She doesn’t plan to stay with him longer than strictly necessary.

Unfortunately, she didn’t read the small print of her contract.

Every time she tries to escape, she’s transported back into Bram’s tender care. He never hurts her, never punishes her, just meets her fury with an easy charm she doesn’t know how to fight.

She doesn’t mean to give in, to stop fighting. But the moment she does, she starts to forget what brought her to this place and what her goals are. After a life starved of pleasure, she’s all willing to let Bram seduce her again and again…

At least until the past comes calling.

About the Author

Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over a million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.

 

Katee is represented by Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency.

Katee Robert Author Website

Connect with the Author on Instagram

Connect with the Author on Twitter