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Review: Rise of the Iliri Series by Auryn Hadley
BloodLust (Book 1) This story that blends science-fiction and fantasy elements to create a world with unique characteristics immediately sucked me in. Though it’s advertised as a fantasy epic, all the “fantastical” tropes can be traced back to a very science-fiction origin, in which humans do what they do best: Sweep in and take over…
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Review: Clockwork Dragon by Kaye Draper
Having previously only read serial novellas by this author, I was delighted when she announced a stand-alone novel-length project. This book contains all of the elements that I have come to love this author for, such as satisfying paranormal romance arcs featuring unique and fantastical characters. Draper is still one of the few “reverse harem”…
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Review: Handsome Death by Sara Dobie Bauer
Disclaimer: I am friends with the author; however, I purchased this ebook for the full price. I am kicking myself for not reading this sooner. I have never failed to adore anything written by this author, and this might be my favorite book of hers so far. From the first page, Bauer subverts pretty much…
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Review: On the Subject of Griffons by Lindsey Byrd
Disclaimer: I am an acquaintance of the author; however, I purchased this ebook for the full price. The only pseudo-complaint I have about this novel is that it could have been a tiny bit shorter. However, shortening the text would have involved cutting much of the hero’s internal narrative, which is a delightful mixture of…
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Review: The Sugared Game (Will Darling Adventures #2) by K.J. Charles
Read my review of the Will Darling Adventures #1, Slippery Creatures. Charles has such a fantastic gift for crafting worlds that I want to fall into, populated by characters I want to befriend. In fact, beyond the plot and romance of this particular novel, one of the elements I love best about it is the…
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Review: Emerald Blaze (Hidden Legacy #5) by Ilona Andrews
Read my review of Hidden Legacy Book 1, Burn For Me. Read my review of Hidden Legacy Book 2, White Hot. Read my review of Hidden Legacy Book 3, Wildfire. Read my review of Hidden Legacy Book 3.5 Diamond Fire. Read my review of Hidden Legacy Book 4, Sapphire Flames. At one point, while enjoying…
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Review: Fork in the Road by J. Coyne
Some novellas, especially in the romance genre, fall flat for me because I don’t get a complete sense of character development. In this case, however, Coyne uses carefully placed sentences to evoke a deep history between all three characters without ever “info-dumping” the nuts and bolts of their origin stories. Coyne also builds the comfortable…
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Review: The Zoo Job (Leverage #2) by Keith R.A. DeCandido
Disclaimer: I am friends with the author; however, I purchased this ebook for the full price. I’ve known for a while that one of my favorite authors had written a media tie-in novel for one of my absolute favorite television shows, and now I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to read it. Fans of…
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Review: The Old Guard #1: Opening Fire by Greg Rucka & Leandro Fernandez
By the time I could read this graphic novel, which collects the first five issues of The Old Guard, I’d already seen the movie on Netflix twice. If you followed me on social media last August, you know I was pretty obsessed. So, it’s difficult for me to talk about the graphic novel in isolation,…
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Review: London Lovers Series by Sierra Simone
“The Seduction of Molly O’Flaherty” (Book 0.5) After meeting these characters in Simone’s Markham Hall series, I was intrigued enough to follow them to London for their romance saga. Like it says on the tin, this story is not necessary for the following books. However, it does an excellent job of introducing Molly and Silas…
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Review: Scientific Method Universe Series by Kris Ripper
Surrender the Past Sometimes the theme of a book is difficult to parse; not so with this installment of the extended Scientific Method Universe collection of stories. After meeting him as a bit character in the main series, I was excited to get to know Nick better in his own romance. Because it takes place…
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Review: Alpha Protocol (Dark Tyrant #3) by C.R. Langille
Read my review of Dark Tyrant book 1, Canyon Shadows. Read my review of Dark Tyrant book 2, Consequence. Disclaimer: I am friends with the author; I received a free ebook version of this novel in exchange for an honest review. The post-apocalyptic mayhem continues as Dark Tyrant book 3 picks up almost immediately after…
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Review: Unhallowed (Rath & Rune #1) by Jordan L. Hawk
I was delighted to return to the world of Widdershins, eight years beyond the original series, and check in on my favorite fictional town. The librarians of the Ladysmith Museum were always a source of amused befuddlement for me during the original series, so I was excited that one of those librarians was a hero…
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Review: Markham Hall Series by Sierra Simone
The Awakening of Ivy Leavold (Book 1) Here’s the old-school Gothic erotic romance I expected when I started Simone’s Thornchapel series! An innocent young woman finds herself helpless and adrift in a new home, at the mercy of a mysterious and figure who instantly captivates her attention. Despite Simone’s effortless narrative that elevates the interactions…
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Review: Scientific Method Series by Kris Ripper
Catalysts (Book 1) The structure of this book is unusual but makes sense once you realize that it originally consisted of two books and that the first book originally consisted of a series of even shorter interludes. This narrative style might make the story disjointed for some readers, especially those who are looking for a…
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Review: Magic in Manhattan Series by Allie Therin
Spellbound (Book 1) Paranormal queer romance in early twentieth-century New York City seems to be a trope I’m particularly fond of, so I didn’t hesitate to purchase this book when at least two authors I follow raved about it on Twitter. The story itself did not disappoint in any measure, from the romance to the…
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Review: The Calculating Stars (Lady Astronaut #1) by Mary Robinette Kowal
This post-apocalyptic novel is a climate change story dressed up with a meteor strike. The meteor allows for a dramatic and epic start to the tale and accelerates the climate change issues our planet already faces. Under this premise, Kowal can force this world into jumpstarting events to tell Elma’s story. I was reluctant to…
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Review: Trinity Masters Series by Mari Carr & Lila Dubois
Primal Passion (Book 2) I abandoned the first book in this series at about 70%. The three-way arranged marriage via secret society concept intrigued me. Unfortunately, the book used it more as an excuse for three characters to launch immediately into sexual escapades without any personal connection. By the time the external plot showed up,…
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Review: Horns, Hugs, and Hunger (Gods & Demons #3) by Kaye Draper
Read my review of Gods & Demons book 1, Fates, Fins, and Fangs. Read my review of Gods & Demons book 2, Wishes, Wings, and Woes. Events pick up steam in the latest installment to this serial epic, which I appreciated. Action, adventure, and sexiness galore, which is what we’ve come to love and expect…
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Review: Dark Orchid Trilogy by Auryn Hadley
Power of Lies (Book 1) The easiest way to include a lot of erotica in a fantasy novel is to toss in some lust magic. But Hadley doesn’t keep things quite so simple, by layering in other elements of magic to her excellent world-building. The erotica always makes sense, based on the rules of the…
