Vampires – Author Gail Marie

Book Review – Dirty Deeds (Bonds of Blood 3) by Cate Corvin

I was hesitant to pick this up since it was a bully romance, and I know they don’t always resonate well with me. I’m sad this sat on my TBR last for two years since I loved everything about this series. I should have known Corvin wouldn’t let me down. Born a Slayer, Victoria has her preconceived notions about Shadow Worlders ripped apart thoroughly after she becomes one. In the first book, her stepbrother, Will and his best friend, Sura illustrates enough bullying against her to nearly warrant her dismissal from Libra Academy. I was grateful that Vic actually took her revenge in blood before they got to have any sort of relationship with her again. Cael quickly became one of my favorite vampires ever and his relationship with Vic really blossoms in book 2. The ending for book 3 was unexpected but still amazing. This series will definitely land on my favorites list. (4/5 rating)

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Book Review – Death Warden (MC Syndicates 2) by Debbie Cassidy

Everything I’ve read by Debbie Cassidy so far has been well put together and kept me on the edge of my seat. I was excited to try this necromancer, motorcycle club, urban fantasy story. This was a standalone novel amidst a series by different authors set inside the MC Syndicates universe. I loved, Adi, the witch heroine and her relationship with her mates, Logan (hellhound), Spectre (hellhound) and Curos (lich). Normally it’s hard to balance multiple relationships in one book but I thought Cassidy accomplishes well-rounded personalities and relationships of everyone involved. I also felt that the plot and action balanced with the relationship aspect of the story. The tone remained suspenseful, and that ending hit me right in the feels. I loved the way the motorcycles interacted with the club members. I loved everything about this and recommend giving this a try. (4/5 rating)

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Book Review – Angels’ Blood (Guild Hunter 1) by Nalini Singh

This was my second series by Nalini Singh. Vampire hunter, Elena Deveraux, calls New York City her home. That home also belongs to Archangel Raphael. Forced to work with him to bring a rogue Archangel to heel, Elena must remain on guard as her list of enemies grows rapidly and includes her traitorous heart. I struggled to rate this one, since my expectations were high, and this fell a bit flat for me in places. Singh created a suspenseful but stunning atmosphere in this version of New York. I enjoyed Elena as a strong, fighting female. Raphael was a beautifully flawed character, but I was frustrated with how much information he withheld from Elena until the end. I also struggled with Dimitri’s character arc and where it stands at the end. I liked this book’s version of how vampires are created. The plot moved quickly, but the romance aspect felt stalled. I likely need to read book 2 to see how some of these issues are resolved. (3/5 rating)

Book Review – Newly Undead In Dark River (Dark River Days 1) by Grace McGinty

I was excited for this urban fantasy vampire novel from new-to-me author, Grace McGinty. Mika McKellen’s Canadian backpacking trip must be delayed after she wakes under the of the road, with no memory of how she got there. The town of Dark River must become her new refuge after Mika learns she’s a vampire too. I love the way this vampire world presents their power hierarchy and way of life. At times, Mika annoys me with her actions, however she also learns to take advantage of her new lease on undead life. I enjoyed watching her fight back against anyone trying to hold her back and grow into the woman she always wanted to become. The pace felt a bit slow but with the plot, they set up the betrayal cliffhanger nicely at the end. Her cast of characters were engaging, and the Sherriff vampire was my favorite. I am eager to continue this series as well as the shapeshifter series also set in this universe. (4/5 rating)

Book Review – Embrace Me Darkly (Dark Alliance 1) by Kira James

Checked out with kindle unlimited, February 2023 to test this debut series by Kira James. Sara is out celebrating a huge win at her prosecutor’s office when she meets a beautiful, mysterious stranger at her favorite bar. After one passionate night together, Sara discovers he is a vampire named Luke and implicated in the murder of a local retired judge. As a prosecutor for a supernatural judicial system, Sara and Luke will be forced to work together to overcome a much bigger threat to their city than Luke. This was the first in a six-book series. This was an engaging mix of supernatural crime and romance. This world is also rife with political alliances, betrayal, and webs of deceit. I liked James’s take on Vampires and the laws governing them. The pace remains blinding from the first page to the last. I struggled to rate this book since there were aspects that I loved and hated. I know I will read book 2 eventually to see how this plot progresses. (3/5 rating)

Book Review – Queen Takes Triune (Their Vampire Queen 6) by Joely Sue Burkhart

In this installment of Shara Isador’s life, we finally get to see her up against the Triune after she is called to her rightful seat on the courts. This world and cast of characters, quickly became one of my favorites. Burkhart created a perfect balance between the plot and romance aspects of this series. I was impressed with how deep into the details we were among court politics, the goddess/god aspects, or even how vampires are changed after they feed from their Queens. I’m glad this book won’t be the last in this world. Since Shara still needs to fill her court, that series will introduce us to her partners. I’m excited to see where this is headed. (4/5 rating)

Book Review – Untamed (House of Berserkers 1) by Lacey Carter Andersen

Checked out with Kindle unlimited in January 2023. My first novel by Lacey Carter Andersen is centered around the House of Berserkers within the Wicked Reform School. Kiera is a female berserker sentenced to the school after berserking to avenge a fallen friend. As one of the only female berserkers that can, she finds a huge target on her back but also help in unexpected places. The world that this school is in was intriguing and I’m interested to learn about the other author series for the Houses. The plot and pacing were effective in building suspense. The cliffhanger has me ready to continue the series. Kiera was a strong female lead, and the subplots for the male leads were interesting but I struggled with how fast those relationships progressed. Even though there was discussion of the mate factor, it felt a bit rushed but that’s my issue and not the authors. Adam and his cat, Princess, were my favorites from this. (3/5 rating)

Book Review – Heart of Malice (Alice Worth 1) by Lisa Edmonds

As my first by Lisa Edmonds, this urban fantasy world was set with betrayal, murder, and exposed dark secrets. Alice fakes her own death to escape her abusive and murderous family. Under a new name and face, she works as a magical private investigator. She manages to keep a little profile until hired to retrieve a powerful magical artifact that will could bring the city to its knees. I liked what Edmonds achieves with this gritty mage society and Alice’s attempt to save her world. I liked her characters, and the werewolf gets my favorite vote. Though, I think her writing style fell a bit flat for me since I felt like something was missing. I’m torn on whether I should read book 2 and give this series another try… (3/5 rating)

Book Review – Darkfever (Fever 1) by Karen Marie Moning

As my first by Moning, I was excited for this series, since I’ve heard so many good things about the Fever series for years. I struggled to rate this book since I hated both main characters. I felt like the plot was slow and the chapter endings made me want to rip some parts out. I eloped in Scotland and spent two weeks crisscrossing the country. After that, I feel like her world building was the strongest part of the story. The Fae magic system was also well constructed. If I didn’t already have more of this series purchased, it’s possible I would have DNF’d this. I am also wondering if this should have come with a young adult tag. (2/5 rating)

Book Review – Gypsy Blood (All The Pretty Monsters 1) by Kristy Cunning

Checked out with my Kindle Unlimited September 2022 and added to my physical collection today. Violet is our local Portocale gypsy who can see the undead ghosts and perform rare magic. After her mother’s mysterious death, she moves into her mother’s old house and a new city. Her new home comes with a wide range of monsters that are all vying for her attention. I enjoyed the large cast of characters and the underlying tensions between species. I had a love and hate relationship with Violet because some of her actions were craziness. I loved Anna as her sidekick and I’m hopeful she will last in the second installment. The plot pacing was a quick clip and right up my alley even though I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending. My favorite aspect of Cunning’s writing was the way she painted this new home of Violet’s. It was gritty, bloody, and full of magical systems for each species. (3/5 rating)