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SOUNDTRACK: At Your Command by Informatik, The Fall by Half Alive & Sugar by Garbage
Soundtrack to The Killough Company: The Boss by M.D. Gregory
Soundtrack to The Killough Company: The Boss’s Christmas by M.D. Gregory
Soundtrack to The Killough Company: The Professional by M.D. Gregory
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REVIEW: Dead Speak by Pandora Pine
Cold Case Psychic: Dead Speak – Pandora Pine
Demoted to the cold case squad after shooting a suspect in the line of duty, Detective Ronan O’Mara knows that his career with the Boston Police Department is hanging by a thread. His first assignment is the case of Michael Frye, a five-year-old boy who has been missing for seven years. With no new leads or witnesses to interview, Ronan has to start from scratch to solve this mystery. When he sees a handsome local psychic on television, Ronan figures he’s got nothing to lose in enlisting the man’s help to find Michael.
Psychic Tennyson Grimm is riding high after helping South Shore cops find a missing child. He’s even being courted by the Reality Show Network about a program showcasing his abilities. He has no idea that his midday appointment with a customer, who instead turns out to be a police detective, is going to change the course of his life and his career.
With the blessing of the BPD, which badly needs an image make-over, Ronan is allowed to bring Tennyson in to assist with the Frye case. Being thrown together in front of cameras is never easy, but add in an emotional missing person’s investigation, a tight-lipped spirit, and a cop who’s a skeptic, and it definitely puts a strain on both men and their working relationship.
When the child’s body is found, the work to identify his killer begins. As Ronan and Tennyson get closer to solving the case, the initial attraction they feel for one another explodes into a passion neither man can contain.
Will working together to bring Michael’s killer to justice seal their fledgeling bond, or will unexpected revelations in the case tear them apart forever?
Whenever something somewhere happens, somebody shouts, screams, bellows. That somebody is usually Detective Ronan O’Mara, who as a police officer, certainly had no qualms yelling out confidential police info when his temper gets the better of him. I neither liked nor disliked the man. He was not a boring character, I’ll grant him that. But, jeez, get a hold of yourself, Ro!
Tennyson ‘Ten’ Grimm is a psychic with the patience of a saint. He’s able to deal with anything from grieving parents to hot-headed detectives with equanimity. I dunno what he sees in Ronan but he’s a psychic a.k.a. he can read people, so I trust he knows his business
Cold Case Psychic is a police+psychic procedural series that’s off to a 3-star start. Book 1, Dead Speak brought together the detective and psychic to work on a cold case of a missing child last seen 7 years ago. Their investigation was filmed for a reality tv pilot with the series name as their working title.
It bothered me that these two seemed to forget they were being recorded. I know that’s the point of reality tv but still. They talk about details of the case that should have been secret. They fight and blurt out very personal issues right inside the car with voice activated cameras. And Ronan’s captain never even mentioned his lack of professionalism. At all.
I would like to say I guessed the unsub early on but I didn’t. I only got the hint when I read the other reviews that complained about the villain being portrayed as pure evil. Probably if I was smarter or more invested (because at some points, I was just there for the ride) the glaring clues should have tipped me off. Heck, he was the only one who was consistently mean. Michael was slow to reveal the clues which made the story longer. This is understandable because he was a child, even if a ghost, and had to be handled sensitively.
Even if I knew who did it, it was still enjoyable finding out the hows and whys. I still felt a sense of anticipation with the big reveal and the climax brought out the heebie jeebies. Sure, it was a bit OTT with the voices in the head thing but it was still effective.
Ten’s growing found family was a pleasure to meet. The prequel is a must read for Carson and Truman’s story. They’re expecting triplets. Cole is Carson’s brother who is married to Cassie, who is Truman’s bestfriend and business partner. They have a 1 year old daughter, Laurel. The brothers are both psychics. Tennyson is mentoring them.
All in all, I wasn’t wowed but I’m up for the second book. If you like a passable police procedural with a winsome family of psychics you might want to give this one a go. But skip if you’re looking for a stronger connection between MCs, a more professional police behavior and a more mindboggling case of whodunnit.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Predator
Artist: Toni Childs
Album: The Woman’s Boat -
REVIEW: Promises Part 3 by A.E. Via
The Bounty Hunters: Promises Part 3 – A.E. Via
A bounty hunter’s partners to lovers’ story.
The hunt is on… and he’s the prey.Bradford (Ford) King was sure he had the rest of his life mapped out. Though he was no longer a SEAL Lieutenant, his brother was home safe and he had a job that still allowed him to satisfy his hunger for hunting bad guys. Life was simple, no distractions or complications – at age forty-six – that’s all Ford wanted. What he didn’t want was his work partner, sniper/watchman, Dana, giving him s**t all the time.
Dana Cadby had grown up labeled a roughneck from the wrong side of the tracks. He’d fought, scrounged, and survived despite a father that constantly told him he couldn’t. Dana pulled himself up by his own boot straps and made a name for himself in the marksman community. He’d been Duke’s bounty watchman for five years. It was his job to ensure their safety, watch their backs. At thirty-three, he was trusted, well respected by his peers, his bosses, his friends… so why couldn’t he earn the same respect from his partner?
Dana knew he was bisexual before he graduated high school. He also knew he was attracted to the huge, 6’3”, SEAL from the moment he and his brother came to join their team. It wasn’t easy for him to tamp down his immediate reaction to Ford’s thick muscles, full beard, and dark eyes. Still, Dana exhibited nothing but professionalism towards him, not wanting to make his ‘straight’ partner uncomfortable. So why did Ford constantly give him hell?
After Dana took back his ex-girlfriend, he’d noticed an intensification in Ford’s bad attitude. One that turned aggressive and downright antagonistic, and Dana was damned if he’d just lay down and take it. He was gonna make that man respect him if it was the last thing he did.
When Duke sends Dana and Ford out to track down their most dangerous bounty yet, they both embrace the fact that they make one hell of a team… but they fight tooth and nail against the powerful intimacy brewing between them.
Beware: If Ford and Dana connect completely, god help the fugitive who’s in the sights of the hunter and his watchman.
This story is a part of a series but can stand alone. It does not end on a cliffhanger and has a HEA.
They were a couple of idiots but at least their story was better than Quick and Cayson’s.
Idiot #1 is Ford. A stubborn fool who refused to acknowledge his feelings for his partner.
Idiot #2 is Dana. Who needs to grow a pair and dump his snobby user of a girlfriend.
The on-again-off-again girlfriend was annoying as fuck but I wasn’t annoyed with Ford and Dana. They were actually kind of amusing in the way dumb asses are amusing. Ford made a big deal about the age difference between them but he was as immature as the younger guy.
Yep, they deserve each other.
We get the usual ratio of 90% relationship woes/romance stuff, 10 % action/suspense. At this point, I already know what to expect so no sense complaining about the lack of bounty hunting procedural and other case-related scenes.
We also get the usual not-so-deep plot and character development but despite all this, the author is especially adept at making you care for her characters. Sure, I roll my eyes at the OTT-ness of it all but at the end of the day, I really, really want her alphas to get their HEAs. Even the idiots.
The next book is the one I’m most excited to read about. Based on the teasers, Brian’s book is going to be the best. I just know it!
P.S.
The best way to get to know these tough guys is to read The Bounty Hunters books in order.
Promises Part 1 review here
Promises Part 2 review here
A.E. Via books hereRating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: I Wanna Be Yours
Artist: Arctic Monkeys
Album: AM -
REVIEW: Sadistic Sherlock by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott
Ward Security: Sadistic Sherlock – Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott
Ten years ago, Dominic Walsh faked his own death. With no true identity, it wasn’t hard. But if he’d stayed, he would have been drawn further into a life he’d never chosen. He has friends and family at Ward Security now and has managed to escape his dark past. There is only one thing he truly wants.
Abraham Stephens.
When Dom was first tasked with watching over his friend’s father, he didn’t expect to fall so hard for the gorgeous silver fox. But Abe is interested in friendship only. He’s at a point in his life where he wants something permanent, not a romp with the sexy redhead who happens to be the same age as his son.
But Abe finds himself drawn deeper into Dom’s life when cryptic messages start appearing—ones that frighten the skilled security specialist. The more Dom tries to hide what’s happening, the more Abe wants to help him.
And maybe, just maybe, he’ll find a way to trust the strength of the bond Dom understood from the start.
Ward Security is the spin-off series of Unbreakable Bonds. This features Ward Security employees from the bodyguards like Dom to the tech specialists like Quinn. Ward Security is like a family to many of them
I think Ward Security rule #1 should be: At the first sign of trouble, tell Rowe.
Yet another Ward Security employee is neck-deep in trouble and failed to tell the boss. Dom, whose cheeky personality reminded me of Rowe, saved an A-list movie star from a stalker. His heroic act was caught on cam and became a viral video. This led people he ran away from and who thought he was dead to track his whereabouts. And then, these people threatened him and Abe via ciphers.
At first he tried to handle it himself. But he was caught and had to be rescued. Stupid, stupid move, Dom.
I enjoyed the unveiling of Dom’s mysterious past. Because of his goofy personality, you would think he had it easy but his childhood was spent thieving and conning. I especially liked the meeting with the last of his family. His brother was a ruthless psycho, though I’m kind of interested in him and his boyfriend. Too bad he was almost 100% evil so it’s a no go on more appearances.
Abe and Dom’s slow-burn romance began in book one. Abe was the mysterious person the bodyguard was so hang up on. And Dom, who was normally a playboy, had been pursuing him for a year.
I pictured Abe as a Henry Rollins lookalike because the punker is THE silver fox. Abe had known he was bi since his younger days but had never really acted on his attraction to men. Until Dom.
Truth be told, this is the book I’m least looking forward to read. The romance had the age-gap, silver fox trope. It’s not really something I go for. I find it kind of awkward that Dom is same age as Abe’s son, Shane. I’m ok with mature MCs. I just prefer them with love interests close to their age.
Still, I rate this a notch higher than the previous book, Deadly Dorian. Even if the romance was not my cup of tea, I liked Dom and Abe individually. Also, the troubled past had been done in the series before with Royce’s story, but, Sadistic Sherlock was able to offer a different take while still having the usual elements we love, like the missions, the humor and the OTT action scenes. This was also a more fun story with more involvement from the other guys.
This series has been hits and misses so far, but I’m pretty much committed to it. The characters feel like old friends and I love catching up with each of them every time there’s a new story. Here’s hoping the next one would be better.
P.S.
Ward Security is best read in order. WS books here
Unbreakable Bonds hereRating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Bury It
Artist: CHVRCHES
Album: Every Open Eye -
REVIEW: Prophesy Book II: Bringer of Wrath by A.E. Via
King & Alpha: Prophesy Book II: Bringer of Wrath – A.E. Via
Shifter and Vampire True Mates story.
Alek’s older brother, Justice—the Alpha Zenith—was the first shifter to mate with a vampire in many generations, and it was believed the rare, fated pairing would stop at him. But, it hadn’t. Aleksei ‘Alek’ Volkov was second beta, next in succession to the most powerful shifter in the world. He was proud of his title and he took his duties seriously. It was all he had. Until his true mate literally showed up on his doorstep.
While his brother—the overachiever—excelled at having a vampire as a mate, Alek wasn’t that optimistic he would. He wasn’t averse to love, and he’d often thought of how different his life could’ve turned out if he’d ever experienced the emotion. His life was a mess and he’d worn a mask of stability for a majority of that time, only showing his siblings and pack what they needed to see—a strong Volkov alpha. Not the damaged man he was, with a tortured soul and a rogue wolf.
Alek dropped his heavy head in his hands.Now, for some reason, I’ve been granted a true vampire mate.And not just any vampire.The intimidating Belleron Liatos.Lord High to the King and the leader of his army.
Belleron ‘Bell’ Liatos had come to the states for one reason—his best friend and Vampire King, Chadwick Bentley. He certainly didn’t come to be pounced on by a wolf that could act independently of its master. Not only was his destined cherished a complicated and confused man; but he was also unaware of the powerful presence that lurked in the shadows of his soul. Bell didn’t know he’d be the key to unlocking an exceptional triad that would play a critical role in fulfilling the prophesy.
This story DOES NOT contain or even mention MPREG.
No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a very HFN.Warning:This book is M/M paranormal:If you DO NOT like alpha men shifting into large wolves, or vampires feeding from their destined beloveds, than this may not be the novel for you.
I liked this better. I wanted to like it more.
The second book of the King & Alpha series brought together the second-in-commands. Belleron is the bestfriend of King Bentley and Lord High of the Vampires. He is always impeccably dressed and strove to excel at all things. Aleksei was the second beta and next in line to the Alpha Zenith. He’s a genuine, down to earth guy who has a lot of inner conflict. Their story had more things happening compared to the first book, starting with Alek having multiple personalities.
Alek has his human self, his wolf self and something much darker within him. He can transition seamlessly between all three if they so willed. This created an interesting dynamic with his mate. It was, in a way, an MMMM love story involving two individuals. I totally loved how Bell embraced all of Alek’s selves unconditionally. Though, I kind of suspect his favorite is the dark one because that’s my favorite too.
Back in book one, Prophesy, Alek lost control of his wolf and latched on to Bell when the vampire showed up at their doorstep. Alek was filled with shame and was too embarrassed to meet Bell again. The second book started with Alek and Bell trying to get to know each other.
The first quarter of Bringer of Wrath was the exciting part. Bell had to go on a mission to London to apprehend rogue vampires raiding their tombs. His troops were overwhelmed and he was captured. Alek decided to go rescue him despite his natural shifter fear of flying. His younger brother and sister went with him. Things were pretty intense here.
I liked that this first quarter brought focus to bigger issues in the vampire/shifter world. But sadly, the rest of the book fell short. I wasn’t exactly bored but I wasn’t that excited either. It wasn’t a Mating 101 thing, like Wick and Justice. The romance was actually sweet and enjoyable but it took over the book and completely overshadowed the politics and the world-building.
Some work could have done to make the world-building much more solid, like providing more details on what exactly are these antagonists fighting for? Because for all appearances, Wick was a good king and so is Justice as the AZ. What is the say of humans in this scenario? Since gods were mentioned, what kinds of pantheons exist and how do they influence the world? And that damn prophesy. The book only paid lip service to it. You can take it out of the story and it would still work just fine. I’m guessing there’s a huge endgame in store so here’s hoping the prophesy aspect will be put to good use.
The strength of this series lies on the characters. Many characters stood out. I liked them all enough to make me want to follow their stories. The villains were throwaways though but I’m okay with that.
I was disappointed with the ending. I wanted Bell to have his moment but sadly his much awaited revenge was pre-empted by the introduction of a new character. Said character had the third brother, Mac’s hackles up. Their butting of heads almost made up for Bell’s lost moment.
Overall, Bringer of Wrath is a much improved sequel to Prophesy. It has similar issues when it comes to balancing the elements of the plot but it has more substance and more developments. I do wish the author strengthen the plots and the overarching threads because the backbones of the series is interesting. I want to find out more about what’s happening in the King & Alpha world so I’m still here for the next one.
P.S.
Prophesy review here
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: You Belong To Me
Artist: Cat Pierce
Album: CP1 -
REVIEW: The Rising by Morgan Brice
Badlands: The Rising – Morgan Brice
A big storm is brewing, there’s a killer on the loose, and the ghosts of Myrtle Beach are restless. Psychic medium Simon Kincaide and his sexy cop boyfriend, homicide detective Vic D’Amato have their hands full helping the Grand Strand brace for rough surf, driving rain, and high winds as a winter storm roars toward shore.
Everyone’s on edge, and rumors are rampant about sightings of Blackcoat Benny, a ghostly omen of danger, and worse, the Gallows Nine, the spirits of nine infamous criminals hanged back in the 1700s, a harbinger of disaster. Rough tides wash the wreck of an old pirate ship into shallow waters, high winds threaten to damage an old mansion with a dark past, and the citizens of the beach town hunker down to ride out the storm.
As the skies grow dark and the sea turns wild, several men from prominent local families end up dead under suspicious circumstances. Simon’s premonition confirms Vic’s gut feeling—the killing is just getting started. As Simon tries to reach out to the spirits of the murdered men to help the investigation, he’s attacked by malicious ghosts that don’t want anyone getting in the way of their long-overdue vengeance.
With the storm hammering the coast, and new victims piling up, Simon is certain that the sins and secrets of the past are coming due, and that the murders have a supernatural link. Vic and Simon race to stop the murders against an unholy deadline, but as they battle rising tides and risen ghosts, can they save the intended victims without getting trapped themselves?
The Rising is the second novel in the Badlands series. It is a MM romance intended for readers 18 years of age and older.
Hmm…I don’t know if I’m in a slump but I wasn’t into this the way I was with the first book, Badlands.
I like Simon and Vic and appreciated that the book avoided the usual petty squabbles between couples, focusing instead on the adjustment to their new life and dealing with the fears and dangers of being in a relationship with a cop and a psychic. However, much as I like these developments, I can’t help feeling that the execution of their couple downtime felt a little mechanical a.k.a kind of blah. This is something I’ve noticed with Morgan Brice‘s books, the smexy times are not necessarily forced into the scenes but they don’t feel organic either.
The book is a great mix of police and psychic procedural, taking time to lay out the step-by-step of the investigations and Simon’s rituals. Simon had to deal with dead pirates, sunken ships, haunted houses and vengeful ghosts while Vic tackled a case of multiple suicides, murder and possibly, spirit possession. The cases crossed paths and led them to two ghosts who were bitter enemies back in the day when they were privateer and pirate. And one of them had a special connection to Simon!
As interesting as these sounded, I wasn’t surprised by any twists. I found that answers came too easily, via visions. This is convenient and welcome since it makes life easier and safer for Simon and Vic but it also makes it easier to predict the outcome. I guess it makes a nice change from the usual vague and obscure psychic visions but unfortunately doesn’t help in creating tension and excitement.
The highlights for me were the seances and these were definitely suspenseful and exciting. Narrator Kale Williams did a wonderful job creating varied voices, some pitiful and some malevolent and he was able to amp up the scare factor effectively. As if that’s not scary enough, it’s quite something to read about these events in the dead of night where spirits were summoned, witches worked their magic and a storm unleashed its fury while an actual one is raging outside right at the exact moment. Talk about realism!
What’s also fascinating about this book are the rich folklore and the magical practices that the author was able to make good use in the story, particularly through Miss Eppie’s and Gabriella’s talents, in addition to Simon’s academic background and his skeleton crew’s gifts Their hoodoo and witch magic made them formidable enemies so it’s a good thing they got Simon’s back. I want to see more of these folk magic again in the future.
Overall, The Rising had all the right ingredients but some things were bland and predictable. This could be a ME thing because many people gave it high ratings. I’d still read the next books. The Badlands series, and Brice‘s paranormal universe as a whole, has many interesting elements that I would like to explore. I’ll give this one a passing grade for now.
P.S.
Badlands books are best read in order. Review of book 1 here
Other psychic series you might enjoy:
Psycop review here
The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal review here
Psychic Detective Mysteries review here
Tyack & Frayne review here
Russ Morgan Mystery review hereRating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: The Mariner’s Revenge
Artist: The Decemberists
Album: Picaresque -
REVIEW: Cold Light by Michelle Frost
Criminal Delights: Assassins: Cold Light – Michelle Frost
Being an assassin wasn’t something Lexington Campbell ever envisioned for himself, but after spending eight years doing just that, he’s prepared to take his place at the table of his father’s motorcycle club, The Iron Heretics.
Arden spends his nights dancing on stage at Spritz, one of St. Louis’s hottest night clubs, and waiting for Lex to pass back through town. After being orphaned young, he fears letting himself get too attached to the distant, bearded Lex, even after three years of inviting the man into his bed.
When Lex finds himself with a price on his head, he unknowingly pulls Arden into the darkness with him. When things aren’t what they seem, and enemies abound, will they find themselves still standing together in the cold light of day?
This book is part of CRIMINAL DELIGHTS. Each novel can be read as a standalone and contains a dark M/M romance.
Warning: These books are for adult readers who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurry. High heat, twisted and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted.
Cold Light reads like a Dreamspun Desire offering. Sweet and cute. Nowhere near dark. Almost a fairytale even. One where daddy bear Lex plucks his boy, Arden, from a brothel, showers him with gifts, saves him from the bad guys, finds the treasure and they live happily ever after.
Which is fine if you’re selling fluff but underwhelming if you’re advertising stories designed to disturb. And I was ready to be disturbed.
I was awww-ing instead.
They even have a lovable mutt named Pipsqueak, ffs!
I would have preferred Lex to do a few dastardly deeds. As an assassin, he did kill some people but everybody was so blase about it, you’d hardly noticed. He didn’t feel like an assassin, not because he was really, really nice to Arden but because he seemed to lack that killer instinct. I didn’t sense any danger coming from him.
There were other darker aspects present. A troubled past and an attempted sexual assault. There was also a torture scene but not gratuitous. Any resulting angst or trauma was not dwelt upon too deeply by the story.
Taking it for what it is, a daddy-boy romance with a side of MC, I think many people would enjoy this. It’s not a trope I usually go for but Lex and Arden had this fantastic chemistry going, they made the experience worthwhile. The rest of the characters were likable and interesting enough, their books, if any, might be worth looking into. Mason, Lex’s mentor, I’m shipping with Pax, Arden’s friend. Lex’s dad, Jeb, with whom he had a complicated relationship, turned out to have a few surprises of his own. On the other hand, the bad-guys were given cardboard personalities so you know right away they won’t live long.
Plot-wise, the premise was intriguing. For the most part, it was delivered well and wrapped up neatly. It could have done with some more action and suspense and also possibly, deeper exploration of Lex’s and Arden’s backstories. There was a lot of history going on that were only hinted upon so if there is a second book, I’ll gladly read it.
This is another Criminal Delights installment that’s different from what’s expected (for sure, this series never lacks surprises). I love assassin stories, the kind that leans more towards the job. Cold Light turned out to be the less killing, more cuddling variety. Luckily, I like fluff so it’s still a win.
P.S.
Criminal Delights books here
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Cold Light
Artist: Fenech-Soler
Album: Zilla -
REVIEW: Prince Of Killers by Layla Reyne
Fog City: Prince Of Killers – Layla Reyne
No indiscriminate killing. No collateral damage. No unvetted targets.
These are the rules Hawes Madigan lives by. Rules that make being Fog City’s Prince of Killers bearable. Soon, he’ll be king—of an organization of assassins—and the crown has never felt heavier. Until the mysterious Dante Perry swaggers into his life.
Dante looks like a rock god and carries himself like one too, all loose-limbed and casually confident. He also carries a concealed weapon, a private investigator’s license, and a message for the prince. Someone inside Hawes’s organization is out to kill the future king.
In the chaos that follows the timely warning, Hawes comes to depend on Dante. On his skills as an investigator, on the steadiness he offers, and on their moments alone when Hawes lets Dante take control. As alliances are tested and traitors exposed, Hawes needs Dante at his back and in his bed. But if the PI ever learns Hawes’s darkest secret, Hawes is sure to get a knife to the heart—and a bullet to the brain—instead.
There’s no shortage of twists and turns in this new romantic suspense trilogy from Layla Reyne. Prince of Killers is book one of three. Fair warning: buckle up, cliffhangers ahead!
Like many Layla Reyne fans, I was super excited to start on her new series. Obviously with all the glowing reviews, my expectations were skyhigh. Now that I’ve read it, in a word, Prince Of Killers was FAST.
So fast that I was still savoring my tour of San Francisco with the Madigans before I realized it, they were already about to do the big reveal. I hardly felt the 5+ hours of the audiobook. Even with that kind of pacing, the story didn’t feel incomplete. The author was able to establish the need-to-knows, build-up, conflict and mystery efficiently. It’s just that I was lulled by the great writing and Tristan James’ narration. I had fun listening to Hawes and his siblings going about their business. Assassins going through the step-by-steps of their jobs never failed to fascinate me and I could listen to that kind of shit all day.
I was expecting many twisty and shocking events though, but there were only one or two twists that were actually surprising.
Dante Perry literally walked into Hawes’ life and I was taken aback at how easily the Madigan scion trusted this stranger. This from the leader of a family who trusted no one. Then Dante proceeded to breeze through everything.
They started sleeping together from day one and from that point on, Hawes fantasized about his getting his HEA. He knew not everyone would be as lucky as his grandparents, Papa Cal and Rose, given his line of work. Still, can’t blame a man for being hopeful. But really? Day one? His brother Holt hasn’t even finished vetting the PI.
I liked Hawes but for a master assassin, he came across as, well, not bad-ass. I know giving him ‘weaknesses’ was intentional in order to emphasized his humanity, especially to Dante, but I share the sentiment of those who gave lower ratings. Him making this poor a decision on something as major as to who he lets into his inner circle doesn’t ring true to his character. What would Papa Cal say, Big H?
All this griping aside, I have faith in Layla Reyne and gladly suspended disbelief. One of her strong suits is creating characters you can root for and their awesome family dynamics. She did it in Agents Irish and Whiskey and its spin-off, Trouble Brewing. She also did it again here. She made me rally for the Madigans. As to Dante, I need to get inside his head first. Not warming up to him yet.
Hawes for all his weaknesses and grey morality, his heart’s in the right place. His twin, Holt, best hacker in town and father of the year. Helena, their sister, now she is bad ass. A ninja moonlighting as a lawyer. Emilia, Holt’s wife, devoted mother and their on-call nurse, is a woman who can do scary things with your pressure points. Together they form a warm, cozy family who just happened to have a deadly business on the side. I really liked how they worked together which why I had a rude awakening when they finally unmasked the traitor. Tsk tsk tsk! To think I liked that character. Too bad. A great twist nonetheless.
Which made me expect a big Madigan showdown. It was anti-climactic. The boss fight was over in a snap. I nearly missed the part and had to replay it just to be sure. Oh well, they did promise not to hurt the traitor.
Prince Of Killers is a good series opener. It’s a fun, suspenseful book that promised more action-packed goodness in the future. It did not entirely not wow me but that’s par for course with many series openers I’ve encountered including LR‘s series so no biggie. I know the next book is going to be EXPLOSIVE. I am so hyped up for King Slayer because damn that cliffhanger! Also, Dante’s POV!
I recommend the Fog City series if you like high-stakes romantic suspense stories about assassins with souls and LEOs finding love outside the law.
P.S.
Layla Reyne books here.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Shot In The Dark
Artist: Ozzy Osbourne
Album: The Ultimate Sin -
REVIEW: Exhale by Joel Abernathy
Flesh And Bone: Exhale – Joel Abernathy
Two men haunted by the same ghost…
Falling for “the other man” in my marriage was never part of the plan. Then again, according to Nicolae Ursache, I am the other man, and human wedding vows don’t apply. Not to werewolves.
Nicolae is a smug, arrogant alpha male stereotype–and I do mean alpha in the literal sense–but when the same people who killed my wife kidnap my teenage daughter, he’s my only chance at getting her back. The fact that Nicolae was my wife’s rightful mate means that we share a mutual interest in bringing Ellie home, but I never could’ve imagined how he planned to do it.
I will do anything to protect my daughter. Even if it means becoming the plaything, or worse, of the man I loathe most.
This dark shifter romance contains mature subject matter.
**NOTE: There is no mpreg in this universe.**
Because of the slew of enjoyable shifter stories I came across with, I grew to like the genre though I tend to avoid the omegaverse ones because there are some aspects I found unpleasant. Going in, I thought this was the usual shifter thing but to my surprise, I inadvertently found myself in an omegaverse. By the time I realized, the book has sunk its claws deep into me and wouldn’t let go. This was largely due in part to Joel Abernathy’s skilled storytelling and mostly to Kurt Graves’ excellent narration. They both did it so well, I finished the book even though I wasn’t into the main characters or the omega business.
Exhale piqued my interest with the “falling for the other man in my marriage” premise, something we don’t see often. The plot follows several threads. One was about a father’s love for his daughter who was caught in the middle of family politics. Another is about a man dealing with his wife’s loss and his hate+attraction to the man his wife supposedly cheated him with. Third, a human trying to come to grips with the fact that were-wolves exists and he was now somehow part of this world.
The story is told in Jack Mullins’ first person POV. I didn’t actively like the guy but I did feel sympathetic. He lost his wife, his daughter was kidnapped and then his wife’s other man showed up at his doorstep. Jack was whisked away to Romania and given no choice but to bond with the bastard in order to get his child back. Jack’s most outstanding feature was his devotion to his daughter, Ellie, who was trans. He would do anything for her, even mate with the man who was supposed to be his wife’s mate. He was played by two giant assholes and he did his best to make the most of the fucked up situation. He got his HEA but it didn’t feel that rewarding, IMO, given what he went through and what he turned out to be. Jack deserved better.
Nicolae Ursache is one of those giant assholes. I almost DNF’ed the book because of him. He said a lot of hateful, humiliating things so him going from hate to like to love would have been more convincing had we had his POV. He became tolerable later on but I kind of wished he suffered more.
The world-building focused primarily on the wolves, their hierarchy, conflicts, traditions and lifestyle. Magic and other supernatural creatures were mentioned in passing and ironically, this I am more interested in. I wanted the scope to be bigger than just the wolves, maybe bring in those haints or witches but well, it’s not that kind of book.
What really made me want to continue with Flesh and Bone series were the secondary characters. I found myself wanting to know more about them. Mason, Nicolae’s son, I feel sorry for the guy. Andreii, the feral pup, I want to see how he turns out and Vasil, the enforcer, I really liked his amiable personality. They have their own books so yay! I’m happy the author also gave Ellie her own romance within the stories, if not her own book, so that thread is worth following up too.
Overall, I wasn’t wowed but Exhale did it’s job well as a series opener. It grabbed my attention, kept me engaged and made me look forward to the next book.
P.S.
Other paranormal/shifter series you might be interested in:
Big Bad Wolf
Hexworld
Soulbound
Green CreekRating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Mercy
Artist: IAMX
Album: Kiss+Swallow -
REVIEW: The Unseelie Prince by Kaitlyn Abdou
The Hawthorne Throne: The Unseelie Prince – Kaitlyn Abdou
The Folk have never shied away from taking what they want. Legends speak of Faeries stealing people from their beds, swapping infants with changelings, and impregnating women they find beautiful. You should never trust them, though they cannot lie. Eat their food, and you may never see home again.
Noah Reid has spent his life seeking normalcy after a turbulent childhood with a superstitious mother who refused to answer questions about the father he never knew, and instead, attempted to impress upon him a real fear of Faeries.
Despite his mother’s best efforts, Noah finds himself ripped from the life he knows and thrust into a palace of nightmares. Here, he must face the persistent attention of the Regent and discover the shocking truth his mother took to her grave.
Fàilte air ais, a Naoise. Welcome home…
Content Warning: This novella contains dark subject matter.
I think I’ve gone about this the wrong way. I came in blind, was enchanted by the Liam Taylor’s narration and kept expecting a fairy tale where the human snapped out of the spell and/or was saved at the nick of time. But nooo, Noah or Naoise continued to be mesmerized by the Regent, seduced by sex and just walked blindly into the trap until it was too late. So no happy endings here. There is also a taboo aspect, incest, which some might find disturbing.
Majority of the novella is Noah having his brain addled and there is actually very little happening outside of the seductions. What very little that happened provided some conflict to the story, where the council questions and reacts to the Regent’s actions. A cursory glance would find the whole thing lacking in substance. However, the underlying story is actually quite compelling.
The heir to the Hawthorn Throne of the daoine sìth was found and ready to be crowned but the Regent is determined to stay in power. The heir, Noah, is half human so he is susceptible to glamour. The Regent, Fearghas, used this to his advantage and kept Noah under his control.
I liked that we also get the Regent’s POV so literally everybody, except poor Noah, knew. That the boy was so innocent had me wondering how he even survived the human world. Like in most fairy tales, food and wine should not be touched and Noah was constantly supplied with both so he stood no chance of resisting. Still, part of his brain sent warning signals. At one point, he even acknowledged he had Stockholm Syndrome but shrugged it off. He was presented to the council where they talked about him in Gaelic and he knew the language but he just stood there and did nothing. And then, there was that moment when the connection between his father and Fearghas hit him but still, nothing. It was hard to feel sorry for him, he was so passive.
This is tagged as romance, definitely of the gothic variety. I will try not to wonder how the romance will work because there are darker stories out there that pulled it off convincingly. I’m not gung-ho about Noah and Fearghas just yet, the power dynamics is so skewed. The Regent was villainous through and through. I will read the sequels because I wanted badly for the balance of power to switch or at least even out. Or for Noah to stop being a helpless ragdoll. The story is very effective that way, it makes you want to find out more.
The Unseelie Prince might not have ended happily, but it ended with a bombshell. Delivered in Fearghas’ chilling whisper, never had the words “welcome home” sounded so sinister. What will you do now, Prince Naoise? Are you going to do anything at all?
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Mesmerism
Artist: Dead Can Dance
Album: Spleen And Ideal
