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SERIES REVIEW: Demon Bound by Grae Bryan
Demon Bound: Wreaking Havoc – Grae Bryan
Sascha has always felt powerless, the weak baby of a cruel family. But that’s fine. He has his looks, his ample allowance, and a smattering of one-night stands to keep him busy. But when Sascha’s oldest brother offends the wrong people, Sascha finds himself in hiding with a target on his back. And when poking around in his temporary home leads to accidentally summoning the hottest demon Sascha could ever imagine, he has to ask does he want to feel powerless anymore?
Kai has been waiting centuries for a summons. When he’s at long last brought to the human realm for his final contract, he expects to find another warrior hungry for battle and bloodshed. Instead, he finds himself bound to a saucy, scared mobster princeling who can’t stop looking at Kai like he’s dinner. It isn’t long before Kai decides that—for once—he wouldn’t mind staying exactly where he is, with a certain human for his mate.
But Sascha isn’t used to anyone sticking around, let alone caring for him in any real way. It’s up to Kai to convince Sascha he can give him so much more than protection. He just has to deal with those pesky enemies—and Sascha’s own meddling family—first.
Wreaking Havoc is a heated MM paranormal romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains a spoiled (or is it traumatized?) mafia prince with trust issues, the cocky warrior demon who wants nothing more than to pamper him for eternity, a stifling family, elusive enemies, and the frustration of never getting to finish a manicure.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Bakemono
Artist: Yoasobi
Album: Bakemono
Demon Bound: Inviting Bedlam – Grae Bryan
Ivan Kozlov doesn’t make mistakes, no matter what his brothers might say. Mistakes in his world mean death. So while he may have summoned the wrong sort of demon to aid him in cementing his empire, binding himself to the creature with an irreversible contract, that doesn’t mean he can’t make use of him. Except the seductive incubus he’s summoned seems to want more from Ivan than just a piece of his soul. Nix wants Ivan’s body, his desire, his faults and his regrets. But giving those things to him would be a mistake. And one Ivan might never recover from.
Nix has been waiting to be summoned again for ages. And while he might have had to trick his handsome mob boss to make it happen, he’s not going to waste the opportunity while he has it. Only now that he’s here, he doesn’t just want to stay in the human realm. He wants Ivan—his greed and his rage and his lust. And if Nix has to fix Ivan’s life to make that happen—if he needs to handle the dangers in his business, mend the broken bits left by Ivan’s father—then that’s what he’ll do. Even an incubus can be useful to a mobster, if given the right incentive.
Inviting Bedlam is a heated, MM paranormal romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains a repressed, controlling mob boss and the naughty incubus determined to make him crack, brothers who won’t communicate, more demons than Ivan asked for, and a pair of panties Ivan would like to set on fire. While each book focuses on a different couple, the series is best enjoyed in order.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: Vanilla
Artist: Gackt
Album: Mars
Demon Bound: Calling Chaos – Grae Bryan
Cooper didn’t mean to summon a demon. He may be a hacker for the Mafia, but he’s not exactly brave or adventurous by nature. He was only trying to do a small, easy job for his terrifying boss and then get back to not leaving the house for days on end. Only now that the demon’s here, promising to be Cooper’s friend for as long as he needs one, Cooper might just be lonely enough to let him.
Chaos knew it was finally his time to get summoned. No more being stuck in the boring Void, no more hanging out with the same three dull demons. It’s time for madness and mayhem and answering to no one but himself. Except Chaos didn’t expect his newest summoner to be quite so…timid. And sweet. And willing to cater to every single one of Chaos’s many wants and whims. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to stick around for an eternity or two.
Now Chaos just needs to convince his new friend that it really isn’t all that scary to be mated to a demon, even one who loves to play with fire.
Calling Chaos is a heated MM paranormal romance. It feature a lonely, socially anxious hacker and the wily, wicked, and slightly feral demon who wants to play with him forever. It also contains “it’s just practice” bedroom lessons, Mafia meetings gone awry, and the joys of stealing your not-boyfriend’s hoodies.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: Inhuman Empathy
Artist: Amazarashi
Album: Eien Shi
Demon Bound: Unleashing Mayhem – Grae Bryan
Matteo’s been running scared for so long he’s forgotten what it’s like to feel safe. Or maybe he never knew in the first place. Raised by a cruel man, tormented by an even crueler one, and recently rescued by a demon, Matty’s still jumping at shadows around every corner. When he sees a familiar face from the past and realizes his ghosts really have come back to haunt him, Matty does the only reasonable thing he can think of.
He summons someone even worse.
Nightmare is a solitary demon by nature. He’s never needed a companion or a lover or a friend, and he’s never minded being feared by others of his kind. But one taste of Matteo’s sweet, terrified soul and Nightmare needs more. When he’s finally summoned to Matteo’s side, Nightmare finds himself exactly where he wants to be. Now it’s only a matter of patience, seduction, and convincing his little human that one contract isn’t enough.
What they really need is an eternity.
Unleashing Mayhem is a heated MM paranormal romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains a sweet human afraid of everyone but the monster at his side, a demon so possessive even other demons run scared, a found family made of mobsters and monsters, and a summoning gone right (for once). While each book focuses on a different couple, the series is best enjoyed in order.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsArtist: Beautiful Monster
Artist: Art School
Album: Flora
Demon Bound is a paranormal fated mates series by Grae Bryan that I picked up because I enjoyed her Vampire’s Mate series, which is set in the same world. Also, both series were narrated by Michael Ferraiuolo and that’s always a bonus. His comedic timing is spot on!
The series opener, Wreaking Havoc, didn’t completely blow me away but I was entertained enough to proceed to the next. The story is a beauty and the brute romance between the youngest son of a Russian mob boss, Sascha, who’s trying to stay on the straight and narrow and far, far away from his dysfunctional family. However, someone is trying to kill him.
Through some creative nail art, Sascha inadvertently summoned the warrior demon, Kai, who became his protector from the very elusive killers out to get Sascha. The plot, as with the rest of the series, focuses on the development of the romance and the bond.
We met Sascha’s middle brother, Alexei, in Vampire’s Mate when he was mated to the cute vampire Jay. Here, Sascha’s notoriously scary older brother and now head of the family, Ivan, makes his appearance.
Kai is essentially a grumpy 7-foot musclehead, though a very protective one who treats Sascha like the treasure he is. Sascha is a petite diva and a shopaholic forced to stay in small town Maine for his safety and try to build a crime-free life. I loved his colorful approach to fashion.
My favorite part was during the villain comeuppance scene when Sacha fainted at the sight of blood and Kai held him till he came to. Their dynamic is something I’ve seen before but the plot left intruiging open threads and teasers that I immediately grabbed the next book.
Inviting Bedlam is Ivan’s book and I was happily surprised to see him paired with an incubus. Ivan is estranged from his brothers having been groom by their abusive father in crime and toxic massculinity.
Ivan is beset by enemies left and right and thinking to summon a fearsome demon like Kai to fight in his corner, he got Nix instead. What use is an incubus in a fight thought Ivan, but Nix surprised him at every turn, even during the big villain showdown.
Their dynamic is a delicious play of the fire and ice. Vanya, as Nix loved to call him, is repressed due to his tough mobster upbringing and Nix just couldn’t resist pushing his buttons every chance he gets.
Vanya is taking steps to improve his organization, his life and his relationship with his family. I loved his redemption story and how Nix helped him even if Vanya was being a cold bastard at first. The way the ice melts was wonderful to witness.
Nix adores everything about his Vanya, even him being “a little bit worn around the edges” at almost 40 years old. Ivan slowly but surely found the incubus inextricately weaving himself in his life and realized he loved having Nix there.
My favorite part was after the big villain showdown when the contract was fulfilled. I could practically feel the world stop for Ivan and it was the coldest this intimidating man has ever been. What came after was pure joy!
Calling Chaos is Cooper’s book. He’s the hacker the family hired and also a cousin. He accidentally summoned the chaos demon Ruckus. Their dynamic is a delightful push/pull of the shy and the feral.
Ruckus is a riot. This gremlin has a childlike propensity for causing trouble wherever he went just for his own amusement. He immediatly latched on to Cooper, drawn to the young man’s shy and sweet disposition, and accepting nature towards his antics. He’s protective and doting of Coop and likes to call him puppy.
Coop is firmly tucked away in his shell, his social anxiety usually getting the better of him. It took a while for him to venture a toe out of it but Coop is nothing if not resilient, skilled, and brave where it counts. I loved how he lets Ruckus be himself just like Ruckus helped him step out of his comfort zone.
Their story is a fantastic reflection of their dynamics, fluffy and cozy and also wild and free. My favorite scene was during the villain takedown when Ruckus was furious that Coop was harmed.
The author perfectly captured the raging emotions in the way Ruckus unleashed his flames and putting them out in a blink of an eye because of all the FEELS he’s feeling for his beloved mate. It was one of my favorite declaration scenes.
Unleashing Mayhem is Matty’s book. Matty is the stray Sascha and Kai rescued in the first book and taken under their wing. He’s very timid and scared of everything. He frequently suffers nightmares and so avoids sleep as much as possible.
Matty is scared that an evil man from his past might come for him eventually. One day, tired of being scared, he decided to summon a demon to protect him, just like his friends and their mates.
Sarcaren is a nightmare demon who frequently visits Matty’s dreams so Matty immediately found comfort in his new demon. Nightmare promised to exact revenge for everything the evil man did to Matty.
Another fantastic dynamics of the sweet and the scary which is what Nightmare and Matty call each other. Adorbs! It’s a bit similar to Coop and Ruckus but Nightmare is more sinister and shadows. He saw Matty as pure, sweet, and endearingly brave even at his most scared.
Matty is smittened with his demon from the get go and eagerly wanted to become his mate so the mating ritual wasn’t the main focus. Matty’s past is the darkest in the series and the villain was one I wanted the most to suffer after what he did to Matty since he was a young boy.
The revenge part was mostly rushed and partly told rather than seen. The story as a whole was fast paced and enjoyable but not as gripping as the middle books.
My favorite part was how everyone banded together to help Matty. I was super amused at everyone horrified at the fearsome Nightmare taking a mate and it’s little Matty.
LOLed at Ivan being wistful and wishing he summoned the scary nightmare demon. Even tried to recruit him but Nightmare has no plans working for anyone other than his mate. Nix was having none of it.
Demon Bound explores the fated mates trope through different flavors of human-demon connections. The series is a blend of fluffy, humor, steam, and violence, featuring the Kozlov family and their friends. The book are best read in order, with interlapping events and cameos from the author’s other series.
Overall, lovable humans to root for, gorgeous demons to drool over, and all that squee-tastic fated mates magic to swoon over!
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DEMON BOUND: Kindle
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REVIEW: Copper Script by K.J. Charles
Copper Script – K.J. Charles
Detective Sergeant Aaron Fowler of the Metropolitan Police doesn’t count himself a gullible man. When he encounters a graphologist who deduces people’s lives and personalities from their handwriting with impossible accuracy, he needs to find out how the trick is done. Even if that involves spending more time with the intriguing, flirtatious Joel Wildsmith than feels quite safe.
Joel’s not an admirer of the police, but DS Fowler has the most irresistible handwriting he’s ever seen. If the policeman’s tests let him spend time unnerving the handsome copper, why not play along?
But when Joel looks at a powerful man’s handwriting and sees a murderer, the policeman and the graphologist are plunged into deadly danger. Their enemy will protect himself at any cost–unless the sparring pair can come together to prove his guilt and save each other.
Copper Script is another cleverly titled historical romance by my all-time favorite author, K.J. Charles. Set in 1920s London, the story stars an unlikely hero, a graphologist and war veteran, Joel Wildsmith, whose genius at analyzing handwriting is so eerily on point it’s practically magic.
He cross paths with Detective Sergeant Aaron Fowler when the DS’s cousin’s cheating ass was revealed through a letter the cousin’s fiancée asked Joel to analyze. Aaron tried to come up with all sorts of possible explanations of how Joel knew about the indiscretion, and even went so far as to test Joel’s talents through a blind read of several different letters.
Not only did Joel give very accurate character profiles, he also smacked Aaron with not one, but two bombshells. First, hit hard close to home; the other was the spine-chilling revelation that there was a high-placed murderer in the Met.
Just as she gave us a bookseller who has no interest in books in The Will Darling Adventures, K.J. Charles gave us a handwriting analysis expert who couldn’t write properly.
Joel is a delightfully sassy, incredibly perceptive and quick-tempered ginger whose mouthy ways made me laugh. The man lost his left hand in the war, which unfortunately was his dominant one. It irked him to no end whenever people tried to console him with “at least it’s not your right hand.”
Aaron is the more even-tempered and controlled, also a fair-minded do-gooder who takes his duties and responsibilities to heart. He is a methodical and conscientious investigator who has to deal with office politics. He goes out of his way to help a certain jobbing graphologist, occasionally taking him to his favorite restaurants because he likes watching him eat.
Joel has no trust in the police, having been a victim of an entrapment scheme. So, while he was attracted to Aaron, it took a while for him to fully trust the detective. I loved the contrast between their personalities and how they played off each other. The chemistry was fantastic, and the banter between them was a joy to listen to!
The cousin was a real pain in the ass, and watching Aaron, patience stretched thin, yet duty-bound, a.k.a. threatened to be reported to the Fowler matriarch, dealing with the bastard was also funny. The scenes with the cousin are a classic poke by the author at entitled, overprivileged assholes.
My favorite scenes were the letter readings and the first bombshell on Aaron when Joel analyzed his handwriting. Joel, the tease that he is, really knew how to draw out the anticipation, keeping Aaron on the edge of his seat, then bam! I could vividly picture Aaron gaping like a fish at the reveal. It was hilarious!
The only reason this is not a 5-star book is that the villain and the comeuppance scene were mostly told, not shown. Maybe because the story has a low-key vibe to it, but the villain’s murderous ways were mostly implied. The climactic scene where the bad guy overtly acted was resolved with minimal fuss a.k.a. the evil man just walked away, and we only hear about his fate later.
This is a very minor issue. Overall, the plot was well-executed, and I was thoroughly entertained by Aaron and Joel’s interactions and adventures.
Copper Script is a story of seduction and crime-solving through handwriting analysis. It might lack a bombastic showdown, but the vivid personalities, engaging humor, and compelling narrative performed impeccably by audiobook narrator Cornell Collins made this a very well-written book indeed!
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Handwriting Analysis
Artist: Late Night Takeaway
Album:
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COPPER SCRIPT: Kindle | Audiobook
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Devil’s Garden by Jack Bumgardner (Excerpt)
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BLOG TOUR: Worth The Fight by C.F. White
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REVIEW: The Monster of Elenhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht
The Monster of Elenhaven – Jennifer Giesbrecht
The city of Elendhaven sulks on the edge of the ocean. Wracked by plague, abandoned by the South, stripped of industry and left to die. But not everything dies so easily. A thing without a name stalks the city, a thing shaped like a man, with a dark heart and long pale fingers yearning to wrap around throats. A monster who cannot die. His frail master sends him out on errands, twisting him with magic, crafting a plan too cruel to name, while the monster’s heart grows fonder and colder and more cunning.
These monsters of Elendhaven will have their revenge on everyone who wronged the city, even if they have to burn the world to do it.
The Monster of Elenhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht is my Halloween read, and what a fabulously creepy little novella it is!
Elenhaven is a German-flavored coastal city of a fictional kingdom in the north. Its sea is black, and eldritch creatures are said to crawl out of its depths. Its factories are almost gone, and the city is barely recovering from a plague that struck some years ago. The sun makes its appearance a few short months after winter, which is most of the year.
Unknown to the residents, a monster is lurking in the shadows. This monster cannot be killed, not even with bullets, knives, or being dropped from a tower. This monster, who calls himself Johann, took a special interest and began stalking a gentleman named Florian Lichenbloom, who harbored his own dark secret.
The world-building is eerily atmospheric. I can easily picture the forboding coastline, grey overcast skies, and Elenhaven, which seem to be perpetually sinking in the shadows. The lore is detailed enough to answer questions and complete the narrative, but also left me wanting another visit to Elenhaven for more because it’s hella fascinating!
There is romance here, but this is not romance, so we know what that means for our couple. Still, this was so good, I didn’t mind. The ending was bittersweet and satisfying, and also creeptastic if you think of all it implies.
This is horror, and if there is such a thing as cozy horror, this novella is the epitome of one. After all of Johann’s skulking around and his confrontation with Florian, the two played house and proceeded to kill me with Johann’s outrageous flirting and Florian’s adorably blushy tsundere-ing.
All while secretly carrying out Florian’s devious plot for revenge, which at first glance was just an eye-for-an-eye thing but is really one of the most insidious plans one could unleash on the whole world.
The cuteness was on a different level that I momentarily forgot there’s devilry afoot. As the story progressed, we learn of Florian’s tragic past and a surprising connection to Johann, a full circle built on grief, rage, despair, and dreams. It was devastating and beautiful, painful and sweet, and ultimately, a gift to be carried wherever the monster went.
Overall, The Monster of Elenhaven is a story of kindred souls, revenge, and tragedy. It began with curiosity and ended with a gift. A spine-tingling tale where dreams come to life as a nightmare that fulfils the heart’s deepest, darkest desires.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: Black Water
Artist: Of Monsters and Men
Album: Beneath the Skin
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THE MONSTER OF ELENHAVEN: Kindle | Audiobook
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RELEASE BLITZ: Worth The Fight by C.F. White (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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BOOK BLITZ: Old Ghosts by Janina Franck (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Immoral by Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank
Park Avenue Kings: Immoral by Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank
Who are we? Nobody really knows. We’re the seven most powerful heirs to empires, ruling Manhattan from our thrones on Park Avenue. By day, we’re the elite, untouchable, and more connected than you could ever imagine. By night, we revel in the darkness of our secrets, pulling strings that make the city bow to our whims.
Ruthless.
Dangerous.
We’re the Park Avenue Kings.
In this city of power and desire, where the line between love and obsession blurs, nothing is off-limits—and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
He was sent in to seduce a monster. He didn’t expect to fall for the man beneath.
Benoit Olivier has always played the part—charming, cunning, and impossible to pin down. As one of the Park Avenue Kings, he’s used to being the watcher, the flirt, the wild card. But when the Kings need eyes on a powerful new arms dealer with a dangerous reputation, Benoit steps out of the shadows and into the spotlight—as a performer in Dimitri Stavros’s exclusive world.
Dimitri is lethal, calculating, and entirely unprepared for the distraction Benoit presents. Drawn to the dancer’s allure, he offers him a place at his side, unaware that every flirtation, every glance, is a calculated move in a game Benoit was sent to win.
But the deeper Benoit is pulled into Dimitri’s world of wealth, weapons, and whispered threats, the more dangerous the assignment becomes. Because Dimitri doesn’t forgive betrayal—and if he discovers Benoit’s true purpose, it won’t just be hearts that shatter.
Now, with time running out and his feelings blurring the line between performance and reality, Benoit must make a choice: complete the mission… or protect the man he was never supposed to love.
Immoral can be read as a standalone novel in the Park Avenue Kings world, but for maximum enjoyment, read after Savage & Devilish.
Immoral is the third book of Park Avenue Kings, a fabulous, fabulous billionaire secret society series by acclaimed writer duo, Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank.
Our King, this week, is Benoit Olivier – billionaire, burlesque dancer, polyglot, diva, and spy. He’s tasked to gather information about the notorious arms dealer Dimitri Stavros. Benoit is very good at his job, and he pulled out all the stops to hook his mark. Through a burlesque dance, of course.
And what a dance it was! This part alone made the book for me.
Benoit was seduction personified with every sizzling move and smoldering eye contact. He knew he had a gorgeous body and knew how to use it to his advantage. The finale was a cheeky wink and the ultimate tease. If I were in the club, I would have been on my feet, clapping hard and clamouring for more!
So yep, Dimitri stood no chance.
Dimitri is powerful, dangerous, and broody, a weapons dealer in the body of a Greek god. Clearly enamoured by the sassy dancer, possessive and ready to spoil the diva, he was always wanting Benoit so much that his right-hand man had to keep reminding him of business at hand.
Dimitri was a swoony blend of confidence and vulnerability, a tragic prince who slayed the villain, and now the dark king of an underground kingdom. His more somber temperament is a foil to Benoit’s playful side; his burning desire for the spy is matched only by Benoit’s palpable attraction for the man. They fit so well, just watching them interact was a joy!
In the previous books, Savage and Devilish, I had wished the stories were more mission-focused. This time, the mission and romance blended so beautifully, it was pure magic!
Benoit had to endure such hardships as being whisked away to a fairytale castle in Prague, having fantastic smexy times in different rooms each night, dragging Drimtri to a picturesque Christmas market, and sneaking around a luxury train across Europe, not to mention a bout of exhibitionism at a train stop.
Benoit enjoyed himself so much, he had to remind himself he was not on vacation. His sheer delight at a job going well, with how fun it is to flirt with Dimitri, and despite himself, falling in love with his mon monstre, that sense of exhilaration jumped off the page and swept me away!
Immoral have all the perfect moves, from the delicious tease, the nuclear-hot chemistry, the enthralling romance, the riveting cat-and-mouse game, and the constant tension that kept everything tight, fast-paced, and thrilling. Overall, a captivating dance of seduction you never want to escape!
Dating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: Kiss Twice, Kiss Me Deadly
Artist: Alice Nine
Album: VandalizeP.S.
Park Avenue Kings can be read as standalones, but the Kings are worth meeting.
Savage is a shadowy king and the innocent journalist in a meet-disaster turned meet-stalker
Devilish is the dom king sweeping the sweet sub off his feet with books and constellations.
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Immoral. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
If you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!
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RELEASE TOUR: He Should Be Mine by Jessica Jackman (Excerpt)
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PREORDER BLAST: He Should be Mine by Jessica Jackman
