Paranormal

All posts tagged Paranormal

Legacy by Hannah McBride(Review Post)

Published April 10, 2021 by bookbesties

An unexpected alliance

After the explosions that rocked the Alpha Summit, Skye wakes up separated from her mate and with a family she never knew existed. The more she learns of this new world she comes from, the more she realizes she will never outrun her own legacy.

Reality is a nightmare

Remy survived the attack at the Summit, but he lost more than he could have imagined. As the shifter world descends in chaos, he will have to find a way to hold it all together without Skye at his side.

War is coming

Together Skye and Remy will confront their enemies, old and new, as they fight for the survival of their pack. One final war. Winner take all.

***LEGACY is the third book in theBlackwater Pack series and the final book in Skye & Remy’s story. It contains dark and mature themes (including flashbacks of sexual assault and bullying) that may be triggering to some readers.***

I thought Hannah tugged on my feels with Sanctum, they she tugged a little more with Broke, and Prey…well, SHE RIPPED THEM OUT in Legacy! I pride myself on not crying while reading books, I may get emotional but I don’t cry.

I had ACTUALY TEARS down my face with this book!
So many ups and down’s and holy cow moments(good and bad) this is the actual definition of when someone says, ‘that was a rollercoaster of emotions’. Legacy gives us laughs, tears, hate, fear, and love…so much love.
Remy and Skye grow SO much from book 1, to this book and Skye especially. Skye grew and HEALD and also brought light to a lot of things people don’t often like to think about, abuse survivor and non-abuse survivor a like. The dynamics and politics of this story were great and so iatrical, Hannah literally weaves this world so easily. I fell in love with new character and old and the ending…….was EPIC.

Definitely one of my top 2021 reads and its only April!

About the Author:

Hannah McBride has been many things in her life – a manager, a clinical research coordinator, a dreamer, a makeup brand ambassador, an event coordinator, a blogger, and more. But at heart, she’s always been a writer, and in 2020 she decided to make it official with her first release, SANCTUM.

Author Links:

Facebook | Amazon | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Emerald Blaze : A Hidden Legacy Novel by Ilona Andrews(Review Post)

Published August 25, 2020 by bookbesties

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Ilona Andrews, #1 New York Times bestselling author, continues her spellbinding series set in the Hidden Legacy world where magic controls everything—except the hearts of those who wield it.

As Prime magic users, Catalina Baylor and her sisters have extraordinary powers—powers their ruthless grandmother would love to control. Catalina can earn her family some protection working as deputy to the Warden of Texas, overseeing breaches of magic law in the state, but that has risks as well. When House Baylor is under attack and monsters haunt her every step, Catalina is forced to rely on handsome, dangerous Alessandro Sagredo, the Prime who crushed her heart.

The nightmare that Alessandro has fought since childhood has come roaring back to life, but now Catalina is under threat. Not even his lifelong quest for revenge will stop him from keeping her safe, even if every battle could be his last. Because Catalina won’t rest until she stops the use of the illicit, power-granting serum that’s tearing their world apart.

Grab your copy Here

Grab Hidden Legacy’s 1-5 Here

I have long since been a huge fan of the hidden legacies novels and when I read the fist book in this some-what spin off with Catalina’s story I was all in. The first book had me wanting more and was ready for the adventure and see Cat stumble gracefully through her newfound head of hour role and also maybe fall in love. This book picks up around six months or so after Alessandro, the man she decided to give her heart to, left her and she is picking up the pieces of her life the best way she knows how; by doing all the work.

The things that I loved about this book and always is there is never a real long slow down, there is always action or something interesting happening on paper which kept me interested. The banter between her and Alessandro, yes he’s back, is nice and they play off each other nicely. With that being said, what I didn’t like about this story is that the relationship seemed strained. To a certain degree it was, for reasons, but I also didn’t “feel’ the emotional connection to their relationship until the end, literally the last few pages. I also felt at time that Catalina’s thoughts and words were jumbled. Like she would be saying something and then reveal something that came out of left field seemingly, but tied in at some point to the story. I found myself feeling closer to Alessandro than Cat, which is a rarity, but still it kinda of threw me. The story was still enjoyable and I will continue with the series.

stars 4

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The Queen by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Review Post)

Published July 14, 2020 by bookbesties

51hRT9UdidL From #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes the next installment in her Wicked series.

The King must have his Queen….

Bestowed the forbidden Summer’s Kiss by the King of the Summer fae, Brighton Jussier is no longer just human. What she is, what she will become, no one knows for sure, but that isn’t her biggest concern at the moment. Now Caden, the King, refuses to let her go, even at the cost of his Court. When the doorway to the Otherworld is breached, both Brighton and Caden must do the unthinkable—not just to survive themselves, but also to save mankind from the evil that threatens the world.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

OR GET THE WHOLE SERIES HERE

I was so excited for this book because it was the final one and it was set to be THE BEST ONE and it was!!

The storyline picked up exactly where it left off, Brighton is recovering after her terrible and horrible ordeal and just got some rather shocking news. While she tries to navigate her flashbacks of what’s real and she also has to deal with her feeling for Caden and the future they will have. She knows what the right thing is but her heart…well that’s a different story. But obviously someone wants her gone and the list of people who are capable of it is long.

I loved that in this story the King, Caden, Kind of said YOLO and went with what was in his heart and DARED someone to questions him. He had no qualms about pursuing things with Brighton, and she was the one who put a stop to it this time. That was a twist, but I understood where she was coming from and why. The friendship that she forms with Tink in this made me Love him(I previously didn’t) and it was jut what and who she needed to help her through this.

This particular trope that Jennifer had bought us with this last novella in the seires happens to be ONE OF MY FAVORITE TROPES EVER! So this, in my mind, was perfect!

I was able to riddle out the whodoneit in the end but not predicted the ending. I am sad to see this world ending though and it makes me want to re-read the Wicked series all over again.

4stars white

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Rage and Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout(Review Post)

Published June 9, 2020 by bookbesties

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Dangerous secrets and forbidden desires lead to shocking consequences… Don’t miss book two of the fantastical Harbinger trilogy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout.

“Jennifer L. Armentrout’s intoxicating new fantasy is her best yet!” —New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter on Storm and Fury

Half-angel Trinity and her bonded gargoyle protector, Zayne, have been working with demons to stop the apocalypse while avoiding falling in love. The Harbinger is coming…but who or what is it? All of humankind may fall if Trinity and Zayne can’t win the race against time as dark forces gather.

As tensions rise, they must stay close together and patrol the DC streets at night, seeking signs of the Harbinger, an entity that is killing Wardens and demons with no seeming rhyme or reason. Forbidden to be with each other, Zayne and Trinity fight their feelings and turn to unusual sources for help—the demon Roth and his cohorts. But as deaths pile up and they uncover a sinister plot involving the local high school and endangering someone dear to Zayne, Trin realizes she is being led…herded…played for some unknown end. As anger builds and feelings spiral out of control, it becomes clear that rage may be the ruin of them all.

OUT NOW!!!

bright pink coloured stars scattered on a black background

So, let me start by saying that I was never a huge fan of Zayne. In fact, I could have done with out him getting his HEA, Harsh I know but I was neither for him nor against him. When Storm and Fury came out I fell in love with Trinity and Zayne was just there, again neither for nor against. Well all that changed with Rage and Ruin.

This picks up exactly where it left off from S&F with Trinity still reeling from the betrayal, hurt and change she has had to go through. Now Zayne and Trinity have to navigate this new life together, finding the Harbinger, stop whoever is killing all the wardens with help from some familiar faces, and stopping the ever growing attraction they have toward each other.
This book, for me brought back the old Zayne who I had started to love in the original stories(See White hot Kiss) he was in but quickly fell out of that because of other things. NOW, I am firmly in the Team Zayne camp.
In this exciting continuation of the Harbinger series this book is filled with action, angst and sometimes heartbreaking goodness. I always feel that if you read an Armentrout male that you didn’t really care for, through her vivid way she writes, she always bring you back around to loving, if not LOVING him.
The ending of this book is explosive and (insert heartbreaking part) but it def leaves you wanting more, as always with Jen’s books.

Vonetta

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From Blood And Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Review Post)

Published March 31, 2020 by bookbesties

from blood and ash

A Maiden

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A duty

The entire kingdom’s future rest on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And a longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden

A Kingdom

Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked threat that holds her together begins to unravel.

OUT NOW!

In this exciting new novel by Jennifer L. Armentrout, she introduces a fantastical world filled with immense detail, and characters who are poignant and fierce, Jennifer truly has out done herself!

I have been a long time avid reader of Jennifer and I can say that as her debut high fantasy novel she KILLED IT! Whenever I see ‘high fantasy’ I don’t really know what to expect because it’s always the authors take on what high fantasy is to them and you just never know. Poppy has been hidden away her whole life, and has a duty to her people and kingdom but has always longed for more…more than just sitting in her room, more than just the few people who are allowed to speak to her and def more than no one ever looking at her fully without her veil in place. And that longing only grew since Hawke came to the castle. There is much that Poppy is unsure of, so question, but the one thing she does know is that she is drawn to Hawke and she is not sure why. But then things start to happen and Poppy’s world is turned on its axes leaving her with even more questions and uncertainties.

This story gripped me from the beginning to end. This is a different take on Vampires and I loved every second of this high paced, fun witty and surprising plot twisting story.

As always Jennifer has a way with making readers fall in love with her Hero’s and Hawke is no exception…..

“With my sword and with my life, I vow to keep you safe, Penellaphe… from this moment until the last moment, I am yours.”

That’s not to say that her Heroien is anything less than amazing..Poppy is strong minded and an all around BAD A!

This book is at my top read for 2020 and Jennifer captured perfectly all the aspects of a first book in a series to keep you wanting more. Action, suspense comedy and romance. I can’t wait to see where this world and these characters lead us next!

Vonetta

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The Burning Shadow by Jennifer L. Armentrout(Review Post)

Published October 8, 2019 by bookbesties

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#1 New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout returns to the world of the Lux with The Burning Shadow, the steamy, shocking second installment of the Origin series that will leave readers reeling.

When Evelyn Dasher crossed paths with Luc, she was thrown headfirst into the world of the Lux—only to discover that she was already far more involved in their world than she ever suspected.

Because the Luxen aren’t the only ones with a hidden past. There’s a gap in Evie’s memory, lost months of her life and a lingering sense that something happened, something she can’t remember and nobody is willing to tell her. She needs to find out the truth about who she is—and who she was. But every answer she finds only brings up more questions.

Her search for the truth brings her ever closer to Luc, the Origin at the center of it all. He’s powerful, arrogant, inhumanly beautiful, extremely dangerous…and possibly in love with her. But even as Evie falls for him, she can’t help but wonder if his attraction is to her, or to the memory of a girl who no longer exists.

And all the while, a new threat looms: reports of a flu-like, fatal virus that the government insists is being spread by Luxen. A horrifying illness that changes whoever it touches, spreading panic across a country already at its breaking point.

OUT NOW ($5.99 at time of posting)!!!!

The Burning Shadow by Jennifer L. Armentrout

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Holy CRAP this book was good! So many turns and WTF moments and the surprise ending that I DID NOT see coming..just wow! Jennifer has hit this one out of the park!

I have been a long time fan of this author and this world and diving back in gave me all the feels. This book pics up right were the last book(The Darkest Star) left off. After having discovered the truth about herself Evie is thrust into living a life she has no idea how to live and feelings she has no idea how to navigate. Luc is still by Evie’s side and as the feelings she has for him grows, so does her confusion on who and what she is…to him, to herself, to everyone.
Evie thought things would die down after the showdown from the last book, but when people start mysteriously getting sick she learns that it was only just the beginning.
Armentrout has outdone herself in this fast paced, can’t put down goodness! I found myself Laughing, crying and thoroughly SHOOK, with twist and turns I didn’t see coming. Armentrout has woven suspense, action and FEELING into a great sequel with a promise of more and exciting things to come.
This is how you write a freaking sequel!!

Vonetta

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Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews(Review Post)

Published August 27, 2019 by bookbesties

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In a world where magic is the key to power and wealth, Catalina Baylor is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, and the Head of her House. Catalina has always been afraid to use her unique powers, but when her friend’s mother and sister are murdered, Catalina risks her reputation and safety to unravel the mystery.

But behind the scenes powerful forces are at work, and one of them is Alessandro Sagredo, the Italian Prime who was once Catalina’s teenage crush. Dangerous and unpredictable, Alessandro’s true motives are unclear, but he’s drawn to Catalina like a moth to a flame.

To help her friend, Catalina must test the limits of her extraordinary powers, but doing so may cost her both her House–and her heart.

OUT NOW!!!

I have been a fan of Ilona Andrews from her Legacies series and for Cat to have her own book I JUMPED!
Catalina Baylor is now head of her house after her sister Nevada married Rogan and since you can’t belong to two houses….Catalina has taken over the role of trying to keep her family afloat by taking on investigation cases, paying bills and keeping her sister in line when she is awoken at 3 am with a distress call to help a young victim off of a ledge of a roof.

Cat has siren magic which means she can make anyone lover her so much they will eventually want pieces of her and she is terrified of, but the young victim on the roof is her friends brother and from there she learns that her friend’s mother and sister were killed. Catalina want’s badly to help her friend find out the mystery behind her friends family murders but when she has a run in with the one man whom she has crushed on for years, the Instagram hottie that everyone loves, and the one person who she can never have because of her magic, all things change.
Alessandro is known as a lot of things, playboy, Count, Instagram famous and hot but Catalina see’s a different side that not many know about..Killer?

Through all the twist and turns of this story, It felt at times that Cat was in over her head and
Alessandro was there to pull her out. There was so much action and plot twist it kept me reading and trying to figure everything out before it was revealed(which I never did). The ending gutted me but it was a great segway into what I assume will be another(or two other) books.

Great world building and story for new and seasoned readers of Ilona’s work!

4stars white

Vonetta

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The Rouge King By Abigail Owen(Review Post)

Published July 30, 2019 by bookbesties

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A modern-day Game of Thrones meets JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series from paranormal author Abigail Owen.

Kasia Amon is a master at hiding. Who—and what—she is makes her a mark for the entire supernatural world. Especially dragon shifters. To them, she’s treasure to be taken and claimed. A golden ticket to their highest throne. Problem is, she can’t stop bursting into flames, and there’s a sexy dragon shifter in town hunting for her.

As a rogue dragon, Brand Astarot has spent his life in the dark, shunned by his own kind, concealing his true identity. Only his dangerous reputation ensures his survival. Delivering a phoenix to the feared Blood King will bring him one step closer to the revenge he’s waited centuries to take. No way is he letting the feisty beauty get away.

But when Kasia sparks a white-hot need in him that’s impossible to ignore, Brand begins to form a new plan: claim her for himself…and take back his birthright.

This was my first time ever venturing into the world of dragons, but the blurp seemed interesting and this is a new to me author, so I gave it a shot.

Kasia is a rarity in a world full of dragon, and wolf shifter’s as well as Vampires. on the run since her mother died protecting her and her sister’s from what they know as ruthless dragon’s who want nothing more than to use them for their own advances.

When Kasia can’t control her fire, which also allows her to see visions, she seeks help and winds up at a clinic where someone suspects what she is and rats her out.

Brand has been a rouge dragon shifter all his life, ever since his parents were killed and wants nothing more than to be able to avenge his families death. He is known as ruthless and mean and will do anything to further is goal. When he is dispatched to retrieve Kasia for a king he hopes to align with to help him with his revenge, he finds he is the only one who can control Kasia’s fire when her visions start. Brand’s sole mission is to bring Kasia to the king and keep her alive and out of the clutches of other shifters who would want to do her harm all the while not trying to fall to his desires that he has for the phoenix.

Kasia feel herself being drawn to Brand but know she should keep him at arms length, despite her ever growing feelings she has for him. When they fund themselves literally running for their lives from wolves, vampires and dragons the tensions between them come to a head, but now he has to hand her over to dragon king.

I found this story intriguing and I hate love triangles so I was a little concerned that it would be when Brand took Kasia to the Blue King but it’s done in such a way that it clearly isn’t a love triangle. I did find that the story was a bit longer than I felt (At the time) and I also thought the ending could have been shorter. Now looking back i get why the author put everything into the book(to build the world and relationship between the character) but I still felt the ending (which was a fight scene) was drawn way out.

For that I gave this 4 1/2 stars because the story was great and I definitely want to go back and read her other sires, also in this world.

4stars white

Vonetta

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1001 Dark Nights: The King by Jennifer L. Armentrout(Review Post)

Published July 28, 2019 by bookbesties

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From #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes the next installment in her Wicked series.

As Caden and Brighton’s attraction grows despite the odds stacked against a happily ever after, they must work together to stop an Ancient fae from releasing the Queen, who wants nothing more than to see Caden become the evil Prince once feared by fae and mortals alike.

The King by Jennifer L. Armentrout

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A year is a long time to wait for a continuation of a story and sometimes I find myself having to re-read the previous book to get myself back in the world. I didn’t have to do that with this book and that was a plus for me. While this is a continuation of the first book, The Prince, it didn’t feel as if I forgot anything and the story kind of jumps right back into it.

Caden is now King of the Summer Fae and with that comes certain duties he has to withhold for his people. Brighton thought at one point they were friends, more than friends until he cut her off so she continues on in her quest to find the Fae responsible for killing her mother and nearly killing her.
Everyone seems to forget that Bri is a member of the order and when she is outed for hunting, everyone strongly encourages her to stop. Bri is angry that one one believes she is strong enough to kill an Ancient, including the King and when he drops a bomb on her about part of his duties, she is more determined than ever to prove everyone wrong. But when Bri’s life is put in peril she realizes just how strong she is and how wrong she was.
Although this book is a novella it doesn’t read like one and I guess that has more to do with there being more to the story. There was so much feeling in the scenes with Brighton and the King it was pouring off the pages. And man, the sexy times were REALLY sexy!
The story doesn’t have a cliffhanger per-say, but it does leave you wanting more, like NOW!

Great job once again Jennifer, but also boo because now I have to wait a whole year! 🙂

Vonetta

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Storm Cursed By Patricia Briggs(Review Post)

Published May 7, 2019 by bookbesties

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My name is Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman, and I am a car mechanic.
And a coyote shapeshifter.
And the mate of the Alpha of the Columbia Basin werewolf pack.

Even so, none of that would have gotten me into trouble if, a few months ago, I hadn’t stood upon a bridge and taken responsibility for the safety of the citizens who lived in our territory. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. It should have only involved hunting down killer goblins, zombie goats, and an occasional troll. Instead, our home was viewed as neutral ground, a place where humans would feel safe to come and treat with the fae.

The reality is that nothing and no one is safe. As generals and politicians face off with the Gray Lords of the fae, a storm is coming and her name is Death.

But we are pack, and we have given our word.

We will die to keep it.

Zombies, Werewolves and Witches, OH MY!

I have been with Mercy Thompson now Hauptmann since the first book and because the books don’t come as fast as I’d like, I want all the stories all the time, I love finding myself back into this world of werewolves, Fae, Goblins,Witches and Vampires again. This is the 11th book in the series and unlike other series where you can read them as standalone, this series is very much not like that. You will most def have to know what happened in the previous books or you would be lost. Heck with two years since the last one having been read, I was lost!

Mercy is once again In the thick of everything unwillingly. After she proclaimed the CB pack would basically protect the city from all the supernatural beings, she and her merry bunch of wolves find themselves battling a goblin. Then things go crazy from there all within a day.
Murder, Miniature zombie goats, zombie werewolves and voicemail messages to her suddenly absent mate Adam is all classic Mercy.

When a new Evil scares even the baddest of the bad and is threatening to take over the Tri-Cities; Mercy, the wolves, and human and fae alike are shook! And Mercy mixes up her old team with some new elements to try and defeat it.

Witches have always been an element in the MT books, just not front and center like this one and while I liked the storyline, I felt the book was too short and things were paced well, but i was not expecting to turn the page and then BOOM, here is the ending. The writing, as always was great and even the new characters were fleshed out, but for me, not enough was on the main storyline.

3 and a half