The Dangerous Ones by. Lauren Blackwood | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Dangerous Ones

Author: Lauren Blackwood

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 5/14/24

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Historical Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Civil War, Vampires

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Wednesday Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A romantic historical fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blackwood, set in the American Civil War with vampires and people with demigod-like abilities.

1863, Pennsylvania

War doesn’t scare Jerusalem—she’s a Saint. Thanks to powerful demigod-style reflexes, endurance, and strength, she’s fearless. And ever since the Confederates declared civil war, partnering with the vampires who benefitted off slavery, she and her battalion of Saints are essential to the Union army.

Jerusalem herself had been enslaved by a vampire, escaping North only after her family was murdered. She knows the enemy better, hates the enemy more than anyone in her battalion, and has been using it to her advantage since she joined the war a year ago. More than anything she wants revenge, but if she can help Black people gain freedom and equality without having to steal it for themselves like she had to, then all the better.

But she never expects to have to team up with a vampire to do it. Alexei is one of those handsome, arrogant Ancient Vampires. But he’s on the Union’s side, and in the year they’ve known each other, has never done anything but prove he’s on hers.

Together, they set out to change the course of the war and take down the vampire who destroyed everyone Jerusalem loved. But for her, it’s about more than justice.

It’s about killing a god.

Content Warning: violence, slavery, mentions of rape, war, death

This author always has unique, interesting concepts to her stories, which is why I requested her newest book on NetGalley. America’s Civil War and vampires? I needed to see how this story would play out.

I love the concept. Jerusalem, is a Black girl who is a Saint, which are people with supernatural powers. She’s fearless, which was cool to see. In their unit is Alexei, who is a centuries old vampire – but of course he’s in an 18 year old body. A Russian, white boy, vampire body. He is so enamored with Jerusalem who is always arguing with him – he likes that about her though, that she’s fiesty. They fight for the union army against the confederate soldiers coming up from the South but they go on a secret mission that takes a turn for the worse.

Both Jerusalem and Alexei have interesting back stories. Jerusalem’s story is filled with struggle and fear as she flees to the North to be a free woman. Alexei’s story about being turned into a vampire is sad too as he loses people he love and also becomes a slave to his maker. I liked all the historical elements about the civil war, and the horrible things Black went through as slaves. I even think the paranormal aspects of vampires, werewolves and Saints fit so well in this time period.

As far as the enemies to lovers situation going with Jerusalem and Alexei, I wasn’t sure I was into it. It’s obvious he loved being around her and fighting with her from the beginning of the book. But for Jerusalem, it took her awhile to actually explore her feelings about him – I felt like it was forced a bit. They both had some baggage about their troubled pasts so I kind of wish their romance took a back seat.

I would have loved to learn more about the Saints because I thought that was interesting! I did love Jerusalem’s relationship with Odessa, who tried to keep her in line – especially when she was bickering with Alexei. Something I did struggle with at times was the speech. Jerusalem speech most times sounded so modern, and in a weird way made me think she and Alexei just didn’t mesh well because she was clearly young, while he was a very, very old guy in a young body!

My Thoughts:

I like the uniqueness of this story and I was invested in it until the modern speech started to bother me, and the thought of Alexei being thousands of years old and Jerusalem just 18 started to make me feel uncomfortable. And usually I don’t care if vampires who look 18 are with other 18 year olds but I think the speech differences between them just threw me off on the whole thing. I think if the romance wasn’t so in the forefront, I would have enjoyed it more because I liked the historical aspects and the action and fighting between the Saints and the enemies. Overall, it was an okay read.

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Wildblood by. Lauren Blackwood | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Within These Wicked Walls by. Lauren Blackwood | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beautiful Villain by. Rebecca Kenney | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Beautiful Villain

Author: Rebecca Kenney

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 7/16/24

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Categories: New Adult, Romance, The Great Gatsby Retelling, Vampires

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Seven years ago, I lost him for good. Now he’s back, but is he still the Jay Gatsby I used to know…or is he something more? Something…darker.

Daisy Finnegan is looking forward to the endless golden freedom of summer. She doesn’t want to think about life after college, or the newly awakened power of her voice, which has a way of making people do frightening things. But when her cousin goes missing at an exclusive house party, Daisy confronts the mysterious host…only to discover the wealthy recluse is Jay Gatsby, her childhood sweetheart―now sinfully hot and impossible to deny.

It isn’t long before Daisy becomes entangled in a web of dizzying wealth and lies and obsession darker than she could have dreamed―culminating in a shocking act of violence that shatters the summer haze and threatens to drown them all.

But it isn’t until Gatsby is shot through the heart―and survives―that Daisy discovers the truth of how Gatsby clawed his way up in the world by selling the secret of immortality to the highest bidder. Now with her friends’ lives at stake, her own untested power still volatile, and an unimaginable threat closing in, Daisy will have to face an impossible choice: side with the man who claimed her body and soul…or with the monsters who would see him lost to her forever.

An addictive and truly original spicy New Adult retelling of The Great Gatsby with a magical twist.

Content Warning: abuse

I never read The Great Gatsby but I did watch the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio mostly because of that Lana Del Rey song, Young and Beautiful.

Daisy is a young adult who is out of college, doesn’t have much direction, she broke up with her abusive ex-boyfriend, and just got invited to an infamous party thrown by some mysterious guy people refer to as Gatsby. The name is familiar to Daisy and wonders if it’s the same Jay Gatsby she was best friends with when she was younger, before she moved to a new town.

I thought this was a fairly quick read because I wanted to see how the vampire element would fit in the Gatsby story and I thought it did it pretty well. I like that the explanation about how vampires are created is different from the usual lore. Jay is such mysterious, wealthy young man, that it makes sense he would be a vampire.

Daisy and Jay’s attraction happens very quick and things get spicy between them almost right away. Their feelings for each other from when they were younger resurfaces but they do make an effort to get to know one another since so much has changed – especially with Jay.

I can’t say I connected to anyone in this story. Also, there is a lot of pop culture references in the book – if you aren’t into that, then just know it’s there.

My Thoughts:

I thought this one was okay. I did think it was a pretty good retelling of The Great Gatsby only from what I saw and remembered from the movie. The vampire storyline worked pretty well but I just didn’t connect to the characters. I think I wanted more drama and maybe have it be a little more darker because sometimes it felt like a young adult story just a very spicy one.

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A Tempest of Tea by. Hafsah Faizal | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Tempest of Tea (Blood and Tea, #1)

Author: Hafsah Faizal

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 2/20/24

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Categories: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Peaky Blinders, Vampires, Heist

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.

From the New York Times–bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame comes the first book in a hotly-anticipated fantasy duology teeming with romance, revenge, and an orphan girl willing to do whatever it takes to save her self-made kingdom. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.

Content Warning: violence, blood drinking, fire, death

+ I love when a book totally catches me off guard and surprises me. This book was full of surprises! How do you combine King Arthur, Vampires and Peaky Blinders (never watched it though I’ve always wanted to) together and make it work? I don’t know but this author just did it! I also loved how she adds historical fiction to the mix as she covers the colonization of countries liked Ceylan (in our reality that would be Ceylon-now Sri Lanka). This story is set in Ettenia which I’m assuming is England. And the vampires are just a race of people that live among them. This book just had everything I wanted, things I didn’t even know I wanted in one place and I loved it all. There are a lot of twists and turns in the second half of the book and that cliffhanger ending left me wanting book two now.

+ I am in love with Arthie and Jin. I love their story, their friendship, their love for one another – even though this story had hints of a romance for Arthie (a love triangle even that never came to fruition-an no it didn’t involve Jin), the love between Arthie and Jin appeased my soul. I also loved that this was told in multiple POVs because Jin’s voice was important to this story. He is Arthie’s right-hand man and I loved that he was the lightness in their relationship. They are found family, they are to one another the siblings they never had, they are soulmates and I knew they would have each other’s back no matter what. Also, I need Jin to have a happy ending, that guy deserves the world!

+ Because this story is about a heist, there are other characters involved and part of the crew. Flick, Matteo and Laith. All of them intriguing and we do get Flick’s POV but not Matteo and Laith who are very intriguing and added to the story in various ways. I like how they all have complex backgrounds.

+ Arthie is a complicated character which I love. She’s had trauma and holds a lot of secrets, not only her own but she’s a phoenix who basically rose out of ashes. I love that she was smart, and still allowed herself to love (Jin and Spindrift) even though she doesn’t open herself to anyone else. She is flawed. I love that she is a business woman and she’s the leader of their crew.

~ I can’t call what was in this book a true love triangle. There is flirtation, there is desire that Arthie doesn’t want to explore because she is a person who is in control at all times. But I think it makes her mistrust even more heightened. She has a crew of people she doesn’t totally trust (except Jin) and her weakness was a good-looking mysterious man. She isn’t perfect, she can only hold so many of the right cards in her hand and I honestly loved every part of whatever romance was building for her because the tension between them was delicious!

~ I think Flick’s POV was the weakest and she seemed like the weakest link because she’s not like the rest. She grew up in luxury as a lady’s daughter but she has her own agenda. Out of all of them I felt like I didn’t trust her the most because all she wanted was to please her mother and she had such a shiny upbringing.

My Thoughts:

Why was I surprised that I loved this book? I loved the We Hunt the Flame series. The writing is so good, the slow burn in the romance is enticing and the relationships are heartfelt. Honestly, Arthie and Jin, they have my heart. It might be a slow build in the beginning as the pieces are set on the chessboard but I was riveted from the moment I started the book. Once the pieces started moving, it was a fun, twisty, emotional ride to the end. And then of course we get a crazy cliffhanger that made my jaw drop! I need the second book asap and this book solidifies that this author is a must-read for me.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Review | We Hunt the Flame ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

We Free the Stars | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Hallowed Games by. C.N.Crawford | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Hallowed Games (#1)

Author: C.N. Crawford

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 410

Publication Date: 12/1/23

Categories: Adult, Forbidden Romance, Fantasy, Vampires

If he’s death, I crave oblivion.

I’m cursed to kill with a brush of my fingertips. My worst fear is attracting the attention of the kingdom’s magic hunters. Maelor is their mysterious, gorgeous leader–and my world falls apart when he learns my secret.

When he arrests me, my only hope is to survive a deadly competition, to win the mercy of our god. Strangely, Maelor is immune to my touch. Turns out, that’s because he’s secretly a vampire—lethally sexy, and dangerous as hell.

He’s as drawn to me as I am to him. Can this beautiful monster help me survive, or will our dark attraction lead me to ruin?

Hallowed Games is the first book in a new series of fantasy romance, morally-grey characters, and deadly trials: perfect A Court of Thorns and Roses and Serpent and the Wings of Night.

Content Warning: violence

I haven’t read a forbidden love story in awhile so this was interesting!

+ It’s forbidden! Maelor is the Raven Lord who is part of the society that is similar to a devout priest but in this story they worship Archon. Anyone with magic is killed so think – the Spanish Inquisition or witch trials, except with a few twists. And Maelor can’t control himself when he’s around Elowen – who’s magic is a death touch. Anyway it has the religious fanatics hunting the witches kind of situations.

+ I did like the twist in the story with Maelor and another character who is a bit suspicious, Sion. I’m not sure what’s going to happen there between the three of them but in this book it’s about Maelor and Elowen’s forbidden attraction which gets steamy.

+ It’s a quick read – not as much depth as I’d like, but it’s a story for easy reading and escape.

~ I just wanted more world-building. I love the vampire aspect of the story, just wanted more from some of the characters. Maybe it’ll get better for me in book two?

~ I hope this doesn’t turn into a love triangle! I mean I kind of giggled when Elowen was turned on by Maelor’s exposed clavicle! lol I was like, OKAY, that’s how it’s going to be. There is lots of angst and pining on both sides but I’m not convinced they are going end up together? I don’t know.

My Final Thoughts:

I kind of needed this one to get out of my reading slump. It was a quick and easy read, nothing to deep and fun because of the forbidden love and vampire elements. I did want a little more depth to the characters and some world-building but I’ll just take it as is and wait to see if it gets better in book two.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Mini Reviews | Court of the Sea Fae Trilogy by. C.N. Crawford

Mini Reviews | Institute of the Shadow Fae Series (Books #1-4) by. C.N. Crawford

Mini Reviews | Hades Castle Trilogy by. C.N. Crawford

City of Thorns (The Demon Queen Trials, #1) by. C.N. Crawford | Book Review

Lord of Embers by. C.N. Crawford | Book Review

Garden of Serpents by. C.N. Crawford | Book Review

Frost by. C.N. Crawford | Book Review

Ambrosia by. C.N. Crawford | Book Review

Vampires of El Norte by. Isabel Cañas | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Vampires of El Norte

Author: Isabel Cañas

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 371

Publication Date: 8/15/23

Categories: Historical Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Adult Fiction, Romance

Vampires and vaqueros face off on the Texas-Mexico border in this supernatural western from the author of The Hacienda.

As the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico, Nena knows a thing or two about monsters—her home has long been threatened by tensions with Anglo settlers from the north. But something more sinister lurks near the ranch at night, something that drains men of their blood and leaves them for dead.

Something that once attacked Nena nine years ago.

Believing Nena dead, Néstor has been on the run from his grief ever since, moving from ranch to ranch working as a vaquero. But no amount of drink can dispel the night terrors of sharp teeth; no woman can erase his childhood sweetheart from his mind.

When the United States attacks Mexico in 1846, the two are brought abruptly together on the road to war: Nena as a curandera, a healer striving to prove her worth to her father so that he does not marry her off to a stranger, and Néstor as a member of the auxiliary cavalry of ranchers and vaqueros. But the shock of their reunion—and Nena’s rage at Néstor for seemingly abandoning her long ago—is quickly overshadowed by the appearance of a nightmare made flesh.

And unless Nena and Néstor work through their past and face the future together, neither will survive to see the dawn.

Content Warning: violence

I loved this author’s book The Hacienda so I was excited to read Vampires of El Norte and I was not disappointed. I love how this author blends historical fiction and gothic horror together. Her writing is beautiful and I just get so swept away in the story.

There are many things I love about this book. I mentioned the writing, which only makes me want to read more of her work. But I love the historical aspects of the story. This takes place in 1837 and at the border of what is Texas and Mexico. The Yanquis (yankees) are trying to take land from the Mexicans that already own land there. So there is a war between them and the yankees are also described as vampires as well. I was expecting vampires (the kind with fangs) and horror, but I can say that this wasn’t scary at all. I love the setting of the ranchero and how I never realized how creepy and isolated a ranch could be. I also love Abuela’s ghost stories that she tells the children. I could envision a dark ranch, lands for miles, and pitch dark nights as Abuela told her stories. If I was a kid living there, I’d be terrified of the night! And there are vampires but I like the different take on them, where they don’t necessarily kill but can leave a person in susto – a shock to their aura – almost like they are spiritually dead but can be revived by calling them back, calling their spirit forth. I thought that was really fascinating! They do have the fangs in this story and there were some gruesome scenes but not anything that scared me.

Another thing I loved was the romance between Nestor and Nena. They are childhood sweethearts, torn apart by an incident that left both of them broken hearted and now they have a second chance at romance. I love their story and how they have to learn to trust and fight for one another.

I would have liked a little more horror factor to the story just to get some chills and thrills but even without it, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

My Final Thoughts:

I think this author is about to be put on my must-read list! I love her writing and the historical fiction aspect of her stories which I feel makes her books so exciting to read. I do think this one was more historical romance than historical gothic horror but I was entertaining regardless and look forward to her next book!

Book Links:

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The Hacienda by. Isabel Cañas | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sign of the Slayer by. Sharina Harris | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Sign of the Slayer

Author: Sharina Harris

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 464

Publication Date: 8/29/23

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Vampire Slayers

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Entangled Teen for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Full Metal Alchemist meets Vampire Diaries in this fun and clever dark academia series…

High school is supposed to be about studying, socializing, and marching-band practice. Not fighting vampires. Then one night flipped my world inside out―now, my life sucks. But it isn’t all bad. I’m at a slayer academy, learning things like the real origin of vamps and how to make serious weapons out of thin air.

Every last one of them will pay for what they did. I’m doing great.

Until I come face-to-face with the actual vampire prince…and I’m not sure of anything anymore. Vampires are supposed to be soul-sucking demons. But Khamari is…something else. He’s intelligent and reasonable―and he seems to know things about me that could change everything.

He’s also hiding something big, even from his own kind. And when a threat from an ancient evil is so extreme that a vampire will team up with a slayer to take it down, it isn’t just my need for revenge that’s at stake anymore.

It’s the whole damn world.

Content Warning: violence, blood

Raven is just a regular girl, riding a bus when all of a sudden she and her friends are attacked by vampires. From there Raven is thrusted into the world of vampires and vampire slayers. She’s a vampire slayer apparently and a powerful one at that.

I liked that the story is fast paced and filled with a lot of action and vampire slaying. I thought the cast was a nice diverse set of characters and the story about Alexander the Great being the King of Vampires is a fascinating take. But I think there were a few things that was rushed and there was definite insta-love or should I say insta-lust? But it’s a forbidden love between a vampire and a slayer, which is always a fun trope. I’d have liked a bit more world-building. I thought it was so quick how Raven went from being attacked on a bus and then boom, accepting her fate as a slayer and being a leader. I didn’t feel as connected to the story but I thought this first book has so much potential.

As for Raven she does kick ass and she has a strong personality but I want to see some growth. It would be interesting to see what happens to her in the next book.

Tropes: forbidden love, insta love

Why you should read it:

you like Buffy the Vampire Slayer
there’s a lot of action

Why you might not want to read it:

not into vampires

My Thoughts:

There is a lot to like about this one especially if you are into Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I think teens and young adults will enjoy this one a lot and it’s a great read for Fall!

Book Links:

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In Nightfall by. Suzanne Young | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: In Nightfall

Author: Suzanne Young

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 3/28/23

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Paranormal

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Delacorte Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In the quaint town of Nightfall, Oregon, it isn’t the dark you should be afraid of—it’s the girls. The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this propulsive novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Treatment.

Theo and her brother, Marco, threw the biggest party of the year. And got caught. Their punishment? Leave Arizona to spend the summer with their grandmother in the rainy beachside town of Nightfall, Oregon—population 846 souls.

The small town is cute, when it’s not raining, but their grandmother is superstitious and strangely antisocial. Upon their arrival she lays out the one house rule: always be home before dark. But Theo and Marco are determined to make the most of their summer, and on their first day they meet the enigmatic Minnow and her friends. Beautiful and charismatic, the girls have a magnetic pull that Theo and her brother can’t resist.

But Minnow and her friends are far from what they appear.
And that one rule? Theo quickly realizes she should have listened to her grandmother. Because after dark, something emerges in Nightfall. And it doesn’t plan to let her leave.

Content Warning: underage drinking

I was definitely interested in this book because of the book cover and the synopsis. The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Yes! Here’s what I thought:

+ I like the mysteriousness of the Oregon town, Nightfall. Something seems off to Theo but she doesn’t know what it is. I love the setting and I did like the addition of the paranormal podcasters which sets the tone for something spooky and amiss possibly going on in Nightfall.

+ I like the Theo and Marco sibling connection. I got a good sense of their family bond and the recent challenges in their broken family. And I like how Theo fights for Marco when things start to hit the fan.

+ The story moves quick and I thought it was an easy read.

~ Some issues I had with the story was that I wanted more action, wanted more danger, and wanted more tension. The villains didn’t come off super dangerous until the end climactic scene. I like my vamps to be dangerous – I want to be scared, but I wasn’t.

~ I didn’t get why Theo’s grandmother was so hostile and couldn’t help them out by telling them more about the town. If it’s to keep everything mysterious, it didn’t work, it just made me frustrated. She comes through in the end but honestly a little heads up on some of the things going in town would’ve been helpful to Theo and Marco.

Tropes: small town

Why you should read it:

set in a small town, a gender-bent The Lost Boys (vampires)
quick, easy read, lots of mystery and in the end some vampire slaying

Why you might not want to read it:

for me, I just wanted more from the story- more action, more danger

My Thoughts:

This was an okay read for me but I love the cover and the nods to The Lost Boys and Buffy. I just wish it had more spooky vibes and more danger but overall it was entertaining.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Dark Bond by. Leia Stone | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Dark Bond (Vampire Hunter Society, #2)

Author: Leia Stone

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 242

Publication Date: 9/25/21

Publisher: Leia Stone

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romance, Series, Paranormal

Everything I thought I knew was a lie. The evil vampire spawn I’d hunted my entire life have turned out to be my only allies. Hidden away in Magic City, I’ve promised to help support Luka as he competes to become King.

The problem? I’m falling for him and he’s engaged to be married.

To get my mind off of my boy problem, Liv and I band together with our allies to dig deeper into the betrayal of every hunter. What I find shocks me to my core.

With Luka’s fiancé breathing down my neck, and hidden truths bubbling to the surface daily, it will take every skill I have to stay alive.

Book two of the Vampire Hunter Society series is another fast paced ride. The story takes off from where it ended in The Dark Bite. Luka is engaged to Cassara, which seriously sucks and Aspen has to deal with it. Luka is trying to become king so he has to fight his way to the top. As for Aspen, she has to keep feeding him (or he dies) but he’s engaged to someone else and it hurts her. So Aspen tries to concentrate on freeing the women at the breeding farm instead, and hoping she can find out more about her mom.

I like the girl gang that’s coming together, Aspen and Liv – the hunters, and Demi and Sage – the shifters. Aspen needs the support since her heart is breaking over Luka. Also happy that Aspen is reunited with her mom and sister, she needs all the support she can get.

I hated Luka’s circumstances and honestly could have done without the surprise engagement – but I did like how with a lot of things on his plate he tries to balance things out and know what people need from him. He’s a crazy fighter in the ring, but he’s a softie when it comes to Aspen, which is really sweet.

The story moves forward with Luka trying to be king, and the rescue plan to free the women at the breeding farm. We even get to see a fight with Maz and learn about her story and the reason for the breeding farms. Looks like book three will be interesting with the hunters coming to Magic City.

Content Warnings: violence, human trafficking

Why? Why did Luka have to be engaged? I couldn’t get over it and hated that Aspen was pretty much the “other woman”. 😒 It was a big no for me. There was lots of angst and drama. But conveniently, it is resolved in the end. I was almost hoping Sterling would come back from the dead to make things even for Luka haha, I’m so petty.

I felt like Luka’s battle to be king was rushed. He would do his fighting while Aspen was trying to investigate the breeding farm but we don’t really get to watch him fight except for the last two important matches.

Cliffhanger ending again but yikes, what an ending. This book was about coming for Aspen – broken hearted for days.

Why you should read it:

it’s a quick read with lots of action
angsty paranormal romance
a fun girl gang vibe growing between the hunters and shifters

Why you might not want to read it:

the drama with Luka being engaged
story feels rushed, but the books come out quick

My Thoughts:

The series is flowing nice from one book to the other and they come out quick with a very short wait in between. It’s a pretty wild ride. My biggest issue with this sequel is that I loved Luka and Aspen in book one and hated that the man is basically about to get married to someone else in book two! Of course Luka and Aspen are bonded in some way so they were going to make it work but I thought it was too much drama for me and so full of angst. I wasn’t feeling it no matter how hot Luka is. Aspen was just getting pummeled emotionally in this book, which shows her strong character but still – I can’t get over what Aspen had to basically go through to get her man. 🤦🏻‍♀️ This one just made me feel bad for Aspen…she didn’t deserve all of that after what happened at the ending of book one. 😒 I guess I’ll read book three but I’m not too excited about it.

📚~ Yolanda

Dark Bite (Vampire Hunter Society, #1) by. Leia Scott | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Dark Bite (Vampire Hunter Society,#1)

Author: Leia Stone

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 262

Publication Date: 8/29/21

Publisher: Leia Stone

Categories: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance, New Adult

Vampires are the spawn of the devil. Evil to the core… or so I thought, until one of them saves my life.

As a member of the House of Rose, a division of the Vampire Hunter Society, I’ve got one of the highest kill records on file. I track my mark and don’t stop until the job is done.

That is, until my mark saves my life. Luka Drake isn’t like the vampires I’ve been hunting for the past five years, and despite the fact that he’s a vampire prince fresh out of Magic City Prison for committing God knows what crime, I can’t kill him.

My only other option is to walk away and pretend our paths never crossed. I’m about to pull it off but Luka pulls me back, and in the worst way possible, in a way that changes everything.

This is a full-length slow burn paranormal romance for readers that love Jaymin Eve, Linsey Hall and K.F. Breene.

I’ve read some other works by Leia Stone but I did not read the Wolf Girl series that precedes this Vampire Hunter Society series – but even without reading it, I got introduced to some characters from Wolf Girl and didn’t feel lost. But now I might need to go read the whole thing.

I really like how much happens in this first book of the series. We meet Aspen who is a vampire hunter from the House of Rose, she gets assigned to take out a royal vampire, Luka Drake but things don’t go as planned. What happens instead is a hunter and vampire gets bonded together and things get very complicated!

The plot twists were good and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series just to see what happens to Aspen and her best friend/sister Liv. Aspen is nineteen years old and is a strong vampire hunter, but when things get complicated she realizes she doesn’t know everything about the vampire hunters. There are secrets she has stumbled on, very deadly ones!

Luka is a royal vampire but I like how he isn’t such an alpha male. He shows some vulnerability, at least with Aspen through their bond, and it will be interesting to get to know him better in the next book when we are in vampire territory. Yes there is an attraction between Aspen and Luka which is instant because of the fast moving events that took place in the beginning of the book, but it’s still a slow burn because nothing has really happened between them except for a kiss, a hot kiss!

Triggers: violence

The biggest issue I have with these types of books is the cliffhanger and how short they are BUT…I see the next book comes out at the end of September – thank goodness! I can wait 30 days.

The vampire hunters, especially the ones from the House of Rose such as Aspen and Liv are very religious. I thought it was interesting since bonding with Luka made her question a lot of things outside of her hunter scripture.

Why you should read it:

you love vampires
it’s a quick read, addictive and the sequel comes out very soon
a few twists in the story that make you want to find out more
Luka and Aspen

Why you might not want to read it:

cliffhanger ending (but the wait for next book isn’t long!)
Aspen is a bit naive but she is 19 and a devout hunter (she does grow a little in this book though)

My Thoughts:

I totally escaped into this story as it caught my interest right away. There is a lot of action, it is fast paced and I love a good vampire story! Tt will be interesting to see what happens in book two. I found Luka’s friends to be really cool and I will probably now read the Wolf Girl series just to see how he gained their loyalty. Great start to a new series!

📚~Yolanda

Cruel Stakes (Vamipre & Vices, #2) by. Nina Walker | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Cruel Stakes (Vampires & Vices, #2)

Author: Nina Walker

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 286

Publication Date: 7/8/21

Publisher: Addison & Gray Press

Categories: Paranormal, Young Adult, New Adult, Romance

Cross your heart and hope to live.

I should leave them alone and be done with vampires. I finally have my mother back, I’m dating the perfect guy, and I’ve parted ways with Adrian Teresi.

But I have an opportunity to help the hunters and hopefully learn something that could save more humans. Not to mention, I need answers about the venom burning through my veins.

So I go back to The Alabaster Heart to strike another deal with the vampire prince. The game of cat and mouse that follows is expected, and maybe even a little fun, but nothing prepares me for the day that our games end—and the consequences begin.

Cruel Stakes is the sequel to Blood Casino, a paranormal series about Vampires who are like the mafia running the underworld. Evangeline or Eva, is playing both sides, working for Adrian, a vampire prince and also becoming a vampire hunter with Felix and her friends. The stakes are higher now because the Queen of vampires, Brisa, has her in her sights.

I liked being in Adrian and Eva’s world again, especially when they travel to the Palace of Versailles in France. Brisa has won the city of Versailles and has called her princes to come party with her basically, and they party everyday. It’s decadent, and as opulent as when Marie Antoinette was alive in Versailles. But to what end?

Eva and Adrian have grown somewhat closer, as close as cold Adrian lets her be – but still it’s hard to know how much Adrian can be trusted. I like that once we start to think we know Adrian…we don’t again. He is quite a mystery and I’m wondering at his end game for real.

There is another twist at the end involving Leslie Tate – so I guess I will wait for book three.

This sequel felt rushed. It’s a very quick read with only less than 300 pages in this volume and I needed more to the story. I felt like things were just being glossed over. Leslie Tate is back? Okay, let’s ambush Adrian and oh, too bad the fight is over. It was all so fast, the scenes needed to be extended a bit at least!

Adrian and Eva finally admitting something about their attraction felt so anti-climatic but there is drama there we get to know more about in book three I hope. The way it happened was rushed. And what is this obsession with her virginity? I get she smells good to vampires but yikes…haha. Eva was trying to get laid in this book.

Eva dealing with Felix, her “boyfriend”? Did they even really care about each other? I felt nothing and I’m team Adrian anyway. I honestly am not sure what it is about Eva who is 19 years old appeals to world and very very old Adrian. 😅 She is fetus compared to him. Sigh…but that’s how it is with vampire hookups. And even worse, I felt awful about her best friend Ayla. What is going on with that? How were they so close and now not best friends? And how is Eva so casual about it? She tried to talk to her a few times, but I felt like as a best friend…she could do way more. So I wasn’t feeling Eva at all in this book at all.

Why you should read it?

vampires vs. vampire hunters and….energy demons?
fun plot twist at the end
Adrian and Eva finally make moves on one another

Why you might not want to read it?

the story is rushed
most exciting thing happens at the end of the story, it’s a cliffhanger
this could have been combined with book 3

Am I still going to read book three? Yes, definitely because I need to see what happens with that plot twist. I hope Eva has more character growth in the next book and we see what Adrian is really up to and how he really feels. Overall, I’m still entertained with the series and look forward to the next one.