review of The Lost Shrine series 2: By Destiny Bound by Amberlyn Holland

 

                     https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40776865-by-destiny-bound

This book continues a series set in a well-realized fantasy universe that is reminiscent of ancient Eire. Each storyline follows a 'power couple' brought together by the Goddess to counter forces of evil let loose by blood magick. Holland has imbued each meeting tale with gripping adventure and relatable personalities who have successfully blended their special abilities with a matrix of loving humanity and greater service to their world.

Those who prefer a veil of sacred euphemism to remain between them and the physical aspects of romance will be pleased by this series, which makes it safe for young adults. Descriptions never stray beyond kissing and cuddling in this second installment, where the bonding appears accidental.

The three shape-shifting Hound brothers have divided the hunt for dark sorcery between them, with the eldest, Maddyn, assigned to the city-state of Galwei. The magical source endangered has been so well hidden by the holy order of Kelan for centuries that locating it seems the hardest problem to solve. But when he encounters a certain unconventional novice called Yve, secrets fall into view in the nick of time as the head of the Order is ambushed by a murderous blood mage.

Yve joined the Kelan Order hoping for a life more in line with heroic legend than her present contemplative existence has been until now. The other novices and courtiers react to the Hound Harbinger of Death with fear; she can't overcome her magnetic draw to him and must resign the outcome to the will of the Goddess. It lands her in a role of influence she could barely imagine but must master swiftly, for the good of her land.

Neither of them expected this; neither of them want it to end, though they think it must. This book stands alone quite well, but you will be wanting more happy endings for our other heroes.

review of The Lost Shrine series 1: By Vengeance Guided by Amberlyn Holland

 

 

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40776828-by-vengeance-guided

This book begins a series set in a well-realized fantasy universe that is reminiscent of ancient Eire. Each storyline follows a 'power couple' brought together by the Goddess to counter forces of evil let loose by blood magick. Holland has imbued each meeting tale with gripping adventure and relatable personalities who have successfully blended their special abilities with a matrix of loving humanity and greater service to their world.

Those who prefer a veil of sacred euphemism to remain between them and the physical aspects of romance will be pleased by this series, which makes it safe for young adults. Descriptions never stray beyond kissing and cuddling, even in this first installment, where a fertility rite is crucial to the plot.

Caerwyn of the Isles is of the Milesan race, who are each born to embody a godlike power of their universe, which overshadows their human personality when invoked properly. His is the spirit of Vengance, and has kept him roaming the lands of this world to redress the killing of his parents in defense of an ancestral Cauldron of power. He is aided in this by his foster brothers the Hounds, with shape-shifting abilities of the Thousand Tribes race but also Milesan ones, granted by the healing Cauldron. They have been summoned by Daen, prince of Galwei, because he suspects he has been bewitched. The culprit? His betrothed, Lady Liadan of Hara Dale.

Liadan herself knows that this betrothal is all sorts of wrong. The match would badly upset the balance between her tiny principality and its neighbors; besides, she was not supposed to be the true heir, but rather her sister, and eventually, her three year old niece. Now Gui, her sister's husband, is attempting to manipulate her the way her sister once allowed herself to be used. Ancestral secrets of the land are in grave danger. What does the stranger who calls himself 'Wyn' have against her family? Is he friend or foe?

What he and the Hounds uncover will not only seal the fate of Hara Dale but all of the human kingdoms.

This book stands alone quite well, but you will be wanting more happy endings for our other heroes.

reviw of Tiny and Fierce: Her Alien Crew bk 1, by Margo Bond Collins & Eli Constant

This is a very erotic book, nearly from the first few pages.  Stranded by a rogue wormhole in an unknown quadrant of space,  far from other humans,  Tommelise and her ship's intelligence, Blue are carrying on with salvage work in an effort to get home again.  To manage it they need a local crew.   Then they run into a trio of three different species-- one of who looks tremendously like an extra handsome human--  running a scam in a bar.  Tommi follows her instincts and recruits them.  The wisest of them accepts, moments before the station authorities sound the alert.  

I really enjoyed learning about the three different males and their contrasting species back-stories.  I further enjoyed how Tommi decides to give in to the pheromones of the situation and physically bond with the crew member who requires it most urgently. Each of her new crew proves their worth in turn as they all put their intelligences to the task of staying alive in the  daunting custody of the Bufo Empress.  

There's a lot of unusual secretions and mind-boggling fight scenes including them.  The cover portrait of our heroine shows her hair stiff with a gray material when she's described initially as strawberry blond, and you might not want to know exactly why.  But it suits her, and shows how far she's willing to go to make this extraordinary crew function at optimum levels.  

If you like your sex truly mind-blowing, this is the series for you.

Thank you, Booksprout. 

 

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3602022950

 

 

Review: Beneath: Running from the Devil 1, by J E Taylor and Katie Salidas

 

 

 

 

The book begins with long-time torturer of Hell Phenex taking a chance upon a rogue portal and ending up stranded in New York City with very realistic culture shock. Fate has assigned her exactly one ally, a being equally between realms as she is, and a redemption contract that she'd best fulfill or else.

The ally, Smoke, prefers living as a stray tomcat to either Hell or Heaven. Phenex, or as she renames herself, Phoebe,
discovers a long-buried joy in aiding animals serves her well. Her task is to stop a rogue Djinn from gorging on too many human lottery winners with the help of a Night Hag she met Down Below... all before she figures out how to learn to read.

The only hiccup I encountered in believing this unfolding tale was how quickly our heroine figures out the telling of time. Otherwise I was very easily entranced by this spin on the supernatural realms, and look forward to finding out what's making the portals, why Lucifer is MIA Down There, and whether Phoebe and Smoke can do all seven of her Redemption Tasks while also becoming a full-fledged Veterinarian's assistant. That is, if she quits nearly dying prematurely. Fine start to a series.

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3564604987

 https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Running-Devil-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07XDC8LVF/

 

Although it is not marketed as a YA,  I am designating it as one because it is not at all romantic or even sexual in content, and it has plenty of puppies.

Review: Sol's Solstice by Leona Windwalker

 

 

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23933243-sol-s-solstice 

 

 This romance has a plot so timely and detail so harrowing that I thanked my stars to be alive for its very plausible and satisfying conclusion.

My first Leona Windwalker book was not very well written and I set it down after just a few pages. This one is Leona doing everything right, to our great good fortune as readers. There is a cohort of MM romance writers of my own generation who dedicate ourselves to proving through fiction that love is indeed the solution to what the world needs. Leona's story of Sol, short for Absalom, and his twin brother who survived a terrible childhood and nearly became casualties of it, touches us in all the important ways. 

Sex does happen but is de-emphasized in favor of life challenges the characters face.

Summer Breeze Book Fair -- free reads, including mine

WELCOME to the Summer Breeze Book Fair. This fair is for August and features all genres

https://claims.prolificworks.com/gg/aUeJBWuQtfuZ09F17tPl

Review: YA romance and regime change; Cats and Wolves by Amberlyn Holland

I believe the universe created by Ms Holland is absolutely perfect for a YA romance audience. They have strong plots and stand on their own while detailing a new generation of shifters who are ousting a corrupt establishment, incidentally discovering the bonds of friendship and non-explicit romance. They are a dose of hope greatly needed in all our lives, acceptable for any audience.

Cats and Wolves is no exception. Carrying out a mission together brings Caitlyn into a position where she can overcome her prejudices about wolves, reclaim her family legacy, and let it go for the greater good. Doane, the wolf assisting her, gets to lay to rest some of the scars of his own troubled past and align the result with the greater good. When they both realize that they deserve happiness it's soooooo good.

The tie-ins to other episodes of the historic unfolding of regime change through love are there, but not annoying or incongruous.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54280638-cats-and-wolves 

Heidi Wasabi and other FREE paranormal titles!

 The Incredible Heidi Wasabi is FREE in TWO group giveaways this month.   Whee...

Wicked Delights: An Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, and Paranormal Romance Giveaway 

Summer Magic - Fantasy GG 

Check them out, and KEEP BUSY with love    

 

Heidi Wasabi is in this ebook Giveaway!

https://claims.prolificworks.com/gg/mavbCa1Eg2PlNiwoU1Jt

Speculative fiction is a broad category encompassing genres with fantastical elements that don't exist in the real world, often in the context of supernatural, futuristic or other imaginative themes. Join us this month to find new romance reads in: science fiction, fantasy, horror, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, and supernatural fiction!

Brought to you by Samantha Lau - Author of gay romance. Join her mailing list to find out about future releases and giveaways: http://samanthalau.net/mailinglist

 Shakti or succubus? Faithful spouse or figment of the imagination? Whatever she is, Rufus and Steen wouldn't have made a grand success in their chosen profession, as stars of the heavy metal band Virgen Steel, without Heidi. And they probably never would have gotten married—to each other, anyway. This is her incredible story... 

https://claims.prolificworks.com/gg/mavbCa1Eg2PlNiwoU1Jt

Heidi Wasabi is FREE for Valentines Day

 So are a lot of other fine sci-fi and fantasy titles at the link.

https://artofthearcane.wordpress.com/Valentines-Day-SFF-Bargain-Sale

 

Review: Don't bother going Out in the Bright Bright Light by D W Watson

This is a series of short 'episode' style chapters based upon a set of characters working for a paranormal security service organization, much like 'Men in Black' but set in Britain. Because of this format, the author feels they can skip on plot and character development; all is extremely shallow and played for laughs. The tales are further hampered by the incorrect vocabulary and incomplete sentence structure. What could have been classic British snark is instead incoherence.

Let's just say that when the main characters are suddenly tossed into a mighty cliff-hanger on the final page, I was glad to see them go.

This is my true take on a copy I received through StoryOrigin. It is not a romance or even much of an adventure. 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43689450-out-in-the-bright-bright-light

I've got a #free #paranormalromance #ebook in this giveaway! Help yourself

 I've got a #free #paranormalromance #ebook in this giveaway! Help yourself  



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  Fangs, magic and wings... Whatever your paranormal obsession we've got you covered!

<3 span="">

  Fangs, magic and wings... Whatever your paranormal obsession we've got you covered!

Victoria Marmot and the Dragon's Rage, Victoria Marmot and the Road to Hell by Virginia McClain --YA review

Victoria Adelaide Marmot is a one-off incredible heroine you will instantly like and if she doesn't succeed in saving the universe, you will never get to meet her. So read any one of her series of adventures while you have this chance.

I was plunged into the midst of her struggles and updated on the previous developments very smoothly in the course of the adventure, meaning I felt no lack from not having begun with volume 1 at all. That's a great skill by itself. And although I do feel a bit of itch to find out what happens when Vic manages to use her dimension-hopping ability to claw her way back to Earth AGAIN (because in this volume alone she leaves and returns several times), I am comfortably aware that because I am here and typing this review, she did make it. Because the Universe is still here; the villain got thwarted.

Well, all right, I'd like to know more and I will probably try to get a few more volumes into my reader, because Vic and her colleagues are an international, inter-species magical shifter supernatural rainbow of diversity, including gods and demons. There is snogging and flirting but it remains YA suitable without sacrificing realism very much.

I think the shocking sexy stuff happened more in volume 3 where she meets the succubus :D



 Victoria Marmot and the Road to Hell

 Yes, that is our Victoria on the cover. She hasn't even assumed her final form!

The witty asides, and breaking of the fourth wall (in which Vic berates the author for dropping her from the frying pan into the fire repeatedly) continue in this final volume of the series. Goddess Gwyn explains things, Vic and her friends manage to save the universe and what is more, save her loving family as Vic finds it within her to finally forgive.

Any story with a succubus among the good guys and polyamory front and center is going to mention sex, but is through tasteful elisions and fully YA compliant IMO. Only kissing. And there is a kitten.

Highly recommended, entire series.
"I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review."


 https://www.amazon.com/Virginia-McClain/e/B00LMISTLG?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000

Review: Obsidian Awakening (The Rose Vampires Book 7) by Ivana Skye

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47968958-obsidian-awakening

  Sara Obsidian is a whole new creature, and she has appeared just in time to save her city of Ye Libelula from an all-out bloody factions war. If only she can remember how to live in her own body! Her unusual new abilities require some getting used to. Luckily she has all her loving consorts on her side.

Modeling a way forward for her new vampire society to live together in harmony is first order of business for this bonding of love. Seven heads in accord are so much better than one. And it's STILL all-ages appropriate! Thank you Ivana Skye.

Review: Battle of the Hexes

Battle of the Hexes: A Paranormal Academy Series (A Witch Among Warlocks Book 4

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2960483205

Giving up her powers in order to save Harris, trapping her familiar Firian in his human shape along with her, was all worth it to have her 'really cool' mom back again too. But Charlotte finds herself at loose ends as a normal human, especially one with four gorgeous and still magical consorts. What worked for the werewolf band the Wild Boys and her grandma won't be so easy for them.

Then a historical first, a letter from the Faerie Queen, arrives and opens up a path to a return to both magic and deadly peril. Wyrd wants an outpost in the human world and equal status with the other realms. If anyone could manage it's the Wyrd witches like Charlotte.

Will the strength of her mating bond with vampire, incubus, familiar and ethereal warlock sustain them enough to survive leading a revolution, straight out of Magickal society's dirty tricks loony bin, 'the Haven'? That's where her dear friend Daisy is now, drugged and coerced into 'seeing' things that bother her conscience...

It's probably better than being a boring human housewife. Go for it, Charlotte!

This is a full-blown kinky erotic romance and exactly what we have been waiting for all series.