The Dragon Kings Chronicle’s (#1 & #2), by Kimberly Loth | Book Review

Hello and welcome back to Adele Is Reading.

Today on the blog I have my book review of:

Obsidian & Aspen, by Kimberly Loth.

Obsidian and Aspen are the first and second books of the The Dragon Kings Chronicles series.

Trigger Warnings: PTSD, Rape mention, Rape, Rape implied, stalking, kidnapping, stabbing, blood, gun violence (and possible use).

Just so you know, I’m only going to share the synopsis for Obsidian, the first book in the The Dragon King’s Chronicles series, since the premise for the second book, Aspen, might include spoilers.

Aspen doesn’t know how to behave in front of the shifter dragon king…

And the consequences are deadly.

But, Aspen, never one to fear much of anything, tells him to get lost. If she knew who he was, she might act differently. But to her, Sid is just a reminder of a past she’d rather forget.

Sid won’t leave Aspen alone, because she’s the one girl that might be able to help save him and the rest of the dragons.

He hadn’t planned on falling love…

Not going to lie in saying that I had high hopes for Obsidian. I initially came across Obsidian on my booksta search feed when I was watching reels.

Dragon Fated, by River King | Book Review

Hello and welcome to Adele Is Reading.
Today on the blog, I have my book review of:

Dragon Fated, by River King.

Dragon Fated is the first book in the Call of Ancient Magic series.

Trigger Warnings: Blood, Stalking mention, Murder mention.
Please note that there may be triggers that I may have missed.

I’m a magical protector for hire, a half-fae used to killing goblins and big, ugly trolls.

But there’s something more sinister stalking this dragon, and the Council has hired me to figure out who. Except the dragon doesn’t exactly want my help. He figures a half-fae like me isn’t up to the challenge.

But I figure his sexy ass needs someone who can look at things a bit differently. Someone who doesn’t play the politics game.

Someone who can’t be bought.

Because this job isn’t for the faint of heart. One wrong step, and we might both be killed. And trust me, it’s effing hard to kill a half-fae who doesn’t want to die.

Wolf Shunned, by Laurel Night | Book Review

Hello and welcome to Adele Is Reading.
Today on the blog, I have my book review of:

Wolf Shunned, by Laurel Night.

Wolf Shunned is the first book in the The Alpha Queen Legacy series.

Trigger / Content Warnings: Self Defence (resulting in murder), Parent Abandoning their child, Sexism.

Please note that it is entirely possible that I missed triggers pertaining to Wolf Shunned.

It’s amazing to be a dominant wolf… if you’re male.

When you’re a nineteen year-old girl who can beat the crap out of every wolf in your pack, suddenly it’s not so great. Love isn’t everything, I know; but even the most powerful she-wolf submits to her mate. If you can’t be dominated, you can’t be mated.

And an unmated wolf has no place in the pack.

My one hope is the clan gathering in the Blackwood Forest. Every wolf in the continental Americas attends, and a few seriously sexy wolves catch my eye. I’m bound to find at least one who can match me, right?

Then there’s my other problem: My alpha is a grade-A jerk. After treating me like a genetic freak my whole life, he suddenly decides to stake a claim.

But I can’t refuse the challenge, and my wolf won’t back down. Either I submit to the alpha and become mated to his skeezy pelt, or I win the challenge and my freedom… by taking his place as alpha.

Only no one has ever heard of a female alpha, and if I become one, I’ll never find a mate.

Wolf Shunned is the first book in The Alpha Queen Legacy, featuring a badass heroine, a dark fantasy world, and loads of sexy wolf shifters. Be warned: This is a slow burn, why choose romance. Once you pick this story up, you won’t be able to stop devouring it until the very last page.

From GoodReads [x]:

“REVERSE HAREM” IS, LITERALLY, THE OPPOSITE OF “HAREM”, WITH A GROUP OF MALES CENTERING ROUND A SINGULAR FEMALE, USUALLY WITH THREE OR MORE MALES. QUITE OFTEN FOUND UNDER THE ROMANCE GENRE.

Note that beyond this point there are spoilers.

Hell or High Water, by Hailey Edwards | Book Review

Hello friends! Welcome back to Adele Is Reading. Today I’m posting my book review of:

Hell or High Water, by Hailey Edwards.

Hell or High Water is the third book in the Gemini series–as well as the last book in Camille’s trilogy. 

Trigger / Content Warning: Loss of a Sibling, Drowning, Drowning Mention, small sex scenes (think fade to black).

Camille Ellis has gone rogue agent, and there’s no turning back now. The conclave might have put the Charybdis case to bed, but Cam isn’t willing to let it lie. No badge doesn’t mean no backup these days.

As mate to an alpha warg, she has access to new and lethal resources. A whole pack full of them. And they all want justice for the sins committed against them.

But the stakes are higher than she knows, the secrets exposed darker than she feared, and the cost of winning higher than she ever imagined.

Hell or High Water was a fast read that starts minutes after Head Above Water ends. Which is great–I’m always immensely pleased when a story manages to start off not long after it’s previous book ends.

Mini Book Review Pack (#2): Her Dragon Daddy, Ill Will,The Tiger Kings, Forged in Fire, Deadside Reapers

Hello, and welcome back! Today on the blog we have another Mini Book Review Pack.

These kinds of posts are going to be a normal thing from now on. I find it immensely easier if I were to do mini reviews here and there, where they’re hopefully easier to read. Whereas, if I did a “full” book review for each and every book I read. So…here you go!

Dead in the Water, by Hailey Edwards | Book Review

Hello friends! Today I’ve got my book review of

Dead in the Water by Hailey Edwards.

Dead in the Water is the first book in the Gemini series–as well as the first book in Camille’s trilogy.

Trigger Warning: Child Murder mention, Grief, Loss of a sibling mention, Death by Drowning mention.

Camille Ellis is the Earthen Conclave’s golden girl. Her peculiar talent solves cases with a touch. She isn’t afraid of getting her hands dirty, but every bright star casts a shadow, and her deepest scars lurk just beneath the skin.

A routine consultation goes sideways when a victim’s brother gets involved in the investigation. Riding the edge of grief, the warg will go to any lengths to avenge his sister’s death. Even if it means ensuring Cam’s cooperation at the jaws of his wolf.

When the killer strikes again, Cam is caught between a warg and a hard place. To save the next victim, she must embrace her past. Even if it means dragging her darkest secrets into the light of day.

This series is a spinoff of the author’s “Black Dog” series.

I gotta tell you that the synopsis for Dead in the Water just…sank it’s hook into me. I had to read Dead in the Water. Another thing that attracted me to this book was the cover. Holy smokes, when I see it there’s just so many questions I have, you know?

The beginning to this first Gemini book had me…..playing a game of ‘Stop, Go.’ With myself. Honestly the beginning chapters of this book were pretty stale and that had me not wanting to read the rest of the book. So I took a break from reading Dead in the Water.

No Claim, by G. Bailey | Book Review

Hello, friends! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet.

Today I have my book review of

No Claim, by G. Bailey.

No Claim is the second book in The Alpha Brothers trilogy.

TW: Murder, Fight to the Death, Pregnancy.

Strength no longer hides in the weak, instead it is shown by the new alpha. Elodie Masters.
Will Elodie be able to make the Alpha brothers kneel and submit?
Or will they go to war?

Elodie Master struggles to learn about her new role, as well as the secrets of her past as she decides how to rule her new pack.
No one wants war, but Elodie cannot forgive the alpha’s who stole her heart.

With war, brings loss and destruction that no one wants. The Alpha brothers aren’t the only wolves Elodie should be running from…

A secret is coming, one that only brings death.

18+ with dark themes.

From GoodReads [x]:

“REVERSE HAREM” IS, LITERALLY, THE OPPOSITE OF “HAREM”, WITH A GROUP OF MALES CENTERING ROUND A SINGULAR FEMALE, USUALLY WITH THREE OR MORE MALES. QUITE OFTEN FOUND UNDER THE ROMANCE GENRE.

I went into No Claim thinking that I’d end up enjoying the story as much as I did the first book. Well, I didn’t.

I will say that the dialogue between character felt more natural to me–though there were still a few scenes that could have went over better.

For the most part, I really enjoyed where the story went, and I liked that Elodie stood up for herself and her people. The ones who’d past and the ones who were yet to be born.

But honestly though….that whole scheme that was meant to be a plot twist could have been 100% left out and the story would have been fine.

I really enjoyed that there was a HEA though!!

I give No Claim, 2.5 stars.

Have you read The Alpha Brothers duology yet? I’m contemplating on whether or not I should read the “third” book, which is a companion novel to this duology. I think I’ll need some time between this book and whenever I decide to read this companion novel.

Thank you for stopping by!

See you soon, and Happy Reading!
Adele

Shadow Kissed, by Sarah Piper | Book Review

Hello! Today I have my book review of

Shadow Kissed, by Sarah Piper.

Shadow Kissed is the first book in The Witch’s Rebels series. 

Trigger Warnings: Sex Scenes, Blood Mention, Character Death Mention, Murder Mention, Death by Fire Mention, Drugging Mention.

A witch outrunning her past. Five smoldering-hot guardians. And the dark secret that could destroy them all…

Blackmoon Bay is a city of monsters. Surviving here means never leaving home without a sharp stake. It means keeping secrets, even from friends. And unless I want the Hunters finding me again, it means my witchcraft stays on lockdown—permanently.

First time I fumble? Three witches get murdered for my mistake—including my best friend. Now I’m hunting a killer, and the magic I’ve snooze-buttoned for years is quickly making up for lost time.

And attracting dangerous allies…

Asher, the bad-boy incubus. Darius, the all-too-tempting vampire. Emilio, the wolf shifter with a big heart and a treacherous past. Ronan, the only demon I trust with my soul. And Death himself, drawn to my magic for reasons I don’t understand.

Together they’ve sworn to protect me from the evil out there, but even with a killer on the loose, it’s not the evil out there that scares me.

A shadow lurks inside me, black and deadly as a bomb.

And I’m pretty sure my magical mishap just lit the fuse.

I’m Gray Desario. Witch. Survivor. Occasional bringer of chaos. And tonight? The darkness is coming…

SHADOW KISSED is the first book in The Witch’s Rebels, a steamy reverse harem paranormal romance and urban fantasy series featuring five smoldering-hot guys and the kickass witch they’d kill to protect. If you like sexy forbidden romance, dark magic, and heart-pounding supernatural suspense, Sarah Piper’s witchy new series will leave you spellbound.

From GoodReads [x]:

“REVERSE HAREM” IS, LITERALLY, THE OPPOSITE OF “HAREM”, WITH A GROUP OF MALES CENTERING ROUND A SINGULAR FEMALE, USUALLY WITH THREE OR MORE MALES. QUITE OFTEN FOUND UNDER THE ROMANCE GENRE.

There are 5 or 6 points of view that we read from in Shadow Kissed. And I’ve got to say that I enjoyed reading from all of them.

Magic Bite, by Leia Stone | Book Review

Hello friends! Today I’ve got my book review of

Magic Bite, by Leia Stone.

Magic Bite is the first book in the Supernatural Bounty Hunter series. 

Trigger Warnings: Sex scenes, Pregnancy, Fighting, Blood / Blood mention, Guns and Gun usage, Grief (over losing a family member).

Evie Black and her demon imp partner, Cass, are two of the most fearsome supernatural bounty hunters on the West Coast. But when Evie’s beloved grandmother dies, her world shatters.

After finding the bottom of a bottle of tequila, Evie breaks the one rule she knows better than to ignore: Never hook up with a werewolf.

Especially when he’s the local alpha who, oh by the way, happens to be her gran’s sworn enemy.

Yeah, complicated doesn’t even begin to cover what happens next.

*Adult urban fantasy novel with sexual content and adult language.

Magic Bite starts off with a bang—literally (lmao). …Which in hindsight, is so freaking funny. After that the rest of the story is really fast paced. I was actually never bored while I read Evie’s story. Yes, there were some eye-roll worthy moments, and there were laugh/cringe-worthy moments as well. 

The Five Brothers Next Door, by Nikki Chase | Book Review

Hello friends! Today I have my book review of

The Five Brothers Next Door, by Nikki Chase.

Trigger/Content Warnings: Verbal Abuse, Toxic Parent-Child Relationship, Harassment, Stalking, Sex Scenes.

The Hunter brothers are back in town, and all five of them have got their eyes on one lucky girl.

I’ve always had a crush on the boys next door. I used to peek from my bedroom window when they were playing in their backyard. I didn’t even care that they never looked my way.

Now that we’re all grown up and they’re home for a visit, something’s different. The way they stare at me sends a thrill down my spine. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say they’re checking me out and they like what they see.

But that’s insane, right? There’s no way the five gorgeous brothers are into me.

I try to forget about them, but we keep running into one another in this small town. One night, the Hunter brothers even save me from my harassing ex.

I’m in trouble. It’s getting harder and harder to ignore the wicked glint in their eyes, or the way they linger when we touch . . .

When they whisper in my ears, telling me all the naughty things they want to do to me, I can’t deny it any longer. I want them, too. All five of them.

It’s wrong. Oh, so wrong.

But five alpha, protective, hot-as-sin men? What chance do I have of resisting the Hunter brothers?

From GoodReads [x]:

“REVERSE HAREM” IS, LITERALLY, THE OPPOSITE OF “HAREM”, WITH A GROUP OF MALES CENTERING ROUND A SINGULAR FEMALE, USUALLY WITH THREE OR MORE MALES. QUITE OFTEN FOUND UNDER THE ROMANCE GENRE.

From reading the synopsis of The Five Brothers Next Door (I actually read a synopsis LOL), I could easily tell that this one was going to be a doozy. I also knew that Ava’s ex was going to be a huge problem, and I wasn’t wrong about that.