Reaper’s Pack, by Rhea Watson | Book Review

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

Reaper’s Pack by Rhea Watson.

Reaper’s Pack is the first book in the All the Queen’s Men series.

Trigger Warnings: Mentions of Death, Abuse, Violence, Torture, Attempted Murder, Murder, Physical Abuse, Rape, Blood, Death, Murder, Loneliness, Blood, Sex Scenes.

One grim reaper. Three hellhounds who refuse to bow down to her. A monster hunting them in the shadows…

Ten years ago, I was judged worthy of life after death and returned to the mortal realm as a grim reaper. Scythe in hand, I guide souls to deliverance—and it’s time for a promotion.

My new territory is triple the size of any I’ve worked before. High death rates mean one busy reaper, and the only way to keep up is with a pack of hellhounds. Faithful. Strong. Merciless. Hellhound shifters are a reaper’s right hand in the field, shepherding and guarding souls until they can be reaped.

We get our pick of the litter from the best breeders in Hell, but for some reason, I’m drawn to the pack no one wants.

An alpha who refuses to yield.

A beta who doesn’t take me seriously.

A runt who flinches at every command.

I want them—even if they don’t want me.

Because the hunger in their eyes tells a different story. But the fact that they can’t decide whether to love me or hate me, fight me or screw me, is making our situation way too complicated.

Still, I refuse to give up. If this infuriatingly handsome trio can’t be trained, if we don’t pass the trials, they go back to a cage and a cruel demon master.

Yeah. Not happening.

Reapers and hellhounds are natural allies, and the sooner we secure our bond, the better, because as it turns out…

All our lives depend on it.

Reaper’s Pack is a standalone why-choose paranormal romance and is part of the ALL THE QUEEN’S MEN series. Each book in the series is a full-length standalone featuring layered heroes and a headstrong heroine who never has to settle for just one happily-ever-after. The books can be read in any order and are part of the same supernatural universe.

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.

Hello hello! Beyond this point there’s going to be spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Going back more than a year to try and remember what happened in a book I’d read so long ago was…easier than normal as my memory isn’t the best… Yet, I do remember Reaper’s Pack! Which speaks to how much I enjoyed Reaper’s Pack.

Throughout the book the characters face multiple challenges, both in house, and otherwise. Even though the challenges the pack faced out of house kept me on my toes, I was more so concerned and incredibly interested in their problems in-house. And knowing that these 4 would eventually become a functioning group, but not knowing how genuinely kept my interest. Like, edge of my seat, what’s going to happen, I-need-to-know-right-now, interest.

Reaper’s Pack was fabulous, in my opinion.. I loved all the different points of view; which there are 4 of. Also, I especially love that each character was different enough from one another so that the guys didn’t meld into one, in my mind when I read Reaper’s Pack.

Moving onto talking about the characters we have: Declan, Gunner, Kale, and our main lead.

Declan, who in the hierarchy of the pack, is the omega. I remember him being the softest of the three of them. Another thing that stuck out to me about Declan, was that he was abused by his litter mates when he was young. This topic is going to be talked about in the book, seeing as how the abuse that Declan suffered through left a huge imprint on his life.

Gunner, who in the hierarchy of the pack, is the beta. Gunner, being the beta, takes his role as such very seriously. Almost to the point where Gunner is insulting others. However, Gunner loves to learn, and he’s actually a genius.

Kale (who might not actually be named Kale. I have his name as such in my notes though..), is the alpha of the group. Being alpha means that Kale is incredibly standoff-ish, because he wants to protect his pack. He knows the most about his guys and this shows over and over again. He’s also incredibly head strong. Kale is the alpha — he won’t let anyone take that position. I can’t remember if there’s a specific reason for that, but I believe that that’s because they’re all used to some form of abuse, and will not let history repeat itself.

Lastly, we have the main lead! Our femme fatale. Our badass little lady. Who I literally cannot remember the name of. ..My bad. Even though I can’t remmeber her name at the moment, I do know that I love love looove her character! And even though she works for Death now (yes, it’s been capitalized), she still retains her humanity (in her actions, how she cares for others, and her new pack).

Reaper’s Pack left me wanting more of these 4, but unfortunately as I came to find out, Reaper’s Pack is a single book in a companion series. If I end up reading more of the All the Queen’s Men‘s series I can only hope to catch glimpses of them. Yes, I love them that much.

Also, I love reaper stories so I knew I had to read Reaper’s Pack; and the fact that the story involved shifters? The icing on the cake, for me! Reaper’s Pack certainly delivered. I might just have to get my own physical copy of the book when I can. I’m still in love with the story even after all this time, so *shrug* I need to re-read RP asap.

All in all, Reaper’s Pack was a great story, and I’m so glad that I read it! I had high expectations for Reaper’s Pack, and I’m very pleased to say that this book is worth every star I gave it. Which is 5 stars!

Have you read Reaper’s Pack?

Thank you for stopping by.

See you soon, and happy reading.
Adele

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Wolf Girl series (books 1-3), by Leia Stone | Book Review

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

Wolf Girl, Lost Girl, and Alpha Girl, by Leia Stone.

Wolf Girl is the first book in the Wolf Girl series, with Lost Girl, and Alpha Girl being the second and third books.

Trigger Warnings: Mention of Rape (no actual scenes, just recalling), Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Murder mentions, Sex Scenes, Bombs, Pregnancy & Birth.

When my parents were banished from Wolf City before I was born, I thought there was no way I would ever live in a pack again. Cuffed, with my shifter magic bound, I was forced to go to school with witches in order to keep my true nature from coming out.

Then I met him.

Sawyer Hudson.

The Alpha’s son was visiting Delphi Witches’ College and spotted me. He took one look at me, and an hour later, I was being pulled out of school, taken into Wolf City and leaving my parents and everything I knew behind.

It’s the Alpha’s son’s selection year, the year he must pick a mate, and every female aged 18-22 must be in attendance.

I’ve landed myself in the middle of Werewolf Bachelor, and just when I think I’ve got a handle on things, Sawyer releases my cuffs, unbinds my magic, and sees what I really am.

The problem is, I don’t know what this creature is that I transform into. It’s not an ordinary werewolf, that’s for damn sure.

Note that I read all three books in 2 days, so, this review is more of a general feelings and thoughts on the books.

Continue reading

Mother of Shadows, by Meg Anne | Book Review

Hello and welcome to Adele Is Reading.

Today on the blog, I have my book review of:

Mother of Shadows, by Meg Anne.

Mother of Shadows is the first book in The Chosen series.

Trigger Warnings: Kidnapping, Blood, Fighting, Violence, mentions of Mass Murder, mentions of Dead Parents, Sex Scenes, mentions of Accident (with horse).
Please note that there may be other possible triggers that I may have missed.

“It’s not a story.”

With four words, Helena’s quiet life goes up in flames. When her childhood friend returns to tell her she is the prophesied ruler of the Chosen—those blessed with the gift of magic—there’s no avoiding her destiny.

Suddenly, Helena is surrounded by a circle of protectors, each man having sworn their loyalty to her since her birth. All except for one: her Mate.

It’s not enough that she learn how to use her magic and undergo a trial to prove her worthiness; in order to claim her title, Helena must also find the man who carries the other half of her soul.

Exiled due to a past he had no part in, Von is the last man the Chosen expect Helena to select. Despite their protests, his soul calls to hers, and there’s no denying he was made for her. But the prophecy stands…and all isn’t as it seems.

There’s an enemy lurking within plain sight who will stop at nothing to destroy her.

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.

To be quite honest with you, I didn’t know what to expect from Mother of Shadows, like, the way that people converse is more akin to Olde English, but with regular English thrown into the mix. 

There are different points of view, and there’s also a mixture of how the story is told. We have both a passive narrators voice, alongside a first point of view. 

Continue reading

Dragon Taken, by Alexis Pierce | Book Review

Hello and welcome back to Adele Is Reading.

Today on the blog I have my book review of:

Dragon Taken, by Alexis Pierce.

Dragon Taken is the first book in the Draecus Clan series.

Trigger Warnings: mentions of Stalking, Attempted Drugging, Attempted Kidnapping, Kidnapping, minor Frostbite, Anxiety / Fear, Sex Scenes, Murder, Blood, Depression, mention of Emotional Abuse from a parent, mention of Sexual Harassment. 

Serenity had no idea that dragons existed.
She knows she’s weird, but she’s pretty good at hiding the occasional incident of her hands catching fire.
When she has the worst day of her life, though, she discovers that the world is not quite what it seems.
Just like that, she’s whisked away into a world of dragon shifters, and four in particular seem intent on her.
Can she accept her place in this new world of dragons? Or will she break under the pressure?

Dragon Taken is a Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance.

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 hadn’t read a dragon-shifter book in a long time, and frankly, I love dragon-shifter stories a lot. Which is maybe why I haven’t read too many (in comparison to wolf-shifter stories).

Going into Dragon Taken I had no idea what would happen in the book, I think I read like, maybe the first 2 sentences of the synopsis and was like “YES, THIS IS FOR MEEEEE” and then downloaded the book, hahaha. 

Needless to say there were quite a few things that surprised me throughout this first installation of the Draecus Clan series. 

Continue reading

Mave Fortune, by Elizabeth Dear | Book Review

Hello hello! Welcome back to Adele Is Reading.

Today I have my book review of:

Mave Fortune, by Elizabeth Dear.

Mave Fortune is the first book in the Blackstone Academy series.

Trigger Warnings include: Sexism, Homophobia, Bullying, Partner abuse, Manipulation, Drugging, Kidnapping, Beating/Torture, Fighting, Blood, Gun Shot, Stabbing, Underage drinking, and sexual content.

Please note that there may have been a few possible triggers that I may have missed.

When my family left our small, ultra-conservative pack back in Utah to join a giant pack in Northwest Louisiana, I thought I’d be able to coast through my last year of high school in semi-anonymity, then get the fuck away from wolf pack politics and just live my life for awhile. But the Moon decided to prolong my torture by placing my fated mate in front of my face on my first day at Blackstone Academy. He’s the Alpha’s son and king of a school crawling with shifters, and it turns out he doesn’t care to be saddled with a Moon-chosen mate who he thinks is a nobody-omega wolf.

When he rejects me in front of every shifter in school, I vow to harden my heart, become impervious to the constant, deep hurt of the rejection, and figure out how to be the first wolf in known history to shake the taint of a rejected fated mate bond.

I’m also becoming closer to a new student—a smoking hot and intriguing human, who I can’t manage to scare off even with the drama that surrounds me and the poisonous pack politics that I can’t seem to escape. I can’t even tell him what’s really going on, but I think he’s keeping secrets from me, too.

I’m Mave Fortune, and my mate threw me out like yesterday’s garbage. But fuck that guy.

This is a new adult, M/F rejected mates standalone story. It is intended for the 18+ crowd and contains foul language, some mild violence, and sexual scenes. If you’re a fan of upper YA/NA, wolf shifters, academy romances and the tropes associated with each, dive right in!

Let me start off this book review by saying that while I was interested in reading the story, I had a huge inkling that Mave Fortune was going to be a tough read.

And boy was I wrong. I read and ended up loving Mave Fortune and her story.

Continue reading

Imprinted Tattoos (The Lost Ones, #1) by Nikita Parmenter | Book Review

Hello hello! Another book review for you today. Though today’s book review is a book that I happened to stumble upon and pretty much dove into reading it straight away. Why? Two words!!: Magical Tattoos. Yep! I said it, Magical Tattoos. I LOVE the thought of magical tattoos appearing and getting to know why these tattoos appeared/formed, what they mean. And the magical element to it?! Yes please!!!

Here is my book review of Imprinted Tattoos, by Nikita Parmenter.

Imprinted Tattoos is the first book in The Lost One’s series. As of right now there are apparently a total of 3 books out. I have no idea if there are going to be any more (but I hope there are???).

Trigger Warnings: Abuse, Parental Abuse (abusive mom), fighting, blood, gore, torture / mention, gun violence (& more that I cannot remember)

Crazy Psycho Ex? Check.
Massive Imprint Tattoo appearing and taking my total up to three now? Check.
Five deliciously gorgeous new guys at school and secrets galore? Check.

I have a feeling everything is about to change.

Sage is just done, done with the abuse that her mother puts her through daily, done with always being so alone and done with being one of the youngest humans to get an Imprint Tattoo. Only a small percentage of the human population over the age of eighteen ever receive one and they only appear when a soul changing event happens in that person’s life. Sage’s first one showed up when she was nine, yey for being weird.

She’s been fighting for so damn long and she’s just tired of it all. when she’s almost fully given up, hope comes in the arrival of five new guys at her crappy high school, the guys are shrouded in secrets but it’s not like she’s being completely honest with them either.

If Sage doesn’t let her fear control her, then she has the chance to be a part of something amazing but fate throws them all a curve ball when they realize that their lives are more intertwined than any of them could’ve imagined and as secrets about her past come to light and her psycho ex makes a reappearance she can’t help but find comfort in the five guys who give her hope.

This is a slow/ medium burn paranormal Reverse Harem.
Warnings: please be advised that this book contains dark themes, including abuse, memories of abuse from when she was a child, violence and cursing. Additionally, sexual themes suitable for mature audiences 18+.

All sex is consensual.

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.

Continue reading

Taming Demons for Beginners by Annette Marie | Book Review

Hello! Today I’ve got my book review of

Taming Demons for Beginners, by Annette Marie.

Taming Demons for Beginners is the first book in The Guild Codex: Demonized Series.

Trigger Warnings: Blood, Blood mention, Attempted Murder, Torture, Starvation mention, Abuse mention, Dead parents mention.

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44932446._SY475_Rule one: Don’t look at the demon.

When I arrived at my uncle’s house, I expected my relatives to be like me—outcast sorcerers who don’t practice magic. I was right about the sorcery, but wrong about everything else.

Rule two: Don’t listen to the demon.

My uncle chose a far deadlier power. He calls creatures of darkness into our world, binds them into service contracts, and sells them to the highest bidder. And I’m supposed to act like I don’t know how illegal and dangerous it is.

Rule three: Don’t talk to the demon.

All I had to do was keep my nose out of it. Pretend I didn’t find the summoning circle in the basement. Pretend I didn’t notice the shadowy being trapped inside it. Pretend I didn’t break the rules.

But I did, and now it’s too late.


From the author of The Guild Codex: Spellbound comes a new series that will plunge an unprepared young woman into the darkest magic of the mythic world.


THE GUILD CODEX: DEMONIZED
Taming Demons for Beginners (#1)
Slaying Monsters for the Feeble (#2)

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Taming Demons for Beginners is a New Adult Epic Urban Fantasy.

I genuinely Continue reading

The Guardian, by Quinn Arthurs | Book Review

Hello friends! Today I have my book review of

The Guardian, by Quinn Arthurs.

The Guardian is the first book in The Faerie Wars series.

Trigger Warnings: Bullying, Fighting, Attempted Murder.

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43511268I always thought my mom was crazy, with her offerings to the fairies and whispered spells. After she died, I followed her last wishes and performed her final rites – only for my life to turn instantly upside down. My kitchen is now full of three insanely sexy and opinionated men who claim to be witches and fairy knights -and also my soulmates. They claim I have a great destiny, that I am meant to defeat the Elvish Queen, who my mother has been fleeing all of these years!

don’t want an epic destiny, though, I just want to be normal for once in my life, if there is such a thing. With the help of my new companions, Onyx, Terran, and Reed. I will discover strengths inside myself that I had never known and an underworld greater than anything I could have imagined. Now, I must find out if I have the strength to face my destiny and myself!

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.

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I 100% did not read the synopsis for this novel, so I had no idea what I was getting into when I sat to read The Guardian. I legitimately though that the cover looked interesting so I’d try this book out…and I am so glad that I did.  Continue reading

Magic Trials, by Meg Xuemei X | Book Review

Hello friends! Today I have my book review of

Magic Trials, by Meg Xuemei X.

Magic Trials is the first book in the Half-Blood Academy trilogy. 

Trigger Warning: Gun mention, Gun use, Fighting, Blood, Blood mention, Sex scenes.

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46018142._SY475_The demigods can’t decide if they want to screw me or kill me!

My name is Marigold. I’m a hunter living in the Great Merge – Lucifer has brought Hell to half of Earth, and four demigods rule the other half…

The smoking-hot Demigod of War, round up my team to enroll them in Half-blood Academy, aka Half-death Academy; due to the survival rate of the students….

When he sees me, he wants no one else but me. So he offers to spare my team if I go in their place. Problem is, no human outside the bloodline of the gods can survive the magic trials. The demigod insists I’m anything but human, and he’s willing to risk my life to find out what I’m made of…

I’m not the weakest link, even though all the bullies in the Academy mock me. I’m nothing anyone has ever seen before, and when my forbidden power awakens, the demigods will regret they ever tried to make me their bitch!

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.

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This first Half-Blood Academy book is so completely action packed. If you didn’t know, I’m a huge fan of when there are fighting sequences/scenes in novels. Continue reading

Gypsy’s Blood, by Kristy Cunning | Book Review

Hello lovelies! Today I have my book review of

Gypsy’s Blood, by Kristy Cunning.

Gypsy’s Blood is the first book in the All The Pretty Monsters series. 

Trigger Warnings: Attempted Murder, Murder mention, Death of a Parent, Sex Scenes, Grief.

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43239166._SY475_I’m not all that special, really. Or uncommon. I’m sure there are a lot of girls with old gypsy blood who see the dead, have killer cults hunting their family, and turn into something that gets scary when they panic. Yep. Completely unoriginal, if I do say so myself.
Move along. Nothing to see here. Nope. I’m just an ordinary girl.

I wish people would believe that.

I’ve been labeled as one thing or another for most of my life:
Death Girl.
Crazy Gypsy Girl.
Gothic Chick.
Monster…

It took my mother’s death for me to finally start getting answers about what’s really been going on. Unfortunately, most of the answers come from men…who aren’t just men. Somehow, I’ve gone and landed myself in a world truly filled with monsters, and I’m starting to think this is where I should have been all along.

Only…I don’t understand what’s going on. I’m walking into the middle of a story that’s thousands of years old, and I’m the new girl on the block who doesn’t have a clue how this world even works. My only guides happen to be the most lethal of the bunch.

They decide who lives or dies. They decide who gets stabbed or tortured.
Yeah…

I’ve gone and drawn attention to myself, and the ones paying attention are the ones everyone else seems to fear.

How do these things always happen to me?

**Reverse Harem
**Language warning
**Sexual content
**Dark Humor

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.

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When I first came across Gypsy’s Blood, I didn’t think much of it. I put it on my wish-list and moved on. The only reason why I read this book was because I found out that Gypsy’s Blood is a book that the reverse harem group I joined had read it (and I’m playing catch-up), and I figured I’d try it out. Like I said, I didn’t think much of this book.

What I did think of it was that it’d be alright. I could read Gypsy’s Blood and move along because I didn’t think it’d be as interesting as it turned out to be. And, friend, Continue reading