Pandora’s Pride, by Annabelle Chase | Series Book Review

Welcome to Adele Is Reading.
Today I have my series book review of:

Pandora’s Pride, by Annabelle Chase.

Pandora’s Pride is a series of 4 books, with books one to four being:
Double Down on Demons (#1),
High Stakes and Vampires (#2),
Five Card Fae (#3),
Wild Cards and Witches (#4).

I didn’t record any triggers for each book, so please be aware that there are probably quite a few triggers.
This series does contain sex scenes.

My father talked about Atlantic City the way some women talk about their ex-boyfriends. No good. Avoid at all costs. Soul-sucking even without the demons. Never mind that we lived across the country where, by day we worked as mountain guides, and at night he trained me to use my magic—not that I was allowed to showcase it. That was a hard no. So I hid my powers the way he hid his bourbon—until his murder.

With nothing to lose, I hightail it to—you guessed it—Atlantic City, where I make a deal with a group of monster hunters, including Saxon, a hot hybrid that ignites a helluva lot more than celestial fire. If I survive the takedown of an all-powerful demon, they’ll help me investigate my father’s murder. So what’s a girl to do when the chips are down?

Be the Wild Card they never saw coming.

Double Down on Demons is the first book in Pandora’s Pride, an urban fantasy series featuring a heroine with a tongue as sharp as her blade, magical adventures, and havoc-wreaking demons.

From start to finish the series was over all a good story. And for the most part I liked the characters too.

With that said, some of the story was completely predictable; while others weren’t. Though there were really only a couple of times where I couldn’t predict what could happen at all.

Generally speaking the story was really good and I genuinely enjoyed reading it! I really loved Chase’s writing, and a great plot as well. I love the main character’s way of going about things: pretty blunt and absolutely straight forward.

The end of the series is more of a HEA for everyone, but the end of the series is incredibly loose–in terms there’s no definitive ending, more of a … fill in the blank, it’s up to the reader.

So it’s not the ending I was picturing for all the characters, but nevertheless, it’s an ending. Am I personally happy with it? No, I’m not. There could have been a more solid ending. For everyone! With the ending that was written, I personally think thtat it leaves the reader up to interpret and imagine what the characters are up to now.

**Which some people could enjoy!**

The series does have sex scenes, but for all I know the scenes are more of a mention of sex, tan the reader reading the actual scenes. Think fade-to-black-end-scene type scenario.

Nevertheless, I ended up giving each book 3 stars.

Have you read the Pandora’s Pride series?

Thank you for stopping by!

See you soon, and happy reading.
Adele

WHERE TO FIND ME:

Instagram | Goodreads | Twitter

MY SHOP:

Cozy Library | cozylibrarycreations @ Instagram

Shifting Love (Crescent City Witch, #4), by Meredith Clarke | Book Review

Welcome to Adele Is Reading.
Today I have my book review of:

Shifting Love, by Meredith Clarke.

Shifting Love is the fourth book in the Crescent City Witch series.

Trigger Warnings: Blood

(Note that it’s been more than a year since I read Shifting Love, and there are probably more triggers in the book.

There’s more to the story…there always is.
Mine isn’t over even if it feels like evil is winning right now.


I’m finally figuring out who I’m supposed to be.
How magic fits into my life.
How to be loved by my pack.
Completely and fully bonded to them.
I’m not about to let a maniac like Otto destroy our future.

He’s controlling all the humans in the Quarter.
He won’t stop there.
Not until he has total power over the magical realms.
I can’t let that happen.
I’ve seen how far he’s willing to go to take what he wants.
But I’m going to need help from some very angry fae.
The Crescent City pack and I can’t defeat Otto alone.
Only the fae have been keeping secrets too.
The kind of secrets that could destroy us all.
We’re running out of time to bring him down.
And I’m scared more than ever, this might not be the ending I want.

*Shifting Love is the fourth and final book in the Crescent City Witch series, a reverse harem paranormal romance. If you love a badass heroine, hot alpha wolf shifters, and mystery and action, then this series is for you!*

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.

Shifting Love, I feel like was a book that was a long time coming. I get the sense of that; even after have read it back in May ’21.

Saying that, I’m going to say that Shifting Love was an okay ending to the Crescent City Witch series. More than anything though, I’m going to say that this book genuinely felt like a quick end. Like, quick! Exit stage left!

A lot of Shifting Love felt incredibly rushed, and I don’t know how to feel about that. If I had read books 1-4 in one sitting, I think I wouldn’t enjoyed Shifting Love more.

Though I will say that I’m super happy that these characters got a HEA.

As much I enjoyed the first 3 books (and I do remember enjoying them), I — unfortunately — didn’t end up liking Shifting Love as much as I had wanted to.

I’ve ended up giving Shifting Love, 2 stars.

Have you read the Crescent City Witch books?

Thank you for stopping by!

See you soon, and happy reading.
Adele

WHERE TO FIND ME:

Instagram | Goodreads | Twitter

MY SHOP:

Cozy Library | cozylibrarycreations @ Instagram

Moon Kissed, by Jen L. Grey | Book Review

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

Moon Kissed, by Jen L. Grey.

Moon Kissed is the first book in the The Marked Wolf trilogy.

Trigger / Content Warnings: Dead Parents mention, Murder mention, Murder, Blood, Fighting, Sex.

Please note that it’s entirely possible that I might’ve missed any possible triggers pertaining to Moon Kissed.

You can’t outrun a curse … trust me. I’ve tried.

My heart was left shattered into a million jagged pieces. To survive, I did the only thing I could and forced myself to play the part of the perfect girlfriend. The perfect daughter. Because no one wants someone broken.

But now, the boy who owned my heart is a grown man — hardened and cold.

Seeing Aidan four years later forces me to face my greatest fear, and realizing he is my fated mate only makes things worse.

Secrets aren’t meant to stay buried, and fate always has a plan.

That’s the funny thing about destiny. Right when you think everything is figured out, you get dealt a new hand.

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This Dark Wolf, by Everly Frost | Book Review

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

This Dark Wolf, by Everly Frost.

This Dark Wolf is the first book in the Soul Bitten Shifter series.

Trigger / Content Warnings: Blood, Fighting, Abuse mentions, Kidnapping (happens twice), Gun Shots, Murder, Witness to a Murder, Possible sex scenes (can’t remember).

Please note that I may have missed some possible triggers.

I am a wolf shifter born with a human soul.
Packless. Mateless. Unable to bond.

Cast out of my pack, I live in a supernatural safe house filled with broken women. Other women come and go, but I remain.

I’m waiting.
For him.
Tristan Masters—the ruthless alpha of the most vicious pack in the city.

He fought for my life when my pack wanted to kill me. He saved me. I should be able to trust him.

But I know better.

Tristan Masters wants my wolf; my killer soul. When he’s ready, he will use me to destroy his enemies.

Tristan thinks he owns me. He thinks there are no consequences because I can’t bond to him.

He’s going to discover that I am nobody’s to command.

This dark wolf will bite back.

This is a dark urban fantasy romance. Full length. 17+ for sex scenes and language.
 

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Woman of Blood and Bone, by Annie Anderson | Book Review

Hello hello! Welcome back to Adele Is Reading.
Today on the blog, I have my book review of:

Woman of Blood and Bone, by Annie Anderson.

Woman of Blood and Bone is the first book in the Rogue Ethereal series.

Trigger / Content Warnings: Murder mention, Blood mention, Stabbing, Stalking, mentions of domestic abuse (boyfriend to girlfriend), pregnancy, death.

Please note that I may have not recorded all of the possible triggers.

I was burned at the stake at fourteen…
I was drowned in a lake when I was twenty-four…
At twenty-seven, I was stoned in a public square…

I have died a hundred times in a hundred different ways, usually at the hands of the humans I’ve tried to save. But when a pregnant young woman finds her way into my tattoo shop with a demon on her tail, things go from bad to worse. Being a centuries-old witch isn’t going to help me – nothing will.

This time I might just die in a way that sticks… Permanently.

To be fairly honest with you, I didn’t put much thought into Woman of Blood and Bone prior to reading it. Actually, I don’t think I read the synopsis at all. My mind is all over the place with what I’ve read over the past few years, so I’m unable to remember if I’ve read anything else by Annie Anderson. I feel like I have, but I’m not sure. However, when I was reading Woman of Blood and Bone, the story gave me the feeling as if I was reading Anderson’s work for the very first time. So it works out either way.

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Widow, by Maya Nicole | Book Review

Hello and welcome back to Adele Is Reading!
Today I have my book review of:

Widow, by Maya Nicole.

Trigger / Content Warnings: Sex, Murder, Arrest, Blood

My job was to save lives.

I did a pretty damn good job until a woman was rolled into my ER seven months ago. She should have been dead on arrival. Under the bright exam lights, strapped to a gurney, she whispered her final words. I shouldn’t have leaned in.

My world was changed forever.

Bars were my hunting ground. Drink after drink. Man after man. I fed the eight-legged monster that lived inside of me. Or hundreds of monsters. They tended to pour out of me when I gave in.

I almost gave myself over to the urges. That was until I met them: a quirky alpha wolf shifter with a pocket-sized monkey, a fallen angel with a mermaid obsession, and the devil that had more baggage than LAX.

Will they help me fight the darkness that lurks inside of me, or will they let it consume me?

Reverse harem, full-length novel
Standalone
Multiple POV
Medium burn, 18+ recommended
M/M touching
Foul language

Although this is a standalone novel, it is a spinoff of my Celestial Academy trilogy, which features Lucifer as the father of the female main character. The original Widow, Alaric, and Kai all make appearances in the series as well. Check out my author page to read Ascend (Celestial Academy Book 1).

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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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!

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First Lines Fridays #20

first-lines-fridays

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? If you want to make your own post, feel free to use or edit the banner above, and follow the rules below:

  1. Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  2. Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
  3. Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re using Twitter, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!


Hello friends! How has the week treated you?

Today’s post is a quick little post wherein I’ll be sharing the first sentence of a book with you, of which I haven’t read yet.

I can’t breathe. The trees are a blur of colors, the greens, browns, and reds tumbling and writhing together as I whip my head searching. I can’t see them, but I know they’re out there. Just like I know something’s wrong.

. . .

. . .

. . .

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Half-Blood Huntress Chronicles, by D.D. Miers, Graceley Knox | SERIES Book Review

Hello hello friendo, welcome back to Adele Is Reading.

How are you?

Today I have my Series book review of the Half-Blood Huntress Chronicles series, by D.D. Miers, and Graceley Knox.

The Half-Blood Huntress Chronicles series is a series of 5 books.

I ended up reading the entire HBHC series within 3 days, so, everything that took place over the course of the Half-Blood Huntress Chronicles has been melded into one big pile of “idk what happened, everything happened so suddenly.” Like, I opened the first book and BAM I was at the end of the series.

Since I will be talking about the entire series, I’ve put a little “read more” attachment, just in case!

I apologize for the messy review in advance. I also can’t remember if there were any triggers in the series.

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