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496 reviews
Pretty Little Savage by Lucy Smoke
With the prevalence of TikTok recommendations and the availability of such stellar reads on Kindle Unlimited, it is starting to become an issue as to how many series I am reading right now. That coupled with my completionist issue makes it so when I start a series, I must finish said series. Of course, that means that it is imperative that the first book in the series catches my attention from the start or I will not be able to enjoy the rest of the series even when having the compulsion to read them anyway. I had come across Lucy Smoke's TikTok account and saw some of her books recommended so I thought this was a good place to test the waters of a new author and series together.
Avalon Manning has lived a hard life. With a druggie stripper for a mother and has never met a fight she could resist. But when she is once again booted out of another high school she is presented with an opportunity to become a program student for a prestigious dual enrollment university. Unwilling to go back to her mother's trailer where she is faced with constantly fighting off the men her mother brings home, Avalon has no other choice. At this school there is a pecking order and she is at the bottom. She needs to toe the line in order to fly under the radar of the school's elite: The Sick Boys. Avalon has never been one to follow the rules and that fact has no escaped the Sick Boys. Especially not their leader, Dean Carter.
Dean Carter has been tasked by the higher ups to keep an eye on Avalon. He thinks all he needs to do is make sure she follows his demands and does what she is instructed to do. However, Avalon is not a follow the rules type of girl and fights him every step of the way, sometimes even with teeth and fists. The longer he watches her the more infatuated he becomes with her. Can he save her when she is put in a horrific situation and if he does, will she be the same when she comes out the other side?
I really liked the character development and the chemistry between the two characters. It had a way of causing my breath to stutter whenever they fought their attraction and sigh whenever they gave in ever so slightly. While when introduced to the three Sick Boys I did favor Abel, I did find Dean to be interesting. He really complimented Avalon's particular brand of badassery.
The underlying plot, besides the romance aspect, was only touched upon a bit in this book so I am hoping it is elaborated a bit more in the next few books. Avalon and Dean are definitely in one of my top favorite couples I have seen in books lately and their story was a delightful read.
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3.0
With the prevalence of TikTok recommendations and the availability of such stellar reads on Kindle Unlimited, it is starting to become an issue as to how many series I am reading right now. That coupled with my completionist issue makes it so when I start a series, I must finish said series. Of course, that means that it is imperative that the first book in the series catches my attention from the start or I will not be able to enjoy the rest of the series even when having the compulsion to read them anyway. I had come across Lucy Smoke's TikTok account and saw some of her books recommended so I thought this was a good place to test the waters of a new author and series together.
Avalon Manning has lived a hard life. With a druggie stripper for a mother and has never met a fight she could resist. But when she is once again booted out of another high school she is presented with an opportunity to become a program student for a prestigious dual enrollment university. Unwilling to go back to her mother's trailer where she is faced with constantly fighting off the men her mother brings home, Avalon has no other choice. At this school there is a pecking order and she is at the bottom. She needs to toe the line in order to fly under the radar of the school's elite: The Sick Boys. Avalon has never been one to follow the rules and that fact has no escaped the Sick Boys. Especially not their leader, Dean Carter.
Dean Carter has been tasked by the higher ups to keep an eye on Avalon. He thinks all he needs to do is make sure she follows his demands and does what she is instructed to do. However, Avalon is not a follow the rules type of girl and fights him every step of the way, sometimes even with teeth and fists. The longer he watches her the more infatuated he becomes with her. Can he save her when she is put in a horrific situation and if he does, will she be the same when she comes out the other side?
I really liked the character development and the chemistry between the two characters. It had a way of causing my breath to stutter whenever they fought their attraction and sigh whenever they gave in ever so slightly. While when introduced to the three Sick Boys I did favor Abel, I did find Dean to be interesting. He really complimented Avalon's particular brand of badassery.
The underlying plot, besides the romance aspect, was only touched upon a bit in this book so I am hoping it is elaborated a bit more in the next few books. Avalon and Dean are definitely in one of my top favorite couples I have seen in books lately and their story was a delightful read.
7th Circle by Tate James
After reading the four books in the Madison Kate series (reviews to come) and being delivered a cliffhanger at the end of the series over who Hades actually was, I had to read her series. Hades had always struck me as a very masculine role so I was severely surprised when Hades turned out to be a woman (I would announce spoilers but you can kind of gather that from the synopsis of the book). So, eager to continue my excursion into the Madison Kate universe, I dove between the pages of Hades' story.
Hades is equally respected and feared by all who know her and even those who just know her by reputation alone. She is very initiative and not one to flinch when her hands get a little dirty. But she had secrets. She has a past that she had hoped died within the ruins of her usurping of the Timberwolves from her father's clutches. Now someone is back and shining a light on the questionable death of her ex-fiancé and threatening the lives of both herself and the people she loves. Hades needs to protect her young sister, her Timberwolves, and the three men who are quickly becoming the most important people in her life: a barely legal stripper, the head of the Reapers gang, and her second in command. Between the turmutuous waters of her love life, the threats to her life, and the chance of loose ends becoming untied, Hades will be lucky to if her body and heart make it out in one piece.
When I read the Madison Kate series I thought she was the toughest, no-nonsense character I had read about in a long time. Enter Hades. She has grown ass gangsters quivering in their combat boots. A lift of a brow is enough to make a grown man piss himself with fright... that's a bad ass chick. I loved that Hades is completely oblivious to everything going within her love life and just accepts that nobody truly wants her for anything more than bragging rights that they bedded the infamous Hades. Her three potential love interests all have varying degrees of expressing their desire for her.
Lucas expresses it with no worry of rejection or attempts to adopt a cool demeanor. He wears his heart on his sleeve and has not wavered on expressing just how much he desires Hades. Yes, he does come off a bit naïve but maybe that's what is so appealing to Hades. He's a breath of fresh air; an innocence not often found in her world.
Zed is torn between duty and affection for Hades. She is so blind to his feelings for her that she dismisses any sign of it he exhibits because reconciling within herself that he desires her is too farfetched to believe. Couple that with the fact that she is probably worried that any kind of relationship could potentially muddy the waters of their working interactions and it's not a wonder that Hades lives in denial.
Cass took a very Archer role in trying to shove Hades away and insult her at every turn to avoid coming to terms with any attraction he may have for her. He is a gruff and grumpy dude who is more afraid of admitting to his feelings over any amount of murder and maiming. He is a very fickle guy and it's hard to pinpoint how exactly he feels for Hades outside of the obvious lust.
The character development was stellar but where Madison Kate's reverse harem worked because all the dudes were super close, I don't know if I can see how this one could work out. None of the guys really know or like each other, let alone have any close bond that would make sharing alright for them. I am anxious to see how the author is going to make this work as easily as she did with Madison Kate.
7th Circle is the beginning of a spin-off that will have you just as flustered over the badass female protagonist as her three hot love interests.
4.0
After reading the four books in the Madison Kate series (reviews to come) and being delivered a cliffhanger at the end of the series over who Hades actually was, I had to read her series. Hades had always struck me as a very masculine role so I was severely surprised when Hades turned out to be a woman (I would announce spoilers but you can kind of gather that from the synopsis of the book). So, eager to continue my excursion into the Madison Kate universe, I dove between the pages of Hades' story.
Hades is equally respected and feared by all who know her and even those who just know her by reputation alone. She is very initiative and not one to flinch when her hands get a little dirty. But she had secrets. She has a past that she had hoped died within the ruins of her usurping of the Timberwolves from her father's clutches. Now someone is back and shining a light on the questionable death of her ex-fiancé and threatening the lives of both herself and the people she loves. Hades needs to protect her young sister, her Timberwolves, and the three men who are quickly becoming the most important people in her life: a barely legal stripper, the head of the Reapers gang, and her second in command. Between the turmutuous waters of her love life, the threats to her life, and the chance of loose ends becoming untied, Hades will be lucky to if her body and heart make it out in one piece.
When I read the Madison Kate series I thought she was the toughest, no-nonsense character I had read about in a long time. Enter Hades. She has grown ass gangsters quivering in their combat boots. A lift of a brow is enough to make a grown man piss himself with fright... that's a bad ass chick. I loved that Hades is completely oblivious to everything going within her love life and just accepts that nobody truly wants her for anything more than bragging rights that they bedded the infamous Hades. Her three potential love interests all have varying degrees of expressing their desire for her.
Lucas expresses it with no worry of rejection or attempts to adopt a cool demeanor. He wears his heart on his sleeve and has not wavered on expressing just how much he desires Hades. Yes, he does come off a bit naïve but maybe that's what is so appealing to Hades. He's a breath of fresh air; an innocence not often found in her world.
Zed is torn between duty and affection for Hades. She is so blind to his feelings for her that she dismisses any sign of it he exhibits because reconciling within herself that he desires her is too farfetched to believe. Couple that with the fact that she is probably worried that any kind of relationship could potentially muddy the waters of their working interactions and it's not a wonder that Hades lives in denial.
Cass took a very Archer role in trying to shove Hades away and insult her at every turn to avoid coming to terms with any attraction he may have for her. He is a gruff and grumpy dude who is more afraid of admitting to his feelings over any amount of murder and maiming. He is a very fickle guy and it's hard to pinpoint how exactly he feels for Hades outside of the obvious lust.
The character development was stellar but where Madison Kate's reverse harem worked because all the dudes were super close, I don't know if I can see how this one could work out. None of the guys really know or like each other, let alone have any close bond that would make sharing alright for them. I am anxious to see how the author is going to make this work as easily as she did with Madison Kate.
7th Circle is the beginning of a spin-off that will have you just as flustered over the badass female protagonist as her three hot love interests.
Antichrist by Amo Jones
Meraki has known Niko since she was 9 years old and has had a connection unlike any other with him. However, even after a single tryst together which they swore never to discuss again, they refused to be together for fear of their friendship being ruined. Although the way they try to make the other jealous by using the people around them to their advantage. That doesn't change 10 years later after Niko returns home and sets his sights on making Meraki miserable for choosing to be with their mutual friend Luca. What nobody can figure out is why Niko decided to come home all of a sudden and why he seems to hate Meraki so thoroughly. It couldn't just be because she was with their friend Luca. It had to be something else. But what? Can Meraki and Niko find their way back together when everything from an MC gang, to the Mafia, to significant other roadblocks stand in their way? Or should they let go of whatever connection they once had and move on for good?
This book did a lot of back and forth. It jumped from the past to the present and all over the place in between to try to tell this story of Niko and Meraki. Even after reading it to completion I still feel like I am missing something. I looked on the author's website, Goodreads, Amazon, and the like but I had no idea why this read like a part of a series and not a standalone. Then I found out it was part of a multiple author collection and I had to rub a hand over my face in frustration. I can only imagine the story would have been ten times more enjoyable with a little more background on the MC that Niko came back to town to take up the gavel for. Their connection to the MC would have been more than just a passing thought as well I assume.
Meraki and her tight-lipped stubbornness frustrated the crap out of me. Why she didn't open up to Niko when she had the chance was beyond me. I kept waiting for them to have a real conversation about it all so that maybe he could understand her motives were purely for survival. But it never came and it felt... incomplete. Even at the end when Meraki was talking about going on vacation I thought, "Ope. Well, Niko's gonna cheat while you're gone, is that wise?" because that is all their relationship ever was!
I think the bones of the story were good. The characters were a little frustrating but that was their aim. However, the thing that really ruined the experience was the execution of the writing. The jumping around from the past to present to make some grand revelation not great. You miss that one little word of "Then" or "Now" and you're lost. I think it could have been plotted a little less confusing for the readers to enjoy.
I feel like I can't give a completely fair rating on the book because it feels like I picked up a book in the middle of a series and then critiqued it on how it was hard to follow. And for that reason I will give the middle of the road rating instead of a lesser rating as is my instinct. I think if you start with the beginning of the collection you will get more out of it. I will probably go back and read the rest of the collection to see if that holds true and update the review from there. But for now... this was a little lackluster for me.
3.0
Meraki has known Niko since she was 9 years old and has had a connection unlike any other with him. However, even after a single tryst together which they swore never to discuss again, they refused to be together for fear of their friendship being ruined. Although the way they try to make the other jealous by using the people around them to their advantage. That doesn't change 10 years later after Niko returns home and sets his sights on making Meraki miserable for choosing to be with their mutual friend Luca. What nobody can figure out is why Niko decided to come home all of a sudden and why he seems to hate Meraki so thoroughly. It couldn't just be because she was with their friend Luca. It had to be something else. But what? Can Meraki and Niko find their way back together when everything from an MC gang, to the Mafia, to significant other roadblocks stand in their way? Or should they let go of whatever connection they once had and move on for good?
This book did a lot of back and forth. It jumped from the past to the present and all over the place in between to try to tell this story of Niko and Meraki. Even after reading it to completion I still feel like I am missing something. I looked on the author's website, Goodreads, Amazon, and the like but I had no idea why this read like a part of a series and not a standalone. Then I found out it was part of a multiple author collection and I had to rub a hand over my face in frustration. I can only imagine the story would have been ten times more enjoyable with a little more background on the MC that Niko came back to town to take up the gavel for. Their connection to the MC would have been more than just a passing thought as well I assume.
Meraki and her tight-lipped stubbornness frustrated the crap out of me. Why she didn't open up to Niko when she had the chance was beyond me. I kept waiting for them to have a real conversation about it all so that maybe he could understand her motives were purely for survival. But it never came and it felt... incomplete. Even at the end when Meraki was talking about going on vacation I thought, "Ope. Well, Niko's gonna cheat while you're gone, is that wise?" because that is all their relationship ever was!
I think the bones of the story were good. The characters were a little frustrating but that was their aim. However, the thing that really ruined the experience was the execution of the writing. The jumping around from the past to present to make some grand revelation not great. You miss that one little word of "Then" or "Now" and you're lost. I think it could have been plotted a little less confusing for the readers to enjoy.
I feel like I can't give a completely fair rating on the book because it feels like I picked up a book in the middle of a series and then critiqued it on how it was hard to follow. And for that reason I will give the middle of the road rating instead of a lesser rating as is my instinct. I think if you start with the beginning of the collection you will get more out of it. I will probably go back and read the rest of the collection to see if that holds true and update the review from there. But for now... this was a little lackluster for me.
Leather & Lace by Adell Ryan
Lace has been merely getting by for the last six years. She stepped into her mother's role as a stripper at Tit for Tat Saloon when she was legal and her mother started letting her heroin addiction get away from her. She has almost enough money saved up that she can use her car for more than just a place to sleep at night and see the world. If she can just get through one more Bike Week rally she is home free. But as with every rally the Hell for Leather boys are determined to have Lace all to themselves for the entire weekend. She is there to serve them and make them feel at home during the stay. But little do they know that this year things are going to be a little bit different. Lace will no longer just be around to help an initiate find their footing before returning to the arms of their most possessive brother, now she will be H4L property and all brothers are tied to her just as she is tied to them. Lace hopes that once the rally is over and H4L has to return to their home base that she will be able to make her dreams a reality and escape the hell hole she has become so jaded by, but that may not be in the cards for her once things start going wrong.
I know Coty and Lace were supposed to be the main couple with the others kinda just filling their time with Lace but I really, really did not like Coty overall as a character. Don't get me wrong. I love the possessive, alpha male vibes that he was throwing off but it felt more about him seeing her as property that he owned than because he genuinely felt anything for her other than lust. There were rare moments where you wondered if he actually did have deep feelings for her but they never really grew to the point of them being indisputable. There were others in the gang that treated her even better and seemed to truly care about her well-being. Coty wasn't it for me.
I will tell you, I was definitely not cool with the whole vibe between Kio and Jess either. I understand that Lace was kinda okay with the whole thing but it felt a little too close to him cheating with how much he seemed to be infatuated with Jess. Of course, Lace had more than her hands full with the rest of the boys but still... if the whole thing was she was supposed to belong to all them and they to her, a few of them, like Kio kinda toed that line a bit too closely.
The book was a little scattered and there was terminology thrown around that seemed to just be assumed to be understood by the reader. It got so bad that I had to look deeper into the series to try to figure out if it was a spin-off of something else which would explain why it seemed like the reader should know more than I did. It is, indeed, a spin-off so personally I'd recommend reading the first series first otherwise you'll be as lost as I was.
That is not saying the book was bad, it wasn't or I would have stopped reading it. It was decent but it did lose a few points for not making it more easily to pick up without reading the first series.
3.0
Lace has been merely getting by for the last six years. She stepped into her mother's role as a stripper at Tit for Tat Saloon when she was legal and her mother started letting her heroin addiction get away from her. She has almost enough money saved up that she can use her car for more than just a place to sleep at night and see the world. If she can just get through one more Bike Week rally she is home free. But as with every rally the Hell for Leather boys are determined to have Lace all to themselves for the entire weekend. She is there to serve them and make them feel at home during the stay. But little do they know that this year things are going to be a little bit different. Lace will no longer just be around to help an initiate find their footing before returning to the arms of their most possessive brother, now she will be H4L property and all brothers are tied to her just as she is tied to them. Lace hopes that once the rally is over and H4L has to return to their home base that she will be able to make her dreams a reality and escape the hell hole she has become so jaded by, but that may not be in the cards for her once things start going wrong.
I know Coty and Lace were supposed to be the main couple with the others kinda just filling their time with Lace but I really, really did not like Coty overall as a character. Don't get me wrong. I love the possessive, alpha male vibes that he was throwing off but it felt more about him seeing her as property that he owned than because he genuinely felt anything for her other than lust. There were rare moments where you wondered if he actually did have deep feelings for her but they never really grew to the point of them being indisputable. There were others in the gang that treated her even better and seemed to truly care about her well-being. Coty wasn't it for me.
I will tell you, I was definitely not cool with the whole vibe between Kio and Jess either. I understand that Lace was kinda okay with the whole thing but it felt a little too close to him cheating with how much he seemed to be infatuated with Jess. Of course, Lace had more than her hands full with the rest of the boys but still... if the whole thing was she was supposed to belong to all them and they to her, a few of them, like Kio kinda toed that line a bit too closely.
The book was a little scattered and there was terminology thrown around that seemed to just be assumed to be understood by the reader. It got so bad that I had to look deeper into the series to try to figure out if it was a spin-off of something else which would explain why it seemed like the reader should know more than I did. It is, indeed, a spin-off so personally I'd recommend reading the first series first otherwise you'll be as lost as I was.
That is not saying the book was bad, it wasn't or I would have stopped reading it. It was decent but it did lose a few points for not making it more easily to pick up without reading the first series.
The Crown of Fools by Candice Wright
Sunshine would just curl up in the casket with her lost love and give up if it weren't for the new life growing in her belly. At the funeral she even fantasizes about it before she is unceremoniously carried away screaming her agony into the morning sky. The depths of her grief are vast and while she knows she has to keep breathing, has to keep moving, and has to keep surviving for their child she is struggling to see a life without the man she has loved for years in it. The Carnage wars claimed his life when he defended the life of Ava and while Sunshine holds no ill-will to the people of Carnage she also wants nothing more to do with them as she suspects they feel the same. But when a Goliath of a man in a Carnage cut is standing over her as she breaks down in her closet she wonders if there may be a few of the brothers who haven't dismissed her with the death of her man. Little did she know that her Carnage family was still there for her and Conan & Inigo want more than anything to comfort her and make her whole again. But after the loss of Pike can she move on so quickly to two of his older biker brothers? Will her heart even give her a choice? And it seems the Carnage boys aren't the only ones who are watching and wanting Sunshine for themselves. But will they be too late once Sunshine's stalker decides to make a play for her whether she's willing or not?
I found this to be an interesting installment in the series. The men in the love interest spectrum keep expanding until you aren't really sure who she is going to end up with in the end. Traditionally it's always a triad but Conan and Inigo don't have a third anymore. Then there are a few options to fill that third roll but which will it be? Sunshine went from one man monogamy to a reverse harem of indeterminate amounts. The men in the running are also about double Sunshine's age. #Daddyissues But the age gap wasn't so prevalent that it made the romances gross, so at least that was a saving grace.
I felt terrible for Sunshine. It seemed like the girl just never got a break and yet she kept on trucking. even when slogging through her grief. She struggled with her morality even when her heart told her Pike would have wanted her to be happy. I liked that she didn't just give in immediately and try to lose herself in them to lessen the survivor's guilt she was suffering. She took her time and they allowed her to do so. It was by far the most believable dynamic in this book world so far. I think that it touches on a trope that people may not have been expecting but I for one found to be endearing.
3.0
Sunshine would just curl up in the casket with her lost love and give up if it weren't for the new life growing in her belly. At the funeral she even fantasizes about it before she is unceremoniously carried away screaming her agony into the morning sky. The depths of her grief are vast and while she knows she has to keep breathing, has to keep moving, and has to keep surviving for their child she is struggling to see a life without the man she has loved for years in it. The Carnage wars claimed his life when he defended the life of Ava and while Sunshine holds no ill-will to the people of Carnage she also wants nothing more to do with them as she suspects they feel the same. But when a Goliath of a man in a Carnage cut is standing over her as she breaks down in her closet she wonders if there may be a few of the brothers who haven't dismissed her with the death of her man. Little did she know that her Carnage family was still there for her and Conan & Inigo want more than anything to comfort her and make her whole again. But after the loss of Pike can she move on so quickly to two of his older biker brothers? Will her heart even give her a choice? And it seems the Carnage boys aren't the only ones who are watching and wanting Sunshine for themselves. But will they be too late once Sunshine's stalker decides to make a play for her whether she's willing or not?
I found this to be an interesting installment in the series. The men in the love interest spectrum keep expanding until you aren't really sure who she is going to end up with in the end. Traditionally it's always a triad but Conan and Inigo don't have a third anymore. Then there are a few options to fill that third roll but which will it be? Sunshine went from one man monogamy to a reverse harem of indeterminate amounts. The men in the running are also about double Sunshine's age. #Daddyissues But the age gap wasn't so prevalent that it made the romances gross, so at least that was a saving grace.
I felt terrible for Sunshine. It seemed like the girl just never got a break and yet she kept on trucking. even when slogging through her grief. She struggled with her morality even when her heart told her Pike would have wanted her to be happy. I liked that she didn't just give in immediately and try to lose herself in them to lessen the survivor's guilt she was suffering. She took her time and they allowed her to do so. It was by far the most believable dynamic in this book world so far. I think that it touches on a trope that people may not have been expecting but I for one found to be endearing.
The Princess of Chaos by Candice Wright
Megan never planned on going back to the place she had ran away from after her attack that left her deaf. But when her best friend Luna gets dragged into the world of MCs and Megan gets caught in the crossfire she is used as a bargaining chip to cement peace between two rival crews. She would do anything for her friend... even return to hell with three droolworthy men who make her question everything she knew about the crew she left. Throughout her stay she is tested over and over again. The people she thought were her allies turn out to be no worse than the enemies that sided with her attacker. But through the affections of her men she starts to find her place. But some people won't let the past lie and Megan is the focal point of a revenge plot. Secrets and lies unfold but Megan is determined to wear the crown as the presidents' old lady but heavy hangs the head that wears the crown.
Megan was an interesting character. The thing that I found most unbelievable with the character development is that she is deaf but can speak well enough for everyone to understand clearly without a speech impediment. I am not sure if the fact that she could hear initially and then lost her hearing contributed to that or not. Also it was never really explained how she lost her hearing other than her taking a severe beating. I wish that her deafness would have been addressed a little bit more. But I did like how strong Megan was. Although she did seem to get over her hang-ups pretty quickly in favor of standing her ground and by her men.
As with any reverse harem there is always a favorite for me and in this instance it was a tie between Zero and Grim. Grim is the tortured soul who never thinks he'll be happy again due to his sister missing. Zero is the cheery one. He doesn't take life too seriously and is there to coddle Megan when she needs it after Viper's hard ass puts his foot in his mouth. Zero has a stronger bond with Viper than Grim does so I think I like Grim a bit more due to him being willing to not even second guess backing Megan while Zero may pause to consider Viper's wishes.
The story was a vast improvement on the first book. The first book, while moderately good, was surpassed easily by this one. It was very well-rounded and thought out. The fact the heroine had a tormented past only made the story more heartwarming when the HEA was achieved. I do like that the books seemed to interconnect a bit without it being so profound that someone couldn't read them out of order if they so chose. It seems Ms. Wright is finding her rhythm with this series and I'm anxious to see how she grows with the rest of the series.
3.0
Megan never planned on going back to the place she had ran away from after her attack that left her deaf. But when her best friend Luna gets dragged into the world of MCs and Megan gets caught in the crossfire she is used as a bargaining chip to cement peace between two rival crews. She would do anything for her friend... even return to hell with three droolworthy men who make her question everything she knew about the crew she left. Throughout her stay she is tested over and over again. The people she thought were her allies turn out to be no worse than the enemies that sided with her attacker. But through the affections of her men she starts to find her place. But some people won't let the past lie and Megan is the focal point of a revenge plot. Secrets and lies unfold but Megan is determined to wear the crown as the presidents' old lady but heavy hangs the head that wears the crown.
Megan was an interesting character. The thing that I found most unbelievable with the character development is that she is deaf but can speak well enough for everyone to understand clearly without a speech impediment. I am not sure if the fact that she could hear initially and then lost her hearing contributed to that or not. Also it was never really explained how she lost her hearing other than her taking a severe beating. I wish that her deafness would have been addressed a little bit more. But I did like how strong Megan was. Although she did seem to get over her hang-ups pretty quickly in favor of standing her ground and by her men.
As with any reverse harem there is always a favorite for me and in this instance it was a tie between Zero and Grim. Grim is the tortured soul who never thinks he'll be happy again due to his sister missing. Zero is the cheery one. He doesn't take life too seriously and is there to coddle Megan when she needs it after Viper's hard ass puts his foot in his mouth. Zero has a stronger bond with Viper than Grim does so I think I like Grim a bit more due to him being willing to not even second guess backing Megan while Zero may pause to consider Viper's wishes.
The story was a vast improvement on the first book. The first book, while moderately good, was surpassed easily by this one. It was very well-rounded and thought out. The fact the heroine had a tormented past only made the story more heartwarming when the HEA was achieved. I do like that the books seemed to interconnect a bit without it being so profound that someone couldn't read them out of order if they so chose. It seems Ms. Wright is finding her rhythm with this series and I'm anxious to see how she grows with the rest of the series.
The Queen of Carnage by Candice Wright
Who knew when Luna broke the fence and tried to rescue a dog from an abusive owner that it would get locked up with a bunch of angry bikers for her generous act. When the dog she was rescuing turned out to belong to the President of the Kings of Carnage MC and not the man she saw kicking the dog. As her punishment for trying to steal from the MC she was commanded to stay in service of the MC for 30 days. And in that time she found herself cozying up to Orion, Halo, and Gage (or "Adonis", "Pretty Boy" and "Demon" in her mind). Along the way the intricacies of club life are pushed to the forefront and it is far too much for Luna to deal with. So she leaves, but in only a few months time she is literally beaten over the head and dragged back kicking and screaming to the MC she had abandoned and the men who were bitter of her betrayal. But there may be deeper things afoot than just Luna's a-wall status. Something is happening within the MC's ranks and there are turning out to be far more rats in the clubhouse than they ever would have guessed. Can Luna prove herself to her men and the other club members and also flush out the rats to help her men salvage the organization before it topples? Better question, does she care enough to even bother?
This book really hit the ground running to the point of it being incredibly jarring. I really thought I was going to absolutely detest the book because of how fast it went from Luna basically introducing herself as a character to already being in trouble with the MC. There was no lead-up, no real reason for her to even have been involved with them. She saved the dog from being beat and her reward is to be a prisoner? Sure, why not. I did like that Luna was not a pillow princess or one of those cries at the first sign of violence or disdain thrown her way. She was a badass. Gotta love a strong heroine.
However, while the beginning was off-putting once you got through it a bit it wasn't too bad. Was it the best writing I have ever read? ...Not really. Was it decently entertaining and had spicy moments that made me sigh? Yes. So it had an even spread of pros and cons.
As with any harem I always have a favorite... While Gage started out as a hard sell he ultimately got there eventually. I like that he didn't just fall to his knees and kiss Luna's feet from the absolute first second he laid eyes on her. He had some push back. A moment of, 'uh we just met this chick and already you want us to all be a couple? We know nothing about her!' Very smart man. Intelligence is hot even when it is just simple common sense. I think without Gage the book would have floundered for me. He was the saving grace in my mind and the reason why I plan to read the next installment as well.
3.0
Who knew when Luna broke the fence and tried to rescue a dog from an abusive owner that it would get locked up with a bunch of angry bikers for her generous act. When the dog she was rescuing turned out to belong to the President of the Kings of Carnage MC and not the man she saw kicking the dog. As her punishment for trying to steal from the MC she was commanded to stay in service of the MC for 30 days. And in that time she found herself cozying up to Orion, Halo, and Gage (or "Adonis", "Pretty Boy" and "Demon" in her mind). Along the way the intricacies of club life are pushed to the forefront and it is far too much for Luna to deal with. So she leaves, but in only a few months time she is literally beaten over the head and dragged back kicking and screaming to the MC she had abandoned and the men who were bitter of her betrayal. But there may be deeper things afoot than just Luna's a-wall status. Something is happening within the MC's ranks and there are turning out to be far more rats in the clubhouse than they ever would have guessed. Can Luna prove herself to her men and the other club members and also flush out the rats to help her men salvage the organization before it topples? Better question, does she care enough to even bother?
This book really hit the ground running to the point of it being incredibly jarring. I really thought I was going to absolutely detest the book because of how fast it went from Luna basically introducing herself as a character to already being in trouble with the MC. There was no lead-up, no real reason for her to even have been involved with them. She saved the dog from being beat and her reward is to be a prisoner? Sure, why not. I did like that Luna was not a pillow princess or one of those cries at the first sign of violence or disdain thrown her way. She was a badass. Gotta love a strong heroine.
However, while the beginning was off-putting once you got through it a bit it wasn't too bad. Was it the best writing I have ever read? ...Not really. Was it decently entertaining and had spicy moments that made me sigh? Yes. So it had an even spread of pros and cons.
As with any harem I always have a favorite... While Gage started out as a hard sell he ultimately got there eventually. I like that he didn't just fall to his knees and kiss Luna's feet from the absolute first second he laid eyes on her. He had some push back. A moment of, 'uh we just met this chick and already you want us to all be a couple? We know nothing about her!' Very smart man. Intelligence is hot even when it is just simple common sense. I think without Gage the book would have floundered for me. He was the saving grace in my mind and the reason why I plan to read the next installment as well.
The Ritual by Shantel Tessier
Blakely Anderson knew that her life was already mapped out for her. Once she completed her degree at Barrington University she would marry her boyfriend, Matt, and live the life of her mother full of high society functions and a lackluster marriage. But when her best friend offers her a last hurrah attending one of the Lords', a secret society for Barrington, party and potentially becoming one of the Lords' Chosen Ones she has to admit she is curious. What she wasn't expecting was to run into her cheating boyfriend and his newest conquest. This sends her directly into the pathway of Ryat Archer, the man that oozes danger and sex appeal. Before she knows it she is volunteering to be is Chosen and everything that comes along with it. Between Ryat's cruelty, her stalker ex-boyfriend, and the abundance of secrets the Lords seem to have, she doesn't know who to trust anymore. She has to wonder if her choice was one she would live to regret once Ryat casts her aside at the end of the year.
The author did an excellent job of working through the dynamic with Ryat and Blakely. There was no insta-love. There wasn't even insta-like really. Blakely wanted an escape and an adventure before she had to make the choice of her arranged marriage or fleeing and Ryat has a mission to complete and Blakely may be a part of that. Both of them went into the relationship with their eyes wide open and not expecting anything. Blakely didn't aim to change or soften Ryat and Ryat didn't try to dull Blakely's fire (if anything he nurtured it). Tessier did a fabulous job letting the romance build while not sacrificing the hot and spicy scenes that this book would need to incorporate.
Ryat grew on me and Blakely was divine. Ryat I kind of hated at first. He was cocky and just didn't seem to care how badly he broke people when it meant getting what he wanted. Blakely was docile and meek until pushed too far and then she was a spitfire. They were developed well enough that I was able to put myself in either of their positions as the dual narrative took me.
There wasn't much I would change about this book. There were some dark themes though which gave me a bit of pause. Like the fact that in these scenes between Ryat and Blakely a safe word was never mentioned which is paramount in a dominant/submissive dynamic. That part made me a little uncomfortable. They should have had something like that in place otherwise the forceful sex (even if she seemed to be enjoying it) bordered a bit on abuse. That was my only hang up on the book.
I think this is a really good dark romance read that anyone who is into that sort of genre should read.
4.0
Blakely Anderson knew that her life was already mapped out for her. Once she completed her degree at Barrington University she would marry her boyfriend, Matt, and live the life of her mother full of high society functions and a lackluster marriage. But when her best friend offers her a last hurrah attending one of the Lords', a secret society for Barrington, party and potentially becoming one of the Lords' Chosen Ones she has to admit she is curious. What she wasn't expecting was to run into her cheating boyfriend and his newest conquest. This sends her directly into the pathway of Ryat Archer, the man that oozes danger and sex appeal. Before she knows it she is volunteering to be is Chosen and everything that comes along with it. Between Ryat's cruelty, her stalker ex-boyfriend, and the abundance of secrets the Lords seem to have, she doesn't know who to trust anymore. She has to wonder if her choice was one she would live to regret once Ryat casts her aside at the end of the year.
The author did an excellent job of working through the dynamic with Ryat and Blakely. There was no insta-love. There wasn't even insta-like really. Blakely wanted an escape and an adventure before she had to make the choice of her arranged marriage or fleeing and Ryat has a mission to complete and Blakely may be a part of that. Both of them went into the relationship with their eyes wide open and not expecting anything. Blakely didn't aim to change or soften Ryat and Ryat didn't try to dull Blakely's fire (if anything he nurtured it). Tessier did a fabulous job letting the romance build while not sacrificing the hot and spicy scenes that this book would need to incorporate.
Ryat grew on me and Blakely was divine. Ryat I kind of hated at first. He was cocky and just didn't seem to care how badly he broke people when it meant getting what he wanted. Blakely was docile and meek until pushed too far and then she was a spitfire. They were developed well enough that I was able to put myself in either of their positions as the dual narrative took me.
There wasn't much I would change about this book. There were some dark themes though which gave me a bit of pause. Like the fact that in these scenes between Ryat and Blakely a safe word was never mentioned which is paramount in a dominant/submissive dynamic. That part made me a little uncomfortable. They should have had something like that in place otherwise the forceful sex (even if she seemed to be enjoying it) bordered a bit on abuse. That was my only hang up on the book.
I think this is a really good dark romance read that anyone who is into that sort of genre should read.
Her Saints by Sarah Bale
Olivia recovered from her traumatic experience of being shot with ease, but the lasting effects of no longer having her men by her side are what truly feel devastating. Every time she turns away it is like she can hear motorcycles in her dreams. She knows that her men are trying to protect her in the most misguided way possible but she is dying to show them that they can't live without her just as she can't live without them. But during her time without them she starts to realize that someone else's attention has been peaked. When pictures of her dalliances start to show up whenever she goes she has to turn to the men who abandoned her for help and in doing so pray that they will see that she is more protected and safer with them than without them.
This whole book seemed very much like Edward abandoning Bella when he thought he was a danger to her existence. She did everything she could to try to get his attention and even put herself in very unsafe situations to do so. Eventually it came to pass that Edward had to face the fact that she was better protected at his side than with him far away from her. That is what this whole book felt like. They were trying to keep away from her thinking they would only lead to her getting hurt not realizing that they were hurting her far worse by being away from her. I did like that in the book the whole scene with Edward abandoning Bella was even referenced so the author made it very obvious where she pulled inspiration from.
I did like seeing Olivia try to come into her own without the men around. She did all the right things. She went into therapy despite that being a huge fear of hers due to past experiences. She tried to accept that they were gone for now but never gave up hope that they would come around eventually. I absolutely love that King, the one who had the shortest relationship with her to start, was the first to come back around and say 'fuck what Saint dictates'. He scored some major kudos from me for that.
I think this was a great way to kind of lead up to Olivia ultimately telling her men (and the readers) about her past. I am desperate to read the next installment.
4.0
Olivia recovered from her traumatic experience of being shot with ease, but the lasting effects of no longer having her men by her side are what truly feel devastating. Every time she turns away it is like she can hear motorcycles in her dreams. She knows that her men are trying to protect her in the most misguided way possible but she is dying to show them that they can't live without her just as she can't live without them. But during her time without them she starts to realize that someone else's attention has been peaked. When pictures of her dalliances start to show up whenever she goes she has to turn to the men who abandoned her for help and in doing so pray that they will see that she is more protected and safer with them than without them.
This whole book seemed very much like Edward abandoning Bella when he thought he was a danger to her existence. She did everything she could to try to get his attention and even put herself in very unsafe situations to do so. Eventually it came to pass that Edward had to face the fact that she was better protected at his side than with him far away from her. That is what this whole book felt like. They were trying to keep away from her thinking they would only lead to her getting hurt not realizing that they were hurting her far worse by being away from her. I did like that in the book the whole scene with Edward abandoning Bella was even referenced so the author made it very obvious where she pulled inspiration from.
I did like seeing Olivia try to come into her own without the men around. She did all the right things. She went into therapy despite that being a huge fear of hers due to past experiences. She tried to accept that they were gone for now but never gave up hope that they would come around eventually. I absolutely love that King, the one who had the shortest relationship with her to start, was the first to come back around and say 'fuck what Saint dictates'. He scored some major kudos from me for that.
I think this was a great way to kind of lead up to Olivia ultimately telling her men (and the readers) about her past. I am desperate to read the next installment.
Her Saviors by Sarah Bale
Olivia thought she had finally gotten her life under control. She had escaped a very harrowing childhood and made something of herself that nobody in her family had ever believed possible. She had not only graduated high school but she was a straight A student in college. She was rooming with a great roommate and they were encroaching on their summer vacation. Olivia isn't sure where she is going to go for the 2.5 months she has off and can't live in the dorm but the Feds have another idea for her. They request that she repays them for their help in saving her life by going in as a spy in the Devils' Regents MC Club. She is to act as their bartender and dig up as much dirt as she can for the Feds to use in sussing out the club's illegal activities. Little does Olivia know that when she arrives at the MC's clubhouse that she would be met with not one but four burly, handsome officers who have a vested interest in her safety from the moment they lay eyes on her doe-eyed expression. But Olivia is not as angelic as they would like to believe. Her past has made her predilections a bit more dark than the virginal role they cast her in. But there are forces working against the club that not even Olivia was prepared for and could be her downfall with the men who have finally made her feel something for the first time.
Olivia was a connundrum. One minute she is nervous to be in situations with aggressive men and the next she is doing things that are incredibly dangerous to feed the dark need within her. She walks this line of between angel and succubus that is really interesting to watch. And when she turns those dark needs on her men, watch out. The heat from their chemistry will explode off the page and singe your eyebrows. She is a very likeable character because despite her issues she cares about people around her. She will do whatever she thinks is best in the current situation. She felt repaying the Feds who saved her was best until she saw her actions starting to hurt the people around her. Then the moral dilemma turned to her refusing to do anything that caused more pain even at the jeopardy of herself. She was a class A heroine and I absolutely love her.
Of the four men: Saint, Razor, Bast, and King I definitely had a bit of a soft spot for Razor. I feel like he is the type that will become absolutely unhinged in his need to do anything he can to make Olivia happy. He started out as being a bit stand-off-ish with her unlike Bast and Saint but ultimately I think he is the one who will ultimately be her ride of die until the end. I also love that he craved intimacy with her from the very start. It wasn't just him thinking she was cute. He wanted something deeper and was not afraid to ask for it. Grade-A Adorable.
I think that as far as shortcomings go I feel like if Olivia would have played a bigger part in the sharing of intel with the Feds then maybe I would have felt her angst over having to choose between ratting on them or sticking by them a bit more. I didn't feel she shared all that much with the agents to cause her role in the betrayal to be that big a part. If that would have been enhanced a bit more it would have added a lot more drama into the mix.
But the story was a good start to what I hope to be another favorite series.
4.0
Olivia thought she had finally gotten her life under control. She had escaped a very harrowing childhood and made something of herself that nobody in her family had ever believed possible. She had not only graduated high school but she was a straight A student in college. She was rooming with a great roommate and they were encroaching on their summer vacation. Olivia isn't sure where she is going to go for the 2.5 months she has off and can't live in the dorm but the Feds have another idea for her. They request that she repays them for their help in saving her life by going in as a spy in the Devils' Regents MC Club. She is to act as their bartender and dig up as much dirt as she can for the Feds to use in sussing out the club's illegal activities. Little does Olivia know that when she arrives at the MC's clubhouse that she would be met with not one but four burly, handsome officers who have a vested interest in her safety from the moment they lay eyes on her doe-eyed expression. But Olivia is not as angelic as they would like to believe. Her past has made her predilections a bit more dark than the virginal role they cast her in. But there are forces working against the club that not even Olivia was prepared for and could be her downfall with the men who have finally made her feel something for the first time.
Olivia was a connundrum. One minute she is nervous to be in situations with aggressive men and the next she is doing things that are incredibly dangerous to feed the dark need within her. She walks this line of between angel and succubus that is really interesting to watch. And when she turns those dark needs on her men, watch out. The heat from their chemistry will explode off the page and singe your eyebrows. She is a very likeable character because despite her issues she cares about people around her. She will do whatever she thinks is best in the current situation. She felt repaying the Feds who saved her was best until she saw her actions starting to hurt the people around her. Then the moral dilemma turned to her refusing to do anything that caused more pain even at the jeopardy of herself. She was a class A heroine and I absolutely love her.
Of the four men: Saint, Razor, Bast, and King I definitely had a bit of a soft spot for Razor. I feel like he is the type that will become absolutely unhinged in his need to do anything he can to make Olivia happy. He started out as being a bit stand-off-ish with her unlike Bast and Saint but ultimately I think he is the one who will ultimately be her ride of die until the end. I also love that he craved intimacy with her from the very start. It wasn't just him thinking she was cute. He wanted something deeper and was not afraid to ask for it. Grade-A Adorable.
I think that as far as shortcomings go I feel like if Olivia would have played a bigger part in the sharing of intel with the Feds then maybe I would have felt her angst over having to choose between ratting on them or sticking by them a bit more. I didn't feel she shared all that much with the agents to cause her role in the betrayal to be that big a part. If that would have been enhanced a bit more it would have added a lot more drama into the mix.
But the story was a good start to what I hope to be another favorite series.