Head Stuck In A Book: ARC Review: The Never King (Vicious Lost Boys #1) - Nikki St. Crowe

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The stories were all wrong — Hook was never the villain.

For two centuries, all of the Darling women have disappeared on their 18th birthday. Sometimes they’re gone for only a day, some a week or a month. But they always return broken.

Now, on the afternoon of my 18th birthday, my mother is running around the house making sure all the windows are barred and the doors locked.

But it’s pointless.

Because when night falls, he comes for me. And this time, the Never King and the Lost Boys aren’t willing to let me go.

The Never King is a dark retelling of Peter and Wendy. If you like your enemies to lovers romance with hot, ruthless, morally gray love interests, you’ll enjoy The Never King and the Lost Boys. You can expect hate kissing, fighting, bickering, and ‘touch her and I’ll unalive you’ vibes.

                                 Review.

The Never King is a dark, steamy smutty retelling of Peter Pan and The Lost Boys, these are far from the Disney characters you're familiar with, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

This would have to be one of the best retellings I've ever read, and I've read quite a few over the years.

I loved everything about this book. from the front cover to every word written inside.

I really can't want to have to wait for the next book, I desperately need to know what happens next after the ending left me hanging.

The Never King is a top contender for my favourite book of the year, it was just so good!

                                         

 

Head Stuck In A Book: ARC Review: Whiskey & Wine - Rebecca Gannon

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Released 4th March 2022.

I was sent to Breaker Estates to take over the annual Icewine Festival from my coworker, and while I was ecstatic to run an event on such a grand scale, I wasn’t prepared for the owner.

Ben Breaker.

Ex-hockey star. Broody. Rude. Hates every change I want to make. Hates publicity. And, oh yeah, is also 6’4” with a body that’s made for making women wish they could have a taste, paired with midnight blue eyes that hold everything he doesn’t say.

He drives me crazy.

I want to both hit him and kiss him half the time, but I can’t ignore the way my body reacts whenever he’s near.

I don’t know how I’ll make it a month working with him, keeping it strictly professional…
Oh, right, I can’t.

Review.

Whiskey & Wine is a grumpy/sunshine contemporary romance set around an Icewine Festival. Our heroine Leah the event coordinator and Ben, a  former NHL player who is the owner of the winery Breaker Estates.

This was a cute, feel-good, steamy romance with a likeable heroine and a gruff hero, which was a quick and enjoyable read.

Featuring one of my favourite tropes. and with an atmosphere that makes this a perfect winter read; I look forward to reading more from this author.

 

Head Stuck In A Book: ARC Review: Fiery Kiss - Ava Gray

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As a dragon shifter, it was easy for me to save her from the fire.
But much, much harder to let her go after that.

Danny's life was in danger.
Her entire apartment burning down was no accident.
She needed me.
To protect her, to love her, and to make her mine.

I was more than a firefighter.
I'd spent my entire life fighting enemies that could kill me or my loved ones.
Danny was safer if she stayed close.
I was the only man who could touch her.
And I would die before letting the enemy endanger her life again.

Review.

A fast-paced and exciting story of Dragon-Shifter Firefighters that will keep you enthralled till the very last page.

Cole and Danny are great main characters, plus a host of engaging characters and an intriguing plotline; Fiery Kiss had me absorbed from the get-go.

I'm hoping this will be a series because I need the other character's books, especially Ember's and David's.

A one-sit read that will keep you entertained the whole way through.

 

Review:  Inside Out – Natalie Hibberd  

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In a divisive world of mistrust and murder, there’s only one thing that matters growing up: you’re either in The Inside or The Outside.

While the Insiders appear pampered and privileged, the Outsiders know only harsh realities. Believing themselves to be needlessly deprived of everything the Insiders have, the younger generation channel their rage into a terrorist group called The Freedom Fighters, a group intent on overthrowing the Inside at any cost. Now the Insiders must watch as the world they love collapses around them while the government resort to increasingly desperate tactics to try and contain the Outside threat. When the latest initiative catapults one of the young into the heart of the war, everything is pushed to breaking point.

Loyalties will be tested. Lives will be risked. Their worlds will change forever.

Review.

Inside Out is a YA Dystopian novel fraught with action and suspense.

Set in a world where you’re either From The Inside (the privileged) or The Outside (who live a harsh life), The Outside have formed a terrorist group called the Freedom Fighters; they do all they can to take down The Inside, even if that means murder.

I liked the concept of this story, the poor uprising against the well-off; having POVs from inside the Freedom Fighters was a great idea so the reader could understand the logic behind what they did.

I read this book in one sitting; it kept me engrossed the whole way through.

I did find that there were so many characters, and with so many POVs, it took me a while to keep track of who was who, but that would be my only complaint.

I am intrigued to see what happens in the next book after the ending in Inside Out.

Otherwise, a great debut!

Head Stuck In A Book: ARC Review: Shadow Born (The Dark Shade #1) - D.N. Hoxa

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The Dark Shade is not real. The darkness, the monsters, the fear—they're all only in my head.

At least that's what everyone's been telling me since I woke up with my mind wiped clean five years ago.

Supernaturals love the Shades. They're magical safe havens where everyone can be who they truly are without having to hide. They are not dark.

But I know better than to trust that.

They call me Kallista Nix, but that is not my real name. My past was taken from me, and though I search for it every day, all I find are dead ends.

Until I steal a magical artifact I wasn't supposed to steal, and now Alexander King is after me.

He's a merciless predator who works for the highest supernatural authority in the world, and possibly the most beautiful man I've ever seen. If I were smart, I'd keep far away from him, but common sense means nothing when he looks at me like he wants to devour me, and I have no problem with that at all.

The truth about the Dark Shade is so close now I can taste it. All I have to do is work with King, even if that might get me imprisoned, dead—or even worse.

It isn't even a choice, because I swore to myself that I would do everything it took to find out about my past.

But what if the price I have to pay for it is my future?

***Shadow Born is book 1 in The Dark Shade series, written in 2 POVs, packed with magic, mayhem, and fiery romance intended for mature audiences.

Review.

One of the things I loved most about this book was the amount of different paranormal species in this story.

Most paranormal books deal with one, perhaps even two, but not Shadow Born, it has Fae, Elves,  Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, Wizards and even Ghouls, and I am here for it.

The world in this story is like nothing I've ever read before; I enjoyed reading about the Shades and its magic and the different characters scattered about,

Our main character is Kallista Nix (a name given to her); she's not exactly sure what kind of Supernatural she is, and not even The Guild (the supernatural authority) knows either, even through countless tests, it can't be determined,

Kallista has amnesia; it's been five years of wondering who and what she is; all she can remember is something called The Dark Shade which everybody she speaks to tells her there's no such thing.

Desperately trying to discover who she is, Kallista tries to save up enough money to pay the best trackers around to discover her identity.

When Kallista comes across Vampires and Werewolves fighting over some box and realises it must be really important and figures she can get quite a lot of money for it and finally get some answers, she sells it, and that's when the story really starts to get exciting.

Alexander King is a Vampire; he also has amnesia, he helps The Guild with jobs; one of them is to recover the stolen box which brings him into contact with Kallista. I knew straight off the bat that these two had some kind of connection; I'm excited to see it all play out.

The amnesia trope is one of my favourites to read, to have not one but two characters with amnesia, had me pretty excited.

And I really can't wait for the next book, the ending, while not technically a cliffhanger, still left me wanting more, more answers, more action, more Kallista and Alexander interactions; you get the drift.

A thoroughly enjoyable start to a new series.

 

Head Stuck In A Book: ARC Review: Vestige (Fallen Angels #1) - Zara Dusk

 

Release Date: 25th February 2022

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My sister was murdered by an angel. And I’m going to repay the favor.

Sure, angels are hard to kill—but not impossible. Those celestial bastards aren’t as immortal as they’d like us to believe.

I just have to figure out who the hell he is, then smoke his ass. Sure. Easy.

When the angel turns out to be a sinfully sexy master of seduction, my plan falls to pieces. It seems he’s been seeking someone like me for centuries because I have something he needs. And no, I don’t have a clue what that is. But trust me, I’ll find out.

Then I’ll kill him.

Life is hard enough in the underground city. Most folks only go outside during dawn and dusk, avoiding the extreme temperatures of day and night. Nobody likes a frozen eyeball. But the heat coming off this damn angel is scorching, any time of the day.

My life becomes a battle between seduction and revenge, and I’m not sure I can win.

Join Scarla as she kicks some angel ass. Or fails to. You can provide the honeyed wine.

My Review

First off, kudos and thanks to whoever designed this cover; I could stare at it all day.
It's been a while since I've read a decent Angel book, with Vestige I'm happy to say I've found a very enjoyable one.
Set in a world where the weather conditions are harsh, our heroine Scarla lives in a community underground with her Father; she is obsessed with finding out who killed her sister Leesa.
Scarla sets out to find answers; during her search, she discovers that Angel's are real, and one of them is responsible for her sister's death.
So when she's kidnapped and held captive by an Angel, because of something she has that he wants for himself, Scarla finds it hard to resist being seduced by this fallen Angel before she can kill him.
I really enjoyed the sexual chemistry in this book; it is hot!
While both our main protagonists deny their feelings for one another, you can't help but await the time they finally give in and just get it on; there just isn't enough Angel smut going around, but I am here for it!
And don't get me started on the Angel feathers/wings; who knew feathers could be so arousing.
I love Scarla; she's a kick-ass chick who doesn't take crap from anyone; paired with her broody, mortal-hating, seductive Angel/kidnapper, the dialogue is witty and, at times, quite funny.
I'm a big fan of the few chapters told from the point of view of our hero; I only wish there was more; I really enjoyed them; I loved reading what he was thinking.
So I can't finish this review without mentioning the end; of course, it had a cliff-hanger; of course, I'm in desperate need of the next book; I'm dying to know what happens.
I highly recommend this book as a great start to a new series, and I'm anxiously awaiting book two.

(ARC) Book Review (505): May The Best Man Win (The Best Men #1) - Mira Lyn Kelly

Published: August 2nd 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Pages: 352

Buy It: Amazon Barnes & Noble Book Depository

Four friends
Each a Best Man at a wedding
One chance to get it right

Jase Foster can't believe his bad luck. He's been paired with the she-devil herself for his best friend's wedding: Emily Klein of the miles-long legs and killer smile. She may be sin in a bridesmaid dress, but there's no way he's falling for her again.

They can barely stand each other, but given how many of their friends are getting married, they'll just have to play nice-at least when they're in company. Once they're alone, more than just gloves come off as Jase and Emily discover their chemistry is combustible, and there may be something to this enemies to lovers thing after all...

My Thoughts.

I absolutely adore contemporary romances, whether they be adult, new adult or young adult, I have a definite soft spot for them and every new book I pick up is a new adventure that I can't wait to dig into, I always love discovering new authors which I've done here with Mira Lyn Kelly.
One of my favorite things about May The Best Man Win was the relationship between our two leads Emily and Jase, the animosity between them at the beginning was funny and entertaining, the sexual tension was evident from the get-go and you know it's only a matter of time before these two act on it.
I enjoyed the supporting characters just as much as I did the leads and I eagerly await their stories, I also really appreciate having POV's from both Emily and Jace's perspectives, to be in their heads was a delight, the history they share having known each other since high school and the tragic past between them has put them at loggerheads with each other, this added an intriguing element to the story.
I eagerly await the next books in this series, this book was so fun and enjoyable and I'll be checking out Mira Lynn Kelly's other books for sure.
I give this 5/5 stars.

ABOUT MIRA LYN KELLY

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USA TODAY bestselling author Mira Lyn Kelly grew up in the Chicago area and earned her degree in Fine Arts from Loyola University. She met the love of her life while studying abroad in Rome, Italy, only to discover he’d been living right around the corner from her back home. Having spent her twenties working and playing in the Windy City, she’s now settled with her husband in rural Minnesota, where their four beautiful children and naughty dog provide an excess of action and entertainment. When she isn’t reading, writing, or running to keep up with the family, she loves watching movies, blabbing with the girls, and cooking with her husband and friends.

You can find Mira on FACEBOOK at www.facebook.com/miralynkelly.author


(Mira also has a backlist of Erotic Romance titles under the pen name Moira McTark)

Website: http://www.miralynkelly.com

Twitter: MiraLynKelly