Category: eBooks

Review: Headcase (Necessary Evil #4) by Onley James

Rating: 4.25

““Mirror twins,” Dr. Rice corrected. “Each one the perfect mirror image of the other, right down to their birthmarks.” The two weren’t speaking out loud, but they would smile and laugh in tandem, as if one had told the other a joke. Even though they didn’t look at each other,”

— Headcase (Necessary Evils Book 4) by Onley James
https://a.co/bth15I7

Ah, the Twins! Asa and Avi. I knew they’d present trouble. If for no other reason then the author has created a history and background for them that’s so intriguing and compelling. Mirror twins able to communicate telepathically, that go feral when separated. Twins so much a part of each other that they often talk as one, even though as adults they have careers (one a designer, the other a architect), they are never far apart.

So to deviate from the overall combined character portrait James must weaken those very elements that pulls us to them, and makes us want to know why, what’s it like to be a half of such a unique dynamic.

Plus there’s that other defining factor. They love pain. As children they enjoyed hurting each other. So as killers, it’s sheer bliss.

But this is a series about brothers and relationships. So a decision had to be made. Sacrifice the unique combined character portrait of Asa&Avi for separation and books for Asa and Avi.

I honestly think a argument could be made for two books with each brother helping the other to find or hunt down their obsession. Given that the brothers are apex predators, that would have made more sense then the plot here.

Trial separation even they didn’t believe. Behaviors that didn’t follow the pattern.

Asa is a sadist. Remember his love of pain? Ada loves to live with the power to inflict it. So his obsession will be with someone who’s will be the masochistic opposite to his sadistic nature. That’s will be a reporter with rock bottom self image issues, and a family absolutely determined to insure he knows he never mattered.

Zane Scott, small time crime blogger who’s determined to follow his instincts that say something’s not right with the wealthy Mulvaney family. That’s an investigation bound to go lethally wrong.

Unless the reporter turns out to be not only delicious prey, but one who needs big time help.

There’s a great mystery , a lot of sadomasochistic sex, which concurrently helps to develop the relationship between Asa and Zane from one of being chained to a radiator to one being handcuffed to a bed. There’s rough borderline non – con sex, fisting…you name it.

Perfectly in line with Asa, and in turn, Zane.

What’s always missing? Although he’s constantly mentioned? Avi. There’s a few texts. Some “ thoughts”. But far too few for the scary Mirror Twins we’ve come to know and anticipate. It’s as though we get Asa light.

I’m not sure what the alternative would have been, frankly, but , as the pain loving gorgeous Mirror Twins , they stood apart , even in a galaxy of star psychopaths. Separate? Merely one of a striking family of killers

Maybe Avi’s book can shed some light on why the separation dulled their uniqueness so.

Asa and Zane had a great and horrific mystery to unravel. Plus the historic manner in which they dispatched the final villain was educational and satisfying. That’s was a win!

Their S/m dynamic made perfect sense, given their personalities. You decide how comfortable you are with that sexual relationship. Definitely not a sweet romance in the framework you would think of one.

I’m recommending this as it adds to the overall series arc, family picture, and I found it entertaining and thoughtful.

Necessary Evils series:

🔹Unhinged #1

🔹Psycho #2

🔹Moonstruck #3

🔹Headcase #4

🔹Mad Man #5

🔹Lunatic #6 – TBR Aug 23, 2022

https://www.goodreads.com › showHeadcase (Necessary Evils, #4) by Onley James – Goodreads

Synopsis:

Asa Mulvaney is half of a psychopathic whole. He and his twin brother live together, party together…kill together. In the Mulvaney family, murder is the family business and business is good. So, when an experiment separates Asa and his brother, Asa is forced to navigate the world on his own for the first time in his life.

Zane Scott is a small-time crime blogger, but he dreams of a byline in a major paper and his suspicions surrounding Thomas Mulvaney are about to make that dream a reality. When an invitation to a boring fundraiser lands him not beside Thomas, as he had hoped, but Asa Mulvaney, they share an intensely passionate encounter that leaves Zane trapped in a cage of his own making.

At a nearby college, a cluster of suicides isn’t what it seems. When Asa’s father asks him to look into it, he sees the perfect opportunity to exploit his little crime reporter and make him fall in line. And Asa needs him to fall in line. Zane is suspicious of Asa’s motives and half-convinced he’s dead either way, but he won’t say no to a chance to peek behind the Mulvaney family curtains.

As the two unravel a sinister plot, Asa’s obsession with Zane grows and Zane finds being Asa’s sole focus outweighs almost anything, maybe even his career—which is good for Asa because loving a Mulvaney is a full-time job. Can he convince Zane that he’s worth navigating a family of psychopaths and tolerating an almost too close for comfort twin? Or will Zane learn the hard way that the Mulvaney boys always get what they want? Always.

Headcase is a high heat, intense, lovers-to-frenemies, psychopath romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features an obsessive, calculating psychopath and a wannabe reporter who will stop at nothing to earn himself a major byline. As always, there’s gratuitous violence, very dark humor, enough killers to fill an auditorium, and enough heat to melt your kindle. This is book four in the Necessary Evils series. Each book follows a different couple.

Review: Moonstruck (Necessary Evil #3) by Onley James

Rating: 5🌈

Moonstruck, the third in Olney James’ extraordinary series about a family of adopted psychopathic children turned into retributive killers under the guidance of the man who raised them, albeit as a loving research project.

“…that psychopaths weren’t a plague on society but a gift, an evolutionary tool that could be harnessed to cull the monsters of their society, he’d change the world.”

— Moonstruck (Necessary Evils Book 3) by Onley James

That’s their father, billionaire Dr. Thomas Mulvaney talking about his theory and reasoning behind his adoption of the 7 special children now his sons.

Atticus Mulvaney was the first to be adopted. Each boy’s history as Thomas Mulvaney finds them is the prologue to their novel. He’s a mimic and a void. Mirroring the behavior of others in front of him flawlessly, only to subside into almost an emotionless state when no one is around. He’s tasked with helping those children that come after him, a tough job when that task is misinterpreted and the children are small psychopaths, each coming from situations even adults aren’t equipped to deal with.

A serious small child, he’s become a serious, over achieving adult. A world renown Dr (medical and researcher) , he’s happiest in his lab, conducting his tests and writing grants, not as a participant in the family’s other most important hidden business. That of killing society’s worst predators.

We slowly get a real understanding that Atticus truly isn’t like all the others. We have had small snippets of him in the other stories but now he’s beginning to come alive and the picture is startling.

It helps that it’s another person that will start to shake up everyone’s perception of Atticus, including his own.

That’s Jericho Navarro, mechanic, guardian of his neighborhood, and vigilante who’s been protecting the endangered youth by offering them sanctuary and then training. As killers themselves to protect themselves and those around them.

Their meetup is so memorable! Both hilarious, awful, sexy, and funny again. And it starts us and Atticus off on a journey of self discovery, acceptance, and romance. Yes, Atticus is very different. He needs to be taken care of and has just found the perfect person .

Moonstruck is again totally different as Atticus is so unlike his brothers who’s storylines preceded his. The villain and plot also is complicated enough to keep us involved, outside of this highly complex relationship and evolving dynamics Atticus and Jericho have going.

I can see these two are going to be a favorite couple along side August and Lucas.

Moonstruck (Necessary Evil #3) by Onley James is another favorite! Highly recommended!

Necessary Evils series:

🔹Unhinged #1

🔹Psycho #2

🔹Moonstruck #3

🔹Headcase #4

🔹Mad Man #5

🔹Lunatic #6

Note: Again, this is all dark fiction, along with humor and sexy scenes so very hot! There’s gore, murders, gritty investigations, and , some aspects that , depending on each novel, will have the potential to act as a trigger. Mentions of child abuse, rape, suicide ideation, and non con sexual kink. So each book has its own warning. If any of these are subjects you would be uncomfortable with, pls take note.

https://www.goodreads.com › showMoonstruck (Necessary Evils, #3) by Onley James – Goodreads

Atticus Mulvaney is the eldest son of eccentric billionaire, Thomas Mulvaney—a role he takes very seriously. Atticus takes everything seriously. Like his brothers, Atticus is a psychopath, raised to right the wrongs of a broken justice system. Unlike his brothers, he’s not very good at it.

Jericho Navarro is no psychopath, but he is a vicious killer. Like Atticus, he also has a secret life. To most, he’s just a mechanic. But to a ragtag group of social misfits, he’s Peter Pan, teaching them to eliminate those who prey on the weak with extreme prejudice.

When Atticus and Jericho come face to face over a shared enemy, their accidental meeting ends in an explosively hot hookup neither can forget. But they have nothing in common. Atticus is a buttoned-up closeted scientist and Jericho is a man on a mission, determined to find and punish those responsible for the death of his sister. Still, Jericho can’t stay away. And, truthfully, Atticus doesn’t want him to.

As Jericho’s mission begins to bleed into Atticus’s life, two separate but equally brutal families will need to learn how to fight together to take out a common enemy. But no amount of brute force can show Jericho how to scale the walls of a psychopath’s heart. Can Jericho convince Atticus that, sometimes, the couple who kills together stays together?

Moonstruck is a high heat, intense psychopath romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features a fumbling, sexually confused maniac and the dominating, unapologetic gang leader who can’t stop tormenting him. As always, there’s gratuitous violence, very dark humor, more killers than you can count, and enough explosive chemistry to level a city block. This is book three in the Necessary Evils series. Each book follows a different couple.

Review: The Prince’s Frog by Eden Winter

Rating: 4.5🌈

The Prince’s Frog by Eden Winter is such a great take on the old fairytale of the princess who kisses a frog who then turns back into a Prince.

No princess here but a randy Prince being forced, against his very gay wishes, to marry the nasty princess next door.

Who better to advise him how to navigate these tricky matrimonial waters then the frog from the Royal Bog?

In a smutty, fun filled, bibbity bobbity, boozey, gay twist on this fairytale, Prince Bob, finds his frog, (actually his frog finds him) , saves a bunch of kingdoms, and gets a very, oh so satisfying HEA! All in 82 great pages!

There’s magic wands too!

Eden Winters must have had a splendid time laughing as she wrote this. It’s so much fun to read. I could easily visualize the antics as they occur on the page.

Need a quick read and some terrific giggles? Pick up The Prince’s Frog by Eden Winter for a new twist on a old standard!

I’m highly recommending it.

https://www.amazon.com › Princes-…The Prince’s Frog – Kindle edition – Amazon.com

Description:

His Royal Highness Prince Rocky Jude Maxwell Bill Robert Chuck—let’s just call him Bob, shall we?—has a problem. Namely, royal parents set on marrying him off to a princess from the neighboring kingdom. Only, Bob doesn’t want to get married, would rather ogle Sir Blacksmith than fair maidens, and has a sneaking suspicion that his intended bride is not what she seems. So, where is a desperate prince with commitment issues supposed to turn?

Speaking of “not what they seem,” Sir Ribbit has been cooling his heels, literally, in the local bog with his disgraced fairy godmother and thousands of other frogs, waiting for the opportunity to break a three-year-old curse and return to his human form of Prince Evan Chuck Leo—Oh, heck, let’s call him Dave—hopefully, before maxing out a frog’s limited lifetime.

When a royal snit lands Bob in the muck of Dave’s front yard, plans are made to help each other. Inept plans, but still. Oh, and someone has to kiss a frog because everyone knows you have to kiss a few frogs before you land a handsome prince.

This story delightfully features talking frogs, inebriated fairies, awkward heroes, two princes in love, a deceptively innocent cover, and a solid HEA.

Review: Psycho (Necessary Evil #2) by Onley James

Rating:5🌈

I wondered who the author would choose as the murderous sibling to go next in the series and was thrilled to see it was August Mulvaney.

August was a standout in Adam’s story. His love of the “wet work” side of killing, his knives, adult Harry Potter like features, and an IQ on par with Stephen Hawking, August was a compelling character.

Psycho introduces us to August’s adolescence history, the one that helped him become the psychopath he’s now. It’s sad and fascinating. And equally full of “what ifs” . It’s these built in questions that a reader’s mind automatically wanders to with each new “subject child “ we meet at the beginning of the novel.

August is such a unique, deep character. The more he becomes involved with Lucas Blackwell, the layers start to peel back , helping us and Lucas towards a greater sense of understanding and acceptance of this extraordinary genius who’s also a brilliant killer. Autistic polyglot, with an eidetic memory , that’s just the beginning, so the man he will obsess over will need to be equally as fascinating and strong in certain elements.

And James insures that Lucas Blackwell is. A FBI agent until he reveals his gift as a clairvoyant when he “sees” the murders a fellow agent is committing. Blackwell’s career is ruined when his accusations can’t be proved and the murderer goes after him.

James develops this aspect of Lucas’s character and the storyline in a terrifying manner. That Lucas is able to feel and see everything the victim’s are subjected to in excruciating detail is beyond anything endurable. The reader is part of his experiences, his unimaginable horror and pain.

That August, everything that makes August the person he is, decides that Lucas is his, and that exploration into what it means to become someone capable of loving August is a complex, outstandingly thoughtful journey of mind, murders, mystery, and belief.

The villain (s) and reason for the murders is as horrifyingly believable as all the other storylines James has created for these novels. The dark web is that for a reason.

This superb series and novels carry trigger warnings. They should be heeded. This is dark fiction. While most of the elements fir the warnings happen or happened off page, there’s enough descriptions and discussions that are disturbing and raw.

The writing is excellent, including humor to offset the grim realness of the killings, a squabbling feeling of family to balance the idea of a science experiment in progress. Plus the elements of hope and love when there’s the probability of neither.

Psycho (Necessary Evil #2) by Onley James was outstanding. Can’t wait to see what the next brother’s story brings.

Highly recommended!

Necessary Evils series:

🔹Unhinged #1

🔹Psycho #2

🔹Moonstruck #3

🔹Headcase #4

🔹Mad Man #5

🔹Lunatic #6

https://www.goodreads.com › showPsycho (Necessary Evils, #2) by Onley James – Goodreads

Synopsis:

August Mulvaney has always been exceptional. As the genius son of an eccentric billionaire, his off-putting behavior is often blamed on his high IQ. They say there’s a thin line between genius and madness. August is both—a brilliant professor loved by his students and a ruthless, obsessive killer tasked with righting the wrongs of a failing justice system. And he’s just found his latest obsession: Lucas Blackwell.

Lucas Blackwell was once the golden child of the FBI, using his secret talent as a clairvoyant to help put away society’s worst. Until, with a touch, he discovers his co-worker is a killer and his life falls apart. Now, the world thinks he’s crazy and that co-worker wants him dead. He seeks refuge at a small college, hoping to rebuild his life and his reputation. But then he runs into August Mulvaney. Literally.

August is immediately intrigued with Lucas and his backstory. He doesn’t believe in psychics, but there’s no missing the terror in his eyes when they collide in the hallway. Now, August has a problem. Lucas knows his secret, and August knows he wants Lucas. And August always gets what he wants.

Can he convince Lucas that not all killers are created equal and that having a psychopath in his corner—and in his life—might be just what he needs?

Psycho is a fast-paced, thrill ride of a romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features a psychopath hell-bent on romance and a disgraced FBI agent attempting to redeem himself. As always, there’s gratuitous violence, very dark humor, and scenes so hot it will melt your kindle. This is book two in the Necessary Evils series. Each book follows a different couple.

Review: Flare (Style #1) by Jay Hogan

Rating: 4.5🌈

Flare is a very intense contemporary romance set in Auckland’s high fashion world. The first of a new series that will incorporate , at least from looking at the description of Strut, the second novel, high fashion, models, a certain circle of friends that starts with this fashion line, and, unfortunately, a element of assault.

That’s certainly a center theme here and if it’s a trigger for some readers, please take note.

Here it occurs in the Prologue to the main character, Rhys Hellier, when he was 16, sneaking out to a gay club with a friend.

The ramifications from that night’s assault are a haunting, realistic thread of one man’s continuing to deal with living with the aftermath of rape. Rhys has PTSD, and has only told a few trusted people about his trauma.

It, naturally, has effected his relationships, and his need for constant control. I think Hogan does an excellent job with the character of Rhys. He’s believable in his vulnerability as he is in his fierceness to protect what he’s built.

It takes the addition of Beckett Northcott, Professor of English literature and uncle to troubled teenager Jack. When Beck arrives to heat up things, so will the need to start the conversations going between them when they begin their relationship as to the full extent of the damage the assault has done to Rhys emotionally and mentally.

Without turning the book into something clinical, Hogan works a great therapist, open communication, necessary breakdowns, and , more into this engaging and wonderful relationship. It makes them easy to root for and love as a couple.

And it’s not just them alone. There’s an entire group of found family around them. For Beck, it’s his nephew, Jack, for whom he’s becoming a father figure. And his sister, Serena, in prison. And fellow professor, Rafe. For Rhys? It’s his mother, the irrepressible Kip ( his assistant), BFF photographer Hunter, Alec ( newly discovered model), Leon (shop owner), Greg, and Drew, a trans teenager for which Flare represents a safe haven from home , an abusive situation.

This is a wonderful story full of amazing characters. Most of which inhabit the world of fashion. Which is Flare, Rhys’s fashion line and store.

There’s another plot thread concerning the store, which is emotionally fraught with threats and action. It’s a great balance for the other elements here.

I would have wished for more of a foundation or history behind all the villainy. But it was still resolved in a manner as to satisfy the characters and readers.

The next installment will center on Alec , the model discovered here, and Hunter, the photographer best friend of Rhys. That’s Strut. Out later this year.

From the description, it too has an element of assault. I’ll be waiting for the release date to check it out.

In the meantime, I’m highly recommending Flare. It’s a terrific contemporary romance. Wonderful characters. But please take note of the triggers.

Style series:

🔹Flare #1

🔹Strut #2 TBR July 14, 2022

https://www.goodreads.com › showFlare (Style, #1) by Jay Hogan – Goodreads

FLARE
My own fashion label. The shiny new sign above the door means everything. My dream. My life. Worth every gruelling hour I’ve spent making it happen. Nothing can stop me now. Not the fear. Not the nightmares. Not my sad excuse for a love life. And certainly not Beckett Northcott, the sexy English professor who wouldn’t know a fitted shirt if it slapped him in the face and who has flannel down to an art form.

I don’t date for a very good reason, and yet Beck makes me want to break every damn one of my rules. But with my debut at Fashion Week looming, my business in trouble, and Beckett Northcott peeling open my terrified heart to a future I’ve never imagined, the threads of my carefully woven life are unravelling at the seams.

I could walk away. Or I could take a chance that Beck and I might just have what it takes to fashion a new life, together. A fresh design from a new cloth.

This book contains references to past sexual assault.

Review: Unhinged (Necessary Evil #1) by Onley James

Rating: 5🌈

Lately, I felt I wanted another sort of story to read, and possibly, another author to hoard.

Found it in the dark, contemporary fiction, Unhinged (Necessary Evil #1) by Onley James .

Exactly the changeup I was looking for. Gritty, dark, this series and stories revolve around a group of children traumatized so deeply by their past existence ,that they are , at exceedingly young ages at the start, a threat to society. They have begun to exhibit a range of disorders that frighten a group of doctors assembled to assess them after they’ve been rescued from the very people and places that turned them into the psychopaths they are now as adults.

This series and story is disturbing, funny, murderous, sexy, kinky, and packed full of triggers for people with dealing with abuse, particularly child abuse. It’s not on the page but the writing is so excellent that the descriptive images presented of rooms and toys , and other things are emotionally powerful, even devastating. You will feel as enraged as the characters.

It’s a two person POV which is extremely effective and necessary to connect to readers to these people, who are in fact murderous psychopaths and the men they come to crave.

Crave, obsess , want, but love? Not really. Not on their part. They don’t understand love. Their relationships, not that they get those as well , are new for them, and for the other person, it’s a bit like entering a different universe. With a species that’s not going to be able to understand all that you want from them.

Onley James does an incredible job not only crafting these men, from traumatic childhood beginnings to current wealthy killer scion status, as well as the chameleon like changes in behavior and facial expressions when they “flip “ from the superficial social constructs necessary to the true predators they are. Chilling.

And for all this to work, the other outlier man they decide they want, and who’s come into their world for whatever reason, must exhibit some reasonable, and necessary mental and emotional growth/changes along the same spectrum that would allow him to accept being a intrinsic part of his killer’s hidden work and world.

How that happens is as powerful a element, as believable a part of their relationship that it powers this story, and in fact the series I’ve read so far, just outstanding.

This series features a different couple a story. Each a separate adopted sibling from that group of children that frightened those doctors so.

They are now a killing band of brothers adopted by a scientist with a plan. Given those special children a home, safe upbringing, training, education, and goals. Going after those society can’t or won’t take out on its own. Rapists, pedophiles, more.

It’s wild. Dark, funny, heartbreaking, murderous, gritty, gripping, sexy, and full of triggers. Do heed the warnings.

It’s also got multidimensional characters, incredible storylines, and relationships that feel believable in both their complexity and honesty.

It’s also has its own horror moments .Those shouldn’t be discounted. It’s beautifully written.

Adam, the former model/ killer and Noah, who’s background is so much a part of the revelations here and therefore won’t be recounted, is a story I lost myself in. I was 100 invested in Adam’s immediately bonding with Noah, and then Noah, the huge journey ahead of him is beyond words. Epic. Heartbreaking.

It’s the perfect book to lead into this series. It gives the reader a good understanding of the triggers that will await you further on ( not just child abuse, but rape and torture) and how they are handled.

And that if you’re looking for a very romantic, sweet romance, this certainly isn’t the one or series for you.

I’m already reading ahead and every book just enriches the series.

I’m highly recommending Unhinged (Necessary Evil #1) by Onley James but please do read the trigger warnings and realize this is not a light sweet contemporary romance.

It’s outstanding and a series I’m thinking I’m going to be sry I’m finishing way too quickly at the rate I’m going. It’s so great it’s impossible to put down.

I’ve listed them below. One per sibling.

Necessary Evils series:

Unhinged #1

Psycho #2

Moonstruck #3

Headcase #4

Mad Man #5

Lunatic #6

Unhinged (Necessary Evils, #1) by Onley James – Goodreads

Synopsis:

Adam Mulvaney lives a double life. By day, he’s the spoiled youngest son of an eccentric billionaire. By night, he’s an unrepentant killer, one of seven psychopaths raised to right the wrongs of a justice system that keeps failing.

Noah Holt has spent years dreaming of vengeance for the death of his father, but when faced with his killer, he learns a daunting truth he can’t escape. His father was a monster.

Unable to ignore his own surfacing memories, Noah embarks on a quest to find the truth about his childhood with the help of an unlikely ally: the very person who murdered his father. Since their confrontation, Adam is obsessed with Noah, and he wants to help him uncover the answers he seeks, however dark they may be.

The two share a mutual attraction, but, deep down, Noah knows Adam’s not like other boys. Adam can’t love. He wasn’t born that way. But he refuses to let Noah go, and Noah’s not sure he wants him to.

Can Adam prove to Noah that passion, power, and protection are just as good as love?

Unhinged is a fast-paced, roller coaster ride of a romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features a dirty-talking, possessive psychopath and a sweet cinnamon roll of a boy with Daddy issues and a core of steel. There’s gratuitous violence, very dark humor, enough steam to fog up a hundred car windows, and something a lot like love. This is book one in the Necessary Evils series. Each book follows a different couple.

Review: Never Trust A Guy With Fangs (Covens of Eaton Falls #1) by Mia Monroe

Rating: 3🌈

Mia Monroe is a fairly new author for me, having discovered her in a charity anthology. The cover and title humor of Never Trust A Guy With Fangs had me grabbing this book to see what the author was plotting for her series, Covens of Eatons Falls.

This is a paranormal romance between a vampire and a witch, with the start of a overall series thread about a larger multi-species storyline. There’s suspense, action, murder, and more romances to come.

Stretching over 5 books total I believe. See list and note at bottom.

The characters are nice at the beginning and luckily get stronger as the story goes on. There’s a two person pov, but we start out with the blank slate of one. To my mind it have been more interesting to have gotten the perspective of the one being ,at least ,who had a semblance of a foundation, so the readers had a grounding.

No, we and Leo’s “uh , where are we? Oh, the bed of my enemy…” narrative just doesn’t seem to pull us really into the story. The dialogue runs along the edge of head smackingly idiotic and pearl clutching.

It keeps on in the same way. Hi you going to kill me. No. You going to kill me. No. You smell good. I think I love you. Me too. But we’re Romeo and Julian of the paranormal world. Np. Love is it!

This story and author has some terrific ideas and promise to it. There’s a lot here that , once you get to it , is interesting enough that you want to see how it plays out.

But there’s also enough plot holes (Leo: I can hide what’s happened, oh wait my eyes changed color! Never mind , the bad guys will never notice),silly florid language, and just plain nonsensical elements like the example above. It just interrupts whatever connection you might have had with the characters and storylines. And makes it that much harder to get it back.

The second book features another couple, another witch and vampire bonding that I think has far more chemistry then this pair. It seems to be one with a slight D/s aspect although how’s that going to play out when the witch is a scattered thinking healer (D) and the (s) is a huge vampire guard. Huh.

I love a great paranormal story and series. While this has potential, there’s so much that will put a lot of readers off . So this really isn’t it for me.

But if you adore instant love romances, almost campy dialogue, mustache swirling villains along the line of “you can’t keep him from us”, combined with some interesting elements, then I have a book for you.

Covens of Eaton Falls:

🔹Never Trust a Guy With Fangs #1

🔹The Witch’s Power Play #2 -May 6,2022

🔹Vampire’s Make Bad Roommates #3 -July 14,2022

🔹Cosmic Spells and Vampire Lairs #4 – January 11, 2023

🔹A Traitor Shows His Hand #5 – March 9, 2023

Note: shouldn’t the author have said A Traitor Shows THEIR Hand? So ok now we know the traitor is a guy?🤦🏼‍♀️

https://www.goodreads.com › showNever Trust a Guy With Fangs by Mia Monroe – Goodreads

Synopsis:

Waking up in my enemy’s bed is just the start of my problems.

The first rule of being a witch: don’t trust the vampires. My entire life has been filled with stories of our warring covens. We tenuously coexist in the New England city of Eaton Falls, where the locals think we’re merely the stuff of fairy tales and horror movies.

We live life as the mortals do, keeping our magic behind the scenes. Everything is fine until the day I wake up inside notorious Eaton Manor, in the bed of none other than the sexy and terrifying head vampire, Augustus Rainier, with no memory of how I got there.

His presence makes my skin tingle and my heart beat just a little faster. I know the inherent danger of associating with violent, often unpredictable vampires. I’ve got bigger problems, though, when I discover my coven is in hiding, leaving me on my own.

When danger shows up at Eaton Manor, it becomes clear it’s not only the witches in trouble. Both covens need to decide: do we fight separate battles against the same enemy or break every rule in our history and join forces to defeat a common foe? The other major question—will possessive and domineering Augustus let me go when this is over?

Never Trust A Guy With Fangs is an MM paranormal romance. It is book one in the Covens of Eaton Falls series featuring a rebellious twink of a witch with eternal optimism, an edgy vampire with a strong mistrust of witches, two stubborn and quirky covens, a threat from an unknown enemy, and a dangerous desire that could tear apart tradition, all in a beautiful New England backdrop. It is not a standalone.

Review: The Prince’s Poisoned Vow (Infernal Wars #1) by Hailey Turner

Rating: 3.5🌈

I’ve been eagerly anticipating this story as this author’s previous series have been enormous hits with me. But almost immediately I was struggling to finish this book which was written in a different format from the author’s books.

In a nutshell, it’s wordy, dry, very dense, narratively overwhelming with too many characters. And, while imaginative, it’s format of a huge amount of POVs makes it almost impossible to connect with or even follow all the many plot lines.

Turner is clearly striving for that epic cast of hundreds type of fantasy steampunk adventure. Where masses of characters come streaming over the horizon, raiding trains, pour out over airships, massive explosive battles., capturing castles. Thousands die by magical blasts , bodies flying through the air. Add in poison, in every form, and revenants. Aka The walking dead.

This book has wonderful ideas about world building. Massive amounts of information about the kingdoms, countries, and even the planet Maricol. All as told to.

The rating is for all the imaginative details and world building.

What I’m missing is what I love about her other novels. That’s her characters , the depth of personality, their relationship and growing dynamics with other characters. Main characters. People who counted. I miss caring about anyone. I miss the great dialogue. .

Here , the Gods who pulls all the narrative strings, so to speak, have no emotions, their eternal lifespan having removed that pesky thing.

So people start dying immediately. Children, adults. I’d say don’t get attached but the reader doesn’t spend enough time with anyone to generate enough emotion to become invested in the lives here.

More like, huh, poisoned. Oh, revenant got him. Yes, zombies .

There’s a staggering amount of POVs, over 14 I believe. That’s not counting all the tons of characters that get mentioned or have dialogue. The size of the cast here is mind boggling. And you get them all immediately, well, a lot of them.

With an ever increasingly dense and expanding universe that the author adds layer upon layer of complicated mythology and political world building as the story moves forward, it’s a wonder that any reader can maintain a idea of what’s happening within the storylines let alone have any meaningful connection to it.

You basically need a Epic Steampunk Fantasy version of a murder board to keep track of everything and everyone’s relationships. That includes the “Star Gods” , who have their own warped dynamics going on. Then all the various kingdoms, their politics, all the wars, the history such as it is. The planet’s history, which is minimal, and needs more detail.

The story swings from POV to POV, changing drama to a different perspective and potential disaster , that you’ve barely settled on one then you’ve sailed onto the next.

If you’re looking for romance, there’s little of that here. At least for now. But you can have fantastic characters with remarkable personalities, and deep emotional connections without a romantic factor. None of that is really present here. It’s more about all the things, the themes, plotting, world building, details. Something had to give.

And at the end. There’s a cliffhanger.

I honestly didn’t care . But for those that have a issue with cliffhangers, be warned.

I’m trying to weigh if the great universe makes it worth proceeding for me. I don’t think so because for me it’s about the characters and relationships, as well as giving them a great foundation.

You need a heart to power the story, not just a reality fabulous structure.

And I think Hailey Turner has lost the heart here no matter what that opening sentence says.

https://www.goodreads.com › showThe Prince’s Poisoned Vow by Hailey Turner – Goodreads

Synopsis:

Every country is built on revolution.

THE WARDEN. Soren is a nameless, stateless man, tasked with keeping watch over Maricol’s borders. He isn’t meant for politics, only dealing with the dead. His past was buried in the poison fields, but after a fateful encounter with a prince, Soren comes to realize he can’t keep what magic burns inside him hidden forever.

THE PRINCE. Vanya Sa’Liandel was the spare who survived the Houses’ murderous games to become the Imperial crown prince of Solaria. He has a duty to his country, but he’ll owe his life to the wardens. Payment of any kind is costly, especially when he’s at risk of losing his heart to the man who saved his life.

THE COG. Caris Dhemlan hears the siren song of clarion crystals better than anyone in Ashion. That skill for inventing has enriched her bloodline, but it’s who she can become that will ultimately entangle her with the Clockwork Brigade.

THE PRINCESS. Eimarille Rourke should have been raised to be queen of one country; instead, she is prisoner of another. Guided by a star god, Eimarille bides her time in a gilded cage, spinning a political web to gain a throne and start a war the world isn’t ready for.

From the author who brought you the Soulbound series comes a queer steampunk-inspired epic fantasy.

Review: The Tribulations of Ross Young, Supernat PA, Additional Incident: LARPing. By A. J. Sherwood

Rating: 3.5🌈

This is a short cute story that takes place 2 years after the end of the first collection. Ross is happily married and officially part of the Clan.

The plot is entertaining because honestly how many humans understand what LARPing is? Let alone the many species of the supernatural? Then throw in dwarven mead… and well, there’s the story.

Cute, no background for those unfamiliar with Ross and gang. But I did think it was pretty funny.

Read it because you loved the first one and universe.

🔹The Tribulations of Ross Young, Supernat PA by A. J. Sherwood

🔹The Tribulations of Ross Young, Supernat PA, Additional Incident: LARPing. By A. J. Sherwood

https://www.goodreads.com › showThe Tribulations of Ross Young, Supernat PA: Additional Incident LARPing

Synopsis:

The clan goes LARPing.
Do they understand it’s a game? No.
Does Ross regret all life decisions? Yes.
LARPing is now on Ross’s shit list.
Tags: when the children are quiet Ross panics, for good reason, clan use your brain challenge:failed, the crack ship armada sails again, author has lost discretion within this story, dwarven mead, spells gone wrong, attempt at humor, the clan are dumbasses, that is the humor, only one building was harmed in the making of this story

Review: The Tribulations of Ross Young, Supernat PA by A. J. Sherwood

Rating: 3.75🌈

There’s just something about a gas station on the edge of town that just shouts otherworldliness and has the air of the supernatural about it. That all nite , poor lighting, last stop , grungy atmosphere of nite dwellers and desperation.

It’s been played out for horror and for humor, often both at the same time.

A. J. Sherwood wrote a serial story about a young college student, Ross Young, earning his tuition at a gas station on the nite shift, for her newsletter. It was so popular with her subscribers that they pleaded for it to be collected into a book.

This is that collection. It’s funny. Romantic. Clearly of the serial format with its flow and , yes, editing issues, which have not been cleared up here.

It’s also got very amusing Chibi art of the characters at the start of each serial chapter. That’s a great plus.

Ross is droll, accepting of the supernatural community that exists around him, with a calm, commanding manner . Perfect for handling those drunk dwarves or vampires seeking to loot a bank, whatever the situation calls for.

There’s even a terrific minor crossover with a character from another series that was very enjoyable.

I found this funny and a very quick entertaining collection to read. Even with the typos. Someone should have caught those.

There’s a short story follow up. It should have been added onto this one as it doesn’t work as a standalone.

I’m recommending this as funny and enjoyable.

🔹The Tribulations of Ross Young, Supernat PA by A. J. Sherwood

🔹The Tribulations of Ross Young, Supernat PA, Additional Incident: LARPing. By A. J. Sherwood

https://www.goodreads.com › seriesThe Tribulations of Ross Young, Supernat PA Series – Goodreads

“Company policy forbids me from exchanging my blood, my soul, or my firstborn child with customers…”

When Ross starts working third-shift at a gas station, he doesn’t think anything extraordinary will happen. He expects a lot of quiet shifts.

Well, you know what they say about assumptions.

One explosion later and he’s the personal assistant to a vampire—who he admits is not only sexy, but the sane one—in charge of his supernatural clan’s paperwork, and managing any trouble the members get into.

Spoiler alert: the clan can get into quite a bit of trouble.

Ross is definitely not paid enough for this.

Tags:

The crack ship armada sails again, and then it got out of hand, poor put upon retail workers, Ross didn’t deserve this, Fate is cruel, so am I, the trauma of changing jobs, Ross has a paperclip and knows how to use it, Ross isn’t clear if he’s a PA, bartender, or babysitter, troublesome werewolves, Australian wizards, spells gone awry, very awry, sexy vampires, developing relationship, coming out, not a single degree of chill from Glenn where Ross is concerned, slow burn, boss/secretary, light bondage, Ross has to teach ancient mythical beings how to text, pray for him, SHENANIGANS, did I mention crack?, the most absurd workplace romance in history