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

Review: Firestones by Kim Fielding

Rating: 4.75🌈

With any Kim Fielding tale there’s sure to be a hint at least of darkness, a layering of sadness or brokenness threading throughout the narrative.

But in Fire Stones it’s sheer horror, terrifying pain, and unescapable terror that lies waiting for the reader and main character.

Little match girl or fellow indeed.

In just 35 pages, in the typical Fielding way, the author brings us believably, heartbreakingly, into Brand’s cold, barely surviving life as an indentured servant to an mediocre magician.

In one terrifying night everything changes for him. In the worst possible way.

If you’re not a fan of horror fiction, this isn’t the story for you. It gets ever more quietly frightening for Brand, gut wrenchingly terror-stricken by the circumstances of his situation.

It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. The ending, is at best, happily bittersweet . Completely Fielding.

There’s a slender romance, that we don’t have much of a framework for. Had that been a little more firmly established, this would have been a 5 star story.

As it is, Fielding’s given us pure chill-worthy Fielding. And that’s plenty great.

Love the cover.

https://www.goodreads.com › showFirestones by Kim Fielding – Goodreads

Synopsis:

Born with a deformed foot and abandoned as a young child, Brand spent his youth in indentured servitude to a mediocre wizard. Now Brand is grown, but with no other prospects to support himself, he remains in his master’s employ, doing small chores and selling firestones on the bleak streets of Greynox. Until one bitterly cold day.

In this dark take on a classic fairy tale, Brand encounters the most sinister of magics. With his firestones gone, can he find his way to the light?

Review: Until His Last Goodbye (Scythe #1) by Kiki Clark and E.M. Lindsey

Rating: 4🌈

The Grim Reaper ,that personification of Death, has always been a popular character for so many authors. Doesn’t matter the media, format, culture, or even era, the popularity and mythology even mysticism, makes the Reaper a being of power and fantasy.

For many, even romance. How many have posited what could happen if Death fell in love? It’s a fascinating theory.

Kiki Clark and E.M. Lindsey have a new series that focuses on that question. Their world building gives us a multitude of Reapers, each with their back history of becoming a Reaper, a Afterdeath universe complete with its set of rules and structure, and, an ability to soul bond with a human.

The authors do a terrific job with Tristan, the eldest son and heir of a ne’er-do-well Victorian landowner. Tristan, who realizes early he prefers the company of men, can’t bring himself to wed. In a short time, the authors paint him to be a tortured, kind, empathetic man, in a era that would certainly see him imprisoned. But fate and his family’s poor genetics have other ideas. In a raw scene, we are present as he’s transformed into a Reaper.

If death is a element that makes you uncomfortable, then this is not the story or series for you. Because people die here. Some are angry, some bewildered, others full of pain at those they are forced to leave behind. With no guarantees they will ever see them again.

No Aunt Minnie is waiting for you on the other side. It’s not that universe. At least not in this book. FYI.

Which brings us to Elias, a medium. He sees ghosts and tries to help the living make peace , along with their departed, of whatever issues remain between them. Elias has many troubles of his own, including a family that despises him due to his sexuality, as well as his “oddness”.

Elias is engaging and believable, moving about his little shop, a kitchen witch , with a kind, albeit unstable heart.

Their romance is remarkable. Especially considering one is a virginal Victorian non corporeal Reaper and the other a weak, delightful, human, who teeters constantly between the living and those who refuse to move on.

There’s several obstacles between their HEA, and it feels a bit rushed towards the end.

There’s also already several Reaper/human soul bonds that have happened prior to this story. Some of those couples make appearances here.

I believe they are Free Stories out there. See the list below.

At any rate. Until His Last Goodbye (Scythe #1) by Kiki Clark and E.M. Lindsey is a terrific story that needs just a tad more world building and length to be outstanding. Tris and Elias have such promise to their future and their relationship growth.

I really look forward to seeing what more these authors and this series has to offer.

Scythe series:

Until His Soul Awakens #0.5

Until His Beginning Ends #0.6

Until His Last Goodbye #1

https://www.goodreads.com › showUntil His Last Goodbye (Scythe #1) by Kiki Clark – Goodreads

Cover note. Am I the only one getting tired of seeing this same color variation. style, layout format everywhere? If it’s fantasy, it’s purplely, green, swirly, cover, it’s too too much. Rant over.

Synopsis:

When Death is your soulmate, finding love has never been so heart-stopping.

Having been a powerful medium for as long as he can remember, Elias knows his fair share about the afterlife.

Spirits are pushy.

Spirits are needy.

And they don’t respect personal boundaries.

Being a conduit between the living and the dead is exhausting but ignoring his gift isn’t an option. Even though embracing his calling has ruined nearly every relationship he’s ever had, Elias has learned to offer what comfort he can to those left behind, knowing his own time is limited.

So the day Death comes knocking,

Elias is resigned.

Then intrigued.

And then enchanted.

He has no business falling for an immortal collector of souls. No matter how kind and surprisingly innocent he is. Or how the Reaper’s gentle nature soothes the hollow ache inside his chest.

There can be no way forward when you fall for Death…

…unless you join him.

Until His Last Goodbye is the first installment in the epic Scythe trilogy by E.M. Lindsey and Kiki Clark. It features an uptight Victorian reaper, a medium eager to corrupt him, witchy best friends willing to hex anyone who hurts the people they love, and a former Spanish pirate who doesn’t have time for other people’s nonsense.

Review: Davo by N.R. Walker

Rating: 4.5 🌈

What a amazing story. Set in the western Australian outback mining town , Pannalego, Davo by N.R. Walker delivers a romance to delight the heart as well as a story that embraces the harsh environment to show the reader why the people who live there come to love it so.

Through the arrival of red-haired, Fergus Galloway, there to for a 4-week stay to conduct research for his company, we experience the extreme body shocking heat, the red dust that immediately covers every surface, and the living conditions that will make Sydney so very far away as to be on another planet.

Fergus is such a lovely open character. Through his eyes we meet an incredible assortment of individuals who make Pannalego their home and a working community of 20 year-around citizens in one of the world’s harshest territories. All employees of the mine.

We come to cherish each one, feathered Hooker included. But none as much as we love Davo, the skirt wearing, charming manager and mining engineer who immediately captures both Fergus’ and the readers hearts.

It’s Davo who shows Fergus just how welcoming that small community is and how quickly is can feel like home.

You’re a companion as they walk to see the remarkable landscapes, the sunsets, and more that makes that country so unimaginably gorgeous.

Before long it’s magic and Davo have won Fergus over, in a short amount of time. And that feels absolutely perfect and believable.

I love Davo. Even the drama was a realistic slice of life that communities like these live with and under. It’s part of the lifestyle.

I have to admit as I was reading it , the environmental damage of such a constant extraction, of such a enormous cavity being dug over and over, then discarded, left me a little ill. Surely the cost of this , like all the rest is coming.

But this is a romance. Not one about climate change. So I’m going to leave it at that. NR Walker’s descriptions were very real and thought provoking.

I’m highly recommending Davo for any number of reasons. The excellent characters, the beauty of the landscape of the outback, the heartwarming charm of this small community, and the outstanding ending. Plus that romance.

That cover is everything.

https://www.goodreads.com › showDavo by N.R. Walker – Goodreads

Synopsis:

When Fergus Galloway takes on a research trip to a tiny mining town in the far Western Australian outback, he’s as far from Sydney as he can get.

Which is entirely the point.

He arrives in Pannalego totally unprepared for the baking heat, unprepared for the people who call it home, unprepared for the craziness and the laughs. And absolutely unprepared for the man he meets there who steals his heart.

Davo is a mining man, as rugged as he is gorgeous. Loves his found family, loves where he lives, and loves his life. He also loves the feel of soft fabric on his skin.

What was supposed to be a short field trip changes Fergus’s life. Going to a place many call uninhabitable might turn out to be the only place he wants to live.

Review: Cowboy Haven by B. A. Tortuga

Rating 4.5 🌈

Cowboy Haven by B. A. Tortuga is another one of this author’s kids n’ cowboys stories that she has been writing lately, some with author Jodi Payne. And Cowboy Haven is one of my favorites of the trope she’s calling cozy cowboys.

It’s located in New Mexico, on a ranch. One of the main characters is a former rodeo champion, with an enormous family of mixed heritage. All of whom live in and around him. So we gets lots of local foods, easy family interactions that feel free and believable, and ranch life, up early, coffee on… ranch hands in for food between duties. Tortuga has this down perfectly.

The other? A Texan, damaged past history, painful divorce, and now single father with 2 month old triplets.

How he got to his present situation is also made to feel extremely realistic and desperate. Heath Barron has our attention and empathy from the get go, as they say. Plus the babies, each as individual as Tortuga could make 2 month olds, are adorable.

Kolt Cordova, former rodeo champ and rancher, with his extended family, is believable as both rancher and rodeo cowboy who, with all the wear and tear , knew when it was time to quit. He was ready for something steady and a home. He’s a very well defined person and when he’s rescued Heath and the babies, the fall into a relationship and love actually feels like the next step.

Ever know someone who decides they are ready to settle down? Then next thing you know you hear their engaged , then married? Happily so?

It happens that way sometimes.

Here Tortuga makes that into a excellent romance. With a drama inserted for that extra oomph.

Heath is a terrific character that you just enjoy reading about as is his love for his children. They, all three, are an absolute delight. The romance, including all the Cordova family and one terrifying mule, make this story.

I would love for a sequel sometime down the road!

If you love cowboys and children, absolutely lovely romances, then Cowboy Haven by B. A. Tortuga is one for you.

https://www.amazon.com › Cowboy…Cowboy Haven (BA’s Cozy Cowboys) – Kindle edition – Amazon.com

Note: There are some typos that should have been caught by the editor. But not as many as I’m seeing in lots of books these days.

Synopsis:

When Heath Barron leaves Texas for Northern New Mexico, he thinks he’s getting a luxury house rental for a steal, getting away from his ex, and finding a home for his newborn triplets. What he finds is a broken down trailer, a freezing winter, and the feeling that he’s at rock bottom in his life. Again.

Former rodeo champ Kolt Cordova has a good life. He has a ton of family, good land for cattle, and if his joints hurt when it’s cold, then so be it. But when he finds Heath living in an abandoned place on the place next to his, he knows his life is about to change. He just has no idea how much.

Heath feels like Kolt is offering him everything he’s ever wanted when he invites Kolt to come and stay, and Heath gives Kolt a sense of belonging, but as they get to know each, and maybe love, each other, danger from Heath’s past rears its head to try to harm them all. Can they find a way to face their fears, and this threat, together?

This book is a gay cowboy romance and has an ex-rodeo cowboy, baby triplets. a nosy family, and a loving freelance writer with a past.

Review: Dead Over Heals (Blackhaven Manor #6) by Arden Steele

Rating: 3.25🌈

Dead Over Heals gives us another unusual pairing and storyline. The local sheriff, a werewolf, has been in several of the stories, especially the last couple that have involved hate groups against Otherlings.

Now Sheriff Vander Hale finds his mate when Fritz Tolliver is sent over by Skye Maddox to inquire about the open position there.

Fritz is adorably bumbling, as well as astonished to find that the silver haired werewolf is claiming to be his fated mate. He also sees dead people.

Unfortunately, moments later he’s also being haunted by a nasty ghost who seeks to undermine their relationship and his positivity.

Fritz was a harder character for me to connect with. I’m not sure I understood the mate bond here between the two as I kept expecting Vander Hale to sense the ghost and at least realize his mate wasn’t communicating everything that was happening.

Either way, this just was a odd story with most of it dealing with Fritz and his ghost, then eventually the resolution of removing the ghost and the romance.

There was a funny aspect to the ghost where he was mistakenly moved to another, but it was short lived.

For me, this was the story that misses the mark. And that could just be my perspective.

Read it because you’re reading the series and you’re curious as to who the Sheriff got as a mate.

Blackhaven Manor Series:

✓ Purrfect Harmony #1

✓ Night and Fae #2

✓ Dragon It Out #3

✓ Grin and Bear it #4

✓ Pixie Little Liar #5

✓ Dead Over Heals #6

◦ Silent Knight #7

https://www.goodreads.com › showDead Over Heels (Blackhaven Manor #6) by Arden Steele – Goodreads

Synopsis:

It’s been twelve years since the Awakening. Otherlings are out of the paranormal closet. The whole world knows that creatures like vampires, werewolves, and witches exist. So, seeing dead people barely even rates on the freaky scale. Right?

Wrong.

Fritz Tolliver figures he must have done something terrible in a previous life to be afflicted with such a curse. In fact, every bad thing that has ever happened to him can be traced back to his unwanted ability. So, when a stupidly hot werewolf who’s way out of his league claims to be his mate, he should be thrilled. And he probably would have been if he hadn’t gone and gotten himself haunted by a nasty spirit on the same day.

When a human male strolls into the station asking for a job—and promptly spills an entire Americano on him—Sheriff Vander Hale has a feeling it’s going to be a bad day. Then, the door opens, the wind shifts, and suddenly, his whole world changes. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his mate, no battle he wouldn’t wage, even if his enemy is technically already dead. Unfortunately, there’s just one problem with his plan.

He’d go to hell and back for Fritz, but how is he supposed to fight something he can’t see?

Review: The Chosen One : Volume Three by Macy Blake

Rating: 4.5🌈

Volume Three:

🔹Give Him Hell,Hellhound Champions #3

🔹Nothing Gained, Chosen One #4

🔹Stop At Nothing, Chosen One #5

🔹Sweet Spot, single

I really debated about that rating because this is an fantastic series and , from a overall perspective, it deserves a 5 rating.

However, this collection has a few elements that, as a group I feel tended to take away from the anticipation and potential of a powerful finale.

Give Him Hell, Hellhound Champions #3, is actually my favorite of the three. Nick’s story has it all. A traumatic adolescence, a damaged man who’s history has given him a mission in life that’s as much mystery as he is. It’s full of found family, magical beings, a great relationship, and , really, a huge amount of character growth.

Nick and Hellhound Jedrek are perfection. And now I understand all Nick’s Alpha appearances in the other series. This book is that foundation.

Now to the rest.

Nothing Gained and Stop at Nothing are the two books that essentially tie up Sawyer’s Chosen One storyline. Sawyer needs to complete his circle of Guardians, get his guide, figure out how to defeat his brother , and win the war.

So huge! Right? There are some fantastic elements here. Ones that mix mythology, spirit animals and communication, even past lives to a very fascinating degree. How does someone correct past mistakes if past knowledge has been purposefully erased… by them? Interesting , deeply complex questions. With equally labyrinthine answers. That takes two books to unravel.

Great stuff.

Other beautifully crafted sections? That regarding the wounded, wary Guardian Dakota. He was so well written, so intriguing that you wanted more. Of his history and that of the family we got introduced to. They were all so interesting and unique.

And that was a issue with the last Guardian. All the other great Guardians had powers, some had wounded backgrounds, fascinating personalities, and, honestly, a visible reason to be a part of the Guardian circle. And not just because each represents a Element. The last missing Guardian? Cute as a button but made no sense other than as a “plug-in “ storylight character, who’s aspect could go comedic “high maintenance twink” or “adorable boy toy”. No history. No layers.

Even his “animal “ had me scratching my head in the manner he called it/them.

But even that part , as one dimensional as it is compared to all the other Guardians, doesn’t seem as overdone as all the ongoing multi-partners sex scenes.

When they started, it was sexy and a way to cement the polyamory relationship between Chosen One and his Guardian mates. It made sense.

But here, as the danger grew overwhelming, the partners were wounded, tired, even hospitalized, the orgies never abated. Research continues around them, or on top of them. People get called away from them and return to them.

It makes them less sexy. More like slot A into Slot B type of activity when the amount of sexual activity exceeds story plot. It was almost at that level. A “really.. again?” type of sex scene.

A lightweight major character , too many sex scenes seemed to slow the narrative’s forward motion as it moved towards its tumultuous and scary series finale.

Blake does a outstanding job with formatting that momentous battle into something truly heart stopping and highly suspenseful. From that battle onward it’s a careening, wild ride to the finish. A very satisfying one too.

The epilogue is the only aspect, that has , again, just a few things that bothers me. The Guardians and Sawyer have their happy ending. But a character, who’s played a huge part in this series, and was involved in a traumatic incident, gets written off with a sentence. That struck me as all sorts of wrong and , frankly, undeserved, given his status within the group. More about his situation was definitely called for. The reader was invested in him. As was Sawyer and the group. I don’t get it.

Other characters also just disappeared. I don’t know if it’s Into future storylines and novels but precious time was spent here getting us involved in them so don’t we deserve to know more?

I think what was missing overall in the last Chosen One stories is a sense of narrative flow and emotional balance. Sex scenes over plot and character resolution. A rush story wise because so much went forward quickly , narratively speaking.

And this is why I had issues with the rating. I read them together, and whether that made the issues I had more glaring or not, I won’t know. The whole series is incredible. The maxed out battle and finale absurdly fantastic! A true “I’m crying, hold your breath “ battle!

Then there’s Sweet Spot.

The fourth is a standalone novella , about Guardian Eduard’s widower father, Augustus, and the young man he meets on a island getaway. It’s a second chance at love, age gap sweet story with a slice of kink. I love it.

I’m highly recommending this series. You would be reading the last Chosen books in the order anyway so you might as well read them in this collection and get the wonderful other books as well.

The other series in the Chosen One Universe are ongoing which I’m thrilled about. That’s Magical Mates and Chosen Champions. Stay tuned for more Chosen goodness.

Happy Reading!

The Chosen One Universe Volume Three – Goodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com › book › show

Have You Been Chosen?

For the first time, Macy Blake’s two bestselling paranormal fantasy series are being published in a three-volume mega-verse box set!

Each volume will feature three full-length MM novels with dragons, hellhounds, vampires and more, with never before published bonus material. All in reader-requested chronological order.

Volume Three:

Give Him Hell: Hellhound Champions Book Three

Nick Smith is a man with a mission: find the place where he’d been held captive as a child and discover what happened to the kids he left behind. He needs answers, especially since he discovered he can shift into a lion. Instead he finds a huge Viking of a man with flaming eyes who threatens Nick’s shaky hold on his control. When Nick’s past collides with a powerful, evil force causing havoc in the supernatural world, Nick races to find who is responsible for the current rash of dark magic. With a hellhound at his side, what could go wrong?

Nothing Gained: The Chosen One Book Four

With the truth finally revealed that Sawyer is the son of a powerful goddess, Sawyer must find the strength to fix the broken magic in his world. There’s only one problem: he has no clue how to do it. Even with six of his eight mates at his side, Sawyer doubts he has what it takes, especially as he is growing weaker by the day. With his newest guardian hiding in the shadows, Sawyer has to find the answers before it’s too late, for both him and his mates.

Stop at Nothing: The Chosen One Book Five

Rising forces of darkness are attacking faster than Sawyer and his mates can mount a defense. It’s time to fight, but Sawyer has too much to lose to risk disaster. The final pieces of the puzzle are falling into place, but they leave him with more questions than answers. He heads into the final battle without the knowledge…or the power…to win. Sawyer only knows one thing: he will stop at nothing to keep his mates safe.

Includes bonus short story:

Sweet Spot

When the goddess tells Augustus Eastaughffe to go to the mountains to find what he needs, he’s more than happy to comply. The billionaire griffin is in the midst of a deepening mystery and expects to find some of the answers he seeks. Instead, he finds a captivating human who proves to be sweeter than any he’s ever met.

❤️Chosen Universe Multi-series Reading Order:

1. Sweet Nothings- Prequel
– The Chosen One

2. The Trouble With Love
– Nothing But Trouble, Book 1

3. Santa Trouble
– Nothing But Trouble, Book 2

4. All or Nothing
– The Chosen One, Book 1

5. Nothing Ventured
– The Chosen One, Book 2

6. Hell on Earth
– Hellhound Champions, Book 1

7. Double or Nothing

8. Next to Nothing
– The Chosen One, Book 3

9. Hell To Pay
– Hellhound Champions, Book 2

10. Give Him Hell
– Hellhound Champions, Book 3

11. Nothing Gained
– The Chosen One, Book 4