Review: A Holiday to Sustain Us (The Magi Accounts Companion Novellas) by Michele Notaro

Rating: 4.5🌈

If you’re not familiar with The Magi Accounts series, this isn’t the book for you. A reader has to have read all the preceding books, in the order that they were written, in order to understand the people and relationships talked about here.

But if you have, then you are in for a heartwarming read, rare for this series and universe.

It starts off as a series of interludes, some of which have already occurred in the previous book, A Purpose That Restores Us (The Magi Accounts 3) . But this time the perspective is through the eyes of mage Ash and lion shifter, Charlie.

This is their story or series of events that lead to their bonding.

It starts off a bit fragmented but it steadily grows together as it leaves the known scenes behind and starts to build its own narrative based around the Ono-Nai pack’s first holiday together under one roof with all its new members.

It’s a scary, fragile, and wonderful time for everyone, each in a different way, as the tale unveils.

Ash, a compound born mage, with all the horrors and damage that entails, is a character we’ve slowly gotten to know. Here we begin a deeper journey with him through his first memories of Jude and Mads to becoming part of the pack , then the true story which is his relationship with Charlie, a lion shifter.

Charlie has always been a series favorite due to his kindness, his open heart , and his willingness to accept his differences while others won’t. His love of makeup, and sparkly clothing. Images that clash with that of the lion shifter norm.

Notaro slowly builds a deep bond between Ash and Charlie, one of trust, friendship which then becomes something greater.

All done through the trappings of two holidays celebrated by the pack as they decorate, shop, and prepare together.

It’s heartwarming, not without its brutal reminders of the world outside and what members of the pack have gone through in their pasts, but it is also about found family, friends, and love in all facets.

Whatever the next full book holds , Notaro is giving her readers two companion stories as gifts.

This wonderful heartwarming romantic holiday tale for Charlie and Ash. The next , An Embrace To Hearten Me, will be for Jude, River, and Kulani. That’s a story guaranteed to be heartbreaking and tissue worthy. The brutality and horror they have endured makes any happiness they find indescribably sweeter. I can’t wait to read it.

I’m highly recommending A Holiday to Sustain Us (The Magi Accounts Companion Novellas) by Michele Notaro to all readers of this series and the series to all lovers of dark urban fantasy fiction.

The Magi Accounts:

🔹The Scars That Bind Us #1

🔹The Shackles That Hold Us #2

🔹A Date To Impress Him #2.5

🔹A Purpose That Restores Us #3

🔹A Holiday to Sustain Us: A Magi Accounts Holiday

🔹An Embrace To Hearten Me: The Magic Accounts 3.5 – 8/29/2023

🔹A Ruse To Unchain Us: The Magi Accounts # 4 – TBD 2023

https://www.amazon.com › Holiday…A Holiday to Sustain Us: A Magi Accounts Holiday: Notaro, Michele

Description:

One kiss under the mistletoe and now I’m hooked. I can’t get him out of my head… and I think I might like it.

Convincing my pride to have a holiday celebration was supposed to be a fun way to bring everyone together. But my plan went awry when my younger pride mate convinced everyone I needed a kiss. I hadn’t expected Ash to volunteer. And I certainly hadn’t expected him to kiss me on the lips and… linger.

Now, all I can think about is feeling his lips on mine again. Instead of planning gift giving and parties, I’m planning how to win Ash over. And what better way to convince him to spend time with me than to have him help me with my holiday plans?

The holidays are coming to the Ono-Nai house, and I only have one thing I’m wishing for this year—Ash.

A Holiday To Sustain Us is a fun 70K word MM urban fantasy companion story meant to be read AFTER A Purpose That Restores Us (The Magi Accounts 3). It’s from Charlie’s perspective and takes place between books 3 and 4 of the main series. This is a companion novel, NOT a standalone.

*Intended for adults only. Please read the trigger warnings at the beginning of this novel.

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Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer.

Review: Lunatic (Necessary Evils #6) by Onley James

Rating: 4.5🌈

Lunatic is the latest in James’ Necessary Evils series about a group of psychopaths that were rescued/secured by a man when they were children. He raised them , with love within a family structure, to be killers. Using their natures but redirected towards a better “good”. Assassination of those determined to be criminals that slipped through the law or that were allowed to.

While every previous novel has outlined both the exact nature of the men at the center of the stories and the very complicated relationship they end up in with their lovers. Slowly in the series arc, as another agenda is revealed behind finding and nurturing young psychopaths, the books are slightly changing.

There’s questions that perhaps not all the men are psychopathic as labeled, but sociopaths. There’s discussions of nature versus nurture. And main characters that aren’t part of this system but are part of the outlier dynamics because of other associations. It brings another interesting outside element into what was a previously “closed’ family system.

Half of Lunatic’s pov is Archer Mulvaney. Archer is one of Thomas Mulvaney’s psychopaths he gathered from a institution that “saved” such traumatized children and didn’t know what to do with them. He did. We always get each man’s history at the beginning of each book. Ugly, raw, brutal. They are chilling. Because these are small children when Thomas is called to see them.

And yes, trigger warnings apply. As they will throughout the book. This is dark fiction.

Mackenzie Shepherd, wildlife photographer, brother to a brother psychopath and with a mother, Dr.Shepard, who’s specializes in Psychopathic behavior, is the second pov.

Together they are combustible. They have been hooking up since a Las Vegas meeting, and it’s only one of Archer’s many secrets he’s keeping from his family.

While the other , it’s hard to know what to call them, certainly not romances or love affairs since most of the psychopaths here have a limited or literally unknowable ability to feel love, it might be termed obsession or bond with their significant others. Or as one of the emotional halves puts it, their crazies match.

You got that with the others. Here it’s a bit of a longer road, especially when midway you narratively end up in what is usually in a rom-com storyline thread.

Of course, that goes sideways in the manner of this series, but the tilt in couple and format is just enough to make this a off kilter installment from the others while still playing within the overall arc theme.

Mac and Archer’s relationship , it’s impact upon the family, and possible repercussions, is expanding the series storylines and bringing in new mysteries. It’s doing this while keeping it’s core of Mulvaney siblings and mates intact.

I loved seeing some of my favorites here, the twins Asa and Avi, and their spectacular mates , Zane and Felix respectively. Watching the foursome arrive in the desert was hilarious. I hadn’t realized how perfectly realized this quartet of bonded killers were. How in sync their characters were now perfected. Honestly, I think I need another book with just these four.

But it’s still Archer and Mac’s story. Combined with a heartbreaking tale of sexual trafficking and child abuse. No matter what twist and turns you get, this is still very dark fiction about killers and the worst of criminals.

We have a settled Archer and Mac but are set up with a bit of a cliffhanger for the next story. That’s Maniac, and it’s the story for Thomas Mulvaney, father and head psychopath , and Aiden, the adopted son he disowned.

Can’t wait!

Until then, if dark, disturbing fiction is your thing, I’m recommending Unnecessary Evils. Read them in order to understand family history and dynamics.

Read the trigger warnings.

Necessary Evils series:

🔹Unhinged #1

🔹Psycho #2

🔹Moonstruck #3

🔹Headcase #4

🔹Mad Man #5

🔹Lunatic #6

🔹Maniac #7 – January 17, 2023

https://www.goodreads.com › showLunatic (Necessary Evils, #6) by Onley James – Goodreads

Synopsis:

Every psychopath in the Mulvaney family has a role to play. Archer Mulvaney is the gambler, a drunken reprobate making his living as a high-stakes poker player. Very few people know the real Archer, not even his brothers. But there is one man who knows far too much.

Mackenzie Shepherd spends his days photographing endangered wildlife. He’s also the brother of a sociopath and son to the woman who literally wrote the book on raising one. When his mother asks him to head a secret government project, it seems like the perfect excuse to run away from his life.

But running from his past has Mac colliding straight into Archer. And that’s a problem. For this project to be successful, Mac and Archer have to agree on every decision, and the two see eye-to-eye on nothing. Except, maybe the sex. The sex is off the charts.

When Mac’s old life comes back to haunt him, Archer insists on putting their differences aside to help keep him safe. But Mac, like Archer, is used to solving things on his own. Can they finally stop fighting each other to find the truth, or is their relationship the next thing on the endangered species list?

Lunatic is a filthy hot, enemies to lovers, psychopath romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features a sexy, roguish degenerate and a hunky bleeding heart ginger who love how much they hate each other. As always, there’s gratuitous violence, very dark humor, more blood than a slaughterhouse, and enough heat to melt your metaphorical undies. This is book six in the Necessary Evils series. Each book follows a different couple.

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Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer.

Review: Head Games (Wages of Sin #3) by Onley James and Neve Wilder

Rating: 4.5🌈

Head Games ends the Wages of Sins trilogy by Onley James and Neve Wilder about a group of professional assassins who end up finding a relationship and a partner to love and kill with.

I’ve enjoyed each book and found they’ve gotten better and more interesting with each couple. From the age gap first story of the first book, to the dueling assassins of Playing Dirty, each couple’s dynamic has gotten more complex and frankly more fascinating.

Madigan and Azrael’s story, Playing Dirty, both assassins were dueling over the same targets on The Red Queen’s kill list. In order to gain access to a specific target, they met Dr. E. Tobias Eastman, and his strangely destructive teacup Yorkie, Mantis. Eastman’s specialty and clientele is psychopaths. The worst of the worst. Including the person on their list.

How it all turns out I’ll leave to that story. Let’s just say the doc and his pet made quite the impression.

So I was very excited to see that he was the other half of the narrative here.

Soren Warner has been a part of this series and odd group of assassins from the beginning. Supposedly “retired’ but he’s always lingering around the edges of each big element and he’s there whenever someone from the group requires assistance.

He’s a world traveler, secure in himself and the fact that he’s a hired assassin . He kills only those that he or his group consider vile criminals unlikely to be caught due to their high positions in society or their connections are unlikely to be given the appropriate sentences , like those on the current Red Queen’s kill list.

Dr. E. Tobias Eastman, with Mantis, his teacup Yorkie as his only companion, has made the worst of the world’s psychopathic killers his clients and his study for fifteen years. He’s famous or infamous for being the Criminal psychologist with a list of clients who killed…often.

Anomalies fascinated him. Tobias had one major question.

What made a killer ?

He thought he’d figured out part of the equation. A management of compulsions .

Then he met Mads and Azrael, a couple who happily kill together with no remorse. Fifteen years of study and thought overturned by watching and listening to their relationship and dynamic.

Onley James and Neve Wilder sets up one of the most fascinating dynamics and romance when they put these two characters together. Each so incredibly different yet each provides an astonishing window into the psychology of the other.

It all starts when two sets of kill lists intersect.

Head Games is part psychological , part action, part romance, and all weirdly entertaining. It is about assassins and people who want to kill after all.

It is dark fiction. There’s plenty of death on the page. So be warned. If this makes you uncomfortable, this series and story probably isn’t for you.

For those of you who enjoy action and dark fiction, I’m highly recommending this book and the trilogy. I actually wish the authors had continued it. It felt as though there were more stories left to tell and three books left The Red Queen’s list and the group unfinished.

Read them in the order they were written for the events and relationships to make sense.

Wages of Sin:

🔹Bad Habits #1

🔹Play Dirty #2

🔹Head Games #3

https://www.goodreads.com › showHead Games (Wages of Sin, #3) by Onley James – Goodreads

Synopsis:

“You’re a vigilante in an argyle sweater.”

Straight-laced psychologist Tobias is an expert in the deviant behavior of others but a novice when it comes to his latest endeavor: serial killer.

After years of high-profile kills and mentoring numerous other assassins, laid-back Soren lives his life in a state of semi-permanent vacation. He comes out of an early retirement to help out a friend, only to set off sparks with the renowned psychologist when they discover they’re hunting the same man.

One shaky truce later, Soren has a new mentee in Tobias.

Soren finds Tobias and his dark impulses fascinating. Tobias finds Soren’s relaxed attitude infuriating. They have nothing in common except their ability to kill and chemistry neither can deny. But a kill list, a rage room, the Irish mob and the ghosts of their past all stand in the way of their happily ever after.

Head Games is a steamy, thrill ride of a romance with a HEA and no cliffhangers. It features an uptight, sweater-loving psychologist with a taste for blood and a soft spot for his murderous yorkie, the most zen contract killer to ever mosey the earth, plenty of dark humor, and true love. Because even bad dudes deserve their soulmates. This is book 3 in the Wages of Sin series. Each book follows a different couple.

Review: Play Dirty (Wages of Sin #2) by Onley James and Neve Wilder

Rating: 4.5🌈

Play Dirty, the second book in the Wages of Sin series by Onley James and Neve Wilder, is the story I thought I was going to get when I initially dived into this series about a group of contract killers.

In my first review I noted that two strong characters that stood out were Madigan and Sadie. It’s Madigan that’s featured here along with another assassin we previously met, the chemist Azrael, known as the angel of Death.

Unrepentant killers, each with a specialty that makes each a top assassin, Azrael and Mads start a bizarre race to see who can beat the other out of a commission. In the most erotic way.

Told from both man’s perspective it’s fascinating watching each killer’s thoughts on the bizarrely entertaining murderous race their having, the toll it’s beginning to have on themselves and their careers, and then the overall series arc that folds in.

These men are borderline psychopaths, but their past history suggests the potential for something deeper between them. It’s interesting, sexy, and funny. In a very dark manner.

And because it’s got crimes and murders strewn all through the story, it’s also highly suspenseful and full of action.

There’s blood play kink, some cutting, and just wild sex. These are still your assassins working out their relationship issues their own way!

Terrific ending and it’s leading up to the third book Head Case which features one of the main characters in their group and a new interesting character introduced here.

Can’t wait.

I throughly enjoyed Play Dirty. It’s dark contemporary romance with a murderous kink or two thrown in.

If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, I’m highly recommending it.

Wages of Sin:

🔹Bad Habits #1

🔹Play Dirty #2

🔹Head Games #3

https://www.goodreads.com › showPlay Dirty (Wages of Sin, #2) by Onley James | Goodreads

Synopsis:

“When you talk, chaos follows and I forget who I am.”

Madigan has spent his life indulging in the world’s most hedonistic pursuits, his skills as a sharpshooting killer-for-hire paying his way.

Azrael, an assassin referred to as the angel of death, is a chemist and a loner, his poisons as lethal as they are undetectable.

A chance encounter leads to a passionate night and a heated rivalry that spans years, but after they’re both offered a chance at big money by taking out elite targets on a mysterious hitlist, they find themselves once again in each other’s way. And then in each other’s arms.

Trust doesn’t come easily for either of them, but no matter how far they stray, fate always seems to pull them back together. In a profession where your partner is just as likely to kill you as kiss you, maybe trust is as close to love as they get?

Play Dirty is a steamy, action-packed thrill ride of a romance with a HEA and no cliffhangers. It features two stubborn rival assassins who can’t seem to stop tempting each other, a bit of knife play, a Die Hard-style Christmas, plenty of dark humor, and true love. Because even assassins deserve their soulmates. This is book 2 in the Wages of Sin series. Each book will follow a new couple.

Review: Mountains That Move (Kings of Airlie #2) by Casey Cox

Rating: 4.5 🌈

Mountains That Move (Kings of Airlie #2) by Casey Cox is another excellent book in this series about a incredibly damaged family of kitesurfing champions known as the Kings of Airlie. The title is true as is the little known adrenaline rush of a sport.

What’s missing from the description is the information I believe certain readers should know prior to picking up this story. It has elements of self harm, a main character’s history of childhood sexual abuse, and other issues that may act as triggers.

It’s realistically described while occurring off page, and the character’s actions and dark emotional state to his decades of trauma are believable and devastating.

Troy King is a haunted, broken man. He’s half of the POV here. One of King family of kitesurfing champions, he’s the second oldest but has bourn the worst of everything his damning family dynamics has created. In silence.

The other perspective, except for one odd section at the end, is Kaide Thompson. Security, former love, long time friend, the man Troy loves and sends away time after time.

Kaide is a window into their past and gives us needed insight into Troy’s actions, wildly swinging emotional state. It makes their dynamics relatable when Troy is heavily into denial. Kaide is layered, and believable. But he’s always going to be not as powerful a personality next to the heart of the story which is broken Troy.

Added onto their highly unstable relations, there’s the increase in threats that pushes the issues as security/client. It also brings up a multitude of past events, eventually.

Cox was fantastic when working on the tormented Troy, his relationship with Kaide , and his family. This story is so full of pain, brutality , lies, all set against the high adrenaline sport of kitesurfing. Cox’s scenes of flying over the waters, and executing those jumps are thrilling.

Honestly, YouTube Kings of Airlie championships for some amazing footage.

The last fourth of the novel is packed with quickly mounting plot lines. Another POV is thrown in unexpectedly, carrying with it a huge amount of information about the family, and specific characters.

It’s who’s this? You’re doing what? They did what? Who’s all these people? What’s all this history? What’s going on? Why is this even being thrown in here? Really? You want me to believe that?

I’m starting to blink with narrative overload here. Because holes start to appear, and I’m asking myself why it’s all necessary to have this density now.

There’s another development that involves the villain, then one of our heroes that frankly makes zero sense.

And it all ends on a cliffhanger.

I’m sort of astonished.

This is a terrific book. It really didn’t need embellishments. Or whatever all that is at the end.

The story of one man’s devastating childhood and his ability to admit and ask for help. That’s beyond everything.

Cox had me at that. That’s why it’s gets the rating. That mess at the end almost had me dropping it.

So I’ll continue along because while it gave some sort of resolution to Troy , there’s still that cliffhanger.

Kings of Airlie Trilogy:

✓ Oceans that Swim #1

✓ Mountains that Move #2

Skies That Burn #3- release TBD

https://www.goodreads.com › showmountains that move (Kings of Airlie #2) by Casey Cox – Goodreads

Synopsis:

This season, I’ve got a lot to defend…

He’s known as ‘the angry one,’ the middle brother with a chip the size of an asteroid on his shoulders. Trouble seems to follow Troy King wherever he goes. What no one realizes is that Troy’s broody, angsty exterior masks a lifetime of pain, torment, and trauma––and a long-held secret that threatens to tear his already dysfunctional family even further apart.

The only place Troy feels in control is in the water, and this year, he’s determined to win his third world championship title. But that dream gets disrupted by a series of anonymous, online death threats. What’s even worse is that the person called in to protect him is the only man who brings him undone: Kaide Thompson.

Kaide’s mission is simple––keep Troy safe. But Kaide and Troy share a seven-year history. One that takes complicated and messy to a whole other level. Their chemistry is electrifying; their attraction undeniable; their dynamic as magnetic and destructive as ever. But they’ve been down this road before… Twice… And it always ends the same way.

Despite Troy doing everything he can to push him away, Kaide isn’t backing down this time. He’s prepared to do whatever it takes to not only keep Troy safe, but also help him find a way to deal with his pain. Even if it means he’ll have to walk away from the only man he’s ever loved.

To achieve his dream, Troy needs to double down and focus on winning the championship. But with his life in danger, the season spinning out of control, his family more dysfunctional than ever, and a lifetime of secrets simmering just below the surface, will Kaide be there for him when the horrific truth finally comes out?

Kings of Airlie is an exhilarating, action-packed MM romance sports trilogy about love, brotherhood and resilience––with a powerful message that dreams don’t die, they just sometimes change.

Each book in the series has a new love story with a happily ever after. With continuing family and competition plots, the books do need to be read in order.

Review: Mad Man (Necessary Evil #5) by Onley James

Rating: 4.75🌈

“She couldn’t see the bigger picture. She looked at the twins and saw a problem. Thomas saw an opportunity. A divine creation. He was raising a legion of psychopaths.”

— Mad Man (Necessary Evils Book 5) by Onley James

Mad Man (Necessary Evil #5) by Onley James is Avi Mulvaney’s story, the other half of the mirror twins referenced above.

And every issue I had with Asa’s (the other twin’s book) is resolved here, the reasons for that’s story’s lack weirdly reflected in Avi’s nature and the fact he’s literally what’s missing from Asa. Asa has those qualities Avi will never have. Only together are they one person.

The prologue is the second half ( naturally) of how they were found and adopted. It adds those last minutiae to them as children.

Asa is the total aggressor, absolute control, all mind, and yes, cruelty. Loves to inflict pain. The perfect sadist. That’s his half. Avi is emotion. He enjoys being hurt. He’s the masochist to Asa’s sadist. He’s dependent on their twin connection. While Asa’s mean in his remarks, Avi’s kind, if that’s possible for a psychopath. He’s impulsive.

That Avi is “feeling “ the loss in their separation more deeply or able to express his spiraling makes sense given which half he is. It also makes him more relatable as he’s definitely more likable, even though he’s still very much a killer.

James’ mirror twins comes with built in narrative issues demonstrated by their stories. Asa’s such a undeniably alpha personality, a sadist who’s only weakness is his brother who carries those other character traits for him. Asa hunt’s everything, including the man he’s obsessive over. He’s even able to shut out or down temporarily his link with his brother when Avi questions his decision.

That’s unthinkable to Avi. A loss of link? Never. So while that stays true to Asa , by losing Avi, that story loses the reader to an extent.

Now in Avi , we’re back and we get another fabulous character as well. One we’ve been previously introduced to. Felix Navarro. Baby brother to Jericho, now husband to Atticus.

Felix is delicate,,gender bending, highly talented fashion designer , and extremely lethal in his own right.

He’s also forceful, possessive, and supremely intelligent. In a way perfect for the man he’s been crushing on. Avi Mulvaney, fashion designer and head of his own clothing empire company.

Felix is a complicated personality, with a family history of loss (Jericho’s story), his outlook and passion mask a fear of being left and insecurities over his background. Indeed, he’s strong and commanding but soft and in need of a family dynamics where he’s able to feel completely safe.

The two stories, Avi’s and Asa’s, actually fit together like the twins do, giving us a full portrait of the amazingly synergy that comes into existence between Avi&Felix&Asa&Zane. It’s not 2 + 2 but actually a whole of four. That’s the completed “one” at the end.

Avi woos Felix, and Felix (already a member of the Mulvaney family by way of Jericho) really learns who Avi is and understands his needs, with and away from Asa. It’s such a wild well written story.

We also get to know Felix intimately as well. His rages to his fears. His passions and aggressive side. He’s perfect. For Avi.

The mystery starts off in a startlingly different manner, with a nice twists. There’s several cases here that the family is involved in.

Plus the ongoing Aiden/Thomas drama.

I loved this book, and it reminded me that Asa’s was really a lead-in to this which, like the Prologue, completed the story for both men.

Except for the complications of length, it should have been one novel.

Together, it’s outstanding the more you think about all the elements, and aspects of each mirror twin and the men they’ve chosen, who are in fact, mirrors themselves.

Stunning.

There’s also the tiny fact that’s whispering along each story that all these characters and acts have been directed by the man who gathered them together as one large experiment.

Surely something has to come of that?

At any rate, I’m highly recommending this book and series. Heed the trigger warnings about violence. This is dark fiction and romance. The men are psychopaths.

Necessary Evils series:

🔹Unhinged #1

🔹Psycho #2

🔹Moonstruck #3

🔹Headcase #4

🔹Mad Man #5

🔹Lunatic #6 – TBR Aug 23, 2022

https://www.goodreads.com › showMad Man (Necessary Evils, #5) by Onley James – Goodreads

Avi Mulvaney is many things. Son. Twin. Owner of the fashion label, Gemini. Murderous psychopath. Together, he and his brother, Asa, make one brutally efficient monster, ridding the world of predators who victimize the innocent. History proves Avi and Asa don’t do well apart, but their father has decided to test that theory.

Felix Navarro knows exactly who he is. Baby brother. Fashionista. Vigilante. While he’s not happy that his big brother married a Mulvaney, the union has its perks. Like a paid internship with Gemini. But all good things come with a cost and, for Felix, that’s enduring Avi Mulvaney each day, which inevitably leads to thinking about him every night.

Felix doesn’t like Avi. He’s cocky, condescending, overbearing, and inappropriate. He’s also sexy, brilliant, and twice as lethal as Felix. Still, Felix loathes him. Even if he keeps letting him kiss him. And touch him. Even if he slipped just once. It was still hate sex, and it would never happen again. Ever.

Except, Avi’s being sent to help take down a dangerous crime ring and he’s ordered Felix to come along. Felix has vowed to stay strong. To remember he hates Avi. But they’re trapped together and there’s only one bed, and it’s so hard to hate Avi in the dark when he’s whispering how Felix belongs to him. Felix belongs to no man, but Avi is determined. He has one week to prove to Felix that he’s the exception to his rule. After all, who says no to a Mulvaney?

Mad Man is a scorchingly hot, intense, enemies to lovers, psychopath romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features a dirty talking, brutally vicious killer and a sharp tongued murderous fashionista who are both too stubborn for their own good. As always, there’s gratuitous violence, very dark humor, enough blood to film the final scene in the movie Carrie, and enough heat to melt your panties. This is book five in the Necessary Evils series. Each book follows a different couple.

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: 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: 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.

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