Tag: urban fantasy romance

Review: Hall of Blood and Mercy: The Complete Trilogy by K. M. Shea 

Rating: 5⭐️✨

I’m finished with two of these series and seriously considering a wall of shelves devoted just to K. M. Shea ‘s Magiford Supernatural City Universe series. I’m that addicted to these characters, their stories, and relationship dynamics that keep me reading until way too long into the early morning hours. 

Hall of Blood and Mercy: The Complete Trilogy by K. M. Shea begins it all with the journey of Hazel Medeis.  She’s a wizard with a tragic past, fighting against those who have taken over her house. A remarkable woman who develops with the unexpected power and help of Killian Drake, Vampire Lord . Vampire Lord and Wizard. What a tale over three books!

And it includes the vampires of Drake house and the wizards of House Medeis, all of which we get to know and love in the coming battles. And intertwined relationships. 

I laughed out loud at the dialogue and conversations. The action scenes are swift and engaging and magical. 

This is where we start to see exactly what and where all the elements of Magiford come together. 

And other characters that will have their stories told appear as well. 

Imaginative, hugely powerful, funny, romantic and full of characters that I will revisit over and over. 

A new urban fantasy must author and universe for me to love and rec!

Hall of Blood and Mystery:

Magic Forged #1

Magic Redeemed #2

Magic Unleashed #3

Connected Sequel series in order of reading: All Magiford Supernatural City Universe.

  • Court of Midnight and Deception: The Complete Trilogy (Magiford Supernatural City)❤️5
  • Pack of Dawn and Destiny: The Complete Trilogy
  • Gate of Myth and Power: The Complete Trilogy (Magiford Supernatural City)
  • Magic on Main Street: The Complete Trilogy (Magiford Supernatural City)

Cover Art by Natasha Snow Designs Edited by Deborah Grace White

Magiford Supernatural City is a registered trademark of K. M. Shea LLC. 

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Hall of Blood and Mercy: The Complete Trilogy (Magiford Supernatural City)

Blurb 

I’m one scrappy wizard.

As someone with barely a flicker of magic, I’ve spent my life being mocked and surviving fights with bullies. But when my parents die in an accident, and I find myself responsible for our whole wizard house and family, I know my usual tactics aren’t going to cut it.

The situation veers from bad to catastrophic when my backstabbing cousin stages a coup and takes my family hostage.

I barely manage to flee, but the only supernatural willing to help me is Killian Drake–the most feared vampire in the region, and a far more deadly villain than the jerk threatening me.

Is Killian sexy and charismatic? Heck yeah.

He’s also so powerful that my flight or fight instincts kick in every time our eyes meet.

But he is also the first person to believe I might have more than just a scrap of magic. And if I can convince him to train me, I might get strong enough to free my family and get my house back.

I’m not sure what happens when a scrappy wizard is taught how to fight by a hall of deadly vampires, but I’m about to find out.

With over 30,000 ratings on Amazon and Goodreads, and millions of pages read, this completed urban fantasy trilogy is packed with humor, adventure, and a sweet, slow burn romance between a vertically challenged wizard and the most lethal vampire in town.

The Magiford Supernatural City universe features vampires, wizards, fae, and werewolves! Start reading this bingeable series now!

This bundle includes all three books in the Hall of Blood and Mercy Trilogy: Magic Forged, Magic Redeemed, and Magic Unleashed.

  • Publication date: September 26, 2022
  • Language: English
  • File size: 3.4 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage: Unlimited
  • Screen Reader: Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Enabled
  • Word Wise: Enabled
  • Print length: 879 pages
  • Page Flip: Enabled
  • Part of series: Magiford Supernatural City

Review:  Dark Whispers (The Firebrand Series Book 5) by Helen Harper 

Rating: 4⭐️

Dark Whispers is one of the longest books in the series and a little drawn out for the investigation and cases involved. But it’s ultimately, an entertaining story that makes a statement about bigotry, prejudice and intolerance and its impact , on a large and more personal scale. 

Parts of this book aren’t as believable, especially as it’s the fifth in the series, so the actions, both of the police officers and actually the other supernaturals should have been more “tightly” controlled or just better suited for their roles than was otherwise written here in the dramatic scenes. 

And some supporting characters like Emma’s new DC is little more than a cardboard image at the moment but with the potential for more.

Enjoyed it.

BOOK COVER DESIGN BY YOCLA DESIGNS

The Firebrand Series 

  • Brimstone Bound
  • Infernal Enchantment
  • Midnight Smoke
  • Scorched Heart
  • Dark Whispers
  • A Killer’s Kiss
  • Fortune’s Ashes

The Wolfbrand Series

  • The Noose Of A New Moon
  • Licence to Howl

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        Dark Whispers (The Firebrand Series Book 5)

    

Blurb 

The Supernatural Summit is about to start at the DeVane Hotel in London. Vampires and werewolves, ghouls and gremlins, and pixies and druids have all come together to find better ways to get along with the human community and address the strict laws which govern their existence. It’s a real opportunity to change the world for the better and I’m proud to be a part of it.

But there are protestors camped outside the hotel and dangerous rumours circling about one of the delegates. When a dead body is discovered, I know it’s only a matter of time before all hell breaks loose.

I have to find the murderer. And I have to find them quickly.

Dark Whispers is the fifth book in the action-packed urban fantasy Firebrand series.

  • Publication date: December 2, 2021
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 258 pages
  • Book 5 of 7: The Firebrand Series

Review:  The Vampire in the Potting Shed (Groom & Doom Book 1) by Hailey Edwards 

Rating: 4⭐️

Hailey Edwards has a really great new start on a series with her new paranormal novella, The Vampire in the Potting Shed. 

The first in the Groom & Doom series, we don’t get much of a world foundation, although I saw mention that it’s set in the same universe as the author’s Black Hat Bureau (10 book) series.

This particular story is tied to one small town and territory, and focuses on Ana Sartori, who runs Gwinnett Street Groomers, a small pet grooming business and has an Alpha wolf shifter as an overprotective father. She herself can’t shift so remains outside of the pack business and affairs. 

At 125 pages, Edwards packs a lot of information, interesting characters, and relationship dynamics into her storyline. That includes some neat twists and reveals.

It’s a quick, highly entertaining story and it makes you wish the next book was ready for reading. 

I’m definitely reading it when it’s available. 

A new winner for an author I enjoy. 

Cover by Damonza

Groom & Doom 

The Vampire in the Potting Shed #1

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        The Vampire in the Potting Shed (Groom & Doom Book 1)

    

Blurb 

There are two things Ana Sartori knows for certain. She can’t shapeshift into a wolf like her father or his pack. And, despite her being a latent, little more than human, he loves her despite her faults. She’s never going to be an alpha like him, but she can still hold her own in a fight. Not that her life is violent. He makes sure of that. Aside from occasionally wrestling pets into a headlock when it’s time to trim their nails at Gwinnett Street Groomers, Ana leads a simple life.

At least that was the case until someone broke into her pet resort and spa, leaving a mystery dog behind in one of the bougie boarding suites. Not to mention there’s a vampire hiding in the potting shed. A very tall, very handsome vampire. He even smells nice, minus the blood drenching his clothes.

Ana could handle those things, probably, but now there’s a new alpha determined to claim the town—and Ana—as his territory. Either she stands and fights for her home, or she runs to her father with her (metaphorical) tail tucked between her legs. Life is a lot of things, but for Ana, simple isn’t one of them anymore.

  • Publisher: Black Dog Books, LLC.
  • Publication date: June 16, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 125 pages
  • Book 1 of 1: Groom & Doom

Review:  The Vampire and the Case of the Secretive Siren: An Urban Fantasy Novel (The Portlock Paranormal Detective Series Book 2) by Heather G. Harris and Jilleen Dolbeare

Rating: 4.75⭐️

Another great story, investigative case and overall excellent work that explores the town’s citizens, the issues that have become a major factor and the deepening role that Bunny’s playing in the Sheriff’s Department and in her private life in town. 

Authors Harris and Dolbeare take a real issue from our society, that of the influx of drugs into the streets and high schools and uses it expertly for their story. A known horrifying element becomes even more terrifying and the suspense is heightened by the fact that it’s teenagers who are involved in the case.

It’s hard to call any character here a supporting personality as they become so important to the reader, to Bunny in a variety of ways, and in their variety of roles in the Portlock town. The more we learn about them, as the authors explore their own lives and species here the better we invest in them too. 

As with the first book, it’s written using British English,  with that spelling and phrases, which here makes sense for a Londoner who has moved to Alaska. 

With each story, Bunny is more a part of Portlock, and less a transplant. I’m here for every step of her journey.

What a fabulous book and series. Read them all in the order written. A must read!

Cover design by Christian Bentulan. Published by Hellhound Press Limited.

The Portlock Paranormal Detective series:

The Vampire and the Case of her Dastardly Death, a prequel.

The Vampire and the Case of the Wayward Werewolf, Book 1.

The Vampire and the Case of the Secretive Siren, Book 2.

The Vampire and the Case of the Baleful Banshee, Book 3.

The Vampire and the Case of the Cursed Canine, Book 4.

The Vampire and the Case of the Perilous Poltergiest, Book 5.

The Vampire and the Case of the Cozy Christmas, Book 5.5.

The Vampire and the Case of the Hellacious Hag #6

The Vampire and the Case of the Malevolent Mermaid #7 – July 3,2025

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        The Vampire and the Case of the Secretive Siren: An Urban Fantasy Novel (The Portlock Paranormal Detective Series Book 2)

    

Blurb 

Sex, drugs and siren songs.

Ok, so not much sex is going on. The closest I’ve gotten to some action is a date with Stan which ended in disaster. But with all the eye-candy walking around this small town, including the sexy vampire leader, Connor, I’m definitely re-thinking my ‘no dating’ rule. I don’t get the chance to do much about it though because some ruffians think it’s funny to break into the Grimes’ moonshine shop.

It doesn’t take too long to identify the shifters responsible, but it opens up a whole can of worms. Inebriated worms, like the ones you find in tequila. The kids weren’t just drunk, they were high. High on a new kind of drug that’s washing into Portlock. Literally. We found bags of the stuff floating in the harbour and it quickly becomes clear that this drug is anything but recreational. It can make you high, or it can shut down your organs quicker than you can say ‘shotgun funeral’.

We need to find the dealers and shut them down, before any more of our town gets hoodwinked by this powerful stuff.

Oh, and there’s a small problem with the barrier. The barrier that keeps us all safe from the cryptid monster that lurks beyond its confines. That barrier. Rips have been appearing in it, and if it falls, we’re all doomed.

An average day in Portlock then. 

Dive into this fast-paced urban fantasy series if you love mystery, humour, found family and a slow-burn romance.