ARC Review: Memoirs of a Dragon Hunter by Katie MacAlister

Series:	Dragon Hunter #1
Pub. Date:	Aug. 28, 2018
Publisher:	Forever
Length:	384 pgs
Source:	NetGalley

Let me start out by saying that I am a big fan of Katie MacAlister - I absolutely loved her Dragon Septs series/world. So this book is a bit of an anomaly for me in that I could not bring myself to like it, no matter how hard I tried. And try I did, I would not let myself DNF this one. But not every book works for me, and this one was a miss in several areas.

ARC Review: Disorderly Conduct by Tessa Bailey

Series:	The Academy #1
Pub. Date:	Aug. 29, 2017
Publisher:	Avon
Length:	354 pgs
Source:	Publisher

I hear people rave about Tessa Bailey all the time, and her steamy dirty-talking heroes. This is my actual first time reading her, and though this story was not for me, I did like her writing style and will be reading her again in the future. I will probably even continue with this series as I think I will like the other lead characters to come.

Audiobook Review: Divorced Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig

Series:	Divorced & Desperate #1
Pub. Date:	July 11, 2017
Publisher:	Dreamscape Media
Narrator:	Jennifer Woodward
Length:	8 hrs 37 min
Source:	Hoopla

I have seen this series floating around for quite a while, and I thought it sounded like fun. I'm not divorced (or married for that matter). I guess the desperate and delicious is up for debate... but I feel like I'm doing a little better than our heroine here. This series focuses on a posse of divorced femmes, seemingly obsessed with sex, and their lack thereof. 

Audiobook Review: Two Nights by Kathy Reichs

Pub. Date:	July 11, 2017
Publisher:	Random House Audio
Narrators:	Colleen Marlo Kim Mai Guest
Length:	9 hrs 5 min
Source:	NetGalley / Library

This is another book from my blogger shame pile. I actually started and stopped it a few times before deciding to try it in audio on my drive east not long ago. I have been wanting to try Kathy Reichs for a while as I really enjoy Bones, the television adaptation of the Temperance Brennan series.

ARC Review: How to Forget a Duke by Vivienne Lorret

Series:	Misadventures in Matchmaking #1
Pub. Date:	May 29, 2018
Publisher:	Avon
Length:	384 pages
Source:	Publisher

How to Forget a Duke is the first installment of Vivienne Lorret's new series, Misadventure in Matchmaking. The series focuses around three sisters and their indulgent uncle, who allows the girls to run the Bourne Matrimonial Agency. Just take a gander at that beautiful cover - it totally sucked me right in and had me wanting to read this story.

Our hero of this first installment is Crispin Montague, fifth Duke of Rydstrom. First of all - that is a GREAT name. I just loved it. Unfortunately, Crispin is broke and in need of an heiress whose funds he may use to repair the ducal estate, Whitcrest. Though he is not interested in a love match - he needs an uninterested wife who will not want to live with him at Whitcrest and discover his secrets. I liked Crispin. He was no-nonsense, responsible, and honorable. He was also engaging in some self-condemnation for his guilt over his parent's death and his sisters future prospects. I would have liked to know more about him, though most of the story was focused on the heroine.

Review: The Duke by Katharine Ashe

Series:	Devil's Dukes #3
Pub. Date:	Sept. 26, 2017
Publisher:	Avon
Length:	395 pgs

The Devil's Dukes series is a spinoff of Katharine Ashe's Falcon Club series. I have not read the Falcon Club series yet, and I tried to start the Devil's Dukes last year with The Rogue, and I felt too lost to finish the book. When Avon sent along the fourth book in the series, The Prince, I decided to give this one another shot. I wanted to try The Duke, because I am a sucker for a broody dark duke, particularly a Scot.

ARC Review: Loving the Secret Billionaire by Adriana Anders

Series:	Love at Last #1
Pub. Date:	April 19, 2018
Publisher:	Self-Pub
Length:	113 pgs
Source:	Author

Loving the Secret Billionaire is the first installment in Adriana Anders' Love at Last novella series. I am a fan of Anders' writing style and having been reading the Blank Canvas series, but I wasn't able to connect with this story. The writing style was fine - I just got caught up in the pitfalls of a novella and wanted more information.

Review: Dangerous Promise by Megan Hart

Series:	The Protector #1
Pub. Date:	Jan. 2, 2018
Publisher:	Swerve
Length:	255 pgs
Source:	3M Cloud Library

I've been a Megan Hart fan since the way back, loving the incredibly emotional erotic romances that she published. It seems she is branching out over the last few years and crossing genres into the realms of suspense and thrillers. With The Protector series, Megan offers a futuristic romance with an enhanced heroine and billionaire hero struggling through a contentious relationship.

ARC Review: One Lucky Cowboy by Carolyn Brown

Series:	Lucky #2
Re-Release. Date:	March 6, 2018
Publisher:	Sourcebooks Casablanca
Length:	352 pages
Source:	NetGalley

I have been on the hunt lately for a good solid cowboy series that I could sink my teeth into... but so far I'm kinda striking out in this trope. I don't know if being a southern girl makes me overly picky when it comes to these stories, or if I just haven't found the right fit. But this one didn't work for me at all. 

Audiobook Review: I Like Big Dragons and I Cannot Lie by Lani Lynn Vale

Series:	I Like Big Dragons #1
Pub. Date:	Jan. 18, 2018
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Narrators:	Mason Lloyd Kendall Taylor
Length:	5 hrs 44 min
Source:	Publisher

You guys all know that I am a sucker for dragon stories, so this book (title and blurb) intrigued me. When I saw that the hero would be the Prince of Dragons, I thought dragon shapeshifters. But this story involves dragon riders... and the dragons are sentient and communicative with the humans. I loved that aspect.

ARC Review: A Deep Dark Call by Rose Vane

Pub. Date:	Dec. 4, 2017
Publisher:	Carina Press
Length:	133 pages
Source:	NetGalley

I'm not quite sure what to say about this one. This is my first read from this author, so I can't compare A Deep Dark Call to her other works. But this one didn't work for me for several reasons.

I did like the setting of Wallachia/Romania, as that is still somewhat unique when it comes to the staging for romance and paranormal stories. And given the release date, I was happy that this was set around Christmastime with lots of snow. But that is about where it ended for me.

ARC Review: The Bachelor Contract by Rachel Van Dyken

Series:	Bachelors of Arizona #3
Pub. Date:	Nov 28, 2017
Publisher:	Forever Romance
Length:	336 pages
Source:	NetGalley

This was my first read from Rachel Van Dyken, and I have heard good things about her books. Unfortunately this one just didn't work for me. But I'm not giving up yet, I will try another one and see if it's a better fit.

I should mention that this is the third book in the Bachelors of Arizona series, and I have not read the earlier books. I didn't feel like I was lost or missing too much information, but after reading some other reviews I understand that this story may have been playing out in earlier books. Regardless, I didn't feel like I was missing anything vital.

Brant and Nikki married very young without a blessing from either of their families and they attempted to make a go of it on their own. Unfortunately a horrible tragedy struck the couple and they were just too young and naive to deal with it. We meet them again four years living apart and tortured by the past. Brant has become an alcoholic asshole, and Nikki is blind and struggling through life as a masseuse. Determined to drag Brant out of his misery, his family orchestrates a situation where the two won't be able to avoid one another.

Audiobook Review: Hidden Blade by P. DaCosta

Series:	Soul Eater #1
Pub. Date:	Oct 11, 2016
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Narrator:	Paul Woodson
Length:	4 hrs 49 min
Source:	Publisher

I am a huge urban fantasy fan, and have run through the majority of urban fantasy authors on my TBR. So I have been trying to branch out and find a new one. Pippa DaCosta writes several different urban fantasies so I have tried a couple of hers... but so far none have grabbed me.  

This story had good potential as I don't feel the mythology aspect with the Egyptian deities has been overdone as a trope/subject. Unfortunately, this story didn't work for me either. I didn't feel like there was any world building. Everyone is just somewhat plopped down into New York with occasional trips to the Underworld. Why are the Egyptian deities in NYC? I wanted an explanation of the world, how they came to be in New York, descriptions of the setting (particularly the Underworld), an explanation of the relationship dynamics between characters, etc. Instead, there was a lot of telling and not enough showing.

ARC Review: Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge

Series:	Untitled #1
Pub. Date:	Sept. 27, 2016
Publisher:	Balzar + Bray
Length:	448 pages
Source:	Edelweiss

I have been craving more fantasy in my life this year, and have been seeking out new (to me) fantasy authors left and right. I totally got sucked in by the cover of Bright Smoke, Cold Fire, and the blurb piqued my interest as well. I can't recall having read a retelling of Romeo and Juliet in the last handful of years, so I was definitely intrigued.

ARC Review: Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

Series:	Three Dark Crowns #1
Pub. Date:	Sept. 20, 2016
Publisher:	HarperTeen
Length:	416 pages
Source:	Edelweiss

I was really intrigued by the blurb for this book as I love a good dark fantasy. The premise of the story is that three sisters (triplets) are born queens. Once they are born, it is the end of their queen mother's reign. The girls are raised together at the Black Cottage for a short time, but are all separated at six years old according to their magical powers. One is a poisoner and is immune to poison. One is a naturalist and can make things grow and have animals as familiars. And the other is an elemental, who controls the elements of earth, air, wind and fire. Katherine is being raised by the poisoners; Arsinoe is being raised by the naturalists; and Mirabella is being raised by the elementals. To become the next queen, one of the girls must murder her sisters and take the throne.

ARC Review: Destined for a King by Ashlyn MacNamara

Series:	Bastard Brotherhood #1
Pub. Date:	Sept 6, 2016
Publisher:	Loveswept
Length:	266 pages
Source:	NetGalley

Destined for a King is a mix of medieval and fantasy romance, leaning more toward the historical side that fantasy. A battle for the kingdom between the rightful king and a usurper is sprinkled with premonitory visions and a starcrossed romance in this first installment of the Bastard Brotherhood series.

ARC Review: Devil's Cove by R.C. Matthews

Pub. Date:	Aug. 29, 2016
Publisher:	Crimson Romance
Length:	300 pages
Source:	NetGalley

I got sucked in by the cover of this book, and thoughts of a creepy gothic tale. A spooky castle, ghosts and paranormal aspects, unique characters with dark pasts, and a troubled romance sound like a recipe for success. I was most excited about Devil's Cove Manor - the spooky manse that was the site of a gruesome tragedy where a mythical monster, known as the gatekeeper to hell, murdered the attendants at a grand ball. I love haunted mansion tales where the house itself becomes a character in the story.

ARC Review: Chaos Rises by Pippa DaCosta

Series:	Chaos Rises #1
Pub. Date:	June 29, 2016
Publisher:	Self-Pub
Length:	288 pages
Source:	NetGalley

I have been looking for some new urban fantasy series lately and thought I would give this new one from Pippa DaCosta a try. When the Veil separating the Netherworld from our world fell, hordes of demons came through and carved a wide swath of death and destruction through the world. The majority of this story took place in post-war Los Angeles, where demons and half-bloods continue to terrorize each other and humans. There are countless varieties of higher and lesser demons, some that can wear human skin, but many that cannot. There are also human-demon half-bloods which were created through genetic mutation by a government entity known as The Institute. These half-bloods were created to hunt and kill demons but, after escaping The Institute, must result to being owned by higher demons.

ARC Review: Deception Island by Brynn Kelly

Pub. Date:	May 31, 2016
Publisher:	Harlequin
Length:	336 pages
Source:	Edelweiss

Sadly this book didn't work out for me. But I may just be hitting a reading slump, so take my review with a grain of salt. I will lay out what worked and what didn't... and the things that didn't work for me might be what you like.  Goodness knows I am not the end-all be-all of reviewers, and there are many that loved this book on Goodreads.  I will commend Brynn Kelly on this debut novel at least, for I know it was no easy feat. While the execution didn't work for me, she has put together a great premise and I love the hero's background in the French Foreign Legion. I am also curious about the hero's friend and teammate from the FFL (Flynn I think his name was), and if he gets his own book, I will give Ms. Kelly another shot. 

Review: Counsellor by Celia Aaron

Series:  Acquisition #1

Pub. Date:  Sept. 28, 2015

Publisher:  Self-Pub

Pages:  209

Source:  Kindle Unlimited

I got drawn in by the cover of this book when I recognized the Oak Alley Plantation. I was even more stoked when I saw that it was set in New Orleans, as I don't think I have ever read a dark romance set here. Unfortunately, this story didn't work for me.