Young Enough (The Age Between Us Part 2) by Charmaine Pauls

Young Enough by Charmaine Pauls is part two in the Age Between Us series. This book is a direct continuation of Old Enough, so part one must be read first. In Young Enough, Jane and Brian continue to fight for their relationship. As time passes, Jane and Brian's obligations pull them away from one another.  

The younger man, older woman taboo is handled nicely in the Age Between Us series. Brian is what Jane needs to feel whole after a series of losses. Jane shows Brian his current way of living will not work out as he planned. They help one another grow, make each other better. Relating to Jane proved to be difficult at the start for me, but in the end, I understand the actions she took. Her priorities are not wrong. Brian makes some bad decisions, but his intentions are always pure. In the end, he does the best he can.

After reading the first novel, I was absorbed in their story. It was not hard to wish the best for Jane and Brian. Given the suffering they experienced, it was a long time coming when it finally happened. Charmaine Pauls does her tortured heroes well, with emphasis on tortured. I highly recommend this dark romance. I received this book from NetGalley for my honest opinion. I encourage all readers to reach their own conclusions.

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Midnight With the Devil by Emma Castle

Midnight with the Devil by Emma Castle is an enjoyable concept. The approach here is a deal with the Devil. Diana's father is in the hospital, dying of cancer. Lucian Star, as the Devil calls himself in this instance, overhears Diana's plea for her father's life. Realizing Diana could be useful to him, Lucian agrees to save him. His general goal is the corruption of her soul, to safeguard the gates of hell with the act.

Diana's part of the contract requires Friday nights, for three months, be spent in Lucian's company from dusk till dawn. Lucian is, of course, the ultimate bad boy. And bad boys are an attraction. Diana spends a good deal of time fretting over the attraction/lust she feels for Lucian. Finally giving into her primal urges, Diana discovers there are many things she got wrong about the Devil, and how he fits into her sense of morality.

Overall I enjoyed this story. The mythos created here was entertaining. In a dominance story, the women are occasionally too submissive, but in Midnight with the Devil, I never felt that way about Diana. She kept a level head and realized when she had things wrong. Lucian is what you would expect from the Devil if the Devil wasn't evil incarnate.

However, something felt off to me. Maybe it was the flow between actions. Segues did not always seem smooth to me. There were times I felt there should have been more to the scenes, or maybe some further background to things. In the end, the mythology kept me intrigued, and the chemistry between Diana and Lucian was engaging. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest opinion. I encourage all readers to reach their own conclusions.

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Stygian by Sherrilyn Kenyon

The Dark-Hunter series is captivating. Intricate crossover plots spread throughout multiple novels. Solving the character's mysteries is a bit obsessive for me, and I revel in the depths these plots contain. Minute details can reveal hidden plot points, often found during rereads I indulge in. I am a big series reader, and this is one worth experiencing. In Stygian, background information is summed up when relevant to the current plot. Most of this happens in the back half of the novel and worth a warning, you will be able to tell where the additional content would be.

Honestly, the Lords of Avalon and Dragon Rising books are among my favorites in the DH world. In Stygian, the drakomai Sarraxyn is a principal character. Knowing some of Urian's past, I admit being unsure how Urian and Xyn could become a couple. They shared space in previous installments with no hint at a relationship. Urian and Xyn's reconnection is handled well, thoroughly convincing me of the lack of recognition previously.

Although enthusiastic about Urian's tale, I admit being leery of it.  Both Acheron and Styxx were arduous for me. Their books rip your heart out, stomp on it, shove it back and start all over again. Tissues are a must. Don't get me wrong, I loved experiencing Acheron and Styxx's journey, but it was a hard ride.  Formatted the same in that we begin with Urian's birth in ancient times, I worried Urian would have an upbringing filled with isolation. Urian does have it rough, but, it was not as tumultuous as I anticipated. Urian felt love and friendship. His family stuck by him. He had friends. He found love, although it was a long ride before they could be together.

In short, Stygian is a fantastic addition to the Dark Hunter world.  All my favorite characters show up in one way or another. One personal thing this book gave to me, is an ability to forgive for a prior misdeed. That scene, in particular, stirred my emotions in a big way. I love Urian and Xyn together. They both deserve someone epic and are well paired because of that. All opinions are my own, and I encourage readers to reach their own conclusions.

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Dagger's Edge by Lora Leigh

Dagger's Edge (Brute Force 2) by Lora Leigh is a romantic crime thriller. The events begin directly after Collision Point's ending. Information relevant to current affairs is summed up when necessary, but there is a depth to the relationships if one reads both.

Crimsyn, on the run and desperate to escape her corrupt, powerful family befriends Ivan's daughter.  Ivan is a dominant man possessing a significant Russian family legacy. Having ties to Ivan from her past, she knows he can help her maintain cover. Syn, as Ivan calls her, realizes it is a risky request due to a violent feud between their families. After a passionate night in Ivan's bed, Syn runs again with the intent of leaving Ivan behind permanently. Several weeks after Syn's escape, Ivan catches up with her. Together they devise a plan to stop Syn's family from causing more horror in their lives.

Ivan persuades Crimsyn they must get engaged. He hopes the betrothal going public will lure those trying to abduct Syn in the open. When that occurs, he intends on striking them down permanently. Syn's only requirement for participation is Ivan helps her believe the love she wants for them is real. Ivan's passion for Syn is apparent, and the love between them feels authentic. It's fulfilling Ivan accepting he needs Syn. Even more satisfying is Syn accepting her fairy tale has become a reality.

Ivan exudes power. He doesn't give excuses regarding possessing and shielding those he loves. Nor his drive to complete those tasks by any means necessary. Rising above his treacherous past gained Ivan a vast empire, which ensures Syn can remain by his side and protected. Syn has a tenacity to her. Her strength comes from within. Moments passed I saw a week woman who needed rescuing, but never so much so that I was totally put off by her.

Dagger's Edge is a great addition to the Brute Force series. Ivan and Syn were well paired, and quite sexy together. There was a great amount of mystery and suspense. I am enjoying piecing the character's background stories together. I was granted an ARC copy of this book by St. Martin's Press through NetGalley for my honest opinion. I encourage all readers to come to their own conclusions.

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Don't Look Back by Dawn Ryder

Miranda Delacroix has made an enemy of Carl Davis. Miranda surrendered evidence to a Special Ops team implicating an associate of Carl's in a severe crime, injuring Carl's political career. Carl ordered an assassin to take out Miranda to safeguard his political goals. Don't Look Back by Dawn Ryder belongs to the Unbroken Heroes series. From the beginning, it was apparent this book was part of a series.  Even though it was a bit disorienting at first, it quickly becomes clear how the characters fit into each other's pasts. All I needed was a basic understanding of past events, so I would say Don't Look Back could be read as a stand-alone novel. This book would be good for those who enjoy a political crime thriller, or romance novels.

The pacing of Don't Look Back is frenetic. Switches in the narrative produce just enough to advance the plot before diverting the action to other characters. This method kept me invested in the intrigue.  Various players attempt to outwit each other for victory. It immediately drew me into the events of the quest to bring down the enemy.

The threat to Miranda's life brings her reclusive, billionaire son Dunn to the States from Scotland. The Special Ops team safeguarding Miranda have personal ties to her and her adult children. Thais, who is a member of Special Ops, and Dunn have a desire growing between them. Thais' assignment places her in position to guard Dunn and keep him from executing a premature move against Davis. When the two of them acknowledge the chemistry they share, they realize it is something they can no longer deny.

When their physical encounters begin, Thais and Dunn are unsure how a relationship will work for them. The author gives insights into the emotional connection the couple is forming and walls they have both built begin to crumble. Even though Thais and Dunn fear what is growing between them, they determine the passion they feel for each other is worth experiencing.

The injustice perpetrated by a political figure, assassination for power, was an act that one could argue hits a little close to home. Misdeeds in our government I absolutely believe happens. To the scale of covert assassinations, who's to say? Watching a group who could change things in this atmosphere, had me rooting for them. Witnessing Dunn and Thais' affection grow was a satisfying romance. They were sensual and intense. An alpha couple aptly paired. I most definitely recommend Don't Look Back by Dawn Ryder. I received an advance reader copy of this novel from NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for my honest opinion. I encourage all readers to reach their own conclusions.

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Blackout by Dannika Dark

Blackout is the fifth book in the Crossbreed series by Dannika Dark. I would caution against reading these books as a stand-alone. There are several interconnecting plotlines throughout the series. All of the background information is important in the development of the characters and the bigger narrative. The Crossbreed books center on Raven Black and her adventures with the Keystone group. Raven lives in Cognito where several supernatural beings cohabitate. As a member of Keystone, she does a myriad of different jobs as requested by the breed's Higher Authority.  This group can be called in for a variety of things. In Blackout Keystone is tasked to secure several groups of political officials during a period of anarchy taking place in their city.

The developing plots in the Crossbreed series continue to progress in Blackout. As is typical, some of the resolutions were gratifying, and some broke my heart. Raven and Christian continue to struggle with their feelings. I surmise personal issues need to be resolved for Raven and Christian's relationship to flourish. I also believe turmoil in Raven and Christian's romance is not Houdini's primary goal. I am keen on discovering what his objective is. Shepard and Niko both have demons in their pasts that are quickly catching up to the Keystone team. Although Shepard winds up better off by the end of Blackout, Niko is going to have to eliminate his demons sooner rather than later. The ensemble present in Keystone is a family. They are a bit wary perhaps, but in the end, they always support each other.

In a community that is predominantly lawless, other than dealing with the most heinous of crimes, Keystone struggles to bring justice without giving into the darkness surrounding them. Rather than maintaining the focus on the supernatural elements, this is a tale about humanity.  Facing loss of loved ones, rising above PTSD, dealing with extreme prejudice, fighting addiction, creating healthy relationships in both friendships and love. I feel angry with them and sad, and devastated when the world is crashing down around them, and cautiously optimistic, and happy when things go their way. These books represent a deluge of the emotional spectrum. I feel an immediate kinship with Dannika Dark's characters and gloriously praise every book she has written. I admit I have a particular fondness for the Keystone group in the Crossbreed series. I encourage everyone to reach their own conclusion.

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Denied by Cathy Clamp

Anica is charming and good-natured. She is Russian and written with the accent. An approach that lent well to her personality. The introduction to the story was thrilling. The characters being a part of a wildfire fight near their community was intense. The special bond between Anica and the interloper investigating a rash of murders was recognizable and immediately intriguing. A feeling they shared that I recognized could lead to their pairing.

Unfortunately, Denied is a story I was unable to immerse myself in. The number of species the different characters could shift into became too much. Wolf, Owl, Snake, Bear. At the introduction of a Spider, it seemed a little contrived. Perhaps if I introduce myself to the series with the earlier novels, I would feel connected to the character relationships more. Experiencing their pasts might make the current narrative feel less chaotic and disjointed to me. I was never sure what I was supposed to have already known. Some of the backgrounds referred to were unclear to me in the current context.

I will be honest there was a point I began skimming this story, then finally I gave up reading altogether.  I don't necessarily want to discourage one from giving it a try. My opinions are my own, and may not match that of others. If the synopsis appeals, give it a go. NetGalley and Macmillan Tor/Forge books granted me early access to Denied by Cathy Clamp for my honest opinion.

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Stygian Preview Review by Sherrilyn Kenyon

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Updated review will appear in a separate post sometime after 08/28/2018.

I was recently able to read an excerpt of Stygian by Sherrilyn Kenyon as given to me by Netgalley and Macmillian Tor/Forge Publishing. This excerpt contained about 200 pages of the novel. I am already invested in what is happening. I love the Dark-Hunter series because of the intricate plots within plots. Solving the mystery of these has become a bit of an obsession of mine. I don't mind the depths these plots contain, or the attention I pay to minute things, or the rereads I feel are necessary.

In Stygian, there is background information contained when necessary. I would not have felt anything missing if Stygian was my first Dark-Hunter book. The entire series, however, breaks into subsets. For example, Stygian is the Lords of Avalon #7, Dark-Hunter Dragons Rising Trilogy #3, Were-Hunters #12, Dark-Hunter #29. I am a big series reader, and this is one series worth experiencing in its entirety.

To be honest, the Lords of Avalon and Dragon Rising books are among my favorites. I am fond of the dragons (and mandrakes). As with the other Dragon Rising books, even Styxx and Acheron, I anticipate sections of this book will cross into plotlines already addressed. That doesn't bother me. As previously mentioned, I reread the Dark-Hunter books anyway. In Stygian, the drakomai Xyn is a principal character. The prospect of her story joining with Urian's is intriguing. Wherever Stygian goes, I am impatient for it, especially now.

Although enthusiastic for Urian's tale, I admit being leery of it. Both Acheron and Styxx were arduous for me. Their books rip your heart out, shove it back and start all over again. Tissues are a must. Don't get me wrong, I loved experiencing Acheron and Styxx's journey, but it was a hard ride.  Formatted the same in that we begin with Urian's birth in ancient times, I worried Urian would have an upbringing filled with isolation. Urian does have it rough, but so far, it was not as tumultuous as I anticipated. It could be much of that comes later, I am sure some of it will, but I feel better knowing that Urian felt love and friendship to a degree. Where does that leave me? Counting down the days until I get Stygian in its entirety. I have full faith Urian's journey will be worth the wait and do him justice. All opinions are my own, and I encourage readers to reach their own conclusions.

Dark Alpha's Hunger by Donna Grant

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I read an ARC copy of Dark Alpha’s Hunger from NetGalley and St Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest opinion. Dark Alpha’s Hunger by Donna Grant is book six in the Reaper series. The Reapers are a unique group among the Fae. Both the Dark and the Light Fae make up the Reapers. They align primarily with Death and each other. Reapers are responsible for the execution of the Fae so deplorable they can no longer exist among their people. This story focuses on the Reaper Eoghan and the Half Fae Thea.  When the couple finds each other, Thea discovers she belongs in a world of magic she never knew existed.   

One can read this book as a stand-alone, more so than the rest of the series. The storyline diverts a bit with this installment.  It moves away from the main Reaper group and introduces multiple new characters. I always suggest in a setting such as the Dark World, that reading all previous installments take place. Hostilities in a realm that includes the Reapers and the Dragon Kings in the immediate, and going as far back as the Dark Sword series, are now in full swing. Several characters that share time here have deep-seated pasts. To omit confusion background information is given when relevant, but the full dramatic effect will not occur if that past is not familiar to the reader.

As always, the characters are engaging.  And who doesn’t enjoy a sexy Fae with an Irish brogue? Eoghan has the respect of his fellow companions due to his integrity. Thea overcomes a dark past to find happiness in a new world. The attraction between the two is fast and fierce. I am not typically in support of an insta-love scenario, but overlook it when the payoff is worth it. In the Dark World, the thematic developments deeply integrate into their world and are tremendously compelling. I like the buildup of various subplots, and again, sexy Fae.

For those who are aware of the Dark World and its complexity. ** Beware of minor spoilers.** Usail, the Light Queen, has gone way beyond what I feel is redeemable. Or rather, any delusions regarding Usail’s true nature can no longer be contested after her actions and admissions in Dark Alpha’s Hunger. If one considered Usail’s words carefully, there is a slight hint about Rhi and her Dragon King. Perhaps one that gives it away. But, maybe not. This secret, as for many others readers, is one I am invariably trying to uncover.

What I find best about these books is the world building. The Dark World is a fun and intriguing urban fantasy setting, everything interconnects. The males are dominant but possess decency and honor. The women rise above their fear and become better for it. The romantic interludes are always sensual. I plan for the release dates, so I don’t have to wait to experience them. My opinions may not match others, and I encourage everyone to find their own.