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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Devilish by Tricia Barr

Devilish by Tricia Barr is an erotic paranormal romance and will be enjoyable to fans of the genre. The Devil as an anti-hero makes the basis of his myth tragic. A spin on the fallen angel's mythology kept me interested and engaged. In the love story, the Devil was appealing and highly seductive.

The Devil found his way out of hell and to the world of man. He crash lands in New York City and the world's reception is wary. Felicity meets with the Devil representing the New York Times to obtain an interview about the reason for his presence. The Devil, or Lucifer as he prefers, gives minute details of his story to Felicity over the course of several dates that they share. In addition to sharing his tale, he vows to Felicity that he will win her affections.

Hearing the lore of Lucifer's existence is what you would expect it to be with a few embellishments. A lot of thought went into keeping the Devil in a familiar position while making him empathetic. We discover Lucifer is not the epitome of evil. Instead, he is charming and sexy with some roguishness that pairs well with the bad boy aura. Lucifer is often mischievous, but he never takes on a demonic guise. In a nice twist, we discover Lucifer's downfall was caused by an expected force. Devilish inserts unique touches on the Devil's legend that maintains the intrigue. The interpretations of hell itself and Lucifer's method of escape aided in substantiating his humanity. I was charmed by this version of the Devil.

Felicity, I had a hard time respecting as the heroine. Felicity is a virgin at the start of the story. There is nothing wrong with that in reality although I find it overused as a romance trope. Her lack of desire for the men she has met is the self-professed reason for abstinence. Felicity immediately gains a spark with Lucifer and subsequently fights it. At one point it even occurred to her Lucifer forcing the issue would be preferable to giving in to her need for him. I interpreted she was not afraid of Lucifer only of the desire she felt, but it was admittedly a bit unclear. I typically enjoy stronger female characters who are firm with what they want, or what they don't and that remain true to themselves.

Felicity gives in to her desires and sleeps with Lucifer. On the day that occurs, she uses sexual guile to seduce another man for information. This scenario is wrong for several reasons. She has a deadline but the decision is dangerous, and that fact never occurred to her. That man could have ended her life without a second thought, and no one knew what she was doing. Her decision to obtain a goal through sex was a discredit. They did not fully procreate, but it felt wrong considering her feelings toward sleeping with Lucifer and the fact she just lost her virginity. Even with the issues I had, I found the book immersive and there existed astonishing chemistry between the characters.

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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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Shadow's Bane by Karen Chance

Update 01/07/2019 I just made my way through the entire Cassie Palmer novels. I have to say, this book is better when you know all of the back story. I also feel the need to say this is one of my favorite ongoing series out there right now. SO glad I decided to read them all!


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Shadow's Bane by Karen Chance is the fourth in the Midnight Daughter series. Dhampir Dory is the main protagonist. She is sassy, hilarious and I appreciated seeing this world through her eyes. Dory is on the trail to stop fae slavers while dodging assassins looking to steal her newly appointed Vampire Senate seat. There is exciting action, relationships with a depth of emotion, and Dory's quest to find mental stability. I was hooked immediately.

Urban fantasies that comprise multiple casts of supernaturals tend to be more enjoyable for me. Avoiding species cliches is more likely when all the focus is not on one breed. Shadow's Bane has a variety, all unique and compelling. I haven't seen a dhampir quite like Dory. About halfway through the book, everything started to come together for me. The relationships were clear, and the depth of the threat was fully surfacing. By this point, I had a vested interest in the characters.

Different backstories interject throughout the narrative, serving to help one understand the connecting plot-lines of the characters introduced in prior installments. I appreciate the context, but it became a bit tiresome for me. There was a lot to absorb, stopping midway in a scene to connect all the dots interrupted the flow. I can fill in the blanks and would rather backtrack in a series if I feel it necessary.

Speaking of backtracking, I will now be doing precisely that with the Midnight's Daughter books. Shadow's Bane is what I look for in an urban fantasy series. I received an ARC copy of Shadow's Bane from Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for my honest opinion. I encourage all readers to come to their own conclusions.

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