Consent by Charmaine Pauls

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Consent by Charmaine Pauls is Part 2 of the Loan Shark Duet.  Consent begins with the cliffhanger that Dubious ended on.  For that reason, I would suggest reading Dubious before Consent.

I enjoyed Consent more than I did Dubious. With the first novel, I had a hard time getting past the way Gabriel made Valentina his property. Gabriel's past abuse tainted how he could express love, and Valentina wasn't as much of a prisoner as it seemed, but it still bothered me. In Consent, this changes. Gabriel and Valentina learn of a shared connection from their pasts. Due to this, they get free of his mother's hold over them. Although these past events were a terrible way to gain that freedom, it works to their advantage. The twist was welcome. I also loved the way their story unfolds so that they can be together. Valentina gains control and is no longer at Gabriel's mercy.

Be warned this is a dark romance. There is a strong domination/submission theme in this book. I had slight issues with their story because of Gabriel's possessiveness, but in the end, I thought it turned out beautifully for the couple. I applaud the author for ridding my unease with Valentina's relationship with Gabriel. I recommend giving Dubious and Consent a try.

All opinions are my own and may not match that of others. I encourage readers to come to their own conclusions. I voluntarily received an ARC copy of this book through NetGalley.

Ramses the Damned The Passion of Cleopatra by Anne and Christopher Rice

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Ramses the Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra by Anne and Christopher Rice continues the story of the immortal Ramses the Great, a former Pharaoh of Egypt. I read The Mummy decades ago and forgot most but a vague outline if the story. All major plot points in The Mummy are refreshed when relevant to Ramses the Damned.  In no way did I feel lost reading the second book this far from the first.  I imagine any reader just starting with this installment would not need to read the first to enjoy it.

Ramses and his newly immortal fiancee Julie learn of Cleopatra's escape from the fire they thought ended her existence.  Cleopatra is desperate to learn more about the strange things happening to her since her resurrection, driving her to confront Rames after he abandoned her. As Cleopatra nears Rames and Julie, other Immortals reveal themselves. Without knowing the intent of these individuals, Ramses, Julie, and Cleopatra must decide who best to align themselves with to remain safe.

It has been some time since I read an Anne Rice novel. This book was an excellent reminder of how much I enjoy her supernatural beings. The characters were sympathetic in a very human way.  They are all trying to find a sense of self, belonging, and humanity, especially those with the gift of immortality.  The subject of reincarnation of the soul is a prominent one. My favorite part of this story was how this relates to Cleopatra. Ramses and Cleopatra are everything you would believe ancient Egyptian royalty to be. The addition of Bektaten and Saqnos stirred things up for the characters in a thrilling, edge of your seat kind of way. I almost wanted to just hang out with these characters in their original timeline. Aristocratic England, or even America, in 1914 is not my favorite setting. 

The authors paint a very vivid picture when describing their scenes. Instead of a character crumpling a piece of paper an tossing it, one reads this - 

“So she took the newspaper clipping and crumpled it in her fist as one might a dispatch from an enemy in war. Then, once she had crushed it into a ball, she dropped it to the floor.”

This attention to detail does an excellent job of immersing one in the world.  I am however more of a big picture reader. The new Immortals/ characters introduced paired with the vivid descriptions, was a minor cause of frustration for me. I got a bit bogged down by it on occasion. Getting to the point where all the characters intersected was mildly tedious. In the end, the side stories were necessary, and once everyone's lives came together, it was worth it.

Overall I was very pleased with this book. It made me nostalgic for Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.  All opinions are my own and may not match that of others. I encourage all readers to come to their own conclusions. I voluntarily received an ARC copy of this book through NetGalley. 

The Vampire Fight Club by Larissa Ione

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Vampire Fight Club takes place in the Demonica world and works fine as a stand-alone. This story is good for anyone who enjoys paranormal romances. The series is one of my favorites and reading this short was like visiting old friends. All my opinions are my own and may not match that of others. I urge all readers to come to their own conclusions. I voluntarily received an ARC copy of this book through NetGalley.

For decades Nate has managed club Thirst and finds himself apathetic to the horrors going on around him. He took the job decades ago in hopes of gaining revenge against the club's owner. As time passed, Nate found the opportunity for him to act on those intentions never seemed right. During Vladlena's shift at Underworld General, the staff brings in her victimized brother. Because of this event, Vladlena goes undercover at the club her brother lost his life. With help from her friends at UG, she hopes to bring down the fight club they suspect is running there.

Nate and Vladlena meet and strong feelings manifest immediately between them. These feelings are both a hindrance and the thing that saves them. As their relationship develops, the chemistry between them sizzles. Their attraction feels genuine, and the actions they take reinforces their connection.  I hoped for them to make things work.

In the Demonica world, not all demons are inherently evil. The characters are capable of as much good or bad as anyone is. It intrigues me when the bad guys are harder to find, and this demon trait lends to that. It helps creates tension wondering if everyone will do the right thing. I love this about the Demonica series.

One romance story trope I do not like is using a character's virginity as a plot point. Vladlena has a rare shifter ailment that is threatening her life.  Because of her ailment, she is a virgin. Nate, of course, has to save her from a terrible fate that threatens her solely because of her virginity. I will admit the scenario plays out as good as it can. However, it felt to me like a situation created just to elongate the book. It was already a short story so what is the point? It is highly possible someone who does not have my aversion won't find it bothersome.The only other bad thing I could say is that the story felt a tad rushed.  As previously stated it is a short story so ultimately I can forgive it.  However, I could have spent more time with the characters in a full length novel and been okay.