Audiobook Tour & Giveaway: Between the Shadows (Lake Lanier Mysteries #3) by Casi McLean

Author: Casi McLean

Narrator: Kristin James

Series: Lake Lanier Mysteries, Book 3

Length: 8 hours 28 minutes

Publisher: Casi McLean, Inc.

Released: Oct. 5, 2018

Genre: Time Travel Romance

She never expected to confront deadly villains...let alone fall in love with one....

After her friend York encounters the ghostly image of a young woman, Mackenzie Reynolds seizes the opportunity to initiate a time jump, thrusting them back to 1865 Georgia. Resolved to thwart the girl’s untimely fate, Kenzi stumbles into a deadly conflict over a stockpile of stolen Confederate gold.

An injured Civil War survivor, James Adams, departs for home with a war-fatigued companion he’s determined to help. After pilfering a horse and kidnapping a woman, he never dreamed his hostage would steal his heart.

Kenzi and James must unravel a deadly plot while helping York save his ghost woman from a brutal death. But can she leave York in a violent past to save James’ life?

A gripping novel by award-winning author Casi McLean.

My Review:

3.5 Out Of 5 Stars

Genre: Heart-Wrenching, Historical, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural, Time-Travel--

Keep in mind that this is the third book in the series and I recommend reading them in order to attempt to keep things straight- which is hard to do when time travel and multiple timelines are in play. This book has it's own standalone romance but the world building is a continuation.

There was two different timelines/relationships going on in this story. First there is York and Izzy. York is out of his own time (his origins from a previous book), living in the modern world when he meets Izzy, a young woman who was thrust from the past into the modern time with no memories. The other relationship is with Kenzie, granddaughter to the inventor of the time travel device who goes back in time to help York on his quest to help Izzy- and inadvertently gets kidnapped by James. I loved their story, I rooted for them to find love regardless of the short interaction (but probably because I am a sucker for the enemy to lover trope (or kidnapper to lover??).

This is now the fourth book I have read by this author, in two different series and she is great at making the reader aware of the attraction between characters. BUT in every book she talks about the character loins/groin tingling (and occasional clenching) a lot (in all the books) to indicate that they are aroused/attracted to the love interest. I personally have never had tingling loins and I found it slightly off putting. There are so many ways to indicate attraction and lust, I think this is my least favorite. But that is just a personal preference and I might not have noticed or been bothered by it but I read two of her books back to back.

Overall this was another interesting romantic installment to the time travel series, this time having two relationships with HEA and a new setting of the Civil War area.

I listened to the audiobook, where there was only one narrator (with one voice so everyone sounded the same) even though there were multiple character views and timelines so I was occasionally confused as to who was talking or what was happening. I think I might have enjoyed this better if I had read it instead of listening.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Casi McLean. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Award winning author, Casi McLean, pens novels to stir the soul with romance, suspense, and a sprinkle of magic. Her writing crosses genres from ethereal, captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, mystical plots, and sensual romantic suspense, like Beneath The Lake, WINNER: 2016 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for BEST Romantic Suspense.

Casi's powerful memoir, Wingless Butterfly: Healing The Broken Child Within, shares an inspirational message of courage, tenacity, and hope, and displays her unique ability to excel in nonfiction and self-help as well as fiction. Known for enchanting stories with magical description, McLean entices readers in nonfiction as well with fascinating hooks to hold them captive in storylines they can't put down.

Her romance entwines strong, believable heroines with delicious hot heroes to tempt the deepest desires then fans the flames, sweeping readers into their innermost romantic fantasies. Ms. McLean weaves exceptional romantic mystery with suspenseful settings and lovable characters you'll devour. You'll see, hear, and feel the magical eeriness of one fateful night. You'll swear her time travel could happen, be mystified by her other worldly images, and feel heat of romantic suspense, but most of all you'll want more.

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Kristin “KJ” James was born and raised in the Nashville, TN area. Acting has always been a passion of hers. Starting on the stage as early as preschool, KJ pursued her passion into college where she received a BA in Communication with a double emphasis in Theatre and Public Relations from Mississippi State University. After college she found herself more and more drawn to voice overs. Several classes, coaching sessions, seminars, research, and a closet-turned-studio later, and she now records and produces audiobooks on a regular basis. She has also done several radio commercials for clients such as Advance Financial, TriStar Health, and GAC.

When she’s not in her booth, you can find her crocheting, playing video games, or running agility with her dogs.

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Brutal Time (Angelbound Origins #6) by Christina Bauer

The Brutal Time
Christina Bauer
(Angelbound Origins #6)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: October 29th 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

“I love the Angelbound Origins world and just can’t seem to get enough of it!” – The Avid Reader

As the Great Scala, Myla Lewis is the only being who can move Purgatory’s souls to Heaven or Hell. It’s a big job. Too bad Myla goes through assistants faster than a hot knife through brownies. Not that it bothers her much; Myla’s always been a solo fighter.

Then comes the problem of the fading angels. Millions of Heavenly residents are dying. According to a prophecy, the only way Myla can save them is by traveling back in time, meeting King Arthur, and creating her own knights of the round table. The catch? Doing so might end the after-realms in a bloody demonpocalypse.

Yipes.

Myla and her main squeeze, Lincoln, aren’t afraid of taking a few chances (in between kisses). But with so much at risk, the stakes may be too high, even for them. And the biggest challenge of all? Finding those knights.

Because Myla Lewis doesn’t play well with others. At all.

“These books don’t just capture your attention, they straight up demand it. Christina Bauer has created a fascinating and unique world that you do not want to miss out on.” – Bookhalolic Brittany

 

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My Review:

5 Out Of 5 Stars

Genre: Angels, Another-World, Historical, Mystery, Royal-Court, Supernatural, Suspense, Time-Travel--

Myla has finally realized that she might need some assistance with all her job duties and responsibilities as the Great Scala and the queen of the Thrax, much to the relief of her family. But it seems that there is a prophesy in play where no matter what action Myla takes, she will trigger a demonpocalypse that could destroy everything she holds dear. Nothing the Great Scala can't handle though...right?

Keep in mind that this is the 6th book in the Angelbound series and they need to be read in order for all the pieces to fit together. I highly recommend you start at the beginning and binge your way towards this one. (side note- I have listening to all the audiobooks for the rest of the series, they are fantastic and read by the author who gives each character their own voice.)

I love how Christina created her own version of the King Arthur legend. It was something so very new and fit perfectly into Myla's world, yet at the same time it was familiar enough to be recognizable. I will never picture Arthur any other way now (unfortunetely) and the legend takes on an entirely new perspective that will live on in my memory as the Real version of the story. And while I have gobbled up every book in the Angelbound series, I have to say that this book was one I could not put down. The pacing was just about perfect, with tons of action that I have come to expect from this series, no filler or backstory, and short chapters that make me want to read "just one more" until I ended up finishing the story in just a few sittings.

“Now.” Lincoln bobs his brows. “Let’s go blow shit up.”

I smile my face off. “Oooooh, I love it when you swear.”

“That’s why I save it for special occasions.”

And so, hand in hand, Lincoln and I step off into the tunnel. As we move into the darkness, I come to an important conclusion.

This could be the best date night, ever.

This was the first book that was dual narrated by both Myla and Lincoln and I could not be more happy that they both got a voice! Most of the series was strictly narrated by Myla (who I love and relate to her snark) with a couple of novellas through Lincoln's eyes, but this time we get both, almost always alternating at chapters. I am a big fan of multiple POVs in a story, mainly because I don't want to miss out on anything when reading so I was thrilled to see that we get to see both sides of this power couple here. Myla was her usual act first, think later, snarky free spirited self, and Lincoln was the perfect foil with his planning and plotting and calm focus. I love seeing the two together, be it battling demons or scheming about the kingdoms- and don't even get me started on the cuteness of raising crazy baby Maxon.

I will forever be a fan of this series and force them on everyone to read so be aware. There is just something about the humor, over the top ridiculous scenarios and well developed complex characters that I can't resist (including a super cute Captain Fluffbottom, enough said). I look forward to the next book and the antics that Myla unwittingly finds herself in the middle of.

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Author Bio:

Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates

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Review: The Clock Keeper by Melissa Delport

Book Blurb:

As a mortal, she rejected his proposal.

As an immortal, she was tasked with hunting him down.

Since the beginning of life on earth, seven powerful families have protected time. From within their bloodlines, one person is selected every decade to make the ultimate sacrifice.

When Anna Kennedy is selected by the Tempus Guild as the new Clock Keeper, she commits a crime so heinous that it could cause time itself to unravel. Now, it falls to her sister, Clarke, to right the wrong and restore honour to the Kennedy family. The only problem is that in order to do so, she must send her best friend to his grave.

Find out more about the book on Goodreads

My Review:

4 Out Of 5 Stars

Genre: Heart-Wrenching, Historical, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Time-Travel--

Anna belongs to a secret society that controls time and big life events, granted immortality to right the wrong that her sister Anna's actions set in motion- an event that Clara is ultimately at fault for. Clara must kill the anomalies that have escaped the timeline, created by her former friend Fletcher, her ultimate target.

While this seems like a fantasy, gritty time travel mystery/adventure, The Clock Keeper is very much a romance. This had a heart-wrenching love triangle a the heart of the main issue, a love that triggered the events that are trying to destroy the world. High born Clara was secretly best friends with low class Fletcher, Fletcher was secretly in love with Clara, Clara's sister was openly crushing on Fletcher, and Clara had no idea what her feelings were but she would never do anything to hurt Anna, even if that means sacrificing her own happiness. The relationship between Clara and Fletcher is told in reverse, with the reader getting snips of the two over the years in flashbacks while having the hatred between them in the present. Gawd, this was an emotional angsty mess that could have been avoided but was so easy to understand. Side note, while Clara is trapped at age 18 this is not a YA novel, but most certainly an adult (in my opinion)

I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read the physical book instead of the audiobook. The narrator had great annunciation and pacing, but there was never any difference between the characters voices so everything blended together and I never knew who was the speaker (also there was almost no emotion used in her voice). Also, the book switches between timelines very frequently and the audiobook did not give any indication that it was another time period (aka a memory from Clara) and I spent a majority of the time being confused if what I was listening to was a memory or present day. I ended up picking the ebook to finish the second half. I recommend the physical/ebook instead of the audio, but that is just my preference.

Overall I really enjoyed the story, it was a very quick read because I wanted to know how it ended so I ended up reading it in just one day. Keep in mind that this is a standalone story with the best ending I could have hoped for. I will certainly check out more from Melissa in the future.

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Alien Minds (Dimension Drift #1) by Christina Bauer

Alien Minds
Christina Bauer
(Dimension Drift #1)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: April 23rd 2019
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

DIVERGENT meets OCEAN’S EIGHT in this urban fantasy heist!

On my seventeenth birthday, I wake up in the hospital to find I just survived a sketchy but terrible accident. My parents stand by my bedside—both are beautiful, wealthy, and super-nice. They tell me that once I leave the hospital, I’ll attend the prestigious ECHO Academy, where I’ll churn out equations for the government along with my mega-smart peers.

So, I’m living the perfect life.

Then why does everything feel all wrong?

My parents, my house and even ECHO Academy…none of it fits. Plus, what’s up with Thorne, my brooding yet yummy classmate who keeps telling me I need to remember my true past, which seems to have included a lot of us kissing? That’s one thing I’d really like to remember, except for the fact that I’m pretty sure Thorne is hiding a ton of nasty secrets of his own, including the fact that he may not be from this world. But considering how my own past seems alien to me, it’s not like I can judge. Plus, Thorne has dimples. That’s a problem.

And worst of all, why does it feel so yucky to work on these calculations for the government? It’s all supposed to be part of ECHO, but my heart tells me that I’m helping something truly terrible come to pass. Thorne seems to think that kissing him again will release my real memories.

Maybe it’s time to pucker up.

“Appealing and engaging. Love the strong female character!” – Arlene’s Book Reviews

This new series is perfect for: fans of urban fantasy, action & adventure, cool science, evil corporations, forbidden romance and hot new classmates who may or may not be aliens.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks / Google Play

My Review:

5 Stars Out Of 5 Stars

Genre: Aliens, Another-World, Dystopian, Mystery, Romance, Survival, Suspense, Teen, Time-Travel--

Meimi wakes up to find she has no memories of who she is or what is going on, but she does not trust the weasel little doctor who tries to feed her lies of her past. All she knows for certain is that she refuses to fall into the doctor's plan and be a good little minion to destroy mankind- and that she needs her own plan to escape, and if she just so happens to sabotage a plan to kill millions of "undesireables", so be it. Thorne only wants to help save his Transcendent Meimi and he is willing to pretend to be anyone and do anything he can to get the job done- and hopefully she will remember who he is along the way.

I highly recommend picking up the two prequel books, Dimension Drift and Scythe before jumping into Alien Minds because the needed back story that leads up to Alien Minds. Trust me, you might be missing info and you would be really sad to miss out on the complex, detailed world (world?) building that Christina has already started.

Godwin’s button eyes narrow to slits. “I hate you.”

“Good.” I narrow-eye right back at him. “I hate you more.”

Hypothesis: that’s the least mature conversation between two scientists, ever.

I was not sure who's perspective this book was going to be written from since there have been two prequel novellas, one from Meimi and one from Thorne so imagine my excitement when I discovered that Alien Minds was narrated from both the characters. Alternating at chapters, we get to see everything that is going on! I love books with multiple perspectives since I never want to be left out and Christina delivers that to me in this book. I love seeing what each one is plotting, because let me tell you, there is A LOT of plotting, scheming and mischief to be had by both characters in this book.

I enjoy Thorne's brothers and I would love to see books in the series set from their points of view (hint hint Christina!)- I can only imagine the level of interesting that lives inside the mind of quiet Slate and really Justice is dreamy with his cowboy swagger and calm disposition.

The ending sets up the next book in the series and hints at a ton more action to come and I can't wait to see what will lie in wait for Meimi and her gang next!

Author Bio:

Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Umbra (Dimension Drift 0.2) by Christina Bauer

Umbra
Christina Bauer
(Dimension Drift Prequels, #2)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: March 26th 2019
Genres: Dystopian, Fantasy, Young Adult

A prequel novella to the new series from USA Today’s ‘must read YA paranormal romance’ author, Christina Bauer.

One day, eighteen-year-old Thorne will be the Emperor of the Omniverse, the single being who rules countless worlds. Trouble is, his father Cole–who’s also the current Emperor–is a sadistic freak.

In fact, Cole won’t even keep his promises to the very humans who got him his throne.

Thorne won’t stand for it. He decides to travel to the human world and make good on his father’s promises. What he doesn’t count on is falling in love….

“I love how Bauer manages to add some awesome new world building to each of her books.”– Woven Magic

This new series is perfect for: fans of urban fantasy, action and adventure, cool science, evil corporations, forbidden romance and hot new classmates who may or may not be aliens.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

My Review:

5 Out of 5 Stars

Genre: Aliens, Another-World, Mystery, Romance, Royal-Court, Suspense, Teen, Time-Travel--

Thorne is the "extra" prince, the unwanted one who has almost no power (aka Sentient, the alien technology that enhances special talents) but spends his time trying to save other worlds and dimensions from destruction. When a debt is called in and his father the king refuses to pay his due, Thorne decides to honor that debt in his place. But Thorne had no idea what he was going to find on this mission, and that it would alter his life forever.

It's not about what you have, it's about who you are.

I do not usually read short stories, actually I usually avoid them like the plague. But after reading all of Christina's previous books, I picked up Scythe which made me hungry for more and so of course I had to read Umbra. I highly recommend that you read this series in order, including the prequel stories to help fill in the world and the characters.

Alright, let's just be honest here- Umbra gets five stars because I love Thorne. He is worth five stars regardless of the plot. But that being said, this was such a cool short story! I read Scythe back in November and I had so many questions I wanted answered due to the shocking ending and crazy surprises. Well, I jumped into Umbra without having read the synopsis, just knowing that I wanted more from this messed up version of earth. Color me surprised when I discovered Umbra was told from the mysterious alien Thorne's point of view and how he ended up meeting Meimi in the first place. And then some extra too (not gonna lie, I have been concerned for Meimi's well-being these last few months)!!

You cannot imagine how psyched I am for Alien Minds! I can't wait to continue the journey and unravel more of the mystery and the worlds. This is the perfect series for anyone who likes science fiction, action, danger and true love.

Author Bio:

Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates

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Review: Angeles Vampire (Angeles Vampire #1) by Michael Pierce & Sofia Raine

Book Blurb:

A daughter’s desperate search. A secret society. A mysterious stranger who could take her breath away for good…

Fiona Winter refuses to give up the search for her estranged father. But after spending years chasing down dead ends, those she loves most refuse to support her quest any longer. Just when all hope seems lost, a dark, mysterious stranger promises answers… for a price…

Fiona reluctantly agrees to Matthew Mercer’s intriguing proposal, and she’s tossed headfirst into an underground world of monsters that shouldn’t exist. To find her father, she’ll need to venture into the dark with a guide who might be just as dangerous as the creatures she’ll face. Can she trust the captivating Matthew or is he leading her to a fate worse than death?

Angeles Vampire is the first book in an addictive new paranormal series that’s perfect for fans of Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, and A Shade of Vampire. If you like unearthly plot twists, heart-stopping chemistry, and characters with dark secrets, then you’ll love this new take on the lore you crave.

Find out more about the book on Goodreads

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My Review:

3.5 Out Of 5 Stars

Genre: Angels, Another-World, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural, Space, Suspense, Teen, Time-Travel, Vampires--

Fiona has spent the last few years searching for the father that abandoned her and her mother a long time ago, but has no luck. After a car accident, Fiona meets a man who claims he has the answer to what she has been searching for. Matthew has been waiting for Fiona for years and now that he has the opportunity to be her mentor and bring her into the society, he takes it. But this endeavor may be more than either of them bargained for.

There was a LOT going on in this story. I am not really sure how I feel about everything or even how to write a review that encompasses everything that took place. Being a busy plot/world I feel is kind of an understatement. There was a secret societies, vampires, angels (that kind of reminded me of gargoyles when they shift), potential ghosts of dead sisters, missing fathers, romance, a vampire underground rebellion, betrayal, obsession, addiction, lies... oh and space and time travel (didn't see that coming, now did you?). I have no idea what the authors goal was when they went into this story with so many random pieces, but somehow a surprisingly cohesive book popped out.

The main aspect of the story was the mystery of Fiona's missing father, the driving force that motivated all of her actions. While trying to find him, Fiona (and the reader) stumble into the middle of a hot mess situation where not a whole lot was explained- initiation into a secret society, what is this society you ask? Yeah, I don't know. That being said, I was still interested and engaged in the book, even while I had no idea what was going on. And we get to the end and I still feel like almost no answers were revealed but instead the next book sets up some sort of crazy (and I could mean that literally) test for Fiona and her archenemy to escape from before more truths can come out.

So of course I want to read the next book, even though my description of this story sounds like a random hodge podge of ingredients that in no way go together. I really do not know how to efficiently describe what I read since it was all over the place, yet interesting and completely unique. I say if you are up for an adventure, then give this read a shot!

I received this title in return for my honest review.

Review: Valiant by Merrie Destefano

Book Blurb:

The Valiant was supposed to save us. Instead, it triggered the end of the world.

Earth is in shambles. Everyone, even the poorest among us, invested in the Valiant’s space mining mission in the hopes we’d be saved from ourselves. But the second the ship leaves Earth’s atmosphere, our fate is sealed. The alien invasion begins. They pour into cities around the world through time portals, possessing humans, forcing us to kill one another.

And for whatever reason, my brother is their number one target.

Now the fate of the world lies in the hands of me, a seventeen-year-old girl, but with the help of my best friend, Justin―who’s suddenly starting to feel like more―maybe if we save my brother, we can save us all…

Find out more about the book on Goodreads

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My Review:

4 Out of 5 Stars

Genre: Aliens, Another-World, Dystopian, Heart-Wrenching, Romance, Scary, Space, Supernatural, Suspense, Time-Travel, Teen--

Sara and her friends are just as excited as the rest of the world's population to see the Valiant space ship launch since it gives them hope for a better future. But when it launches, the alien invasion will begin which will wipe out almost everyone. But Sara already knows that, because she has lived this over and over again. With the help of a rebel alien, she has traveled through time to attempt to stop the death of the one person who can save humanity- her younger brother Gabe. If she can just save him, she can save the world.

I was really excited to discover that Valiant was a mix of time travel and aliens, two things that are almost never put together and bring me joy- it was kind of like Doctor Who but instead of the tardis there was a giant fiery beast and instead of a useful sonic screwdriver there was a deadly laser switchblade, and instead of feel good lessons there was destruction and violence- and basically everyone dies...ok, so not so much Doctor Who, but the time travel and aliens match up. And as all good alien invasion stories, this was very much a gritty survival book, full of death and gore as well as angst and overwhelming sorrow. Don't expect unicorns and rainbows here, but instead an intense non-stop action read that you will not want to put down until you reach the very end.

Valiant is the second book I have read by Merrie and she has proven that she can write mystery thrillers as well as science fiction equally as fantastic, the one thing she does especially well is making compelling, realistic characters no matter the plot. We have this normal, unassuming girl Sara, who basically has the weight of the world on her completely unprepared shoulders. She tries and plots and plans, but nothing goes right and she has to deal with the heart-wrenching consequences of her bad choices over and over again. Would you be able to keep going when everyone dear to you was murdered in front of your eyes- over and over? Yeah, that would be grounds for a mental break I think, but Sara has her big girl panties on and deals- and I appreciated that. The few times she has break downs and irrational behavior are warranted.

The ending had a lot of surprises as well as terrible shocks and a ton of unanswered questions. I really hope this is the first in a series because even if the battle may be over, the war has really just started.

Review: OMEGA (Mackenzie Grey #4) by Karina Espinosa

Book Blurb:

Bodies drained of blood are scattered around New York City. With a serial killer on the loose, Mackenzie Grey is obsessed with solving the murders.

She dives into her work at the Supernatural Investigative Unit to forget about the events that dismantled her Pack a year ago. When the killer makes Kenz the target, she falls down the rabbit hole and discovers she has a lot more to do with these murders than she realized.

As her past creeps up behind her, she must swallow her pride and seek aid from old and new friends. Nothing stays hidden as Kenz learns a valuable lesson: rats swim.

In the epic finale of the Mackenzie Grey: Origins series, she will finally become the wolf she is destined to be…

Find out more about the book on Goodreads

My Review:

5 Out Of 5 Stars

Genre: Another-World, Faeries, Heart-Wrenching, Supernatural, Suspense, Time-Travel, Urban fantasy, Vampires, Werewolves, Witches--

It has been a year since Mackenzie returned home from Scotland with her whole life ripped apart. With two of her best friends not speaking to her and her avoiding the man she may have had something special with, Mackenzie has thrown herself into work with the special police task force- and secretly finding a cure for vampirism. But trouble has come looking for her again, and this time she may not survive it.

Mackenzie frustrates me more than any other character that I have ever met! Seriously, I want to shake her and scream at the same time, she makes just stubborn, stupid, self-sacrificing choices that are unnecessary. And sure, she had the best of intentions, and she is a loyal person who would do anything for those she loves- but gawd, she is frustrating! The main plot of the book was interesting and I wanted to see how everything plays out, but the relationship dynamics were the things I was desperate to get scraps of, I had to know how all her bonds would play out. (and Cass was my favorite new character- I hope we see more of him!)

Sigh, this was such a heartbreaking book, I seriously felt like I wanted to rage or cry for the duration of the story- I felt like I was on an emotional tornado. And yet, I would not change a thing about my choice to read this series. Urban fantasy is my all time favorite genre, and add in the well developed people that Karina has made me care about, and I was so invested in how this book was going to play out. There was also tons of action here, with battles and odd drug induced journeys (don't ask, just read), and some big secrets were revealed that made my jaw drop and/or had me snoopy happy dance. I gobbled this book down within a few hours since I just could not put it down!

Technically, this could be the end (which I actually thought it was) but there were so many unknowns at the end of the book that I would love to have answered. So , of course, I did some research and discovered there is another Mackenzie Grey book that I need to get my grabby hands on as soon as possible- whenever that is, since I could not find a release date! Overall this series is fantastic, exactly what I want out of an urban fantasy and I can't wait for more.

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Shifters and Glyphs (Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #2) by Christina Bauer

Shifters and Glyphs
Christina Bauer
(Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #2)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: October 30th 2018
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

“A fun romp for Twilight Fans” – School Library Journal

After being raised by the meanest fairies in the history of ever, Bryar Rose is now free to live her own life. For the first time, she’s attending West Lake Prep, a regular high school. Well, mostly regular. Some students are actually hidden members of the Magicorum. In other words, they’re really wizards, fairies, or shifters. Bry doesn’t mind, though. She’s thrilled to enjoy all the new experiences of being around normal kids her age, from locker pranks to lunchtime mystery meat. Everything is going along great, except for one thing.

Bry’s dreams about the pyramids of Egypt have gotten darker and more sinister. Every night, she sees her new man Knox and her best friend Elle in danger.

“Exciting and well-conceived” – Kirkus

With no other choice, Bry plans to leave school to explore the pyramids on her own. But her new man Knox discovers the scheme and is having none of it. He wants to stay by her side, no matter what. It’s a good thing too, because Bry must solve the mystery of her attraction to the pyramids and soon. Otherwise, it could cost the lives of those she loves most.

And that means not only Knox, but also her best friend Elle.

“Must-read YA paranormal romance!” – USA Today

Perfect for readers who love young adult books, contemporary fantasy, fairy tales, satire/comedy, paranormal romance, fairies, magic users, shapeshifters, and coming of age stories.…

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My Review:

5 Out Of 5 Stars

Genre: Faeries, Fairytale, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural, Suspense, Teen, Time-Travel, Werewolves, Witches--

Bryar Rose is finally getting what she wanted- to start regular high school. But is seems that nothing every really goes her way, and school is the last thing on her mind. Instead, she is focusing on the fact that she is having terrifying nightmares that she can't remember but knows are important, the search for the fountain is still going on with no answers, and it seems Knox, her mate, is getting sick. It is past time that Bryar figures out her place in the world so the people she loves can survive.

When I speak again, my voice comes out as a chirp. “There was no moment.” I know Knox is just busting on Alec, but it still feels important to clarify the moment thing. It’s not like we were getting naked in Knox’s fancy dining room.

In his castle.

Which his ex-girlfriend just decorated in red slime that looks a lot like blood.

Did I mention my life is weird?

I have made my love for Christina's books known ever since I first got my hands on Angelbound, from then on I have spent my time devouring everything she writes. I just love her snarky humor and the well developed characters she brings to life- they feel like friends by the end of the book. This series has not let me down with either of those qualities as well as magic, adventure, fairytales, all things werewolf, and romance. Whenever I get the chance to pick up a Magicorum book, I get so excited to lose myself in this fantastical world and go on an epic battle with Bryar Rose. I can 100% say that I have never encountered another fairytale retelling like this series before and I love the twists that Christina puts on the characters and their roles.

Werewolf stories are just about my most favorite thing ever to read about and when you add the unbreakable, don't-even-try-to-fight-it mate bonds, there is no way I can resist the book. And Knox was the most dreamy and understanding of wolfies, enough said. And as per the norm, I focus on romantic love (because reasons!) but I really like how Bryar also goes on a trip for self-discovery and realizes that family can be what you make it to be, regardless of where you came from, and that was ever so sweet (she really does have the best of friends).

Minutes pass. So much staring at a screen makes my inner animal restless. “We hates computers,” she grumbles.

For the record, when my wolf gets grouchy, she starts talking like Gollum.

The internal monologues that Bryar has with her wolf are hysterical and hands down my favorite part of the story. Her wolf has so much personality and spunk, I love her- she also slightly reminds me of my very exuberant, let's-go-play-with-the-other-animals-that-hate-us puppy. I'm pretty sure some of his inner thoughts sound just like Bryar's wolf.

“I don’t like leaving our mate,” she growls. “But I do want to scent all those delicious fairies. Let’s play!” Here it comes. Again, my wolf sees the fae as magical chew toys. “No, We’re not playing with the fae. They’re murderous and cast curses, remember?”

My wolf sniffs. “We’ll play nicely with the yummy fairies.”

I pull at the golden shifter magic inside my soul, commanding my wolf to obey. “No playing with the fae.”

You could almost say that this ends happily ever after, but with what I know about Bryar and company, I am sure that the gang's adventures are just starting (or at least I hope so because I am not ready to say goodbye!). I really enjoyed this story and I highly recommend that the series be read by anyone who likes humor, love, adventure, mayhem, magic and a new spin on the classic fairytale.

Author Bio:

Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers. The first three books in the series are now available as audiobooks on Audible and iTunes.

Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA withher husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

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