Early Review: Dragon in the Blood by Juliette Cross

Dragon in the Blood

Author: Juliette Cross

Release Date: July 26, 2016

Publisher: Self-Published

Vale of Stars Book #2

ASIN:   B01FNI7L1E

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Review Copy Source: Author

While all seems quiet in Gladium Province, the Morgon Guard—the global justice force for the dragon hybrid race—knows their enemy is rebuilding its forces in the underground.

Valla Moonring, an assassin for an order of the Morgon Guard, is ordered to join an expedition through the Wastelands of Aria, a formidable, icy wilderness fraught with all manner of dangers, including outlaws, deadly weather, and big-game predators.

To her great distaste, she’s partnered with a Nightwing Security operative, Conn Rowanflame, a Morgon with the aggravating ability to get under her skin. While she takes her mission seriously, Conn’s confident charm throws her off balance, a dangerous place to be in conditions like these. Especially when cold nights require close contact.

Sensual attraction binds them ever closer, igniting a passion of unexpected force—soulfire. But when the hunters become the hunted, their bond could prove perilous. Even fatal…

I enjoyed traveling though another part of the Vale of Stars world. I love that the worlds in both this series and the Nightwing series are so vast.

I loved Valla in WAKING THE DRAGON, but getting to know her in DRAGON OF BLOOD made me love her more. She was extremely stubborn and completely baddass but it was easy to connect with and understand her. Conn is new to me—at least I think he is, I don't remember him from past books if he's not—but he sure made himself known in DRAGON OF BLOOD. He was super charming and quite a bit cocky, but I enjoyed him. Both characters are super stubborn, but manage to compliment each other rather well when they are actually on the same page. Valla has issues with depending on a man and I really loved that Conn knew that Valla wouldn't tolerate a super protective male and managed to curb his alpha male instincts to allow her to be her. Valla was extremely stubborn, but managed to grow and open herself up to Conn as the story evolved.

There are a few things that kept me from giving book two 5 stars. I didn't love the villain's POV interludes in DRAGON IN THE BLOOD. We of course are meant to dislike them as a character, but I couldn't get into their voice and I really really really wanted to skip them all together. I did however get a better understanding of them and understood their motives more when their evil deeds were committed.  I really love updates on previous couples even if they aren't the main focus of a book. We got a few teeny glimpses in DRAGON IN THE BLOOD, but I wanted more.

If you're new to the Vale of Stars series, I would personally suggest starting with the Nightwing series so you can learn about both the world and a good amount of the characters you will read about. You don't HAVE to read it to understand the books in the Vale of Stars series, but I am all for getting the full backstory. Juliette also has a few other series that will rock your world.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

New Releases: 7/17-7/23

Mon. July 18th

 The Emperor's Arrow by Lauren D.M. Smith

 LIAM (The Rylee Adamson Epilogues #2) by Shannon Mayer

 Unwanted (Elemental Assassin #14.5) by Jennifer Estep

Tue. July 19th

 The Dragon Round by Stephen S. Power 

 The Ever Never Handbook (The School for Good and Evil) by Soman Chainani 

 Fallout (The Hot War #2) by Harry Turtledove

 Imprudence (The Custard Protocol #2) by Gail Carriger 

 Nightshades by Melissa F. Olson 

 Torn (A Wicked Saga #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Happy Reading!

Review: Liam by Shannon Mayer

Liam

Author: Shannon Mayer

Release Date: July 18, 2016

Publisher:HiJinks Ink Publishing

The Rylee Adamson Epilogues Book #2

ISBN13:  9781987933178

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: Author

My name is Liam, and I was an FBI agent, until I stepped into the world of Rylee Adamson. Now, I’m a Guardian, a wolf shifter whose very design is to protect those around him at any cost.

The battle against Orion is done, the demons banished. In their wake, there are so many innocents who have lost their lives, their families, and their way.

Three of them our now ours to raise—the ogre triplets. Three boys I’ve come to love as if they were my own. And they are dying.

In a race against time, I must do the impossible. Find a female ogre willing to help us save the boys. A female from a species we had believed was wiped out.

There is one reclusive tribe left—but they aren’t sharing anything but death.

If I am to save my boys, I must face them down; and this time I must look inside myself and find a strength I did not know was possible, without Rylee at my side. If I fail, I fail not only my boys.

I may fail the world.

LIAM had a pretty big storyline and with a good amount of pages, we got ample amount of information about the race to save the ogre triplets. I was skeptical that I would like being in someone else's head but Rylee's during such a big time, but I ended up enjoying Liam's side of things.

Liam has been through a lot through the Rylee Adamson series and all his emotions and fears come out in LIAM that show that he isn't completely unaffected by all he has been through. On top of trying to save the babies and battling his own demons we also get to meet new characters, one who ends up joining the family Liam and Rylee have put together.

I hate to admit it, but I was left super annoyed with the ending of LIAM and I'm not quite sure how I am going to get through the next epilogue. You would think that Pamela would have learned her lesson about going off with strangers that seem to good to be true, but it's clear she hasn't and I can already imagine the trouble that it will cause to others in both this series and the Elemental series. Sigh. We all know I will read epilogue three, but my goodness I hope it isn't as bad as I'm imagining.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Week in Review: 7/10-7/16

Books Received for Review

Liam by Shannon Mayer
Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige
Frost Blood by Elly Blake

Books I've Read

Once Broken Faith by Seanan McGuire
Liam by Shannon Mayer
Forbidden by Katrina Snow
Moon Coven by Conner Kressley, Rebecca Hamilton
Fury Rising by Yasmine Galenorn

Reviews Posted

Nightshades by Melissa Olson

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Interview + Giveaway for Her Black Wings by A.J. Norris

* Tuesday-  Promo + Giveaway for Hound's Bite by E.J. Stevens

* Thursday- Promo + Giveaway for Unwanted by Jennifer Estep

* Friday- Promo + Giveaway for Red Queen by Christine Henry

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Promo + Giveaway: Red Queen by Christina Henry

Red Queen
The Chronicles of Alice #2

The author of Alice takes readers back down the rabbit hole to a dark, twisted, and fascinating world based on the works of Lewis Carroll...
 
The land outside of the Old City was supposed to be green, lush, hopeful. A place where Alice could finally rest, no longer the plaything of the Rabbit, the pawn of Cheshire, or the prey of the Jabberwocky. But the verdant fields are nothing but ash—and hope is nowhere to be found.

Still, Alice and Hatcher are on a mission to find his daughter, a quest they will not forsake even as it takes them deep into the clutches of the mad White Queen and her goblin or into the realm of the twisted and cruel Black King.

The pieces are set and the game has already begun. Each move brings Alice closer to her destiny. But, to win, she will need to harness her newfound abilities and ally herself with someone even more powerful—the mysterious and vengeful Red Queen...

Read Chapter One 

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Christina Henry is the author of the national bestselling BLACK WINGS series (BLACK WINGS, BLACK NIGHT, BLACK HOWL, BLACK LAMENT, BLACK CITY, BLACK HEART and BLACK SPRING, Ace/Roc) and the two CHRONICLES OF ALICE books, ALICE and RED QUEEN (Ace Trade). She enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombies and/or subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son.

Find Christina and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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US ONLY

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Promo + Giveaway: Unwanted by Jennifer Estep

Unwanted
Elemental Assassin #14.5
Release Date: July 18, 2016
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo

The New York Times bestselling Elemental Assassin series continues with a new e-novella--from the point of view of Finnegan Lane, the foster brother of Gin Blanco, and a fan favorite of readers of the series.

The fallout from his disastrous “family reunion” in Bitter Bite has left Finn feeling hurt, angry, and depressed. He can barely stand to look at himself in the mirror, much less eat any of the delicious barbecue from Gin’s famed Pork Pit restaurant.

But when the funeral for a slain security guard at his bank turns into a showdown with some nasty underworld giants, Finn knows that he must act in order to protect an innocent family.

Finnegan Lane might be the most unwanted man in Ashland these days, but he’s determined to try to make amends for his past mistakes...

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Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series for Pocket Books. Unwanted, e-novella #14.5 in the series, will be released on July 18. Unraveled, book #15, will be released on Aug. 30.
Jennifer also writes the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series. She is also the author of the Black Blade young adult urban fantasy series and the Bigtime paranormal romance series.

For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit www.jenniferestep.com or follow Jennifer on Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.

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Early Review: Nightshades by Melissa Olson

Nightshades

Author: Melissa F. Olson

Release Date: July 19, 2016

Publisher: Tor

TBD Book #1

ISBN:  0765388502

ISBN13: 9780765388506

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Alex McKenna is the new Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Bureau of Paranormal Investigations—the division tasked with investigating crimes involving shades.

Or vampires, as they’re more widely known.

Children have been going missing, and agents are routinely being slaughtered. It’s up to McKenna, and some unlikely allies, to get to the bottom of the problem, and find the kids before it’s too late.

NIGHTSHADE introduces a brand new world where vampires aka shades are persona non grata. McKenna is tasked with taking down a group of shades that are killing humans and finds himself working with the beautiful Lindy who just happens to be a shade who wants to help him take them down.

I wish NIGHTSHADE had been longer. It felt too short and lacked a bit of the details I would have liked to see between the pages. One thing NIGHTSHADE didn't lack was action and suspense. Things start off pretty quickly and the pace stays pretty fast until the end.

I thought the characters were well developed for the little time I had to learn about them. I learned just enough about them to be interested in what happened to them and get a good grasp on how I felt about them and their place in the story. Alex and Lindy had a spark, but it really wasn't explored. They both feel it though and I think it will be explored in the future as they continue their partnership.

With the ending of NIGHTSHADE I have no doubt that this was the start to a new series. You just can't end a stand-alone like Olson ended NIGHTSHADE and not have a follow-up. I am definitely intrigued after reading NIGHTSHADE and will keep an eye out for book two.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.