The Savior (Black Dagger Brotherhood #17) by J.R. Ward

In the venerable history of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, only one male has ever been expelled—but Murhder’s insanity gave the Brothers no choice. Haunted by visions of a female he could not save, he nonetheless returns to Caldwell on a mission to right the wrong that ruined him. However, he is not prepared for what he must face in his quest for redemption.
Dr. Sarah Watkins, researcher at a biomedical firm, is struggling with the loss of her fellow scientist fiancé. When the FBI starts asking about his death, she questions what really happened and soon learns the terrible truth: Her firm is conducting inhumane experiments in secret and the man she thought she knew and loved was involved in the torture.
As Murhder and Sarah’s destinies become irrevocably entwined, desire ignites between them. But can they forge a future that spans the divide separating the two species? And as a new foe emerges in the war against the vampires, will Murhder return to his Brothers… or resume his lonely existence forevermore?

I know that some readers have become less enamored by the BDB as the series has progressed, and while I admit that there are still some books that I like better than others, I’m not one of those readers. The Savior cemented that sentiment. A lot of the latter books have brought in new characters while highlighting existing couples. Even though Murhder was a new character in a sense, long time readers have grown to know him at least a little in previous books. The Savior didn’t only center around Murhder and Sarah, but also the new danger attacking vampires around Caldwell and in an interesting twist, Xhex and John Matthew.

The Savior turned into a story of forgiveness and redemption and I loved where this story went. There was a little bit of jealousy and drama with Xhex and John Matthew, but it didn’t last long. My heart broke for more than one character in The Savior. Readers got to see a side of Xhex that they haven’t seen much since Lover Mine. They also got to find out the whole story about Murhder’s past, but it took a while to get there. While it’s true that Sarah accepted the world she was unexpectedly thrown into a little too easily, I think her history and her inquisitive mind had a lot to do with that acceptance. She also felt a little bit of guilt about the horrors that her employer had caused, even though she had no clue what was going on right under her nose. That and her attraction to Murhder and his obvious protectiveness gave her a sense of safety.

A couple of side notes… While I loved this story, there were still a couple of things that nagged at me. The biggest was how things were wrapped up in the end. There was a big reveal and that reveal was the catalyst for things to just be “fixed”. It just seemed a little less dramatic than I expected it to be given the situation. The other thing was the fact that there was more than one person associated with the Brotherhood that knew about Murhder’s past. I’m thinking that one was protecting the other, which makes sense, but I suppose since my sympathies were geared toward Murhder in The Savior, it made me question it more. Those two things are the only reason that I’m not giving The Savior a full 5 stars. Petty, I know, but it bugged me enough to hold back a little. 😉 The other thing that’s worth noting is that you don’t have to have read any of The Fallen Angels series, but if you have, you’re in for a flash back sort of treat near the end of The Savior.

Although Where Winter Finds You is next in the BDB series, since I’ve been playing catch-up I’ve been trying to read the related books/series in timeline order. Which means, next up for me will be the 4th book in the Black Dagger Legacy series, Blood Truth. Stay tuned!

Days Gone Bad (Vesik #1) by Eric R. Asher

A crashed wedding. A scorned vampire. Here comes the blood…
Necromancer Damian Vesik is no hero. At least, not according to the magical community that turns a blind eye to his battles against evil. So he chalks it up as one more thankless mission when he’s forced to stop his vampire sister from murdering her ex’s entire bridal party…
Infiltrating the ceremony to protect the innocent, Damian uncovers something even more sinister than a massacre. With the help of his berserker fairy friend, he may need to prevent an unholy union between ancient demons and the walking dead. 
Damian has one chance to stop his sister and ruin the wedding before one hell of an afterparty dooms the world. 

I’ve been aware of this series for a while now, so I’m not exactly sure what’s taken me so long to pick it up. I read Days Gone Bad as part of a collection of the first three books in the series. It didn’t take me long to get caught up in this crazy world created by Eric R. Asher, so I’ve definitely put an end to my procrastination. 😉

I kinda have a thing for anti-heroes. They’re usually just a little bit broken and their inner voice is brutally honest with themselves. Somehow it makes those characters a little more real, even if they’re fight agains supernatural evil. One book in and I’m pretty sure that Damian Vesik is that kind of guy. He’s already proven that he doesn’t always do the “right” thing, even if at the time he’s convinced it’s for the “right” reasons. He’s surrounded himself with a motley crew of supernatural allies and a few human ones as well.

A lot happens in Days Gone Bad and the story does go off in several tangents. I kind of liked the chaos though and it’s clear by the end of Days Gone Bad that there’s much more to come. Good thing I have Wolves at the River Stone and Winter’s Demon ready and waiting. (At the time I wrote this review, I had already read Wolves at the River Stone, so stay tuned.) And on a whim, I picked up the audio collection of Vesik: The Dufris Years – so yeah, I’d say that procrastination thing has definitely been rectified. 😉

Ghost of a Summoning (Wickwood Chronicles #3) by J.E. McDonald

There’s something extraordinary hidden behind Wickwood’s picturesque façade…and it threatens everyone.
When a mysterious stranger turns up looking for a job, antique store owner Aubrey Karle finds it hard to resist Roman’s quiet charm. But things become weird when the ghost who’s been attached to her since she was a kid takes an instant dislike to the newcomer, objecting to his presence in a violent way.
Why can’t she just have a semblance of a normal life?
Roman Milone has demons in his closet, literal ones. A prophecy spoken by a fallen angel brings him back to his home town, and his world is turned upside down when he finds his next target is a sweet woman with a sexy smile and curves that go on for days. She can’t be the one prophesized to bring hell on Earth, not with a soul as bright as hers.
Just as the pair give into their attraction, and think they might be able to find a bit of happiness, a powerful demon with a thirty-year-old grudge makes an appearance in Wickwood. How can Roman keep Aubrey safe when he is the one who might be the biggest threat of all?

Two books into a 3 book series (yeah, I missed the first one) and I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite so far. I adored Stella and Lucas in Ghost of an Enchantment, but Roman and Aubrey pulled me into their story just as much.

Readers met Aubrey in Ghost of an Enchantment because she was not only Stella’s best friend, but her roommate. They also looked out for each other, which was why when Roman started working for Aubrey, Stella was more than a little leery of the stranger. Aubrey wasn’t quick to trust either, but there was something about Roman that attracted her – and irritated her ghostly friend who had been with her since she was a child.

They were right to be wary of Roman, but not for the reasons that they thought. Nothing was quite what it seemed from either perspective. The closer that they got to each other, the more that they realized that there was more danger around them than they ever suspected and it was hard to figure out exactly who could be trusted. They were safer together though, even though they didn’t really understand why.

Ghost of a Summoning was full of twists turns, a helpful ghost, an adorable demon, a sweet romance and a dangerous and vengeful evil that would stop at nothing to get what it wanted and destroy everything and anyone that got in its way. I’m not sure what’s coming next in Wickwood Chronicles, but it’s obvious things are far from over. In the meantime, I may have to check out Ghost of a Gamble to see how things started. Better late than never, right? 😉

Inheritance (Deadly Curiosities #4) by Gail Z. Martin

Cassidy Kincaide runs Trifles & Folly in modern-day Charleston, an antiques and curio shop with a dangerous secret. Cassidy can read the history of objects by touching them, and she teams up with friends and allies who use magic and paranormal abilities to get rid of cursed objects and keep Charleston and the world safe from supernatural threats. 
Caribbean ghosts terrorize Charleston and start racking up a body count. Then Beckford Pendlewood, the heir to a powerful family of dark warlocks, shows up raving about a bound demon locked in a lost box and begs sanctuary. Can Cassidy and her friends find the demon box, stop the killer ghosts, and break the Pendlewood curse before Beckford’s murderous cousins and the vengeful demon destroy them all?

Finishing Inheritance means that I’m finally caught up. Well, I was actually officially caught up when I finished Treasure Trail (the first book in Morgan Brice’s Treasure Trail series) which falls just before Inheritance in the multi-series world. My tendency to pick up books on a whim without paying attention to what order they fall in is another topic all together. *sigh*

There was a lot going on in Inheritance and a lot of cross over between series. As the Deadly Curiosities series continues, that seems to happen more and more. I, for one, love the cross overs and having Simon and Vic from Badlands finally make it to Charleston and be an integral part of Inheritance was an added bonus. It not only wove the series together even tighter, it also gave Cassidy to clue Simon in on what went on behind the scenes at Trifles & Folly. Each one of the characters had a special talent that was essential in solving the mystery behind the entities that were terrorizing Charleston. Even the humans had important roles to play.

Along with the danger and mystery, that strong sense of family that I’ve come to adore in this world was ever present. There’s only a hint of romance in the Deadly Curiosities series, but there’s plenty of action, mystery and danger to keep the pages turning. Throw in an adorable furry friend and what’s not to love?

There’s much more to come in this world and I can’t wait to see what comes next. Speaking of which, Blink, the second book in the Treasure Trail series is next up on my TBR pile. 😉

Tangled Web (Deadly Curiosities #3) by Gail Z. Martin

Cassidy Kincaide runs Trifles & Folly in modern-day Charleston, an antiques and curios shop with a dangerous secret. Cassidy can read the history of objects by touching them and along with her business partners Teag, who has Weaver magic and Sorren, a 600-year-old vampire, they get rid of cursed objects and keep Charleston and the world safe from supernatural threats. 
When zombies rise in Charleston cemeteries, dead men fall from the sky, and the whole city succumbs to the “grouch flu,” Cassidy, Teag, and Sorren suspect a vengeful dark witch who is gunning for Teag and planning to unleash an ancient horror. Cassidy, Teag, and Sorren—and all their supernatural allies—will need magic, cunning, and the help of a Viking demi-goddess to survive the battle with a malicious Weaver-witch and an ancient Norse warlock to keep Charleston—and the whole East Coast—from becoming the prey of the Master of the Hunt. 

I’ve been on quite a reading streak with books in the Morgan Brice/Gail Z. Martin world lately. That’s partially because of the Deadly Curiosities promotion going on right now, but it’s more because I can’t get enough of these characters and their interwoven world. I’m also kind of back tracking through this world. I actually started with the collection of novellas that are interspersed within the full length books. (Trifles & Folly I and Trifles & Folly II) I followed that with several books in the other series. Now I’m finally starting at the beginning and my only regret is that I didn’t start sooner. 😉

In Vendetta, Sorren was the target of a powerful evil seeking revenge. In Tangled Web, the target is Teag, but more precisely, Teag’s power. As usual, he wasn’t the only one in danger because the witch seeking his power was prepared to take down anyone close to him that stood in their way.

Books and series with a strong sense of family and loyalty always draw me in and that’s especially true with this series. The evil forces in Tangled Web had equally evil and strong allies, but so did Teag, Sorren and Cassidy. Teag’s weaver magic was strong, but with the help of those around him, it was even stronger. They also gained some help from some unexpected sources.

Before they could fight the source, they had to figure out how all the strange things happening in and around Charleston were connected. Needless to say, there was very little down time, which kept the pages turning and made Tangled Web almost impossible to put down. Magic, mythology, demons, witches, ghosts, vampires, necromancy and even some zombies thrown into the mix – pretty much something for everyone – including a little romance. 😉

They’ve defeated another dark power, but there’s still more to come. Inheritance is next up in the Deadly Curiosities series and it’s moving quickly up on my TBR pile.

Vendetta (Deadly Curiosities #2) by Gail Z. Martin

BLOOD FEUD 
Someone very powerful is trying to destroy Sorren and everyone he cares about. That puts Cassidy, Teag and Trifles and Folly in the cross-hairs, against an unknown enemy with strong magic and significant resources. 
Sorren has spent centuries shutting down the plans of powerful immortals, dark warlocks and supernatural creatures, and now he’s got to figure out which of those many enemies is out to get him before they pick off his friends one by one and come after him to finish an immortal vendetta. 

This is only the second book in the Deadly Curiosities series, but as I’ve mentioned, I’ve been a fan of this world for a while now. I was also familiar with Cassidy, Teag and Sorren long before I finally picked up Deadly Curiosities. Trifles and Folly 1 and Trifles and Folly 2 got me hooked, so it was only a matter of time before I started from the beginning. Better late than never, right?

This is a series that gets more intense with every installment. Teag, Cassidy and Sorren do a lot more than just rid the world of dangerous artifacts. They fight the people who want to use those artifacts against humanity. In Vendetta the stakes are even higher because the attacks aren’t random, they’re personal and the target is Sorren and no one he cares about is safe.

Readers learn more about Sorren and his past in Vendetta, but there’s a lot that’s still a mystery, even to Cassidy. There’s obviously a lot in Sorren’s past that he’s not proud of, but there’s also a lot of loss and painful memories. Immortality has its perks, but there’s also a sense of loneliness that most wouldn’t think about. There are times that Sorren seems somewhat detached, but in this book he was anything but. Sorren isn’t the first vampire that nearly broke my heart, but I’m pretty sure he’s the first one who did it outside of a romance. *sigh*

The mystery, danger and action kept the pages turning in Vendetta. It was definitely a hard one to put down. I loved getting to know the characters even better and seeing others come to the realization that things aren’t always as they seem.

Teag and Cassidy are honing their powers and gaining allies as the series progresses. Not everyone comes out unscathed in Vendetta and sometimes the emotional scars are more painful than the physical ones. Next up is Tangled Web and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Deadly Curiosities (Deadly Curiosities #1) by Gail Z. Martin

Welcome to Trifles & Folly, a store with a dark secret. Proprietor Cassidy Kincaide continues a family tradition begun in 1670 – acquiring and neutralizing dangerous supernatural items. It’s the perfect job for Cassidy, whose psychic gift lets her touch an object and know its history. Together with her business partner Sorren, a 500-year-old vampire and former jewel thief, Cassidy makes it her business to get infernal objects off the market. 
When a trip to a haunted hotel unearths a statue steeped in malevolent power, and a string of murders draws a trail to the abandoned old Navy yard, Cassidy and Sorren discover a diabolical plot to unleash a supernatural onslaught on their city. 
It’s time for Kincaide and her team to get rid of these Deadly Curiosities before the bodies start piling up.

I suppose I introduced myself to this world created by Gail Z. Martin/Morgan Brice a little backwards. (For the record, that’s not an usual thing for me…) Although this is the first book in the Deadly Curiosities series, it was not my first introduction to Teag, Sorren or Cassidy. Aside from the fact that I listened to the audio version of this book a few months ago and have read several books/series written under Morgan Brice, I also read Trifles & Folly 1 and Trifles & Folly 2, which are collections of short stories that fit between the full length books in the series. About time I officially start from the beginning, don’t you think?

The mystery builds in Deadly Curiosities as it becomes obvious that there’s a connection between seemingly unrelated items. It’s up to Teag, Sorren and Cassidy to figure out what that connection is before whatever or whoever’s behind it gets even more dangerous. They end up calling in reinforcements with the own set of unique talents.

I love the premise of this series. Each of the characters brings something unique to their “side” business and Charleston is the perfect setting. The relationship between the characters is much more than a business one, it’s more like family. There’s action, danger, demons, ghosts, magic and a vampire – what’s not to love?

Although my precarious relationship with audio books is getting better, after reading the ebook version of Deadly Curiosities, I realized that there was a lot that I missed or maybe didn’t retained when I listened. *sigh* That’s not a reflection on the audio version at all, because I actually liked the narration. So please don’t hesitate to pick it up if audio is your preference 😉

This is Not a Horror Movie by Sara Dobie Bauer

Emory Jones loves two things: horror movies and Connor Nichols.
For the past four years, Emory, Connor, and their families have vacationed side by side on Longboat Key, Florida. Eighteen-year-old Emory has pined for his neighbor from behind the covers of Stephen King books, but college boy Connor has never noticed him. Probably because Emory looks like Jack Skellington with good hair.
Emory anticipates another predictable summer of sunburn and disappointment. Instead, he ends up with a mystery on his hands when a beloved beach bum goes missing, and Connor volunteers to help with the search. Turns out it’s not just scary movie cops who are worthless, so the boys start an investigation of their own—leading them straight to an abandoned beach resort.
Despite the danger, Emory and Connor grow closer, but as Emory’s gay dreams start coming true, so do the horror movie tropes he so loves. Even though he knows that sex equals death in slasher flicks, Emory can’t keep his hands off the guy of his teenage dreams.
This is Not a Horror Movie is a 78,000-word new adult gay rom-com… with a monster.

There was so much to love about This is Not a Horror Movie. It was a grand mix of a sweet young romance, laced with humor and a touch of B-Movie campiness.

Emory was adorable. He was a little geeky and totally clueless about his growth-spurt turning into someone both girls and guys were staring at for reasons he didn’t quite understand. He had admired Connor from somewhat of a distance for years. His family knew all about his attraction to their yearly vacation neighbor, but since Connor was way out of his league, most likely straight and too reminiscent of the jocks at his school – Emory kept his feelings to himself. This was destined to be a summer of change though.

Both Emory and Connor were the kind of teenage boys that were refreshing to read about. They were far from perfect, but they were good, thoughtful, caring kids. The kind of kids who walked an older woman’s dog, or went in search of a homeless Vet – and put themselves on the line when they could have just turned away.

I also loved the family connections in This is Not a Horror Movie. They had their moments, like all families do, but both Connor and Emory’s families were super supportive. I also adored the twin connection between Liz and Emory.

Basically, This is Not a Horror Movie is the perfect vacation read, especially if you’re headed to the beach. 😉

Rise of Heroes (Artifact Hunters #3) by S.M. Reine

With his secrets exposed and his partner-in-crime gone, renowned thief Shatter Cage has only one target in mind: Silverclaw, the fallen Hero responsible for destroying Cage’s life. He’s teamed up with his sometimes-enemy-current-fiancee Brigid Byrne to destroy Silverclaw’s organization piece by piece, no matter how long it takes.
The Oracle who canonized Silverclaw wants a more absolute type of revenge. Like, Silverclaw’s head on the end of a legendary sword. She’s willing to pay for the job done right. And if Cage will kill Silverclaw, she’ll make Cage into a Hero.
Becoming Hero is all Cage ever wanted, but he’s never murdered before. He can have his dreams at the price of blood on his hands. And hey, why not? There’s no reason an old were-squirrel can’t learn new tricks…

Shatter Cage has come a long way since readers first met him in Race of Thieves. He’s found love and suffered loss and he’s learned a lot along the way. I have to admit that I was kind of curious about how an alpha squirrel shifter was going to fit into the Descentverse but Cage lived up to the challenge. What he lacked in size, he more than made up for in determination, loyalty and heart.

On the surface, Brigid and Cage were a very unlikely couple. Their love/hate relationship worked for them though – and it was so much fun to watch.

There were a lot of familiar “faces” in Rise of Heroes. As always, it was interesting spending time with them outside of their own personal story lines. That’s one of the things I love about the Descentverse – it’s all so intertwined. It gives readers a whole new perspective – especially because you’re “seeing” them through another character’s eyes.

Rise of Heroes brought Cage and Brigid’s story to a satisfying end, but I hope that we get to see them again in future stories. It wasn’t the outcome I (or Cage) expected, but in a lot of ways it was so much better. I even almost forgave the #evilauthor for what she put readers through in Reign of Monsters. Almost. Oh, and the ironic twist that was thrown at Brigid and Cage at the end was priceless. ❤

Dire Blood (Descent #5) by S.M. Reine – Narrated by Kate Udall

Elise Kavanagh died while killing the mother of all demons, and her fight should be over. But nothing is ever that easy where the Godslayer is concerned. Elise has been resurrected–and she came back as a demon.
Now the most powerful witch in the world, James Faulkner, has been dragged to Hell and accused of violating an ancient treaty. The punishment is eternity in Hellfire. Elise is the only one who can save him. But it means following him into Hell to face inhuman urges, the secrets in her past, and the horror in her future.
The Godslayer’s fight isn’t over yet. It’s only just beginning…

It’s been almost exactly 5 years since I read Dire Blood the first time as an ebook and I forgot how intense it was. I think listening to it this time instead of reading it upped that intensity…

Even given the length of time that’s passed since I last read Dire Blood, I was still kind of surprised about how much I forgot. I honestly shouldn’t have surprised me that much though because a LOT happens in this book. There’s also a lot of back story, which I really loved. It gave readers a glimpse of where Elise and James came from and how they got to where they were.

Dire Blood is a book of loyalty and betrayal. It’s also about love and family and how the two don’t always go hand in hand. There’s also not a lot of down time. Elise, James and everyone around them spends most the book literally fighting for their lives.

If you haven’t read Dire Blood yet, brace yourself for one heck of a cliff hanger. This book was kind of a turning point in the Descent series for me. It made me admire one character even more than I did before and it was the beginning of my extreme dislike of another. That character eventually won me over – but it took a couple more series in the Descentverse for that to happen.

Once again, if you haven’t read any books by this author, there’s pretty much something for everyone. If you’ve been here before, you probably already know that I started with the Seasons of the Moon series and have read pretty much everything in the Descentverse and beyond. Next up in the Descent series is Defying Fate, which I picked up again. If you want to see what else S.M. Reine has to offer readers, she has a complete printable list and reading order on her website. You’re welcome! 😉