Books From My TBR I'm Finally Going to Read

Working On That TBR Pile!

How do you feel about your TBR pile?

or more like

We here at Goldilox and the Three Weres have talked a lot about tackling our TBR piles in 2017 so I made a video about some of the books that have been on my TBR for a while now that I plan to read in these first few months of 2017!

What books are on your immediate TBR? Have you been doing a good job clearing off that TBR shelf so far in 2017?

Books From My TBR I'm Finally Reading in 2017!

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Reading Challenges Update: January - March

2013 Reading Challenges Update:
January - March

2013 Book Series Challenge
Info About This Challenge

Read so far:

Jane True series
by Nicole Peeler
Tempest Rising
Tracking the Tempest
Tempest's Legacy

Sabina Kane series
by Jaye Wells
Red-Headed Stepchild
The Mage in Black
Green Eyed Demon
(Join the Read-A-Long HERE)


Soul Screamers series
by Rachel Vincent
My Soul to Take
My Soul to Save
(Join the Read-A-Long HERE)

2013 Debut Author Challenge
Info About This Challenge

Read so far:

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd
Renegade by J.A. Souders

2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Info About This Challenge

Read so far:

Wicked As They Come by Delilah Dawson
Tracking the Tempest by Nicole Peeler
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells
The Mage in Black by Jaye Wells
Green Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells
The Taken by Vicki Pettersson
Angel of Darkness by Cynthia Eden
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent


How are you doing on your reading challenges this year?

2012 Reading Challenges Update!

Ooh, one last update post! This will be my last update before my final post at the end of next month that tells how I did! *bites nails*

This is the challenge I hosted this year. It was to read 2012 new releases in UF and PNR.

I'm went with dedication level Take Me to the Fae Realm, which means I planned to read 21 - 30 books that fit this challenge. 

Here's my list (so far):

1. The Shadow Reader (McKenzie Lewis #1) by Sandy Williams 

2. Sacrificial Magic (Downside #4) by Stacia Kane

3. Blood on the Bayou (Annabelle Lee #2) by Stacey Jay

4. Once Burned (Night Prince #1) by Jeaniene Frost

5. Biting Cold (Chicagoland Vampires #6) by Chloe Neill

6. Summoning the Night (Arcadia Bell #2) by Jenn Bennett

7. Chasing Magic (Downside #5) by Stacia Kane

8. Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse #12) by Charlaine Harris

9. Shadows Before the Sun (Charlie Madigan #4) by Kelly Gay

9. Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues (White Trash Zombie #2) by Diana Rowland

10. Shadow Bound (Unbound #2) by Rachel Vincent

11. God Save the Queen (Immortal Empire #1) by Kate Locke

12. Firelight (Darkest London #1) by Kristen Callihan

13. Nightshifted (Edie Spence #1) by Cassie Alexander

14. Moonglow (Darkest London #2) by Kristen Callihan

15. The Shattered Dark (McKenzie Lewis #2) by Sandy Williams

16. Discount Armageddon (Incryptid #1) by Seanan McGuire

17. The Kingdom (Graveyard Queen #2) by Amanda Stevens

18. The Prophet (Graveyard Queen #3) by Amanda Stevens

19. A Blood Seduction (Vamp City #1) by Pamela Palmer

20. Dire Needs (Eternal Wolf Clan #1) by Stephanie Tyler

21. The Seduction of Phaeton Black (Paranormal Investigator #1) by Jillian Stone

22. Blood Before Sunrise by Amanda Bonilla

23. Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones

24. Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway

25. Stalking the Others (H&W Investigations #4) by Jess Haines

26. Tarnished (The St. Croix Chronilces #1) by Karina Cooper

27. The Janus Affair (Ministry of Peculiar Occurances #2) by Philippa Ballantine

28. Wicked Nights (Angels of the Dark #1) by Gena Showalter

25/28 books read; 3 more to go!

I'm such a joiner! I have joined two reading challenges for 2012, something I didn't do last year. I'm very excited! First of all, I joined the 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge, hosted by Evie at Bookish. This challenge is to help motivate us readers to get through those books on our shelves we've been wanting to read but haven't gotten to yet.
You can choose your level of 'commitment' for this challenge, and I chose "A Sweet Kiss". That means I want to read 21 - 30 books from my TBR shelf! Here's my list:
1. Alpha (Shifters #6) by Rachel Vincent 2. The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff 3. My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers #2) by Rachel Vincent 4. Bitten (Women of the Otherworld #1) by Kelly Armstrong 5. Kindling the Moon (Aracadia Bell #1) by Jenn Bennett 6. Bloodlines (Bloodlines #1) by Richelle Mead 7. One Grave At A Time (Night Huntress #6) by Jeaniene Frost 8. Ecstasy Unveiled (Demonica #4) by Larissa Ione 9. Sin Undone (Demonica #5) by Larissa Ione 10. The Hunter (The Legend Chronicles #1) by Theresa Myers 11. The Restorer (Graveyard Queen #1) by Amanda Stevens 12. Archangel's Blade (Guild Hunters #4) by Nalini Singh 13. The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire #1) by Clay Griffith 14. The Iron Duke (Iron Seas) by Meljean Brook 15. Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane #1) by Jaye Wells 16. City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare 17. City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare 18. City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3) by Cassandra Clare 19. City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare 20. Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare 21. Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare 22. Catching Fire (Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins 23. Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins 25. Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #1) by Larissa Ione 26. Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #2) by Larissa Ione 27. Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between (Rhiannon's Law #1) by J.A. Saare 28. Wanderlust (Sirantha Jax #2) by Ann Aguirre  29. As Lie the Dead (Dreg City #2) by Kelly Meding
9/29 books read, 20 more to go! (I am NOT doing good here!)
I AM FAILING THIS ONE! I will definitely do this challenge again next year, and I've made it a goal to not request so many review books next year as well. There are A LOT of books on my shelf and on my Kindle that just aren't getting read.  :(


I also joined the 2012 Debut Author Challenge, hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. For this one, I am going to read at least 12 YA books published by brand new authors or authors never published in YA before. I'm very excited about this one too! 
1. Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer  2. The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass 3. Shadow and Bone (Grisha Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo 4. The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna 5. Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne 6. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo 7. Hemlock (Hemlock #1) by Kathleen Peacock 8. Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #1) by Bethany Griffin 9. Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff 10. The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna 11. Defiance (Defiance #1) by C.J. Redwine
My #12 is complicated. The rules state the authors can be adult writers writing in the genre of YA for the first time. But my authors I read are such established authors I feel strange calling them debut authors, even though is is their first go at YA. So I'm counting them all as one, #12:
12. Poison Princess by Kresley Cole; Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones; and Iced by        Karen Marie Moning

12/12 books read; CHALLENGE COMPLETE!

Alright, we can all see which challenge I'm sucking big time at. But that challenge will be more of my focus for 2013.

Reading Challenges Update - July!

This is where I will be keeping track of my reading challenges for 2012. I'm very excited about all of them! Check them out:

I am hosting my own reading challenge this year, and I'm very excited about it! This challenge is for reading adult paranormal and fantasy books released in 2012. If you are interested in joining in, you can do so on the Sign Up Post.

I'm going with dedication level Take Me to the Fae Realm, which means I plan to read 21 - 30 books that fit this challenge. I might bump it up to the higher level as the year goes on........we'll see.  :)

Here's my list (so far):

1. The Shadow Reader (McKenzie Lewis #1) by Sandy Williams 

2. Sacrificial Magic (Downside #4) by Stacia Kane

3. Blood on the Bayou (Annabelle Lee #2) by Stacey Jay

4. Once Burned (Night Prince #1) by Jeaniene Frost

5. Biting Cold (Chicagoland Vampires #6) by Chloe Neill

6. Summoning the Night (Arcadia Bell #2) by Jenn Bennett

7. Chasing Magic (Downside #5) by Stacia Kane

8. Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse #12) by Charlaine Harris

9. Shadows Before the Sun (Charlie Madigan #4) by Kelly Gay

9. Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues (White Trash Zombie #2) by Diana Rowland

10. Shadow Bound (Unbound #2) by Rachel Vincent

11. God Save the Queen (Immortal Empire #1) by Kate Locke

12. Firelight (Darkest London #1) by Kristen Callihan

13. Nightshifted (Edie Spence #1) by Cassie Alexander

14. Moonglow (Darkest London #2) by Kristen Callihan

15. The Shattered Dark (McKenzie Lewis #2) by Sandy Williams

16. Discount Armageddon (Incryptid #1) by Seanan McGuire

17. The Kingdom (Graveyard Queen #2) by Amanda Stevens

18. The Prophet (Graveyard Queen #3) by Amanda Stevens

19. A Blood Seduction (Vamp City #1) by Pamela Palmer

20. Dire Needs (Eternal Wolf Clan #1) by Stephanie Tyler

21. The Seduction of Phaeton Black (Paranormal Investigator #1) by Jillian Stone

22. Blood Before Sunrise by Amanda Bonilla

23. Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones

24. Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway

25. Stalking the Others (H&W Investigations #4) by Jess Haines

26. Tarnished (The St. Croix Chronilces #1) by Karina Cooper

27. The Janus Affair (Ministry of Peculiar Occurances #2) by Philippa Ballantine

28. Wicked Nights (Angels of the Dark #1) by Gena Showalter

18/28 books read; 10 more to go!

I'm such a joiner! I have joined two reading challenges for 2012, something I didn't do last year. I'm very excited! First of all, I joined the 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge, hosted by Evie at Bookish. This challenge is to help motivate us readers to get through those books on our shelves we've been wanting to read but haven't gotten to yet (you can click on the picture to sign up if you also suffer from this problem). 
You can choose your level of 'commitment' for this challenge, and I chose "A Sweet Kiss". That means I want to read 21 - 30 books from my TBR shelf! Here's my list:
1. Alpha (Shifters #6) by Rachel Vincent2. The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff3. My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers #2) by Rachel Vincent4. Bitten (Women of the Otherworld #1) by Kelly Armstrong5. Kindling the Moon (Aracadia Bell #1) by Jenn Bennett6. Bloodlines (Bloodlines #1) by Richelle Mead7. One Grave At A Time (Night Huntress #6) by Jeaniene Frost8. Ecstasy Unveiled (Demonica #4) by Larissa Ione9. Sin Undone (Demonica #5) by Larissa Ione10. The Hunter (The Legend Chronicles #1) by Theresa Myers11. The Restorer (Graveyard Queen #1) by Amanda Stevens12. Archangel's Blade (Guild Hunters #4) by Nalini Singh13. The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire #1) by Clay Griffith14. The Iron Duke (Iron Seas) by Meljean Brook15. Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane #1) by Jaye Wells16. City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare17. City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare18. City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3) by Cassandra Clare19. City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare20. Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare21. Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare22. Catching Fire (Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins23. Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins25. Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #1) by Larissa Ione26. Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #2) by Larissa Ione27. Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between (Rhiannon's Law #1) by J.A. Saare28. Wanderlust (Sirantha Jax #2) by Ann Aguirre 29. As Lie the Dead (Dreg City #2) by Kelly Meding
9/29 books read, 20 more to go! (I am NOT doing good here!)


I also joined the 2012 Debut Author Challenge, hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. For this one, I am going to read at least 12 YA books published by brand new authors or authors never published in YA before. I'm very excited about this one too! I even already read my first book for the challenge - Cinder!
So there you have it! My challenges for 2012! I will tag all my reviews that meet either of these challenges so you can always find them under the Features tab. Yay for 2012!
1. Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer 2. The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass3. Shadow and Bone (Grisha Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo4. The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna5. Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne6. Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard7. Innocent Darkness (Aether Chronilces #1) by Suzanne Lazear8. Origin by Jessica Khoury9. Black City (Black City #1) by Elizabeth Richards10. Hemlock (Hemlock #1) by Kathleen Peacock11. Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #1) by Bethany Griffin12. Silver by Talia Vance13. What's Left of Me (Hybrid Chronicles #1) by Kat Zhang14. Dead Girls Detective Agency by Suzy Cox15. Defiance (Defiance #1) by C.J. Redwine16. Dark Star by Bethany Frenette  17. Mystic City (Mystic City #1) by Theo Lawrence 
7/12 books read; 5 more to go (to meet challenge)!

2012 Reading Challenges - Updates!

This is where I will be keeping track of my reading challenges for 2012. I'm very excited about all of them! Check them out:

I am hosting my own reading challenge this year, and I'm very excited about it! This challenge is for reading adult paranormal and fantasy books released in 2012. If you are interested in joining in, you can do so on the Sign Up Post.

I'm going with dedication level Take Me to the Fae Realm, which means I plan to read 21 - 30 books that fit this challenge. I might bump it up to the higher level as the year goes on........we'll see.  :)

Here's my list (so far):

1. The Shadow Reader (McKenzie Lewis #1) by Sandy Williams 

2. Sacrificial Magic (Downside #4) by Stacia Kane

3. Blood on the Bayou (Annabelle Lee #2) by Stacey Jay

4. Once Burned (Night Prince #1) by Jeaniene Frost

5. Biting Cold (Chicagoland Vampires #6) by Chloe Neill

6. Summoning the Night (Arcadia Bell #2) by Jenn Bennett

7. Chasing Magic (Downside #5) by Stacia Kane

8. Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse #12) by Charlaine Harris

9. Shadows Before the Sun (Charlie Madigan #4) by Kelly Gay

9. Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues (White Trash Zombie #2) by Diana Rowland

10. Shadow Bound (Unbound #2) by Rachel Vincent

11. Deadly Descendant (Descendant #2) by Jenna Black

12. Firelight (Darkest London #1) by Kristen Callihan

13. Nightshifted (Edie Spence #1) by Cassie Alexander

14. Moonglow (Darkest London #2) by Kristen Callihan

15. The Shattered Dark (McKenzie Lewis #2) by Sandy Williams

16. Discount Armageddon (Incryptid #1) by Seanan McGuire

17. The Kingdom (Graveyard Queen #2) by Amanda Stevens

18. The Prophet (Graveyard Queen #3) by Amanda Stevens

19. A Blood Seduction (Vamp City #1) by Pamela Palmer

20. Dire Needs (Eternal Wolf Clan #1) by Stephanie Tyler

21. The Seduction of Phaeton Black (Paranormal Investigator #1) by Jillian Stone

22. Blood Before Sunrise by Amanda Bonilla

23. Fourth Grave

24. Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway

25. Stalking the Others (H&W Investigations #4) by Jess Haines

26. Tarnished (The St. Croix Chronilces #1) by Karina Cooper

27. The Janus Affair (Ministry of Peculiar Occurances #2) by Philippa Ballantine

I'm such a joiner! I have joined two reading challenges for 2012, something I didn't do last year. I'm very excited! First of all, I joined the 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge, hosted by Evie at Bookish. This challenge is to help motivate us readers to get through those books on our shelves we've been wanting to read but haven't gotten to yet (you can click on the picture to sign up if you also suffer from this problem). 
You can choose your level of 'commitment' for this challenge, and I chose "A Sweet Kiss". That means I want to read 21 - 30 books from my TBR shelf! Here's my list:
1. Alpha (Shifters #6) by Rachel Vincent2. The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff3. Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1) by Leanna Renee Hieber4. Bitten (Women of the Otherworld #1) by Kelly Armstrong5. Kindling the Moon (Aracadia Bell #1) by Jenn Bennett6. Bloodlines (Bloodlines #1) by Richelle Mead7. One Grave At A Time (Night Huntress #6) by Jeaniene Frost8. Ecstasy Unveiled (Demonica #4) by Larissa Ione9. Sin Undone (Demonica #5) by Larissa Ione10. The Hunter (The Legend Chronicles #1) by Theresa Myers11. The Restorer (Graveyard Queen #1) by Amanda Stevens12. Archangel's Blade (Guild Hunters #4) by Nalini Singh13. The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire #1) by Clay Griffith14. The Iron Duke (Iron Seas) by Meljean Brook15. Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane #1) by Jaye Wells16. City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare17. City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare18. City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3) by Cassandra Clare19. City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare20. Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare21. Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare22. Catching Fire (Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins23. Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins25. Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #1) by Larissa Ione26. Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #2) by Larissa Ione27. Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between (Rhiannon's Law #1) by J.A. Saare28. Wanderlust (Sirantha Jax #2) by Ann Aguirre 29. Unearthly (Unearthly #1) by Cynthia Hand
Okay, there it is!!! I can't promise I won't swap out a couple of those throughout the year if I change my mind. There are a few on the list that I haven't actually already purchased, but even without those I am still in the 21 - 30 book range. 

I also joined the 2012 Debut Author Challenge, hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. For this one, I am going to read at least 12 YA books published by brand new authors or authors never published in YA before. I'm very excited about this one too! I even already read my first book for the challenge - Cinder!
So there you have it! My challenges for 2012! I will tag all my reviews that meet either of these challenges so you can always find them under the Features tab. Yay for 2012!
1. Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer 2. The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass3. Shadow and Bones (Grisha Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo4. Slide by Jill Ahthaway5. Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne6. Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard7. Innocent Darkness (Aether Chronilces #1) by Suzanne Lazear8. Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi9. Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by R.L. LaFevers10. Hemlock (Hemlock #1) by Kathleen Peacock11. Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #1) by Bethany Griffin12. Silver by Talia Vance13. What's Left of Me (Hybrid Chronicles #1) by Kat Zhang14. Dead Girls Detective Agency by Suzy Cox


More to come........

Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh

Archangel's Blade
(Guild Hunter #4)
Nalini Singh

The severed head marked by a distinctive tattoo on its cheek should have been a Guild case, but dark instincts honed over hundreds of years of life compel the vampire Dmitri to take control. There is something twisted about this death, something that whispers of centuries long past...but Dmitri's need to discover the truth is nothing to the vicious strength of his response to the hunter assigned to decipher the tattoo.

Savaged in a brutal attack that almost killed her, Honor is nowhere near ready to come face to face with the seductive vampire who is an archangel's right hand, and who wears his cruelty as boldly as his lethal sensuality...the same vampire who has been her secret obsession since the day she was old enough to understand the inexplicable, violent emotions he aroused in her.
As desire turns into a dangerous compulsion that might destroy them both, it becomes clear the past will not stay buried. Something is hunting...and it will not stop until it brings a blood-soaked nightmare to life once more...

“In my time,” he said, “they believed in witches. Are you a witch, Honor, that you make me say these things to you?” 
Causing him to rip open wounds that had stayed safely scabbed over for so long that, most of the time, he managed to forget they existed. 
Her hands, so very, very gentle, continued to hold his face as she tugged him down until their foreheads touched. 
“I’m no witch, Dmitri. If I was, I’d know how to fix you.”



Singh manages to surpass the first three Guild Hunter books with her tale of redemption and healing.

I must admit, I was in the camp that wasn't all that excited that this book was going to be about Dmitri. I just didn't see how she was going to make readers swoon over him and how she was going to give him a heroine that would break him down. But...she did it! Archangel's Blade gives us insight into what has made Dmitri the way he is. We get to see, through multiple flashbacks, the horror he endured when he was human, what happened to his human family, and how he was Made into a vampire. All of this gives the reader more of a connection to Dmitri and an understanding of how he became such a harsh and vicious vampire.

The heroine in this one is a new character named Honor. She is a hunter with the guild who is still trying to recover from being kidnapped and tortured several months prior. She was taken by a mysterious vampire or angel who invited multiple others to abuse her physically, mentally, and sexually for two months. Even after being rescued and healed physically, Honor still can't sleep, avoids physical contact with men, and is haunted by nightmares. The one in charge of her capture was never caught.

Dmitri and Honor first meet when she is assigned a case that requires her expertise in ancient languages. A severed head with an unusual tattoo is discovered in the city and Dmitri and Honor must work together to solve the murder. Dmitri is first attracted to Honor because of her voluptuous beauty, but eventually his attraction is because she is a challenge. Honor wants nothing to do with Dmitri, as she is still recovering from being attacked by vampires repeatedly for two months and Dmitri doesn't exactly have a reputation for being sweet and gentle. Interestingly enough, however, she also finds herself inexplicably attracted to him, almost border lining obsession.

Dmitri and Honor's attraction and romance builds slowly and believably. Singh doesn't rush their relationship, which is something I had been afraid of happening. Honor knows she's attracted to him, but anytime she lets herself start to give in to it she practically has a panic attack and tries to kill him. Dmitri finds himself sucked in by Honor because she reminds him of someone from his past. There are several sexy and tense moments between the two before we finally get "the big finale". I found myself loving Dmitri's dark and sexy outward personality, which was so different from the memories and feelings he kept inside his head. I thought he was actually easier to connect with than Raphael from the first three books in the series. Honor was likable and believable as a tortured heroine trying to come to grips with life after her kidnapping. She wasn't wimpy and sullen, but rather a fierce hunter. The two work on hunting down Honor's captors as a side plot line that almost becomes more important than the main plot line's mystery.

A third plot line takes place throughout the story that I was actually just as interested in. Holly is a human who was kidnapped and tortured by the crazy archangel Uram in one of the first three Guild Hunter books. All of her friends were killed and she was the only survivor. She was tainted by Uram's blood and is slowly turning into a vampire, but different from the norm. Dmitri has taken it upon himself to watch over her and keep an eye on her while she makes the change in order to keep an eye on her progress and determine whether or not she is becoming crazy like Uram. Throughout the story, we see both Dmitri and Honor visiting her and interacting with her. This side plot was very intriguing to me and I'm really looking forward to where her story goes in future books. I'm hoping maybe she will be the love interest for one of the Seven in a future book...?

All in all, this was another awesome, dark, and sexy release by the talented Singh, whose beautiful writing style makes her paranormal romances stand out in the genre.

Recommended for lovers of paranormal romance, darker stories, Nalini Singh books, and tortured heroes.

   

Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett

Kindling the Moon
(Arcadia Bell #1)
Jenn Bennett

Meet Arcadia Bell: bartender, renegade magician, fugitive from the law. . . .

Being the spawn of two infamous occultists (and alleged murderers) isn’t easy, but freewheeling magician Arcadia “Cady” Bell knows how to make the best of a crummy situation. After hiding out for seven years, she’s carved an incognito niche for herself slinging drinks at the demon-friendly Tambuku Tiki Lounge.
But she receives an ultimatum when unexpected surveillance footage of her notorious parents surfaces: either prove their innocence or surrender herself. Unfortunately, the only witness to the crimes was an elusive Æthyric demon, and Cady has no idea how to find it. She teams up with Lon Butler, an enigmatic demonologist with a special talent for sexual spells and an arcane library of priceless stolen grimoires. Their research soon escalates into a storm of conflict involving missing police evidence, the decadent Hellfire Club, a ruthless bounty hunter, and a powerful occult society that operates way outside the law. If Cady can’t clear her family name soon, she’ll be forced to sacrifice her own life . . . and no amount of running will save her this time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4.5 stars for this easy urban fantasy read. A great take on magic and realistic relationships make this one a must read for UF lovers!

Kindling the Moon is a fresh urban fantasy about magic and demons in our world. Sometimes this topic can be difficult to translate through the pages, but Bennett does a great job of making the rules and inner workings of Arcadia's magic abilities simple to understand. Arcadia's is a fun point of view to read from; I love it when an author writes the heroine honestly and doesn't try to make her something she's not. Cady is tough, but not unbelievably so. She is so used to hiding from the world that she has closed herself off from really letting anyone in. Yet she is also vulnerable. The moments when she was letting herself feel were great to read. Cady's thoughts are also funny at times.

“I stumbled through the dark underbrush again crying out as I plunged through a thick spiderweb. My arms frantically brushed away the clinging web as irrational fear made me batshit-crazy for a moment. Scared of a damn spider when a bloodthirsty demon was chasing me down. Ridiculous.”

Arcadia is also a talented magician. She is the product of two famous magicians who conceived her during some sort of ritual to help her become extra powerful. Unfortunately, they were later accused of being serial killers and have fled the country leaving Arcadia to live and work under an assumed identity for fear of being found. She has always wanted the opportunity to clear their names, and such an opportunity presents itself when her magical order's rival order decides that they are going to take her life as punishment for her parent's sins if they cannot be found soon.

Enter Lon - over 40 with a pirate mustache and oh yeah, he's a demon. Sounds like a hottie, right? RIGHT! Stay with me here, I can prove it I promise.  Lon's easy going nature and subtle sexiness make him most likely the most understated hot hero I've ever read. He is sleek and sexy, but he never seems to know what to say to Cady. It's a really fresh and wonderful combination that makes him a bit different than most of the other love interests out there.

“He gathered me closer, kissed my neck, then spoke in a low voice next to my ear. “I figure, see, if you find yourself getting more attached to the two of us than you planned, maybe you won’t think about picking up and leaving to start another life somewhere else.”

And wait, there's more! He's comes with a teenage son. His son, Jupe, is everything a teen boy in real life would be - energetic, excited by the dangerous, and easy to love when it really comes down to it. He's a great addition to the story. Lon and Jupe's relationship as single father and hyperactive-puppy-dog son is great, but Arcadia's budding friendship with Jupe really outshines it. Their sweet and playful relationship as Cady grows closer to Lon is realistic of a young woman dating a single dad in the real world.

So, why not the full five stars? Even though I adored the story, I wanted a little more from the mystery plot. The story moved along at a great pace with great world building, and then toward the end we experience a bit of an info dump. I also had some lingering questions about the culmination of the plot at the end of the book.

But, aside from those small hitches, I really enjoyed this book and I am SO excited to start the next one in the series!

Recommended for fans of UF, stories about magic, mustaches, and strong, clever heroines.