Queen of Wands by Katee Robert

When Jenny O'Keirna gets a chance to slip her older brother, the new king of Hansarda's, leash, she jumps at it, even if it means playing babysitter to a too-smart-for-his-own-good inventor. She's not expecting the attraction that sparks between them — or that Sanctify is just as desperate to take him for their own.

Never in Mac Flannery's wildest dreams did he imagine Jenny would be the one sent for him. He sees beyond the mad grin the sexy princess of Hansarda presents to the world, and that combination of vulnerability and wicked humor is a siren call he can't resist.

But Sanctify is always three steps ahead of them. On the run — and unable to keep their hands off each other — Jenny and Mac devise an insane plan: kidnap the leader of Sanctify, and stop this war once and for all. Unfortunately, they've just played right into his hands...

Jenny needs a break from her family and it comes in the shape of Mac. Instead of what should be a simple job, they end up on the run from Sanctify with their lives at risk at every step. The insta-attraction between the two doesn't help matters.

I really enjoyed the first two stories in this series and this one was no different. Jenny is Boone's little sister and Mac works for Gerard inventing gadgets for use in the war against Sanctify - I don't remember meeting Mac before and it seems Jenny may have been in Queen of Swords (it's been a while since I read it, sorry).

I liked Jenny a lot - she had a shit life growing up and now her twisted brother is dead, she wants to enjoy herself. She's total badass, can hold her own and isn't afraid to stand up to Ophelia (who I don't remember being as bitchy in her book, but like I said it's been a while since I read it so I may be wrong). Mac was fun but I didn't like him as much as Jenny - for me, this was really her book with him as a bit part.

Since my reading of The High Priestess, I've read a lot more by Katee Robert and she's fast becoming one of my favourite authors and one who I constantly check on for new releases. For this reason, I will probably always highly recommend all her books to any of my readers.


Book Depository: Queen of Wands
Amazon UK: Queen of Wands

Owned by Fate and Exposed by Fate by Tessa Bailey

Her mind rejects his world. But her body knows its master.

Journalist Caroline Preston arrives at Serve, New York City’s hottest BDSM club, with one goal — to hate it. If her brother wasn't trying to turn the family's respectable financial magazine into a publication that features "lifestyle" pieces for the wealthy and adventurous, she wouldn't even be there, trying to write an article about a world she doesn't understand. But then she sees him.

Jonah Briggs doesn't leave his post for just anyone. As the owner of the club, his sole purpose is to ensure that his clientele get everything they need, but when he sees Caroline, his only thought is what he wants — to dominate the sexy little reporter and give the most exquisite pleasure she's ever experienced.

Caroline has no intention of entering that particular lion's den — not with her family's reputation at stake — no matter how dark, sexy, and complex the lion in question may be. But with every encounter, she craves more, and with every slide of his lips, she realises Jonah might just be the man to break down all her defenses ... if she'll let him.

Caroline only intends to check out Serve for the new merger that her brother proposed, she didn't count on actually finding the club, or Jonah, a turn on. She keeps going back to Jonah, and she questions herself every time she does. But she has a family name to keep up, and to do so she can't possibly write the club in a good light - can she? But not doing so could lose her Jonah and her new found sexualconfidence.

Jonah is very dominant and a massive turn on - very well written. And Caroline comes across exactly as she should, a bit stuck up and looking down her nose at the BDSM scene without knowing about it ... until she gets drawn in and realises it's just what she needs.

I really enjoyed the opening for this new series and am looking forward to more from all authors.


Amazon UK: Owned By Fate

He'll train her to lure another man. She'll lure him instead.

When interior designer Eliza Ballas accompanies a friend to New York's premier BDSM club, she's taken aback by the sheer want that overruns her body — especially when a sexy Brit assumes Eliza is adept at dark, sensual arts. If she's going to play, she'll need an erotic education, and she knows just the man to teach her how to submit ...

Oliver Preston isn't one to turn down pleasure, but Eliza's his sister's best friend, and he's torn between a sense of duty and his rock-hard need to find out if she tastes as delicious as he's dreamed. Unable to handle the thought of another man owning her body, he draws Eliza deep into his world of exquisite pain and pleasure. He has three lessons to instruct her. Three lessons to drive them both to the brink of ecstasy. And three lessons before he must give her to another man ... if he doesn't lose himself first.

Eliza may be in too deep when she goes to Serve and pretends to know more than she does, not wanting to come across as an amateur. She doesn't expect Oliver to offer to teach her the ropes before she hooks up with a stranger. Neither of them expect to like the lessons so much that they don't want them to end.

Holy. Fricking. Hotness. Batman!! This sequel to Owned by Fate is so much ... more ... than the first. As hot and dominant and ... hot that Jonah was, Oliver is that much hotter, that much more dominant and so much sex that I wanted to crawl right in my Kindle with him and make him all mine. Eliza is sweet and naive to begin with but she soon finds confidence in her sexuality and, as much as it shocks her, finds what has been missing from her life - I would have been more than happy to also make her mine.

This is the 2nd, and last for a while at least, from Tessa Bailey. And I'm looking forward to the next installment from Katee Robert.


Amazon UK: Exposed by Fate

Vincent by D B Reynolds

Sinaloa, Mexico ... haunting deserts, hot nights, and vampires, who've been there for hundreds of years, watching from the shadows, playing their games, manipulating humans, and surviving at any cost.

Vincent Kuxim, powerful and charismatic, was made vampire by an ambitious leader looking for soldiers to pave his way to the rule of all Mexico. But more than a century later, Vincent's Sire is looking over his shoulder as Vincent closes in for the kill, ready to claim the title Lord of Mexico for himself.

Lana Arnold is a bounty hunter, smart, beautiful, and determined to chart her own future. So when the most powerful vampire lord in all of North America enlists her help in tracking down a very old and elusive bloodsucker, Lana sees nothing but opportunity. There's only one catch. The client wants her to take Vincent — a vampire she neither knows nor trusts — along on her hunt. Then again, maybe it's herself she doesn't trust, because Vincent Kuxim is sex walking in a pair of tight black jeans.

Thrown together by circumstance, Vincent and Lana soon find themselves battling an evil they didn't know existed in a fight that makes Vincent all the more determined to destroy his Sire, seize Mexico for himself ... and keep Lana by his side forever.

Lana has been hired by Raphael to find an old vampire in Mexico with the help of Vincent, the Lord of Mexico's lieutenant. On the way to track the guy down, Vincent gets kidnapped and they end up getting caught up in another case that cements Vincent's decision to overthrow the current Lord of Mexico.

Oh Vincent, Vincent, Vincent .... I don't know how Reynolds does it but she seems to write sexier vamps with every book (although it'll be heard to overthrow Duncan and Rajmund). Vincent is sexy and knows it and he's determined to get Lana to know it too, which she does - she just refuses to acknowledge it. But they're thrown together and things lead to other things so of course sexy things happen - very sexy things!

I really do enjoy this series (even though I seem to be the only reader that doesn't like the main couple) and I like the tangent the story is going on. For the last few books there's been a slow progression of the upcoming war with the European vampires and it seems it's almost upon us. This is definitely a series I'd recommend, the vampires are alpha and powerful.


Amazon UK: Vincent

Otherworld Nights by Kelley Armstrong

This short story collection will include many brand-new tales and others only previously available on Kelley Armstrong's website. Most of the stories will feature the werewolves of the Otherworld, Elena and Clay, Jeremy, Karl and other members of the American Pack. These are some of Kelley Armstrong's best-loved and most enduring characters, from bestselling books such as Bitten, Stolen and Frostbitten.

Demonology - Adam's mother discovers what he is
Stalked - Clay/Elena honeymoon story from "My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon"
Hidden - SubPress 2012 Elena/Clay novella
Twilight - a Cass story from "Many Bloody Returns"
Chivalrous - Reese's backstory from SubPress's long sold-out "Tales of Dark Fantasy 2"
Lucifer's Daughter - Hope/Karl story from "Blood Lite II: Overbite"
From Russia with Love - Elena bonus story included with hardcover of "Thirteen"
Vanishing Act - brand-new Savannah/Adam novella set after "Thirteen"

This is an anthology of previously released Otherworld shorts with one new one.

Demonology is the story of how Adam's mother, Talia, meets Robert and dscovers what Adam's real heritage is. I would've liked to read how RObert broke it to Talia but what we get is the lead up to her first appointment with Robert and running when she discovers his specialty but then facing the facts and finally contacting him again. I love tiny Adam - he's adorable.

Stalked follows Clay and Elena on their honeymoon that gets interrupted by a mutt following Elena while Clay tries to stop her from discovering it. I always love Clay and Elena stories, Bitten was the book that got me into the series so the werewolves will always be my favourite.

Hidden is another Clay and Elena story, they want to give the twins a normal christmas but it's ruined by a mutt. I already reviewed this when it was released - go here.

Twilight is Cassandra's story. Vampires don't need to kill to feed except on the anniversary of the date they turned into a vampire, this tells the story of one of Cassandra's searches for the right person.

Chivalrous finally tells us the story of why Reese fled Australia. I was dying to read this but didn't buy the anthology it was in so I was so happy that it was in here. I like Reese and really enjoyed this look into his background.

Lucifer's Daughter tells of Hope and Karl spending what should be a nice evening in a museum but quickly goes downhill when a lesser demon tried to suck up to Hope to get on her father's good side.

From Russia with Love was originally in the back of 13 and is just a very short tale of the official Alpha handover from Jeremy to Elena.

Vanishing Act is the new story focusing on Savannah and Adam following the events of 13. They're investigating a demon raising gone badly while trying to work out the status of their relationship. The short also has a bit of a tie in to the two young adult series and the genetic modification of supernaturals.


I love all the things by Kelley Armstrong and this was no different. And the good part was that a few of these were new to me even though they were all reprints except Vanishing Act.


Book Depository: Otherworld Nights
Amazon UK: Otherworld Nights

Ocean's Edge by Denise Townsend

In the search for justice, she could find love and maybe a little magic

In the year since the attack that nearly killed her, Rachel has worked hard to recover despite the fact her assailant was never caught. Countless hours of self-defense training have rebuilt enough courage to approach the sea that spit her out like a piece of meat. Complete healing? Not even close.

Then Conleth, an honest-to-god selkie, emerges from the sea, offering a magical friendship that begins to unearth the carefree woman she used to be.

The first time Rachel's tiny foot connected with his balls, Jake cheered from his foetal position on the floor of his dojo. As he's coached this incredibly brave woman, he's kept to himself the growing feelings he knows she'd reject. But that hasn't stopped him from privately digging for the evidence to reopen her cold case file.

With Conleth's gentle guidance, Rachel begins to rediscover the part of herself who isn't afraid to love. Until a rose appears on her doorstep along with a cruel reminder that her attacker is still tracking her every move.

Rachel moved to her dream town but after being attacked she's found it hard to trust and has become a bit of a hermit. Conleth, feeling her pain, comes to help her regain her trust in men and also realise she can love but Rachel being seen with another man brings her attacker back out of the woodwork.

I've liked the Selkie books from Townsend so far and this one is no different. They always follow the same premise but aren't so alike to one another that it drags.

One thing I'd say about this book is that I figured out who the attacker was pretty early on and I don't know if it was meant to be obvious or if I'm just a super sleuth!! (I'm really not a super sleuth).

The books are always pretty short but Townsend does a good job of writing the character back stories. You really get into Rachel's head space because you can imagine how horrible it must be to have to live in the same town you got attacked in with your attacker and having the local police brush your case under the rug. All it took was for Conleth to help build her confidence back up so she wasn't afraid to leave the house anymore and even think about having a relationship.

I'd definitely recommend this series to anyone on the lookout for a new read.


Amazon UK: Ocean's Edge

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Alexia Tarabotti is labouring under a great many social tribulations.

First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire - and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Alexia is soulless and can therefore sort of suck the powers from supernaturals. This makes her a welcome companion for some but thing to fear for others. She's blamed for the missing supernaturals and must work with Lord Maccon to clear her name.

I'm not the biggest fan of books set in olden times, I tend to find them a bit boring but I quite enjoyed this - although I hate that cover, what the hell is she doing? Is she supposed to be walking or standing still? Either way, it looks damned uncomfortable.

As I've come to expect from a lot of books set in this era, the action is a bit slow coming and lack lustre but the story itself is good enough to make up for it. Alexia is fairly likeable but also a bit annoying and uppity while Maccon is your typical old-fashioned alpha male.

I'll probably read some more of the series - I did try the Finishing School series, set in the same world, but I couldn't finish the first book.


Book Depository: Soulless
Amazon UK: Soulless