∴ Trickery (Curse of the Gods #1) by Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington ∴

Synopsis:

Willa Knight: Dweller. Slave. Non-magical being.

In Minatsol, being a dweller means that you are literally no better than dirt. In fact, dirt might actually be more useful than Willa. Her life will be one of servitude to the sols, the magic-blessed beings who could one day be chosen to become gods.

At least her outer village is far removed from the cities of the sols, and she won’t ever be forced to present herself to them… Until one small mistake changes everything, and Willa is awarded a position to serve at Blesswood, the top sol academy in the world—a position that she definitely did not earn.

Under the sudden, watchful eye of the gods, she will be tasked to serve the Abcurse brothers, five sols built of arrogance, perfection and power. They are almost gods themselves, and under their service she is either going to end up sentenced to death, or else they are going to ruin her so badly that she will wish for it.

Either way, she is in trouble.

4.5 🍁s

“I’m sick of them. I never want to see them again. Except Aros; he smells nice. And Rome; because he’s so strong I’m pretty sure not even Rau can get past him. I don’t need the others. Except Siret. I’m pretty sure he hates me, but he’s really good at catching me like just before I face-plant into something. But the others, I don’t need them. Not at all.” I paused, my brow furrowing, my mouth pursing, and then I quickly blurted, “Except Coen and Yael. Coen is really good at making decisions, and if I leave out Yael he’ll probably hunt me down and haunt me-”
“That’s all of them,” Emmy interrupted smoothly.”

I really liked this book. It has been on my TBR since forever and I had been waiting for the final book to come out before I started the series. It was a long and hard wait because the girls over at Reverse Harem Revolution adore this series and say it is the best RH out there. After reading this book, I think they are going to be right. This was a phenomenal first book for this series and really set the stage for the future installments. The world building was top notch, the plot was thorough, and the pacing was spot on. And as far as the characters go, I loved them all. If this was only the start to the series, I can’t imagine how great the rest of it will be.
Willa was a very unique and different female lead. Her clumsiness and her overall attitude immediately drew me in. Her inner monologue constantly had me laughing and every decision she made only endeared her more to me. She was a very relatable lead. She never annoyed me and I was always on the edge of my seat to see what she would get herself into next. I highly enjoyed her antics and I can’t wait to read more from her perspective.
As far as the guys go, they were all great. Their personalities compelled me to keep reading and to find out how their relationship with Willa would progress. I love all of them already and I simply can’t wait to dive more into their individual characters.
Obviously, I will be continuing the series with Persuasion. I am really excited to dive more into this world and to spend some more time with these amazing characters.

Other Books in the Series:

2.5 🍁s ~ Persuasion (Curse of the Gods #2) by Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington

3.5 🍁s ~ Seduction (Curse of the Gods #3) by Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington

Reverse Harem, Reviews, Romance

Refusing Kendall (White Trash Trilogy #2) by Brandy Slaven

November 29, 2018 autumnbookreads

41018958

∴ Refusing Kendall (White Trash Trilogy #2) by Brandy Slaven ∴

Synopsis:

Kendall and her quad are moving on to the next chapter of their life. They now face the demanding schedules of going to separate colleges and the boys’ new football stardom.
When circumstances and doubt threaten the relationship the five of them have built, it will become Kendall’s responsibility to hold them together. But what happens when her past comes back to haunt her? Rejoin Kendall’s world in this next installment of the White Trash Trilogy.

3.75 🍁s

“You know that one moment when you’re watching figure skaters on ice, and the male partner throws the girl into the air, and everyone holds their breath waiting for her to fall? That’s what kissing Goose is like. Living in that one moment of wonder, hoping that there will always be another.”

MAJOR SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
I liked this book, just not as much as I would have liked to. The first half of this book was great and I was enjoying it just as much as the first one. The second half however, I did not really enjoy. You know that feeling when the couple breaks up in a book and you are just aching for them to get back together? That was what the entire second half of this book felt like. It took a lot of my enjoyment away from the story.

Kendall- While I love her as a character, she frustrated me a few times during this book. She jumped to conclusions on things and she made a bunch of what I would consider stupid decisions. She knew she had someone stalking her and yet, she didn’t stop to question if doors randomly shutting, lights turning off, or items being moved, meant that someone was in her house? She kept making references in her head to the stupid girl that always dies in a horror movie, yet she was acting like that more often than not during this book.

Teagan- I’m not gonna lie, I still am a little pissed with him after this book. I know he didn’t actually kiss that girl back, but letting her do so and not stopping her immediately is almost just as bad in my mind. Given, he made a lot of strides towards the end of the book to make up for it, but I still don’t think he should be forgiven right off the bat. There is no excuse for him letting that happen.

Lucas- I still absolutely love Lucas. He is just so precious and he tries his hardest to make Kendall happy. He was always there for Kendall during this book and I really think their relationship wouldn’t survive without him there to calm things down.

Goose- I am still a little mad at Goose as well. Though, I am not as mad at him as I was at Teagan. Goose went through some things during this book and I don’t believe that he will act that way again. In the part we got from his point of view, I saw how much guilt he felt and I couldn’t help but let that go a long ways to making me forgive him.

Maverick- I love Maverick, but I wish that he would have put his foot down when the giant argument happened between Goose, Teagan, and Kendall. He should have spoken up and I don’t see how he can be so vocal about his opinion sometimes, yet when it counted, he was silent. I am not mad at him though because after the part in his point of view, I see why he remained silent. That doesn’t mean I think it was the best thing however.

Derrik- When Derrik made his reappearance, I think I stopped breathing for a second. I was shocked that he showed up and I was certain that he was there to cause trouble. Instead, he apologized which surprised me. Honestly, I thought that his apology was subpar at best and it really meant nothing to me. I have personally been bullied (not to the extent that Kendall was) and I can honestly say that it leaves a mark on you and no amount of words can erase what that person did. Derrik’s character was not redeemed in my eyes in any way and I hope he doesn’t reappear again.

What I Liked- I liked that this series was continued and we got to see more of Kendall and her guys’ relationship. In reality, the story doesn’t stop when the book is over and it was nice to see what happened after the end of the last book. It made this book a lot more realistic and, even though I hated it, watching Kendall and her group struggle through everyday life was refreshing and it made me feel for these characters more.

What I Didn’t Like- My thoughts above should make what I disliked very clear. I had a lot of problems with this book and I just didn’t enjoy a large portion of it.

Side Note- When I got to the back of the book, I realized that another RH story was referenced in this book. I love when an author advertises other books in their genre and I am really proud of Brandy Slaven for doing that for two books in a row now.

Overall, I still really like this series. I will be reading the next book when it is released (hopefully soon). I hope I enjoy it more than I did this one though.

Other Books in the Series:

4.75 🍁s ~ Reviving Kendall (White Trash Trilogy #1) by Brandy Slaven

Reverse Harem, Reviews, Romance

Reviving Kendall (White Trash Trilogy #1) by Brandy Slaven

November 29, 2018November 29, 2018 autumnbookreads

37747771

∴ Reviving Kendall (White Trash Trilogy #1) by Brandy Slaven ∴

Synopsis:

“I’m not so sure that I’m strong enough to take yet another blow to the heart.”

Growing up, I’ve always lived on the wrong side of the tracks. I’m used to the stares, name calling, and disrespect. A tragic accident that leaves me short three of the only people I’ve ever loved, has me devastated enough to try to end my own life. Just when I think there’s no hope, I find a reason to live again, or four of them as a matter of fact. Lucas, Maverick, Teagan, and Goose. But what happens when those bonds are tested? I’m not so sure that I’m strong enough to take yet another blow to the heart. My name is Kendall Davis and what if my story doesn’t have a happy ending?

*This is the first book in a Contemporary Reverse Harem Trilogy.

*Recommended 17+ due to mature language and situations.

4.75 🍁s

But there’s no rule saying that your heart is only big enough to fit one person. You can’t help who you love. If it’s there, then it’s there, and if people can’t deal, then you don’t need those people in your life.”

SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
I loved this book. It has been on my TBR for forever and I had been waiting for the final book to come out before reading it. As the months went on, whenever I would scroll through my to-read list and see this book, I was tempted to pick it up. Finally, I cracked and decided I just couldn’t wait for the final book anymore. Let me tell you, I am so glad I finally read this book. It was EVERYTHING I have been wanting to read and more.
Kendall- I loved her. She has gone through more pain in her life than any person deserves and I couldn’t help but connect with her. This book starts out with her in a really dark place and watching her grow and persevere was awe-inspiring. There were many times I teared up over what was happening to her and any progress she made in this book just warmed my heart.

Teagan- I loved Teagan (I feel like I am going to say that a lot when it comes to these characters). He was sweet, but he was also flirty and intense which is a really interesting combination. I liked the fact that he was the first of the group to talk to Kendall, yet he was also the last one that she connected with intimately. I thought that a was a really nice touch on Brandy Slaven’s part.

Lucas- Lucas constantly melted my heart throughout this book. I just wanted to hug him and give him all the love he deserves. He understood Kendall on a basic level and I appreciated the fact that he tried to be friends with her before dating her.

Goose- I felt like Goose was the least developed of the guys. That isn’t to say that he wasn’t developed at all, I just feel like I know him the least out of the guys. He filled the gentle giant role and that was really it. I wish there would have been a little more of him.

Maverick- I went on a little more of a roller coaster of emotions with Maverick than I did with the other guys. One minute, I would be loving his broody, intense ass, and the next, I would want to punch him in the face for something he said to Kendall. The banter and the power struggle between him and Kendall was a sight to see though and I enjoyed every moment of it.

Ryleigh- Ryleigh was an interesting surprise in this book. I did not expect to love her character so much. She was a great friend towards Kendall and I really think she had a big impact on Kendall getting through some of the stuff she did.

Lincoln- Lincoln was also an interesting surprise. Based on what I saw of his character, I am wondering if Brandy Slaven plans on writing his story. Maybe in a spin-off? I would certainly love to see that. It also makes me wonder if we might ever get to see a spin-off about Lucas’s other brothers. Maybe another reverse harem story is in the works?

Derrik- That piece of crap deserves everything he got. I hope that Kendall never has to see his good for nothing ass again.

What I Liked- I liked the fact that Kendall had already been in a reverse harem relationship before. Out of all the RH stories I have read, I have never seen that and it was refreshing. Kendall truly loved Will, Brian, and Casey and I loved how Kendall was not ashamed to admit it. I also liked the fact the boys didn’t bat an eye when Kendall told them.

What I Didn’t Like- Nothing. This book was pretty perfect. The only minor problem I had was with Goose’s character development (as mentioned above).

SIDE NOTE- I absolutely LOVED that Beauty in the Lies from Groupie by C.M. Stunich was mentioned. I am all for the advertising of other RH stories in your books.

Other Books in the Series:

3.75 🍁s ~ Refusing Kendall (White Trash Trilogy #2) by Brandy Slaven

Reverse Harem, Reviews

Three Trials (The Dark Side #2) by Kristy Cunning

November 28, 2018November 29, 2018 autumnbookreads

36839899

∴ Three Trials (The Dark Side #2) by Kristy Cunning ∴

Synopsis:

So, I’ve checked off some life goals and added a few new ones to my list.

Goal #5: Get out of hell’s belly without letting my ungrateful charges die.

Goal #6: Get a new name that’s more badass.

Goal #7: Stop wasting my breath on lectures and start annoying the quad hell squad every time they annoy me. Fight fire with fire. Ha! Another hell pun.

Goal 8: Find out who the hell killed me.

I’ll add more. I don’t want to overwhelm myself before I even finish checking off my old goals. But seriously, I really do need a more badass name, considering how much I have to keep saving my damsels in distress.

I probably shouldn’t call them damsels, since they’re a little murderous and all.

Maybe I should add seeing a hell-certified psychologist to my list of goals.

**Sexual situations/content
**Reverse Harem
**Dark humor galore
**Language warning

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

You loved so hard, you did the impossible.”

MAJOR SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
After the last book, I thought that this series couldn’t possibly get any better. I. WAS. SO. WRONG. This sequel was phenomenal, heart pounding, absolutely shocking, and one hell of a ride.

Keyla/Paca- Oh. My. God. Could I love her character more? I don’t think so. She is badass, hilarious, and a straight up awesome character. Her thought process intrigues me and always has me laughing. I live for watching her figure things out and I highly enjoy whatever reaction she chooses to have. She makes this series for me and doesn’t let the male characters out shine her. She is a flawed anti-heroine, and I love her more for it.

“My feelings were only getting hurt in the beginning. When it was all of you against me. Ezekiel is my special boy because he was the first to gift me with hope. Kai is like a willful drug, because I truly enjoy the attention he pays me, even when he’s so surly he couldn’t possibly have a gentle bone in his body. Gage is my current favorite because I know without a doubt he finally sees me as what I am.”
He turns to me, his brow furrowing. “And what is that?”
“All of yours,” I state as though it should be obvious.

*sighs* I just loved that part!

Jude- Jude grew on me a little in this book. He has definitely progressed and he has finally gotten past the “treacherous treasure” thing… He’s still an asshole though. I would have liked to see a little more guilt from him after the Lake thing.

Ezekiel- Ezekiel, my precious, War baby, Ezekiel. I love him so much and, even though I got a little frustrated with him at the beginning of this book, I still find him incredibly endearing. I really appreciate how he will sit down and just listen to Paca. I feel like this series would go a lot more smoothly if all the guys did that.

Kai- I will admit, I didn’t like Kai at first and I definitely had less than nice things to say about him in my last review. He was selfish and pompous in the first book and I stand by that. In this book though, he was an absolute sweetheart who finally tore his head out of his own ass. Praise the Lord!

Gage- I went into this book with a rather neutral opinion of Gage because I didn’t really know that much about him. After reading this book however, I know all I need to know… which is that I love him. He pushes Paca and challenges her, but he isn’t an asshole about it. He will support her when she needs it, but he will still ask the hard questions and voice his concerns. That is absolutely fantastic and I think Jude needs to stop and pay attention to that a little bit more. He would get farther with Paca if he did.

Lamar- I knew-I KNEW!-That he would play a bigger role than Manella’s “damsel in distress” lover! I had no clue what role he would play and I couldn’t have been farther off from the truth, but that’s not the point. He was Paca’s supportive and loyal best friend and I am all here for it. I can’t wait to get more information on their past lives together.

Lake- That little traitor can go to the dark heart of hell. I knew that she would be trouble from the moment that her name was mentioned and when she actually showed up, I was utterly convinced. I said in my last review that the guys should trust less people and now look where it got them?! Paca was killed for crying out loud. I’m honestly still a little upset about that, to be honest.

Lucifer- Okay… so I’m not really sure where he stands. I don’t think he killed Paca and her men. I could be wrong, but I really don’t think he did it. There has to be someone else pulling all of these strings behind the scenes.

What I Liked- Uh.. Everything! This book was perfect. But, let’s focus on my favorite part: That plot twist. It was absolutely epic and I did not see it coming. From around the 70%-80% marks, my mind was getting blown again and again. The layers it took to weave that together were done so thoroughly, I never even saw it coming! That is how you write a plot twist, people! I also really love how the author keeps tying in historical events/people like Cleopatra, Hera, or Jack the Ripper into the story. It makes things really interesting and I am so curious to find out more about these people.

What I Didn’t Like- Nothing really. Though, I am still a little confused how this purities/impurities balance thing works. I wish it would have been explained a little bit more thoroughly.

Overall, this book was great and I highly enjoyed it. Of course I will be continuing the series. I can’t wait to get my hands on Two Kingdoms and to start reading!

Other Books in the Series:

5 🍁s ~ Four Psychos (The Dark Side #1) by Kristy Cunning

2.5 🍁s ~ Two Kingdoms (The Dark Side #3) by Kristy Cunning

Reverse Harem, Reviews

Four Psychos (The Dark Side #1) by Kristy Cunning

November 27, 2018November 29, 2018 autumnbookreads

36550871

∴ Four Psychos (The Dark Side #1) by Kristy Cunning ∴

Synopsis:

I’m not so different from most people.
Like everyone else, I have life goals.

Goal #1: Become a real girl instead of this invisible ghost thing I currently am.

Goal #2: Convince the four men I’ve been haunting for the past five years to pick me to be their new toy after goal one is complete.

Goal #3: Figure out who/what I am and why I can’t remember anything past the five years I’ve been haunting this quad.

Goal #4: Eat popcorn.

See? Perfectly normal. Sort of.
Gotta start small, after all.
It’s not like anyone else is perfect either.

**Sexual situations
**Reverse Harem
**Dark humor galore
**Language warning

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

I interrupt Kai, since it’s my turn to talk. “There are two types of people,” I say to him, and he narrows his eyes on me. “Those who listen, and those who merely wait for their turn to talk.”

MAJOR SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK. It was fast paced, constantly had my attention, and I could not put it down for the life of me. The plot was enthralling and I was hooked immediately! The time just flew by while reading and, before I knew it, I was done.

Keyla- I liked Keyla and I really connected with her. One of my biggest fears is to be alone or to wake up with no one there to see me. Keyla had to live through that for five years. I can’t even imagine how lonely she must have felt and it makes me sad to think about. I wanted her to experience being real and hearing her talk about simple things that I take for granted (like the ability to touch things) made me feel so bad for her. She really is a good person and I enjoyed being in her head. I didn’t appreciate how the guys treated Keyla in the beginning. Watching them siphon away from her when they knew she would fade made me incredibly sad for her and it really made the guys come across as assholes.

Jude- I don’t really know how I feel about him. He is so hot and cold that it is hard to figure him out. I understand why he acts the way he does towards Keyla, but I don’t understand why he continues to do so after all that she did for him and his friends.

Ezekiel- I loved Ezekiel so much and I just wanted to hug him! He actually gave Keyla a chance and I feel like he is the only one that even tried to get to know her. That really endeared him to me.

Kai- Kai got on my nerves a lot in the beginning with his pompous attitude. He just came off really entitled and I didn’t like the way he treated Keyla. Fortunately, she knows how to knock him down a peg or two.

Gage- I don’t really know how I feel about Gage. I felt like his personality was the least developed out of the guys and that makes it hard to form an opinion on him. He didn’t do anything to tick me off so I suppose that’s a good sign.

Lamar- I liked what I got to see of his character and I really want to see more of him. I also want to learn more about his abilities and what makes him so powerful.

Manella- I am SO glad that he didn’t end up being the villain (or at least not yet). I feel like villainous characters are a lot more compelling when you see why they are that way instead of just being told that they are evil for no reason (which Manella was). The guys just tell Keyla at the beginning that Manella was the bad person that was out to get them and we were supposed to automatically believe it and hate him. I like how things turned out a lot better.

Lucifer- I was so excited when he showed up. He is such a more compelling villain than Manella ever would have been. There are just so many facets to his character and I like the idea of never knowing what side Lucifer is truly on.

Harold- I am kind of suspicious of him, to be honest. I mean, he is supposed to be this all powerful Elder, yet he couldn’t tell whether it was actually Lamar that stabbed him? That is just really fishy to me. The guys were wrong about Manella so maybe they should be more skeptical of who they trust; Harold being one of them.

What I Liked- Pretty much everything. The devils/angels/demons/reapers thing has always intrigued me and I felt like this book brought those aspects together perfectly. The world was described so vividly and I can’t wait to see more of it.

What I Didn’t Like- I didn’t like and still don’t completely understand why the guys and Keyla won’t just suck it up and get together already. They know that they want each other so why don’t they just act on it already?!

Honorable Mentions- That first chapter! That was the most entertaining first chapter I have ever read and I was hooked from the very first page. It started immediately with a bang *winks ridiculously* and was just so captivating.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I will be continuing the series with, Three Trials and I can’t wait to start reading!

Other Books in the Series:

5 🍁s ~ Three Trials (The Dark Side #2) by Kristy Cunning

2.5 🍁s ~ Two Kingdoms (The Dark Side #3) by Kristy Cunning

Reverse Harem, Reviews, Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #15) by Laurell K. Hamilton

November 24, 2018November 24, 2018 autumnbookreads

30225

∴ The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #15) by Laurell K. Hamilton ∴

Synopsis:

Anita Blake is about to face the challenge of her life. Into her world-a world already overflowing with power-have come creatures so feared that powerful, centuries-old vampires refuse to mention their names. It is forbidden to speak of The Harlequin unless you’ve been contacted. And to be contacted by The Harlequin is to be under sentence of death.

Long-time rivals for Anita’s affections, Jean-Claude, Master Vampire of the City, and Richard, alpha-werewolf, will need to become allies. Shapeshifters Nathaniel and Micah will have to step up their support. And then there’s Edward. In this situation, Anita knows that she needs to call the one man who has always been there for her…

4.5 🍁s

“She should have remembered that people have given everything they own, everything they are, to be taken care of, and to have their pain gone. It’s the lure of cults: the promise of a good family; it’s what people think love is, but love isn’t absence of pain, it’s a hand to hold while you’re going through it. ”

This installment in the Anita Blake series was surprisingly good. In my review of the last book, Danse Macabre, I said that this series had lost my interest and I was feeling like this series had run its course. I questioned how Laurell K. Hamilton could continue with the same story lines over and over again. I felt like the series was getting repetitive and a big part of me wanted to stop reading it all together.
I am so glad that I took a step back and waited a few months before coming back to this series. I don’t know if it is because of the time distance between reads or if this installment was just that good, but my love for the Anita Blake series has been renewed. This installment gave me everything that I had been lacking in the previous book and it has made me want to come back to this series again.
Yes, there are still parts of this series that really annoy me (Richard in particular), but for the most part, I had a lot of fun while reading this book and the good outweighs the bad for me. This series will never be on my top favorites list, but with the sheer amount of time I have put in while reading, it will always hold a special place in my heart. With all of that being said, I will be reading the next book, Blood Noir.

Other Books in the Series:

4 🍁s ~ Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #1) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ The Laughing Corpse (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #2) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #3) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.5 🍁s ~ The Lunatic Cafe (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #4) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.5 🍁s ~ Bloody Bones (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #5) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ The Killing Dance (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #6) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ Burnt Offerings (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #7) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ Blue Moon (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #8) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ Narcissus in Chains (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #10) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.25 🍁s ~ Cerulean Sins (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #11) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.25 🍁s ~ Incubus Dreams (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #12) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ Micah (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #13) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ Danse Macabre (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #14) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.5 🍁s ~ The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #15) by Laurell K. Hamilton

Reverse Harem, Reviews, Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Danse Macabre (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #14) by Laurell K. Hamilton

November 24, 2018November 24, 2018 autumnbookreads

121927

∴ Danse Macabre (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #14) by Laurell K. Hamilton ∴

Synopsis:

These days, Anita Blake is less interested in vampire politics than in an ancient, ordinary dread she shares with women down the ages: she may be pregnant. And, if she is, whether the father is a vampire, a werewolf, or someone else entirely, he knows perfectly well that being a Federal Marshal known for raising the dead and being a vampire executioner, is no way to bring up a baby.

🍁🍁🍁🍁

“Still it might be nice, once in a while, not to have to choose between evils. Just once, couldn’t I choose the lesser good?”

This installment was good. There was plenty of drama and character relationship building. There was nothing wrong with it per se. I just didn’t connect with it as much as I connected with previous installments.
This series is good and I like it, but I feel like it is being dragged out. This was book 14 and as of now, there are 26 books in the series. I have no idea where Laurell K. Hamilton is going to go with this story for 12 more books. While I like these characters and the world it is in, you can only have so many books in a series before it gets old. Maybe if I had read this book when it came out and if I had had to wait a year in between it and the previous installment, I would have liked it more. It’s possible that I would have liked the series better as a whole if that were the case.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, but I can’t help but feel like this series is getting old. Maybe it is because I binge read the first fourteen. Maybe I should take a break and then come back to this series. Part of me wants to stop reading it altogether. I don’t know. Only time will tell.

Other Books in the Series:

4 🍁s ~ Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #1) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ The Laughing Corpse (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #2) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #3) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.5 🍁s ~ The Lunatic Cafe (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #4) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.5 🍁s ~ Bloody Bones (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #5) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ The Killing Dance (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #6) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ Burnt Offerings (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #7) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ Blue Moon (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #8) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ Narcissus in Chains (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #10) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.25 🍁s ~ Cerulean Sins (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #11) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.25 🍁s ~ Incubus Dreams (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #12) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ Micah (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #13) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.5 🍁s ~ The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #15) by Laurell K. Hamilton

3.5 🍁s ~ Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #16) by Laurell K. Hamilton

Reverse Harem, Reviews, Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Micah (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #13) by Laurell K. Hamilton

November 24, 2018November 24, 2018 autumnbookreads

30228

∴ Micah (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #13) by Laurell K. Hamilton ∴

Synopsis:

“RAISING THE DEAD IS EASY. LOVE IS HARD…”

There are lots of reasons to raise the dead-some private, some public. In this case, the feds have a witness who died before he could speak on the record. They want him raised so his testimony can be taken. So here I am, on a plane to Philadelphia, flying off to do my job.

But I’m not alone. Micah is with me. Micah, head of the St. Louis wereleopard pard. King to my Queen. The only one of my lovers who can stir my blood with just a glance from his chartreuse cat’s eyes. I was happy to have him at my side.

Until he mentioned that this will be our first time alone together. No Master Vampire. No Alpha Werewolf. Just me and Micah. And all my fears and doubts…

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

“And the moment you care that much, a man has you. He owns a little piece of your soul, and he can beat you to death with it.”

I really liked this installment in the Anita Blake series, though it felt more like a novella than a novel. It was short, sweet, and to the point. There was no extra scenes that were boring. Every scene was necessary in some way and each impacted the plot.
I liked getting to see Anita and Micah on their own because we haven’t really gotten that. Micah has been in the series for a while now and we really didn’t know anything about him until this installment. I liked getting to learn more about Micah and reading about his backstory. It made me connect to his character a lot more.
Overall, I really enjoyed this installment. I will admit that I was starting to get a little bored with this series and I was actually debating on continuing or not. The only reason I read this installment was because of how small it was. By the end of this book, I remembered why I like this series and it renewed my interest in it. That being said, I will be reading the next installment, Danse Macabre.

Other Books in the Series:

4 🍁s ~ Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #1) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ The Laughing Corpse (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #2) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #3) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.5 🍁s ~ The Lunatic Cafe (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #4) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.5 🍁s ~ Bloody Bones (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #5) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ The Killing Dance (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #6) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ Burnt Offerings (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #7) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ Blue Moon (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #8) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ Narcissus in Chains (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #10) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.25 🍁s ~ Cerulean Sins (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #11) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.25 🍁s ~ Incubus Dreams (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #12) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ Danse Macabre (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #14) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.5 🍁s ~ The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #15) by Laurell K. Hamilton

3.5 🍁s ~ Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #16) by Laurell K. Hamilton

Reverse Harem, Reviews, Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Incubus Dreams (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #12) by Laurell K. Hamilton

November 24, 2018November 24, 2018 autumnbookreads

30271

∴ Incubus Dreams (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #12) by Laurell K. Hamilton ∴

Synopsis:

In the latest New York Times bestselling Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, Anita’s life is more complicated than ever, as she is caught between her obligations to the living and the undead. A vampire serial killer who preys on strippers is on the loose. Called in to consult on the case, Anita fears her judgment may be clouded by a conflict of interest. For she is, after all, the consort of Jean-Claude, the ever-intoxicating Master Vampire of the City. Surrounded by suspicion, overwhelmed by her attempts to control the primal lusts that continue to wrack her, Anita does something unprecedented: she calls for help.

4.25 🍁s

“There comes a point when you just love someone. Not because they’re good, or bad, or anything really. You just love them. It doesn’t mean you’ll be together forever. It doesn’t mean you won’t hurt each other. It just mean you love them. Sometimes in spite of who they are, and sometimes because of who they are. And you know that they love you, sometimes because of who you are, and sometimes in spite of it.”

MAJOR SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
I liked this book and I had a hard time rating it. There was more character development in this installment than some of the others which I was ecstatic about. There were times when the plot was going by really fast and I was enjoying it, but there were also times when I felt like it took me hours to finish one scene.
Anita is starting to embrace her relationships with her boys more and she is finally getting to a place where she is comfortable enough to admit what she wants from them. I was very proud of Anita for finally admitting out loud that she likes being in a polyamorous/reverse-harem relationship. Anita grew more in this book than she has in others and I was very happy with that. She finally admitted her feelings for Nathaniel and she finally let down her walls enough to let him (and others) in. I hope that Anita continues to grow as a character and I hope that she will eventually be able to fully embrace her life and her relationships. I am especially interested in finding out where her relationship with Damian will go now that Anita, Nathaniel, and him are part of a triumvirate.
SIDE NOTE: I am very interested in finding out about Wicked and Truth. They were mentioned a little in this book and something tells me that they will have a larger presence in the later books. What I got of their backstory intrigued me and I look forward to seeing more of them in the future installments.
Overall, I enjoyed this installment of the Anita Blake series. There were some scenes that I found boring and I had to push through but besides that, I didn’t have any big issues with it. I will be reading the next installment, Micah.

Other Books in the Series:

4 🍁s ~ Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #1) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ The Laughing Corpse (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #2) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #3) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.5 🍁s ~ The Lunatic Cafe (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #4) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.5 🍁s ~ Bloody Bones (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #5) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ The Killing Dance (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #6) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ Burnt Offerings (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #7) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ Blue Moon (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #8) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ Narcissus in Chains (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #10) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.25 🍁s ~ Cerulean Sins (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #11) by Laurell K. Hamilton

5 🍁s ~ Micah (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #13) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4 🍁s ~ Danse Macabre (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #14) by Laurell K. Hamilton

4.5 🍁s ~ The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #15) by Laurell K. Hamilton

3.5 🍁s ~ Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #16) by Laurell K. Hamilton

Reverse Harem, Reviews, Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Cerulean Sins (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #11) by Laurell K. Hamilton

November 24, 2018November 24, 2018 autumnbookreads

30245

∴ Cerulean Sins (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #11) by Laurell K. Hamilton ∴

Synopsis:

Cerulean Sins, the eleventh entry in the hugely-popular Anita Blake series, finds everyone’s favorite vampire hunter keeping house and kicking butt.

Anita Blake is trying to get her life back to “normal” after a break-up with her werewolf lover. She has settled into a pattern of domesticity, which means that the new man in her life, the leopard shapeshifter Micah, has no problem sharing her with Jean-Claude, Master Vampire of the City. Things are as peaceful as they ever get for someone who raises the dead, when Jean-Claude receives an unexpected and unwelcome visitor: Musette, the very beautiful, very twisted representative of the European Council of Vampires. Anita soon finds herself caught up in a dangerous game of vampire power politics.

To add to her troubles, she is asked to consult on a series of brutal killings, which seem to be the work of something un-human. The investigation leads her to Cerulean Sins, a vampire-run establishment that deals in erotic videos, videos that cater to very specific tastes. Anita knows one creature of the night who has such interests — Jean-Claude’s visitor. But if Anita brings Musette down, the repercussions could cost her everything she holds dear.

Once a sworn enemy of all monsters, Anita is now the human consort of both Master Vampire Jean Claude and leopard shapeshifter Micah. When a centuries-old vampire hits St. Louis, Anita finds herself needing all the dark forces her passion can muster to save the ones she loves.

Anita Blake returns to find hell hath no fury like a vampire scorned.

4.25 🍁s

“Neither love nor evil conquers all, but evil cheats more.”

MAJOR SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
I really liked this installment in the Anita Blake series. I will choose character development and character relationship growth any day over plot and this installment was exactly that. There was plenty of politics, relationship building, and DRAMA.
I can see why people have started to not like this series and why people have quit it. I’ll flat out say it: This series is not the same as the first ten books. The structure is totally different. While I like the change, I can see why people who prefer plot would not.
Anita annoyed me a lot during this book. I understand that she values her morals and doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize her soul. I even agree with her on that. But the constant back and forth with what she considers okay and what she doesn’t is tiresome. One day she is saying that she wants to be in a ménage à trois with Asher and Jean-Claude. The next day, she is running away from both of them because she is scared. It is frustrating.
I believe that Jason was spot on about Anita and her relationships:

“You fought Jean-Claude, because you were afraid of him. Then Richard came along, and I think you loved him, really loved him, and that scared you, so you backed off. I think you dated them both to keep from falling in love with either of them.
Richard grows more distant, more caught up in his own personal angst, which leaves the field open for Jean-Claude. So suddenly you have Nathaniel bunking with you. I know, I know, he’s your pomme de sang, your house leopard, but it was still interesting timing.
Somewhere in all this, Asher comes up on the radar, maybe it’s Jean-Claude’s old memories, maybe not. But whatever caused it, you’re drawn to him, but he’s so full of anger that it’s not a threat. He’s almost as full of self-loathing as Richard is. Then suddenly Richard walks away for real this time. You’re left with just Jean-Claude, and Nathaniel, but Nathaniel isn’t enough of a romantic threat to keep Jean-Claude at bay, and suddenly there’s Micah. Out of the blue, instant lust, instant housekeeping. You have Micah, and now Jean-Claude is back to sharing you with someone else, and you’re safe again. You can’t fall madly in love with Jean-Claude, or anyone else, because you’ve divided your world up into different parts with each of them. Because no one man has your whole world, no one man can rock your whole world.”

I am happy that Anita acknowledged that Jason was right… but she has a long way to go. She understands her problem in her relationships but she doesn’t do anything to fix it. She won’t give herself completely to the boys but she won’t let them go either. Asher started to tell Anita that he can’t do it anymore and he is right. Who wants to be in a relationship with somebody they are always having to tip-toe around because they are scared to lose them? It is unfair to the boys. Anita knows this, but she just continues on the same path she has always been on. I am getting tired of waiting for her to completely say yes or to completely say no.
Overall, I really enjoyed this installment. I am interested to see where our new characters are going to come in later on and if Anita will finally give into her relationships or not. I will be continuing the series with Incubus Dreams.