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Category3-stars

Magical Intentions by Jaliza A. Burwell

By Sarah
In 3-stars, Book Review
September 13, 2018
M

Series: Biomystic Security

Release Date: August 7, 2018

<strong>Synopsis</strong>
Working in the bowels of Biomystic Security, Dr. Laila Porter is content as a magical lab technician. To her, nothing is more exciting than figuring out how to use both magic and technology in innovative ways to help the security experts at BMS stay alive.

After a small incident involving one of her prototypes, Laila is offered a job she can’t turn down: boost the company’s defenses in preparation for a visit by an important client everyone wants dead. Eager to put her skills to the test, she accepts. But once she begins, she realizes she needs to brush up her skills in one critical area: teamwork.

Teamwork has always been a foreign word to Laila. As a magical genius with a rocky childhood, she’s learned the only person she can rely on is herself. But that isn’t how Biomystic Security operates. In order for her to be successful, she needs to learn to trust those around her.

Their client, Cyril Shanton, is relying on that teamwork. If everyone in the company isn’t able to work together flawlessly, Biomystic Security will be remembered as the company that got one of the last remaining dragons killed.

**This is a slow burn Urban Fantasy Reverse Harem**

<strong>Ending</strong>

HFN
<strong>Representation</strong>
• BIPOC supporting characters
<strong>Possible Triggers:</strong> Yes
• Traumatic past (including allusions to abuse in foster homes)
• Violence
• No OTT sad parts (but, there are discussions of murdered family members)
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe
• No cheating
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Heroine pushing away
• Does have a separation between the Heroine and some of her love interests
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Kindle

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

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The Real Deal by Lauren Blakely

By Sarah
In 3-stars, Book Review
August 2, 2018
T

Series: Standalone

Release Date: July 10, 2018

<strong>Synopsis</strong>
April Hamilton wants you to know she hasn’t been on GigsforHire since that time she sold her futon after college. She doesn’t even spend that much time online. And even if she did, she would not be looking up personal ads. But going home alone for her family’s summer reunion is an invitation for every single relative to butt into her personal life. She simply can’t handle another blind date with the butcher, the baker or the candlestick maker from her hometown. So when she finds the GigsforHire ad for a boyfriend-for-hire, she’s ready to pay to play.

Heading Home and Need a Buffer? I’m the REAL DEAL.

Theo Banks has been running from the past for years. He’s this close to finally settling all his debts, and one more job as a boyfriend-for-hire will do the trick. He’s no gigolo. Please. He’s something of an actor, and he knows how to slip into any role, including pretending to be April’s new beau — the bad boy with the heart of gold.

Even if it means sleeping in close quarters in that tiny little bed in her parents’ inn. Even if it means spinning tales of a romance that starts to feel all too true. What neither one of them counts on is that amid the egg toss, the arm wrestling, and a fierce game of Lawn Twister that has them tangled up together, they might be feeling the real deal.

She only wanted to show her family once and for all that she had no need to settle down.

He didn’t expect to have the time of his life at her parent’s home.

They didn’t plan on loving every single second of the game.

But can a masterful game of pretend result in true love?

<strong>Ending</strong>

HEA
<strong>Representation</strong>
• LGBTQIA+ side characters
<strong>Possible Triggers:</strong> No
• No abuse.
• No OTT sad parts.
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe
• No cheating
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Heroine pushing away
• Does have a brief separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Kindle

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

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The Black Lily (Vampire Blood, #1) by Juliette Cross

By Sarah
In 3-stars, Book Review
May 31, 2018
T

Series: Vampire Blood*

Release Date: March 27th, 2017

<strong>Synopsis:</strong>
Cinderella like you’ve never seen before…

With the threat of the vampire monarchy becoming stronger every day, the Black Lily must take drastic measures. As the leader of the underground resistance, Arabelle concocts the perfect idea to gain the attention of the Glass Tower. Her plan? Attend the vampire prince’s blood ball and kill him. Fortunately for Prince Marius, her assassination goes awry, and Arabelle flees, leaving behind only her dagger.

Marius is desperate to find the woman whose kiss turned into attempted murder, hunting for the mysterious assassin he can’t push out of his mind. But what he uncovers could change the course of his life forever…

<strong>Ending</strong>

• Concerning the main characters: HEA
• Concerning the nefarious plot: Cliffhanger
<strong>Representation</strong>
No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
<strong>Possible Triggers</strong>
• Violence (Blood and gore)
• No OTT sad parts.
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Not Safe
• No cheating
• Does have OW/OM
– Hero feeds on blood, and his bite is erotic. He has 3 blood concubines in his harem who he then feeds from and has sex with. (Hero feels bad about turning down the blood concubines after feeding so he comforts them by hugging them and calling them ‘my sweet.’)
– Hero is also betrothed to a vampire princess (she doesn’t want to marry the Hero so she doesn’t cause much drama).
– Heroine has been celibate for 2 years after the death of her last lover, the OM
– If Heroine becomes a vampire, both the Hero and Heroine would have to feed on humans… which would result in those humans orgasming or wanting to have sex with them
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does not have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 3/5 stars

*Each novel in the series is Standalone 

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Stone Guardian (Entwined Realms, #1) by Danielle Monsch

By Sarah
In 3-stars, Book Review
May 24, 2018
S

Series: Entwined Realms*

Release Date: July 3rd, 2013

<strong>Synopsis:</strong>
Gryphons flying past skyscrapers? Wizards battling it out in coffeehouses? Women riding motorcycles with large swords strapped to their backs? All normal sights since the Great Collision happened twenty-six years ago.

Well, not normal for everyone. Larissa Miller may have been born after the Great Collision, but as a history teacher who lives in the human-only city, she has never come into contact with any other race or species, nor has she wanted to. Her life is as ordinary as it gets – that is, until one day she walks out of her apartment and is attacked by a mob of Zombies, only to be saved by a Gargoyle.

Gargoyles trust no one outside their Clan, but due to a cryptic prophecy, Terak, Leader of the Gargoyles, has been watching over the human woman for months. While he can find no reason why the woman has been singled out, something about her stirs every protective instinct within him. When the attack confirms that the threats against her exist and are real, he convinces Larissa that though their races have never been allies, the best chance of discovering why she has been brought into his world is by working together.

In the course of their investigation, Terak becomes entranced by his little human. But when he discovers why Necromancers want her and the great reward that awaits him if he betrays her, he must choose between the welfare of his Clan and not only Larissa’s life, but the fate of this New Realm as well.

<strong>Ending</strong>

HFN
<strong>Representation</strong>
No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
<strong>Possible Triggers</strong>
• Violence (Blood and gore)
• The prologue is quite sad–it’s in the Heroine’s father’s POV, and it’s when the Heroine’s mother dies
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe
• No cheating
• Does have OW (the Hero is engaged to an OW, however, in his culture, you don’t have sex with someone until after you’re mated.)
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM (The Hero and Heroine are virgins.)
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does not have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

*Each novel in the series is Standalone

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Found (Books of Stone, #1) by B.L. Brunnemer

By Sarah
In 3-stars, Book Review
May 17, 2018
F

Series: Books of Stone

Release Date: January 13th, 2018

<strong>Synopsis:</strong>
Forget everything you know about the world. Vampires exist, Werewolves exist, monsters hide in the shadows, and it’s my job to make sure they obey our laws. My name is Evelyn, and I’m a gargoyle. The last one or so I thought.

A team of Gargoyles have found me. And for the first time in over a century, I’m not the only one of my kind around. Which is a good thing since demons are slipping into this world fully formed. The bodies are piling up. Something is going on in my city, and it looks like I’m going to need the backup.

*While this is a Veil Diaries world book, this is not a Young Adult book. Graphic content.

<strong>Ending</strong>

HFN
<strong>Representation</strong>
No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
<strong>Possible Triggers</strong>
• Violence: The Heroine has both of her legs (below the knee) chopped off as payment to another supernatural species. The scene is descriptive.
Note: Gargoyle have regenerative abilities, so her legs do grow back.
• Murder of family (off-page, flashbacks)
• PTSD
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe
• No cheating
• No OW
• Does have OM (A human ex-lover of the Heroine attempts to win her back.)
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does not have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

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Pestilence (The Four Horsemen, #1) by Laura Thalassa

By Sarah
In 3-stars, Book Review
May 10, 2018
P

Series: The Four Horsemen*

Release Date: March 20th, 2018

<strong>Synopsis:</strong>
They came to earth—Pestilence, War, Famine, Death—four horsemen riding their screaming steeds, racing to the corners of the world. Four horsemen with the power to destroy all of humanity. They came to earth, and they came to end us all.

When Pestilence comes for Sara Burn’s town, one thing is certain: everyone she knows and loves is marked for death. Unless, of course, the angelic-looking horseman is stopped, which is exactly what Sara has in mind when she shoots the unholy beast off his steed.

Too bad no one told her Pestilence can’t be killed.

Now the horseman, very much alive and very pissed off, has taken her prisoner, and he’s eager to make her suffer. Only, the longer she’s with him, the more uncertain she is about his true feelings towards her … and hers towards him.

And now, well, Sara might still be able to save the world, but in order to do so, she’ll have to sacrifice her heart in the process.

<strong>Ending</strong>

• Concerning the couple: HFN
• Concerning the remaining Horsemen: Cliffhanger
<strong>Representation</strong>
No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
<strong>Possible Triggers</strong>
• Attempted murder
• Torture
• Stockholm syndrome
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe
• No cheating
• No OW/OM
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does Not have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

*Each novel in the series is Standalone

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Dragonsteel (Shadowsword’s Harem, #1) by Rachel Baelfire

By Sarah
In 3-stars, Book Review
March 29, 2018
D

Series: Shadowsword’s Harem

Release Date: January 2nd, 2018

<strong>Synopsis:</strong>
My name is Helena, and I’ve been on the run my entire life.

Every day my father and I protect each other from the dragon shifters who’ll stop at nothing to see us dead.
Until he’s captured.

Pursued for powers they’re convinced I shouldn’t have, the only ones who can help are my childhood friend who’s half-werewolf, and a mysterious dragon shifter with a secret agenda.

When a new evil rises, the danger is greater than ever, and one thing is certain. My father and I are both running out of time.

****Dragonsteel is the first book in the Shadowsword’s Harem series. It’s a full-length, Reverse Harem, Urban Fantasy Romance. The harem will be introduced slowly as the series unfolds. Contains some violence and sexual situations.

<strong>Ending</strong>


Cliffhanger
<strong>Representation</strong>
No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
<strong>Possible Triggers</strong>
• Heroine’s mother was murdered when she was a child
• Heroine’s father disappeared 7 years ago (Flashbacks)
• Violence including murder
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe
• No cheating
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does not have a separation between the Heroes and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

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Combust (Everyday Heroes, #2) by K. Bromberg

By Sarah
In 3-stars, Book Review
February 22, 2018
C

Series: Everday Heroes*

Release Date: January 29th, 2018

<strong>Synopsis:</strong>
From New York Times Bestselling author, K. Bromberg, comes a new standalone book. Just how hot will firefighter Grady Malone turn up the heat?

Songwriter Dylan McCoy has been burned.

By her boyfriend she found in her bed . . . with someone else.
By the contract she signed that obligates her to work with him until the songs for his new album are complete.

By her agent when she asked Dylan to keep their breakup on the down-low.

When she finds herself in Sunnyville, she refuses to let her new roommate burn her too. Still . . . a rebound has never looked so good.

That’s her first thought when she sees firefighter Grady Malone.

Sexy. Charismatic. Unapologetic. He’s a man who carries his own scars—the ones on his back, the survivor’s guilt on his soul, and the fear in his heart. When an unexpected visitor puts their roommate status to the test, will their undeniable attraction burn out, or will they both take a chance and play with fire?

<strong>Ending</strong>

HEA
<strong>Representation</strong>
No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
<strong>Possible Triggers</strong>
• Severe PTSD
• Body-image insecurities
• Cheating
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe with Exceptions
• No cheating
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM… but
– The 1st time the heroine met the Hero (they’re roommates) the hero brought an OW home and had sex with her. The heroine heard them.
– Heroine saw the hero and OW kissing. After noticing the heroine’s attention, the hero ‘joked’ about other places on his body he had OW’s lipstick. The heroine got slightly aroused.
– The hero asked the heroine if she wanted to join him and the OW.
– The heroine also gets with an OM–at the hero’s encouragement.
– The hero jacks off to the heroine and OM getting together–they share a bedroom wall and the hero can hear them.
– When the hero and heroine are a couple they are completely faithful
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does have a brief separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

*Each book in the series is Standalone

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Becoming Elemental (Five Elements, #1) by Ryann Elizabeth

By Sarah
In 3-stars, Book Review
February 8, 2018
B

Series: The Five Elements

Release Date: December 16th, 2017

<strong>Synopsis:</strong>
Eighteen year old Breanna Hunter has always seen herself as just an awkward teenager with the unfortunate aptitude for winding up in crazy and unexplainable situations.

After tragedy strikes, she ends up on a path she never knew was possible. Bre hoped her first year of college would be a life-changing experience and a new start. She will soon discover just how transformative college can be.

After another dangerous encounter, she meets five alluring strangers who are not as they seem. Together they uncover the truth, she is like them. She is an Elemental. Through them she learns that the Elemental world is not only filled with magical gifts and bonding, but also demons and danger.

Bre and the guys need to work together to figure out where she came from while keeping her safe from those who want her dead.

<strong>Ending</strong>

 Cliffhanger
<strong>Representation</strong>
No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
<strong>Possible Triggers</strong>
• Traumatic death of best friend (on-page)
• Violence
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe
• No cheating
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have OW drama
– She ends up staying at the guys’ house because she’s family friends with one of the heroes.
• Does have the Heroes and Heroine pushing away
• Does not have a separation between the Heroes and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 3/5 stars

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Pride & Joie: #MyNewLife, A Series by M.E. Carter

By Sarah
In 3-stars, Series Review
February 1, 2018
P

Series: #My New Life

Release Date: December 22nd, 2017

<strong>Synopsis:</strong>
Joie Stevens put all her dreams on hold the day she became a mom. As a natural caretaker, it never bothered her. But now that her son is grown, she has some new goals in sight and nothing is going to get in her way.
Except maybe an attractive football coach. Who very literally gets in her way.

As assistant football coach for the Flinton State University Vikings, Jack Pride really has nothing to complain about. He has a job he loves and friends he enjoys. Certain he had his one true love in his late wife, the last thing on his mind is dating.

Until he runs into a beautiful non-traditional student. Who he very literally runs into.

This second chance romance reminds us love can be better the second time around. And that it’s not just players in the game…

<strong>Ending</strong>

HFN
<strong>Representation</strong>
• Addresses ageism
• BIPOC side characters
<strong>Possible Triggers</strong>
• The Hero’s dead wife plays a big role in the Hero and Heroine’s relationships development.
• Hero’s wife died from cancer
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe
• No cheating
• No OM/OW (but the Hero’s dead wife does strongly influence the Hero and Heroine’s relationship)
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Hero hasn’t dated (or slept) with anyone since his wife died from cancer 3 years ago
• Heroine has been single for 18 years and hasn’t been with anyone sexually for 10 years
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does Not have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Note: Initially published as a serial series.

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