REVIEW - Beacon (Kindled #8) by Claire Kent

The Book

Release Date: 11 October 2024

Goodreads Link

It might have taken ten years for Mack to fall apart, but now he has disappeared.

He's been the heart of our community since Impact, keeping all of us alive in a hostile, unstable world. Now he's been hurt after fighting one too many battles. He's retreated into a massive, dangerous forest to live on his own, and he won't come out.

Mack and I had an on-and-off relationship for years, but it's always been no strings attached. After a toxic marriage, I can't commit to another man until I'm confident I can stand on my own. But some things are more important than the emotional baggage I've always carried. Mack is more important.

And it's time to bring him home.

Beacon is a post-apocalyptic romance set in the near future after a global catastrophe, and it includes violence and (secondary) character death. It's the eighth and final book in the Kindled series.

My Review    4 STARS

**My thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is the last book in the series and we finally get Anna and Mack story, characters that have been in many of the previous books and we also get to see many other characters from previous books too.

Mack had been emotionally wounded in the last book after he helped come to the rescue of others and is now licking his wounds in the cabin that Chloe's grandfather had put together in case of an event like impact.

Everyone is worried about Mack and 6 Months later it is Anna that goes to find him hoping to bring him back.  

But Mack is not the man he used to be.It takes patience and being herself that slowly brings him out of his shell, along with his desire to protect Anna.

The pair are semi good about talking to each other and keeping the air clear, however it soon appears that they have strong feelings for each other than they thought, especially when Anna is hurt and when she wants to help Maria and her group help the farmers with the rebel problem.  Mack has to find how the new him will cope.

Although I really did enjoy this book, it fell a little flatter than previous books, but I still did enjoy it and it had a decent amount of spice.

REVIEW - A Shattered Kingdom of Steel (Of Metals and Curses #2) by Renna Ashley

The Book

Release Date: 6 September 2024

Goodreads Link

He’s my mate, or my murderer. That is, if I don’t kill him first.

The former Captain of the High King’s Guard, Lymseia Wynterliff has never been one for politics. But when the High King tasks her with a diplomatic mission forcing her to return home to Illnamoor—the capital of the Steel Court—she begrudgingly accepts. The High King needs someone he can trust, and Lymseia’s the only one for the job.

But all it takes is one ambush to ruin everything. With the blood of her men on her hands, Lymseia has no choice but to go along with her kidnapper’s demands. Only, her enemy isn’t at all who she expects. Her kidnapper, and the one to blame for the ambush, is the one and only heir-apparent to the Silver Court: Asheros Larmanne. Her fated.

Mysterious and cunning, Asheros stands in the way of her duty. He has an agenda of his own, and that sly grin of his only further conceals his intentions. When hostilities rise between the five Courts, threatening to reforge centuries-old alliances, it becomes all too clear that someone is orchestrating the turmoil that’s spreading like wildfire. Maybe, with Asheros’s help, Lymseia can uncover the orchestrator’s identity, and end this before it’s too late.

But if Lymseia’s trust in her captor is misaligned, her kingdom will shatter around her.

A Shattered Kingdom of Steel is the second book in the Of Metals and Curses series, featuring rivals-to-lovers romance, fated mates, forced proximity, and plot twists you’ll never see coming, perfect for readers that enjoy fantasy romance. Each book in the series features one couple, a HEA, and an overarching plot that builds with each installment. Any cliffhangers pertain to the continuing plot, and not the couple's love story. While each book can be read on its own, for the best experience, it is recommended that the series be read in order.

My Review    5 STARS

**My thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is the second book in the series and starts up where the previous book left off.  I had left off reading this book for a while as I knew that it would be good and i didn't want it to be over so quick.

Lymseia was the High Kings Captain of the guard, but with a new role is more of a diplomat and is travelling to the Steel Court when her convoy is ambushed.

Asheros Larmanne, heir apparent to the Silver court has his reasons for his actions and sooner than you blink they end up on the same page.

We follow the journey of the pair and his companions as they set about finding the previous high kings killer along with navigating feelings for each other, especially when it becomes clear that they are either fated mates or will end up killing each other.

Both a strong characters and i love that Asheros is not afraid of the strong capable character that Lymesia is, his 'Bladesinger'.

There are some great supporting characters and the ongoing story from book one brings you along, giving you some answers to our questions, but also creating new questions we want answered.

I am really enjoying this series and cannot wait the the next book with Myrdin and his assassin.

The Book

Release Date: 25 October 2024

Goodreads Link

My life could have been ripped straight from a Hallmark movie. 

My name is Caroline "Candy" Cane, I own a country inn, date a man who runs a Christmas tree farm, and my mom's peppermint fudge wins first place at the Reindeer Corners' festival every year. Basically, I'm living every romance-loving girlie's small town dream.

Until a last minute trip to New York City leads to catching my boyfriend banging a Rockette (in full elf costume).

So, when I'm offered a chance to star in a hospitality-themed reality show, I jump at the chance to serve hot cocoa in roller skates on national television.

The only problem? The smoking hot, broody, perfectly bossy producer, Leo...

He's everything I've ever wanted in a man, but he's also my new boss and completely off-limits.

And that's before we realize our lives--and our pasts--are more intimately intertwined than we could have imagined.

Do I dare make holiday magic with the one man I now know I should never kiss under the mistletoe?

My Review     5 STARS

**My thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is a great book to get you into the holiday spirit with a woman who lives in Reindeer Falls and who's name is Candy.

Candy runs a holiday inn with her best friend who is more like a sister.

With a case of the grumps stoping her from her usual happy self, her friend sends her to New York, but once there she finds that her boyfriend is not the man she thought he was.

There she meets Leo, a man who lights her up, however his past interlines with hers and he is off limits until both of them realise how they are connected and Leo tells his truths,

These truths free Candy for a while and she agrees to go on his  reality show, but can they keep their hands off each other?

As with all of the authors lighter books there is comedy placed within a pesky but loveable animal, in this case a ginger tom cat.

The book certainly helps with the holiday feeling, a happy ending and you find yourself smiling to yourself whilst laughing out loud at times.

REVIEW - The Ruin of Eros by Maya Gryffin

The Book

Release Date: 7 October 2024

Goodreads Link

The world of the gods is merciless… and so is the world of men.

We grew up with stories of the gods. We know how cruel they can be. But I’ve spent my whole life playing by the rules, trying not to stand out. I know what happened to my mother—standing out was what got her into trouble.

But now, because of the king’s vanity, the goddess Aphrodite is out for blood... mine. Even my father, one of the king's councilors, can’t save me. Nor can my sister, or my fiancé. But I'm determined I will not let them see me tremble, even when the king’s men leave me shackled on the great rock they call Aphrodite’s Pillow.

When I see the shadowed figure emerging from the mist—black cloak, hidden face, a hunter’s stride—I know he must be my executioner. But then, instead of death, the cloaked stranger offers me a bargain. He’ll save my life… in exchange for my freedom.

It's an impossible choice—bind myself to a monster, or suffer divine vengeance. It's a choice with only one answer, if I want to live. But waking in a palace in a new, strange realm, I still wonder if I chose wrong. What is a mortal woman to do in a world where everything has been taken from her? Fight back. And guard her heart. I’ve lost my family, I’ve lost my freedom, and I may yet lose my life. But I will not lose my heart. No matter what it says it wants…

A Beauty and the Beast romance set in the epic world of Greek mythology, The Ruin of Eros is a captivating romantasy must read, with a fantastic storyline full of tension and a strong female character as its heroine. The perfect choice for fans of fantasy romance or books like The Games Gods Play, The Song of Achilles, The Shadow Bound Queen or Lore Olympus!

My Review    5 STARS

**My thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is a brilliantly put together book for those of us that love books with the Gods and other mythological creatures.

Psyche is a very beautiful woman and the youngest of two daughters of her widowed father.  She is good at hunting as her father had her taught well with her studies along with riding a horse and since he is a decorated member of the army knows how to defend herself.

However when the town around her on a festival state that she is so very beautiful, possibly even more beautiful than Aphrodite, not that she wants the acclaim, it causes the goddess to be angered.

This is where the fun starts to happen.  When she is left by the cliffs by the town for tribute, a figure emerges from the dark when the town has left giving her a choice.  Die or go with him with conditions in place.

I loved the world building, the strong characters and the familial ties woven into the story.  Psyche proves to the reader she is a strong character.  She has the chance to escape when her new world cracks, but when she finds out who the man who rescued her is she goes to save him, knowing that her has been captured.  

She overcomes both physical and mental obstacles and he in turn looks after her.

The book finishes with lots of unfinished endings and I really cannot wait to read the next book in the series.  I read this book a while ago and its one of the few books this year that has stayed with me after.