THE DREAMER BY: E.J. MELLOW  
 
   OK so first off....that cover! Gorgeous right?! 
 
 
 
 Now in case you didn't know, I am super interested in books/movies/pretty much anything to do with dreams. It's such a neat concept for so many reasons. Dreams have the power to effect you in such powerful ways, whether it be a nightmare that has you quaking under the covers, or a spouse cheating dream that has you side eyeing that SOB like crazy in the morning, or even something magical that has you wanting to stay in your dream world for just a little while longer and avoiding the not so magical reality of a blaring alarm clock. Either way they can move you. The Dreamer explores just that, but in a really cool way.
 
   Molly is such a down to Earth character. The seemingly mundane routine of her life makes her seem like someone you could easily know in the real world, and her sweet, kind of sassy way makes you think she could be someone you would also be friends with. It doesn't take long though for things to get quite....electric. Suddenly Molly finds herself having some of the most vivid dreams, which have her questioning pretty much everything.
 
    I fell in love with the dream world Molly traveled to each night. I found myself craving those scenes more and more as the story progressed, right along with Molly. I mean honestly, I'd say that girl had way more will power than I did, because if it were me, nothing short of emergency situations and bathroom / food breaks would have got my ass out of that bed.
 

 
   This dream world was so rich and vivid, I had no problem visualizing this beautiful land of wonder. From the sky full of shooting stars to the dreamy man candy awaiting Molly each night. It was a place full of mystery, intrigue, and possibility, and you couldn't help but to want....nay, NEED more of it!
 

 
   But like any true dream landscape, it has it's darker counterparts creeping in the shadows. Molly slowly learns that this dream world is so much more than she could have ever imagined and the effects from it start making serious waves in the waking world. As new relationships bloom at night, the day time ones seem to suffer.
 
   I find the two love interests in Molly's life to be comparable to the worlds they hail from. Jared, the guy she is dating by day, seems to fit right in to her simple life comfortably. I can't say that there was anything I didn't like about the guy, he was sweet, thoughtful and a gentleman. I just got the feeling that something was missing between them. Their relationship felt very uncomplicated and safe. Devlin is a stark contrast to Jared in just about every way. He is as dark and mysterious as the nighttime land he is from. There is one thing that is for certain, Dev and Molly have an instant blazing chemistry that leaps of the pages. Dev is unpredictable, and he incites such visceral reactions from Molly. It's hard for me to not lean towards team Dev.....sorry Jared.
 
   I wish I could say more about the incredible world that Mellow has created here, but I wouldn't want to rob you the experience of finding these things out for yourself. All I can really say is that it was VERY intriguing and unique. And just like any great dream, The Dreamer seemed over way before I was ready to let it go. I will definitely be painstakingly awaiting the chance to emerge myself back in this captivating universe that Mellow has created.
 

 
   I received a copy of this book from the author because she's a fabulous person like that, but fear not, her personal awesomeness didn't have any bearing on how AMAZING I thought this book was!!
 
 

ALL. THE. STARS. *Seriously, just take them all*

I was beyond excited when I first heard about getting a novella from Dev's point of view, and I can honestly say that The Dreamcatcher not only met my ridiculously high expectations, it exceeded them.

Devlin is one of my favorite characters! He's unbelievably charming in the other Dreamland books, and this book being told from his POV was that same charm x10. There is a certain level of intimacy in knowing someone's thoughts, sometimes it is the things we do not say that are more meaningful. It was glorious to get these from Dev! There was more sincerity and emotion going on behind the beguiling smile and quick witted comments. I was glad to get this new level of complexity to a character that I already adored.


I also enjoyed seeing the other beloved characters through Dev's eyes. I love how much love he has for his friends and for his job. It's endearing how much he treasures the people around him, and how seriously he takes his duty of keeping everyone safe. I think that especially was highlighted in this novella. It definitely gave me a better understanding of why he was as secretive as he was in the beginning with Molly.


I'm sorry to say this, but Mellow...you've created a monster with this. Now I want more Dev POV scenes! I cherished this book, but like any respectable glutton, I WANT SO MUCH MORE! I can't recommend this book, and this entire SERIES enough! It's made it's way into my all time faves! Definitely a MUST READ!

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I so love that this series is in a box set now!! I'd definitely recommend picking this version up because I can promise you once you read that first story, you'll be hooked!

I thoroughly enjoyed each story of this action packed series! Admittedly I am kind of a nerd when it comes to dreams. I have always been fascinated by the dream world and it's limitless possibilities. Kellison takes the dream world and makes it her biotch in this book! Darkness Falls (book1) was quite like the Reve ( the shared dream world in this book) it's alluring, it beckons you to come in and explore this beautiful thing so full of possibilities. And once you've had a taste of this compelling world, it gets under your skin and you NEED to have more, do more, see MORE.

The action, imagination, world, and characters only continue to become more intense and awesome as the series continues. There aren't any dull parts to this story. If you enjoy edge of your seat thrills, wondrous world building, and compelling characters than look no further!

Demigods and Monsters starts off pretty much right where the previous book, Curse of the Sphinx ends. Hope flees her friends and her home not to run this time, but to finally find some answers. She is determined to break Apollo's curse and free herself once and for all, even if that means throwing herself straight into the lion's den to find what she seeks.

Hope's tenacity in finding answers was a relief in this book. After her running for most of book 1 it was nice to see Hope stop running and start trying to save herself. It was especially great to see her making some new friends along the way, and really start kicking some butt! The change of scenery was such a welcome addition. I really enjoyed the conservatory! The library alone was enough to make a girl swoon.

The new characters introduced in this addition were FANTASTIC!! I really enjoyed getting to know some of these Demigods, Xan and Dahila were definitely my favorites! I'm not quite sure if Xan is supposed to be a new love interest for Hope or not, while I hope that is not the case for Hope, I really enjoyed him being there and caring for her the way he did. I'm still rooting for Athan, but Xan is a great addition to the story. I'm really curious to see where everyones loyalties end up after they finally found out Hope's secret. I also enjoyed seeing some more misunderstood monsters! It was sad to see how they are treated simply for being born the way they are. Some having just inherited a curse without and wrong doing and all.


"The stories were depressing. The humans who'd offended the gods were then cursed to become monsters, half-breeds. In some cases, it was the human's offspring, as if an innocent child offended the gods by its very existence. And the monsters were offensive to both man and god. More often than not, their end was horribly tragic."


I had really hoped to glean some more information in this book. After book 1 still left so many things unanswered, I had hoped to learn more about the curse, and some hints, at the very least, on how to break it in this novel. Unfortunately after this story you are left with only even more questions. I did enjoy the journey, but I was hoping for some plot progression in that area. Everything else was fantastic and I was extra happy with the little encounters with some big name gods in this one too! I'll definitely be continuing on with this series, and I'm really looking forward to where the next book will be taking us!! And hopefully there will be some answers to these burning questions in that one!

I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

NAUGHTY ANGEL BY: K.M. NEUHOLD  
I really enjoyed this book! I really enjoy when a sequel comes along that really brings that wow factor, and that was definitely this book for me. Everything about this book was on point for me. It had a slower paced building romance, which always makes me happy, some laugh out loud moments, and a plot line that didn't read exactly like a million other NA romances. I find myself more and more coming to expect certain things to happen in a romance book, like for example I always find myself looking for that point in the story where the characters will break things off for some misunderstanding (usually near the 65%-75% mark, YOU KNOW exactly what I am talking about so don't play coy with me here) and then come back together right before the end for the HEA. And that's all fine and dandy, not knocking that story line, but as I said, I've actually gotten to the point where I expect and search that point of in a romance book. So when the author throws something different at you and surpasses those expectations, I am always pleasantly surprised by this, and believe kudos are due. Variety is the spice of life after all, is it not? And it keeps me humble lol. There is something to be said for getting knocked off your know-it-all high horse sometimes. So thanks for that Neuhold, I need that now and again!
 
 

 
 
I can also say that Asher and Eve are my new favorite characters in this series as well. I really enjoyed watching Eve come out of her shell. And Asher was the perfect guy to help her along in doing so. I thought he was incredibly sweet with her, even though he had a devilish tongue at times. I actually liked that he was one of those people that would just tell it how it is, and not be shy about saying naughty things, even though he was taking things slower with Eve and trying to establish connections on a deeper level. His corny jokes were freaking amazing too! I am a total nerd for puns, the cheesier, the better! He was kind of a dream guy for me!!
 
 

 
 
I thought that this book wasn't as emotionally intense as the previous one, which was kind of a relief. That's not to say that there wasn't any intense parts, because there definitely is, but it was nice to not have as much of the high anxiety feels throughout, at least not back to back. I'm also handing out a stellar head nod to Neuhold for taking on a topic like religion and doing it in a way that wasn't slamming one side or the other, and inflaming a hot topic issue. I thought it was done brilliantly and I respected a story about someone just growing up and becoming an adult and finding their own way and opinions. That is such a HUGE part in becoming a grown up. Being able to make your own informed decisions about your life, beliefs, and goals. I really like the inclusion of things like that into a story like this. It's something universally relatable when you look at the bigger picture. I really look forward to seeing what this author comes up with next, and which characters will be the stars of the next book! This one was a great book all around and I have some high expectations for the rest of the series at this point!
 
 

 
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

After reading Naughty Angel, book 2 in the Sexy Nerd Boys series, I was super excited to get my hands on Impossible Girl!! You could see some things going down between Remy and Dex sprinkled throughout the story, so I was eager to get a better idea of what was really happening behind the scenes with them!

Remy was not my favorite character in the beginning, I hated how shamelessly she went after Ethan in the first book, and how rude she was with Abby. BUT I actually really liked getting to know her better in this novella. In the end, I even admired the brazenness that she had. I will say that I did much prefer when she started letting a little more of her true self shine, rather than secreting away all her hopefulness behind endless strings of meaningless sex. I also want to add that I thought it was AWESOME to have a strong female kind of taking the role of the NA “playboy”! I wish this happened more often in this genre. It would keep things a little more interesting, in my opinion. And I think it’s only fair that we come to terms with the fact that girls like sex too lol.

Dex was so sweet! I appreciated how careful and patient he was with Remy. He was a good guy. I also thought it was pretty amazing that he was juggling as much as he was. There isn’t a whole lot more heartwarming to me than a guy who is a great Dad. Especially the single Dads that take the role of Mom and Dad on. Maybe that is because I know just how hard being a single parent can be. So lets just say Dex was pretty wonderful in my eyes.


This story was a great quick read. I devoured it in a day. I really love this group of characters, and I am enjoying getting to know each one a little better with each new installment. This series is primo NA romance, and I definitely recommend it to fans of that genre.


I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Dragons Of Bloodfire is shaping up to be a new favorite series of mine! Kellison's books may be a little smaller, but they are MIGHTY! And who doesn't love freaking DRAGONS?!


I was so excited for this sequel to Tempted by Fire, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint! I honestly loved everything about this book! Dragon shifters are quickly becoming my fave shifter of them all! The Blookdkin in particular. The Bloodkin in any form are just so intriguing!! The hierarchy, the different play on dragon tendencies, I especially liked how Warrick hoarded special moments like they were the most precious commodities around! Cue the swooning!


I loved Samantha! She navigated the Bloodkin and their stewards alike, expertly! It was interesting to get someone that knew her way around this time. She was an old pro with these dragons! I was grateful she was not a steward though, her independent streak and the way she spoke to the dragon royalty as if they were just human sometimes was great! She had the perfect rations of spunk and common sense. She knew when to push and when not to. And her secret ended up being something really cool that opened this world that Kellison has created even more. Not to mention it was a rather unique concept that I haven't read before, and now a days, or maybe just with the amount of books I consume, it is just so darn rare (and refreshing!) to see genuinely NEW concepts and fantastic beings! It is nice to be surprised with something new once in awhile, and I got that here.


Oh and did I also mention the DRAGONS??


Okay, yeah I think I did, but really who could ever get enough of that?! There may or may not have been an epic dragon showdown in this book too...but I guess you'll just have to pick up the book and see for yourself. You won't be disappointed! I can't wait to see what the next installment in this series has in store for us!! My expectations and excitement are both VERY high at this point!

I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 out of 5 stars

If Urban Fantasy and Sci-Fi had a baby, that baby would be The Shadow Of All Things. And this little bundle of joy is anything but sugar, spice, and everything nice…which of course I loved! Having this gritty tale take place in New York City was absolute perfection! I couldn’t think of a better backdrop than the city that never sleeps. Honestly everything about this book was grand, the characters, the setting, the plot, and of course the monsters, and their insatiable hunger.



There were quite a few interesting characters, and the POV switched around a lot with chapters. This was very well done and there was never any confusion to what was happening (SO THANKFUL FOR THIS!). It ended up feeling like there was about 4 different stories being told with one common theme, until they all started converging and things really started getting crazy! It was actually pretty brilliant the way this was done, by the end you got the distinct feeling that this new team of “good guys” was starting to form and that their journey was really ony just beginning.



The fantasy element in this book was top notch! There were so many fantastic creatures and beings, good and bad, and I couldn’t get enough of any of them! The Elyuum were a chilling bunch. Houston has a knack for writing such vivid descriptions that you have no problem envisioning every little detail, which can be frightening when he is writing about his monsters. It’s one of the things I love the most about his books! **Side note** If you buy the print version of this book it includes illustrations from Colleen Beauchamp Stiles and you can view 3 of the illustrations that are included in the book, which are AMAZING, on the authors website…http://www.allendhouston.com/allens-blog/category/colleen-beauchamp-stiles



All in all this was a unique, exciting and engrossing read that you won’t be able to put down! I am really looking forward to seeing what happens next in this series, the fact that the first book was so great has left me with very high hopes for the following books! Also, I read the ebook, and I can tell you that I plan on purchasing a physical copy of it like today, I need those illustrations!



I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

ARCTIC DAWN BY: KARISSA LAUREL
 
 
Wow! I don't know exactly what I was expecting when I started this book, but the right off the bat, the new, fiercer Solina Mundy set the tone for this pulse pounding thrill ride. Where Midnight Burning was a slow burn that grew in intensity as the story progressed, Arctic Dawn was a flash freeze that stole your breath from start to finish.
 

 
 
 
While I loved the faster paced, action-packed tone to this book, I do think there could have been a smidge more time between the missions Solina was constantly juggling to process everything. It seemed like the team was constantly being pulled in different directions and they often deviated from the original goal, and as interesting as they were, jumping to and fro between breaths I feel like I didn't always get the chance to fully appreciate the latest development. I found myself handling that situation much like I handle any given horror flick, yelling adamantly at the characters to not do something dumb like split up because you know it's not going to end well for them.
 
 

 
But boring this tale was not! I can dig all the action, but I do feel as if a second read through might give me more time to fully feel everything, since I now know the outcome and don't have that burning need to devour every word as quick as I can to see what happens next.  
 
 
 
I LOVE the character development in Arctic Dawn! Solina was so impassioned, and powerful, and determined, and I LOVED the hell out of that. She's always had the brains, and seeing her step up and do whatever she could to be stand strong in the face of everything was glorious! And she wasn't the only one bringning that wow factor here. I really enjoyed seeing some different facets of Thorin too. There was this tenderness awakening where Solina was concerned and it melted me into a gooey puddle of creeper. Like seriously, do you know how many times I just wanted to be like...KISS NOW!! JUST DO IT!!!
 
 



 
I also have to mention how enamored I was by the heavy norse mythology in this addition. It took awhile for that aspect to show up in Midnight Burning but it was seeping through each and every page in Artic Dawn and I lapped that stuff up like a rabid animal.
 
 
All in all this was a fantastic addition to the series and I am desperate to see what happens with this rag tag group of favorites next! Especially after that gut-wrenching ending! My feels are all over the place and all I know for certain is I need more! And smooching, please bring the smooching in the next book.
 
 
  
 
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

I am a pretty big Erin Kellison fan and this book is just one of the many reasons why. It never ceases to amaze me just how talented Kellison is at creating these layered magical worlds and characters in such a short amount of time. All That Glitters was 92 pages and somehow Kellison managed to create an entire planet full of intrigue and danger and wonder. Sol was quite amazing. I loved the idea of people living, and thriving on this planet that could not be tamed. Some of my favorite parts were Mica and Simon traipsing through the alien jungle which seemed to have a mind of its own.

Besides the very interesting world, the characters were just as bewitching! Mica was so much of what I love in a strong heroine, smart, independent, brave and strong. She could seem a little standoffish at times but I actually liked that. And the fact that Simon had a way of disarming her made it even better. Simon was great as well. While I did enjoy the roguish space pirate he appeared to be at the beginning, it was quite heartwarming to get his tragic backstory. It was quite genius for Kellison to give these two such a past, as that made the transition to them being together not feel rushed but rather a long time coming.

I really haven't read much in the sci-fi genre, and even less with the romance element in it, but I have to admit I really enjoyed this story as a whole and I am definitely wanting to continue on with this series. I think this is a good book for you to pick up if you're a fan of Paranormal Romances but ready for something a little different.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.