A VALENTINE DEMON FOR VERITY by Chloe Alice Balkin

Title:  A VALENTINE DEMON FOR VERITY
Series:  Candy for Demons #4
Author:  Chloe Alice Balkin
Publisher:  Chloe Alice Balkin
Publish Date:   12.19.2020
Category /Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content
Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC / errors excused
Received from:  Chloe Alice Balkin
Goodreads link: A Valentine Demon for Verity
Date completed: 12.22.2020
 
Description from the publisher:
The end is here.

The flood has begun on Earth. The plague of Kur has swept across both Earth and Hell. The cure for it, a formula that's been in the hands of the archangel Gabriel since the first flood, is wrong. Only the Prince of Lust, sometimes known as Abe, knows the true formula.
Except he doesn't. It's locked in his ancient memories, and there's only one person in the three realms who can unlock it.

Verity wants nothing to do with this.

Despite being felled over a single night of stupidity with Abe, Verity has a good life on Earth. Well, not exactly good, but she's made the best of it. The world might be ending, but she's finally able to put her warrior training to good use fighting the Kun'Sumani. But when Verity kills the wrong demons, she's stuck with a spawn she has to return to Hell and a note that might be the true formula. Verity only knows one way to Hell, through the home of Abe's daughters.

Cue the reunion.

Verity doesn't want anything to do with Abe. He claims to be her mate, her one true love, her evermore, but she is repulsed by him. He wants her to go on a journey with him to find the meaning of the note and return the spawn to his family. She just wants to go home and be done with Abe forever.

Too bad the portal to Earth is broken.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A VALENTINE DEMON FOR VERITY is the fourth book in the Candy for Demons series.  These should be read in the order of release (and I am kicking myself for missing the third book in the series!).
 
I just could not connect with these two.  The premise is great – a demon and an angel, both fallen angels, are meant to be forevermores – but, while Abe claimed Verity as his from the first page, I never felt that Verity truly fell for him in return.  The words were there, but I never felt it.  In addition to the “romance,” the story was too convoluted.  Maybe I just couldn’t grasp the enormity of the broken worlds.  Again, this may be preconceived knowledge interfering.  Deeply-rooted Catholicism will not allow me to set aside the promise of the rainbow (though it is mentioned).
 
The writing is strong.  This is not because the author fails; I will take it as me failing as a reader.  Let’s chalk this one up as “not my cup of hot chocolate.”
 
Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
 
Candy for Demons Series:
1.      A Christmas Demon for Clara
2.      An Easter Demon for Eloise
3.      A Halloween Angel for Hazel
4.      A Valentine Demon for Verity
Also from Chloe Alice Balkin:
The Series I Shouldn’t Have Written Series:
1.      Magical Cave of Glowing Wonder
2.      Plus Three
Tales of Fate’s Desire Series:
1.      Talia
2.      East/West (coming soon)
THIRD Shift Series:
1.      Warren’s Tabby
2.      Beauty and the Boar
3.      Song Bird
4.      Truth or Weres (coming soon)
 

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BLOODY WICKED by Audrey Brice

Title:  BLOODY WICKED
Series:  Wicked Ways #4
Author:  Audrey Brice
Publisher:  Darkerwood Publishing Group LLC
Publish Date:   07.19.2020
Category /Genre:  Paranormal, Cozy Mystery
Recommended for:  14+
Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC / errors excused
Received from:  Audrey Brice
Goodreads link: Bloody Wicked
Date completed: 07.17.2020
 
Description from the publisher:
Some treasure should be left buried.

Klaus, the new King of the Northrop vampires, has lost a sacred relic. Something the vampires treasure. The vampire council is breathing down Klaus’s neck. Being the most visible witch in a fifty-witch town means Klaus has come to me, Elise Marybell Marple, owner of the magic shop Wicked Ways, and my vampire best friend, Shelly, to help him find it before he’s dethroned by the council. 

Have I mentioned that angry, ancient vampires creep me out?  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLOODY WICKED is the fourth book in the Wicked Ways series.  Though each story will stand on its own, it is even better to read the full series and in the order of release.
 
This story is a treasure of friendship and romance that is meant to last.  This is in addition to the fun exploits of a missing ancient relic that must be found and quickly or Klaus will have the shortest reign as a Vampire King ever!
 
This story was a sweet escape from reality – something I treasure these days.  A nice, slow, light read was right up my alley today.
 
Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
 
Wicked Ways Series:
1.      Woefully Wicked
2.      Something Wicked
3.      Thoroughly Wicked 
4.      Bloody Wicked
5.      Hauntingly Wicked (coming soon)
Also from Audrey Brice:
·         Dark Prince
·         The Danbury Ghost
·         Samuel
·         Stygian: Disciples
·         When Good Angels Go Bad
Ordo Templi Serpentis Mysteries Series:
1.      Outer Darkness
2.      Into Darkness
3.      Rising Darkness
4.      Ascending Darkness
5.      Illuminated Darkness
Dead Man’s Knock
Rocky Mountain Haunt
Sunny Satan Arizona
Within Darkness
Fourteen Tales of Thirteen Covens Series:
1.      A Rising Damp
2.      Temple Apophis
3.      Lucifer’s Haven
4.      Shadow Marbas
5.      The Watch
6.      Ba’al Collective
7.      Order of Eurynome
8.      Blackrose Coven
9.      Temple Dagon
10.  Cult of Lucifuge
 

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THOROUGHLY WICKED by Audrey Brice

Title:  THOROUGHLY WICKED

Series:  Wicked Ways #3

Author:  Audrey Brice

Publisher:  Darkerwood Publishing Group LLC

Publish Date:   04.26.2020

Category /Genre:  Paranormal, Cozy Mystery

Recommended for:  14+

Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC / errors excused

Received from:  Audrey Brice

Goodreads link: Thoroughly Wicked

Date completed: 04.28.2020

Description from the publisher:

One Curse, Two Curse, Three Curse, Four…

I’m Elise Marybell Marple, owner of the magic shop Wicked Ways. After finding a cursed poppet hanging from her doorway, Franny Ferris suspects someone is trying to put her out of business. But when several more poppets show up at various storefronts up and down Main Street leaving certain shops untouched, the citizens of Northrop start choosing sides. Wicked Ways wasn’t touched and now I’m a suspect. It’s up to me and my friends to find out who is trying to divide the town, and why.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

THOROUGHLY WICKED is the third book in the Wicked Ways series.  While the cozy mystery of this story will stand on its own, there is a lot of reference to previous happenings.  Therefore, I would recommend that you read all of the books in the series and in the order of release.  Sadly, for me, this is the first book I have read in this series.

On the other hand, it is the first book I have read from the author and I must say that I found it to be wonderful.  Reading this third book just made me wish I had read the rest of the series.

This is a sweet, short, quick, paranormal cozy mystery.  The main characters are a witch and a demon; their magics compliment one another and are necessary for the story.

This was fun to read and I want to read more of this Wicked series.

Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Wicked Ways Series:

1.      Woefully Wicked

2.      Something Wicked

3.      Thoroughly Wicked

4.      Bloody Wicked

Also from Audrey Brice:

·         Dark Prince

·         The Danbury Ghost

·         Samuel

·         Stygian: Disciples

·         When Good Angels Go Bad

Ordo Templi Serpentis Mysteries Series:

1.      Outer Darkness

2.      Into Darkness

3.      Rising Darkness

4.      Ascending Darkness

5.      Illuminated Darkness

Dead Man’s Knock

Rocky Mountain Haunt

Sunny Satan Arizona

Within Darkness

Fourteen Tales of Thirteen Covens Series:

1.      A Rising Damp

2.      Temple Apophis

3.      Lucifer’s Haven

4.      Shadow Marbas

5.      The Watch

6.      Ba’al Collective

7.      Order of Eurynome

8.      Blackrose Coven

9.      Temple Dagon

10.  Cult of Lucifuge

 

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FINDING HER KINGS by Gracen Miller

Title:  FINDING HER KINGS

Series:  Black Hollow #12

Author:  Gracen Miller

Publisher:  Black Hollow

Publish Date:   02.10.2020

Category /Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content

Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC / errors excused

Received from:  Gracen Miller

Goodreads link: Finding Her Kings

Date completed: 03.17.2020

Description from the publisher:

When an MMA fighter crosses paths with the head of a diamond empire as well as a demon from Hell, more than sparks will fly.

Frankie Bordeaux-Smith is content with her life out of the ring until a knock on her door thrusts her into the world of princesses and unicorns. According to the Romeros, she’s both, and now someone wants her dead.

Mated to each other, King and Hitchcock are settled in Black Hollow, running their coffee shop and diamond business. That is, until their quiet world is shattered by… a nun?

As assassins drift into the peaceful paranormal town, can the demon and dragon keep a unicorn alive while figuring out the latest twist of fate to their hearts?

One-click now to see if this modern-day princess has found her kings!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

FINDING HER KINGS is the thirteenth book in the multiauthor Black Hollow series.  Each will stand alone.

This was the first book that I have read from Gracen Miller, but oh man do I wish I had read about King and Hitchcock pairing up first.  That’s not to say that I was lost or needed to read that book first to understand this one, just that I’m greedy like that.

Frankie thought she had a perfect life.  She was a top athlete in the MMA ring.  She had two dads who spoiled her to perfection.  She had a fiancé who was adored by his own film fans.  What more could she want?  Then one day she turns into a freaking unicorn!  A few days after that, someone tries to shoot her!! Suddenly, like Alice in Wonderland, she’s gone down her own rabbit hole and is in a strange town with gargoyle babies and Cupid moonshiners!!

This story was fun, funny, sexy, sweet, adventurous, and smart.  In other words, I LOVED IT!!!  I already knew that any time the words “Black Hollow” are in a title, I would want to read it.  Now I know that if Gracen Miller is the author, I want to read it.

Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Black Hollow Series:

0.5  Loving the Monster Within (Cassidy K. O’Connor)

1.      Reviving Love (Cassidy K. O’Connor)

2.      Silver Linings (Sheri Lyn)

3.      Finding Her Fire (Gracen Miller)

4.      One Man’s Curse (Jennifer Wedmore)

5.      It’s the Little Things (Robbie Cox)

6.      Resurrecting His Heart (J.C. Layne)

7.      Sacrificing Love (Cassidy K. O’Connor)

8.      Black Magic Sanction (Kim Harrison)

9.      To Trick the Devil (Robbie Cox)

10.  Fairly Sweet (Jennifer Wedmore)

11.  Accepting Love (Cassidy K. O’Connor)

12.  Finding Her Kings (Gracen Miller)

Also from Gracen Miller:

·         Demon Spelled

·         Elfin Blood

·         Fairy Casanova (1Night Stand #7)

·         Lie to Me

·         Sexy in Hot Pink

·         Taboo Kisses

The Drakki Chronicles Series:

1.      Finding Her Fire (Black Hollow #3)

2.      Finding Her Kings (Black Hollow #12)

Grim Riders MC Series:

1.      Ghost (Paranormal Dating Agency)

2.      Jedi

Hot Wired Series:

1.      Rockin’ the Heart

2.      Lost in the Beat

3.      Bama Girl Blues

4.      Sugar Ink Serenade

The Road to Hell Series:

0.5  Madison’s Life Lessons

1.      Pandora’s Box

2.      Hell’s Phoenix

3.      Genesis Queen

4.      Royal Partnerships

Siren Song Series:

1.      Kissing Sassy

2.      Sassy Vigilante

3.      Sassy Bride

Twin Flames Series:

1.      Celia’s Connection

2.      Sophia’s Connection

Wages of Sin Series:

1.      Reaped

 

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