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Sum up: (Goodreads)

Abel Jin and Delilah Johnson have lived their lives with a hole in their soul, yearning for something they don’t understand.

Until one night Delilah is in mortal danger and a man who’s otherworldly strong and supernaturally fast saves her. Delilah is then cast into a world where fiction comes to life in the form of Abel, her destined mate, a vampire/werewolf hybrid who claims her at first breath as his.

But Abel knows the danger isn’t done. He’s dreamed for centuries that his mate will perish and he will stop at nothing to keep her safe.

For Delilah, she’s not only coping with fantasy come to life, but a mingling of very different families. Not to mention, she has on her hands a man who doesn’t understand his true nature and has lived his long life thinking he’s a monster.

Abel and Delilah together fills the hole that has been clawing at them for decades. But finally finding each other, it also tips their destinies as the last of The Three. They must unite with the other destined lovers, who with Abel and Delilah, are fated to save the world.

Or die trying.

This book contains violent and sexual scenes that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Plot:

Abel and Delilah have lived all their lives knowing something in their lives was missing. On a quest to find the hole within her soul, Lilah goes to Serpentine Bay without understanding why. Unfortunately, one night she is attacked by werewolves and vampires. Thankfully, she is saved last minute by a man with one brown eye and one blue eye. Instantly, they know what was missing in their lives. They don't understand it, but they know they are lifemates. However, despite barely meeting each other, they also learnt they are the remaining couple of the Three and they are bound to save the world or die trying...

Opinion:

I loved this book. SO. MUCH. What did I love about ?

- How simple Lilah and Abel relationship was. It was uncomplicated, they trusted each other, they knew what the other needed without having to say it, they apologized when they made a mistake, they were honest... Best. relationship. ever.

I’ve waited three lifetimes for you, and now that I’ve got you, I’m keepin’ you.

- Despite being a cool, strong, alpha male Abel had that sensitivity and innocence that came from him not knowing what he was and growing up thinking he was a monster. He had everything to learn and was a bit unsure about many things. Made me love him even more.

- How confident Lilah was. She was comfortable in her own skin, trustworthy, respectful, understanding... She helped Abel a lot and I loved that for him! And she was never scared to not have much to bring during the fight. She never thought she was less worthy than the other couples.

- Reading about all the other couples. Yes!! Leah/Lucian and Sonia/Callum are back! I was so happy about this. We even had some POV from these characters. I was so happy!!

- The side love story between Aurora and Yuri. They were so cute together. I would have loved for them to have some short story within the series. It felt a bit rushed and I'm sure we could've had an amazing story with these two!

I was pressed to the wall and held there by his body.
“Searchin’,” he whispered, his different colored eyes burning into mine. “My whole life, searchin’ for something, missing something, something I did not know. Until I found you. And my whole life is a long fuckin’ life to be needing something I could not find.”

However, I still have a couple of things that were a bummer while reading it.

- Abel and his family calling women bitches or biker bitch. I mean, come on! That was not needed at all for the story. And the fact there was this mix with the biker world, it felt a bit weird. I felt like Kristen Ashley wanted to do 2-in-1.

- We were expecting so much from the big war and final book, that I'm super disappointed that not much happened, if not to say nothing. Our heroes spent their time waiting and waiting and waiting and... waiting. And the final battle happened and finished quite quickly. I would have loved to see more actions. Maybe this book could have been divided in two: part one, Abel and Delilah's encounter and love story / part two, the final battle.

- I can't believe I am going to say that but... a little bit too much sex. I feel like they didn't always bring anything. It was almost like KA didn't know what to write and she just thought "Okay, let's include a sex scene".

Now I still did prefer this love story over the others because for me:

- Lucian was the pain in the butt and I kind of hated him

- Leah was funny though

- Callum was clumsy in everything and a bit too chauvinist for me

- Sonia was sweet though

- Abel was just perfect

- Delilah was perfect

To conclude, it was an amazing read, but not perfect by any means! I liked the love story, but it is lacking in action scenes. This book is a great way to end this series!

Have you read it? Please leave a comment to let me know your thoughts on this book :)

Sum up: (Goodreads)

One night, Callum is driven into the woods by instinct, an instinct to protect. In the form of wolf, he meets a young human child who he is instantly drawn to in a fierce way he doesn’t quite understand.

Sonia Arlington has lived a lonely life. She has certain abilities that make her strange and she has a rare disease that, if untreated, could kill her. Her father makes her vow that she will never let others discover her abilities. This forces Sonia to stay distant, always guarding against exposure.

Intelligence leaks that Sonia is Callum’s human mate. He is now King of the Werewolves and has war on his hands. He’s forced to claim his mate and integrate Sonia into a world that is strange and frightening.

As Sonia attempts to adjust, Callum attempts to cope with the knowledge that his mate is mortal. He will have her beauty and gentleness only the length of a mortal life making their union unbearably bitter even as Sonia makes it unbelievably sweet..

This book contains violent and sexual scenes that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Plot:

The second book of the Three Series introduces Callum and Sonia. Both are pre-destined mates. Callum is the King of the werewolf and Sonia is a human, raised by vampires (it is not a big spoiler since Gregor was introduced in the first book) after her parents died tragically. Since she was a little girl, Sonia dreamed of a wolf whose life she saved from hunters when she was barely six years old. Little did she know that this wolf turned out to be Callum.

Callum always knew that Sonia was his mate, but he waited for her to reach adulthood before claiming her. When rebels go after Sonia, all bets are off and Callum "kidnaps" Sonia and brings her to his private cabin in order to tell her everything about them, but mostly to finally claim her.

However, unaware of the existence of werewolves, Sonia dismisses everything Callum says and thinks he is just a crazy looney tunes. Guess Callum will have to prove her that everything he says is true and he better do it fast, before the rebels try to go after his queen again...

Opinion:

Oh my... Once again, I fall in love with Kristen Ashley's work! I loved this book. A. LOT.

I liked that Sonia was pretty resilient and Callum - somehow - patient. However, I was sometimes frustrated that he was not upfront with everything, which led to crappy situations. I feel like when you carry secrets, it's better to do like you would a band-aid: do it fast, do it all and you're done. It hurts, but at least, it's done. Even though it took time for them to be in the right set of mind about their relationship, they always managed to find their ways back to each other.

I loved that despite being pre-destined mates, they did not fall in love with each other straight away. They still had to go through this discovery stage and learn about each other. It was not easy and a lot of secrets/lies were on the way. I enjoyed Sonia's quirky personality and sense of humor and I loved Callum's protectiveness towards Sonia. But he still deserved a couple of slaps for not explaining straight away to Sonia, even though it was mentioned that it is because of his nature and the fact he did not know about humans reactions. But still... Poor Sonia was completely overwhelmed by everything and he just made it worse.

Anyway, I loved the actions, the storyline, the characters (even the secondary characters), the suspense/surprise, the steamy sex scenes...

Can't wait for book #3!!

Have you read it? Please leave a comment to let me know your thoughts on this book :)

Sum up: (Goodreads)

Leah Buchanan’s family has been in service to vampires for five centuries. Even so, Leah wants nothing to do with her family’s legacy. But when she’s summoned to her Selection by the Vampire Dominion, under familial pressure, she has no choice but to go.

Lucien has been living under the strict edicts of the Vampire Dominion for centuries but he’s tired of these ancient laws stripping away everything that is the essence of the vampire.

So he’s taking it back.

And this is because Lucien has been watching and waiting for decades for Leah to become available for a Selection and he will not be limited with what he can do with her. He will have her, all of her.

Therefore, Lucien is going to tame Leah, even if he gets hunted and killed for doing it.

What neither Leah nor Lucien expects is the strong bond that will form between them, connecting them on unprecedented levels for mortals or immortals. And what will grow between them means they will challenge their ways of life and their union will begin The Prophesies which makes them one of three couples who will save humanity… or die in the effort.

Until the Sun Falls from the Sky - Kristen Ashley - HotChocolate.and.Books

This book contains violent and sexual scenes that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Plot:

Forget everything you knew about the vampires/humans stories. Kristen Ashley completely re-wrote this! In this series, humans and supernatural beings have coexisted for centuries. Some humans knew and fully live in adéquation with supernatural beings, but most of the human beings did not know other creatures lived among them.

Centuries ago, vampires could mate with humans. But in order to protect both species from extinction, it has been forbidden for vampires and humans to have any kind of relationship besides for humans to be concubine. Concubines are willing humans who serve vampires for a certain amount of years. This helped maintain balance of power and to keep vampires from hunting humans. Willing humans attend a gathering called The Selection, where a vampire chooses his next concubine who then serves them on a contractual basis. Being a concubine is a great honor. You are cared for throughout your service and until you die.

Leah Buchanan was born into a family of concubines. Her lineage is extremely famous for being the most desired concubines. But where her family finds pride, Leah is nothing but uninterested in serving a vampire. For her, being a concubine is close to a death sentence. When she reluctantly attends the Selection, she is surprised to know that Lucien - a very famous, powerful vampire - has been waiting for her for years and selected her. But everything goes downhill for her then. He tampered with the contract forcing her to be a concubine until he decides otherwise, agrees to having sexual intercourses with him and should she choose to run away, he is allowed to track her and punish her the way he sees fit. When she is close to refusing, Lucien compels her to sign the contract and carries her away, cutting her from her family and the outside world by taking away her wallet, passport, phone, bag...

Leah is not the regular concubine Lucien is used to: she defies him all the time, frustrates him on every single thing he asks of her. Despite his patience, Leah is more stubborn than he anticipated. But both characters are in for a wild ride...

Opinion:

I have mixed feelings about this book. Don't get me wrong, I probably read it five times, but I still like it as much as I dislike it. Let me explain...

The characters:

At first, I thought Lucien was a real a**ho*e! Yes, he is a very respected vampire and he is expecting Leah to treat him accordingly. Let me tell you that Leah cannot give two crap about what he wants and I loved that! Anyway, by the end of the story, I started liking Lucien a lot. He turned out to be caring, loving and super sweet. BUT... I am still pissed at him that he didn't explain better to Leah what the taming is exactly (see below for more explanations). The other thing he did and bugged me was he claimed loud and clear he waited for Leah for centuries, but as soon as he runs out of patience, he almost cheats on her. That was a big NO for me. But thank God, he didn't do anything reprehensible.

I loved that Leah was a strong, stubborn character.She had a mind of her own and I found her to be super funny. I was just frustrated every time she resisted Lucien only to give in ten minutes later. I just wanted to yell "Girl, get your act together!". But she was a funny, relatable character. I just struggled with her age. It is said she was 40 years-something and I couldn't help picturing her as a teenager or in her early twenties. For example, she was expelled of Vampires Studies for passing notes, exchanging texts and writing her will. I thought it was hilarious, but not really fitting for a 40-year-old woman.

The taming:

The only reason (at the beginning of the book anyway) Lucien selected Leah is because he wants to tame her. Now, I can see the wheels of your brain turning and be like "Say whaaaaaaat?!". A guy calls me pet and tells me he wants to tame me, be sure I will run the other way screaming at the top of my lungs after spraying his face with some pepper spray. Anyway, the taming is actually the moment a concubine gives herself wholeheartedly to her vampire. She lets go of everything and relies completely on the vampire. But Lucien did not explain any of this to Leah and of course, she made (the wrong) assumptions, which he never corrected, but only replied with a "You need to feel it" stuff. Ugh... if he had told her from the beginning, a lot of things would've been much easier for the both of them.

I was also disappointed by how Leah gave in to the taming. It is like all of a sudden she had an awakening of some sort and was super happy about the taming and understood what it was despite not having a clue for the first three quarters of the story. It kind of came out of the blue. Anyway...

I did enjoy Kristen Ashley's writing. I am a huge fan of hers anyway, so it shouldn't be too surprising. I couldn't put the book down when I started it and like I said before, I read it at least five times. Overall, I liked the plot and the universe KA created. There is also an upcoming war that will most likely run throughout the series, so I cannot wait for more actions and you can be sure I will read the other two books.

Have you read it? Please leave a comment to let me know your thoughts on this book :)

Résumé : (Booknode)

Depuis la nuit des temps, les Anciens cohabitent avec les humains.
A New York, Pia Govanni, mi-humaine, mi-dragonne, a été choisie pour une mission ultra-dangereuse : dérober un élément du trésor de Dragos Cuelebre. Il est le chef incontesté des Wyrs, le dragon le plus redoutable au monde. Simple pion dans la guerre qui oppose le roi des Faes noires à Dragos, Pia sait pertinnement qu'elle devra subir la fureur de la ténébreuse créature. Car Dragos est à ses trousses, et il la retrouve en territoire elfique. Mais aucun des deux ne s'attendait à ce qu'une telle alchimie se révèle entre eux.

Ce livre contient des scènes violentes et sexuelles qui peuvent heurter la sensibilité des lecteurs.

Intrigue :

Bienvenue dans un monde où les humains vivent en harmonie avec des espèces surnaturelles (vampires, wyr, faes...) dans des villes telles que New-York, mais les espèces surnaturelles ont également accès à d'autres contrées qui recèlent de magie.

Pia est une jeune femme mi-humaine mi-wyr qui a été surprotégée tout au long de sa vie par sa mère. Lorsque cette dernière décède, elle fait jurer à sa fille de vivre avec prudence et de ne jamais révéler ce qu'elle sait faire, ni de dévoiler son vrai nom (car oui, les noms ont une grande importance chez les wyrs). Malheureusement, après le décès de sa mère, Pia enchaîne les désastres amoureux et son ex, justement, lui fait du chantage afin qu'elle pénètre dans l'antre du Dragon - appelé Dragos (original, je sais !) - afin d'y dérober un objet. Personne avant elle n'avait jamais réussi cet exploit. Et surtout, personne n'en était jamais sorti vivant. Lorsque Dragos découvre qu'un de ses trésors a disparu, sa rage ne connaît aucune limite et Pia a intérêt à décamper le plus vite possible...

Mais tout ne va pas se passer comme prévu...

Avis :

Cet avis fait suite à une deuxième lecture quelques années après l'avoir lu une première fois. J'ai beaucoup apprécié la lecture de ce livre. J'ai beaucoup aimé le monde que l'auteure a mis en avant, rempli de créatures mystiques tels que les dragons, les faes... J'ai aussi apprécié la plume de l'auteure qui a su nous faire naviguer aisément dans ce nouveau monde imaginaire, dans les intrigues politiques et de rencontrer tous ces personnages. Elle garde toujours cette part de suspens, d'action, de surprises, de romance et d'humour.

- Tu as volé un penny frappé en 1962, grommela Dragos en serrant les dents. Tu m'as laissé à la place un penny de 1975. Ce n'est pas la même chose.
Elle le toisa.
- Mon Dieu, c'est effrayant que tu aies remarqué ça.
- Je sais exactement ce que j'ai et où tout se trouve. Jusqu'à l'objet le plus minuscule.
- Tu devrais peut-être consulter un médecin, voir si tu souffres pas d'un trouble obsessionnel.

Le personnage de Pia était plutôt bien ficelé tout au long de l'histoire, même s'il y avait quelques contradictions. Par moment, c'était un personnage fort et débrouillard, mais à d'autres, elle était faible et laissée Dragos tout gérer, ce qui pouvait créer quelques incohérences et frustrations pour le lecteur. Mais j'ai adoré découvrir de quel espèce wyr elle était. Je ne m'attendais pas du tout à la révélation. C'est toujours un plaisir d'avoir un.e auteur.e qui nous surprend.

Le personnage de Dragos est l'archétype même de l'alpha : protecteur, possessif et possédant un tempérament de feu. On aime ou on n'aime pas. Souvent dans ce genre d'histoires, on prend plutôt le parti d'aimer ces traits de caractère.

Il posa une main sur sa joue.
— Tu m'appartiens, tu es à moi. Tu peux le nier, protester, trépigner, essayer de t'enfuir. Mais. Tu. Es. À. Moi. Ça. Ne. Changera. Rien.
— C'est insensé. Je ne sais pas du tout ce que cela signifie. Je n'appartiens pas plus à toi qu'à quelqu'un d'autre.
— Si, insista-t-il, passant son pouce sur les lèvres de la jeune femme. Tu es à moi et je vais te garder. Je ne te ferai pas de mal, je te protégerai.
— Je ne suis pas un objet, bordel !
— Mais tu m'appartiens.
— Je crois que tu es cinglé.
— Vu que tu l'es aussi, ce n'est pas tellement un problème.

J'ai beaucoup aimé les personnages secondaires. Ils sont à l'arrière-plan tout au long de l'histoire, mais chacun a son importance. Je déteste quand un.e auteur.e introduit des personnages secondaires, mais ils ne servent à rien.

Au final, c'est un premier livre plutôt réussi pour cette saga La Chronique des Anciens. Hâte de lire le second tome pour voir si la magie opère tout au long de cette série.

L'avez-vous lu? Dites ce que vous en avez pensé en commentaires ! :)

Sum up: (Goodreads)

They may not be made for each other, but animal instincts are impossible to ignore.

Madisyn Drake is a rare breed of cat shifter…a loner, unpredictably wild, and emotionally distant. A recent betrayal has left her ready to sharpen her claws on the next man she sees…until a prowling wolf with steel-gray eyes and a brooding dark edge challenges her distrust. No matter how fully he satisfies her touch-hunger, Madisyn’s not ready to open up again, even if it is oh so gratifying.

Bracken Slater has earned his reputation as an indomitable predator. Once broken by grief and guilt, Brack is feeling alive again, thanks to the heady scent of this independent feline. Convincing her that they’re meant for each other is going to take more than branding Madisyn’s beautiful neck. She’s not interested in joining an unfamiliar pack, much less answering to an alpha. But when threats from both their pasts take shape, their unexpected destiny may be the only thing that can save them.

Echoes of Fire - Mercury Pack #4 - Suzanne Wright

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Plot:

Bracken Slater hasn't had it easy since the shooting that killed his whole family and left him injured. Saying that he is changed and a bit damaged is an understatement. He only lived for revenge but when he exacts revenge, he is left with nothing but a void in his heart and a coldness that leave him wondering about his place in his pack.

Madisyn Drake is an independent woman who works in a shifters shelter. She helps loners to relocate. Unfortunately, one of her relocated loner brings troubles on her doorstep. While she was "enjoying" herself in a nightclub, she ends up being cornered by three female bears. Even though she manages to get the upper hand, she knows it is only the beginning. And because she is Makenna's friend, she is also under Mercury's protection and Bracken is on her case.

Barely after dropping her home, he realizes there's more to Madisyn than what she shows. Before he gets the chance to explore it, he gets carjacked. Just as Bracken is about to lose consciousness, he feels the mating bond pulling at him... with Madisyn. Maybe he has now found a new purpose? But convincing her that he wants her for who she is will be more complicated than he anticipates. Add some angry bears who have a beef against Madisyn and Bracken is in for some excitement... and us too!

Opinion:

I am a bit biased regarding Suzanne Wright. I love everything she does. I read pretty much all her books. I love her Mercury and Phoenix packs series. Even though the stories are a bit similar, I just fell in love with every character and every couple. I am so not ready to ever say goodbye to her series.

We met Bracken and Madisyn in the previous books but nothing had ever happened between them and nothing hinted that anything could've happened and yet, it did happen. And it was explosive. Their mating was much different than any other meeting. We knew from the beginning that they were mates and so did they. However, the mating bond did not click straight away. Being a pallas cat also means that Madisyn doesn't trust easily and Bracken has changed a lot.

Bracken is much more intense than any other males in any of these series. He is cold and full of anger. But never with Madisyn. Never with her. With her he is super sexy, super protective, honest and yet, a real romantic. I just fell madly in love with him. He embraced what happened to him. He did not fight his demons but rather embraced them.

I loved how fierce and protective Madisyn is. She does not comply to anything: pack, hierarchy, mate... She does not care for it. If people cannot take her as she is, she doesn't want to be part of their lives. And I loved her for it. I totally have a crush on her. She is just amazing and strong-headed. Forget about damsel in distress because she is no princess. I want to be her, haha!

There are lots of actions in this book. Madisyn knows how to attract ennemies. The only thing I struggled with is Madisyn's animal: a pallas cat. I didn't know what it was until I looked it up... and I was quite surprised and a bit taken aback. The more I read, the more I got used to it and tt was funny how Suzanne Wright played with the grumpy side of her cat but still... I really don't think pallas cats are appealing in any way (sorry, not sorry).

And of course, we got to see our favorite former couples!!! I was so happy. The other negative point is I feel like Suzanne Wright is including all the former couples in her new books and yet, I feel like these couples are not going on with their lives. Nothing major is happening to any of them, which frustrates me a bit. But otherwise, I can't say anything bad about a Suzanne Wright's book.

My only piece of advice is to read it. RIGHT. NOW. It is just amazing! But you should definitely read the other books of the series beforehand. They are really easy to read and they are also amazing!

Excerpts:

“Someone ate a full bowl of Bitch Flakes this morning.”
“Dude, I ate two.”
… “I’ve eaten chicken breasts that were bigger than your tits.”
“And I’ve worn heels that are longer than the dick you appear to be packing.”

“Kiss me, Madisyn.”“I need space—““And you’ll get it.” For a few hours anyway. “I’m leaving right now. But I want a kiss first.”“You want a lot of things from me.”He shook his head. “No, baby. I want everything.”

Sum up: (Goodreads)

Aelin has risked everything to save her people―but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. Aware that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, though her resolve begins to unravel with each passing day…

With Aelin captured, Aedion and Lysandra remain the last line of defense to protect Terrasen from utter destruction. Yet they soon realize that the many allies they’ve gathered to battle Erawan’s hordes might not be enough to save them. Scattered across the continent and racing against time, Chaol, Manon, and Dorian are forced to forge their own paths to meet their fates. Hanging in the balance is any hope of salvation―and a better world.

And across the sea, his companions unwavering beside him, Rowan hunts to find his captured wife and queen―before she is lost to him forever.

As the threads of fate weave together at last, all must fight, if they are to have a chance at a future. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever in the explosive final chapter of the Throne of Glass series.

Kingdom of Ashes - Throne of Glass #7 - Sarah J. Maas

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Plot:

The events of this book occurs after Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn.

Kingdom of Ash is divided into two parts and each one of our heroes are on their own quest.

Rowan, Elide, Lorcan and Gavriel are still looking for Aelin who has been kidnapped and is being tortured by Maeve.

Aelin and Fenrys are trying their best to survive what Maeve has planned for them.

Lysandra and Aedion are trying to keep the illusion that Aelin is still among them while leading their army.

Dorian and Manon are trying to unite the witches and make Manon their rightful queen so they can follow them into the upcoming battle.

Opinion:

/!\ This section may contain spoilers /!\

Oh my! I was kind of preparing myself for this one. I knew it would be emotionally intense. And yet, I was not prepared enough. I am not even sure to know where to start. This book was long, I am not going to lie. However I read it in barely three days because I couldn't put it down. Be ready for some actions with battles on battles on battles! (alright, I have to admit that sometimes it was a bit long to read but anyway) Such an emotional rollercoaster, honestly! So many things happening with so many different characters and yet, it’s all linked.

Let's start with Aelin because obviously everyone wants to know what happened to her after the awful ending of Empire of Storms. Aelin has been tortured for months at the hands of Maeve and Cairn. The torture is not only physical but also psychological. When Sarah J. Maas describes the tortures Aelin went through, it is most definitely hard to read about it. I would advise against reading this book for people who are a bit sensitive to "torture scenes". I could just feel Aelin's helplessness. She could not do anything against what was done to her. It just feels like a never-ending nightmare. Fenrys also lives his own nightmare. I just felt so bad for the two of them.
Even though we know that Aelin will be released, the wait is so painful and the moment she was released, she looked so broken. I just couldn't take it. I mean, we all know Aelin and how strong and full of sass she is. And yet, when she was running away and begging for her friends to let her out of this iron mask, she completely broke and I just broke with her too.
Rowan wants what is best for Aelin but he struggles to know how to be close to her again. She is a whole new person with everything that happened to her and she is scared of what everyone expects her to be. But Rowan was just perfection even though I felt like he was a bit erased in this book.

I really liked how Sarah J. Maas grew Dorian's character throughout this story. His new found abilities made him quite interesting. I have to admit that he gave me a few scares here and there. She gave him a true depth. Unfortunately he also becomes mean and cold, which implies that his romance with Manon was a bit weird. I was rooting for them at the beginning but then it just turned cold. She gave him everything and he just turned it down. He used her and her body. Yes, it was interesting when he found this "dark side" of his and Manon was kind of helping him with it, kind of like with a protégé but still, it doesn't mean he has to be a d*ck all the time.

I felt for Manon throughout this book. I was not a huge fan of hers when she was first introduced in the Throne of Glass series. And yet, I learned to love her and her Thirteen. Unfortunately this story doesn't end well for everyone. The Thirteen's deaths affected me so much. I felt so bad. Even worse than bad. I cried so much during this scene, I felt like I was never going to get through it. I had to put the book down to take a break.

Many of the secondary characters became much more important than I would've thought at the beginning, especially Yrene (you'll understand once you read the book). I liked that the end was not just about Aelin because it would have been way too predictable. Chaol and Yrene were really cute together. It seemed like they drew their strengths from one another.

I liked that Elide was a strong female character. However the way she handled things with Lorcan were a bit... too much. I mean, I totally understand that she was pissed off by his actions at the beginning. But even Aelin forgave him and Elide was not capable to do so. Worst, she kicked him down when he was already more down than down. He tried his best to make up for what he'd done (kind of like Chaol in Tower of Dawn). I really discovered a new face of Lorcan and I really fell for him. He tried his best through his actions to make things right. He offered his support and took an oath to Aelin. I almost liked him... alright, I think I actually really liked him in this book.

Now let's talk about Aedion and Lysandra. I am not fully sure on what to say about the two of them. Aedion was such an as*hol*. Honestly he was abusive to Lysandra to the point he kicked her out when it was freezing cold, snowing and she was naked. Who on Earth does that?! I understand that he is pissed off at Aelin's plans but why would he take his frustration out on Lysandra who is only playing the part that has been asked of her? I would've never, ever forgiven him, no matter if we died tomorrow. I wanted to punch him so hard! Lysandra could do better and she should have had better. She shouldn't have ended with him. I hate that his character ended up being abusive. In the first books, he reminded me of a little boy who only wanted his cousin back. Now, I'm ashamed for him.

The only thing I felt for for Aedion was how short his reunion with his father was. I was so frustrated for him. We'd been waiting for this reunion for ages and I was so disappointed that it ended so suddenly with Gavriel's death. Honestly, what was that?!

I was so happy to see more of Nesryn and Sartaq. I just loved them. I basically just love the whole Sartaq's second family. The ruks sounded so interesting. I felt like they were an equivalent to the Thirteen wyverns.

In a really twisted way, I could admire Maeve. I said in a (really) twisted way. She is a really strong female character and she is ambitious.

This book was mostly psychological. Sarah J. Maas really focused on how the characters felt, all their hopelessness. Hopelessness is truly the main motto here. It is a really, really dark book, which is expected considering how Empire of Storms ended. You can feel the despair of every character throughout the final battle. They've been dragged from battles to battles and they are just over-exhausted.

Anyway, yes, this book is really long. No, it is not the best book. Yes, some scenes could have been better. But this book is the end of the Throne of Glass series and I will dearly miss all the characters. This book made me cry so much... to the point I got a headache. I cried for all my beloved fallen characters but also for the end of this amazing series. How I’m going to miss it!

Sum up: (Goodreads)

A bad boy with something to prove. A woman with a mission. The race of their lives. The love of a lifetime.

I don’t think his parents expected him to live up to his name—Racer Tate—but once he felt the adrenaline rush behind the wheel, he was addicted.

He's the fastest, fiercest driver around.

Scouting new talent brings me to his doorstep...

but his smile sends me to my knees.

The sexy, mysterious Racer Tate is not the kind of man a girl like me falls for. He's secretive, reckless, elusive. But his proximity pushes me beyond reason, and his kiss....

This is our last chance to win, and he is our only hope. I'm supposed to watch him—make sure he doesn't get into trouble. But it's an impossible task. And now the one in heart wrenching, toe-curling, soul-crushing trouble is me. Because when your heart belongs to someone, their truths become your own, and their secrets become your salvation...or your curse.

He says he wants me. He says I'm the One. But he also thinks he'll break my heart, one piece at a time until it's gone.

Some scenes contain sexual contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

This book can be read as a standalone novel

Plot:

Meet Racer Tate, a very well-known illegal car racer (I know, his name just fits perfectly). He is an adrenaline-junkie. Racing is his passion. He is the best. He knows it and everyone knows it. He expects to live his life fast and hard and alone. But it is not what Life itself planned for him. Not when a woman just scratched her car into his. When Racer sees his little "crasher" for the first time. He is hooked..

Lana is desperate. She needs a new F1 driver NOW. Their last driver just gave up in their race in Australia and their race team is just falling under. She needs a good driver but above all, she needs hope. Her father is sick and his last wish is to win F1 championship but his dream is going further and further. Lana has one mission: traveling wherever she has to in order to find the best driver. What she didn't expect was to crash her car (maybe more bump into) in a Cherry Mustang. As if she didn't already have enough. But when she sees the guy behind the wheel, she cannot help but feeling something. Something that she denied herself a long time ago. And she has no idea how bumpy her journey will get...

Opinion:

OH! MY! GOD! Oh my God, Oh my God! I was so impatient to get my hands on this book and now that I am done with it, I already want to re-read it just to enjoy the ride even more.

For those who know the Real series, you know that Racer Tate is Remington and Brooke's son. And I would like to say "like father, like son". Racer is intense, protective, possessive, cocky, arrogant, caring, charming, loyal... It could go on and on. I just fell in love with him. He barely catches glimpse of Lana and he is like "She is the woman I am going to marry". I mean, who couldn't possibly fall for that, right? But even behind all his cocky attitude, there is an ugly truth. A truth that may scare Lana away, a truth that may make him want to keep her away.

Lana Heyworth is a woman who had quite a tough start in life: her boyfriend died, her mother left them, his dad is sick and doesn't want any treatment, their race team and dream are falling apart and she is the baby girl of the family with three older brothers. I loved how loyal and fierce she is. She will stick to her family, no matter what. She will make her dad's dream her own to help him in his last days.

I loved their love story. It was steamy hot. You will probably need a cold shower after that.

But even though I really liked this book, I felt like there was something missing. The story seemed rushed all the time. Lana didn't want to date Racer as long as he was their driver and I would've loved to see a bit more of chasing. I also would've liked to see their love grow and feel every bit of it. Their feelings were not enough developed, especially towards the end. Anyway, I think you got the point: the story could've gone more in-depth in the characters' past and feelings.

My favorite book in this series will definitely be Legend.

Sum up: (Goodreads)

Tiny is the leader of The Skulls and the main protector of Fort Wills, but that wasn’t always the case. He has a dark past, and it’s about to come and bite him in the ass.

Eva cannot stay with a man who’ll keep her in the dark. She’s the daughter of the man who runs the underground fighting circuit in Vegas, and there is iron in her that none of the Skulls suspects. Backing down from what she wants has never been in her nature, but Tiny is too far gone. There’s no hope of holding him.

When Tiny and his boys are attacked on a drug run, he has no choice but to head to the woman he loves. Tiny doesn’t know which of his men are alive or dead. He only knows his past has finally caught up with him. But how can he go back home without his daughter’s man?

Lives will be tested, and lives will be lost. Tiny will be pushed to the breaking point, and he’ll have to make a choice. Who can he save when all seems lost?

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Plot:

Tiny is the fourth book of The Skulls series by Sam Crescent. I advise you to read the previous ones before reading this one.

Tiny and Eva have been dancing around each other for the past eight years. But after everything that happened and all the women he had sex with, Eva decided to take her distance with Tiny and with the Skulls by flying away to Vegas with her father, hoping she will finally find the force to forget about Tiny.

But the longer she stays away from him, the more she craves his touch and his love. When Tiny finally makes a move, it may be too late… for him. In the shadows, a powerful enemy of the MC is waiting for them and Tiny sees his brothers falling one by one.

Opinion:

Wow! Wow! This book has got quite some actions. Forget everything that was done before! Sam Crescent comes back full force. The Skulls has never been in such danger, trust me! A little preview: all the men are scattered after a run that went bad, no one knows who survived, new villains arrive in town and randomly kill citizens and the compound has been burned to the ground. See what I mean?

"They were attacked on the road. No one knows who is alive or dead. Sandy has destroyed the compound at Stink’s orders. He and Killer are the only ones we know who are alive.” Tate sobbed over the line. “It was only supposed to be a quick drop, Eva. I’ve not heard from Murphy or my father, and I’m freaking out. Killer said it was an entire fucking club, an ambush."

In this context, we see the evolution of the ever-growing relationship between Eva and Tiny. Evangeline - also called Eva - has been craving Tiny since the first she saw him. Yet, he always had sexy with other women, never letting her in. When he finally decides to give in, it is the worst night Eva had ever had. She is just tired of this and she decides it is time for her to head back home to Vegas. It is only when she is about to leave that Tiny realizes the intensity of his feelings for her, but isn't it too late?

I loved Eva so much. She is strong, loyal, fierce, honest... She could almost be perfection. She reminds me a lot of Tate but she is just less annoying. She is not scared to defend what she considers as hers.

"I love him, Gavin. He is my heart, my soul, my very fucking life, and he could be dead.” “He’s an old man.” Fisting her hand, she slammed it against his nose. He grunted, collapsing to the floor. She landed a kick against his balls. “I don’t give a fuck how old he is. Tiny is mine."

When everything falls down around her after the bad run The Skulls had, she will stop at nothing to find Tiny and defends what remains of The Skulls.

Tiny finally decides to do something. I swear this guy deserves to be slapped around a bit. He had Eva for eight long years and he never acted on it. You feel the intensity of each other's feelings but they are both afraid of it. Tiny is very lucky though because Eva gave in really quickly. They may not have been officially together but he always had sex with other women and she just took him back without saying anything. Sometimes the image of women depicted in this series makes me cringe. But at least, Tate and Eva stand their ground.

The difference of age did not bother me much because it did not feel shocking in the story (even though she is 29 and he is almost 50 years old).

The only thing that bothered me was the number of sex scenes in this storyline. Usually, I am up for some good scenes but there was quite some suspens and the reader mostly wants to know what will happen next. But no, sex scene first. I mean, Tiny does not know who survived but the guy is still having sex with his woman several times a day. I mean, come on! you have better things to do.

Anyway, you shouldn't miss on this reading ;)

Sum up: (Goodreads)

The biggest mistake he’s ever made could get him killed.

The Skulls have a set of rules, and Nash has broken one of them. He’s using drugs. Since Sophia rejected him, Nash has been spiraling out of control. When he puts Eva’s life in danger it’s up to Nash’s brother Lash to save him from himself.

Sophia never realized the protection The Skulls provided her until she was attacked. Lash saved her but with an ultimatum. She helps save his brother, or he makes it known she’s not under Skull protection.

Sophia’s feelings for Nash have always been her weakness. As she keeps her word to his brother, trying to help Nash overcome his addiction, the two of them grow closer through his pain, and Sophia realizes she cannot run any longer.

However, The Skulls’ enemies are numerous, and Nash’s careless behavior has exposed the whole club to danger. Someone is plotting against the club in the hope to take control of the town, and they’re going to start with Nash. Can he stay strong as his life and that of his woman are endangered, or will he relapse into the drugs?

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Plot:

Advice: read the first two books of this series: Lash and Murphy to fully understand the setting.

We start right where we left at the end of Murphy. Nash has been in love with Sophia since he started seeing her sister, Kate. With her death, he secretly hoped that Sophia could be his. But she is not ready. Not yet. Even though Kate has always been awful to her, she cannot forget all these times she saw them together. Deep down, she is scared. Scared of what she feels for him. But after one kiss that left her hanging for more, she takes the decision to stop seeing him at all. Leaving him with only a box of Kate's stuff, she decides to move on. But it may not be that easy.

Sophia said no. Nash has never taken well when someone told him no. But when it is the woman he loves more than anything else, he just loses it. Finding a bag of drugs in Kate's stuff, he makes a decision that could cost him his club and his life. Throughout the weeks that follow, everyone around him notices his physical and behavioral changes but it is only when he barely misses shooting at Eva's head that things escalate.

Lash decides to take matters in his own hands and gives him a proper detox. For his plan to work, he needs Sophia. She will be the key element, especially when he finds her in a tough position.

Having to work two jobs to be able to pay for her rent leaves her with nothing but having to bear the constant sexual assaults of her co-workers. When Lash offers her a way out by taking care of Nash, she finds a way to take back the man she was secretly waiting for.

But The Skulls have many ennemies lurking in the shadows and Nash's drug weakness was the perfect way for them to finally get into the city and break down the club...

Opinion:

Welcome back to The Skulls family! They have their own rules, their own codes and unfortunately, Nash just broke one of the most sacred rule. We have seen Nash previously, falling in love with the sister of a woman he could barely see, and now we see him at his worst.

There are many things happening in this book. I really liked the storyline Sam Crescent gave us here. We see one of our favorite member falling from grace (if we can say) and the fight The Skulls have on their hands with the druggies who target their women. This book is emotional, even though less than for Murphy (personal opinion).

Even though I liked Sophia, I thought she changed way too quickly her mind about her feelings for Nash. She refuses Nash at first because he was with her sister, then because she was not ready to go there with him and finally, she admits that it was because she loved him too much and she was scared. I liked though that we saw her blossom. She was first an innocent woman grieving her lost (not nice) sister and then, she grew up to be a sensual, bloodthirsty woman.

Nash was really not nice in this book (at least, at the beginning). When he is on drugs, he is mean to everyone, even to the poor Sophia by calling her names. The cleaner he gets, the sweeter he is. We witness his struggle and we finally see a man who is afraid. Afraid of what he could have lost and afraid that no one could truly forgive him. But he is ready to fight back. And the least we can say is that Nash is very intense... and kinky!

I really liked that Sam Crescent took more times than for Lash to settle the love story between Nash and Sophia. We can see their feelings growing for each other.

Sum up: (Goodreads)

Tate Johnson is the daughter of the motorcycle club leader and has decided The Skulls has hurt her one too many times. Moving out of her home and cutting her ties from the only family she knows, she starts a life for herself, hoping to create new memories.

Murphy abandoned Tate for the sake of the club, but now he’s back, determined to win the love she once felt for him. But, Tate’s not letting go without a fight. She’s stubborn and refuses to listen to him.

The Club is in lockdown when two local cops are killed. An attack is ordered on Tate, but no one knows the identity of the person intent on taking down The Skulls and controlling the town of Fort Wills. No one is safe as the club is compromised. Lives are lost, people are hurt, and some will never be the same again. Everything comes down to Murphy, and he has to make a choice.

He can save his club … or his woman. Which will he choose?

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

This is not a standalone novel. I advise you to read Lash first.

Plot:

Tate has known Murphy since she was 16. It may have started out as a simple friendship to her but slowly they became more. No matter what life threw at them, they always stuck together. But everything changed when Murphy switched MC club for a secret mission no one knows about but some club members. When he left, Tate was more than devastated. But then she decided to live by her new mantra « Be the bitch he thought you’d be. »

The first time Murphy met with Tate, he was on babysitting duty. He was a prospect and she was the president's daughter. The more time they spent together, the more attracted he felt to her. But nothing is that easy. When he hears that Tate may be in great danger, he steps in the mission his brothers gave him: infiltrate the Lions Club MC and destroy them from within. That would also mean giving Tate up.

Now that Murphy is back, he will stop at nothing to make Tate his but there may be only one slight problem: some people would take great pleasure in threatening the club and Tate.

Opinion:

The first book made me reluctant to read this one. I didn't really like Lash because I felt like he was a d*ck most of the time. I also know that the few glimpses I got from Tate did not really make me want to know more. And yet... This book was far better than the first one.

In this book, Sam Crescent gave us some throwbacks into the past and we get to see the evolution of the relationship between Tate and Murphy. Damn, they were too cute! We feel the chemistry between the two of them but also the weight of everything that has been left unsaid. We feel Tate's hurt and Murphy's guilt.

Tate can be hard to figure out but I really liked her for several reasons.

Firstly, she doesn’t take s*it from anyone.

Secondly she is not the kind of girl to wait for a man. She will do what she has to do.

Thirdly, she knows what she wants and she will stop at nothing. Finally a woman who stands her ground, which — obviously — scares men away. But not Murphy.

What pissed me off though is that no one understood why Tate needed some distance with the club. I mean, sometimes people deserve to be put first and to think about them first. I mean, you deserve to live the life you want and not only be second-best. Everyone thinks she is a b*tch when she just wants to come first and she has to apologize to everyone but she shouldn't.

Regarding Murphy... I think I just fell in love with him. His devotion to Tate just made me melt down like an ice-cream in the sun. He would cut his arm off before he would leave her again. They are probably one of my favorite couple, ever!

Be ready to be introduced to new characters: the old Lions club members (Killer, Time and Whizz) but also Kelsey (Tate's new best friend)…

I cannot wait to read what will happen between Eva and Tiny. They finally got to sleep together but the poor woman screamed out loud that it was the worst night ever, haha! I am just dead. And that ending though... it cannot be considered as a cliffhanger but damn, you really want to know what will happen with Nash...

Excerpts:

"I love you, Murphy. It doesn’t make any sense, and you don’t need to say anything to me, but I needed you to know how I feel.” She waited for him to curse or growl. He did neither. His hand banded around her waist, tugging her close. “I could be fucking killed for the way I feel about you.” Tate gasped as his head lowered. “I’ve told myself time and time again to leave you the fuck alone. You don’t need me in your life. You’re Tiny’s daughter. You deserve so much more than me, but I can’t stay away. I love you too damn much.” His lips claimed hers, making her moan. She gripped his arms, needing to get closer to him."

Sum up: (Goodreads)

No one messes with The Skulls and gets away with it!

The last thing Angel Marston ever wanted was be at the mercy of The Skulls. They’re the local bikers and the club that helps keep the town safe, but they have their own kind of rules. They party hard and do whatever the hell they want. But her father’s debts to the club mean Angel has no choice.

Lash loves his club, but he wants a woman who hasn’t slept with all the crew. Angel is just what he’s looking for. She’s sweet, young … and a virgin. He wants her more than anything and has already staked his claim on her.

When Lash touches her, Angel can’t help but melt. He sets fires inside her body with his wandering hands and sinful lips. She can’t say no, and she wants him desperately.

But when all seems to be going so well for Angel and Lash, their pasts catch up to them. The Skulls have enemies who want the town and their women. Lash must decide who to put first, the club or his woman. Is Angel strong enough to stand by his side when the going gets tough? And what will happen when tragedy and pain both hit at once?

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Plot:

Angel is barely 19 but she has been living with The Skulls for almost a year now because her father is in their debts. As soon as he pays his debts, she is free to go. But the more time passes, the more she realizes he won’t be able to help her. So she tries to continue living her life the best she could… among the Skulls.

That was until Lash decides to make a move. He has been watching Angel for a year like a hawk and he decides that now is the time for her to know that she is about to be claimed. But when he learns that her father may be working with a rival MC club, he will have to move faster than he thought and he can only hope that Angel will follow him in this ride…

Opinion:

I really like Sam Crescent’s work. I have read this book a couple of times now and I finally decided how to write this review. If you — like me — love MC stories, you may like this one. However, it is quite far from the ones I read with Alpha biker males who will stop at nothing to protect their loved ones and old ladies. Here, the males are more "I take, you submit and I don’t care if you don’t agree".

Regarding the characters, Angel and Lash couldn’t have been more different. He is rough, demanding, dominant, impatient… whereas she is innocent as a flower, she has not clue what is going, she is completely submissive and it looks like she doesn’t care about much.

Even though you can feel that Lash wants Angel, I didn’t really feel the chemistry between the two of them. It was very sensual and sexual but I didn’t feel the love and the passion between the two characters.

He couldn’t let her go. Tiny would kill him, and the club would look down on him. He either tamed her or got rid of her.

Yup, you read right: « tame her ». And he doesn’t want to let her go, not because he likes her but because of the vision the club would have of him… Naaaah!

And the way Lash went onto Angel at the beginning of the book almost made me feel like a rape. She’d been around The Skulls for a year but apparently he came onto her out of nowhere and the first night, he kisses her senseless — that’s not bad — but then, he fingers her and she doesn’t seem to be on board and very willing.

“What did I just do?” she asked. Her words were so faint that he only just heard them. “I suggest you get used to my touch, baby. I’m not going anywhere, and you’re going to get used to my touch.”

Angel was going to be claimed whether she liked it or not.

I mean, if a woman — or should I say girl? — doesn’t want to give up her virginity to a man she barely knows, it’s her choice, not his! Same thing applies when he wants to f*ck her bare — which is bad enough when the woman doesn’t see the proof by herself, but whatever — and she tells him she is not on pill and thus could get pregnant, he doesn’t give a crap but he never wondered if at the tender age of 19 she wanted to be a mom.

The first time they had sex also made me cringe. It was the first time for the poor Angel — and we all know how painful it can be for a woman — but he surely was no gentleman with her. I mean, when the girl hurts, you don’t pin her down and continue penetrating her. You stop and try to do it differently.

Anyway, you may have understood that I struggled a bit with how controlling Lash is — I mean, Angel cannot even think on her own, showers on her own, picks up her own clothes… Don’t get me wrong, I really love Alpha males characters, dominant and all this, but it was a bit too much, almost mean.

“From now on I say what you wear.”

Yeaaaaaah but no! I feel like this is more a j*rk move than anything else.

Until he was ready, Lash was the one in control. She didn’t have a say in what she wanted. It was all about what Lash wanted.

I mean « Hellooooo! We are in the 21st century, women can now vote!!!! ».

And the moment when he almost wanted to raise a hand on her… not cool. AT. ALL. Really, really not cool. He didn’t do it but still, it shouldn’t even cross his mind.

Sum up: (Goodreads)

Maverick “the Avenger” Cage wants to rise to the top and become a legend in the ring. Though he keeps his identity well guarded, he's known on the fighting circuit as the new kid with a chip on his shoulder and a tattoo on his back that marks him as trouble. He's got a personal score to settle with the Underground's one and only Remington "Riptide" Tate.

As Mav trains, he meets a young girl—the only other new person in the town--and sparks fly. When things get heated between them, he finds out she's none other than Reese Dumas, the cousin of Remington Tate’s wife. A girl who's supposed to root against him and a girl he's supposed to stay away from.

But Maverick fights for the woman in his heart, and the monsters in his blood. The world’s eyes are on them and the victor will go down in history as the ultimate fighting champion; the ultimate LEGEND.

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Legend can be read as a standalone novel.

Plot:

This book settles three years after the end of Mine by Katy Evans. Brooke and Remy are happily married and they have a beautiful baby boy called Racer who just turned three years old.

Now meet Reese Dumas, Brooke’s cousin, who comes to Seattle for some changes in her life. During her time at Seattle, she is to take care of Racer — Brooke and Remington’s son — and she also seizes the opportunity to start practicing and go to the gym. She wants to change... no, she needs to change.

She never expected to meet an angry, determined man called Maverick by a summer day at the gym. Without any gym pass, he was about to get kicked out when she came to his rescue.

He stops a few feet away from them and stands there in the cockiest, most challenging way I’ve ever seen. Almost as if he’s waiting to be kicked out.“We need you to come with us and confirm membership at the front desk,” one of the guys says threateningly.I stop the treadmill and suddenly step down. “He’s with me.”The guy and the security guards turn in my direction, and I nod quickly. “He came with me.” I pull out my gym card.

She has no idea who he is but she sees him everyday training at boxing and she knows that something in him appeals to her.

Maverick has only known deception and abandon since he was a little boy. His dad left his mum before he could even know he had a son and everyone is turning their back on him. His father was a former famous professional of boxing. But he died and now his name is tainting any possible professional career Maverick could have dreamed of.

“You’re his boy.”I freeze midsignature.A second ticks by. Then two.I slowly set the pen down and take one last look at the paper. I might not get to fill it out after all. I turn.His face has paled.I wait it out for a few beats. Maybe he’s different. Maybe he can deal with it.He tosses my jacket at me. “Get out. Nobody wants to see you fight.”

No matter how many times doors close to his face, he will stop at nothing to enter the championship even if it means allying with a drunk former coach who cannot even see straight. After all, he just needs his signature on a paper so he can participate, right?

But things change when he meets Reese. She may be the only person he was waiting for. The more they meet at the gym, the more the chemistry becomes stronger between the two of them. When they finally get the nerves to talk to each other, they find that they have much more in common that they first thought… Can they fight each other's ghosts from the past?

Opinion:

This book is my favorite by far of this series (and we’re talking moon-and-back distance). I fell in love with Remington Tate and Brooke Dumas in the first three books of this series and I liked Rogue — even though it was under Real and Mine — and I was not interested in reading Ripped because the characters simply did not appeal to me. But this one, this one was pure magic. I feel like I could read a thousand times and never get bored of it.

Let me explain now why I love this book so much:

Because of the themes evoked in this book: alcoholism, addiction, self-hatred, rejection, identity crisis... This story revolves around two kids who want to succeed in life but life gets in their way.

He grabs the doorknob but waits a moment. “You’re in an identity crisis. Who you think you are and where you come from versus who you can be and where you’re going. I can relate.”I laugh. “How can you ever relate to that?”“I’m bipolar.” He looks me in the eye, unflinching. “So yeah, I can relate with the monsters inside. Mine’s in my head. Yours is in your blood. Don’t let it win.”He jerks the door open, and adds, “That’s our real fight. The one that lasts a lifetime. The hardest to win. You win that, a fight like tomorrow’s is a piece of cake.”

Because both of the main characters come from nothing but they want to prove the world that they are worth it. They want more and they want to show the world who they truly are and not what they were. But most of all, they know they can rely on each other, no matter what.

He tucks the page back into his jeans. “I had to tell someone.”“And you came to tell me?” If I sound bewildered, it’s because I am.He stares into me, a liquid look coming to his eyes. “It wouldn’t be happening if it weren’t for you."

Because the love story is simple, almost innocent at the beginning, but it is intense, possessive and scary. Falling in love can be the most beautiful and yet scariest feeling ever. Both characters realize quickly that they want each other but because of their pasts and families, it may not be that easy. And yet, they want to give each other a chance, a chance that others did not give them.

His gaze feels so probing all of a sudden; he looks at me as if he’s been waiting for me for a long time. I feel like I too have been waiting for him for a long time.
It makes no sense. It’s just a look, and just a feeling.
You never know what really lies under a look and you can’t apply reason to every feeling. But it’s all there. Tangible, palpable. As though there’s a string between us, one end in him, and the other end in me.

Because this book in general is about determination, will-power, trust, loyalty, second chances, challenges… You need to know who you are so you can be who you want to be. Maverick wants to follow his dreams and he will stop at nothing to achieve it. Reese is craving to know who she truly is.

Because we got to see Brooke, Remington and their son.

Anyway, this book put stars in my eyes and love in my heart, so you should definitely read it even as a standalone novel. This truly deserves to be world-wide-known.

Excerpts:

"I don’t want to be nice,” I blurt out. “I want to be un-nice. Badass and special and unforgettable. People mistake nice with weak, and I’m not weak.” A man as hard as Maverick should despise weakness.“I don’t think you’re weak. It takes strength to be kind,” he says in a haunted tone. But his eyes gleam in approval of me.

“I think of you.” He reaches out with his bruised-knuckled right hand and touches my face. All of Maverick Cage’s fingers are on my face. “I think of you a lot.” He searches my face and his thumb caresses my chin so briefly, but so powerfully, my knees feel like overbaked cake. “I think of kissing you,” he says.I feel like he’s kissing me now, with his metal eyes. Kissing me and making me fly.His lips are so beautiful, I can’t take my eyes off them all of a sudden.

I think we’re here because it feels right. Because we are impossibly, irreparably drawn to each other.

“You have the world’s prettiest face,” he says. “On the prettiest body. With the prettiest smile. And a voice I think of when it’s all quiet.”

“I’m on fire when I look at you,” he says, his voice reverent and his gaze electric on me. “You decimated me just now.”

“You were made to be mine,” he says against my lips, kissing me between breaths.“You know that?” he asks. “You’re mine. My hands were made to touch you; my lips were made to love you,” he says as he sucks along my neck, his tongue trailing down my throat.He goes lower and bites my shirt, pulling it down with his teeth, kissing my chest.“My eyes were meant to see you,” he whispers in his voice of thunder as he slowly unbuttons my shirt.

Sum up: (Goodreads)

Knox and Harper's story continues as the Las Vegas lair - and its two infamous Co-Primes - face their most terrifying enemy yet . . .

Together, Harper and Knox have overcome just about every evil thing you can think of - from Horsemen of the Apocalypse to dark magic practitioners to Lucifer's insistent belief that he's hilarious. They're looking forward to some well-earned downtime - until Harper is attacked by mercenaries in the middle of her tattoo shop. Worse still, the attackers are trying to take her wings - the ones no one is meant to know she even has.

It's a near miss and once a furious Knox has managed to pull his demon back into line there's only one thing clear - someone knows Harper's secrets and is systematically setting out to destroy her. It seems likely that someone is the third Horseman - but how do they know so much about Harper? It seems the impossible might be true - they have an enemy hiding at the very heart of the lair.

To survive Harper will need to embrace power that's darker than she's ever experienced and even Knox can't protect her from everything - though God knows nothing's going to stop him trying. The stakes have never been higher, for if Harper's taken by this new threat, Knox won't be able to stop his demon from taking a vicious pleasure in tearing the world apart . . .

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

/!\ BIG SPOILERS ALERT /!\

Plot:

A few months after the incidents that occurred, Harper and Knox were hoping for a bit of tranquility. But that was before Harper was attacked by hunters who wanted to steal her wings. She barely makes it out safely. The more they try to figure out who planned this attack, the more blurry everything becomes. Impossible to know if it could be allies or foes of them that wanted her wings.

But a murder requires their full attention too. When a demon-kid is discovered among humans after his adoptive human mother tried to burn him in an oven thinking he was a monster, Harper and Knox decide to take him under their wings and give his care to a couple from their lair who struggled to have children on their own. But something about this kid rubs them wrong. He is emotionless. Worse, he sees his demon as a paternal figure. When murders keep accumulated around the kid, could he be a bigger threat than they thought?

The faster the events accelerated, the closer danger is getting from Knox and Harper and one unforeseen piece of news could unbalance everything….

Opinion:

/!\ SPOILERS ALERT /!\

I am totally in love with this book. I do not know if it will be the final book or no because I still feel like there are some questions left unanswered but I just loved it. Action, suspens, villains, murders, babies, psychopaths… You just have everything in this book.

Harper is more and more a badass. She is completely devoted to Knox but she knows where to draw her limits. Having a baby also made her even more badass. Her demon rides her hard to be overprotective of everyone, which leads her to take time off work. I loved seeing her as a mom with her uncertainties and her doubts and yet, she will not hesitate to kill anyone who would try to hurt her mate or her baby.

Knox is just perfection. Seeing him with a baby is enough to make my heart melt and to beg him to take me as his mate (I can still dream, right?). Now that Harper is pregnant he is even more protective than he was before. He is completely devoted to her and her happiness and I really liked that he listened to her and what she needed. He will stop at nothing to protect her and his baby from any harm.

I felt like we saw a bit less of the second characters. We still saw them but because Harper had to take some time off from her work, we didn’t see much her family and there were less attraction between Tanner and Devon, which I really missed. I love these two. They are just perfect for each other.

This book contains quite some actions. I really couldn't put it down once I started it. It was just brilliant in a very cheesy way. I loved the introduction of the psychopath child. It added some mystery and suspens on who could be behind all these murders. I almost felt as if I was reading a Stephen King book.

The storyline was really well built around the Four Horsemen. I was just slightly disappointed that we didn’t get to see more of them. I mean, they took most of the storyline in the second book and here, we didn’t see them much. They were just a threat in the wind. Characters kept talking about them but we had to wait until the end to finally meet them all (well, all… there were only two still standing). But I really liked that we had no idea who could be behind all the threats. Everyone suspected everyone and it felt nice to not everything and everyone for granted.

The only negative point in this book was the grammatical mistakes. I think some words were missing. It bugged me but I really wanted to know what would happen, so I didn’t focus on it too much. But what really frustrated me was to always find the same sentences in the three books: « Naked, he truly was a sight to behold. Not an ounce of fat there. ». Some sentences are just the same over and over again. But that’s it for the negative side!

So if you like Alpha-male deciding everything, a strong-headed heroine, then this book is for you. I can only hope that I will see more of these beloved characters soon.

Excerpts:

"There are three stages to a demonic pregnancy. I call them infestation, oppression, and possession.”She paused with the bottle close to her mouth. “Aren’t those the stages of demonic possession?”Smiling, he shrugged. “Pregnancy is pretty much the same thing.”“No, it’s really not.” She cocked her head. “Anyone ever told you that you have the oddest sense of humor?”“Once or twice."

Head tilted, Lou looked at her curiously. “Are you… are you trying to appeal to my conscience?” He snorted. “That inner voice gave up on me a long time ago. Honestly, trying to make me feel bad is more pointless than the ‘ay’ in ‘okay’. If self-centeredness could bounce, I’d be in orbit. And wouldn’t that be fun?”Harper sighed. “At least you’re honest about it.”“My shrink says I shouldn’t hold things in or pretend to be what I’m not. He says I should just be myself.”“Yeah, that was bad advice.”“And yet, I have a fan club,” Lou said smugly. “Several.”“You mean you have Satanic cults that worship you.”“Yeah,” he muttered, seemingly unimpressed by them.

Knox rubbed her leg. “I didn’t think I’d ever have this. Someone who was mine. A child. A family. Didn’t see it coming.” His face hardened as he added, “I’ll fight to the death to protect and keep what we have."

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