Boxed Set Reviews: Underground Encounters Box Set (2 Book Series) by Lisa Carlisle

Hi, everyone!

I love getting a few box sets for my summer reading so there is no waiting on the next book in that series that I am engrossed in reading. A sizzling hot paranormal/urban fantasy series that I have previous reviewed now comes in three different box set groups right now.

Check out Lisa Carlisle’s – VAMPS: Underground Encounters Box Set 1 with gargoyle shifters, vampires, and witches; SHIFTERS: Underground Encounters Box Set 2 with shapeshifters, vampires, and rockstars, or you can get them both together in Underground Encounters Box Set (2 Book Series)!

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VAMPS: Underground Encounters Box Set 1 with gargoyle shifters, vampires, and witches

OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

Book 1 – CURSED

CURSED (Underground Encounters Book #0) by Lisa Carlisle is the start of the paranormal/urban fantasy series featuring gargoyles, vampires, shifters, witches and demons. I have read other books in this series and have loved them all and this short story did not disappoint.

This story introduces the French gargoyle shifter brothers, Lucan, Danton and Mattias who are happily living with their clan. Lucan starts seeing a witch, who believes their relationship is more than just the fling Lucan believed it to be. When she comes across the brothers discussing her and Lucan, she believes they are speaking disrespectfully of her and she curses them with a black spell that locks them in their stone forms and clouds their memories of her.

As the brothers adapt to their cursed lives, they find that when they see someone in danger, they are released from their stone forms for 24 hours.

Are they to be cursed forever? Or will the brothers be able to find a way to break the curse?

This is an intriguing introduction to the gargoyle brothers, Michel their vampire boss and VAMPS the underground alternative goth nightclub. Ms. Carlisle has done a good job of worldbuilding in such a short book. I do not usually like cliffhangers, but since I read this book after the book that gives us Danton’s story, I was not upset and did not have to wait.

Once you start reading this series, you are going to be hooked!

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Book 2 – SMOLDER

SMOLDER by Lisa Carlisle is the revised novella start to her Underground Encounters paranormal romance series which was originally released in 2012 as Smoldering Nights. I love Ms. Carlisle’s various series, but this novella still lacks the depth of character and originality I look for in her books.

Nike is a firefighter who loves to let off steam with her best friend, Maya on the dance floor of Vamps, the local goth night club. On one of their nights at the club, she sees the man she has a crush on from her rock climbing gym. He has a French accent, a gorgeous body and beautiful eyes. She cannot believe her luck when Michel asks her up to accompany him to a private room upstairs, but she is about to get an education in other creatures that coexist with mortals.

Michel is a nightwalker. He does not know what draws him to Nike at the club or the gym and he knows he should not get involved with a mortal, but he finds her irresistible. When he gets Nike to agree to accompany up to the private rooms, they are attacked by an old enemy right when things begin to get interesting.

Michel and Nike go on the run. The attraction is too much to resist and they begin to explore their sexual attraction and also begin to wonder if it could become more. Can they have a future or will Michel’s enemy find them once again and destroy them both?

This novella was a very quick read and a good introduction to the Underground Encounters series. Nike is a strong heroine who can stand on her own which I loved. Michel is sexy and a dream, even with the fangs. There just was not enough depth to the characters due to the shortness of the story and it does end abruptly.

You have to start this series. It is a fun intro and the sex scenes are steamy, hot and well written.

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Book 3 – FIRE

FIRE (Underground Encounters Book 2) by Lisa Carlisle is HOT!

I am very glad I continued on in this paranormal romance series, even though the first novella in the series had a few problems for me. This story begins a year after the fire at Vamps and follows Maya. It can easily be read as a standalone, even though it does bring characters from the first novella back.

Maya Winters is missing her best friend and decides Halloween is the perfect time to return to Vamps and blow off some steam dancing after a long shift working as a firefighter. As she is dancing away to her favorite tunes, she suddenly feels eyes on her. When she sees the tall, dark and brooding bad boy staring at her she feels an instant attraction.

Tristan Stone is the new, mysterious owner of the rebuilt Vamps. Tristan is from a long line of Salem witches. He stays away from people due to what he considers his curse, because he has only ever been able to see darkness around people and it drains him. When he comes up from his underground lab beneath the club one day to check on things, he immediately spots a woman dancing because of the brilliant light surrounding her. This has never happened before and he has to find out why she is different.

Maya and Tristan combust when they are together. The two opposites are light to dark and outgoing to cautious. Tristan thinks Maya may be the answer to his curse, but he has never told anyone about it outside of his family. Maya is harboring a secret of her own that she has never shared. The sex is hot, but can a relationship with secrets last?

Maya and Tristan are main characters that are perfect together. Ms. Carlisle has given these characters depth that is as fun and entertaining as it is serious. The sex scenes bring the fire and heat.

With the return of Nike and Michel, I cannot wait to see what happens next in this series!

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SHIFTERS: Underground Encounters Box Set 2 with shapeshifters, vampires, and rockstars

OVERALL RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

Book 1 – IGNITE

IGNITE (Underground Encounters Book 3) by Lisa Carlisle is now my favorite of this series!

Vamps underground nightclub is the epicenter of each book in this paranormal romance series that are all easily read as standalone stories. Ms. Carlisle’s world of vampires, shifters, witches and gargoyles just keeps getting better and better.

Book 3 has Lily Everett celebrating a promotion with her friend at Vamps. Lily works hard at her job, works out hard at the gym and is an avid reader who has occasional sex with no commitments. Lily’s night out is interrupted by The Velvet Cocks lead singer and she is not thrilled until she hears him sing. He has a sensual voice that captivates her. Lily is interested, but very guarded and a loner because she has a furry secret that she never shares.

Nico Bedrosian aka Leggy Bones is a rock star by night and a computer geek by day. He is intrigued by the golden eyed beauty who does not seemed interested in him. He gets Lily to let him in enough to be a friend with benefits and those benefits are extremely hot!

Real feelings begin to grow on both sides, but Lily refuses to share why they can never be together. Nico wants to break down Lily’s walls and find out why she is so afraid to commit, but can he really handle the truth?

Lily and Nico are both well fleshed out characters that have many layers to their personalities that make them unique. You can feel for Lily having to grow up with her secret and being too afraid to share. Nico is just perfect with his rock star looks and voice, literary knowledge, geekiness and English accent. These two have explicit, steamy, smokin’ hot sex scenes throughout the story, but they are well placed and realistic to the building relationship.

Ms. Carlisle has built an intriguing paranormal world around Vamps and each book has increased my interest and love of the series. I cannot wait to see who will be introduced next!

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Book 2 – BURN

BURN (Underground Encounters Book 4) by Lisa Carlisle is another sizzling addition to the VAMPS paranormal romance series. When you sit down to read about Devon and Layla, clear your schedule because you are going to want read this one from start to finish.

Layla flees London for her immortal life. She has been framed for a theft from a master vampire, who does not believe in her innocence. She returns to America and reinvents herself as “Angelica”, the new lead singer for an 80’s heavy metal cover band.

Devon St. Clair has a reputation as one of the best bounty hunters for hire. Ruthless and relentless, he always gets his man or woman. Aided by his years in Royal Special Forces, he is also a shifter. He can shift into any animal form and every one of them hates vampires. When he catches up to Layla at VAMPS, he is entranced by her and her voice, but he cannot let that get in the way of his job, can he?

This series just keeps pulling me in and I have to say that I especially loved Layla and Devon! Layla is petite and yet mighty, in character and physical strength. Devon is all hot, tough shifter and yet has softer, vulnerable moments that appear for Layla. The sex scenes are smokin’ hot and steaming. The plot is not unique, but Ms. Carlisle puts some interesting twists into this world of paranormal creatures that makes them unique.

This book can easily be read as a standalone in this series, but I bet if you love paranormal romances as I do, you will want to read them all.

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About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Lisa Carlisle loves stories with dark, brooding heroes and independent heroines. She’s honored to be a multi-published author writing in different genres since she’s wanted to be a writer since the sixth grade. For much of her professional career, she’s written non-fiction — but she’s discovered writing romance is the most fun. Her romances have been named Top Picks at Night Owl Reviews and All Romance Ebooks.

When she was younger, she worked in a variety of jobs, moving to various countries. She backpacked alone through Europe, and lived in Paris before returning to the U.S. She owned a bookstore for a few years as she loves to read. She’s now married to a fantastic man, and they have two kids, a cat, and many fish.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6463824.Lisa_Carlisle

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Black Magic’s Prey by Kristin McTiernan

Black Magic’s Prey (Siren Song #1) by Kristin McTiernan

#BlackMagicsPrey #KristinMcTiernan @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours

Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn to post on the Blog Tour and share my Feature Post and Book Review for BLACK MAGIC’S PREY (Black Magic Book #1) by Kristin McTiernan.

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Blurb

Hiding is no longer an option.

Tess has been stalker-free for fifteen years. She’s been living in trailer parks and preparing to run at any minute—all because in ninth grade she turned down the wrong Brujo. He comes from a long line of male witches and even back in high school, his powers were terrifying.

He used those powers to punish Tess. To make her do things. Awful things.

Now she has a new life. She’s got a good job, a decent Airstream trailer, and a best-friend-maybe-girlfriend. She’s careful not to reveal too much about her dark past.

But none of that matters. No matter where Tess goes, he will always find her. Unless she’s willing to trust a man who may be even more twisted than her stalker’s curse.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42196330-black-magic-s-prey

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

BLACK MAGIC’S PREY (Black Magic Book #1) by Kristin McTiernan is the start to a new paranormal/urban fantasy series by a new to me author.

Theresa “Tess” Cooper is an HR consultant who has been living in her own trailer and ready to run at a moment’s notice for the last fifteen years of her life. You have to be able to move quickly when you are stalked by evil.

Tess has been stalked by a psychotic Brujo since she turned him down for a date in the ninth grade. The entire male only line of Brujo lived across the street from Tess and her parent’s home. When he catches up with her again, she decides it is time to return to her childhood home in Kansas City and ask for forgiveness and get help from his father, Luis.

Is Luis willing to help Tess against his son? Could his help be worse than her stalker’s curse?

I enjoyed this first book in this new series. For such a short book, only 175 pages, Ms. McTiernan does a good job of pulling me in to invest in Tess’s story and the worldbuilding was unique. The main storyline of this short book was tied up, but this is an episodic first-person saga so it leaves questions that lead you into the next book. The sex throughout the book is basically behind closed doors except for one scene which is intense and a pivotal point in the story, so I cannot discuss it. No spoilers here.

I recommend this paranormal/urban fantasy. It is a different world that I am not used to reading about and I have already purchased the next book in the series to find out where the series goes.

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About the Author

After waffling between joining a convent and enlisting in the Marines, I settled on the latter at the age of seventeen. After finishing my enlistment, I studied English literature with the intent of becoming a teacher. But after realizing I loved words more than teaching others, I used my degree to become a professional writer and editor, first with the federal civil service and then with the private sector. A lover of all things spec-fic, I wrote about women in weird situations, whether it’s magic or time travel, and enjoy the journey I take my characters on.

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinmagoo/

Website: https://www.kristin-mctiernan.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinmagoo/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/kristinmctiernanthenonsensefreeeditor

Purchase Links

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Magics-Prey-Siren-Song-ebook/dp/B07HWS5M7N/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=black+magic%27s+prey+kristin+mctiernan&qid=1590326557&sr=8-1

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Magics-Prey-Siren-Song-ebook/dp/B07HWS5M7N/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=black+magic%27s+prey&qid=1590326130&sr=8-2

Publishing Information:

Published in paperback, audio and digital formats on October 15^th 2018

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Fallible Justice by Laura Laakso

Fallible Justice (Wilde Investigations #1) by Laura Laakso

#FallibleJustice @LLaaksoWriter @LouiseWalters12 @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours

Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn on the Fallible Justice Blog Tour. I am excited to share my Feature Post and Book Review for FALLIBLE JUSTICE (Wilde Investigations Book #1) by Laura Laakso. This is an absolutely fantastic new magical world with compelling characters that I highly recommend!

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Blurb

In Old London, where paranormal races co-exist with ordinary humans, criminal verdicts delivered by the all-seeing Heralds of Justice are infallible. After a man is declared guilty of murder and sentenced to death, his daughter turns to private investigator Yannia Wilde to do the impossible and prove the Heralds wrong.

Yannia has escaped a restrictive life in the Wild Folk conclave where she was raised, but her origins mark her as an outsider in the city. Those origins lend her the sensory abilities of all of nature. Yet Yannia is lonely and struggling to adapt to life in the city. The case could be the break she needs. She enlists the help of her only friend, a Bird Shaman named Karrion, and together they accept the challenge of proving a guilty man innocent.

So begins a breathless race against time and against all conceivable odds. Can Yannia and Karrion save a man who has been judged infallibly guilty?

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

FALLIBLE JUSTICE (Wilde Investigations Book #1) by Laura Laakso is the first book in a new paranormal mystery/urban fantasy series by a new to me debut author. I was immediately immersed in this new world and all the compelling magical characters.

Old London is the domain of the magical races and New London is where the ordinary humans live. The two occasionally overlap, but the humans have a distrust of the magical beings, but they do trust the all-seeing Heralds of Justice to pronounce an infallible justice that no magic can pervert on any who commit a crime.

Yannia Wilde is a member of the Wild Folk working in Old London as a private investigator. When one powerful mage is convicted of murdering another, the convicted mage’s daughter comes to Yannia. She begs her to not only prove her father did not commit the murder, but that the Heralds have made a mistake and her father must be freed. With the help of her new apprentice, Karrion who is a bird shaman, the two set out to prove the impossible in just four short days with some help from their magical friends and Jamie, a human detective from New Scotland Yard.

Two things hit me immediately as I fell into this magical world, I could not believe this was the author’s first book and the worldbuilding was fantastic. The mystery plot in this story is as well written and paced as the worldbuilding throughout. It all flowed together effortlessly.

Yannia is such a complex protagonist needing the wild to recharge her magic when surrounded for too long in the city, running from a mysterious heritage in her Wild Folk conclave and if that is not enough she has a rare genetic disorder called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Karrion is a wonderful character that not only helps Yannia in her investigation, but is also a smart and caring friend as well as apprentice. All the secondary characters are as fully fleshed as Yannia and Karrion and I hope they are all carried over into future books in this series.

I highly recommend this book and I am looking forward to the next book in this series. Quite frankly, it is one of the best new paranormal mystery/urban fantasy books I have read in quite a while.

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About Laura Laakso

Laura Laakso is a Finn who has lived for most of her adult life in England. She is an accountant, dog trainer and author. Fallible Justice is her debut novel and the first in her paranormal crime series Wilde Investigations.

Social Media

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LLaaksoWriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauralaaksowriter/

Website: https://lauralaaksobooks.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauralaaksowriter/

Purchase Links

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HY1D3FR/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HY1D3FR/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Louise Walters Books: https://www.louisewaltersbooks.co.uk/product-page/fallible-justice-by-laura-laakso

Hive.co.uk: https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Laura-Laakso/Fallible-Justice/23852655

Book Review: When Darkness Whispers by Lisa Carlisle

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

WHEN DARKNESS WHISPERS by Lisa Carlisle is a mix of military romantic suspense, paranormal/urban fantasy and serial killer thriller all woven together to make an AMAZING book!

Eva Montreaux is a biologically enhanced Marine. She leads the NEO (Night Eagle Operations) team 17 sent to Okinawa to investigate who or what is brutally murdering American servicemen. With the increased tensions between the American military and the Japanese it is essential to solve and stop these killings as soon as possible. As she works with her special team, she runs into military colleagues from her time in Afghanistan, but her enhancements have made that portion of her memory incomplete until she sees Gunny Delacruz.

Gunnery Sergeant Marcos Delacruz has had three years since Eva left Afghanistan to come to terms with promises not kept. When he runs into Eva on Okinawa, he cannot believe she shows no emotion at seeing him again. The past will have to be dealt with, but right now he is on a mission. With his special ability to communicate with spirits, his superiors hope he can solve the serial murders. What he does not expect is to continually cross paths with Eva during the investigation.

Eva and Marcos both have secrets that cannot be revealed to others in regards to their missions. They also have misunderstandings that are tied to their pasts in Afghanistan. As Eva struggles to remember Marcos and their shared past, they both have to find a serial killer that does not appear to be human.

I loved this whole book. Eva and Marcos are great main characters that are fully fleshed with flashbacks that in no way confuse or interfere with the main plot. Trust is a huge issue for them in the past and present that has to be resolved for them to work together. Their romance is written past and present and grows throughout the story. There is great sexual tension as well as tender yet hot sex scenes. I also really enjoyed the last chapter of this book which is unique.

Ms. Carlisle has delivered a well written military romantic suspense with paranormal characters. She has then intertwined the whole story with Japanese folk lore that adds to the uniqueness of the story. This is a book that I highly recommend!

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.

Book Review: Retribution by Shana Figueroa

retribution

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

This is only the second book in this series and it is already one of my “must read” urban fantasy series! RETRIBUTION (Valentine Shepherd #2) by Shana Figueroa gave me complex characters, a plot that continues to surprise and kick-butt action. This second book, while still having smokin’ hot sex scenes, is more focused on the world-building and plot.

At the end of the first book, P.I. Valentine Shepherd walks away from her relationship with Max Carressa. Val can see the future, but it is usually only death and destruction outcomes that she sees. She has tried to change the future and has managed a very few times to accomplish it, but usually the worst outcome occurs. She has seen their future and rather than try to change it, she walks away.

Six months has passed. Val has a new case of a girl who has disappeared. As she follows leads on the girl, Val is abducted and remembers nothing that happened to her for 12 hours. When she tries to piece together what happened, she finds two uploads on the internet of the missing girl and herself, unconscious and being sexually abused. Now all Val wants is revenge and she needs Max’s connections and help.

Max has tried to move on and has become engaged and adopted a dog to try and get the normal life he has always craved, but he is hiding an Oxy addiction that he is using to bury his real feelings. When Val calls, he knows he will do anything to help her, no matter the cost.

The first third of the book, I was so involved with Val and Max’s pain and self-destruction. They were both hurting so desperately and wouldn’t admit it to each other. The main plot of the book, a mad scientist with psychic abilities who wants to experiment on Val and Max is resolved, but you still have the overarching series story of the cabal that wants Val and Max together to steal their future child.

The secondary characters are just as complex and you never know if they are helping or hurting Val and Max or strictly out for their own gain. The plot twists and weaves all of these characters into an intense story that moves at a fast pace throughout. I love this series and cannot wait for the next book!

Thanks very much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Net Galley for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Vengeance by Shana Figueroa

vengeance

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

This book is NOT what I was expecting! VENGEANCE (Valentine Shepherd #1) by Shana Figueroa is going to be one of those books and series you are either going to love or hate. Love because of the great characters and plot, hate if you are not into explicit sex scenes in all variations, F/F, M/M, M/M/F and M/F.

P.I. Valentine Shepherd is thrust into a case when her attorney fiancée is run down and killed while trying to get information from an informant to clear his client, Max Carressa, billionaire heir, who is suspected of killing his father. When the informant is shot and killed, Val is chased by the cops who killed him. Max comes to her rescue and they both are on the run now as they try to unravel the reasons for the conspiracy between a mayoral candidate, a crime boss and Val’s dead ex’s attorney dad.

There is also a subplot that will arc over the whole series. Val has been able to have visions of the future since Junior High. She has always considered it a curse as well as a help at times. It seems she has not able to see the future of those she loves before they die, but she has been on occasion able to alter her future in the visions. Max also has the ability to see the future, but he sees it in a series of numbers that he uses in business and he has never been able to alter what he sees. There is a mystery person, who wants these two together no matter the cost.

The plot and subplot are full of great twists and both unfold at a very fast pace. It is a P.I. thriller with psychic abilities in the main characters. Val is a strong female lead character. She was a Sergeant in the Army and then started her own P.I. business with her best friend Stacey. Val will pick herself up and plow ahead through any adversity. Max is super-hot, super-rich and has been severely abused his whole life. He has hidden out in drugs, alcohol and a fast lifestyle until he meets his “Red Raven” vision, Val.

I loved Val and Max and the plot had me reading long into the night. There is a lot of sex throughout, but there is a very unique reason for it. I can’t wait to get the next book in this series. Unique and hot!

Thanks very much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Net Galley and this author for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.