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Under the MoonLight Book Blog

Midnight Bites
by Chloe Neill
Series: Chicagoland Vampires (#8.5, #10.5)
Published by: Tantor Media
September 29th, 2015
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library Loan
Rating: 4 Stars

     In Howling for You, Jeff Christopher is a shapeshifter and all of Chicago's Cadogan House of Vampires. For a long time, Jeff had eyes only for the beautiful Fallon Keene. Unfortunately, she is the only sister of the lethal North American Central Pack Apex Gabriel Keene. But fate takes a hand when the pack's totem is stolen, and Fallon enlists Jeff's help to retrieve it before the pack is thrown into chaos. Can she and Jeff find the totem and restore order before it's too late? And will Jeff finally be able to prove himself to the only person he truly loves?
     In Lucky Break, Merit and Ethan are in desperate need of some alone time, but their attempt at a romantic getaway is quickly interrupted when one of Ethan's vampire friends shows up at their door - covered in blood and accused of killing her shifter husband. Now, Merit and Ethan must put their passion on pause to figure out who's really responsible for the murder before all hell breaks loose...


     Jeff! I got me some sexy Jeff Christopher story!

     I have to say that Jeff is most definitively my favorite secondary character in these stories. He is cute, charming, and hella genius and funny. I was so happy when he got together with Fallon although there was something to their story that was hinted at but never mentioned as to why they weren't together. But then they were and I needed more on that story.

     Well, I got it and I have to say that I loved every second of their HEA.

     We also get a second part to this book in which Merit and Ethan want to go on a vacation away from the Chicago drama and are invited to the guest house of one of Ethan's longtime friends. But when they get there is not for a romantic getaway but to solve a mystery of murder.

     I liked the insight of what might have started the feud between the vampires and the werewolves (or at least a fraction of it) and what sacrifices these two races are willing to make to be happy with each other. It also gives me a look-see of what Eliza and Connor might go thru on the spin-off.

Phantom Kiss
by Chloe Neill
Series: Chicagoland Vampires (#12.5)
Published by: Tantor Media
July 18th, 2018
Rating: 4 Stars

     Vampires generally aren’t afraid of things that go bump in the night, but Merit and Ethan are extra jumpy after a recent attack by a dark sorcerer. So when they learn that someone is messing with graves in Chicago’s cemeteries, stealing skulls and snatching souls, they fear that their powerful foe might be back for even more magical vengeance.
     But after a specter begins haunting Cadogan House—and targeting vampires—they realize that their being taunted by an altogether different sort of monster. A ghoulish villain straight out of the Windy City’s urban legends is on the prowl—and he won’t stop until he’s killed again...


     When I started this story I was very happy that I got to see more of the necromancer. When she first appeared she was pregnant but in this story, she already had her daughter and she is not happy that someone is disturbing graves and so she calls Merit and Ethan.

     What I like about this story is that you get some more insight into the captain on Cadogan House's head of security (sorry I can't recall his name at the moment). I like Merit thought his room was going to be all western and stuff.

     We also get to meet some Ghostbuster types and boy do they spell trouble. I wouldn't have imagined anything that happens but I should have. Is not like this is a novel to stretch out the mystery. 

Slaying it
by Chloe Neill
Series: Chicagoland Vampires (#13.5)
Published by: Tantor Media
August 14th, 2018
Rating: 4 Stars

     Merit, Sentinel of Chicago's Cadogan House, is pregnant. She's ready to meet her daughter, but also very excited about the possibility of seeing her feet again. But trouble always seems to find her...
     Ethan and Merit have been married for eight months, and they're preparing for life-with-baby. Ethan's battling his overprotectiveness, while Merit's hoping she can figure out how to be a loving parent given her family's chilliness.
     While out on an evening walk, Merit stops to help a human in need, only to find herself under attack. A sociopath with a debt figures pregnant Merit is an easy target--and Cadogan House would pay handsomely for her return...


     This is a nice view of some of Merit's pregnancy. But what I really liked about this book was the side story of Jonas and Cadogan's House cook (who I can't remember the name of at this moment).

     I was always rooting for the side characters to find someone to love or to end up with whomever they had a crush on. I am glad I got to see why Margery? Margaret? wasn't open to Jonas' interest and that she was able (with the help of the Cadogan House and all the vampires she loves) to get thru it and find her true love.

     I also was glad to see into that intimate moment in which Ethan and Merit decided on baby Eliza's name. It was very touching and I think it was about time that Ethan had something good happen to him.
April 15, 2019 No comments
Romanceopoly 2019 Participant


     Three whole months have gone by from this year already and although I started the year strong with my reading, I have been unable to read much past the books I've committed to reading for this challenge lately. At the end of last year, I made my TBR for this challenge (except for the mystery and library spots) and I have mostly stick to it so far. I hope to keep doing it like that since most of the books I've picked I already own or I can get them from the digital library.

     Here is what I've read for each month and I'll tell you if I've deviated from the original picks and why...

January

Growing Pains Place - Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
     This book was my original pick for this task. I read Young Adult books and I love them but they are always fantasy or paranormal so I decided to try a contemporary one. Let's just say it will be a really long time before I pick a contemporary YA again.

College Row - Him by Sarina Bown and Elle Kennedy
     For this task, I had picked The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata but about a hundred pages into it I realized it wasn't a college book so I picked this book for it which I had it on my TBR for LGBT Lane.

Bad Boy Circus - Melt for You by J. T. Geissinger
     This book was my original choice for this task. I didn't know what book to read for this so I went to the romance-opoly website's recommendations page and this one was there. I received this book on a subscription book box so I already had the book.

February

Magic Row - For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison
     For this task, I had another book picked that I own but I couldn't get into it so I picked this audiobook from the library since I love Jenks so much (yes I am reading this series just for a chance to "see" Jenks again). Also, this book was from my January picks but because I had trouble getting into it I finished reading this in February.

Mystery 1 - Willa's Beast by Ruby Dixon 
     When the task for this challenge was revealed (Fated Mates) the first thing that came to mind was Ruby Dixon. I have been reading her Ice Planet Barbarians and Icehome series for a couple years and I couldn't pass the opportunity to read the next book on this series. 

London Street - Heart of Iron by Bec McMaster
     I have just recently started reading steampunk (just last year) and I really liked the first book of this series so I picked the next one in line. 

Alien Avenue - Barbarian's Touch by Ruby Dixon
     Again one of the first author names that came to mind when I read this task was Ruby Dixon and of course, I had to read the next book in the IPB.

Kickass Lane - Wild Hunger by Chloe Neill
     For this task, I had picked Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews but then I had to switch that book for Leather Lane so I picked this one.

March

Bus - The Simple Wild by K. A. Tucker
     This book was my original choice for this task. I again was a little lost with this so I went to the website's recommendations and saw this one. I have been wanting to read this one since about the time it came out because a couple of booktubers and bookstagrammers that I follow have recommended it and their synopsis of the book had me intrigued.

Erotic Eaves - The Men with the Golden Cuffs by Lexi Blake
     This task too has my original pick. I won this book in a giveaway back in 2012 and I kept putting it off. I, of course, needed to get on with it and read it since I want to clean up my TBR some.
April 01, 2019 No comments
The Men with the Golden Cuffs
by Lexi Blake
Series: Masters and Mercenaries (#2)
Published by: DLZ Entertainment
May 29th, 2012
Genre: Erotic Romance
Format: Paperback
Source: Giveaway Win
Rating: 3.5 Stars

     A woman in danger…
     Serena Brooks is a bestselling author of erotic fiction. She knows how to write a happy ending but hasn’t managed to find one of her own. Divorced and alone, she has no one to turn to when a stalker begins to threaten her life. The cops don’t believe her. Her ex-husband thinks she’s making the whole story up. She has no one left to turn to except a pair of hired bodyguards. They promise to guard her body, but no one can protect her heart.
     Two men in search of love…
     Adam Miles and Jacob Dean are halves of a whole. They’ve spent their entire adult lives searching for the one woman who can handle them both. Adam is the playful, indulgent lover, while Jacob is the possessive, loving Dom. When Serena comes into their lives, Adam is certain that she’s the one. But Jacob’s past comes back to haunt them all. He is suspicious of Serena’s story, and his concerns are driving a wedge between him and Adam. But when the stalker strikes, they will have to come together or lose each other forever… 


     I have to say that although I enjoyed this story I was a bit disappointed.

     Adam and Jake have been partners for a very long time. So long that they don't even need to say words to communicate what they need from the other, just a few looks and gestures say a lot. I liked this brotherly connection since their families are kind of assholes.

     Serena as with many a beginning for series like this is curious about the lifestyle and has some strong desires that no one understands until she meets these two men. She needs protection from a stalker and the security firm that is hired assigns them to her.

     I have to say it was a very entertaining read and although I kind of figured out who her stalker was (there was a twist in there that I did not expect) I enjoyed and I can't wait to read some of the other characters stories, especially Ian's and Alex/Eve.

     What disappointed me was that there was not a lot of the lifestyle included. You have some BDSM aspects and some menage but I wanted more. I needed more! Aside from that, I can't wait to read the next book and see what is in store for these characters next.
March 31, 2019 No comments
The Simple Wild
by K. A. Tucker
Published by: Atria Books
August 7th, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Paperback
Source: Library Loan
Rating: 4.5 Stars

     Calla Fletcher wasn't even two when her mother took her and fled the Alaskan wild, unable to handle the isolation of the extreme, rural lifestyle, leaving behind Calla’s father, Wren Fletcher, in the process. Calla never looked back, and at twenty-six, a busy life in Toronto is all she knows. But when Calla learns that Wren’s days may be numbered, she knows that it’s time to make the long trip back to the remote frontier town where she was born.
     She braves the roaming wildlife, the odd daylight hours, the exorbitant prices, and even the occasional—dear God—outhouse, all for the chance to connect with her father: a man who, despite his many faults, she can’t help but care for. While she struggles to adjust to this rugged environment, Jonah—the unkempt, obnoxious, and proud Alaskan pilot who helps keep her father’s charter plane company operational—can’t imagine calling anywhere else home. And he’s clearly waiting with one hand on the throttle to fly this city girl back to where she belongs, convinced that she’s too pampered to handle the wild.
     Jonah is probably right, but Calla is determined to prove him wrong. Soon, she finds herself forming an unexpected bond with the burly pilot. As his undercurrent of disapproval dwindles, it’s replaced by friendship—or perhaps something deeper? But Calla is not in Alaska to stay and Jonah will never leave. It would be foolish of her to kindle a romance, to take the same path her parents tried—and failed at—years ago. It’s a simple truth that turns out to be not so simple after all.


     I have been wanting to read this book for a while and I am kicking my own ass for not having picked it up sooner.

     Calla's story was one full of heartwarming and heartbreaking moments that had me glued to the pages from beginning to end. I was surprised by many things and not so by others but I enjoyed every minute of this book. I love the writing style and characters.

     Calla and Jonah were hilarious a lot of the time and I felt the awkwardness and the bonding process between Wren and Calla. I really have no proper words to describe how much I enjoyed this book and I wish I can forget it just so I can read it all over again and experience the emotions like the first time.

     I will be definitively looking for more of this author's work and I highly recommend that you pick up this book.
March 30, 2019 No comments
Glass Sword
by Victoria Aveyard
Series: Red Queen (#2)
Published by: Harper Audio
February 9th, 2016
Genre: Young Adult
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library Loan
Rating: 4 Stars

     The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they've always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.
     Mare Barrow's blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control. The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.
     Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors. But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat. Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?


     I read the first book on this series at the beginning of last year and I have to say that I enjoyed listening to this book as much as the first.

     Mare is now on the run with Cal and they just want to save as many people as they can from Cal's brother. They two along with the red guard and anyone who'll willingly help go one many mission to get as many New Bloods as they can so they can build an army and fight against the silver bloods that want them dead.

     Although this book concentrated more on the survival of many characters and less in the action/adventure it did have a lot of intense and deeply moving moments that left me wanting more. I loved the rescue and how Mare embraced her path and I hope that she can come out of the mess she now finds herself in stronger than ever.

     I can't wait to listen to the next book and I hope I don't get disappointed with Mare's development and I hope Cal gets out of that funk he's in and goes after her.
March 30, 2019 No comments
The Dysasters
by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Series: The Dysasters (#1)
Published by: Wednesday Books
February 26th, 2019
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (NetGalley)
Rating: 3.5 Stars


     Foster Stewart knows she's different. Her life has never been "normal." Talking to plants and controlling cloud formations aren't things most seventeen-year-olds are into. Tate "Nighthawk" Taylor is perfect. Star quarterback and all around dreamy boy next door he never thought about his "extra" abilities. What quarterback wouldn't want night vision? That's not weird, right? It's cool! 
     But on the night of their first meeting, a deadly tornado brings them together and awakens their true abilities - the power to control the element air. Unbeknown to Tate and Foster, they are the first in a group of teens that were genetically manipulated before birth to bond with the elements. Which truly sucks for Foster, as she has to face the fact that Dr. Rick Stewart, her beloved scientist father, betrayed her and now wants to use her and the others for his own nefarious world domination plot. 
     Foster and Tate must stop Dr. Stewart and his minions before he destroys their lives and the world.


     I requested this book because I remembered enjoying the HoN series by this mother-daughter duo.

     Although I did enjoy the story and the images throughout the book I didn't feel that attraction to reading the hell out of this book like I did the HoN.

     I will say that the premiss of the story and what is going on with the characters powers and abilities is interesting. Maybe is the first book syndrome or it might just be that I wasn't in the mood to read a book like this at the moment so I will be watching for the next book in the series and see how that goes.

     I did buy myself a copy of the book because like I said it has some interesting images that go with the story and I really liked that.

Disclaimer:

This copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of it or the content of my review.
March 08, 2019 No comments
To Have and To Harley
by Regina Cole
Series: Bikers & Brides (#1)
Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca
August 7th, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (via NetGalley)
Rating: 3.5 Stars

     You may now kiss the biker 
     Bethany Jernigan owes her bestie. Big time. So when wedding planning overburdens the bride-to-be, Bethany steps in to handle the nitty-gritty. But the guy in charge isn't anything like she imagined. He's gruff, tattooed, and 100% male. His staff is even rougher around the edges, and it's not long before she feels as if she's stepped into some kind of crazy alternate reality. 
     Are those...bikers? Arguing about wedding favors? 
     Trey Harding never wanted this to get so out of hand. One little lie somehow snowballed into a world of dresses and flowers and food and holy-hell-he's-in-over-his-head. But it's not like he can confess he's not the wedding planner he's pretending to be--especially now that he's falling for the maid of honor! His charade is becoming a farce, and as engines rev and ribbons fly, Trey's running out of time to figure out how to tell the truth without losing his new family, his crew...or the woman of his dreams.


     I adored this story and the biker characters so much.

     Bethany's best friend is getting married and she just quit her job and while she is looking for a new one her friend enlists her help with the planning of her wedding so she can concentrate on finals. Meanwhile, her "mother" (her BFF's mother and the woman who took her in after the death of her dad) just found her missing son.

     Trey Harding is a biker who was abandoned in the bathroom of a gas station and raised by the foster system. He skirts the law with his gang but not in the way one would think but by trying to have drugs and other "bad" things out of the streets.

     I liked how different from other MC books this story was and I found the premiss of the bikers-turned-wedding-planners to be entertaining and for the most part I enjoyed it but I think the author needed to either make this a RomCom or a touching contemporary story.

     I found myself laughing at the antics of the MC guys one moment and the next Trey or Bethany revealed something about their past that was touching and I didn't know if I should be annoyed or sad. I will be looking for the next book in the series because I am interested to see the HEA of some of the other characters.

Disclaimer:

This copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of it or the content of my review.
March 05, 2019 No comments
Wild Hunger
by Chloe Neill
Series: Heirs of Chicagoland (#1)
Published by: Tantor Media Inc.
August 14th, 2018
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library Loan
Rating: 4 Stars

     In the first thrilling installment of Chloe Neill's spinoff to the New York Times best-selling Chicagoland Vampires series, a new vampire will find out just how deep blood ties run. As the only vampire child ever born, some believed Elisa Sullivan had all the luck. But the magic that helped bring her into the world left her with a dark secret. Shifter Connor Keene, the only son of North American Central Pack Apex Gabriel Keene, is the only one she trusts with it. But she's a vampire and the daughter of a Master and a Sentinel, and he's prince of the Pack and its future king.
     When the assassination of a diplomat brings old feuds to the fore again, Elisa and Connor must choose between love and family, between honor and obligation, before Chicago disappears forever.


     What I love about this book is that even though it's set in the Chicagoland Vampires world it has a completely different tone from that series.

     Elisa, who is Merit and Ethan's daughter, has been struggling with a secret that only Connor "stupid" Keene knows about.

     On top of that there has been a murder and the only suspect doesn't remember killing. Now it's up to her to find the killer before an innocent man pays the price.

     I really like this story as it is different from Merit's adventures. There are also some "futuristic" details that kind of threw me but then it is set in like 2030 or so. Still, in Chloe Neill's fashion, I enjoy the heck out of this book.

     I cannot wait for the next one and see how Connor and Elise's relationship evolves.
March 02, 2019 No comments
Butterface
by Avery Flynn
Series: The Hartigans (#1)
Published by: Entangled: Amara
July 30th, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: eBook
Source: Free on Amazon
Rating: 5 Stars

     It’s true. I’m not what most people would call “pretty” and, well, high school was rough. Fast forward ten years and life is good…
     Until a bunch of jerks think it’s hilarious to put the “butterface” (AKA me) on a wedding Kiss Cam with the hottest guy ever—and that old humiliation hits hard.
     I recognize him immediately. The sexiest cop in Waterbury and totally out of my league.
     But then he kisses me.
     And we totally forget the room, the crowd, everything.
     Then he tells everyone we’ve been dating for months.
     Soon everything starts to feel too real, from adorable fights over “necessary” tools to fix my broken porch to surviving a free-for-all dinner with his six siblings to picking up where our last kiss left off.
     But there’s something he’s not telling me about why he’s really hanging around, and I’m pretty sure it has to do with my mob-connected brothers.
     Because this is not a make-over story, and Cinderella is only a fairy tale…


     I'm doing the romance-opoly challenge and one of the categories we have to read a book that was recommended by one of the hosts of the game. I chose to read the second book in this series. After rolling my dice I thought I had landed on this spot so I started reading that book only to realize at about 2% that I had landed on the wrong spot.

     What I read from that second book I really loved and I can't wait to read it. Then I saw that this first book was free for a few days so I decided to read this one until I can start again with the second book.

     I have to say that I am not disappointed. I loved this book from beginning to end. I mean, talk about plain Jane.

     Gina is a wedding planner who all her life has been called a butterface. She has come to terms with her being a plain Jane but every once in awhile she is reminded of it. One such occasion is the wedding that she has been planning for a cop.

     At the wedding reception, there is a kiss cam and she ends up in it with one of the guests who is another cop. This specimen of a man being detective Ford Hartigan.

     From there on it is a mix of funny, exasperated moments where I didn't know if I wanted to clobber these characters or sigh in contentment. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series or more from this author.
February 27, 2019 No comments
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