magic – Page 2 – Love is Love Reviews

Review: All Kidding Aside (Magical Mates #1) by Macy Blake

A great start to this spinoff series.

5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 264 pages. Published July 28^th 2020 by Macy Blake

Blurb:

Building houses for a pack of orphans might lead one griffin to find his heart’s home.

Victor Eastaughffe knows three things for a fact:
-He does not have a mate.
-He does not like children.
-His duty is to his griffin clan.

When Victor meets Orsen Riggs, a scruffy bear shifter, and little Gus, an orphaned red panda cub, his orderly, structured world becomes messy and chaotic. All the things he once held true suddenly don’t make sense.

Asked to help the Smith pack navigate the difficult world of shifter politics, Victor realizes he might not know himself as well as he thought. Magic is in the air, and it’s making him long for things he never wanted before. But duty comes before all else, even at a price Victor no longer wants to pay.

Likes:

Victor’s dislike for germy kids.
Smith Academy.
How careful Nick is with the kids.
Got to see some familiar characters again.
Victor and Riggs, together and separately.
Gus.
Good start to the series.

Dislikes:

How long it took for Riggs and Victor to realize they’re mates.
How much pressure Victor put on himself.
Riggs caused the same problem twice.
The way Victor just assumed he and Riggs would share a house.

This series is the logical outcome of Give Him Hell. All the kids Nick and Jedrek ended up rescuing need forever homes. So this is definitely not a series for people who don’t like kids in their romance. Luckily, it seems as though the Chosen One’s story really is over, since Sawyer and his mates didn’t make any noticeable appearances. But, like the Hellhound Champions series, Magical Mates makes more sense if it’s read in conjunction with the entire Chosen One Universe.

Victor is a familiar side character from the Chosen One series, and the thing I remembered most about him was that Eduard trusted him. That’s the same vibe Victor gives off at the beginning of this book, as well as having a griffin’s expensive tastes. Thankfully, Victor was more than a rich guy. He was easy to like, in part because he genuinely wanted to help Nick make the Smith pack’s lives go as smoothly as possible.

I have to admit, I sympathized with Victor’s shudder of disgust when Gus demanded to be held and then started sucking his thumb. Children are so full of germs. But Gus easily won my heart. The little guy is just so cute, without any of the annoying whining, crying, or cockblocking a lot of other children in romance display.

Riggs was a nice guy despite his rough-around-the-edges demeanor. He was exactly the person the pack needed to help keep the construction moving smoothly, even though the way he got the job was a little unusual. I like competent people, and Riggs easily earned my respect. Then he won me over completely with how quickly he bonded with Gus and Victor.

It did strike me as strange that Victor would assume he and Riggs should share a house at the beginning. Despite sleeping in different bedrooms and being essentially roommates, it felt a little odd that Victor would be fine living with someone he didn’t know. The reasoning was sound, I was just surprised by the lack of hesitation.

The physical side of the romance happened fairly quickly, which I didn’t mind. Victor and Riggs had good chemistry, both in the bedroom and as potential family material. But I was a little annoyed at how long it took for them to figure out they were mates. I mean, I know mates are still rare, but 44% felt like a long time.

The idea to call the pack’s compound Smith Academy was a great idea, because it explained all of the obvious security measures. I also loved the intensity that Nick felt towards making sure the kids weren’t forced to deal with asshole alphas. During Give Him Hell, I felt like Nick and Jedrek’s romance wasn’t given the page time it deserved, so I’m glad to see that Nick really is an amazing alpha.

While I thought this was a great start to the Magical Mates series overall, there were some things that I didn’t love. First was how much pressure Victor put on himself. It’s always hard to see a character you like wearing himself thin, and I’m glad a solution came up at the end to prevent that in the future. The second thing was that Riggs essentially caused the same sort of problem twice with his overprotectiveness. It worked for the story both times, but it felt like a lot for the usually easygoing Riggs.

It was great to see some familiar side characters, especially Walt and Shelly. I’m really looking forward to the next book, and to the rest of the series when it finally comes out.

Be sure to check out the rest of the series – Sweet Nothings (The Chosen One #0.5), The Trouble with Love (The Chosen One #0.75), Santa Trouble (The Chosen One #0.76), All or Nothing (The Chosen One #1), Nothing Ventured (The Chosen One #2), Hell on Earth (Hellhound Champions #1), Double or Nothing (The Chosen One #2.5), Next to Nothing (The Chosen One #3), Give Him Hell (Hellhound Champions #3), Nothing Gained (The Chosen One #4), Stop at Nothing (The Chosen One #5), Sweet Spot (Paranormal Sugar Daddy #1)

Review: Stop at Nothing (The Chosen One #5) By Macy Blake

A good ending to the Chosen One series.

4.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 246 pages. Published February 4th 2020

Blurb:

Series Finale

With all of his mates assembled, Sawyer Smith should be ready for his own version of the end game. He must defeat the god of air and restore both of their broken magics to all of the realms. There’s only one problem: he still doesn’t know how to do it.

HIs brother is a god and is raising the forces of darkness against Sawyer and his mates more quickly than he can mount a defense. It’s time to fight, but Sawyer has too much to lose to risk disaster. As the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place, Sawyer is faced with a task that seems impossible. He must go into battle without the knowledge or power to win.

So many of his questions remain unanswered, but Sawyer knows one thing: He will stop at nothing to keep his mates safe.

Likes:

Pip.
It’s not easy for Sawyer to defeat Palinourous.
Dakota’s family.
Good solution to Sawyer’s problems.
Good end to Sawyer’s story.

Dislikes:

9 versions of the fight.
Wanted to see Pip and Dakota together.
Felt like Pip got shortchanged.
What is Pip?
That Sawyer’s the god of metal.
Not a ton of planning for the fights.

I didn’t talk about the things that happened at the end of Nothing Gained in that review to keep from spoiling anything, so I’ll mention them briefly now.

First, I loved Pip. He was cute, and the way he so desperately wanted one of the guys to be his mate was adorable. Watching him realize that he got to be mated to all eight of the guys was fun, and I’m glad he got a hot smut scene. I did hope that Pip and Dakota would have a smut scene together, since it seemed like they had chemistry, and were the two newest guardians.

In the end, I felt like Pip got shortchanged. He was barely in the story at all, even less than Dakota, whose wonderful family got featured heavily. Plus, I don’t know what type of being Pip even was. He didn’t shift, but could manifest otters. If the book named his species, I totally missed it.

I was, and still am, less than thrilled at Sawyer being the god of metal. Typically, when five elements are introduced, the final one is ether/aether, as metal comes from the ground and is seen as a part of the earth element. I get the feeling Sawyer’s connection to metal was so he could do a kind of quasi-bloodbending, but I also feel like that could have just as easily been associated with ether if the author had chosen to do so. Normally I don’t mind when authors subvert expectations, but in this case I just don’t get the choice to have Sawyer’s godhood be connected to metal.

Despite those two complaints, I was excited for the big showdown in this book. Sawyer has a lot of worries, both about the fight against Palinourous and what would happen after it. I liked his solution for what happened after the fight. It worked with the stories and the characters involved.

However, I didn’t love the first fight scene. Or rather, scenes. Each one of the nine main characters got a point of view section for the same fight, which got super tedious. Especially since it was basically the same thing happening nine times. Totally unnecessary in my opinion.

That being said, I’m glad that it wasn’t easy for Sawyer to defeat Palinourous. Sawyer has had it fairly easy throughout the series, getting help from his mom and sisters, his mates, hellhounds, vampires, griffins, and more. I was a little worried that he’d just come up with a plan and it would go off without a hitch. Especially since there’s not a ton of planning involved. They definitely had a ‘just show up and fight’ kind of mentality. But Sawyer really does struggle to come up with a solution to the fight with Palinourous and the ramifications of his victory.

In the end, I was pleased with how the book, and the Chosen One series ended. Do I still have questions? Yes, a few, but they’re minor. I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing glimpses of the guys in later books, especially given what happens in the epilogue. But I will point out that part of what makes this ending work is knowing that there are more books set in the same universe. Despite the bad guy being defeated, the magical world is still messed up, and it will take time to heal.

Review: Nothing Gained (The Chosen One #4) By Macy Blake

Lots of new information presented as the buildup to the final battle begins.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 232 pages. Published July 23rd 2019

Blurb:

Sawyer Smith’s life is a hot mess.

Hot, because he’s found six of his eight mates. To say things are heating up between them is putting it mildly.

A mess, because he’s the Chosen One, the son of a goddess with no powers of his own, tasked with fixing the broken magic in his world… and he has no clue how to do it.

With every new layer of mystery that’s revealed, Sawyer’s doubts about his abilities get stronger. To complicate matters, Sawyer is growing weaker by the day. Meanwhile, his newest guardian, the one he’s calling Yellow Eyes, refuses to reveal himself.

With time running out, Sawyer’s desperate enough to make a daring move — one that’s potentially deadly for him and his mates. Because at the end of the day, if there’s nothing ventured… there’s Nothing Gained.

Likes:

Yellow Eyes.
More information revealed.
Good to get back to the main story.
Sawyer finally takes action.
Got to meet Draco’s parents.
Good action at the end.

Dislikes:

Lots of recap.
Joash’s name.

I always have a notebook nearby when I’m reading so I can jot things down about the story. And my first note is literally ‘lots of recap.’ Which sums up my feelings towards the beginning of the book.

I understand the need for a refresher. For those reading the books in the author’s suggested reading order, there have been two books since the last Chosen One novel. Not to mention the big reveal at the end of Next to Nothing that Sawyer is the son of the Mother goddess, and that his past self intentionally wiped all his memories. The way the recap was worked into the story did make sense, but it definitely dragged down the beginning.

Things soon picked up, at least in terms of new information. Sawyer meets with all kinds of people, gathering little tidbits of information or gifts to help him in the coming fight. It was nice to see the story finally coming together. The tension has slowly been rising, and now the final battle is in sight.

It was nice to finally meet Draco’s parents and learn a little about dragons. I absolutely hated that one of Draco’s fathers was named Joash. Every time I saw it, it looked like a typo of the name Josh.

The whole deal with Sawyer’s seventh guardian – who he called Yellow Eyes since the guy wouldn’t come close – was an interesting twist. Normally, Sawyer’s mates have been drawn to him. To finally have one who doesn’t immediately get in his pants was a nice change. Not to mention the reason why he was so reluctant.

The book does have some good action at the end. It set things up nicely for the final book, which I’m eager to get started on.

Review: Give Him Hell (Hellhound Champions #3) by Casey Drake and Macy Blake

Wraps up a lot of loose threads, but not the end I wanted for the Hellhound Champions trilogy.

3.75 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 232 pages. Published May 7th 2019

Blurb:

Nick Smith is a man with a mission: find the place where he’d been held captive as a child and discover what happened to the kids he left behind. His memories are in flux, returned to him after being blocked for the past fourteen years, along with his ability to shift into his lion form. Nick is ready for answers. Instead, he finds a huge Viking of a man with flaming eyes and more power than Nick knew existed.

As a hellhound, Jedrek is often sent on missions that lead to nothing. It’s part of the gig. He’s a champion of the fire goddess, tasked with keeping the secret of the supernatural world safe. When he gets called to a house of horrors he’d not visited in years, the last thing Jedrek expects to find is an out of control alpha lion who brings to life feelings he’s never felt before.

The mysteries of Nick’s past collide with a powerful, evil force causing havoc in the supernatural world. Nick is convinced he can determine who is behind the current rash of dark magic–especially if he has the strength of a hellhound at his side. And if that hellhound is one he can’t keep his mind or hands off? Well, that suits the lion instincts roaring back to life just fine.

Likes:

Nick and Jedrek, together and separately.
Some interesting surprises.
Nick’s mission, both at the start and the end.
Good setup for the Magical Mates series.
Nick learning about his lion.
Leandra and her cubs.

Dislikes:

Didn’t do justice to the characters or their relationship.
Felt like a way to tie up loose ends.
Not sure if everything lines up properly.
The way the mating happened.
Not a fantastic end to the Hellhound Champion series.

One of the problems with a long series like the Chosen Universe is that it can be easy to tell which couples the author isn’t as invested in. And while I don’t know that Blake wasn’t as invested in Nick and Jedrek as she is in the other couples, that’s the feel that I got.

It’s a shame really, since I liked Nick and Jedrek. They’re both good guys, and it was easy to root for them. Nick was especially sympathetic, and I loved the way he was tied in to everything that’s been going on. He’d been given slivers of information, but didn’t know a ton of stuff. That didn’t stop him from his quest to find and rescue the other kids who were kidnapped by Mrs. Foote.

Watching Nick learn about his lion was both sweet and sad. I understood why he was kept from shifting, but it deprived him of so many experiences. The way Jedrek stayed by Nick’s side and helped him was adorable, as was the way Nick bonded with Leandra and her cubs. I was glad for the mission he was given at the end. It suited him, and made up for the fact that he didn’t get the chance to rescue Ben and the other kids.

After reading this book, I understand why Jedrek wasn’t really introduced in either Hell on Earth or Hell to Pay. While Jedrek is a part of the hellhound pack, he’s Nick’s mate, and Nick is an alpha lion. So Nick didn’t seamlessly fit into the hellhound pack the way Drew and Cody did.

The book’s ending nicely set up the Magical Mates series. That was good. What wasn’t good is how I felt like this book was designed solely to tie up loose ends and set things in motion. Nick and Jedrek’s relationship sometimes took the back seat to everything else going on. It meant less page space for the relationship, and is part of why I feel like the author didn’t care about this couple as much as the others.

There have been loose threads dangling from all the other books in the series, and so many were dealt with in this book. I’m not entirely sure they all line up properly, and I still have questions, but I’m glad with what I got. Still, it wasn’t fair not to give Nick and Jedrek’s relationship the focus it deserved. Nick didn’t even know what he was doing when he mated Jedrek, which I didn’t like. Even though Jedrek was fine with it, since Nick didn’t know the meaning behind his actions, it was still lacking consent.

As an ending to the Hellhound Champions series, this book wasn’t what I hoped for. There wasn’t a big fight scene like with the other two books. And Nick and Jedrek didn’t actually spend much time with the hellhound pack. They were too busy with Leandra and the coven. This book felt more like a prequel to the Magical Mates series than a solid end to the Hellhound Champions.

Review: Hell to Pay (Hellhound Champions #2) by Macy Blake

Good to finally get Solomon and Cody’s story.

4.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 264 pages. Published March 5th 2019

Blurb:

As a hellhound beta, Solomon has no complaints. Life is fine. His pack and his goddess-given duties as a protector of the human realm are enough. So what if he’s a little bored and a smidge lonely? Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. When his alpha’s mate suggests he pull his head out of his ass where one of their human pack mates is concerned, Sol cooks up a scheme to break through the wall between him and Cody, but it comes at the worst possible time.

Cody is convinced the bar he works in is run by a group of elite mob enforcers. Nothing else makes sense. The funny thing is: he doesn’t care. They treat him well and he’s come to consider them family, but like any family, there’s always someone who stirs up trouble. For Cody, that’s Solomon, the bouncer who is constantly glaring at him from the back of the bar. Something is going on, but Cody has a new distraction in the form of an anonymous online lover who knows how to push all the right buttons.

A magical attack causes havoc for their pack, dragging Cody into a world he didn’t know existed. His new family is involved in a much more dangerous life than he could ever have imagined. Hellhounds and humans must join together to stop a terrifying creature hell bent on raining destruction down on them. Solomon and Cody must step up and fulfill their destinies, or risk losing the one thing they desire most: each other.

Likes:

Knew the couple from the previous book.
Cody and Solomon, together and separately.
The side characters.
Hot smut.
The non-romantic plot.
Cody’s reactions to finding out about the supernatural world were believable.
Solomon really got the chance to shine.

Dislikes:

All the secrets.
Drew not being pregnant.
Solomon searching for Cody on the dating site.
Didn’t do a good job of setting up the next book.
Wish there was more backstory for Cody and Solomon.

I like when a romance series sets things up so that I’m excited about the next couple. Both Solomon and Cody were present in Hell on Earth, and I was looking forward to their story, especially since Cody didn’t think Solomon liked him.

Solomon has been in a fair number of the Chosen Universe books, and is a familiar figure. He gives off a similar vibe to Meshaq – a strong, talented warrior dedicated to those in his pack. I loved that Solomon got the chance to really shine in this book, since Meshaq and Drew are gone for a significant chunk. As Meshaq’s second, Solomon is leader material, and he got to prove that when the bar was attacked.

Cody was also easy to like. It’s clear that he’s had romantic trouble in the past, though we don’t get to learn much about his (or Solomon’s) backstory. It’s equally clear that Cody wants someone to love. He’s jealous of what Meshaq and Drew have, and not just because he had the hots for Meshaq. Thankfully, Cody shows early on that he’s not going to let guys push him around. I cheered when he blocked a jerk who was trying to be all alpha asshole towards him on a dating site.

I don’t love that Solomon intentionally found Cody on the dating site and began flirting and sexting without Cody being aware that he was dealing with someone he knew. It was definitely sexy, and I guess it was consensual since Cody was fine without knowing the name of the guy he was flirting with. Still, Cody would likely have acted differently if he’d known it was Solomon, so the situation was a little suspect. At least Solomon knew it too, and wanted to tell Cody the truth.

Aside from the anonymous flirting, I liked the progression of Cody and Solomon’s relationship. Solomon had liked Cody from the start, but hid it when he saw that Cody liked Meshaq. It took Solomon a while to figure out how to interact with Cody in a way that Cody would appreciate, and I liked that Solomon was willing to change how he acted to make Cody more comfortable.

The attack on the bar and Cody subsequently finding out about the supernatural world was interesting and kept me hooked. I thought Cody’s response to finding out the truth was realistic. I also loved that he thought the hellhounds were either mob or a former military troop.

The side characters were fantastic, especially Walt and Shelly. Like Cody, Izzy’s reaction to finding out about the supernatural world was realistic, even if her response was different than Cody’s. It was clear that the pack cared as much for their human members as the hellhounds, despite all of the secrets kept from them.

I was sad to find out that Drew wasn’t pregnant. I did expect Drew and Meshaq to be in the book more, but I’m not mad that they weren’t, considering how things ended. I do wish that the next main character got more page time. I know next to nothing about Jedrek, but I’m still looking forward to reading his story.

Review: Next to Nothing (The Chosen One #3) by Macy Blake

The second half was better than the first.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 226 pages. Published January 29th 2019

Blurb:

A Gay Paranormal Harem Romance

What do you get when you mix a dragon, a vampire, a griffin, a mage, and a human? Sawyer Smith’s life sounds like a punchline, but the mates he’s come to love are no joke. They’re fierce and wonderful, protecting him from the outside forces trying to destroy him. Add in a reluctant hippocamp and an egotistical fae prince, and Sawyer has his hands full in more ways than one.

Sawyer is closer than ever to fulfilling the ancient prophecy of the Chosen One, but the bonds between him and his newest guardians are giving him doubts. The rules are changing, and Sawyer has to adapt quickly if he’s going to keep up, especially after he’s whisked away to the land of the fae, a place with cryptic customs. One misstep could very well lead to his death.

Navigating the waters of his newest relationship is tricky enough without the encroaching dangers. Something terrifying is heading Sawyer’s way, threatening not only his life, but everything he’s built with the mates he loves. Despite their concerns, Sawyer is ready to make sacrifices, because there’s next to nothing he wouldn’t do to keep them safe.

Likes:

Saeward didn’t immediately jump into the menage.
Trip into the Fae.
Satyr dick descriptions.
Interesting ending.

Dislikes:

Beginning didn’t hook me.
How long it took Sawyer to deal with Kavalan.
Spoiler for Hell on Earth.
Micky’s visit seemed to have no point.
The fae have never been mentioned before.

When I start reading a new series, I don’t double check to see if the author has a super special order to read the series in. I simply go onto Amazon, get the book with KU, and start reading. So imagine my surprise when characters I knew (and a few I didn’t) showed up and started shouting spoilers about a book I’d never read. Only then did I realize that The Chosen One series is supposed to be read in combination with the Hellhound Champion series, the Paranormal Sugar Daddy series, and the Magical Mates series, and if you don’t flipflop back and forth between series in the exact right order, you get SPOILERS.

Needless to say, I wasn’t happy to have accidentally come across spoilers.

There is a specific Goodreads list for the Chosen Universe, which combines all the series into the author’s suggested reading order. And while I don’t mind authors writing different series set in the same universe, I hate that these books have overlapping timelines.

So I actually stopped in the middle of reading this book and went to read Hell on Earth to make sure I didn’t accidentally end up having anything else spoiled for me. I think, in a strange way, that made this book even more enjoyable. Because the beginning was less than interesting.

Kavalan, the elf prince who showed up at the end of Nothing Ventured, was annoying, pretentious, and didn’t mesh with the other guardians. I was annoyed at how hesitant Sawyer was to deal with him. Then Mikey showed up with his mates and I was like, “Why?” They didn’t add anything to the story, and their appearance felt like filler.

Finally, things took off when a surprise attack forced Sawyer and his guardians to flee into the land of the fae. I ended up really liking the plot from that point on. A lot happened in this book, both in the land of the fae and after Sawyer and his guardians return home. The book’s ending both answered a lot of questions and posed new ones. But it seems like big things are finally beginning to happen.

As for Sawyer’s guardians, I like how things with Kavalan ended up. I also loved how, in both this book and Nothing Ventured, Saeward didn’t immediately jump into having sex with everyone. He needed time and space, and all the guys were willing to give him that. But he’s finally beginning to open up and join in. Which meant some very sexy scenes.

Like with all the books in this series, the lack of world building continues to be noticeable. The fey are called “an extremely powerful and important part of the supernatural world” but were never been mentioned before an elf prince literally shows up at Sawyer’s home. The fae land did have its cool parts. I especially liked the descriptions of the satyr dicks.

Sawyer is really beginning to come into his own. I can’t wait to see what he gets up to in the next book.

Be sure to check out my reviews for the rest of the series – Sweet Nothings (The Chosen One #0.5), The Trouble with Love (The Chosen One #0.75), Santa Trouble (The Chosen One #0.76), All or Nothing (The Chosen One #1), Nothing Ventured (The Chosen One #2), Hell on Earth (Hellhound Champions #1), Double or Nothing (The Chosen One #2.5).

Review: Nothing Ventured (The Chosen One #2) by Macy Blake

Glad I gave the series another shot. Liked this book so much better than the first.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 234 pages. Published April 2020 (first published August 19th 2018)

Blurb:

A Gay Paranormal Harem Romance

Sawyer Smith is woefully unprepared for the dangers that come with being part of the supernatural world. As a magical null, he is human and vulnerable, even with the powerful, sexy guardians who have claimed him as their own. When a simple visit turns deadly, Sawyer’s mates take action and whisk him away to the clan of rich and powerful griffins.

As a griffin, Eduard Eastaughffe is considered supernatural royalty, but even with all his wealth and power, his duty as a guardian must come before all else. If he can convince his clan to support his newfound mates and not judge the fact they include a dragon, a vampire, a mage, and–Goddess forbid–a human, the rest of the clans may fall in line without much of a fight.

Danger lurks in close quarters and a new guardian is revealed. If Sawyer hopes to discover the ancient enemy hunting the Chosen One, he must survive the newest tests facing him. Because at the end of the day, when you’re a human among magical creatures, it’s nothing ventured… nothing gained.

Likes:

So much better than the previous book.
Got to know the characters better.
Saeward.
Hot smut.
Strong non-romantic plot.
Finally started to see some of what makes Sawyer special.
Cecil, Viv, and Ms. Robinson.
The men are making special connections with each other.

Dislikes:

Could still use a ton more world building.
Ends on something of a cliffhanger.

I’m so glad I gave this series another shot. I had a lot of complaints about the first book, and I was worried that it would be more of the same in this one. Thankfully, this book is a lot better. It’s not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s head and shoulders above the last.

There was a lot more character building and character growth in this book, and not just because it’s the second book with the same characters. I liked when Draco admitted that, as a shifter who feels things instinctively, he needs to vocalize things more for the two humans. And not just for the humans. It’s important for things to be out in the open for the readers too.

Each man has his own love language. Draco is possessive, carrying his mates around and feeding them. Andvari makes sure everyone is protected. It’s little things like that which made the book more enjoyable, in part because of feelings. The guys didn’t really talk about their feelings much. But they began to show them more. It wasn’t just physical attraction and a lot of sex.

Speaking of sex, there was still a lot, but not in big chunks like the previous book. The sex this time honestly did move the relationships along. It wasn’t just hot, it was necessary to the story. Which is the best kind of sex. I especially liked that the men are starting to create special things between each of them. They’re still polygamous, but there’s something special between each pairing that’s for them and them alone.

The non-romantic plot was really interesting, and it moved at a good pace. Not much of it is mentioned in the blurb, and I was surprised at how much happened in this book. I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that I enjoyed meeting Saeward, even if how it happened was less than ideal. Then, at the end of the book, something happens that, while not a true cliffhanger, definitely made me want to hurry and start reading the next book.

There’s still not a ton of world building, which leaves me with so many questions. The thing I’m most curious about is how the gods and deities work. It’s not just the Mother Goddess. Her daughters are also Goddesses, and then there are forgotten deities. Admittedly, part of why I want things explained is because I don’t want to end up feeling like new pieces of information are being dropped just to make the plot work.

Eduard got lots of attention since he took everyone to his family estate. Learning about the griffons and Eduard’s history was nice. It was a little bit of world building, but still not a lot. The clothing try-on scene was fun.

The final thing I noticed was that we’re finally beginning to see why Sawyer’s so special. It’s not enough for the Mother Goddess to say he is. It wasn’t a huge moment, but when Sawyer got Eduard’s dad to open up and accept him, it was really sweet. All the more so because it helped mend the rift between father and son.

I am definitely looking forward to getting to the next book. If the quality is better, that would be great, but even if it’s equal to this one, I’ll be happy.

Be sure to check out the previous books in the series – Sweet Nothings (The Chosen One #0.5), The Trouble with Love (The Chosen One #0.75), Santa Trouble (The Chosen One #0.76), All or Nothing (The Chosen One #1).

Review: All or Nothing (The Chosen One #1) by Macy Blake

Too much sex, not enough world building. But I’m still going to continue with the series.

3 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 220 pages. Published July 24th 2018

Blurb:

A Gay Paranormal Harem Romance

Sawyer Smith is preparing to take on the world, and with his graduate degree only days away, he’s hoping to convince his gorgeous best friend and neighbor to come along for the ride. There’s only one problem; Draco has a secret, a big scaly secret, and it’s about to change Sawyer’s life forever.

When three mysterious men move into the new mansion across the street, Sawyer is plunged into a fantastical world he never knew existed, one filled with creatures of legend. Discovering the truth about Draco and his role as guardian of The Chosen One is only the tip of the paranormal iceberg.

Being drawn to this strange new world is challenging enough, but then Sawyer finds himself attracted to all The Chosen One’s guardians. Giving into his desire comes with incredible risks. Once the chosen one is found, Sawyer will return to his human life, without the guardians, without Draco.

As danger mounts, Sawyer must choose between guarding his heart from the men he grows closer to by the day, or give in and risk losing it all.

Likes:

Hot smut.
Polygamous relationships.
Good mix of supernatural beings.
Everyone got POV sections.
Potential for growth.
The fight scene.

Dislikes:

Didn’t really hook me.
The characters aren’t well fleshed out.
Not much world building.
Slow, sporadic plot.
Too much sex.
Sawyer just accepted everything with ease.
The reveal of the chosen one is anticlimactic.
The reason the chosen one was chosen doesn’t make sense.
Draco’s name.
Draco being in almost every sex scene.
Lack of discussion around sex and kinks.

Are you looking for a book with a fast-paced, engaging plot, with fleshed out characters and good world building? If so, you need to keep looking, because this book doesn’t have any of that. What it does have a lot of is sex. Too much sex. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if this book is 50% sex scenes.

Now, I’m not against smut in my romance book. I actually enjoy it. In moderation. And I get that the sexual and romantic relationships between the five guys in this book was a focal point. Because the blurb is wrong – this isn’t a harem, it’s full-blown polygamy, with all the guys taking turns with each other.

I actually liked the idea of the relationships being polygamous. It’s more equal. And all of the guys but one were versatile. But after the first few sex scenes, which did advance the relationships, all the rest felt like filler. I’m not joking when I say that once the sex starts, it doesn’t stop.

This presents a very big problem. With the sex scenes taking up so much page space, there is naturally less space for more crucial story elements – like character development, world building, and the non-romantic plot.

I know next to nothing about most of the characters. Henry’s backstory was detailed in the previous book, so he gets a pass. Sawyer got a lot of page space, relatively speaking, so I know the basics about him. As for the rest of them, I know their species, elemental affiliation, and dick size.

Then there’s the world building. It didn’t happen. Even when things were being explained to Sawyer, it was brief. I have so many questions. Like why dragons have multiple mates when other species struggle to find even one. Or who the Goddess is. Or when Sawyer found out about the Goddess.

The prophecy about the chosen one does get explained, so I’ll give points for that. Although no one really seems to know who they’re all going to be fighting against. Luckily, the bad guys space out their attacks so the main characters only have to deal with two interruptions. Isn’t that nice? Gives them plenty of time to have more sex.

Those two attacks are basically the sum total of the non-romantic plot for the book. To say it’s thin and sporadic is an understatement. That’s part of why the sex scenes felt like filler. Like the author really wanted to split everything up into five books, but there wasn’t enough plot, so she’s stretching things out as much as possible.

I did like that each of the guys got point of view sections. Sawyer and Draco seemed to get the most, followed by Henry, with Eduard and Andvari getting the least. I also liked that everyone was a different species. It was a good mix, but I am a little worried about the thought of adding another four people into the mix. Nine main characters seems like a lot.

I do wish there had been more discussion about the sex before it started. All the guys are kinky, and while I do think the guys would have stopped if someone had a complaint, the sex could change direction at any moment. From sweet to rough in a flash. Adding in daddy/boy play mid-coitus. I know that having people sit down and talk about what their likes and dislikes are isn’t sexy, but the lack of it, especially in a book filled with so much sex, was glaringly obvious. Only Eduard asked for explicit consent for a specific sex act.

I also thought it was strange that Draco was involved in almost every sex scene. I can’t tell whether the author just liked him better or whether there’s something about dragons that make them extra needy. This goes back to the lack of world building. I know next to nothing about how dragons behave in this world, expect that apparently they give their kids lame names. Seriously, who names a dragon Draco? It’s not just lazy, it’s lame.

My final complaint is about the chosen one. The answer was obvious from the beginning, but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t have been a big deal when it was revealed. It was super anticlimactic. And on top of that, the reason the chosen one was chosen is supposedly because they’re “so full of love” which I call bullshit on. None of the characters have much contact with anyone outside of the house, so unless being full of love is a euphemism for semen, it hasn’t been shown. Again going back to the lack of character building.

However, despite all of my complaints, I think the series has potential. I hope the books will continue to get better – and let’s face it, there’s a lot of room for improvement – because the writing is good. I really liked the fight scene. It was tense and detailed and full of emotions. Hopefully things will really start to take off in book two.

Be sure to check out the rest of the series – Sweet Nothings (The Chosen One #0.5), The Trouble with Love (The Chosen One #0.75), Santa Trouble (The Chosen One #0.76)

Review: Hidden Species Bonus Short Stories by Louisa Masters

Two short stories in the Hidden Species series. neither are necessary reads.

There are two short stories (so far) in this series, which are bonus scenes connected to couples who have their own books. You have to subscribe to Louisa Masters’ email list to get them, and they’re available through Prolific Works, but neither comes up when you type Louisa Masters’ name into the search function, so I’ve included the links to each.

Demons Do It Better Bonus Scene

3.5 out of 5 stars

bit.ly/DDIBBonus

Blurb:

This scene takes place between chapters 15 and 16. Sam discovers some exciting changes in his new life… and Gideon helps him explore them thoroughly.

Likes:

Got to see what a shifter dick looked like.
Hot smut.
Louisa Masters replies to people on twitter.

Dislikes:

I had no idea this scene existed.
It wasn’t one of the freebies I got when I signed up for her mailing list normally.

This is a very short story that’s basically just about sex. I’m not complaining though. Since all of the community species have differently shaped dicks, as evidenced by the World of Wangs set Sam bought, I was curious about what a shifter dick would look like.

Being the giant weirdo that I am, I was especially excited about the third book in the series, Hijinks With a Hellhound, because I knew there would be smut scenes. I actually tweeted “Can’t wait for Hijinks With a Hellhound by @AuthorLouisaM to come out on the 25th. Loving the series so far. And, thanks to the world of wangs, I’m curious about what Alistair’s dick will look like, lol.”

Louisa Masters replied to my tweet, telling me about this short story, which was exciting both because I got to find out about the dicks, and because it’s nice when authors reply to their fans. The link she sent me is the one posted above, which took me to a page to sign up for her email list in return for the free story.

I was honestly surprised by this, because I was already signed up for her mailing list. And while I had gotten links to two free novellas, there was no mention of the Demons Do It Better short story. So as far as I can tell, you need to sign up for her email in a specific was to get this story, which is a little annoying.

Still, I’m glad I read it. It focuses on the uniqueness of shifter dicks, and Sam’s reaction to seeing the new features for the first time. It was funny and smutty at the same time.

This story isn’t necessary to the plot. You can absolutely skip reading it if you want. I’m not exactly sure how short it is, but I’d say under 10 pages. And you can unsubscribe from the email list at any time.

Hijinks With a Hellhound Bonus Scene

3 out of 5 stars

https://claims.prolificworks.com/free/BIwF1hb5

Blurb:

It’s the pre-party planning party for Alistair’s birthday… the brew is flowing and party themes are the topic of debate.

Likes:

The link to the story is at the end of the book.
Drunk Sam.
All of the couples together.
Consent.

Dislikes:

Nothing about the events of the book.
Smut scene was short.
Didn’t get to see the party.

Unlike the previous short story, this one was linked at the end of the Hijinks With a Hellhound book, so I knew it existed. The link takes you to the prolific works page, and again you have to sign up for Masters’ email list to get it.

It’s equally as short as the first story, and can also be skipped if you want. I was honestly hoping it would help flesh out the ending of the book, which I felt was very abrupt. No such luck there. It’s just a random scene with all three of the couples gathered to brainstorm ideas for Alistair’s birthday party.

It was fun seeing the three couples together. Their dynamics are very different but the banter is on point. The presence of alcohol helped to liven things up. The story was funny, especially after Sam got drunk. I definitely liked that there was an unspoken rule about not having sex with someone who was drunk, even if that person was already your partner. Consent is sexy.

Alistair intentionally didn’t get drunk just so he could have sex with Aiden afterwards. It was a relatively short smut scene, since that wasn’t the focus of the story. And sadly, it didn’t involve Alistair topping, which hadn’t been shown in the novel.

The most disappointing thing about this story is that it didn’t show the party itself. From the ideas the guys came up with, it sounded hilarious. Especially since Alistair wanted his costume to be early Brittney Spears.

Review: Hijinks With a Hellhound (Hidden Species #3) by Louisa Masters

The best book in the series so far.

5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 251 pages. Published March 25th 2021

Blurb:

I’m a one-and-done kind of hellhound… I don’t catch feeeeeeeelings…

Once upon a time, my first and last relationship taught me that romantic love isn’t enough to stop your boyfriend from trying to kill you. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. My awesomeness is now strictly reserved for one-nighters and casual hookups. Sure, my friends seem to be matching up in romantic bliss, but screw that—I’m not interested.

Besides, things are heating up at the Community of Species Government, and I’m right in the thick of it all. Those bad guys are going down—and not in the good way. They might seem to have the drop on us right now, but we’re going to turn the tables on them. Even if it means going on a mission with Aidan Byrne.

I’m still not happy about the way Aidan handled things with my bestest bestie a few months back, even if he did turn out to be right. Plus, there’s something about him that rubs my fur in the wrong direction. He’s the kind of guy who thinks karaoke is only for college kids and looks down on me for licking my own balls. He also thinks that just because he’s the species leader, he’s in charge.

Too bad for him, I’ve never backed away from a challenge… even if it is unnervingly sexy and really bendy. A hookup won’t lead to feelings… right?

Likes:

Aiden and Alistair, together and separately.
Low angst.
Set up future books well.
Impromptu limbo tournament.
Hot smut.
Caolan.
Elves.

Dislikes:

Alistair could be simpleminded.
Abrupt ending.
Alistair toed the line of being annoying at times.
Info dump at the end.

This book is definitely my favorite of the series so far. In part because Aiden and Alistair are already both members of the community, so there’s no need to spend time making sure any of the characters understands what’s going on.

I was a little worried that Alistair would be annoying. And he definitely toes the line, but I ended up really liking him. He’s a bit simple, but definitely competent and good at his job, not to mention that he genuinely tries his best. His antics made me laugh out loud several times, from bringing a bubble machine to a casual gathering, to starting an impromptu limo tournament, to the way he brought up the idea of having sex with Aiden.

Aiden was also easy to like. The way he cared for the shifters under his care was touching. When he found out how much Tish had messed with the lives of community members, Aiden was determined to help. I also liked that Aiden was aware that he was in a position of authority over Alistair, and didn’t want that affecting Alistair’s judgement regarding their romantic relationship. Consent is always good. Plus, the smut was super hot.

Despite the perils to all non-humans and the occasional danger Aiden and Alistair were in, the book was low angst. Aiden and Alistair’s relationship was smooth once it had started. I’m still a little exasperated at how simpleminded Alistair could be. He needed to be walked through his feels twice, to come up with what I thought were rather obvious answers.

The elves are back, and I really liked Caolan. The next couple to get a book was set up clearly, as was the continuing plot of Tish and his new ally. The downside of all that setup was that the final few chapters of the book contained a lot of information. Questions were answered about the elves and what Tish’s real motives were, which was nice. But there was just so much info that I know I didn’t absorb it all.

Then after the info dump, the book ended really abruptly. I suspect that’s because there’s a short story follow up, which is only accessible by either signing up for the author’s email list or joining her Facebook page. And while I understand why authors are so pushy about getting people on their mailing lists, it does get annoying, especially since I feel like it’s happening more and more.

Be sure to check out the first two books in the series, Demons Do It Better (Hidden Species #1) and One Bite With a Vampire (Hidden Species #2).