Welcome to my Dungeon

The Grendel Affair by Lisa Shearin

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars



This is the beginning of a love affair between me and Ms. Shearin's writing. I first came upon this author when reading an anthology. She made me laugh with the office flair. Horny leprechauns only made me laugh harder. This world is fascinating and promises to bring a great reading enjoyment as it unfolds. Mac is a seer who tried to make her own away, different than the law enforcers in her family.

Despite her start as a journalist, she still ends up in law enforcement, just through the supernatural police SPI instead of the human police. Mac may be from a family full of LEOs, unfortunately she's not combat ready and will need to learn soon.

There is so much promise in this series. The world crafting is delightful. There is a rather irreverent manner towards the fae which amuses me. Mixing in historical and literature into this series is a pleasant surprise. It shows how Ms. Shearin researches, honours exi…

Night Shift by Nalini Singh

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars



Two of the authors in this book is what pulled me in. I love reading Ms. Singh and authors Ilona Andrews.

In Ms. Singh's story, Secrets at Midnight, Bastien finds his mate. Mercy's brother is now finally going to find the one who makes his heart fill with love and create the bond he's been looking for. This story is a poignantly sad as readers learn how a sweet woman who was abandoned as a child is really not what she seems. There is always another side to the story of abandonment and this one is meant to squeeze tears out of the tenderhearted.

Ilona Andrews, Magic Steals, finally brings to readers the story of Dali and Jim. Wow, I had no idea Dali held such low self esteem. It is almost too much for me at times because I just wanted to smack her around to get her to snap out of her self pity party. What confuses me is her contradiction. She is self assured and confident in her own abilities yet she undermines…

Don't Deny Me, Part Three by Megan Hart

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



In the final act of Don't Deny me, it is questionable if Alice and Mick will get back together or even if they should. Many may feel that Alice has been wronged over and over again by Mick. My conclusions are different because Alice is illogical to me. She's emotional and doesn't see all the things Mick does for her. She doesn't realize words are cheap and it's the actions which means the most. He does all these things for her because his love language is all about taking care of the person he loves to show how devoted he is to her.

Alice just wants fancy words to proclaim his undying love for her. What is interesting is she doesn't do much to stop her game playing, tallies in her book in when he wrongs her and learning how to love and show Mick she returns his love. I believe it's clear whose side I fall on and how I'd like to smack Alice upside the head several times for her im…

Don't Deny Me, Part Two by Megan Hart

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Act II in Don't Deny Me is a bit distracting. Mick's perspective is coming into play and it really seems as if he is prideful and because of it, he lost a woman. Not that he is too proud or has pride in what he does. More like he felt he wasn't in the wrong and each action he took just made it worse. Rather than talk it out, he would assume Alice understood his point of view.

Do couples really relate in this manner in real life? If so, this would explain the number of divorces. Seriously, Alice and Mick's main issues are trivial but it is really out of control because they keep behaving as if the other knows what they are thinking. When did telepathy become common usage? This story pulls me in as I see how this train wreck occurred and with their passive aggressive interactions, coming together again doesn't look good either.

Now, some could debate how I can term Alice's issue of Mick not…

Only Human by Candace Blevins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Buy this book NOW! I've already read this book three times and I love it. This new series from talented BDSM writer Ms. Blevins is a winner. This is the story which Safeword Storm Clouds should have been. In this new series, there are character crossovers between the Safeword world. Let's see if you can find them as quickly as I could. And let's see if you recognize Kirsten.

In this story, Kirsten is a human. That is all she is to her knowledge. She does have a special skill to help hunt supernaturals. She's a bit like Buffy the Vampire Slayer but a lot more mature and way kinkier. Her day job is as a therapist (every character must have a flaw). Kirsten leads a pretty happy life with a good part time boss, Aaron Drake who is a Dragon. She is a single mother by choice who adopted a Chinese orphan from China. And she's able to shoot lasers out of her hands to kill demons. What's not to like abou…

Don't Deny Me, Part One by Megan Hart

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Prepared for a stomach clenching story, I start Ms. Hart's "Don't Deny Me Part I". I have a love-hate relationships with Ms. Hart. I hate how devastating she creates the relationship between lovers. I love the anguish Ms. Hart puts me through. In Don't Deny Me, Ms. Hart creates a serial story in three parts. In the first act, the readers are introduced to Alice and Mick. Alice's friends haven't seen her for a long time because of her terrible break up with Mick. Even though the friends were Alice's first, she loses out to Mick.

This first part is frustrating as Ms. Hart sets up Alice's conflict and strained relationship with Mick.

"There is nothing crueler than the person who doesn’t want you enough to keep you, but who doesn’t love you enough to let you go. "[Alice to Mick] (Kindle loc. 1046-1047)

This is the heart of this story. Mick won't let Alice go and f…

Knowing Her Place by Kay Jaybee

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jess's erotic quest to return to her Mistress and lover is fraught with sexual challenges. Ms. Jaybee ends this trilogy with blazing hawt kinky scenes. Each of the tests are unique and explore different types of sexual fetishes. Ms. Jaybee's finally is explosive.

Jess is still under the mistaken belief that she needs to follow Proctor's asinine game in order to return to Fables. This is the only confusing part for me because it makes Jess seem a little slow. As in, not real quick on the uptake of what is reality and what is fantasy. The intrigue continues in this story as Lady Tia shows up as well as guest appearances from David and Mrs. Peter's past. This journey does more than reveal Jess's innate ability to please and submit. It is also a horrible exposé to David's sordid and sorry past. Each reveal is a disgusting look at man who is petty, arrogant and selfish.

The new characters in the story …

Bittersweet Deceit by Blakely Bennett

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


3.5 star book and it's good follow up to the first in this series.  Ms. Bennett pens another dirty tale of "it's complicated".

Lainie... please...



Mason is a selfish asshat and he's no good for you.  Seriously, he's a broken person who obviously doesn't understand the concept of poly.  He can have it all, if he would just work it out with his wife to be in a poly.  But no, it's this whole messed up serial mistress need of his.

Ms. Bennett excels at creating horrible characters.  Seriously, I've read three of her books so far and I have to say, either she's run into some of the scummiest jerks around or her friends have.  It's not to say she is a femi-nazi showing how all males need their nuts cut off, it's more she shows the good, bad and ugly of relationships.  Some of these men are excellent example of what to avoid when picking a lover.  Then she adds in a divine male specim…

Broken Dolls by Kitty Thomas

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This can be read as a standalone. This is a WTF book. It wraps up too fast with no real resolution. I guess this is why life is so messy. Brian is the villain from the loosely tied first book, Guilty Pleasures. I didn't like him in that book. Although truth be told I didn't like Vivian either. Her cameo appearance in this book didn't impress me that much either.

The concept of this book is sound. I liked Brian quite a bit after reading this book. It gives me a new perspective of him. Mina who is the broken doll...I didn't feel anything for because I'm not interested in broken dolls. She does seem to broken to be fixed unless she wants to fix herself. She is pretty helpless and I guess it's why males torture and abuse her. She lets it happen.

This exclusive club seems as if it is going down a shit hole. The owners have lost control and the inmate are running the asylum. There are so many busines…