Sweet Temptation by Wendy Higgins

Genre:  NA Paranormal Romance

The Sweet Trilogy, Book 4

Wendy Higgins' website

Expected publication date:  September 8, 2015

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Description (taken from Goodreads):

Bad boy Kaidan Rowe has never wanted for anything—money, popularity, musical talent…hot girls—but seducing them is part of his duty as a Nephilim, slave to the demon Dukes. As the son of the Duke of Lust, Kaidan has learned his father’s ways, becoming a master of passion, a manipulator of chemistry. Disobeying his father would mean certain death. Thankfully for Kaidan, he’s good at his job. And he enjoys it.

Until he meets Anna Whitt—sweet, smart, feisty, and inexplicably good—the one girl seemingly immune to his charms. The daughter of a guardian angel and a fallen one, she has a certain power over him, one that makes him wish for more than he could ever deserve.

Determined to save all the Neph from their dark lives as the influencers of sin, Anna joins forces with Kaidan to overcome the demons’ oppressive ways. In the light of her affections, Kaidan must undergo his toughest test of all, a battle of the heart.

Sensual and swoon worthy, this companion volume to the acclaimed Sweet Evil series from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins, told from the perspective of the irresistibly sexy and mysterious Kaidan Rowe, gives readers revealing insights into his struggle, his intense connection to Anna, and most of all, the true emotions that drive him.

Author Note:
Sweet Temptation will encompass the entire trilogy in a condensed version, beginning with Kai's life before he met Anna, and taking readers through the epilogue of Sweet Reckoning. Sweet Temptation is a companion novel, not meant to be a stand alone story. It will definitely be a richer experience for those who have read the original trilogy.

Kaidan is your typical Nephilim: living the life guys are envious of and getting the girls with no strings attached.  Kaidan's father is the Duke of Lust, so obviously Kaidan's sin is lust and he pretty much works every night.  It's something he has no qualms with until he meets Anna, another Nephilim who doesn't know what she is.  Innocent Anna who sees the good in everyone and doesn't let people's sin define them.  But as Kaidan leads her farther into her heritage, will she still hold onto that goodness?

This story is told from Kaidan's point of view and spans across the original trilogy of this series.  It is a definite must for those who absolutely loved The Sweet trilogy.  Getting into Kaidan's head, seeing his point of view, and feeling his emotions...  It's a different feel.  There's a lot of distrust in the beginning because Kaidan has grown up with so much fear and paranoia.  But in the end, he gets his happily ever after.  Not really a new plot to the story, but a different side.

If I'm allowed to have multiple book boyfriends, then Kaidan's one of them.  Whatever, I'm allowed.  This series is one of my favorites, and I absolutely adored this fourth book.  I loved seeing inside Kaidan's head.  All the vulgarity and straight-forwardness.  It was nice to watch his motivations change from the beginning to the end.  And I still think the very last chapter is still the perfect ending to this perfect happily ever after.  It was so much sweeter hearing it from Kai's point of view.  Awww....

If you haven't read this series, go start it.  This book is a definite for those who loved the trilogy and just can't get enough of Kai.

Thanks goes to Around the World ARC Tours for providing me a review copy.

Plague of Angels by John Patrick Kennedy

Genre:  Adult Angels

The Descended Series, Book 1

John Patrick Kennedy's website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Description (taken from John Patrick Kennedy's website):

Nyx is Queen of Hell and ruler of the Angels who were banished there – the Descended.

And when the rest of the Angels are called home, Nyx finds herself stuck on the Earth with the Son of God. To her surprise, she learns that he is no happier than she. God's son thought he was sent down to judge humanity. Instead, he becomes a sacrifice for a cause he does not believe in – their redemption.

After his mortal body dies, the Son of God makes Nyx an offer: a new paradise on Earth if she will help him destroy humanity.

With two of her fellow Angels by her side, Nyx launches a thousand-year campaign of violence, sex, betrayal and intrigue to bring down God's people and have them worship her instead. From the back streets of Jerusalem to the palaces of Rome, from the temples of Egypt to the Pope's bedchamber, Nyx and her companions work to destroy the worshippers of God.

But not all is as it seems. And the Son of God has bigger plans than any of them imagine...

Everyone knows the story that divided time.  In fact, there are religions based on this powerful being from our history.  But we've yet to hear the story from an angel's perspective.  When Nyx' timeline clashes with Tribunal, the Son of God, Nyx has a new reason to live.  With his help, she will destroy everything God holds dear in order to make a new paradise.  But will she be queen of this new paradise?

After meeting Tribunal, Nyx falls in love with everything he believes in (which happens to not be anything he stands for).  She becomes one of his followers until his crucifixion.  But he vows to Nyx that he will come back and when he does, he will destroy God for His favoritism over humanity.  We, the humans, are like annoying little ants in the grand scheme of things.  So he uses Nyx to rage war on earth against his followers (or God's followers).  And as time goes on and it looks like paradise is beyond the horizon, Tribunal gives Nyx one last task.  Anything and everything is possible with Tribunal's help, and Nyx will raise hell on earth to get what she wants.

Wow.  This book.  Just wow.  I have to say right from the get-go that if you can't separate this fictional story from an infamous story that may or may not have something to do with your religion, then this book is not for you.  This is like what watching Game of Thrones is like but in words instead  of film (yes, I haven't read the books yet).  There's a lot of adult themes weaved throughout the history we see in this story.  But what makes this book glorious is it wraps the angel's stories around major people in our history and events that made our world the way it's become.  But I think what drug me down was how long it took to get through a thousand years (I felt a little overwhelmed).  But once we got to the part where Nyx meets Tribunal again, things started heating up again.  And while I thought the ending was totally cliché and open-ended, I was still pent-up enough with emotion to want more story.

I am definitely going to say that this book is for a select group of people who don't take offense easily.  And it's not going to be the easiest thing to take in, but you're still going to enjoy this messed-up ride.

Thanks goes to John Patrick Kennedy for providing me a review copy.

The Beautiful Ashes by Jeaniene Frost

Genre:  Adult Paranormal Romance

Broken Destiny Series, Book 1

Jeaniene Frost's website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Description (taken from Jeaniene Frost's website):

In a world of shadows, anything is possible. Except escaping your fate.

Ever since she was a child, Ivy has been gripped by visions of strange realms just beyond her own. But when her sister goes missing, Ivy discovers the truth is far worse—her hallucinations are real, and her sister is trapped in a parallel realm. The one person who believes her is the dangerously attractive guy who’s bound by an ancient legacy to betray her.

Adrian might have turned his back on those who raised him, but that doesn’t mean he can change his fate…no matter how strong a pull he feels toward Ivy. Together they search for the powerful relic that can save her sister, but Adrian knows what Ivy doesn’t: that every step brings Ivy closer to the truth about her own destiny, and a war that could doom the world. Sooner or later, it will be Ivy on one side, Adrian on the other, and nothing but ashes in between…

Ivy has lost every one she's ever loved.  Somehow, she ends up in the town where her sister was last seen before her disappearance.  With nothing left to lose, Ivy is working her way through the town trying to see if anyone's seen her sister recently.  But when evil wants disappearances buried, it'll make sure it stays buried.

Cue enterance for hot and hunky hero.  Adrian has a sinister past with a fate laced with betrayal.  So he tries to fight it.  And somehow he ends up saving Ivy.  Ivy, the girl with a quick wit and determination who also happens to be a part of the fate he's running from.  But as everything is tied together and they try to save Ivy's sister, something more seems to happen between them.

Gah.  Trying to give a nice summary of the plot without giving anything away sucks.  And I feel like this series is something new enough to step away from the vampire genre but still similar enough to keep those paranormal fans interested.  I really enjoyed it.  And all of the twists as they came.  I don't really have anything negative to say.

Jeaniene Frost fans won't be disappointed.  And it's a definite read for paranormal romance fans.

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Series, Book 3

Laini Taylor's website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Note:  If you haven't started this series yet, then don't read any further.  Go pick up the first one and get reading!

Description (taken from Goodreads):

By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

A love story from past lives: Karou and Akiva.  As former enemies come together to defeat the tyrant empire, we finally see some form of the dream coming to fruition.  Just maybe Karou and Akiva will get that happily ever after they've been wanting.  But reality has something else in store for them.

This story picks right up from the last one where Karou is deceiving the chimaera into forming a tender alliance with the Misbegotten.  And while Akiva tries to come up with plans to stop Jael and the angels who have gone to Earth for weapons, the two opposing sides begin to do the unimaginable: they get along (after some small squabbles).  But back on Earth, the apocalypse has come: angels are upon us.  And a stranger is realizing she knows something about the angels that no one believes.  But when fate brings the right people together, it seems nothing can stop Akiva and Karou from getting their hard-fought-for peace.

I have to stop right here, and ask if there was something in the second book that foreshadowed any of this that happened?  Or was it all over my head?  Because I felt like this book took a left turn after left turn after left turn until I was all sorts of confused.  I felt like once we hit an acceptable climax, the story took a new and weird turn.  It was like the author refused to let the story end.  And about that ending?  Gah!  I'm opposed.  And the whole fact that it's totally open for another part to the story (even if it's not told from Karou and Akiva's points of view).

Am I the only one who thought this was the worst book of the series?  It just didn't jive well for me...  And now the story is over (well for now)...

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

The Mortal Instruments Series, Book 6

Cassandra Clare's website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Note:  This is the last book in a series.  If you haven't jumped onto the Shadowhunter train yet, get your butt on it.  I'd recommend not reading the stuff below if you're unfamiliar with the series...

Description (taken from Goodreads):

In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

Sebastian is going to destroy the Shadowhunter society by turning them against each other.  Using the Infernal Cup, he takes away their will and souls turning them into a fighting army that reports to him.  But when Sebastian's plans come to fruition, he decides it's not enough.  He has a different goal in mind.

Clary has just survived a battle between her brother and the Endarkened.  When the Clave deems Sebastian and his army a small threat, Clary finds herself battling against the Clave to get them to understand the seriousness.  But with the small steps taken forward in regards to Downworlder relations, we find everyone running backwards to their old prejudices.  But Clary's going to do her hardest to bring peace to the Shadowhunters and Downworlders.

The last book in a series, and it was huge (~725 pages).  We've got some fighting, some love stories, some paranormal species, and learning moments.  I was so excited to read this last book, and I plowed right through it.  And while I loved the story, I hated to see it end.  And I felt like the ending wasn't enough of a bang for me (I might be a little too hard on last -books-in-a-series).  But that shouldn't stop anyone from reading these books.  They're good.

For anyone unfamiliar to Cassandra Clare, I highly recommend you read her books in the order they were published.  And keep going even if you're not quite sold on City of Bones.  My favorite books were from The Infernal Devices series.  But you need both series to get the whole story.  (By the way, having stories from the other series tie into this one was sweet!!)

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Series, Book 2

Laini Taylor's website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Note:  If you haven't read this series yet, go read it now.  Reading anything below can threaten plotlines from the first book.  And oh, it's worth it to start the series knowing absolutely nothing about it.

Description (taken from Laini Taylor's website):

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is--and what she is. But with this knowledge comes anoher truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope. But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

Akiva cannot admit that Karou might be dead.  He barely found her only to have the truth open wide and watch her heart break all over again.  Even though he has done many wrongs, he will not give up Karou until he knows she's gone.  And what he finds in his quest begins with hope: karou.  But not everyone sees the same hope he sees.

Karou, a human girl who only dabbled in the mysteries of another world.  That is until an angel appeared one night and she broke a wishbone.  Suddenly, she's not that human anymore; she's a chimaera.  And the chimaera are losing an endless battle, but the war isn't over.  And with Akiva's betrayal, how far will Karou go to avenge her people?

I feel like I'm bursting at the seams to tell you a secret.  A really good secret that is totally worth it.  But I can't.  All I can do is hand you this book (or the first one) and tell you to read it.  Oh my goodness, I love this series!!  It's so unlike any romantic fantasy I've ever read.  And for once, I don't know who I'm rooting for.  You see people intertwined into varying plot lines until you're so tongue-tied you don't know what to say.  It's that good and beautiful!

You are truly missing out if you have not started this series.  It's a fantasy worth reading.  A romance that doesn't follow the normal trend.  Just go read it!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Genre:  YA Paranormal Fantasy

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Series, Book 1

Laini Taylor's website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Description (taken from Laini Taylor's website):

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Yes, I'm one of those people who hasn't picked up this series yet.  But I have an advantage: I don't have to wait a year for the next one to come out.  In fact, the trilogy has already been released and I have no waiting to be had...

Karou is a seventeen-year-old going to an art school in Prague.  She lives a fairly normal life until Broomstone routinely comes a-knocking.  Using certain doorways, Karou is able to enter Broomstone's world, it's more like an office, where he deals in wishes and teeth.  Karou has always wondered what those teeth are used for and how she ended up as his ward.  But when handprints show up and a mysterious creature attacks her, she realizes there's more to this other world than she ever thought possible.  And she's somehow involved in all of it.

In my opinion, this book is the perfect starter to a series.    It starts with the question of who am I?  And we get to follow an interesting character as she tries to figure all of this out.  And the world slowly gets introduced with flashbacks of another world's past.  And as we learn more, we start to see this other world mesh together with ours, and we watch Karou realize it all.  And within this story is an epic romance, an epic war, and an epic choice.  And once it's all revealed, everything ends.  And it's up to the reader to figure out if they want to know what happens next (any one who doesn't want to know has lost their mind).

While I'm definitely one of the latecomers to this series, I'm very happy that I have the whole series at my disposal to read right away.  Because I have a feeling this story is about to get addicting...

Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

The Sweet Trilogy, Book 3

Wendy Higgins' website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Note:  This is the third book in a series.  If you haven't read the first two, reader beware.

Description (taken from Wendy Higgins' website):

It’s time.

Evil is running rampant and sweet Anna Whitt is its target. Nobody knows when or how the Dukes will strike, but Anna and her Nephilim allies will do anything necessary to rid the earth of the demons and their oppressive ways.

The stakes are higher than ever, and Anna is determined that the love she feels will be her strength, not a liability. But trying to protect the ones she loves while running for her life and battling demonic forces proves to be perilous—especially as faces are changing and trust is fleeting. When the Duke of Lust sends Anna’s great love, Kaidan Rowe, to work against her, Anna must decide how much she’s prepared to risk.

In the most sensual and fast-paced installment yet, Sweet Reckoning brings all the beloved Neph together one last time to fight for their freedom.

Seeing this series end is so bittersweet.  I absolutely loved the first two books, and I loved the last one.  Seeing Anna and her nephilim stand together against the demonic dukes was awesome.

Anna is still trying to get as many Nephilim on her side to face the dukes.  She has faith that good will prevail over this perilous situation.  And she's got to get her friends believing this as well.  But the Dukes aren't trusting Anna when she says she's working and tainting humans for the good of evil (a bit oxymoronic, right?).  So they send other Nephilim to make sure she's behaving evilly.  But things just happen to work against someone...

This book ties everything up nicely.  It leaves no stones unturned.  And in the end, you're left with this happy-go-lucky-good-will-prevail-evil feeling that's super nice.  The only downside I have is it was super-duper predictable, but that's not a bad thing in the end.  And I think I tend to lose steam once the romance has budded and everything starts working well (I guess I like conflict).  Overall, this series was sweet!

If you are looking for a clean series to read, this is one I can recommend.  While there are adult-themed subjects throughout the book, I honestly don't think anyone can truly complain about these books.  They're really sweet to read and keep you begging for more.

Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

The Sweet Trilogy, Book 2

Wendy Higgins' website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Description (taken from Goodreads):

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

What is it about English accents that make girls swoon?  I mean, it's not just hearing them, imagining them still makes you swoon.  Reading about a hot guy in a book who has an English accent makes him ten times hotter.  Why is that?  I don't know if I'll ever know.  But when I go to England one day, I'm bringing a tape recorder with me.

What does the above have to do with this book?  Kaidan has an English accent, and I'm giving you my reasoning as to why he's hot (yes, I'm shallow).  The second half of this book was much more enjoyable than the first half because it had more Kaidan instead of just fleeting glimpses of him.

Anna, who's been surviving under the dukes' radar by partying a lot, gets an unexpected visit from someone.  And with this visit comes hope that not everything is doomed.  Anna has to find as many allies among the Nephilim as she can before all Hell breaks loose.  Along the way, we'll learn more about Kope, new characters that get introduced, and experience a little more heartache.

Honestly, my only problem with this book is it's the filler between the beginning and the amazing slam-dunk end (well the ending better be amazing).  It's more of setting up your defenses and preparing for the final battle.  And these things take time, in fact they take a lot of time.  This book expands over a year's worth of time, and it doesn't seem like much happens.  Except for relationships budding ,blooming, and growing.  The dukes continue to toy with the Nephilim.  And fantasies collide with reality, and we find reality can be a kind of scary place sometimes.  Who am I kidding?  I loved this book even though it's the middle man.

One of my favorite angel series.  And now I have to wait seven months for the final book.  Ugh...

Challenges:  Paranormal Reading Challenge