Bite Sized Bride by Wynter Raven and Celeste King [Review]

Bite Sized Bride by Wynter Raven and Celeste King
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 7, 2026

Purchase Links: Kindle

Wynter Raven
| Amazon |

Celeste King
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

She’s small enough to break.
But I don’t want to break her.

I want to keep her.

She thought she could run from the monster chained in her master’s temple.
She didn’t realize the moment I scented her, she stopped being prey.
She became mine.

Every time she looks at me with those wide, terrified eyes, I remember my name.
Every time she whispers to me, the rage quiets.
But don’t mistake her softness for safety. I was built to hunt, to kill, to destroy. And now I’ll do all of that for her.

She doesn’t know it yet, but I’ll put a chain on the world itself before I let anyone take my bride away.

She’s bite sized.
And I’m starving.

Thoughts on Bite Sized Bride: I can't believe I'm about to say this because there's a size joke that isn't even hidden in it and that's NOT how I mean it. But anyway. This book was a little heftier than I expected it to be. Nope, I'm not talking about Kael's size here either (although he is a BIG boy). I'm talking about the subject matter. It wasn't dark-dark or anything (just, like, one dark, I guess. I mean there was a dark elf and his twisted sorceress who tortured people and pretty much took them apart for funsies, but Kael and Mikana have an oddly sweet relationship once they get over the hunting down to bring her back to their mutual master part of their relationship), but it was a little more than I was expecting. (As an aside, my last set of books were a cursed beast getting his freak on with his special someone...OH HEY. That's like this one!...and a high heat prison romance with a werewolf . Come to think of it, I'm kind of seeing a pattern in the books I read and am just going to move on now.)

Anywho. Kael is an Orc who's been twisted into a monster by a terrible woman with dark magic. He's lost himself and the curse burning inside him forces him to follow the orders given to him. Even if he doesn't precisely want to follow them. Then he's sent after Mikana after she goes on the run and one small act of compassion on her part shatters the chains binding him. Well, sort of. The curse is still inside of, but Kael has the opportunity to find himself again.

On Mikana's end, it looks like she's traded one prison for another. Except, Kael is not exactly her master. He protects her and keeps her safe and she catches glimpses of the male underneath the monster that call to her. It doesn't take long before these two are teaming up in more ways than one. Soon they're on the hunt for a way to break Kael's curse once and for all.

More than a little danger, some wild magic, a monster with the heart of an honorable orc, and a lady who sees beneath the monster to the male within. GOOD STUFF!

Knotted by the Beast by Siena Stone [Review]

Knotted by the Beast (Knotty Fairytales #3) by Siena Stone
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 7, 2026

Knotty Fairytales
1. Hunted and Knotted by the Wolf
2. Knotting Cinderella
3. Knotted by the Beast - Kindle
4. Hunted & Knotted by the Minotaur King
5. Knotting the Evil Queen

Siena Stone
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

The moment Belle steps into his cursed castle, everything changes. Her scent wakes something feral inside The Beast, turning him into a starving monster, desperate to rut.

But Belle’s not his prisoner. She’s his mate. And once he gets a taste of her lush curves and sweet slick, Beast won’t stop until she’s knotted, marked, and bred.

Belle knows she should run, but her body burns for her massive monster, and her heart recognizes he’s her mate.

Thoughts on Knotted by the Beast: A sex-ay Beauty and the Beast retelling and I AM HERE FOR IT! We have a growly Beast who absolutely doesn't believe in fated mates and the omega who calls to him. Belle is sweet and kind and has never experienced the kind of feelings Beast rouses in her. To say they get down to business VERY quickly might be understating things.

But tangling in the sheets (or christening the various rooms in the castle) doesn't mean she accepts him. Or loves him. Beast has to face the facts that maybe he's destined to remain cursed forever. Which frankly sucks. Fortunately, Belle has a good heart and she's willing to follow her happiness wherever it might lead her. To be fair, Belle's father had to talk some sense into her, but she still listened and did what needed to be done.

A cursed castle, a whole lot of steamy times in the sheets, a staff who are VERY invested in Belle and Beast's relationship, a Beast who learned a serious lesson, and a lady who loves with everything inside her. *thumbs up*

Ravished by Teagan Grey [Review]

Ravished (The Bastion #2) by Teagan Grey
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 7, 2026

The Bastion
1. Chained
2. Ravished - Kindle

Teagan Grey
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

He’s a monster behind bars. She’s the librarian who volunteered to tame him.

Winnie Hauser is used to the quiet life: dusty books, forgettable dates, and living in the shadows of her own insecurities. But when she signs up for The Bastion’s secretive Tamer Program—where women are paired with imprisoned supernatural beings for “behavioral intervention”—she steps into a world where danger is erotic, desire is a weapon, and monsters don’t play by human rules.

Her first assignment is Torgan, an orc infamous for his brute strength, battle scars, and detached efficiency. Winnie expects a cold, transactional encounter. What she gets is something far more intense. And addictive. With every touch, every growled command, Torgan peels away her defenses, exposing cravings she’s never dared voice. But in a prison where lust is currency and monsters can be more honest than men, what’s the price of surrender?

Thoughts on Ravished: We're back in The Bastion and new recruit Winnie is learning the ins and outs of being a Tamer. A librarian who doesn't quite feel like she fits in (she's too much for some, too boring for others), she's willing to see where this whole thing takes her.

As it turns out, her first assignment takes her a whole lot of places. Torgan's big, possessive, and doesn't let her hide parts of herself away. I'm not even talking physically here (although that too!). Torgan makes her ask for the things she wants and then gives them to her. He's intense in the best sort of way and it turns out that's EXACTLY what works for Winnie.

The Bastion might house some dangerous criminals, but the inmates (so far) have been very giving with the women sent in to tame them. Sure, they're rough around the edges and like pushing boundaries, but their ladies don't seem to mind. *thumbs up*

Guarded by the Spider by Cassie Alexander [Review]

Guarded by the Spider (Monster Security Agency #3) by Cassie Alexander
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 12, 2026

Monster Security Agency
1. Guarded by the Golem
2. Guarded by the Snake
3. Guarded by the Spider - Paperback | Kindle
4. Guarded by the Kraken
5. Guarded by the Leshy
6. Guarded by the Vodnik
7. Guarded by the Nightmare
8. Guarded by the Reaper
9. Guarded by the Phantom
10. Guarded by the Krampus
11. Guarded by the Yeti
12. Guarded by the AI
13. Guarded by the Symbiote
14. Guarded by the Steel Seraph
15. Guarded by the Clanker

Cassie Alexander
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

For my kind, to be without a mate is to be doomed. I know it is too late–all that awaits me is retirement and death, and I’ve embraced it.

But when a suicide mission lands on my old boss’s desk, I’m the one he calls. Who better to tackle the mission in the deep, oppressive mines of my own ancestral homeland, if not an Arachnae already slated to die? And it’s not a rescue mission–he wants me to retrieve the corpse of a billionaire’s daughter kidnapped by a terrorist organization.

Except our intel was wrong.

She’s alive. Tortured and injured–but alive.

And from the moment I scent her, I am certain she’s my mate.

She cowers in fear when she sees me, yet I will stop at nothing to protect her.

And now that I have a reason to live…a whole lot of people are going to die.

Thoughts on Guarded by the Spider: Hoo-boy! I was not expecting to like a spider-esque main as much as I ending up liking Nia'n'an (Nine), but he worked for me. He's resigned to finishing out his life cycle since he hasn't found his mate and then he catches Sloan's scent and OUR DUDE IS ALL IN. Just completely smitten. For a massive spider monster, it was surprisingly sweet.

Now Sloan, on the other hand, is not immediately hit by love at first sight. In fact, she's kind of terrified by her rescuer when he first swoops in the save her. To be fair, she's completely traumatized, has been held captive for a substantial amount of time (to the point MSA thinks this has likely gone from a rescue mission to a retrieval mission), and her emotions are ALL over the place. Since Nia'n'an's translator was damaged, he can understand her, but she can't understand him so there's a whole communication issue on top of her trauma.

BUT...Nia'n'an is all in and he's not going to give up on his lady when the alternative means she'll end up dead in the tunnels without him. Sloan eventually gets on board the whole relationship idea (on her own, since they can't communicate) and begins to see that everything he does is geared toward keeping her safe and worshiping her as the treasure her spider-man thinks she is. (She also has some trust issues revolving around people liking her just for herself as opposed to for her father's money, so there's a lot of baggage both of them to work through.)

A little danger (tunnels! predators! kidnappers!), an escape that gives the two of them time to get to know one another (even with the communication issue), a male who will risk everything to keep his special someone safe, and a lady who has to figure out what she wants before she can grab it with both hands. *thumbs up*

Hot Wolf in the Country by Honey Phillips [Review]

Hot Wolf in the Country (Hot Wolf #2) by Honey Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 10, 2026

Hot Wolf
1. Hot Wolf in the City
2. Hot Wolf in the Country - Paperback | Kindle

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Working late has never been this dangerous!

Tech genius Harper moves to Monster Island for a fresh start, hoping to escape her workaholic tendencies. She doesn’t expect to fall even deeper into her old patterns, or to accidentally run into the most infuriatingly attractive man she's ever met. Adrian Moonstone isn't just the Alpha of the Moonstone Pack; he's a growly, dominant force of nature.

Adrian wants nothing to do with big city girls, but Harper, with her pink hair, defiant attitude, and tantalizing scent, proves impossible to resist. He knows a tiny human female can't be his Luna. He knows she'll never truly belong in his world. Yet, his wolf’s need to claim her grows with every encounter.

When a vicious cyber-attack threatens his pack, Adrian needs Harper's genius more than ever. But as they fight together to defeat this new threat, their undeniable passion ignites. Can Harper find her happily ever after, or will love prove to be a code that even she can’t break?

Thoughts on Hot Wolf in the Country: We're back in Moonstone Pack territory with the Alpha who fiercely controls himself and doesn't believe love is in the cards for him. BOY, is he wrong. As some backstory, Adrian's father mated with a toxic woman who stirred up multiple issues with the pack, was treacherous and conniving, and who delighted in all the chaos she caused. Adrian has valid reasons for being wary of relationships. Harper just happened to worm her way into his heart anyway.

Which isn't to say their coming together was easy. Adrian is closed off and wary. Harper keeps to herself and doesn't make friends, preferring her work to socializing. In other words, she's also closed off an wary. Given that everyone in her life has abandoned her, she also has reasons for her wariness. BUT...she's trying to open herself up to new possibilities. It's just not as easy as one might think when a person's default when things happen is to crawl into themselves so they don't get hurt.

That said, Harper has stepped out of her comfort zone by moving to Monster Island. She steps a little further out when she grudgingly agrees to upgrade the Pack infrastructure and bring them a little closer to the modern age. She takes that final step when she throws caution to the wind and decides to see where this zinging pull toward Adrian takes them. Of course, Adrian also has to throw caution to the wind in that regard, but he's battling his wolf on that one and his wolf REALLY wants to claim Harper as absolutely soon as possible.

A little tech talk, a elder council that's stuck in a rut, an Alpha who wants the best for his pack, and a lady who is calmly competent in all things (except interpersonal relationships). Wolves, YESSSSSS!

RtP's Week in Review (04/26/26)

Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review

• Fieldwork by Adrian Blue [Review] - Monster love!
• The Debt by Adrian Blue [Review] - More monster love!
• Before the Frost by Adrian Blue [Review] - Even MORE monster love!
• The Fog by Adrian blue [Review] - SO MUCH MONSTER LOVE!
• Aspen by Adrian Blue [Review] - The monster love just keeps on coming!
• The Botanist and the Beast by Honey Phillips [Review] - Alien love!

Bookish Delights

• Books added to the pile
• Ocean Light (Psy-Changeling Trinity #2) by Nalini Singh
• Caught Up (Into Darkness #2) by Navessa Allen
• Currently reading
• Craved by Monsters by Sylvie Stray

The Botanist and the Beast by Honey Phillips [Review]

The Botanist and the Beast (Fairhaven Falls #8.5) by Honey Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: provided through author's newsletter
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: December 21, 2025

Fairhaven Falls
1. Trouble for My Troll
2. Fireworks for My Dragon Boss
3. Mistletoe for My Minotaur
4. Valentine for My Vampire
5. Gift for My Ghost
6. Wedding for My Werewolf
7. Kiss for My Kraken
8. Healed by My Hyde
8.5. The Botanist and the Beast
9. Brownies for My Grumpy Bunny
10. Guarded by My Gargoyle

Related books:
(Part of the Sweet Monster Treats series)
Cupcakes for My Orc Enemy
The Single Mom and the Orc
Protected by the Orc
Bidding on the Orc Outcast

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis:

Botanist Mia Barnes knew that searching for a legendary glowing plant in the mountains surrounding the quirky Southern town of Fairhaven Falls would be no easy task, but she never expected to land in the arms of Kade, a towering shadow guardian. Teaming up with the grumpy—but undeniably attractive—male to save the mystical plant (and possibly the entire town) from an encroaching darkness, Mia can’t help but wonder if love might bloom in the most unexpected of places... like the foggy, monster-filled woods.

Welcome to Fairhaven Falls where monsters and magic go hand in hand!

Thoughts on The Botanist and the Beast: A short and sweet little story set in Fairhaven Falls. Mia is a human who doesn't quite fit into the great outdoors, but she's determined to step outside her comfort zone a little and search for a plant that might or might not be real. Kade is the guardian of the woods who doesn't understand why he's drawn to Mia, but who can't quite help falling for her charming enthusiasm.

Throw in a little danger when Kade (not to mention the woods and possibly the town of Fairhaven Falls itself) is threatened by the darkness slowly consuming the plant Mia is searching for and he and Mia have to team up to fight whatever this darkness is. Which works nicely since they team up *winkwink* well together.

A fun, quick read with just the right amount of spice. *thumbs up*