Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
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Monster Between the Sheets
1. Watt and Bothered
2. Something Wicked This Way Comes
3. His Heartbeat
4. Now You See Me
5. Knot Running From Fate
6. A Bride for the Beast
7. Naga Say Never - Kindle
8. Dragon of My Dreams - Kindle
9. Bad Boy Minotaur - Kindle
10. Ogre My Dead Body - Kindle
11. Orc Me Baby One More Time - Paperback | Kindle
12. Extra Virgin Gargoyle - Kindle
Date read: May 16, 2023
Kylie Marcus - Website | Amazon
Synopsis (Goodreads):
After I was turned into a Naga by a punch gone wrong, I slithered back to my home and kept to myself. After all, everyone's afraid of snakes—even other monsters.Thoughts on Naga Say Never: We're back in Screaming Woods and this time around we have a reclusive naga and a young woman on the run. I kind of feel like the circumstances that had Irina ending up in the naga's house were a little farfetched, but I'm also reading about a town full of monsters, so I guess it's cool.
Then, one day, my front door opens, and in walks the most beautiful creature I've ever seen ... and she has no idea I'm living here with her.
From what I can tell, she's hiding from something, and she has no idea I'm watching her.
But the longer I wait, the more she makes herself comfortable, and before long, I realize I can't keep hiding in the shadows. She should know while she's buying throw pillows, I'm imagining throwing her over my shoulder.
I'm a monster with primal urges I can't control. I don't want to hurt her, but I also don't want to give her up.
Can this human convince her stalker monster that the age gap between them is just a number and it's no reason to swear off their fated love? Read today to find out!
So, Jakari and Irina. Jakari has pretty much become a hermit since his transformation and he's more or less content with that. Until Irina breaks into his house (thinking it's abandoned) and suddenly he's fully aware of how alone he's been over the last twenty years. Frankly, the big guy has a few issues to work on before he and Irina can become a long term thing.
On Irina's end, she's on the run, desperate for a place to hole up, and she's...I don't know. The situation with her sister sticking her in a nunnery was weird, but (again) I can roll with it. She's pretty open minded about the monsters in town (thanks to those reasons her sister stuck her in a nunnery in the first place) and Jakari's differences don't really bother her. In fact, she kinda likes his tail. A lot.
I wasn't a huge fan of their blow-up moment, but their make-up getting back together was good. Bottom line: fun, if a little far-fetched at times, but I enjoyed it.
Date read: May 17, 2023
Andie Fenichel - Amazon
Synopsis (Goodreads):
DiegoThoughts on Dragon of My Dreams: The dragon and the artist are up and they have a little sizzle going from the start. That said, seeing as Scarlett's on the run from an abusive ex, she's a little wary of falling into a relationship. So, yeah, there's sizzle, but there's also a little careful holding back.
Being a dragon in a town filled with monsters isn’t so bad. A bunch of scales and wings isn’t the worst affliction to hit this town’s residents. However, I don’t like being alone or having people run away when they see me. And with more humans moving to town, that happens more and more. Most of the time, I keep to myself or with a select group of good friends who are also monsters. I sell my jewelry and rent space in my art gallery. It’s a dreary but acceptable way to live.
The moment Scarlett walks into my jewelry shop, she changes everything. Becomes my everything. I can tell that she’s hiding something, and I’m almost certain someone in her past hurt her. As a man and a dragon, that’s not something I can live with. Now that she’s entered my dragon’s lair, I’ll do anything to protect her.
Scarlett
I stumbled upon Screamer Woods by accident. The unique residents make it the perfect place to hide out from my ex. He may find me anyway—he has before—but this place is so far off the beaten path, it may take a while. In the meantime, I can sell some artwork and refill my coffers before I have to run again.
Seeing a vampire or a fairy doesn’t scare me. I know what a real monster is and does. Meeting Diego is an unexpected bonus. Too bad I’ll have to bolt soon. I could get used to the way Diego looks at me. The way he makes me feel. If only the monster in my past would stay away and let me live happily ever after with the dragon of my dreams
Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Diego and Scarlett. He's a dragon with an eye for beautiful things. She's an artist who's been living a pretty awful existence over the past year as she attempts to keep one step ahead of her ex. Diego's dragon-ish instincts (among other things) have him more than willing to step up and help any way he can, but there's more going on here than a desire to protect. Diego likes the pretty artist and his beastly side is pretty sure she's the one.
On Scarlett's end, she definitely likes Diego, but she doesn't want to drag him (or the town) into her problems. Having a safe place to stay is incredible, but she knows it can't last given her ex's penchant for showing up when he's least wanted. BUT...Scarlett also trusts Diego when he says he can keep her safe and take care of her problem.
A little danger, a flight through the night sky, a town that pulls together when needed, and two people who make things work. *thumbs up*
Date read: May 17, 2023
Michele Mills - Website | Amazon
Synopsis (Goodreads):
My neighbor is a huge, undeniably powerful Minotaur.Thoughts on Bad Boy Minotaur: I'm a little torn on how I feel about this one. I generally enjoy this author's work, but this one fell a little flat for me. Partly because the name of the town was referred to as Screamer Woods and all the other books have it as Screaming Woods. I realize this is a relatively small issue overall, but it REALLY took me out of the story whenever it was mentioned (and unfortunately it was mentioned often). Because of that, I noticed other editing issues that I likely would have ignored if I'd been immersed in the story.
You heard me right—a Minotaur.
With curved horns on either side of his head and a heavy gold ring that pierces both nostrils. He’s often shirtless while he tinkers with his motorcycle, which exposes a sweaty six pack of abs and the intricate tats that sleeve both of his muscular arms.
Tonight, on Halloween, my insufferable neighbor is throwing yet another raging party with lots of rowdy guests, and it’s continuing way past curfew and late into the night. I’m so very tired of this behavior.
That’s it—I’m marching over there!
I arrive in a short robe and fuzzy slippers, ready to let loose with a verbal barrage.
His front door swings open and the Minotaur’s heated, possessive gaze travels from the top of my messy bun, along the length of my curves, to the tips of my painted toenails.
A wide grin spreads across his harsh features.
And he grabs my wrist and pulls me inside.
Then slams the door shut behind me.
Anyway. A minotaur and a human. Things happened quickly between Bruce and Lucy, but that's the type of book this is. OTT heroes and heroines who fall madly in love with one another at first glance are sort of the norm here. If I'd been a little more engaged in the book overall, maybe it wouldn't have bothered me as much, but the whole "we're just friends" thing felt overdone.
I didn't love Bruce's cousin at any point (including the end) and I thought her showing up to basically vet Lucy on Halloween night to make sure she was good enough for Bruce was weird considering how horribly inconsiderate she was for the bulk of the book.
Again, I'm torn on how I feel. I've enjoyed this series overall, but this one didn't really do it for me.
Date read: May 18, 2023
Violet Rae - Website | Amazon
Synopsis (Goodreads):
Can the curvy redhead with a dark past teach the growly ogre with a broken soul that even "monsters" deserve to be loved?Thoughts on Ogre My Dead Body: An ogre and a young woman in a bad situation are up next and and little danger and mayhem are the order of the day. Meaning, Arya was in a REALLY bad situation and her monster is pretty much the best thing that ever happened to her.
Gregor
I've been alone for a long time, living a solitary existence in my cabin in the woods. My dream of falling in love and raising a family turned to ashes following the accident that turned me into a monster. What woman would want a future with a hideous beast?
But when I rescue a beautiful redhead in peril, my heart and soul scream mine. Arya's emerald-green eyes and delectable curves spark desires I thought were long dead. She doesn't look at me with fear or disgust, and her soft touch makes me believe we're the only two beings in the world.
Arya is my salvation, but I know we can never be together. A woman as loving and innocent as Arya deserves far better than a monster like me.
Arya
Escaping the "prison" where I grew up, I flee into Screaming Woods. But I never expected to escape one monster only to run head-first into another. I’m alone, injured, and desperate, and I've heard the terrifying rumors of the beastly beings living in these woods. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine my rescuer would be ... an ogre?
Despite his growly demeanor, Gregor carries me protectively to his cabin in the woods and gently tends to my injuries. Our bond extends beyond physical appearances, but can I convince my possessive ogre that his heart is pure and the real monsters are those still hunting me down?
Before we get to Gregor and Arya, however, we get a little more insight into the accident that changed the townsfolk so dramatically twenty years ago. All I can say is: always label your ingredients clearly when concocting brews. Otherwise, you might end up with a punch that changes people in ways no one was expecting.
Anywho. Gregor and Arya. He's a loner of a ogre who rarely ventures into town. She's a woman trying to get away from a cult. And her father. And the plans her father had for her in the cult. Throw in a traumatic moment or two during her escape and Arya isn't in the best emotional place when Gregor saves her.
Fortunately for both of them, Arya's kind of awful experience doesn't lessen her attraction to Gregor. In fact, she likes everything she sees when she looks at the big guy and soon they're shacking up and falling head over heels for one another.
A little danger, a kinda gross cult, parental issues, and two individuals who meet each other at exactly the right place and time.
Date read: May 18, 2023
Ava Ross - Website | Amazon
Synopsis (Goodreads):
Can fake dating the town’s orc blacksmith turn into something real?Thoughts on Orc Me Baby One More Time: A sweet blacksmith orc and the lady who's captured his attention. To be fair, Gunnar had also captured Rylie's attention from the start, but since he wasn't picking up any of the signals she was putting out she'd sort of resigned herself to nothing happening on that front.
If I don’t find a date for my grandmother’s weekend birthday bash, my mother plans to set me up with the relative of a friend who has to be ninety. No thanks. On the spur of the moment, I ask the town’s orc blacksmith I’ve been crushing on for months to go with me.
Gunner agrees, and before I know it, we’re sneaking away from Grannie’s bash to steal a few kisses. Finally, I'm getting to know this sweet, shy blacksmith I'd do almost anything to date for real.
After Grannie’s weekend event ends, I figure I'll go back to admiring Gunner from afar. But it turns out he's no longer faking . . .
As it turns out, all it took to get these two together was the threat of a date setup by Rylie's mother and BOOM suddenly these two are figuring things out.
Well, it wasn't actually that easy, but Gunnar got to spend time with Rylie and see how unfazed her family was by his orc-ness. Plus, he finally figured out that she liked him. Instead of, you know, just thinking she was being nice. And he got to put a few moves on - both on the dance floor and in other places. RAWR!
As for Rylie, she got to spend time with the monster she's been crushing on and THINGS HAPPENED. And soon they weren't faking a relationship for the sake of her family. YES!
MAN, Screaming Woods is fun.
Date read: November 1, 2022
Honey Phillips - Website | Amazon
Synopsis (Goodreads):
When Angie unexpectedly inherits a bookstore from her grandmother, she is determined to make it a success. Unfortunately, the somewhat unusual inhabitants of Screamer Woods don’t take kindly to outsiders, and her dream is in danger of failing.Thoughts on Extra Virgin Gargoyle: Town full of monsters and the human lady who's trying to find her place among them. Angie's accepting enough of the supernatural inhabitants and wants her bookstore to thrive, but the town isn't quite as accepting of her. Which is super uncool because the thing they're blaming on her wasn't her fault at all.
In a desperate attempt to make ends meet, she accepts a part-time job cataloging the library of the vast Gothic mansion on the edge of town. But the brooding gargoyle owner turns out to be even more fascinating than his collection.
After the unfortunate incident that turned Alastair into his present form, he retreated into his inherited mansion. He has his books and his studies, and he tells himself that he doesn’t long for anything more.
An unexpected encounter with the cheerful, curvy bookstore owner reminds him of everything he is missing. Even though he knows there’s no future for the two of them, he can’t resist the urge to have her close to him. After all, what does a monster like him have to offer her?
A sweet and spicy tale of a librarian and her beast!
But that's another story for down the road. While Angie might be struggling to make her bookstore turn a profit, she's trying to remain upbeat about it. Which is hard when she her customer base actively avoids her.
Which brings us to Alastair. While he also actively avoids pretty much everyone (not just Angie), he finds he just can't keep away from her after meeting her in the woods. One thing leads to another and soon she's cataloging his library and spending time with him. Which he liiiiikes.
A funky family dynamic, a town with a lot of character, a bookstore owner who likes what she sees, and a gargoyle who REALLY likes what he sees. GOOD STUFF!
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