Alien Tower by Honey Phillips [Review]

Alien Tower (Alien Wolf Tales #8) by Honey Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 14, 2026

Alien Wolf Tales
1. Big, Bad Alien
2. Alien Huntsman
3. Alien Charming
4. Cursed Alien
5. Alien Song
6. Alien's Bargain
7. Alien Awakening
8. Alien Tower - Paperback | Kindle

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
How the Aliens Were Won
1. Borgaz

Seven Brides for Seven Alien Brothers
1. Artek

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

The tower was never meant to keep her safe.
It was meant to keep her hidden.

Locked in a lonely tower where the jungle meets the sea, Liora has spent her entire life under the protection of a watchful AI guardian. She has never left the tower. Never met another person.

Until a massive Vultor warrior appears at her door.

Baylin came south to investigate an almost forgotten structure mentioned in an old colony record. He never expected to find a beautiful female living inside.

Curious, brave, and far too trusting, Liora is fascinated by the dangerous warrior who has suddenly entered her carefully controlled world.

But when Baylin discovers she carries a powerful secret, he must decide if he can break the tower’s hold before the world discovers she exists.

Because the moment Liora steps outside the walls… everything will change.

Thoughts on Alien Tower: Restless Vultor warrior Baylin is up and he's on a mission to find a distant tower and the mysteries it holds. As it turns out the mystery is a sweet human woman who's curious and brilliant and who's never set foot outside her tower. A woman who calls to Baylin in ways he never expected.

Liora is caught in a cage she can't see. The tower is a prison, the AI threaded through it controls every aspect of her life. She longs to see the outside world and experience life, but she's been told it's too dangerous and she's safest within the tower walls. Baylin's arrival at her tower cracks open her understanding of everything she's ever believed. His very presence has her asking questions and pushing the boundaries the AI has set for her.

Together, they begin to unravel why she's been confined to the tower and how to dismantle the walls of her prison. Which is harder than it seems because the tower is impregnable and almost indestructible and the AI keeping the doors locked is sunk into every part of the building.

A mysterious structure, an AI that is determined to carry out what it's been programmed to do, a warrior who was looking for a purpose, and a gifted woman who finds joy in everything she encounters. *thumbs up*

Copperhead by Naomi Lucas [Review]

Copperhead (Naga Brides #8) by Naomi Lucas
Format: paperback
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 12, 2026

Naga Brides
1. Viper
2. King Cobra
3. Blue Coral
4. Death Adder
5. Boomslang
6. Cottonmouth
7. Titanoboa
8. Copperhead - Paperback | Kindle
9. Black Mamba

Naomi Lucas
|Website | Amazon|

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I do not want a bride. They are difficult to protect. And those males who are mated have homes—clans. I have neither.

My nest was destroyed. My territory usurped, and it is her peoples’ fault.

Julia’s. The unmated female soldier within Zaku’s home.

But when I discover nagas have arrived from across the land, and that she is going to choose one to help her get back to her people, I am unsettled by what she offers in return...

Then hundreds of ships arrive.

With the landscape changing, and the tides shifting, I must leave to find out what is going on.

Except I am not alone. Julia will come with me.

Because I do not want her to be with another. I refuse to imagine it. Even if the forest is dangerous, and it is entirely up to me to keep her safe, I will take her with me.

But what if there is no safer place for her than in my arms?

Thoughts on Copperhead: Oh my goodness. Krellix and Julia fought against the thing they had. Not by choice, mind you, but because they're both a little guarded (they play their cards SERIOUSLY close to the vest) and don't want to force a situation they didn't think the other wanted. There were other reasons, too. Ones I totally got. Krellix was still grieving the loss of his clan and his nest and didn't think it was fair to bond with Julia (or anyone!) when he had nothing to offer her. Julia was in something of the same boat. She'd been betrayed by her squadron and abandoned, but she was still going through the mental motions of being a soldier. She didn't want to form attachments because she saw her future on the front line of the war against the Ketts. Plus, the naga she was most drawn to was one that didn't seem interested.

Joke's on her, though, because Krellix was VERY interested. But since these two had some difficulties actually communicating with one another (not literally, they just didn't talk things out), they kept dancing around one another until they finally broke and convinced themselves that a few nights together would be enough.

Guys. GUYS. Nagas are not good at letting go. They're territorial about a lot of things and their special someone is TOP of that list. Krellix might *think* he can walk away (and he does everything he can to make it happen), but he's still heavily invested in Julia's safety. He wants her protected and he thinks the best place for that is within a human encampment, but the big guy is still out there. Making sure she's safe.

Things are happening on the Dreadnaut survivor front. There are hidden labs and baby nagas and THINGS happening. The humans are back on Earth (not by choice, but they are definitely back) and they have to figure out how to make things work with the new dominant species if they hope to continue surviving. MAN, I like this series!

Titanoboa by Naomi Lucas [Review]

Titanoboa (Naga Brides #7) by Naomi Lucas
Format: paperback
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 6, 2026

Naga Brides
1. Viper
2. King Cobra
3. Blue Coral
4. Death Adder
5. Boomslang
6. Cottonmouth
7. Titanoboa - Paperback | Kindle
8. Copperhead
9. Black Mamba

Naomi Lucas
|Website | Amazon|

Synopsis (Goodreads):

She is not supposed to be here, so how is she? This human woman, found outside my nest.

Is she from the sky like the metal crafts now flying around?

Is she from the forest where my enemies are?

Until she wakes, I do not know. And deciding what to do with her if she does…

That is going to be a problem.

Because if she is my enemy, I cannot let her leave, and if she is not…

The secrets I keep close can’t come to light.

But I will not kill her. I will not let a female—any female—come to harm.

So, I believe I only have one option…

I will need to convince her to trust me… to not fear me.

I will need to convince her to be MINE.

Thoughts on Titanoboa: Well dang. Syasku caused a bit of chaos when he busted out of his chains and went on a rampage to rescue his honey aboard the Dreadnaut. Sparking a rebellion, killing a few (more than a few, really) soldiers, and causing a mass exodus from the ship was only the beginning. Now there are thousands of refugees making their way planet-side, the Dreadnaut is gone, and the survivors have to figure out their next steps.

Sabrina is one of those survivors. She and her small crew made it off the ship (barely) and landed in the (mostly) deserted ruins of a city. Their plan is to scavenge some old Earth tech to trade for fuel and beat feet to somewhere more inhabited. It's not a terrible plan as plans go, but the city isn't entirely uninhabited. As Sabrina finds out when she stumbles a little too close to Darolus's lair.

Darolus is...not bad as jailors go. He doesn't want to hurt Sabrina, but he doesn't trust her not to give away his location to any of his enemies. He's also pretty clueless when it comes to what a human needs to survive. So while he's not a bad individual, he doesn't always do the right thing when it comes to caring for her. No worries, though, she sets him straight pretty quickly.

Soon the two are navigating a tentative sort of friendship. And then...well, their friendship takes a bit of a turn and becomes a relationship. Being that Darolus never expected to have ANY sort of relationship with a female given his perceived monstrousness (and that he's a naga with all the possessive instincts that go along with that), he gets very territorial about his little human. Which doesn't sit all that well with Sabrina.

They get past that though and deal with all the weirdness that rolls in their direction. And YESSSS I am so here for all these nagas finding their special someones and treating them to their special brand of possessiveness. *thumbs up*

I Punched an Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy by Kimberly Lemming [Review]

I Punched an Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy (Cosmic Chaos #2) by Kimberly Lemming
Format: ebook
Source: provided through NetGalley
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: July 11, 2026

Cosmic Chaos
1. I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com
2. I Punched and Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy - Paperback | Kindle

Kimberly Lemming
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

It’s not in Blair’s nature to just give up. Not when she’s beamed up to a spaceship and then dropped on an alien planet. Not even when she’s in the middle of a forest fire surrounded by dinosaurs. And definitely not when she’s captured by an arrogant alien king. If King Osid thinks he can break her, he’s in for a shock. Blair lives by one motto: If you stay ready, you never have to get ready.

But absolutely nothing could have prepared her for finding out that she’s that arrogant King Osid’s mate.

Despite recent hiccups, the alien researchers are determined to get their breeding program back on track. With that in mind, Blair and Osid are bundled off to the research center for what they’re told is couples counseling. As they face a series of increasingly dangerous challenges, it soon becomes clear the research aliens may have confused an episode of The Bachelor with Survivor. Bonding over their common enemy, and shall we say...encouraged by love darts, Blair and Osid let down their walls (and take off their clothes). When they discover that there are—somehow—even more secret plans in the works, another hilarious, steamy, over-the-top adventure is in store.

Thoughts on I Punched an Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy: Another couple are being gently guided toward matedom by bird aliens who are WOEFULLY unprepared for the reality of human ladies who ARE NOT going to sit back and take things gracefully. Nope, Earth girls hit hard and go for the soft spots.

They also destroy enclosures, make friends with dinosaurs, and burn down (with a little help) buildings. Because YEAH THEY DO.

Anywho. We met Blair in Dory's book and Blair is a lot. I want to say that I don't mean that in a bad way, but that lady is terrifying. Just straight up chaos with a side of gleeful destruction. BUT...Osid is kinda the same. He's a good leader overall (as in he really does want his people to thrive), but he rules through fear and he's a little bloodthirsty. I'm laughing because I understated that. He's a lot bloodthirsty. He's the guy who lops off heads and asks questions later.

He's also really into Blair and her chaos demon vibe. The two of them together are gale force winds that leave a path of destruction in their wake. Which might be exactly what the survivors from Osid's planet and the abducted Earth ladies need. Throw in Dory and her men and the combined can-do attitude of the other human abductees and THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.

Probably good things. Maybe slightly chaotic things. In fact, there might be a straight up uprising against the aliens facilitating all these unhinged meet-cutes. (Also, to be fair to those aliens, Dory and Blair did mess up all their plans by escaping, but what do you expect when you put a bunch of Earthers in an unknown situation. THINGS HAPPEN.)

Dinosaurs, a whole lot of plotting and planning, a little backstabbing, a lady who is very protective of her hair, and a couple who just might have been made for one another. *thumbs up*

Cottonmouth by Naomi Lucas [Review]

Cottonmouth (Naga Brides #6) by Naomi Lucas
Format: paperback
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 4, 2026

Naga Brides
1. Viper
2. King Cobra
3. Blue Coral
4. Death Adder
5. Boomslang
6. Cottonmouth - Paperback | Kindle
7. Titanoboa
8. Copperhead
9. Black Mamba

Naomi Lucas
|Website | Amazon|

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Ever since humans arrived, my world has changed. Tensions are high as we quarrel over territory, reforming our fractured clans.

I will have none of it. I did not capture a bride.

But then my world goes dark—and she appears.

A female so lovely she possesses my mind, a bride who blushes every time she catches my eye.

She is sweet.

She is young.

She is everything I am not.

Except nothing is as it seems. I’m no longer in the forest; I’m in a cage. I’m on a ship, far from my nest, wrapped in chains.

And the female?

She is my enemy.

Only… I’m the devious naga who does not care.

Thoughts on Cottonmouth: I really like this series and I absolutely ADORE how feral these naga are when it comes to their special someones. BUT, WOW, was I stressed about all the information being amassed by the scientist in charge of Syasku's imprisonment and "testing". And then there was the whole thing with Asera. Like, bro, no mate is worth the price you're paying to get a little V.

But that's down the road. First up, Syasku and Vivian. He was the naga captured in the previous book. She's on the medical (and I use that term loosely because A LOT of what was done to him was medical in name only) team assigned to manage him. She's also one of the children of the Dreadnaut's commander (who is NOT a good person in any way, shape, or form) and she's almost as trapped as Syasku is. Her dad's desperate to hang onto the power he has and her boss is just plain power-mad. She's caught in a place where her best bet is to remain unnoticed.

Frankly, being unnoticed gets throw out the window when Syasku speaks to her. She's the only one he'll communicate with which puts her in a tough position. A serious of events has her ending up imprisoned in his cell with him and, well, things escalate from there. Soon the two are enjoying their alone time A LOT.

But they're both still prisoners and the people in charge aren't about to let a valuable asset slip through their fingers. Let's just say things get messy and Vivian and Syasku have to fight their way to freedom.

(Also, Asera, no. Just no.)

A whole lot of danger (at pretty much every turn), a rebellion, a very bad woman using every drop of her power to take what she thinks she deserves, a naga who will carve a path through a ship to keep his mate safe (once he heals, that is), and a lady who has found someone worth burning down her world for. *thumbs up*

Marc by Anna Hackett [Review]

Marc (Hunter Squad #3) by Anna Hackett
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 29, 2026

Hunter Squad
1. Jameson
2. North
3. Marc - Paperback | Kindle
4. Zeke

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Hell Squad
1. Marcus

Anna Hackett
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

We survived the invasion and beat the aliens. But they left something behind…

Killing monsters is what I do. Like my father before me, I fight side by side with my twin brother and my squad to protect our people.

Since the invasion, life is dangerous. I know how short it can be, so I live it to the fullest. I work hard on Hunter Squad, I party harder, I love a joke and a good time, and I never get tangled up in relationships. I watched my father’s grief at losing his brother. I almost lost my own twin. I’ll never let myself get in too deep.

Then our squad’s pilot crashes alone in monster-infested mountains.

Tiny, opinionated Colbie who’s the best pilot I know. A fierce redhead who never hesitates to stand up to me.

Everything changes. Every protective instinct I have is in overdrive. I have to find her and bring her home.

I’ll risk it all—monsters, raging rivers, dangerous terrain—but when the two of us are alone and fighting for survival, I realize that what’s most at risk is the one thing I’ve always guarded—my heart.

Thoughts on Marc: We're back with the HS crew as they work on making this alien ravaged Earth a little safer for the humans who've survived. This time around we have Marc and Colbie. He's convinced himself that caring for someone is outside his wheelhouse (because the world is a dangerous place and people inevitably get lost) and he pushes any and all inconvenient feelings he might have for Colbie down. She likes the big guy, but she's not willing to be just a notch on Marc's headboard.

Then Colbie's copter is brought down in monster-infested territory and suddenly they're both facing the idea that they might have missed out on something good by not acting on their feelings. Also, Colbie's alone, afraid, and fighting to stay alive long enough for Hunter Squad to find her. Which, you know, is rough.

But find her they do! Then, she and Marc end up separated from the rest of the group and have to seek shelter in the abandoned Blue Mountain base. Which is downright awesome because I LOVE revisiting decaying settings like that. On the downside, the base has its fair share of monsters that have taken up residence in it and Colbie and Marc have their hands full keeping themselves alive.

A little danger, some freaky new alien hybrids, familiar faces, a man who has to confront his fears before he loses the only woman he's ever had feelings for, and a lady who isn't willing to sit back if it means leaving her loved ones unprotected. *thumbs up*

Chosen by the Hunter by Lynnea Lee [Review]

Chosen by the Hunter (Xarc'n Warriors #14) by Lynnea Lee
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 21, 2026

Xarc'n Warriors
0.5. Pursued by the Hunter
1. Claimed by the Hunter
2. Wanted by the Hunter
3. Taken by the Hunter
4. Cherished by the Hunter
5. Rescued by the Hunter
6. Stolen by the Hunter
7. Captured by the Hunter
8. Protected by the Hunter
8.5. Hunter's Valentine
9. Desired by the Hunter
10. Coveted by the Hunter
11. Craved by the Hunter
12. Treasured by the Hunter
13. Fated to the Hunter
13.5. Holly and the Hunter
14. Chosen by the Hunter - Kindle

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Xarc'n Warriors: Mountains
1. Hunter's Quest

Lynnea Lee
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I blame the moonshine. AKA, I kissed a Xarc’n warrior and I liked it.
One moment, I’m strolling home, midnight snack in hand, and the next I’m smooshed against a broad, purple chest, tongue tangled with a Xarc’n warrior. “Drunkenly Taste-test an Alien” achievement unlocked!

What follows is a flirty game of cat and mouse that makes me feel young and ready to make questionable life choices again. Ror’k wakes up a part of me I thought I buried right next to my divorce papers. Wanting the horned and fanged silver fox is easy. Trusting again? Not so much.

But New Franklin has bigger problems than my accidental alien make-out session. Supplies are disappearing, people are getting jumpy, and someone in our cozy little settlement is up to no good. We need to get to the bottom of this before the summer swarms or New Franklin’s in serious trouble.

Thoughts on Chosen by the Hunter: Oh-ho! A silver fox warrior finds his special someone and YESSS! I am here for it!

Ror'k is in a weird headspace when we first meet him. He's one of the older warriors who spent most of his time aboard one of the Xarc'n motherships after being injured. While he was overseer (which is both important and fancy!) of his ship, he sees himself as less than the warriors out there fighting the scourge since he's, you know, not fighting beside them. Just to make this a double whammy for the poor guy, his mothership was the one that was lost previously so now he's also an overseer without a ship.

Yeah, he's dealing with a few things.

BUT...then Dottie runs into him (literally) after sampling some homemade hooch and plants a big ole kiss on the big guy and now he has something besides his "failures" to occupy his mind. Yep, one sassy librarian who always seems to be one step ahead is all he can think about.

On Dottie's end, she's not looking for romance. Or so she thinks. I mean, whenever these two get close to one another they seem to find themselves kissing so there mayyyyybe there could be a little romance. For all she keeps telling herself she isn't looking for anything long term (been there, done that, she says), Ror'k makes her feel safe and seen. Yup, she likes the big guy with his rippling muscles and silvered hair and determined focus.

A little thievery, a slight case of kidnapping (adultnapping?), KITTENS!, a little danger, a warrior who doesn't see in himself what others see, and a lady who can hold her own against the sexy male who keeps chasing her. *thumbs up*

The Captain's Claim by Adrian Blue [Review]

The Captain's Claim (Taken by the Stars #5) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 21, 2026

Taken by the Stars
1. Heart of the Deep
2. Starbound
3. Breach Protocol
4. The Queen's Shadow
5. The Captain's Claim - Kindle

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

When pirates board her research vessel, Dr. Orla Carter expects the worst. What she doesn't expect is their captain. Seven feet of dark scaled muscle with eyes that see straight through her. A reluctant leader carrying eight hundred Kadrin refugees and nowhere left to take them.

She doesn't expect to care. But the more she learns about who he really is, the harder it becomes to remember she's supposed to be his hostage.

Trapped on a patchwork ship full of families and a suspicious first mate who definitely hates her, Orla has a choice: remain a hostage, or become something more.

Thoughts on The Captain's Claim: When Captain Renn gives Orla the choice to either join them "voluntarily" or watch her crewmates get spaced one by one until she agrees, Orla does what any decent person would do. She goes with the captain. Except, instead of a bloodthirsty pirate ship, she finds a cobbled together sanctuary housing the last of Renn's people.

She's scared and a little angry at being forced to help, but the more she learns about Renn and his people, the more she begins to see why he did what he did. Finding out she worked for the very corporation that forced them to flee their own planet? Well, she has to come to terms with that and decide what her next move will be.

And if she starts seeing the captain in a slightly different light after learning about everything? It's understandable. He's been chased off his world and has the weight of eight hundred lives on his shoulders. He's trying his hardest to give his people a chance at living and Orla's contribution was a big piece of that.

A little subterfuge, a boatload of corporate cruelty, a captain who will go to any lengths (even if he hates himself after), and a lady who is willing to help people in need just because it's the right thing to do. *thumbs up*

The Queen's Shadow by Adrian Blue [Review]

The Queen's Shadow (Taken by the Stars #4) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 15, 2026

Taken by the Stars
1. Heart of the Deep
2. Starbound
3. Breach Protocol
4. The Queen's Shadow - Kindle
5. The Captain's Claim

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Queen Seraphina of Elysara has spent years learning to read every room, every threat, every carefully concealed agenda. She is composed. Strategic. Untouchable. The one thing she has never let herself read is the man standing three paces behind her. But when an assassin's ambush strands them in Elysara's most unforgiving wilderness, she is forced to reckon with a truth she has carefully avoided for years. The man who would die for her without hesitation is the one person she has never let herself truly see.

But he has always seen her.

Thoughts on The Queen's Shadow: Oh-ho! The strong, stoic bodyguard who has ruthlessly quashed down his want for the woman he's guarding and the queen who trusts the male who has her back more than anyone else. Under normal circumstances, they're very careful to keep themselves locked down and not let anyone (the other included) know how deep their feelings run. In fact, if they hadn't been attacked and ended up stranded in the wilderness with only one another to rely on, it's HIGHLY possible they would have remained as they were into perpetuity.

Fortunately for them (although not so fortunately for those who had been with them), they WERE attacked and had some serious alone time to come to terms with all the things they'd been hiding from one another.

A queen and her bodyguard. I'm here for it!

Breach Protocol by Adrian Blue [Review]

Breach Protocol (Taken by the Stars #3) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 15, 2026

Taken by the Stars
1. Heart of the Deep
2. Starbound
3. Breach Protocol - Kindle
4. The Queen's Shadow
5. The Captain's Claim

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Elara
I built my life around certainty. Clean data. Measurable outcomes. The kind of work that left no room for doubt. For three years, the alien in my lab was a specimen, a means to an end, and I was very good at not thinking too hard about what that end was. Then everything fell apart at once, and suddenly the only thing standing between me and a slow death is the creature I've been studying.

D'varek
I had five years to imagine what I'd do when I finally got free. I never imagined the bond. Unbreakable. Irreversible. Tying my soul to the one person in the universe I had the most reason to hate. I told myself it was only biology. That knowing her wouldn't change anything. But the longer I spend at her side, the more I wonder if it knew exactly what it was doing.

Thoughts on Breach Protocol: Conducting experiments on a comatose, non-responsive specimen is one thing. Finding out said specimen felt every cut is another. Finding that out when the station is compromised and the clock is ticking on how long Elara and her alien have to live? ROUGH.

But let's back up. After suffering a terrible loss, Elara has channeled her grief and anger into conducting the experiments she's been tasked with. It's a job and she does it to the best of her ability. Then the station fails and she can't get to her escape pod. Her only chance of getting out of the lab alive is to wake the specimen and see if he can help.

Let's just say that goes both better and worse than Elara imagined. For one, D'varek is not the primitive being she thought he was. He also agrees to help her. Mostly because he knows she's his bonded the moment he scented her and he couldn't let her die when he could do something about it. So the two make their way through a destabilizing station, realize they need to repair the escape pod before they can get away, and work together to give themselves a chance to survive.

Things are tough, but Elara and D'varek make it happen. But that's only the beginning. If they make it off the station, they need to hope someone hears their distress call. Then there's the information Elara discovered about the war and the experiments she unwittingly took part in. That information needs to get out there so her people can't keep committing atrocities. Plus, the bond between these two is flaring and it's not really something they can ignore.

No lie, I enjoy stories set in slowly decaying settings. The station is dying around them, they're hit with obstacles at every turn, and they have to figure out how to survive when everything is actively trying to stop them. *heart eyes*

Alien Awakening by Honey Phillips [Review]

Alien Awakening (Alien Wolf Tales #7) by Honey Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 15, 2026

Alien Wolf Tales
1. Big, Bad Alien
2. Alien Huntsman
3. Alien Charming
4. Cursed Alien
5. Alien Song
6. Alien's Bargain
7. Alien Awakening - Paperback | Kindle
8. Alien Tower

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
How the Aliens Were Won
1. Borgaz

Seven Brides for Seven Alien Brothers
1. Artek

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

She was meant to sleep forever.

When Ember Duvain’s ship explodes, her escape capsule locks her in stasis and crashes deep in Cresca’s mountains. She awakens in the arms of a brooding alien wolf shifter who trusts no one.

Rykan doesn’t trust easily. Betrayal drove him from his pack, and he has no patience for fragile princesses who need protecting.

But mountain life strips away illusion.

As Rykan trains Ember to survive, he realizes the sheltered heiress is far stronger than she appears. And when she uncovers proof her own family tried to steal her empire, he is determined to remain by her side.

They thought she was weak.
They were wrong.

Thoughts on Alien Awakening: We're back on Cresca with a stoic Vultor who has convinced himself he's fine on his own. He mostly is. Then an escape pod crashed in his mountains and suddenly all those suppressed protective instincts of his are roaring to the surface. To be fair, those instincts rose up mostly because the woman in the escape pod was his special someone. His fated honey-bunny. His mate.

Only, you know, he refuses to admit it at first. Because he's FINE on his own. And because he knows Ember belongs to the civilized human world, not his wild mountains.

As it turns out, that's not entirely correct. Ember thrives in the mountains. She breaks out of the shell she's been wrapped in and learns how strong she is. BUT...she has responsibilities back home. Given that the person who sabotaged her ship and attempted to take her out of the picture permanently also has the ability to destroy her father's legacy, she can't justify staying hidden away. Too many people rely on the Duvain empire for her to walk away entirely.

Rykan and Ember have to figure out how to navigate a new relationship while guarding their backs against those trying to twist the Duvain empire into something her father never intended. Ember needs to show everyone she's not weak and Rykan works on finding his place in Ember's world.

We got a few familiar faces, some set-up for the future, and two people who are willing to meet one another halfway to make things work. *thumbs up*

Starbound by Adrian Blue [Review]

Starbound (Taken by the Stars #2) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 2, 2026

Taken by the Stars
1. Heart of the Deep
2. Starbound - Kindle
3. Breach Protocol
4. The Queen's Shadow
5. The Captain's Claim

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Kira of Eshara has spent twenty-three years being the one her family loves but doesn't need. Not the heir. Not the prodigy. The middle child, steady and quiet and forgettable. So when her planet needs a treaty bride for the most feared warlord in contested space, she's the one who volunteers. She is the one they can afford to lose.

Morak is prepared for a political match. A name on a treaty. Someone who would fulfill the terms and nothing more. But when Kira steps onto his ship, something in his careful plans comes undone, and the bond that takes hold between them is as old as his species and just as permanent.

Because when Morak looks at her, he doesn't see someone replaceable. He sees someone he would give up everything to keep.

Thoughts on Starbound: Kira is not unloved or forgotten by her family, but she feels like the disappointing child/sibling who doesn't quite fit. She's not brilliant or needed. She's not flashy and she doesn't make waves when she enters a room. She supports her family in every way she can, but she doesn't feel like anything she does is quite enough. She also doesn't feel like anything is hers.

Until Morak. He might be a powerful warlord who is physically intimidating and VERY unlike a human, but she chose this path that led to him and she's determined to stick with it.

Morak is gobsmacked by Kira. You know, as much as a feared warlord can be gobsmacked. He was expecting nothing more than a political match, but he gets hit in the feels the first time he lays eyes on his treaty bride. She's soft and gentle and his and he likes that. A lot.

A sex-ay alien encounter, a warlord who wants his little human to want him, and a lady who didn't know what she was looking for until she laid eyes on the big warlord. *thumbs up*

Longing for the Alien Lawman by Ursa Dax [Review]

Longing for the Alien Lawman (Cowboy Colony Mail-Order Brides #8) by Ursa Dax
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 8, 2026

Cowboy Colony Mail-Order Brides
1. Married to the Alien Cowboy
2. Wrangled by the Alien Rancher
3. Resisting the Alien Rider
4. Wanted by the Alien Warden
5. Married to the Alien Mountain Man
6. Rescued by the Alien Bull Rider
7. Smitten by the Alien Saloon Owner
8. Longing for the Alien Lawman - Paperback | Kindle
9. Bound by the Alien Buckaroo

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Holiday Romances of Elora Station
1. Chimera for Christmas

Ursa Dax
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

A curvy OBGYN who's all sunshine and sweetness, a stern alien warden who prizes order above all else, and one very opposites-attract roommate situation...
"Do you know any doctors who'd want to work on a prison planet?"

That's the message I get on my comms tablet the same day my personal life falls apart. Well, I'm a doctor - OBGYN, in fact. And while a penal colony isn't my first choice at a fresh start, I take a chance on it anyway. I like to go with the flow. And who knows? Maybe working with a bunch of cowboy convicts and their wives and babies will be fun!

What isn't fun, though? The steely-eyed, hard-jawed warden who rules over the province I'll be working in. The coolly disciplined Warden Hallum makes the icy Zabria Prinar One landscape seem downright cozy by comparison.

We'll have to get along. Big stick up his bum or not, he is my colleague here. Except I soon find out we'll be more than that. The construction of the hospital I'm meant to live at has been delayed by snowy weather. So the stern and starchy warden Hallum won't just be my coworker now...
He'll also be my roommate.

Thoughts on Longing for the Alien Lawman: The very by-the-book (one would almost say "uptight") Warden Hallum is about to get a roommate and Lualhati is glorious, rainbow colored chaos. She's an excellent doctor, but she is not orderly or contained or any of the things Hallum is. Seeing as they're about to share space, this could be a recipe for disaster.

BUT...her chaos doesn't bother Hallum. She creates joyful messes and is so genuinely kind that Hallum is charmed by her. She's also sweetly direct and kind of likes Hallum's stern default expression. That said, he is maybe a little emotionally constipated and doesn't express himself as clearly as he could, so they do have to work through the pangs of figuring one another out.

As for Lualhati, she has a one year contract on Zabria Prinar One. One year to get herself together and plan for the future. This future likely won't be on Zabria Prinar One since her endgame involves having a baby soon-ish. So she'll stay her year and then go somewhere she can build a life (and where she can get knocked up medically) for her potential child. Except...she likes Hallum. She likes the gentle male under the military precision and she likes the men he's been tasked with watching over. Not to mention the babies that are soon to be born and the incredible scenery and the human women who've ended up here.

An unrepentant ex, a hospital behind schedule, a Warden who is instantly smitten, and a woman who absolutely deserves a male who adores her. *thumbs up*

Heart of the Deep by Adrian Blue [Review]

Heart of the Deep (Taken by the Stars #1) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 25, 2026

Taken by the Stars
1. Heart of the Deep - Kindle
2. Starbound
3. Breach Protocol
4. The Queen's Shadow
5. The Captain's Claim

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Shannon Cooper has spent three years falling in love with a world she's never seen — a planet of endless ocean, bioluminescent cities, and a king who has turned away every human diplomat who dared to meet his gaze.

She will be the eighth.

As a xenolinguist, Shannon knows the Thalassian negotiation protocols better than anyone. She knows the sacred pools are designed to make lies impossible. She knows that trust must be earned through touch — skin against tentacle, mind pressed open to mind. She knows exactly what she's agreeing to.

What she doesn't know is Kael'thar.

Scarred by centuries of betrayal, the king of Thalassia has learned to read humans one way: with cold efficiency, searching for the disgust or greed hiding beneath every polished smile. But when he reaches into Shannon's mind and finds neither, something long-fortified begins, for the first time, to crack.

The negotiations demand they go deeper — into the water, into vulnerability, into a closeness that has no name in either of their languages. But the greatest depths between them have nothing to do with the ocean floor.

They have everything to do with daring to be known.

Thoughts on Heart of the Deep: I must say I REALLY liked this one. Shannon and Kael'thar WORKED for me.

Shannon is in love with the world she's trying to broker a trade with. She's carefully hoarded and studied every scrap of information she can find on it and now she's in one of the great underwater cities about to meet the Thalassian king. She's scared and excited and worried she won't be enough for this magnificent place.

On Kael'thar's end, he's wary. He doesn't trust humans because the sacred pools reveal their unguarded thoughts which tend to be of greed and disgust. He doesn't expect much of anything from Shannon other than a brief meeting and then her retreat back to her ship. That is NOT what he gets. He feels her fear of failure and her awe at his world and how she is most decidedly not disgusted by his form. And he doesn't know how to process this. She's not greedy like the ones who have come before her and she sees him as an intelligent being. One who just happens to have tentacles and can see into the heart of her.

But he's been burned by hope before and he's slow to trust. Shannon keeps chipping away at his walls with her kindness and honesty and her genuine grief when a terrible act from the past is revealed to her. And he has to accept the fact that she's not like the humans who came before. She's open-minded and kind and she understands him in a way the ones before haven't.

She also doesn't mind his tentacles or his otherness or that he can see the truth in her.

Let's just say that the eighth time is the charm and these negotiations are going much better than any of the attempts before.

A Hope for Ranek by Lynnea Lee [Review]

A Hope for Ranek (Tallean Mercenaries #12) by Lynnea Lee
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 14, 2026

Tallean Mercenaries
1. A Deal for Zeylum
2. A Chance for Arus
3. A Promise for Vore
4. A Claim for Calix
5. A Minx for Ryek & Holden
6. A Captive for Kean
7. A Future for Zharor
8. A Redemption for Ulrek
9. A Prize for Ckzarr
10. A Home for Berus
11. A Mate for Vasek
12. A Hope for Ranek - Kindle

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Tallean Mates
1. Becoming Mrs. Claws

Lynnea Lee
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

It was supposed to be a simple delivery: get the dragus pup to his new owner, collect the credits, and go home. Instead, Commander Chaos and I end up crammed in an escape pod hurtling through space.

We land in the middle of a bog and start sinking… immediately. And to make things worse, giant pterodactyl creatures descend from the sky looking for a snack. FML.

I’m about to give up hope when an alien mercenary charges in, weapons blazing, to rescue us from certain doom. Ranek is dangerous, intimidating, and his devilish grin turns my knees to jelly. He’s also my only chance at surviving this alien planet.

Can I trust this stranger who looks at me like I’m his favorite dessert? Or will escaping with him mean trading one danger for another and risking my heart along the way?

Thoughts on A Hope for Ranek: Maya is having a rough day, but Ranek is just getting back on his feet after a rough decade. To be fair, Maya's rough day (which is longer than a day, but she was knocked out for part of that time thanks to emergency procedures in the escape pod) ends with her sinking in a smelly bog. While trying to hold onto the dragus pup she's in charge of. While pterodactyl-like creatures hone in on their location. I'm going to say that Maya wins this round of the bad time game.

BUT...Ranek appears at the right moment to save her and Commander Chaos from certain death. He's hunky and has a place for them to ride out the dangerous creatures that come out at night and (to be blunt) Maya doesn't have a lot of options. So she goes with him. And the more time she spends with him, the more she likes what she sees. He's kind, Commander Chaos seems to like him, and he's a whole lot of Tallean male.

As for Ranek, he has some protective feelings about Maya, but he doesn't think he can ever have a mate bond again since, you know, he's already had one. Sure, it was a mess of a bond, but it was still a bond. But there's a whole lot he likes about Maya and those protective instincts are going into overdrive around her.

An abandoned mining station, a steamy encounter in the baths, some really nasty pirates, a male who doesn't dare dream he might have a bond, and a lady who likes the big Tallean even without the bond. *thumbs up*

Alien's Bargain by Honey Phillips [Review]

Alien's Bargain (Alien Wolf Tales #6) by Honey Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 15, 2026

Alien Wolf Tales
1. Big, Bad Alien
2. Alien Huntsman
3. Alien Charming
4. Cursed Alien
5. Alien Song
6. Alien's Bargain - Paperback | Kindle
7. Alien Awakening
8. Alien Tower

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
How the Aliens Were Won
1. Borgaz

Seven Brides for Seven Alien Brothers
1. Artek

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

One lie. One bargain. One debt she can’t escape.

Jessa is the most talented weaver in her village, but when her ruthless uncle claims she can spin legendary goldthread, he traps her in a lie that could cost her everything… including her little sister.

Desperate to save her sister, Jessa flees into forbidden Vultor territory in search of the rarest plant of all. Instead she finds Tarek, a gruff, solitary alien feared by humans and shunned by his own kind.

Tarek has been alone for too long, so when a pretty little human strays into his territory, he can’t resist offering her a bargain—his help in exchange for a promise to be fulfilled later.

What begins as a reluctant deal turns into something far more dangerous, because Tarek is more than he seems. And the price he asks might be her heart. Sometimes love is the most dangerous bargain of all.

Thoughts on Alien's Awakening: Another exiled, lonely Vultor is up to find his special someone and Jessa kind of needs a lot of patience to convince Tarek to let her in. Well, her and her sister. Tarek has convinced himself he's better off alone and that he doesn't deserve companionship, but Jessa and Dani find a way to worm their way into his heart. Eventually. It really does take time and patience on Jessa's end for that to happen.

Jessa is in a tough situation. Her greedy uncle is withholding her sister's much needed medicine unless Jessa falls in line. Unfortunately, the thing he wants her to do is nearly impossible. Even if she COULD do it, it would leave her and her sister at her uncle's mercy going forward. So Jessa takes a leap of faith and heads into the mountains with Dani in the hopes they can figure things out and get more medicine before things become dire.

Tarek has been trying to convince his beast to not get attached to the little human weaver since they helped her before. But it's kind of a lost cause because he's already attached. So when he comes across her and her sister in his mountains during a brutal storm, he does what any borderline obsessed individual would do and takes the two of them to his den to ride out the storm. Soon the three of them are settling into a routine and Tarek and Jessa are making eyes at one another. Covertly, of course.

Until, you know, it's not covert.

A past that eats at an honorable Vultor, an illness that needs his special skills, and a lady who is willing to fight for the things that are important to her. GOOD STUFF!

The Hollows by Adrian Blue [Review]

The Hollows (Erebos #1) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 29, 2026

Erebos
1. The Hollows - Kindle

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

On the mining planet of Erebos, you are either one of the privileged, or you sell your service contract to the highest bidder. The filth of The Rats or the endless darkness of the mines. As soon as I could, I left behind the leering glances to sell my labor to the mining company. In return, I received an apartment barely large enough for a bed and a sink, fourteen-hour shifts in the darkness, and an early death when my lungs inevitably gave out. It was hardly a fair shake, but nothing on Erebos was fair.

Thoughts on The Hollows: Vera doesn't have a whole lot of choices. She can either live (and sell herself) in The Rats or work in the mines. She chose the mines and BOY does that lead her down a path she wasn't expecting.

When a mine collapse nearly kills her and ends up leaving her stranded with something big and dangerous in the dark, Vera does what anyone would do. She attempts to befriend the creature. Maybe befriend is too strong a word. Let's just say she doesn't want to die in the dark and leave her mother alone, so she attempts to make nice with the big scary thing stalking her.

As it turns out, Anek is intrigued by her. And when she touches him? The big guy isn't adverse to it. In fact, he starts to think that maybe he wouldn't mind getting his hands on her a little more. And mayyyybe she might want that too.

A dangerous job, a predator who follows his instincts (not the eating instincts, the sexier instincts), and a lady who had no idea there was something in the dark who was about to make her his entire world.

Alien Song by Honey Phillips [Review]

Alien Song (Alien Wolf Tales #5) by Honey Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 24, 2026

Alien Wolf Tales
1. Big, Bad Alien
2. Alien Huntsman
3. Alien Charming
4. Cursed Alien
5. Alien Song - Paperback | Kindle
6. Alien's Bargain
7. Alien Awakening
8. Alien Tower

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
How the Aliens Were Won
1. Borgaz

Seven Brides for Seven Alien Brothers
1. Artek

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

A grumpy alien single dad, a fearless diver, and a bond stronger than the tide.

Ariella was born to dive. Modified to withstand Cresca’s alien oceans, she’s always been at home in the deep—until the day she saves a drowning child and meets the girl’s father, a huge, brooding Vultor warrior with eyes like molten gold. Suddenly she wants more than just her isolated waters.

Valrek has spent years alone on the sea cliffs, shunned by both humans and Vultor. He’s devoted himself to raising his daughter in solitude—until a human female crashes into their world like a storm tide, fearless, bright, and far too tempting. She challenges him. She tempts him. And she makes his beast want something he swore he’d never have. A mate.

But Ariella’s past is surfacing—and if she doesn’t choose between her future and her heart, she could lose both. Because when a Vultor warrior loves, he doesn’t let go.

Thoughts on Alien Song: We're back on Cresca with an exiled Vultor warrior and the daughter he gave up everything for. Valrek is surly and wary and he's completely devoted to his daughter. So when she ends up in the ocean and Ariella saves her, he's grateful. He and his beast side are also wildly attracted to the modified human woman who is at home in the water.

Did I mention he's wary? Because, yeah, the guy is careful. Mostly because life (and his former pack) have taught him some hard lessons. But Ariella is kind and she starts breaking through his walls. Bonus, she's as attracted to him as he is to her. She's also just as isolated as he is. The tentative friendship that blooms between them turns into a romance neither of them expected.

That said, Ariella's stuck in a terrible position. The man who financed her father's work considers the modifications done on her to be his property. Since those modifications are an intrinsic part of her, he considers her to be his. Which is gross on every level. While Ariella doesn't want to take part in anything he has planned, she feels a certain obligation to her father...you know what? It's messy and complicated. Her father might have basically sold her into slavery because he was desperate and didn't read the contract he signed as closely as he should have, but he also saved her life with the modifications. So, yeah. Complicated. Her father's actions weren't cool and Ariella definitely shouldn't have been forced into the position she was put in, but being desperate enough to do anything to save your child is also understandable.

Anywho. Let's get back to Ariella and Valrek. They're both isolated. They're both fiercely protective of Valrek's daughter. They're both wildly attracted to one another. A few steamy kisses, a little danger, and a couple of wild storms have them facing whether they're willing to fight to the end for this thing between them. *thumbs up*

Guarded by the Kraken by Cassie Alexander [Review]

Guarded by the Kraken (Monster Security Agency #4) by Cassie Alexander
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 16, 2026

Monster Security Agency
1. Guarded by the Golem
2. Guarded by the Snake
3. Guarded by the Spider
4. Guarded by the Kraken - Paperback | Kindle
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):

A kraken, a scientist, and a love under pressure….

As a kraken bodyguard, I rarely get human clients. When I do, the only way to protect them is to form a telepathic bond. I don’t like it, but after my wife’s death years ago I’ve learned to build an impenetrable shield around myself and my emotions, until I meet my newest client. She's a scientist investigating an ancient relic on the ocean floor. The abyssal plane is no place for humans, but the job is the job, so I shut off my soul, bury my secrets, and link our minds.

The flood of her emotions takes me by surprise. I thought I would be in charge, but our bond is stripping us both bare, layer after layer, until she can see my bleeding wounds, and I can taste her unspoken desires.

We cannot be together. We can’t even touch. She breathes air, and I live at high pressure at the bottom of the ocean. Our feelings bring us nothing but torment, and I know once she’s on dry land again, I’ll have to sever our bond.

But when she’s betrayed by the people she’s working for, and her life is in danger–I will not rest until she’s safe in all of my arms.

Thoughts on Guarded by the Kraken: I must say that I had absolutely no idea how these two individuals were going to make things work since they literally couldn't be together. I mean, Ceph is a creature of the deep and can't survive in the open air (at least not for extended periods) and Elle is an air-breathing human who can't survive the pressure at the depths Ceph lives in. The environments they both need to survive would kill the other and I was having BIG FEELINGS about this.

Anywho. Both Ceph and Elle are drowning in grief. Ceph lost his mate and unhatched child several years ago and has pulled away from the others of his kind. He's mourning and isolating himself and he's not moving on in any way, shape, or form. Elle lost her sister to cancer, found out she carries the same gene and has taken steps to protect herself. Her marriage has disintegrated, she's about to head to an underwater lab cut off from the world above, and she's drifting.

When the two bond, both are DEEPLY surprised by the other. Ceph wakes up again after years in mourning. Elle finds a kindred soul who doesn't see her as lacking despite what she's lost. As they spend time together investigating the structure Elle is trying to translate, they break through all their emotional walls and soon they're figuring out a way to be together despite their differences.

More than a little danger, a find that could change everything, a male who risks it all for the female who captures his heart, and a lady who fits in far better below the surface than she ever expected she could. *thumbs up* ALL the *thumbs up*