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Title: Alphas and Aggression
Author: A. Star
Series: Wesley Werewolves #1
Publication: June 5th 2018
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Rating: 3.5/5★
A millennium ago, an Igbo god fathered three sons–a jackal, a coyote…and a wolf.
********
As the new alpha of his wolf pack, Xavier Wesley wants nothing more than to follow in his uncle’s footsteps and make his elders, and the great guardian, proud. But his family and a rival alpha seem to have other plans for him, and as his world slowly starts to crumble around him, the werewolf king informs Xavier that their realm is under attack by the Lion Head–a sinister creature controlled only by the one who summoned it.
The king needs a hero and he’s chosen the reluctant alpha to save the kingdom.
But just as the conflict with Xavier’s rival heats up, a beautiful human named Karis Mickelson comes to Mirage and complicates every relationship in his life. Danger isn’t far behind and after his pack is ambushed by the black spirits who serve the Lion Head, Xavier realizes he has no choice but to submit to his king’s wishes. But Xavier’s growing connection to Karis threatens to upend his entire world, coming between him, his pack, and his duty to the kingdom. If he can’t manage to take control of his feelings and honor his true purpose, then the darkness just might win.
And everyone will die.
As I'm writing this review, I just finished reading Alphas and Aggression and I have so many thoughts swirling through my head about the book and I'm not sure where to start. First of all, I liked this book for sure. I can't say it's my favorite story ever and it took me a while to really get into the story as well. It wasn't quite a 4 star read but better than a 3 star one. Other than that I thought it was a good book and had such a blast reading it.
It's been a while since I read a proper story about werewolves like this one. And I love werewolves, I really do. The werewolves in this story were different from what I've read so far about them, which I thought was so great. I really loved the Wesley wolf pack. All wolves were so different from one another. There are several characters that I also really want backstories from. But most of all I loved the alpha Xavier, who's one of the main characters along with Karis, who's a human.
I've got to say that I laughed out loud a lot during this book. There were quite a few hilarious moments. Even know remembering some scenes it's making me all smile. I gotta admit that the first half was hard for me to get through but after that I felt like I knew the characters better and could appreciate them more. I also felt like that's when more exciting things started happening. And as for Xavier and Karis? Gah I just love them. And I really hope things will work out for them in the end because they are meant to be. *sigh*
Overall, Alphas and Aggression was a new and unique type of werewolf book. One that I definitely enjoyed reading. In fact, once I reach the last half of the book I had a hard time putting the book down again. There was no shortage of action and several unexpected twists that left me speechless, especially the ending!
About the author:
Diantha Jones/A. Star loves writing fantasy books filled with adventure, romance, and magic. She's the author of the Wesley Werewolves series, Oracle of Delphi series, and the Djinn Order series. When she isn’t writing or working, she is reading or being hypnotized by Netflix. She is a serious night-owl and while everyone else is grinning in the warmth and sunlight, she’s hoping for gloominess and rain. Yeah, she’s weird like that.
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Title: The Wardrobe Mistress: A Novel of Marie Antoinette
Author: Meghan Masterson
Publication: August 15th 2017 by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Historical Fiction
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating: 3.5/5
It's Giselle Aubry's first time at court in Versailles. At sixteen, she is one of Marie Antoinette's newest undertirewomen, and in awe of the glamorous queen and her opulent palace life. A budding designer, it's a dream come true to work with the beautiful fabrics and jewels in the queen's wardrobe. But every few weeks she returns home to visit her family in the Parisian countryside where rumors of revolution are growing stronger.
From her position working in the royal household, Giselle is poised to see both sides of the revolutionary tensions erupting throughout Paris. When her uncle, a retired member of the secret du roi, a spy ring that worked for the old King, Louis XV, suggests that she casually report the Queen s actions back to him as a game, she leaps at the chance. Spying seems like an adventure and an exciting way to privately support the revolution taking the countryside by storm. She also enjoys using her insight from Versailles in lively debates with Leon Gauvain, the handsome and idealistic revolutionary who courts her.
But as the revolution continues to gain momentum, and Giselle grows closer to the Queen, becoming one of the few trusted servants, she finds herself dangerously torn. Violence is escalating; she must choose where her loyalty truly lies, or risk losing everything...maybe even her head.
The Wardrobe Mistress is Meghan Masterson's fascinating and visceral debut, not to be missed.
Taking place during the French revolution, the story is about a young woman named Giselle who works in the royal household as one of Marie Antoinette's undertirewomen. At one point Giselle's uncle who used to be part of a spy ring called the secret du roi, asks her to spy on the queen and Giselle doesn't hesitate in doing because at first it seems like a great adventure. She grows more close to the Marie Antoinette over time and can't help being torn between her loyaly for the queen and supporting what the revolutionaries are fighting for.
Aside from Giselle working in the royal household and the revolution gaining momentum, there's also a romance between Giselle and Leon who's a enthusiastic revolutionary. I felt going back and forth between rooting for them but also at the same time not being sure if I liked them together. So I was definitely on the fence about them. I also didn't like some of the secondary characters. I couldn't connect with most of them.
I've always beeing interested in the history of the French revolution and the time the novel was set in, so that part I really enjoyed. I thought it was well-researched and the writing was good as well.
Overall, The Wardrobe Mistress by Meghan Masterson was a pretty good read but it wasn't enough for a full four star rating, in my opinion, so I had to go for three and a half stars. I enjoyed the story but I felt myself wanting that little extra that would've made it excellent.
About Meghan:
Meghan Masterson graduated from the University of Calgary with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies, and has worked several unrelated jobs while writing on the side. As a child, she gave her parents a flowery story about horses every year for Christmas. Thankfully, she has expanded her work past tales of equine perfection and thinly veiled Nancy Drew retellings, and is now mainly interested in writing historical fiction. She is drawn to strong historical figures and unique situations in history, which present unexpected opportunities and dilemmas for her characters. Meghan’s other interests include reading at all hours (even at breakfast), cooking, and going for walks with her dog. She and her husband live in Calgary, Alberta.
Meghan is represented by Carrie Pestritto of Prospect Agency.
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Title: Indelible: Beneath His Ink
Author: Inger Iversen
Series: Teal and Trent #2
Publication: December 12th 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating: 3.5/5
Former Marine, Trent Reed, is in desperate need of a Hail Mary.
With each failed attempt to convince his woman to pack up and move to Kentucky, his past finds some new way to rear its ugly head. But when his pregnant ex plows into his life, all hell breaks loose—unearthing parts of his past he wished would stay buried.
Two weeks of vacation with her man? Hell yeah, that is exactly what Teal Lofton’s libido needs.
And after surviving seven months apart, their reunion doesn’t disappoint. What she didn’t account for was an unfortunate encounter with people from Trent’s past. A racist, a druggie, and a double-barreled shotgun, culminate into a vacation that will alter the course of her life forever.
Indelible wasn't my favorite book in the series but I still love Teal and Trent to bits and pieces. I did like the story but I just didn't totally love it. It was a solid 3.5 star read for me.
In this book Teal and Trent are basically trying to figure out what the next step in their relationship is. Trent wants her to move to Kentucky to be with him, while Teal has some doubts about it. Trent eventually convinces Teal to come to Kentucky on a little vacation with him when people from his past show up meaning to ruin what they have together.
I liked the story well enough but I missed something I can't quite place my finger on. As I said, I still love Teal and Trent. And I really do. I love them together. They have so much chemistry and would do anything for one another. As always I'm awed by how Teal is so strong for Trent even though his past was horrible.
The ending of the book was probably my favorite. It even made me squeal a little with joy. I can't exactly say what happened or how it did end but I'm really so happy for how it all turned out for Teal and Trent.
It was a pretty quick read so that probably helped a little but this book pulled me out of a reading slump so yay! And as always I'm excited for the next book.
About the Author:
Inger Iversen is an American author residing in Virginia. She lives for bringing her fictional characters from darkness to light through self-discovery and passion. From her emotionally gripping, new adult Few Are Angels series that builds in intensity and intrigue to a finale you won’t see coming, to her international bestselling interracial romance dubbed “one of the most emotionally gripping” books of the summer, Inger breathes life into her fiction through her enthusiasm and devotion to writing. Her influences range from life experiences and daydreams, Inger spends her time in the writing cave and fantasizing of the day she can figure out how to Weird Science her characters to life.
Find my review of Inevitable: Love and War (Teal and Trent #1) here!
