Book Review: Legacy of Lies by Jillian David

Author: Jillian David
Series: Hell's Valley #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Erotic Romance, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Release Date: November 14th 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Author
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Fans of the Hell to Pay series will love this new spin-off saga, Hell’s Legacy!

Garrison Taggart doesn’t have time to deal with touchy-feely junk like “trust issues” or “feelings.” His dad’s health is waning and the family’s Wyoming ranch is being sabotaged. Too bad his supernatural ability to tell when someone is lying has been exactly zero help in ferreting out the betrayer so far. So, when sweet schoolteacher Sara Lopez raises concerns about his son being bullied, who can blame a guy for getting a little testy?

The last thing Sara needs is any more attention or gossip after her recent breakup with big-shot rancher Hank Brand. So her attraction to surly but sexy Garrison, Hank’s rival, is entirely unwanted. When she uncovers an insane plot to kidnap the Taggart boy and throws herself in harm’s way to protect him, Garrison must risk his deepest secret and his own life to save the people he cares for the most. But will his heroics cost him everything?

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of the book in any way.

You might remember that a few months ago I found a new series on Reading Alley, Hell To Pay, which I loved and adored. What you might not know, is that my hopes and dreams came true and we might have some answers about a lot of stuff regarding that series, because there's a spin-off series, Hell's Valley. I cannot even describe how happy I am that there's a spin-off, guys!

Garrison Taggart is absolutely wonderful. He's the kind of guy that doesn't trust a lot of people, but in his case it's because he can actually find out if you're lying to him. He has some pretty powerful abilities, and it's pretty clear that they're playing with his head a little bit. I like that he tries really hard not to use them on certain people, even if the temptation to make sure they're being honest is there all the time. But more on his powers later. At the beginning of the book he seems this cold, closed off guy, but I think that's just how Sara sees him. As the story progresses, I found him to be just weary and scared of being betrayed again by someone he trusts, so he tries to intimidate the people around him.

I liked Sara. I like that she is trying to make up for her mistakes. Her childhood wasn't perfect, and she got lost a little bit along the way. I also liked how she stood up for Zach, Garrison's son, even when it meant possibly losing her job, or maybe even more.

Turning back to Garrison and his powers. He has two other brothers and a sister, and they all have various powers or abilities. Now, since this is a spin-off series, I wonder if they're somehow related to either Ruth or Barnaby (or both, who knows?). We know that Ruth had powers and that everyone, or at least the women, descended from her had some powers as well. And we also know that Barnaby had some form of powers, because his intuition was way too precise to not be some supernatural power. So I wonder if in some way, this means that the Taggart siblings are also related to the original Indebted.

I also loved seeing the mental degradation of Hank Brand. It kind of reminded me a little bit of Jerahmeel, so I wonder if Hank is on the road to becoming the new manifestation of Satan. I also wonder if his brothers are as sane as they wanted to seem at the end of this book. It would be absolutely awesome if they weren't, and if somehow they're becoming some new forms of minions.

The pacing was fantastic, and the plot was even more so. I am absolutely excited about this new book, and this new series, and I cannot wait to see what happens next, what new stuff we learn, as well as if we get to see some of the characters from the original series.

Release Day Launch: The Darkest Torment by Gena Showalter

   

Gena Showalter’s THE DARKEST TORMENT is now available in paperback! The Queen of Paranormal Romance, USA TODAY bestselling author Gena Showalter, returns with THE DARKEST TORMENT, the eagerly anticipated twelfth novel in her Lords of the Underworld series! Grab your copy today!

   

Order THE DARKEST TORMENT here!

Amazon * Barnes * Book Depository * GooglePlay * iBooks * BAM * Kobo * IndieBound

THE DARKEST TORMENT Synopsis:

Can Beauty tame her Beast?

Driven to his death by the demon of Distrust, Baden spent centuries in purgatory. Now he’s back, but at what cost? Bound to the king of the underworld, an even darker force, he’s unable to withstand the touch of another…and he’s quickly devolving into a heartless assassin with an uncontrollable temper. Things only get worse when a mission goes awry and he finds himself saddled with a bride—just not his own.

Famed dog trainer Katarina Joelle is forced to marry a monster to protect her loved ones. When she’s taken hostage by the ruthless, beautiful Baden immediately after the ceremony, she’s plunged into a war between two evils—with a protector more dangerous than the monsters he hunts. They are meant to be enemies, but neither can resist the passion burning between them…and all too soon the biggest threat is to her heart.

But as Baden slips deeper into the abyss, she’ll have to teach him to love…or lose him forever.

Includes Q&A featuring J. R. Ward, Jeaniene Frost, Nalini Singh and more!

 

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

        EXCERPT:

Baden reached the keeper of Defeat’s door and knocked hard enough to crack the wood.
Note to self: Buy a new door.
“Coming, coming.” A patter of footsteps rang out and the door swung open, revealing Strider’s mate, Kaia. She greeted him with a dagger in hand, her mass of red hair anchored in pigtails, her eyes bright with fury.
She’s armed…a true threat. Kill her!
Baden did his best to ignore the beast, staring over Kaia’s shoulder. He scanned the room, checking for hidden threats out of habit. Well. Her decorating style could probably be classified as a hoarder died here. “Did you reach your sister?”
“Yep. She’ll meet you at Downfall in an hour.”
“Thank you.”
“Save your thanks and do me a favor.” She gave the hilt of her dagger a kiss. “Next time you’re with Hades, demand to know each of William’s hideouts.”
The urge to protect suddenly overwhelmed him. Protect William? Or Hades?
Both. Destruction snarled inside his head. They are mine, and I will annihilate anyone who even thinks to harm them.
His mouth watered. Her blood, I’ll taste it. His hands itched. Her bones, I’ll break them.
As a predator, Kaia sensed his intentions and reacted accordingly, crouching, readying for attack.
Rational thought intruded: No, no. Not her.
But Destruction had already pulled back his fist to strike. At the last second, Baden regained a semblance of control, raining the fury upon the wall with punches and kicks.
The beast roared as more and more of Baden’s friends sprinted from their rooms, grabbing hold of him to try to stop him.
They dare try to restrain me?
Again, the beast was able to overtake him, flinging one warrior after another across the hall.
He laughed.
“How do we corral him?” someone shouted.
“Keeley.” Torin’s voice poured over the intercom. “You’re needed in Strider’s room. ASAP.”
“No time. We need Katarina,” a female called. “She calms him, I think.”
A handful of warriors rushed him at once, tackling him to the floor, but again, flinging them away wasn’t difficult. Power expanded his limbs, reinforced his bones. He was able to work his way to his feet.
I might fall, but I’ll never stay down.
A grinning blond stepped into his path. The male named Strider. Killing him would be a pleasure.
Baden screamed at Destruction. He’s my friend. They all are!
“Hey! Over here.” One of the women said, “I’m going to rip you a new asshole—in your face.”
Not my friends, Destruction told Badenas he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off her feet. Anya. Destruction had made of point of learning the identities of the residents. Know your enemy…
“No!” Lucien shouted, tackling him from behind.
The goddess of Anarchy twined her legs around Destruction’s neck and, as he stumbled, squeezed with surprising strength.
From the corner of his eye, he spotted Katarina and the one named Ashlyn rounding the far corner. Both females stopped to gap at him. He paused, he wasn’t sure why, giving Baden the opportunity to regain a bit of control. Not enough to claim ownership of the body, but enough to slow him down as their wills clashed. He bellowed to the rafters.
“Run, Ash and take the girl with you,” Maddox demanded. “She’s only making him worse.”
Katarina…leave?
Baden and Destruction worked together to pull Anya off their shoulders and drop her. They sidestepped Lucien and stalked to the woman who’d haunted them. The woman who belonged to them. If only for a little while.
“Go!” multiple voices screamed at once. The warriors were giving chase, trying to beat him to the object of his fascination.
Ashlyn attempted to tug Katarina away, but Katarina shook off her hold and stepped forward. Toward him.
The moment she reached him, she framed his face with her delicate hands. He had to crouch to allow the action, which wasn’t exactly a prime position to mount a proper defense—butworth it.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked.
He drew in a breath, his usually useless lungs suddenly infused by the sweetness of her scent…as if he were coming back to life. “They are threats.”
“Wrong. There are no threats here.”
“They are threats,” he insisted.
She brushed her thumbs over the rise of his cheeks, gentle, so gentle, and yet still the action stung. But he didn’t pull away. The air between them thickened and crackled with awareness. He liked it.
The others stopped their pursuit and maintained a proper distance, whispering with incredulity.
“Is this really happening or am I hallucinating?” someone asked.
“Does the human have a magic hoo-ha?”
“You have a job to do,” Katarina reminded him, ignoring the others. “Why don’t you go do it, and I’ll take care of the threats here?”
He snorted. “You’re not strong enough.”
That earned a raised brow. “So you’ve told me.”
“Dude. Isn’t she married?” Kaia asked.
He snarled at the Harpy, though his gaze remained on Katarina. She’d lost weight and looked more fragile than ever, and yet her beauty took his breath away.
Breath he now needed to survive?
“Baden,” she said.
“Destruction,” he corrected.
“Since he’s affected by you, I’m willing to bet you’re affected by him. Why don’t I call you Baduction?” She smiled at him, inviting him to play with her. “And a hat tip to you. If your newest job is to stare at me, you’ve got it nailed.”
He didn’t know how to play, but he liked seeing her like this. Happy rather than despondent.
He shouldn’t care what she felt. Caring left him vulnerable.
He scowled at her. “Stay out of trouble today.”
“I will, but not because you ordered it. Because I’m a girl and girls are made of—”
“Sugar and spice,” he interjected, remembering the rhyme. Boys were made of snakes and snails.
“Wrong. Girls are made of vodka and ice. The two combined increase our tolerance for masculine nonsense.”

   

   

And don’t miss the previous titles in the Lords of the Underworld Series!

THE DARKEST NIGHT

THE DARKEST KISS

THE DARKEST PLEASURE

THE DARKEST WHISPER

THE DARKEST PASSION

THE DARKEST LIE

THE DARKEST SECRET

THE DARKEST SURRENDER

THE DARKEST SEDUCTION

THE DARKEST CRAVING

THE DARKEST TOUCH

       

About Gena Showalter: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over fifty books, including the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, and the White Rabbit Chronicles. She writes sizzling paranormal romance, heartwarming contemporary romance, and unputdownable young adult novels, and lives in Oklahoma City with her family and menagerie of dogs. Visit her at genashowalter.com.          

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

Book Review: On Her Master's Secret Service by Lexi Blake

Author: Lexi Blake
Series: Masters and Mercenaries #4
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, BDSM
Publisher: Dlz Entertainment
Release Date: May 12th 2013
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Author
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Her submission fulfilled her

When Eve St. James married Alex McKay, she had her whole life ahead of her. They were the FBI’s golden couple by day, but by night Eve gave herself over to her husband’s world of Dominance and submission filled with pleasures she came to crave.

His betrayal destroyed her

Worried for her safety, Alex left Eve behind to tackle a dangerous mission. But Alex never suspected that Eve was the real target and her security is destroyed by a madman. By the time he rescues her, his wife has been changed forever.

But when her life is in danger, he is her only hope
Unable to heal the damage, Alex and Eve are still trapped together in a cycle of pleasure and misery that even their divorce cannot sever. But when a threat from Eve’s past resurfaces, Alex will stop at nothing to save her life and reclaim her heart.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of the book in any way.

One of the major subplots in the first three books, in my opinion, regarded Alex and Eve, and it's one that has kept me guessing and insanely curious, so I was very happy when I learned that I didn't have to wait too long before finding out what happened between them.

As expected, this is one hard story to read. We finally get to learn what happened to Alex and Eve, why they broke up, but also why they keep having what seems like a very toxic relationship. During the previous books, I'll be honest and say that I thought Eve was too harsh, to mean, too cruel to Alex. But then I got it. It wasn't that she was cruel to him,but that she was cruel to herself, he was just the instrument. I truly respect her for being able to survive what she went through, for not letting what happened to her rule her life indefinitely. From what she herself says, it actually helped her become a stronger, more independent version of herself. As I said, I truly respect her.

Alex broke my heart in his own way. I honestly don't think he deserved to be on the receiving end of a psycho's wrath and evilness. It was especially heartbreaking because you can see how much he loves Eve, and how much he's willing to go through for her, how much he's willing to suffer.

I have to be honest, I got some Mentalist vibes during this book, if only for the way their background story developed, in a "what if she was still alive" kind of way, which I very much liked. The betrayal mentioned in the blurb of the book was not the one I was thinking about, it's actually quite different than what I had in mind. Strangely enough, I liked that the story went there, even though it made Alex and Eve go through a really rough patch in their relationship, because it showed a very important aspect of what someone needs when trying to get past a trauma. It's hard to talk about that aspect of the story without giving too much away, but let's just say I liked the fact that Blake went there with her story.

The plot is very well paced, and the story kept me guessing for a very long time. I kind of figured some stuff out in advance, but that didn't take away from the story. This was a very good installment in the series, and I was super happy that Eve and Alex got to have a second chance. All in all, a great book that I enjoyed very much.