overzealous_reader's reviews
384 reviews

Even as the war against Orcs is ending, Lord Kaspar calls on Rosa Rolfe to find defamatory evidence against the Orcs to justify raiding Orc Mountain. While trying to figure out the secret life of the Orcs, John waltz into her small library and begins his mission to read the entire library’s collection. 

 

As Rosa tries to woo John into giving her facts about the Orcs, John rebuffs her advances until she threatens to remove him from the library. This results in John taking Rosa into Orc Mountain for her to gain knowledge of the Orcs. 

 

The book’s entirety takes place in Orc Mountain as Rosa struggles with her role in Orc Mountain as John works with his role within his community. Ultimately, as Rosa realizes that her role as Lord Kaspar’s secret is tiresome, she chooses to live a life with the last of the Ka John in Orc Mountain. 

 

Loving the world-building within the Orc Mountain as Rosa gets access to John’s library. The main issue is the Orcs struggling with women dying in childbirth and trying to find a solution to these deaths. Rosa learns Black Tongue and translates books from former Orcs theorizing about Orc births, and it is fascinating. 

For a fan of Insta-love, tentacle play, and breeding. 

After being introduced to the matchmaker Rose Love, she helped Grace find love with three Gargoyles. However, after her breakup with Jackson Dewitt, Rose Love starts to question her matchmaking gifts. As she is walking to work, Rose is spotted by Gideon Strand, a Kraken, who becomes instantly enthralled by Rose. Not wanting to scare Rose off, Gideon sends in harpy Sophia to get insight into The Love Bathhouse. After getting information about the magical difficulties Rose faces, Gideon decides to offer his sexual services to help Rose. 

The subplot within the book is also pretty crazy and a bit unexpected in the execution. Amid Gideon's seduction of Rose, Gideon prepares a heist in the building adjacent to The Love Bathhouse. As Gideon keeps his obsessive nature at bay and keeps from kidnapping Rose, he is also trying to keep Mace, a nosey demon, from figuring out about Rose. 

One of the great things about this book is the mysterious nature of the Kraken. Gideon explains the mysterious Kraken but acknowledges that their physical being is more magical than anything. Even the conception of Krakens are nonexistent, and Gideon stresses that if they conceive, it would be a miracle. 

In the end, this story is a fun read about a matchmaker bargaining with an obsessive Kraken who is fighting his nature. 

 

 

A read that didn’t delve into the world presented or the alien culture. Our main protagonist, Keira, is put-on trial for dismembering her step father. Unknown to the jurors or the public, the Keira’s step father has been abusing her sister at night and catching him Keira attacks him. The sentence is to work on a far off planet in a coed prison. 

 

While in prison she befriends an alien, Ylur,  that protects her but she doesn’t understand his language. After Ylur leads a riot and plans to escape she follows him and learns that he is not a prisoner but a native to the planet. The protagonist learns that her escape turns into captivity relatively quickly after Ylur’s elders voice their concern with her witnessing their homeland. 

 

Overall, this book is a quick read that focuses on the relationship of Keira and her alien Ylur. The storyline regarding the colonization of Ylur’s planet fizzles out and we’re left with a happily every after. 

Pretty skeptical at first glance. However, a world where Orcs run rampant, stealing women and seducing them into carrying their Orclings. With these dangerous Orcs wrecking havoc, it is up to men like Lord Norr to keep the women of Yarwood safe. 

 

We’re first introduced to Lord Norr heading out to Wolfen leaving his wife Lady Norr defenseless against the raiding Orcs.  Even as Astin Norr downplays the situation Jules knows that leaving them defenseless will attract the Orcs. After a few days, Jules’s house is raided by the legendary Orc Leader Grimarr. Grimarr takes Jules with the intention of impregnating her and sending her back to her husband. 

 

This book is pretty interesting start to the series as Jules is kept in the dark about the Orcs and their culture. It is not until after Jules is pregnant that Grimarr starts to open up to Jules which leads them to start feeling for each other. 

 

Out of the five books in the series, this one is the weakest. We don’t get to delve into the different Orc clans but it is introduced a majority of the time is spent on Jules trying to cope with being taken captive by Grimarr and her adjusting to his lifestyle. Even as she is given very little freedom with Grimarr, she does fall in love with him and is horrified to learn of his dealings with her husband Lord Narr. It is not a bad start to a world with Orcs and their ways. Just not as informative as the later books will be regarding Orcs. 

Didn't like it too much. I hear Rachel dies at the end. 

I didn't like the characters as much after the second half of the book. 

The high expectations for Orlando fell short as Woolf began to focus on Orlando struggling with the writing as a woman. Even as it is described as a satire...I think it's going over my head. 

For this book, it is too dry of a read. For the most part, Woolf was writing as a form of therapy. Mrs. Ramsey is a tragic figure that just floats from scene to scene. It's hard to believe that this is her famous piece because there isn't much going on in this book.  

Life is pretty hard for Grace, a Starling witch taking her chance with a paranormal matchmaker. As Grace starts to consider starting a family, she’s realized that the men she’s dating are not looking for a romantic match, instead of wanting a business match. The number of bad dates led her to a paranormal matchmaker, Rose. After handing Rose a long list of her ideal man, Rose finds Grace a match. 

Grace meets Elliot and is instantly drawn in by his shyness, good looks, and his knack for picking restaurants with fantastic cuisine. But, even as Elliot appears to be the perfect guy, he’s taking the relationship painfully slow. As Grace moves to speed things up, Elliot’s secrets start to unravel. 

 

Grace and Elliot are so cute as she takes him. Even with his secret is revealed, it also shows how vulnerable Elliot is along with his clan. However, after Grace meets Broderick and Alasdair, the relationship has its setbacks. Since Alasdair is the clan leader, it is his final say regarding Grace being their mate. However, Alasdair has never been with a woman. This creates a strained courtship with Alasdair as he has difficulty expressing his feelings to people. In the end, most of the courtship is focused on Eliot and Broderick, who are the two of the three comfortable with Grace.