Shadow and Ghost: City of Shadows (Shadow and Ghost Book 1) by Lex Veia

Rating:

1/5 tear 💧

1/5 spice 🌶

5/5 heart 💙💙💙💙💙

Book 1 in the Shadow and Ghost series. (New series, new author, but I'm guessing this is best read in order.)

Quick 20 summary: Shadow is a masterful thief that doesn't get caught, except he got caught by a sexual act with handcuffs. He is given a second chance and asked to join an elite force fighting dark magic. Ghost is a legend on his own in this elite force, the Renegade, he wears a hood and mask, not really revealing his face to others. The two work together to solve mysterious killings.

This was a really good book, I really enjoyed the images the author conjured up with their words. My go to read is not fantasy or even urban fantasy, but I felt like this was a pretty solid storyline with their appropriate twists and turns that even someone like me who prefer romance can enjoy. It reads like an action movie, and there were many parts in the book that I did not see coming. The slow slow slow burn nearly killed me, but I still stayed up really late two nights in a row to finish the book because it's just that good and I couldn't put it down. 

Also the cover looks amazing!! I definitely want it displayed proudly on my shelf.

This is a single POV, which is refreshing as it keeps the audience guessing, we can only understand what Kit understands and with his neurodivergent mind it's rather funny at times.

"How can you not tell that I'm into you?" "I've been blatantly flirting with you for months."

"I thought you were just fucking with me."

I really enjoyed this book, and I'm very impressed that it's by a first time author, Lex did a great job concocting this world, and I'm looking forward to book 2 already!

Buy from Amazon here  

Add to your Goodreads TBR here 

Arranged Salvation by Jacey Davis

 

Rating:

1/5 spice 🌶

3/5 heart ❤️❤️❤️

Arranging Love, book 3

*There's enough information for this to be a standalone, but the overall story is unfinished. 

Release date: Feb 23, 2024

Genre: Omegaverse, alternative universe

Tropes: Hurt/Comfort, Mpreg, Daddy/boy, fake fated mates

My 20 second summary: Pregnant Omega Bastion is removed from his abuser Alpha husband. Alpha Arden, head security for Orion Strongfire agree to be fake fated mates with Bastion to protect him. Arden helps heal Bastion from past trauma and they find their own comfortable dynamic within their universe. They escape to avoid being hunted down by the government. HFN ending with overall plot line continuing.

Read this book if you like:

Omegavera

Hurt/Comfort

Fated Mates

Scent marking

The abuse and the violence from the book was difficult to read. Having Omega Bastion be such a submissive after years of being treated that way really broke my heart. Thankfully he has Arden who cares for him and helped him find his own voice. 

"Yes, little mouse. And when we're both ready. When it feels right, and you had a chance to learn more about it, then I'd be honored if you decided you still wanted me to be your daddy as well as your alpha."

The pockets of sunshine in the book were Lyric the sunshine, and the way Arden's protective instincts came in for Bastion. I'm such a sucker for pet names, and the one Arden gave Bastion right away seemed so appropriate. There's not much spice given Bastion's history with abuse, and Arden totally respected that. 

"I may be a broken omega, but both of us were a little broke. Together, though, we could maybe find a way to start mending."

I jumped into this book without having prior knowledge of the other books, but things were explained well enough to help the story along. However this story line is probably best read as part of the series. In all honesty this book wasn't for me, but the writing was good.

Read on KU or buy the book here --->https://geni.us/ArrangingLove3

Add to your Goodreads here ---> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204674348-arranged-salvation

#mmromance #myshiodareads #mmreads #omegaverse #mpreg