Tag Archives: Jessica Sims

Out With a Fang by Jessica Sims

October 25, 2023Book ReviewJessica Sims, Midnight Liasons, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters, The Undead in My Bedskyebjenner

Title: Out with a Fang
Author: Jessica Sims
Series: Midnight Liasons #2.2
In: The Undead in My Bed (Katie MacAlister, Molly Harper & Jessica Sims)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Shapeshifters
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novella
Year: 2012

Alright, so I completely guessed that the vampire on this blind (literally blind) date was going to be her long-lost human love. But, even with knowing that little twist from the beginning, this was still a great novella. I mean, it’s not only two people reconnecting and finally being able to reveal all truths to one another. But it is also a pretty fast-paced story which features a pair of paranormal entities trying really hard not to get themselves killed.

I do enjoy a forced-proximity story. Particularly when there’s a past that the two need to overcome. The fact that this forced-proximity also involved a whole lot of background and violence… I really enjoyed that. And the way that they are finally able to admit their love for one another. Even if it does take a really long time… having said that, there was a whole lot less angst in this story than I was anticipating. Which honestly was kind of pleasant.

It’s always nice to have a strong female leading the charge in a book. The fact that she’s not just a strong lead, but the honest to go apex predator throughout this story just made it that much better. And the constant acknowledgements of just how difficult it can be to date as the top of the food chain… all priceless. And then there’s the fact that she just… beats the crap out of pretty much everyone that dares to cross her path. A fantastic lead that I seriously enjoyed.

Not only was this a really fun and engaging adventure, it also had a wonderful epilogue. The feeling of travel and contentment as they ride off into the sunset is beautiful. It made you realise that there are plenty more adventures to live, but also that this part of their story is nicely complete.

<- Vixen

Speed Mating ->

Image source: Amazon

The Undead in My Bed by Katie MacAlister, Molly Harper & Jessica Sims

September 11, 2023Book ReviewJessica Sims, Katie MacAlister, Molly Harper, Paranormal Romance, Short Story Collections, The Undead in My Bed, Vampireskyebjenner

Title: The Undead in My Bed
Author: Katie MacAlister, Molly Harper & Jessica Sims
In: The Undead in My Bed (Katie MacAlister, Molly Harper & Jessica Sims)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Vampires
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology, eBook
Year: 2012

This is a very good and fun collection, filled with vampires, sex and lust. All of the good things in a paranormal romance collection of vampires. Alright, so I didn’t actually love the first novella. But other than that, I really loved this. It gave me a few new books / series to read. Because, lots of vampire fun and lust.

I like that there were different levels of spice and yum throughout this collection. Some stories were seriously steamy, others were just a little bit of a lower level. It’s nice to have the different intensities of smut, a good variety in a collection with a very common thread throughout.

I’ve definitely got a few books to continue reading… ones that I can’t wait to dive into.

<- Out with a Fang

Shades of Gray ->

Image source: Amazon

Beauty Dates the Beast by Jessica Sims

January 22, 2020Book ReviewJessica Sims, Midnight Liasons, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshiftersskyebjenner

Image result for book cover beauty dates the beast

Title: Beauty Dates the Beast
Author: Jessica Sims
Series: Midnight Liasons #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Shapeshifters
Dates read: 21st – 27th December 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: PocketBooks
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: I lay there, awake and breathing hard for long minutes.

WANTED

Single human female to join charming, wealthy, single male were-cougar for a night of romantic fun – and maybe more.

Me: The tall, sensuous, open-minded leader of my clan.

You: A deliciously curvy virgin who’s intimately familiar with what goes bump in the night. Must not be afraid of a little tail. Prefer a woman who’s open to exploring her animal nature. Interest in nighttime walks through the woods a plus.

My turn-ons include protecting you from the worst the supernatural world has to offer.

Ready for an adventure? Give me a call.

Vampires and doppelgangers need not apply.

I bought this because I enjoyed the novellas Vixen and Speed Mating, but I was a little nervous to read it. These stories were quite intensely erotic, and I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy it. I love a good erotic, lustful novel. But there are certain ones that are a little too graphic for me. And, whilst the novellas weren’t that way – I thought a full-length novel along the same vein could be. Happily, this was a lot more storyline and character based than the novellas. It was an incredibly quick, easy and fun read.

Actually, I was kind of surprised about how hooked I got into this story. I read the first chapter and put it down. But then, I read the rest of it just before bed. I even read the first two chapters of the next novel. Which I never do. I hate reading the excerpts because then I want the next book, and can’t quite get it yet. This time though… I HAD to know what was going to happen next. Who it would be about… I just had to know. I’m hooked now.

I’ve read a lot of shapeshifter books, and in particular, a lot of shapeshifter paranormal romances. They’re a subgenre I just love. I’m constantly adding them to my shelves. However, this is the first shapeshifter novel that features a Wendigo. A very surprising creature to include, but somehow, it worked and made everything all that much more exciting.

There was one thing that bothered me about this story – what is the damn obsession with virgins? I mean, honestly. It’s a stupid construct, and practice. Like epically, frustratingly and ridiculously stupid. Whilst Bath isn’t too painful with that virginity thing and it was more about people getting close than any sense of “purity”… it was still a thing! There is just something I find really frustrating with our obsession with this topic. Alright, rant over.

As much as I loved this book – one of the things I love the most is the idea of a supernatural dating service. I’ve never been a part of online dating, or really used any dating service (I met my SO when I was 17). But I think that this is a great idea. And the way it looks like it will be shaped as the series continues… I’m completely obsessed.

<- Alpha Ever After Review

Desperately Seeking Shapeshifter Review ->

Image source: Goodreads

Novellas and Stories by Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims

July 23, 2019Book ReviewCarolyn Crane, Jessica Sims, Meljean Brook, Novellas and Stories, Paranormal Romance, Short Story Collections, Urban Fantasyskyebjenner

Image result for novellas and stories meljean brook book cover

Title: Novellas and Stories
Author: Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims
In: Novellas and Stories (Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 25th April – 20th June 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: The horn rang out again, and the dogs began to fall back.

For the first time in print, six wild and steamy tales from three of today’s hottest paranormal and steampunk romance authors.

The Blushing Bounder by Meljean Brook – While the search for a killer puts Constable Newberry’s life in danger, he faces a danger of another kind: to his heart, by the woman forced to marry him. What will it take for this prudish bounder to convince his wife to stay?

Vixen by Jessica Sims – Miko’s denied her were-fox nature for far too long and turned her back on her vixen heritage. But when she meets two very sexy cat-shifters, she has to decide if she truly wants to give up on her frisky side, or embrace it. Because the were-fox in her doesn’t want to choose between both men… it wants them both.

Kitten-Tiger & the Monk by Carolyn Crane – Sophia Sidway, Midcity’s most dangerous memory revisionist, seeks out the mysterious Monk in the wasteland beneath the Tangle turnpike, hoping for redemption… but it turns out that the Monk is not all that pious, and the turnpike is no turnpike at all.

These lovers create their own heat, even when surrounded by ice…

Speed Mating by Jessica Sims – Estrella may be going into heat, but she’s determined to remain in control. Just because she’s ovulating doesn’t mean she has to settle for just any man (or his beast). Her sexy alpha’s determined to find her a tiger to take care of her heat and father her child… but no one seems to look quite as good as the man in charge. Will giving in to her need for her alpha ruin her tenuous relationship with her clan or be a match made in heaven?

Conjuring Max by Carolyn Crane – The witches of the world ridiculed nerdy Veronica for trying to use newfangled computers to enhance old world spellcasting. Well, it’s 1984 now, and she’s perfected her spellcasting computer program. Hey, who needs friends when you can conjure virtually anything… or anybody? So when Veronica makes powerful new enemies, she conjures Max, a pitbull of a cop, to deal with the pesky hitmen who keep coming around. But tough-guy Max is in no mood to play lapdog to a gorgeous witch.

Wrecked by Meljean Brook – Elizabeth has spent the past five years running from her father; her father’s huntsman, Caius, has spent the past five years pursuing her. But when he finally catches up to her on an airship flying above Europe’s zombie-infested cities, Elizabeth discovers that Caius isn’t the only danger she has to fear – and now that he’s found her, Caius doesn’t intend to let her go.

This was one of those great collections that had a really wide array of stories under the heading of paranormal romance. From incredibly erotic shapeshifter stories to tales of steampunk piracy across the worlds. Every moment of these six novellas are steamy, warm and full of passion. And of course, a little intrigue to make it impossible to put down.

Although I already knew Meljean Brook’s works, I loved being introduced to her new (to me) Iron Seas series. Which has kind of given me a new obsession – steampunk romance. But, there is another three new series that are featured in these novellas, which have now all been happily added to my wishlist in the hopes for a future time when I have some more cash.

This was one of those fun and easy reads which I will be picking up again and again. The stories are just fun and easy. Kind of cute. And a pleasure to read.

<- Wrecked Review

The Blushing Bounder Review ->

Image source: Fantastic Fiction

Speed Mating by Jessica Sims

July 3, 2019Book ReviewJessica Sims, Midnight Liasons, Novellas and Stories, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshiftersskyebjenner

Title: Speed Mating
Author: Jessica Sims
Series: Midnight Liasons #2.3
In: Novellas and Stories (Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Shapeshifters
Dates read: 1st June 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: “Or horrified,” Estrella said quietly, sipping her own iced coffee.

Estrella may be going into heat, but she’s determined to remain in control. Just because she’s ovulating doesn’t mean she has to settle for just any man (or his beast). Her sexy alpha’s determined to find her a tiger to take care of her heat and father her child… but no one seems to look quite as good as the man in charge. Will giving in to her need for her alpha ruin her tenuous relationship with her clan or be a match made in heaven?

I was a bit thrown by the first novella I’ve read in this series. But, after reading Speed Mating, I’ve decided that this is going to be a fun, sexual and slightly cute series to sink my teeth into. Actually, it was kind of funny in moments. Especially through the use of a speed dating event in which it is so obvious who the main couple is going to be. But a little fun in the construction of their relationship.

I haven’t read a shapeshifter romance for a little while. I just seem to have moved onto other stories and tropes. But, reading this story about dating services and wanting children, and a liger shapeshifter (which is an awesome first for me) made me itch to pick up one of the many shapeshifter paranormal romances on my shelves… there is just something so much more animalistic and intriguing about these stories. Something more primal than many other romances. Which you kind of need every now and again.

The smut level of this story was quite intense, but not overdone like in Vixen. For me, it was just the right level of happy, fun smutty storyline to get my pulse racing. But not enough that I would feel completely uncomfortable reading this in public.

<- Out with a Fang

Single Wolf Female ->

Image source: Fantastic Fiction

Vixen by Jessica Sims

June 11, 2019Book ReviewJessica Sims, Midnight Liasons, Novellas and Stories, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshiftersskyebjenner

Title: Vixen
Author: Jessica Sims
Series: Midnight Liasons #2.1
In: Novellas and Stories (Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims)
Rating Out of 5: 2.5 (Readable, but not worth reading again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Shapeshifters
Dates read: 2nd May 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: Her hips lifted at the same time, and his finger penetrated the lips of her sex, sliding to the hot valley below, and both of them sucked in a breath.

Miko’s denied her were-fox nature for far too long and turned her back on her vixen heritage. But when she meets two very sexy cat-shifters, she has to decide if she truly wants to give up on her frisky side, or embrace it. Because the were-fox in her doesn’t want to choose between both men… it wants them both.

I’m a little vanilla in some of my tastes when it comes to sexuality. Mostly in the fact that I like it to be two people, not three involved in a relationship. So this story made me really quite uncomfortable… it was a love triangle that, well, stayed a triangle. Which was disappointing, because up until that point, I was actually really enjoying this novella.

I’ve had kitsune appear a few times in my books lately. I don’t know why, but they’re a mythos that I definitely want to read more about. Tricksters and sometimes demons, they’re women who highlight a lot of what femininity is for people. Which is possibly why they’ve been designated demons in the past. Which meant that I really enjoyed the use of a Vixen (kitsune) in this story. Rather than a cat or wolf shapeshifter, like I’m used to, she was a fox. With attitude and a willingness to stand on her own two feet.

I may not have thoroughly enjoyed much of the sexual aspect of this story, but I still liked the entire premise. Enough that I’m curious to read another novella in this series, but not quite buy the first book… yet.

<- Desperately Seeking Shapeshifter

Out with a Fang ->