#Review - Royal Fae Guardians Series by Heather Renee #YA #Fantasy

Series: Royal Fae Guardians # 0.5
Format: Kindle, 94 pages
Release Date: July 28th 2020
Publisher: HRB Publishing, LLC
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

Life as a guardian isn’t for the weak.

For the last few decades, I’ve been working alongside my two best friends Ryland and Oliver.

We’re the top guardians in Arvayta, so it should have come as no surprise when we’re summoned to complete the deadliest of tasks.

Darkness has taken over the dragon territory and it’s up to the three of us to stop it. Only the fates haven’t given us much information to go off and we have no idea what we’re walking into when we enter the Otherworld.

There is no shortage of obstacles as we make our way through the treacherous landscapes, only to fall directly into the dragon’s lair. Except not everything is as I’ve always believed and there’s no room for second-guessing.

It’s time to slay some dragons.

Of Swords and Dragons, by author Heather Renee, is the prequel to the author's Royal Fae Guardians duology. In this story, readers will meet Jordan Baker. Jordan and her best friends Oliver and Ryland are the two best Guardians around. This story is set in a place called Arvayta. This short story follows Jordan and her friends as they are given a job of defeating an evil dragon by the name of Zendar. Along the way, the trio encounter Dragon Queen Yelah who offers to help the trio defeat Zendar and bring peace back to the realm. This is also a set up to the next two books as Jordan is given a job of guarding Brooks and Daliah's daughter Kaliah on Earth after she is attacked.

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Series: Royal Fae Guardians # 1

Format: Kindle, 188 pages

Release Date: April 26, 2020

Publisher: HRB Publishing, LLC

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

I might be a fae princess, but my story is no fairytale.

Being told that I'm not exactly human wasn't easy to accept. Neither was spending the last year training for what was to come on my nineteenth birthday, but I did it anyway. Feeling certain I'm ready for my new life, I soon realize nothing could have prepared me for the reality of it.

Turns out I'm the first descendant in decades to be born from two royal fae lines, but being special isn't always a good thing. All that training I did? Not so helpful when I find out a dark fae is looking to settle an old score—with me as his target.

Enter Ryland, an elusive guardian meant to help prepare me for the inevitable threats headed my way. The only problem? He's impossible, and I can't seem to stop butting heads with him. Even when other forces try to push us together.

Though, regardless of the obstacles, I have to accept the changes in my life and learn how to roll with the punches. Because if I don't? Well, it could mean the end of the little utopia I've found in my new home.

But becoming the hero Arvayta needs me to be isn't as easy as it sounds.

Of Dreams and Sorcery, by author Heather Renee, is actually the first installment in the author's Royal Fae Guardians. This book takes place 8 years after Of Swords and Dragons. Our new protagonist is Kaliah Atwater who is fast approaching her 19th birthday when she will transform from human into fae. Kali is also the first to be conceived from two royal families. She's also the first who has a chance of restoring balance lost in the Dark Wars. 

For those who read the above story, Jordan remains part of Kai's life as her guardian and best friend. Oliver and Ryland also appear in this story. I think of think of Oliver and the third wheel. When Kali meets a talking owl named Stryx, she knows that her life has become very complicated. Then of course, we have to have our nefarious villain Alaryk who truly believes Kali is his and nobody is going to get in his way. But, Kali isn't a Mary Sue. She truly has some powerful abilities which she'll need leading into the final installment.

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Series: Royal Fae Guardians # 2

Format: Kindle, 177 pages

Release Date: June 26, 2020

Publisher: HRB Publishing, LLC

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

A storm’s been awakened, and it won't be contained for long.

I've been pushed beyond my limits, my heart shattered into pieces, and a magic forced on me I know nothing about. With a darkness stirring inside me that I should be afraid of—but I’m not—it’s time to show Alaryk even though he won the last battle, he won’t get so lucky again.

My grieving period is over. I’ve moved onto rage, letting vengeance guide me. Everyone left that I care about wants me to let them in, but until Alaryk is no longer breathing, I won’t let them distract me from what needs to be done.

I’m destined for two paths. One that leads to light and love, the other, darkness and power. The time is up to decide who I will become, and ready or not, I’ll either save the worlds or destroy them.

This time, not even the Fates know how things will end.

Of Blood and Sacrifice is the final installment in author Heather Renee's Royal Fae Guardians series. This story picks up 5 days after the stunning ending to Of Blood and Sacrifice. Alaryk made his move and it has pushed Kali to the breaking point. With a prophecy that says that she will either save Alaryk or destroy it, it will take a few good friends and new allies to keep Kali on the straight and narrow. As her connection to Ryland and Stryx grows, Kali needs to find a weapon strong enough to defeat Alaryk. Kali's connection to Ryland grows in this story after she finally accepts that she's his soul mate. The most interesting part of this story is that Jordan finally gets something that she's been longing for. I couldn't be happier for her or Oliver for that matter. The only issue I have with these books is that they are way too short. I would have liked to have them longer so that the ending didn't feel rushed.

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#Review - Escape (Elite Supernatural Trackers #3) by Heather Renee #YA #Fantasy

Series: Elite Supernatural Trackers #3
Format: Kindle, 207 pages
Release Date: May 16th 2020
Publisher: Heather Renee
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Magical Realism

Family isn't always everything.
 
I should be dead. I was pretty sure I did die—at least for a few seconds—but thanks to having the right kind of friends, I get another chance to gain my freedom back. Except now I'm in even more danger than before.

Putting the risks aside, I've convinced the Fabled Four to stick around instead of running away so we can hunt down the Luccovinos before they do the same to us. With Jaxon being more protective than ever, it makes the task difficult at times, but he's also the only thing keeping me sane as we continue to grow closer.

As everything comes to an end, the truth about who I am isn't easy to accept and neither is knowing who to trust. But as I face off with a family I never knew existed, there is one thing I'm convinced of. 

I'm going to kill every single one of them.
 

Escape is the third and final installment in author Heather Renee's Elite Supernatural Trackers. Protagonist Cara Simmons has found a secret to her heritage that has placed a huge bounty on her head. She's just not just Cara Simmons possible, she's part of the Luccovino Vampire family and they are coming for her whether she is ready or not. Cara’s very existence threatens everything that they have created over the centuries. They are one of the only original families remaining.

Thankfully, Cara has a bit of help from her friends. Gregor, Nixie, Jaxon, Mason, Spencer, Ethan, and Gabriel. She also has lots of enemies like Warden Logan Parsons and the Supernatural Council who end up tossing Cara and the Fabled Four out of the prison. Cara is warned by Zeke that Cara should not allow herself to be found by her family. She should stop using her powers; she should stop being an idiot, and he will find her when she needs to stand up and fight for her life and her friends lives as well.

So, the surprising part of this story is learning who her father was and the fact that she was born of magic and venom thus why she is so powerful and so desired by the Luccovino’s. In a way, Cara is an original vampire heir which is why some of the Luccovino’s want Cara to pay for the mistakes of her father Emilio. Cara’s abilities grow as well. She can absorb/siphon powers from any supernatural she encounters. The most interesting alliance is between Cara and Gregor. Gregor is a demon who once worked for the family before Cara’s father quit the family and survived. He claims that Cara’s father told him to help protect her from the family at all costs. 

Nixie continues to be a fav of mine.  I loved how she grew and the way she too overcame so much. Her spunky little character was always bringing laughs and the friendship with her and Cara was just so awesome and special. I also loved that the author gave Nixie her own HEA with another steamy character from this cast. And don’t worry, Cara gets her own personal satisfaction all day long with Jaxon. Did I mention the steamy part? 

"I had previously thought being arrested was the worst thing that could have happened to me, but just maybe it had been the best thing."

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#Review - Capture by Heather Renee #YA #Paranormal #Romance

Series: Elite Supernatural Trackers #2
Format: Kindle, 158 pages
Release Date: March 19, 2020
Publisher: HRB Publishing, LLC
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: YA / Paranormal / Romance

One final task to complete before they're released, but what price will it come with?

I never would have predicted I'd still be stuck in Mandora Supernatural Prison for as long as I have been, but I refuse to give up hope. No matter how long it takes, I'll find a way out from under the warden's twisted rule. More importantly, I'll do it the right way because a life on the run isn't one I'm after.

With the Fabled Four at my back, and my feisty fairy sidekick on my shoulder, I won't stop until we're all released from the hell we've been stuck in. But with tensions high, escape isn't as easy as it sounds while we hunt down those the warden wants.

It will take all the power I can acquire, and for our group to finally work as a team, in order for us to come out on top, but just when victory is in our sights, we realize not everything is as it seems.

Capture is the second installment in author Heather Renee's Elite Supernatural Trackers series. Here's a quick summary of previous events. Cara Simmons was wrongfully put in Mandora Supernatural Prison for using illegal magic. She ends up with 4 paranormals (Jaxon, Blake, Mason, and Spencer) who do tracking work for the warden. Cara also came face to face with a feisty faerie named Nixie with an attitude a mile wide who has stuck with Cara. The Warden has let Cara and the Fabled Four know that if they find his son, they can go free. 

Otherwise, everything is off the table and the warden will continue to siphon off magic from the prisoners while growing more powerful. Cara, we learned, has the ability to manipulate others but she will still need the help of Nixie, and fabled four to get out of prison. As this story opens, Cara's relationship with Jaxon is still smothering under the skin. There's nothing holding these two back other than each others issues. Meanwhile, Cara and the Fable Four have jobs to do.

The team is sent to Manhattan to capture a rogue bear shifter who may have killed a human. Cara and Nixie are later given a 72 hour pass which sends them knocking on Demon Gregor's door asking him for help in fixing Nixie's missing  wing. Cara sometimes walks a fine line of doing stupid things. Visiting Gregor could end up with her losing some blood and him knowing everything there is to know about her which he could sell to any interested parties; including the Luccovino's who are a powerful vampire family. 

While Cara does a lot of growing in this story, and has learned that it is okay to trust the Fable Four with her welfare as well as Nixie who has become her best friend, she still makes silly mistakes. The most interesting character remains Owen, who is a lion shifter. There is something about Owen that is slowly being unraveled but not as much as I would like. There is something he's not telling Cara while also telling her he's trying to help her and protect her. From what exactly? He even tells her to be safe that we need you. We who?  

In the final scene in this book, Cara and the boys next step in finding Zeke is Portsmouth, Virginia. Of course, things go sideways, again, quickly and Cara ends up in all sorts of trouble. First, there is Gregor who warns Cara that he knows who she is and that she's in grave danger if she's discovered by the Vampires. Third, many obstacles are faced and when things blow up, sometimes the most unexpected things can happen which leaves a gasping cliffhanger ending to deal with! 

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#Review - Initiation by Heather Renee #New Adult #Fantasy

Series: Elite Supernatural Trackers #1
Format: Kindle, 198 page
Release Date: January 9, 2020
Publisher: Amazon
Source: Amazon Kindle Unlimited
Genre: New Adult / Fantasy

A supernatural prison, a feisty fairy sidekick, and four alpha males. What could possibly go wrong?

Being sent to prison just after my eighteenth birthday wasn't exactly what I had in mind after getting my first taste of freedom. Neither was ending up in cell block B with all male prisoners. There had to be some sort of mixup, right? Wrong.

After a too-close-for-comfort attack, I'm taken in by the Fabled Four--a group of guys who aren't known for playing by the rules and are prisoners here just like me. The only difference is they know what the warden wants from them and I have no idea.

Much to their leader's dismay, it's time to figure out the real reason I'm stuck in Mandora Supernatural Prison. Though, if I can't get my magic in check sooner rather than later, I just might get myself, or others I care about, killed.

Let the games begin.

*Please note, this is not a Reverse Harem book and recommended for ages 16+ due to some bully themes and language* 

Initiation, by Heather Renee, is the first installment in the authors Elite Supernatural Trackers series. Protagonist Cara Simmons is accused of breaking witch law on 4 separate occasions as the story opens. She is quickly sent to Mandora Supernatural Prison where Warden Gillian puts her in with the male population. This triggers warning alarms. The Warden quickly ignores any requests by Cara to be told which laws she supposedly broke. She is told by her new cell mate, Anthony, do not challenge the so called Fable Four and other rules that she needs to pay attention to. 

Cara quickly destroys that rule within hours with her snarky, care less, try to stop me if you dare attitude. Cara is supposed to be some weak witch with little powers who was orphaned when her parents died 8 years ago. Dad was "supposedly" a sorcerer, while her mom was a witch. But, the Four easily uncover that Cara is more than she claims to be. The Four are Hawk, Gunner, Ace, and Yeti. Cara is soon called Siren. Gunner claims the Warden wants Cara's powers. Yeti claims that Cara is a mixed Siren/Witch who can manipulate people into doing her bidding. ::Que the light bulb::

The Four work for the warden as trackers. They tend to mess with the other prisoners because they can and nobody has been able to stop them since they arrived. When Cara's fiery ways get noticed by the Four, she's put under their protection. Not only from the other inmates, but the guards and the Warden as well. The Warden has kept track of Cara. He knows that she doesn't play well with others. He orders her to tame the fabled four if she has any hopes of leaving the prison any time soon. 

(I recently wrote a review for another book where I said that I don't much care for reverse harem novels. Both authors say why choose when you can have 4? They also claim that neither book has anything to do with being reverse harems. We shall see!) 

In this word, friends are a liability unless they can offer you something in return. Cara wants to know why the Warden choose her. As the story continues, Cara actually gets stronger whereas others have their powers siphoned by the Warden. Cara and the Four are given a mission to St. Louis to find a trouble making Demon. Cara finds a fairy being named Nixie held hostage who quickly shows she's got as much of an attitude and sass as Cara does. One thing that you can grab hold of. There is more too Jaxon than meets the eyes. The Supernatural world is extremely corrupt. And, Cara has to walk a tightrope between helping Nixie and the Four, to uncovering what she is actually capable of.

 

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