Review – ‘Kissed by a Demon Spy’ by Sharon Kay

Blurb 

Kidnapped as a teen and forced into a life of sexual slavery, Garnet vowed long ago to do whatever she could to spare others her fate. When karma comes full circle with an offer of freedom for her and her young son, she jumps at the chance.

Masquerading as a village innkeeper, Aden keeps his espionage work secret from the gentle pixies he lives among. Using his skills to prevent a group of vicious demons from attacking the innocent, his world is draped in mist, shadow, and danger.

Steeped in shame, Garnet is loath to share her past with Aden. But Aden senses a sweet, loyal strength in her that no amount of horror can erase. His dangerous work is the opposite of the stability Garnet craves. Yet Aden’s patience and strength make him the hero she never had. When the enemy targets them, Garnet and Aden realize that honesty is the truest form of courage. 

Review 

The timeline of this novella takes place after book 2 of the Solsti Prophecy series and during the beginning of book 3, but can be read as a standalone from the other books.

We met Garnet in book 2, a plant pixie/fairy and a kitchen slave at the Stroehm prison compound, and she helped Kai and Brooke escape the prison.

In this novella, the evil tyrant Draven is killed not long and now the compound is in an uproar. Garnet and her son, Dash, are in hiding from the sadistic guards and the gladiator slaves who are running mad through the compound. Help arrives in Matthias and Bianca, the Lash Hunter and a Deserati demon/porter respectively. Garnet returns to her hometown of Ivydale after being kidnapped 172 years ago. A lot has changed but she’s determined to rebuild her life and make a better one for her son.

Aden is a Deserati demon. He’s an innkeeper who desperately needs a new chef but he’s also a spy sent to Ivydale to protect the peaceful villages and towns in the area from Viper demon attacks. Aden is also a scryer, meaning he can weave a little magic and spy on other people in real-time, no matter the distance. Garnet takes the job as the new chef and romance slowly blooms between them.

I really enjoyed this book. The trauma Garnet experienced could drive a weaker person to suicide, but she’s so strong and brave. Despite all the horrors she seen and suffered, she’s still kind and good-natured but lacks self-esteem. It’s completely understandable. As she grows and finds herself, she also finds Aden, a man who understands and loves her for who she is.

This is a very sweet love story about redemption and triumph, and fits well with the series.

5 Stars

Disclaimer – I won an ebook copy of this book in a contest and volunteered to review it. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.

Review – ‘On Wicked Ground’ by Sharon Kay

Blurb 

The lost memories of a thief...

The first twelve years of Alina's life are a black void. An accomplished thief, she uses her cloaking ability to pick pockets as well as stage elaborate heists. Digging deeper into her past sets off a chain of events that puts her, and the family she has just discovered, in the sights of their worst enemy.

...and the scarred heart of a guardian...

In secret, Lash Watcher Caine plots vengeance for the destruction of everything he loved. Branded by loss, he longs to find his one true mate, knowing that only with her will his heart fully heal. When his brief meeting with Alina is interrupted by her elaborate evade-and-escape plan, he knows there is more to her than meets his watchful eyes. But nothing can prepare him for the lethal power of her mind.

...collide at the fault line of destiny.

A brilliant villain with a vicious and loyal army behind her can only be stopped by one force: the combined power of four women who command the elements. Alina, with her newly-discovered affinity to the earth, becomes the linchpin to halting the desecration of their world. Thrown into a battle plan and a new family, she finds joy in in the quiet strength of Caine's arms. But when the secrets to her past are revealed, she learns a terrible price has been paid in advance. The very magic that allowed her to live to fulfill a prophecy will forever deny her heart's deepest wish.

Review 

In the fourth and final full length book in the Solsti series, we finally figure out what happened all those years ago to the youngest Bonham sister. Everyone believed Alina died when she was about two years old but little did they know that Alina wasn’t human and couldn’t be treated with human medicine. She needed magic, and she got it but at a price.

Caine is a Lash demon with a photographic memory and he was on assignment in the last book to catalogue stolen items at a criminal’s house. He meets Alina there and knows there’s something different about her. She’s a thief and a damn good one, but they later get separated. They meet again in this book and he wants answers. It also happens to be the fertile time of year for many demons and other supernatural creatures, so Caine’s sex drive is on high alert.

Alina is one of the strongest and level-headed of the four sisters. She controls the element of the earth, meaning she can open craters in the ground, uplift trees, create dirt storms, build mountains, and do a number of other awesome things. The chemistry between Alina and Caine is volatile and believable. They both fall hard and fast, especially Caine, but she has a life-altering secret she’s scared to tell him.

I loved all the scenes with Alina, her sisters and her grandparents. Even though Alina loves her adopted father, she wanted and needed her sisters too.

The finale (fight scene) has been building for the last four books. I totally enjoyed it but I did have a little trouble keeping track of all the characters involved since there were so many.

I definitely recommend this book and series for anyone who wants to read a good demon romance.

5 Stars

Disclaimer – I won an ebook copy of this book in a contest and volunteered to review it. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.