Category: Silver Poplar Press

Crown of Contempt (Novi Navarro Chronicles: Book 2) by Emigh Cannady

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Silver Poplar Press3 Comments
Crown of Contempt (The Novi Navarro Chronicles Book 2) by [Cannaday, Emigh]

5 Stars

Publisher: Silver Popular Press

Date of publication: June 3rd, 2019

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Series: The Novi Navarro Chronicles

Prince of Persuasion—Book 1 (review here)

Crown of Contempt—Book 2

Where you can find Crown of Contempt: Amazon | BookBub

Book synopsis:

The illusion of choice. 
The burden of the crown. 
If Prince Fallon is to succeed, he cannot do it alone. 

Novi Navarro’s life hangs in the balance after being sentenced to serve in the Temple of the Chimera. The Prioress in charge seems intent on breaking not only her spirit, but the spirit of every living thing within those impenetrable walls. When a chance encounter leads to an unexpected friendship with one of the sacred creatures inside, she discovers a new reason to go on. 

Betrayed by his own blood, Prince Fallon has given up on his family, but he hasn’t given up on his dreams of a better world–preferably one with Novi by his side. When he presents her with three different choices of how her fate will unfold, Novi must decide which path to take… 

…and there will be no turning back.

My Review:

I rarely give 5-star reviews to 2nd books in the series. In my experience, these books are fillers. There is no real plot progression—the characters flounder. But, in Crown of Contempt, none of this happened. I was happy to have my expectations blown away by this book.

I hated seeing Novi broken. She wasn’t the same person that she was before going into the temple. She still had a sharp tongue and a more intelligent mind. But her humor, which is what made me love her, wasn’t there.

I felt bad for Fallon. The stress that he was under came off the pages. He was trying to install a new government, save Novi, and fend off his mother. I was surprised that he didn’t snap sooner.

I felt bad for Callie, too. The things she was forced to do and see. The abuse she put up with. My heart broke for her every single time she appeared in the book.

I want to see more Kai!! I thought his character was adorable. He had unconditional love for Novi and protected her the best he could.

If I didn’t think that Fallon’s family was dysfunctional in Prince of Persuasion, I think it now. That family makes me shake my head. The mind games that are played between parents and children sicken me. No wonder Tristan turned out the way he did.

I wasn’t surprised by what was revealed about Queen Laena. I was expecting something like that. I also wasn’t surprised at how cruel she was to Callie. Nothing about that woman surprised me. I am curious to see what will happen in the next book. I wonder how everything will work out for her.

Tristan bothered me in the book. I was prepared not to like him. I mean, he did shoot Novi with an arrow. But, there was another side to him that was shown in the book. He was the same abusive jerk to Callie and Novi. But, there were scenes where he acted like a hurt child. I am wondering what he will be like in the next book.

There is dual main plotline in Crown of Contempt. The first plotline centers around Novi. It shows what she has overcome and what she has to overcome. I did feel that the decree the king threw down was unfair. The second storyline centered around Fallon and his work to make the country equal. I found it fascinating.

The end of Crown of Contempt was satisfying. I am not going to say much. But I will say that I was right about the character from The Darkest of Dreams. I did a fist pump when it was revealed. It is going to make the next book enjoyable.

I would give Crown of Contempt an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Crown of Contempt. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Prince of Persuasion (The Novi Navarro Chronicles: Book 1) by Emigh Cannaday

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Silver Poplar Press3 Comments
Prince of Persuasion (The Novi Navarro Chronicles Book 1) by [Cannaday, Emigh]

4.5 Stars

Publisher: Silver Popular Press

Date of publication: March 5th, 2019

Series: The Novi Navarro Chronicles

Prince of Persuasion—Book 1

Crown of Contempt—Book 2 (expected publication date: June 3rd, 2019)

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Where you can find Prince of Persuasion: Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

A dying king…
A dynasty in danger…
A prince with one duty: secure the succession!

Created when they intermingled with demons, the dark elves of Sinaryos have come to rely on humans to keep their race alive. The royal family is no exception, with a king on the verge of death, a court riddled with spies, and a broken line of succession. Despite everything working against him, Prince Fallon Blackwood has met all the demands of the crown for nearly a hundred years… except for one!

After avoiding this obligation for too long, the time has come for him to take a harem and prove that he’s capable of continuing his family’s bloodline and ensuring their control of the throne. But underneath his cool and calm exterior, Fallon secretly yearns for a much different life than the one he was born into…

Novi Navarro is a working-class barmaid who’s used to running her tavern and running her mouth. When she gets assigned to Prince Fallon’s harem by mistake, she thinks it’s a complete joke. She makes a deal with Fallon for them to both get what they want from this administrative oversight. But when members of the Blackwood Court discover her true identity, she quickly learns that she must beat them at their game… or die…

Can I tell you all how excited I was to read this book. I love fantasy. I love romance. When there is a book that brings the two genres’ together, I almost always pick it up to read. When I was approached to review Prince of Persuasion, I accepted immediately. I am glad I did because this book was fantastic.

I loved Novi in this book. She took nothing from anyone. Well, except her boss/landlord and that was because she had to. She did try to fix the administrative mistake, but no one would listen to her. Novi had a bit of snark to her as well. I was dying when she made eye contact with Fallon while thinking about him. She didn’t know that he could read her mind, which made the dance that happened right afterward even more amusing. I also died laughing when she thought that Fallon and Cedric were “together.” Let’s not forget her helping Fallon by spreading the rumor that he finished fast. I. Was. Dying. At that point, she became one of my favorite heroines.

I felt terrible for Fallon. He had to deal with a scheming mother, a brother who was plotting against him, and a father who was dying. On top of that, he had his duties as Crown Prince. One of which was to produce an heir. So, when Fallon is introduced in the book, he is not happy about being forced to procreate and take a harem. At first, I thought Fallon was a jerk. But he became less jerklike as the book went on. By the end of the book, I loved him.

The sex scenes were hot. I did laugh, though, when Novi first saw Fallon’s member. Her reaction would be one of any woman seeing something that big. I liked that the author built up Novi and Fallon’s sexual relationship too. So when they did have sex, it was hot. The author was able to keep that going through the rest of the book.

It took me a while to figure out that Prince of Persuasion was set in the same universe as the Anika Brisby series. I am not giving anything away, but I made the connection to a particular character in The Darkest of Dreams (not Talvi!!).

I could not stand Queen Laena. For a race who depended on humans to keep their race going, she didn’t like humans. There was mention of her past, and that made me wonder what she was hiding.

Tristan was also on my list. I couldn’t decide if he was going along with Queen Laena because he wanted her approval or if he was concerned for Fallon. Still, after what he did to Callie and what happened at the end of the book, he ended up on my list.

The end of the book frustrated me. I can’t stand cliffhangers. But it did its job. I need to read the next book.

I would give Prince of Persuasion an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Prince of Persuasion. I would recommend this book to family and friends.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Prince of Persuasion.

The Darkest of Dreams (Annika Brisby: Book 4) by Emigh Cannady

On By JolieIn book review, Non ARC, Silver Poplar Press3 Comments
The Darkest of Dreams(Annika Brisby, #4)

5 Stars

Publisher: Silver Poplar Press

Date of publication: January 29th, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Series: Annika Brisby

The Flame and The Arrow – Book 1 (review here)

The Silver Thread – Book 2 (review here)

The Scarlet Tanager – Book 3 (review here)

The Darkest of Dreams – Book 4

Where you can find The Darkest of Dreams: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A heinous crime. An empire in turmoil. And a modern girl at the center of it all.

Darkness has fallen on the Marinossian family, leaving ruined lives in its wake and leaving Annika to pick up the pieces. With a deadly doppelgänger still on the loose, she’s escorted back to America to wait out the storm…however long that may be.

A world away, Talvi has been dragged to the desolate prison on Bleakmoor Island where he awaits trial for murder. His time in solitary confinement has pushed him to the brink of madness. The only thing keeping him from completely losing his mind is the mysterious inmate in the cell across from him. He’s one of the Näkki—the half-demon dark elves who were banished from his country hundreds of years ago. As Talvi gets acquainted with his new friend, he learns another version of his country’s history that makes him question his convictions. He vows to get some answers…if he ever gets out alive.
The question is, will Annika be there if he does?

My review:

I could not wait to read The Darkest of Dreams. I have read the earlier 3 books and I have become involved with the series. I needed to know what happened next. I needed to know what was going to happen with Talvi and Annika. Especially after the events of The Scarlet Tanager. Well, I wasn’t disappointed. The Darkest of Dreams exceeded my expectations.

The Darkest of Dreams starts after the cliffhanger in The Scarlet Tanager. Annika and the rest of the Marinossian family are left reeling and heartbroken. Annika is sent away for her own protection because there is a doppelgänger still out there. A doppelgänger that still wants to harm her. Annika throws herself into her work and exercising to cope with her grief. But, Annika soon finds out that what she thought happened that fateful night is not what anyone thinks it is. Determined to make things right, Annika travels to the one place she is not welcome.

Meanwhile, Talvi is in solitary confinement on Bleakmoor Island. On trial for murder, he is hoping to get out on a self-defense claim. But until then, he has to deal with abusive guards, sub-par living conditions and his own mind. When another prisoner is brought into the same area as he is, Talvi befriends him. Talvi soon learns that this prisoner is not who he seems. He also learns that what he has been taught about his country’s history might not be true.

Annika rocked in this book. From the first chapter, she dealt with the aftermath of what happened. I thought her scene with Heron was fantastic. When she got back to America, she had to deal with the fall out there too. James and her bandmates were there for her. Patti Cakes, not so much. I loved seeing the change in her, physical and mental. I cheered her on during the last half of the book. She did the right thing when faced with a huge surprise. Not going to get into it but it was awesome. Also, I will never look at glass elevators the same again.

Talvi broke my heart. He was suffering mentally over what happened. But to be punished for marrying a “modern” (ie non Elf) girl went too far. He was surviving in conditions that were horrible. Not only did he have a broken jaw (in 4 places) but he had to eat food that was disgusting. His cell was tiny. His bed was infested with bedbugs and lice. I did a literal “eww” when he was killing the bedbugs and nits. I was happy when Nillin was introduced. It gave Talvi something to focus on other than Annika and the events leading up to him going to jail. I wasn’t surprised when Nillin revealed who he was. There were little clues that I picked up on (which is a miracle because I don’t pick up on anything….lol).

This book focused on Talvi and Annika separately. It showed the deep rift in their marriage, no thanks to Finn. But, it also showed that if you worked towards something, it can be healed. I am not going to go much into the book. I will say that I enjoyed the self-help scene and was laughing at the notes left in the book.

There is a huge twist in the book. It wasn’t at the end, though. It was in the middle when Annika was touring in Japan. I was very surprised at this twist because it came out of nowhere. My jaw dropped, I went “Noooooo waaaaayyyyy” out loud and continued to devour the book.

The end of the book was good, very good. Again, something I can’t get into because in doing that, it will give away some major spoilers. Let’s say that the next book is going to be fantastic.

I will not be a Pros/Cons of The Darkest of Dreams. If I did them, I would be giving away some major spoilers.

I would give The Darkest of Dreams a rating of Adult. There are mild violence, language, and explicit sexual situations. I would not recommend anyone under the age of 21 reading this book.

There is no trigger warning in The Darkest of Dreams.

I would recommend The Darkest of Dreams to family and friends. I would give a warning about the explicit sex but other than that, tell them to read. This is a book that I will be rereading.

I would like to thank Emigh Cannaday and Silver Poplar Press for allowing me to read and review The Darkest of Dreams.

All opinions stated in this review of The Darkest of Dreams are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Catch & Release (The Sloane Spadowski Series: Book 3) by Emigh Cannaday

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Silver Poplar Press1 Comment

Catch & Release (The Sloane Spadowski Series Book 3)

Title: Catch & Release

Author: Emigh Cannaday

Publisher: Silver Poplar Press

Date of publication: April 5th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 222

POV: 1st person

Series: The Sloane Spadowski Series

Jerk Bait – Book 1 (review here)

Slip Sinker – Book 2 (review here)

Catch & Release – Book 3

Where you can find Catch & Release: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Jaded from years of playing catch and release when it comes to men, Sloane is ready to land one for keeps. When she winds up stranded at the Barbie dream house deep in the heart of Texas, she sees it as a chance to cast her net on true love. What begins as a not-so-innocent play date quickly turns into a summer packed full of adventure and romance. Not wanting to rock the boat, Sloane keeps her deeper feelings a secret until the right moment comes along. But living in a world of make-believe can’t last forever. As the summer comes to an end she has to decide if she’s going to hang on and fight or cut the line.

* The Sloane Spadowski series is a whimsical, rowdy, dirty blend of Contemporary Romance and Romantic Comedy with occasional adult language and adults behaving badly. This is the third and final installment of a complete series.

My review:

Catch & Release was everything that I hoped it would be and then some. But what I didn’t expect was the emotional rollercoaster I went on reading this book. I went from joy to grief within pages of each other. Of course, we can’t forget falling in and out of love.

I enjoyed seeing Sloane growing up in this book. What I mean growing up, she matured big time. She went from being a self-centered girl who changed jobs and men as often as she changed her underwear to a woman who realized that she couldn’t keep that lifestyle going and needed to make personal and lifestyle changes. Of course, though, this happens all after her trip to Texas. Before that, I could see her changing.

I am not going to come out and say that I was unhappy that she and Andy broke up. They were not happy together. I do think that maybe Sloane should have broken it off sooner than later. I mean, Barbie did ask her to break it off as soon as they had sex but she couldn’t do it.

The whole showdown at Barbie’s Dreamhouse was heartbreaking. I actually felt for Andy and I didn’t blame him one bit for him freaking out on both Sloane and Barbie. They both deserved it. I mean they did have sex while Sloane was still in a relationship with Andy. What shocked me was the way he found out: Sloane talks in her sleep. Talk about ouch!!

The sex between Barbie and Sloane was hot, as usual. But what got me was the scene in the pool, after Andy left and both Sloane and Barbie were still reeling from Andy’s speech. OMG, the feels and the song that was used to set it. Wicked Game by Chris Isaak. Love that song!!

I was very surprised with the turn that the book took at the end. While I understand why it was written that way, I couldn’t get over why it was written the way it was written. Saying that I was shocked was an understatement. But, like I said in the beginning of this review, it actually went well with Sloane’s transformation.

I am going to miss this series and reading about Sloane’s shenanigans. The book couldn’t have ended on a better note (once I got over my shock) and I am hoping that Sloane, Andy, and Barbie make an appearance in another book or a short story.

How many stars will I give Catch & Release: 4

Why: This was a great ending to a great series. Sloane, Barbie, and Andy grew on me. The plot was great and the twist at the end of the book did shock me.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, language, and some mild violence

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Slip Sinker (The Sloane Spadowski Series: Book 2) by Emigh Cannaday

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Silver Poplar Press2 Comments

Slip Sinker (The Sloane Spadowski Series Book 2)

Title: Slip Sinker

Author: Emigh Cannady

Publisher: Silver Popular Press

Date of publication: March 15th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 386

POV: 1st person

Series: The Sloane Spodowski Series

Jerk Bait – Book 1 (review here)

Slip Sinker – Book 2

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

After meeting Andy’s best friend, Sloane begins to rethink her strategy on how to reel in her prize. Not only is Barbie a matchmaker with a perfect track record, but the tall, tan, gorgeous blonde clearly adores Andy and isn’t about to give his new girlfriend the green light without conducting a thorough investigation. Claiming to have Andy’s best interest in mind, Barbie puts Sloane through an intense cross-examination to get to know her better and learn what she wants most out of life. When Barbie’s ruling is announced, Sloane’s in too deep with both of them to realize she’s in way over her head.

* The Sloane Spadowski series is a whimsical, rowdy, dirty blend of Contemporary Romance and Romantic Comedy, with occasional adult language and adults behaving badly. This is the second installment of a complete series.

My review:

I don’t think I have laughed as hard at a book than I did with this one. I was in bed, reading, and I was laughing so hard that I had tears coming down my face and my SO was asking me “You alright? What’s so funny?”. The Brazilian Wax scene was pure gold. I have never had one done and guess what, I will never have one done after reading Sloane’s misadventure with that. Right up there is when Sloane, Barbie, and Andy are at the gay bar and Barbie/Andy dance to “Barbie World” and then Barbie dances to “Ride a Cowboy (Save a Horse)”. I like both songs but I will never get the mental image of Barbie twerking to Barbie World out of my head….lol.

I am going to admit, I was wrong about my misconception with Barbie at the end of Jerk Bait. So wrong about him and I don’t like being wrong. But he seemed like such a good friend and his matchmaking abilities did score Jack a date (and possibly a boyfriend) and he seemed to really like Sloane. His Texan accent, the way he talked and his ridiculous nicknames (Sloaney Baloney, Handy Andy (and am I the only one that internally corrected that to Handy Manny….lol), Kimmy the C*nt) were fabulous. He was a self-described hound with a “disability” that gets him more hunnies than he can handle (his words…lol). I loved him and he is a fictional character…haha.

Sloane was still her bad self in this book but I could see her chafing at being in a relationship with Andy. Christmas was a huge question mark in my mind when she got weird on the gift he gave her. I mean, she got a pearl necklace and she freaked out. The Valentine’s Day fiasco kinda cinched it but I still had doubt. But Saint Patty’s Day, that cinched it. Sloane, in her own words, went through men and jobs like tissues, so I shouldn’t have been too surprised when she started to get itchy. But the person who she moved onto (while still being with Andy) was a huge surprise to me.

Let’s just say that the rest of the book was filled with beyond hot sex. Burning hot sex with this person. Andy, well he didn’t have burning hot sex with Sloane. He was blander and more vanilla. Sloane’s partner was not vanilla. Oh no, he wasn’t….lol.

The end of the book had a sneaky cliffhanger and made me wonder about a few things. The main thing is would Sloane stay with Andy or would she go with the other guy. I also want to know if she was getting a puppy (read the book) and you know what, all this pregnancy talk makes me think that maybe, just maybe, Sloane might get knocked up. Too much stress on babies and how happy she would be without them.

How many stars will I give Slip Sinker: 5

Why: I actually read this book in one night. I was glued to the story while laughing my hiney off. The characters were unforgettable and they all grew on me.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Jerk Bait (The Sloane Spadowski Series: Book 1) by Emigh Cannaday

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Silver Poplar Press3 Comments

Jerk Bait (The Sloane Spadowski Series Book 1) by [Cannaday, Emigh]

Title: Jerk Bait

Author: Emigh Cannady

Publisher: Silver Popular Press

Date of publication: February 22nd, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 214

POV: 1st person

Series: The Sloane Spadowski Series

Jerk Bait – Book 1

Slip Sinker – Book 2 (expected publication date March 15th, 2017)

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Sloane Spadowski has never kept a job (or a boyfriend) for more than a few months. The last thing this temp worker wants is a long-term commitment to either–until she hooks the ultimate trophy. Not only does her new office have a stunning view of Downtown Chicago, but her sexy new supervisor makes it clear from day one that he’s a boss with benefits. Andy is funny, smart, rich, and has Ken-doll good looks, making him the perfect catch. Just when Sloane is about to reel him in, she finds herself caught on a snag the size of Texas–his best friend Barbie.

* The Sloane Spadowski series is a whimsical, rowdy, dirty blend of Contemporary Romance and Romantic Comedy, with occasional adult language and adults behaving badly. This is the first installment of a complete series.

My review:

This book was just what I needed after reading two books that were not light reading and dealt with some pretty heavy issues. It was refreshing!! It was a salve for my brain and recharged it…..lol.

I really liked Sloane. I liked that she was kinda commitmentphobe about jobs and relationships. She changed men almost as much she changed her underwear (and maybe more). The only serious relationship she had been with Jack, her roommate, best friend, and ex-boyfriend.

Andy came across as a horndog from the minute he was introduced to Sloane in his office. Not that Sloane helped any with her deliberate leaving up the corset page and then having him look at it. Then he buys them for her with a condition that she wears them for him. But I do like that he held off from actually doing the deed with her, a few times. That he opted to get to know her better. Kinda brought down his perviness a little.

The whole Barbie storyline had me going until the end. When it was revealed who Barbie was, I almost died and I can’t wait until the next book to see where that is going to go.  Put it this way, I think Jack would be a great hook up for Barbie….lol!!!!

I also think that I figured out the Andy Jr storyline and if it is what I think it is, well Sloane is going to be proven wrong….haha. The phone conversations alone tipped me off.

The make-out scenes with Andy were pretty hot and I can’t wait to see when they actually have sex. It is going to beyond hot.

Like I said, the end of the book was a cliffhanger with a huge surprise. I was kinda taken aback by the surprise and it did hook me into reading the next book.

How many stars will I give Jerk Bait: 4

Why: This book was a balm on my brain after reading a couple of books that dealt with some pretty heavy issues. The characters were quirky but likable and the romance was off the hook steamy. I cannot wait to read the next book.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sexual situations and some language

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

The Scarlet Tanager (Annika Brisby: Book 3) by Emigh Cannaday

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Silver Poplar Press6 Comments

The Scarlet Tanager: Fantasy Paranormal Romance (The Annika Brisby Series Book 3) by [Cannaday, Emigh]

Publisher: Silver Poplar Press

Date of publication: August 17th, 2016

Series: The Annika Brisby Series

The Flame and the Arrow – Book 1 (review here)

The Silver Thread – Book 2 (review here)

The Scarlet Tanager – Book 3

Where to find it: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

“You’re part samodiva. I knew that when I met you. It’s in your blood to be distracted by beauty…and pleasure.” He turned to face her, taking in every sensuous curve of her female form. “You seem to have forgotten that it’s in my blood as well. Whatever shall I do to remind you?” 

Scandal. Blackmail. Obsession. It’s just another day if you’re a Marinossian. When Annika disappears without a trace, Talvi launches the hunt for his most infuriating rival yet–a doppelgänger. His only clues about the mysterious shapeshifter are from a government he’s increasingly at odds with. In exchange for access to their resources, he does the unthinkable and reveals Annika’s true nature. Time is short, but the list of names Talvi can trust keeps getting shorter. 

Back home at the family’s country estate, his brother Finn is blindsided when the missing redhead turns up covered head to toe with vampire bites and no recollection of how it happened. While his mother tends to her physical wounds, Finn’s given the task of restoring her memory…and he just can’t resist showing her his version of the truth. But playing mind games is like playing roulette–and someone’s luck is about to run out. 

You’ll enjoy this edgy & dark blend of New Adult Romantic Fantasy and Paranormal Gothic Romance if you’re a fan of Laurell K. Hamilton, Kresley Cole, Donna Grant, Charlaine Harris, Karen Marie Moning, Jeanine Frost, J.R. Ward, Sarah J. Maas and Lynsay Sands.

My review:

I was so excited when Emigh asked me to review The Scarlet Tanager. I loved The Flame and The Arrow and The Silver Arrow, so I knew that I would like The Scarlet Tanager. And oh boy, I wasn’t disappointed.

The book starts where The Silver Arrow ended, with Annika in the car with Stephan, a doppelgänger, after being kidnapped. There is a close encounter with a police officer, and when the chapter ends, they are on their way to Prague. Reasons unknown but it couldn’t be good. I was scared for Annika during this chapter because I didn’t know what was going to happen to her. The unknown in books scares me.

Back in London, Merriweather Narayanaswamy is called into the London embassy. She is demoted from her position in the embassy. Merriweather screwed up a lot of things. She failed to research Stephan’s, her PA, background. He then morphed into her and stole Talvi’s records, and that was how Stephan got a hold of Annika.

Things further go downhill for her when Talvi and Chivanni discover that Annika is missing. When he finds out that Merriweather was responsible for Stephan kidnapping Annika, he had his revenge. It involves a tied up, drunk elf, and a ton of sex toys. After this, Talvi is mentioned and sometimes makes an appearance during the book, but the focus goes to Annika.

What happened to Annika at the “farm” was disturbing. She was fortunate that Pavlo discovered who she was and let Konstantine know that he had found her. Pavlo cleaned her up, well the best that he could without wanting to drain her blood and waited for Konstantine and Yuri to arrive.

Speaking of Yuri, I can’t stand her. She is spoiled, selfish, and plays mind games with everyone. I didn’t like her in Book 1, was relieved that she wasn’t mentioned in Book 2 but Book 3, I wanted to stake her. She was plain nasty to everyone, including Konstantine, who for some odd reason loves her. Or does he? I have a feeling that for some reason, he is stringing her along. Just a feeling I get.

Konstantine and Yuri bring Annika to Yuri’s parents to be nursed back to health. Annika suffers physical and mental scars from her time at the farm. Asbjorn was tricked by Sloan (his daughter) to kiss Annika’s neck all better, and she stabbed him with a fork in the face. Yeah, ouch. She also has lost all her memory of Talvi.

Which brings us to Finn. Oh, Finn, why did you do what you did? I mean, I understand WHY but still, it was wrong. Paris was supposed to be a one-time thing!!! As Asbjorn said, Finn traded one addiction for another. That addiction happened to be Annika.

The ending of the book was so sad for Talvi, Annika, and Finn. I cried more in those 3-4 chapters than I did throughout the entire book. There are a few other storylines that get wrapped up by the end of the book except for Yuri’s.

How many stars will I give The Scarlet Tanager? 5

Why? This was a heart wrenching but great read. Normally there is a lull after the second book (and I know I said this in the review for The Silver Thread) but this book just keeps on going. No lull at all!!!

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and some violence.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**