Resisting the Wicked Orc - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Resisting the Wicked Orc (Silvermist Mates #2)

by Chloe Graves

What is it about:

Fighting fate is the fastest way to get scorched.

Rava

While my brothers chase glory as elite mercenaries, I'm chasing freedom on an unsanctioned undercover mission. The stolen relic I'm hunting could break my betrothal—if an infuriatingly sexy orc would stop interfering with my plans and making my fire magic spark out of control.

I tell myself each kiss is just strategy, each touch merely distraction. But with my cover blown and hunters on my trail, the greatest threat to my escape isn't the prince I'm fleeing but the mate who makes me burn to stay.

Zral

I'm bored filling my nights with meaningless conquests while watching everyone around me find their perfect matches.

Then a defiant demon with fire in her eyes and lies on her lips drags me into her dangerous heist, only to betray me at every turn. Her reckless schemes leave me feeling more alive than ever before, and my need to claim her grows stronger each time she vanishes.

But behind her secrets lurks a royal monster who believes titles grant ownership. The cruel princeling will learn orcs don't surrender what belongs to them. Not for thrones or royal decrees.

Crowns shatter as easily as bones when standing between an orc and his mate.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I liked this book better than the first two books in this series. 

Both story and the romance were interesting and enjoyable. I liked both Rava and Zral, and that's what was missing in the first two books: I just didn't really click with the main characters in those books.

Here I was invested in Rava and Zral finding love and getting out on top.

The chemistry between these two was really delicious, and I loved the steamy scenes (especially as nobody kept bringing up their family during them).

I will say that Vexing the Grumpy Orc is still my favorite, but Resisting the Wicked Orc was a very enjoyable read as well!

All in all a fun series, and I might investigate what other books Graves has written.

Why should you read it:

Sexy Wicked Orc!

Charming the Orc's Mate - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Charming the Orc's Mate (Silvermist Mates #2)

by Chloe Graves

What is it about:

Even fate needs a little shelf-help sometimes.

Carissa

Inheriting a bookstore in a magical town was my childhood dream, but the reality of settling my great-aunt's estate is more hell than happily-ever-after. Between chaotic finances and pre-booked events I can't cancel, I'm counting the days until I can flee back to my ordered life in Seattle and a waiting job offer.

But selling the store gets complicated when one distractingly handsome orc from my past keeps showing up to help—and I'm running out of reasons to say no.

Torain

Watching my brother find his mate left me hungry for my own. Then "little Carrie" storms back into my life, those prim lips curved in a shush, and my mate bond ignites with a roar.

The quiet girl who shared her cookies has grown into a goddess of fitted skirts and perfectly pinned hair. She wields spreadsheets like weapons, bringing order to chaos while every buttoned-up inch of her makes me burn to watch her unravel.

When a snake of a developer plots to steal her inheritance, they'll both learn that this orc's patience has limits—and I'm not letting anyone write my mate out of our future.

But I'll savor showing her that the messiest stories make the sweetest endings.

Charming the Orc's Mate is a spicy monster romance featuring a cinnamon roll orc who's definitely not too loud in libraries, a control-freak heroine whose ordered life needs a little chaos, and a magical small town that refuses to let go of its bookstore. Expect fated mates, forbidden kisses in the stacks, and grumpy/sunshine romance with a dash of childhood friends.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

Yet another enjoyable read that didn't reach the heights of Vexing the Grumpy Orc.

I had thought I'd love this one when I discovered it centered around a bookstore, but even though that was a large part of the plot, I couldn't really connect with Torain and Carissa. Am I turning into a grump who only connects with other grumps? I sure hope not.

I still enjoyed the story and romance well enough, make no mistake, I just felt like some spark was missing for me. 

I did pick up book 4 in this series afterward to see how I would like that one. Review coming soon.

Why should you read it:

Cinnamon Roll Orc

Bewitching the Orc Chief - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Bewitching the Orc Chief (Silvermist Mates #1)

by Chloe Graves

What is it about:

The most potent magic is sealed with a bite.

Miranda

All I wanted was one night of normal after a year of... avoiding my former coven. Instead, I got an orc chief who took one look at me and growled "mine." One scorching night later, I wake up in his village—which is definitely not what I had in mind for the morning-after.

Now I'm surrounded by suspicious orcs, trying to keep my magic under wraps, and fighting an inconvenient attraction to my very large, very possessive "host." But hey, at least my familiar likes him—the traitor.

Osen

The clan elders demand I take a mate to secure my position as chief. I didn't expect fate to hand me a witch who makes my blood burn and my instincts roar to mark her again. And again.

Our shaman spits venom about dark magic, while my uncle circles like a vulture. But when my brother lies bleeding out and her forbidden power yanks him back from the brink, I know I'll burn down tradition to keep her.

Then her coven tracks her to my mountains, and I discover exactly what kind of darkness my mate has been running from. They want to drain her magic and steal her power—but they'll need to go through me first.

My mate. My witch. And I'll destroy anyone who tries to take her from me.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I really enjoyed Vexing the Grumpy Orc, so I decided to get the other books in this series as well. So after starting this series with book 3, now it was time for book 1.

If I had started with this book it would have been immediately clear this is Urban Fantasy Romance. The Orc village feels really Other World Fantasy, but outside of their village things are modern. This book made that immediately clear, where book 3 took some time to get away from the village.

I liked the overall story and romance well enough, but this romance had one major turn-off: How much Osen kept mentioning his brother during one of the steamy scenes. I mean: if anyone would do that with me, I'd be out of there, Mate or not. I usually am not one to skim steamy scenes, but here I totally did.

That aside: I liked the book well enough, but I didn't connect with Osen or Miranda as much as I did with Galan in Vexing the Grumpy Orc. I still liked it enough that I'll read book 2 soon.

Why should you read it:

It's an enjoyable Orc Romance

Vexing the Grumpy Orc - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Vexing the Grumpy Orc (Silvermist Mates #3)

by Chloe Graves

What is it about:

Territory lines weren't made to keep out fate.

Hannah

Saving my petrified familiar requires rare mountain mushrooms and sacred ritual grounds. Unfortunately, both sit squarely in one extremely hot and incredibly grumpy orc's territory. One defiant step across my ritual circle unleashes magic far more dangerous than any gorgon's curse—the kind that burns between bodies instead of bones.

But with Digby's stone form growing colder by the day, failure isn't an option—even if success means trusting the orc who ruins my spells with a single touch.

Galan

Witches destroy everything they touch. My father's exile taught me that lesson well.

But this witch stalks my woods with a sharp tongue and even sharper magic. Her fierce loyalty and forbidden rituals set my blood burning and instincts snarling for more.

My chief shatters my solitude and commands me to keep her safe while my father orders me to march her off a cliff. Blood should win over heart, but she makes me question every truth I thought I knew.

Fate branded Hannah into my soul, and I won't rest until I claim her as mine.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I have a soft spot for grumpy men (well, others think they're grumpy, but they're not grumpy to me) so I decided to give this book a try.

Maybe I should have started with the first book, where this world gets set up. Because I was convinced this was Other World Fantasy Romance. It even read that way at first. Then suddenly there was a mention of American states, and then jeans, and other modern stuff.

Turns out this is what I would call an Urban Fantasy Romance.

That really threw me. 

I mean: Orcs in Fantasy or SciFi/Cyberpunk settings are one thing, but it seems I never thought of Orcs belonging in Urban Fantasy. The Orc village feeling very Other World Fantasy didn't help in getting used to the otherwise modern setting.

But that weird disconnect aside:

I really enjoyed the romance.

I didn't like Hannah at first. She really is annoying and a total jerk for someone caught trespassing, and I was just as grumpy about her as Galan (who I did like right away).

But things get hot and steamy fast between them, and she does get less annoying luckily enough. From then on I was totally invested in the two of them figuring things out and getting in some more loving. 

All in all a very enjoyable Romance and I might try other books in this series.

Why should you read it:

Hot Grumpy Orc!