My name is Alicia Stormwell. By day, I run The Bestiary, a nonprofit that saves and rehabilitates legendary critters. By night, I don my witch’s hat and battle the dark underworld of supernatural animal traffickers.
When Detective Reed and Kyle are trapped in a magical dream coma by The Velvet Claw, it’s up to me to save them.
The catch?
I must master my dormant storm powers, and the only person who can train me is the infuriatingly sexy, borderline abusive Chinese dragon, Kai Tian Long.
Can I survive his brutal lessons and save my friends, or will the storm inside me, along with my handsome but fierce trainer, destroy everything?
The Witch's Bestiary · Witches, Werewolves, and Vampires · Hidden magic and a magical underworld · A slow-burn / RH romance · Fantastic creatures · A badass female main character with snark and humor
Unfortunately, it’s starting to look like any other boring urban bit-lit. I had a feeling it was going there when I was reading the third book, but I was hoping things would change. With a a love triangle between Alicia, Kyle and Adam, it was already going into the cheesy, already been there, done that territory, but now you have another one that gets added to the mix with Kai, the hot, asian teacher. It was so stereotyped and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at it all.
I just wished we’d spend a bit more time on The Bestiary (and the magical creatures), on Alicia’s character development and girl power instead of always thrusting her in the arms of another dude. Instead, she gets sucked in with another guy, all while trying to train herself to be stronger (this part was absolutely bad to read for someone who loves the fantasy hero character that gets better with training trope). We also get her constant whining and moaning through the training instead of getting relevant informations about her powers or even getting more information on Taranis (who’s supposedly a god and her father). She’s supposed to want to help out her friend. Based on how her previous personality shined through in the other books, I was expecting her to grit her teeth, steel her resolve and defy what had been thrown at her and the expectations people had of her.
I will say that the book gets on with it pretty fast. It’s quite short and there are no slow moments. ts an okay read, but for something that started so promising, it’s starting to look a bit stale. I’ll be reading the next one hoping it gets better (or it might be the end of the series), but I’ve started losing hope unfortunately. I’ll also add that the author made a small mistake when Alicia checks Kyle and Adam’s pulse and she hears a steady beat from Adam (he’s supposed to be a vampire). Do better on the editing and reviewing, please.
~I received an Advanced Reader Copy of Island Storm in exchange for a review~
Our witchy is back in the fourth installment in the series, Dragon Storm.
We ended the last one with a bit of a revelation that gets explained in more detail in this one and it turns out that The Velvet Claw had its little claws in that mystery too!
The Blurb :
“ When Detective Reed and Kyle are trapped in a magical dream coma by The Velvet Claw, it’s up to me to save them.
The catch?
I must master my dormant storm powers, and the only person who can train me is the infuriatingly sexy, borderline abusive Chinese dragon, Kai Tian Long.
Can I survive his brutal lessons and save my friends, or will the storm inside me, along with my handsome but fierce trainer, destroy everything?”
This one features, believe it or not, a dragon! A storm dragon if you will at that, and let that be just the kind of powers that Alicia struggles with. Luckily her blast from the past knows someone who volunteers her son, a hot storm dragon that is well, honestly, kind of a d*ck to Alicia and really pushes her to her limits in her training.
Thankfully Alicia is good at rising to a challenge, and this one is no different!
There’s a misconception/miscommunication part in this book that made me laugh because it just, kind of really makes sense and it just fits lol
Alicia gets better and better at her power control but will she get better in time to save her men, and even if so, will the Velvet Claw come up with another scheme to entrap her in their midst?
I like this one and the dragon, Kai grows on you and honestly might be my favourite of the 3 men so far. I can’t wait to read the next one!
Alicia has just returned from her fake dating trip to the island with Adam to discover not only has Kyle returned from whatever he was doing dealing with his ex, but her mother has randomly come back, bringing forth a TON of emotions. Alicia is trying to figure out how she feels about Kyle and Adam and what she wants when they are attacked and the guys are put into magical comas with their souls in a dream world. Now Alicia needs her mother’s help, discovering some secrets along the way, to figure out how to save them. She ends up training with a Chinese dragon shifter, Kai, to learn to control her powers and save her friends…. But now she’s also developing feelings for Kai. Alicia then races back to face an incubus in the dreamworld.
Omg… I’m obsessed with Evangeline Hunter’s writing and the Witch’s Bestiary series! It’s a fast paced story and kept my interest from the first page. I thought I was team Adam for the longest time but now I’m sort of obsessed with Kai! Spicy time with the dragon sounds like a lot of fun! LoL. I love how Alicia’s character continues to grow, both magically and personally. She keeps her morals and always fights for her family and friends! I can’t wait to see her face off with the Velvet Claw again (hopefully to end them!) and find out what she decides romantically in book 5!
This really is a great series. After an interesting weekend at Reed’s sisters wedding, Alicia isn’t sure what to do so goes on a date with Kyle. Reed, of course, shows up just as they kiss, leaving everyone in doubt. And there is the problem of Alicia’s mother showing up. When she arranges to meet with the men to clear the air, they are kidnapped by the Velvet Claw and imprisoned in a dream world. The only way to free them is with Taranis’s sword, conveniently supplied by her mother. (Big surprise around that). Alicia needs training in her powers to wield the sword so she is sent off to work with a Chinese dragon, Kai. This book covers her training, the dynamics between her and Kai. There is also more information about her background and her mother. There is some action, surprises, suspense, romance (this is getting complicated) and humour. There is an adorable Chinese creature that Alicia rescued that can tell when people are lying and the applicants to adopt it are great. The characters are interesting and complex at times. The story has both light and dark moments. Altogether an enjoyable read. Looking forward to the next book.
I loved, loved, loved Dragon Storm! This installment is, without a doubt, my favorite in the series so far.
The story had everything I was hoping for ... fast-paced action, unexpected twists, emotional moments, and just the right amount of spice. I couldn’t put it down!
I’ve been Team Adam since book one, and I was convinced he and Alicia were endgame ... until Kai showed up. His sarcasm, loyalty, brooding intensity, hidden softness, and dry humor totally won me over . His reunion with Ling Ling? Instant teary eyes
And after the kiss between Alicia and Kyle? I literally screamed, “NOOO!” when I realized they were being watched.
Also… the spicy scene? Let’s just say wow !
I loved watching Alicia grow into her powers and herself. She’s becoming a force to be reckoned with, and I’m so excited to see where her journey leads in the final book.
3.5 stars Took me awhile to finish this one as I was not happy with how it started - the whole Adam/Kyle thing. And Alicia then picking someone else up for sex cause she was mad about their reaction. Sure they hadn't had an official conversation so she was technically within her rights to be seeing both, but it felt sneaky, deceitful & borderline cheating because she had in effect started a relationship with each and she KNEW they would be upset she was seeing the other thinking they were together and chose not to mention it. So all that made me like her less. Then we get her dragon trainer I was like no, no not a third man. So I took a break to get my head around the fact that this series seems like it's going to be a RH. Then I was able to finish it with different expectations and enjoy it for what it is.
I received an ARC but all views expressed are my own
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5 stars) This was my least favorite installment in the Beastiary series so far—but that doesn’t mean I don’t still love the series as a whole. This book feels very much like a bridge, building toward the endgame, but it introduced a lot of new elements that are somewhat rushed in my opinion. Alicia continues to learn more about who she is, what she wants, and what she doesn’t—and, of course, her already tangled love life only gets more complicated with new love interests. To be fair, I’m in a bit of a book slump, which may also be affecting my rating.
That said, I’m really intrigued to see how this series ends and finally get closure—for Alicia and for myself!
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
All Alicia Stormwell wanted to do was run the Bestiary and save magical creatures. Sounds easy, right? It would have been easier if it hadn't been for Kevin. And his missing sister. And need for money. And The Velvet Claw. And, well you get the idea. So now Alicia needs to learn how to use her powers. Training does not go easily. Who does want to run multiple miles every morning? I wouldn't even make 20 feet! So now we have all of the fun of watching her train, excitement, and romance. Will this girl never learn? That's all you get. For another crazy, fast paced, magical creatures filled crazy time you need to read this book! And if you haven't read the other books, you need to do that too! I hope you enjoy this book and series as much as I have.
This is Book 4 of the Witch’s Bestiary series and I am happy to share that the books have stayed high quality and really great! Alicia keeps growing as a character in her personal life and in her powers, although maybe not in her love life, and the adventures continue. There wasn’t much action with the bestiary animals this book, except for finding the rightful owner of one (no spoilers), and I did miss that. There were lots of developments on the personal front though! Although there was an ending to this particular adventure, the overall storyline is still continuing, so I am off to seek information on book 5. For those who like to know these things, there is a sex scene and there is some violence.
I just finished this latest, and I think it’s my favorite of the series so far. When something happens to Adam and Kyle, Alicia must train with Kai to hone her powers to rescue them, but the training may be the death of her. I loved how Alicia and Kai worked together to make sure she could become the witch she needed to become to face Velvet Claw. Poor Alicia has a choice to make, and I’m not sure I have an opinion on what her choice should be. LOL! This latest will definitely be loved by fans of this series, and I can’t wait to see what comes next. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
Alicia’s life is shaped by a strange kind of magic — as if the sky only opens to blue for a few fleeting moments before collapsing again… In search of answers, she finds herself once more facing Velvet Claw. And in the blink of an eye, everything changes: Alicia must push her limits to save her friends. But the only help available might also lead her astray.
I didn't think Book 3 could get any better than book 2, but Boy was I WRONG! Alicia is in BIG trouble and so are her two guys! This book is AMAZING! It is so fast you get done reading and are like WHAT? I'm Done? You have got to get this one! So many twists and turns, I'm not going to spoil it !
This book is slightly different to the first three as there isn’t a case which needs solving. But it’s just as good. Alicia learns more about her past and her love life gets more complicated. The dragon who trains her to use her magic is a great character and their interactions are realistic. Her personality really comes out during the training. I can’t wait for the next book.
Good book. I struggled more with this one in the series than previous books. Although I do think that stems from how much I loved Island Storm (Book 3) and that I don't always agree or understand MFC decisions and actions. However, interesting plot that left me guessing how the end would conclude.
Book 4 in the Bestiary Series takes a small detour to explore Alicia's training with the unknown and her romantic developments with Kai, Adam and Kyle. Action packed, surprise laden, and steamy antics.
The spiciness definitely kicked up a notch in this book. Plenty of men, lots of action and many beasties. Story flows well and lots of world building. This series is continuing to be a good one
This series is SO GOOD! Evangeline Hunter has a way of keeping my interest throughout her books. The Bestiary is amazing, and the characters are interesting. Can't wait to read Rising Storm!
Dragon Storm is a great continuation of this series! The characters are very interesting and the storyline is packed with action and surprises. Please note that this volume contains extremely steamy scenes.
Disclaimer: I received this ARC from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.