Book picks similar to
First Time's a Charm by Laura Greenwood
reverse-harem
paranormal
fantasy
rh
Demon Kissed
H.M. Ward - 2011
By surviving, Ivy is drawn into the conflict between the Martis and the Valefar. The war between these two immortal forces has raged for millennia without distraction. Until now. Ivy is an anomaly-she is the only person who has ever walked away from a demon kiss alive. Her survival gives her unique and deadly abilities. Too powerful to ignore, Ivy is a threat to both armies. These two ancient enemies will stop at nothing to kill the seventeen-year-old. Surviving is nothing new for headstrong Ivy, but her survival has never depended on another person before. This time it does. And if she misplaces her trust, she's dead. To her horror, she starts falling in love at the worst possible time-with the enemy. He appears to be protecting her. But she can't be certain if he is trying to help her, or help himself to her power. For Ivy, trusting the right person is the difference between love and survival, or a deadly demon kiss.
Blood of Anteros
Georgia Cates - 2011
The leech inside me came out to find prey, but found none in this enigmatic girl. The close proximity of her essence didn’t entice the monster within, so what did that make her? I had more questions than answers, but one thing was unmistakable; although she released me from her embrace, her hold on me remained."Cruel circumstances turned Curry Brennan into the wretched monster he hates and refuses to accept, but when an expected turn of events releases him from the bond of his obsessive maker, he returns to the home he knew 161 years earlier and finds the return of happiness and joy in something he didn’t know existed. Puzzled by his growing attraction to Chansey Leclaire, a human, he is unable to resist the captivating relationship that threatens to reveal his existence as a vampire. He eventually discovers the reason he was destined to find what he didn’t know he searched for and is faced with the cruel realization that the living and the immortal undead will always be separated by one thing. Eternity.Be sure to check out the book trailer for Blood of Anteros on my Goodreads profile page or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LbJpi...BRIEF EXCERPT-Although somewhat involuntary, I was part of this now. My confrontation fanned the flames of Julian’s obsession, making him more determined than ever to have Chansey. Consequences battled within me and my heart spoke against my mind’s better judgement. “Maybe I should drive you back and forth to work for a while, just until he backs off.”She looked appreciative, but didn’t intend on taking my offer. “I can’t ask you to do that, it’s too much for you to take on.”I didn’t intend for her to not take my offer. “You didn’t ask. I offered and I insist.”Relief flooded her face. Then, she surprised me by stepping forward and put her arms around me. She placed her head against my chest, leaving me without an option and I returned the embrace by placing my arms around her. I lowered my face to her hair and inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of lavender and vanilla. I dropped my face closer to her shoulder and smelled the lingering fragrance of jasmine, cherry blossom and peach, mixed with a slight release of salty perspiration due to the combination of heat and anxiety.The monster, deep within me, unexpectedly resurfaced. He no longer laid dormant as he screamed in agony, begging to be set upon this innocent creature. He pleaded with me for one taste. Didn’t he deserve it? It has been so long.One scent of her blood essence would surely send me over the edge, giving the awakened one the upper hand as he urged me to side with him. I braced myself for the battle against the leech within me and begged him to leave me in peace.I held my breath and didn’t move a muscle, for fear the beast might interpret any sudden movement as permission to strike. When I could no longer hold my breath, I exhaled, then inhaled slowly and shallowly. I waited for her fragrance to signal my defeat, giving the leech the permission to strike.I readied myself to charge against this inner beast when her aromatic essence penetrated my line of defense. When her aroma registered in my brain, I waited to see what my level of temptation would be. The beast received the verdict first and my battle was won as he retreated.I was intrigued by Chansey’s unexpected essence. It wasn’t unappealing, yet not enticing either. It was neutral and I was spellbound.She lifted her head from my chest and leaned back to see my face. “I don’t know what to say or how to thank you.”She raised up onto her tiptoes and planted a kiss on my cheek before she released her hold of me. I reluctantly released my hold, as well, but I wasn’t finished exploring this. I wanted more, I needed more.We both knew we had just shared a significant moment, although neither of us voiced it.“I’m sure you’re exhausted. You should get a good night’s rest,” I said, verbally encouraging her to go to bed, but inside begging her stay.I regretfully watched her walk up the steps to the backdoor. Before entering, she turned and said, “Thank you again, Curry. You’re a real life saver.”The paradox of her words brought a smile to my face. She saw a life saver in a skilled killer and I was tantalized by the mystery of her. The leech inside me came out to find prey, but found none in this enigmatic girl. The proximity of her essence didn’t entice him, so what did that make her? I had more questions than answers, but one thing was unmistakable; although she released me from her embrace, her hold on me remained.I was uncertain what this meant for me, but more importantly, I didn’t know what it meant for Chansey. Of all the puzzling things in my head, there remained one clear circumstance; she needed my protection because, for once, I wasn’t the dangerous one.I lifted my eyes to Chansey’s bedroom window and watched darkness replace the light. She remained standing at her window, believing she was hidden in the darkness, and briefly watched me before she crawled into bed.She was lying in her bed, unaware of the strange emotions flooding me. Beings like me didn’t desire romantic relationships with humans, so it was unnatural for me to desire anything other than her blood while all I wanted was to be near her. I remembered the way she leaned forward to kiss me and it left room for no doubt in my mind; I wanted her with all of my heart, body and soul, if there still was one within me.
Variant Lost
Kaydence Snow - 2018
The Institute is world renowned for educating and training Variants – the 18% of the population fortunate enough to have superhuman abilities. As a human, she’s lucky to be admitted. She’s done with fake identities, running and lying but once again she finds herself surrounded by secrets. Some she’s been keeping her whole life. Some have been kept from her. Some she finds herself dragged into… Ethan, Josh, Tyler and Alec have some of the rarest Variant abilities Evelyn has ever seen. They fascinate, intrigue and attract her, but is it their abilities, their own secrets or something more that Evelyn can’t seem to stay away from? The secrets they keep could drag Evelyn so deep into their dangerous and exciting world that she’ll never be the same. And the answers she finds could get them all killed.
School for Vampires
Quinn Conlan - 2012
Much more. The newly-turned must attend a special vampire high school, where they learn the ways of their kind. Blake Randell, an innocent 16 year old farm girl, is plunged into this strange new world one night. She has no knowledge of her turning, only two bite marks on her neck and a brand new thirst for blood. Blake must scramble to make sense of the new world around her - so similar to a human high school, yet so incredibly different. There are all sorts of strange rituals and skills to learn. There are bullies to fend off, and boys to fall for. And there are the shadowy puppet masters known as Backers to watch out for. Follow Blake as she learns the ropes and slowly realizes that, in vampire society, not everything is as it seems.
The Light Tamer
Devyn Dawson - 2012
Now that Jessie and her mom are living with her grandma, she finds out the split up of her parents is more complicated than she thought. Living in a retirement community is not how she wanted the summer before her junior year to start. Things begin to look up when she is reintroduced to Caleb, the boy that saved her life one summer at the beach. Caleb is no longer scrawny and nerdy, he is now tall, dark and handsome. The instant he shook her hand, she felt warm vibrations running through her veins. They soon learn what it means to be bound to one another. Fate is more than responsible for their meeting and their future together.This book is appropriate for young teens and people of all ages. Remember what it was like to kiss for the first time, or what it was like to fall in love. This paranormal romance will keep you on the edge of your seat with humor, romance, and determination. Fall head over heels for Caleb and Jessie.
Different
Scarlett Haven - 2019
I didn't realize how different until four guys show up all claiming that they are destined to be my mates. They’re not human, and they say I’m not either. But if I’m not human then what am I? Now I’m forced to go to a school where I don’t belong and am reminded of it everyday. Creatures I never imagined were real that used to give me nightmares are everywhere I turn. The world that once existed is gone. Will anything ever be like it was again? Different is the first book in the Shifter Academy Series, an RH series.
Academy of Protectors (The Protector Guild #1)
Gray Holborn - 2021
And while it wasn’t exactly swoon-worthy to watch my date get ripped from my lips, luckily for him, I’m pretty great at kicking ass. I doubt I’ll get that second date any time soon, but I have to say that the whole thing wasn’t a total waste. Now that the monsters have invaded my small town, my family is finally ready to ditch the secluded cabin I grew up in, with nothing but a fat stack of books and TV to keep me and my brother from dying of boredom, for greener pastures. I’ve always dreamed of joining The Protector Guild—a secret establishment that studies captured demons and trains protectors to kill them. And when I enroll in The Guild Academy designed to train protectors to hunt escaped creatures from hell, I’m convinced I’m finally going to find my place in the world—just like the protagonists in all those books I’ve devoured. But I quickly learn that things in The Guild aren’t at all what they seem and I’ve been fed a steaming sack of lies my whole life. Maybe the old isolated cabin wasn’t so bad after all. At least back home I knew who I could trust. Sort of.After meeting a team of mysterious protectors who are way too good looking to be trustworthy, it’s up to my new friends (and enemies) to keep the very demons I’m supposed to be chasing after from chasing me instead. Great. So much for that new and exciting life I’ve always wanted. Clearly, there’s such a thing as too exciting...and that whole ‘careful what you wish for’ thing might have some merit.◆ Academy of Protectors is the first book in a new series. Max's story is a slow-burn why choose / poly / reverse harem urban fantasy series. Get ready for action, spice, and intrigue.◆
Distant Light
Chloe Adler - 2017
Pegged as a caretaker, Iphi hides a secret that would change the way everyone around her views her: she’s an empath. And yet she doesn’t let that stand in her way. A soaring circus performer with a fierce love for animals and the downtrodden, Iphi tumbles her way through life, hiding the hurt just being around others can inflict... ...Until she meets an enigmatic vampire and his three hot shapeshifting cousins. Drawn to the brightness she shines into their lives, each man promises to transport Iphi from the monotony of her life into a world truly filled with magic. They offer her love, protection—and an unconventional arrangement that will make her the scandal of Distant Edge. But when a rogue vampire attacks Iphi, it’s time for the men to step up and for Iphi to fight back the only way she knows how: with love, compassion, and her inner radiance. If love can’t conquer evil, her four protectors are more than willing to bare tooth and claw at her side—whether she’ll have them or not. A paranormal, urban fantasy reverse harem series. This is book 1 out of 3 in the Tales From the Edge Series.
Bloodspell
Amalie Howard - 2011
An outcast at school, she is no stranger to adversity. But when she receives an old journal for her seventeenth birthday, nothing prepares her for the dark secrets it holds -- much less one that reveals she's a witch with unimaginable power.What's more, when she meets the dazzling but enigmatic Christian Devereux, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. Enemies will hunt her. Friends will turn on her. The terrible curse that makes her blood run black will stop at nothing to control her. And Christian has a sinister secret of his own...Without knowing whom to trust, can Victoria survive her blood's deadly desires? Or will she lose everything, including herself?
After Dark
Emi Gayle - 2012
In exactly eight months, five days, three hours and thirteen minutes, Mac has to choose what she'll be for the rest of her life. She has no choice but to pick. As a Changeling, it's her birthright. To Mac, it's a birthchore. Like going to school with humans, interacting with humans, and pretending to be human during the pesky daylight hours. Once darkness descends, Mac can change into any supernatural form that exists-which makes her as happy as she can be. That is, until Winn Thomas, the biggest geek in her senior class, figures out there's more to what hides in the dark than most are willing to acknowledge. In this first of the 19th Year Trilogy, Winn might know more about Mac than even she does, and that knowledge could end their lives, unless Mac ensures the powers-that-be have no choice but to keep him around.
Ink
Holly Hood - 2011
Her heart tells her she can adjust, while her head begs for her old life back. Suddenly she's a misfit in a town of rich snobs and cruel teens. After almost being killed at a rock concert, she's dying to find out more about the guy who saved her...is he trouble? Is Hope in over her head?Slade Andrews, the tattooed bad boy and lead singer of the Evil Kings of Ink, is haunted by his past. When Hope moves to town, Slade is strangely drawn to her and determined to prove he is not the guy the town paints him to be. In a town full of lies, one secret could change everything.Not suitable for eighteen and under.
The Raven
Sylvain Reynard - 2015
But an innocent walk home after an evening with friends changes her life forever. When she intervenes in the senseless beating of a homeless man, his attackers turn on her, dragging her into an alley. Raven is only semi-conscious when their assault is interrupted by a cacophony of growls followed by her attacker’s screams. Mercifully, she blacks out, but not before catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure who whispers to her…Cassita vulneratus.When Raven awakes, she is inexplicably changed. She returns to the Uffizi, but no one recognizes her and more disturbingly, she discovers that she’s been absent an entire week. With no recollection of the events leading up to her disappearance, Raven also learns that her absence coincides with one of the largest robberies in Uffizi history – the theft of a set of priceless Botticelli illustrations. When the baffled police force identifies her as its prime suspect, Raven is desperate to clear her name. She seeks out one of Florence’s wealthiest and elusive men in an attempt to uncover the truth about her disappearance. Their encounter leads Raven to a dark underworld whose inhabitants kill to keep their secrets…
Isle of Night
Veronica Wolff - 2011
When Annelise meets dark and seductive Ronan, he promises her a new life-if she has the courage to chance the unknown. Now, she's whisked away to a mysterious island and pitted against other female recruits to become a Watcher-girls who are partnered with vampires and assist them in their missions. To survive and become a Watcher, Annelise has to beat out every other girl, but she's determined to do so, because to fail doesn't mean dishonor-it means death.
Origins
Lyla Oweds - 2018
Not even when my family, and my best friend, tell me to keep quiet about what’s happening. They say people will think I’m crazy.Maybe I am.But the spirit haunting my professor’s house is definitely trying to tell me something, and I’m the only one who can see it.The one person who can help me is my best friend's brother. But I don’t know if I can trust him or his friends. Or if I can step outside the protective bubble I’ve built around myself.At this point it’s a toss up: the ghosts will kill me or my panic attacks will.Either way, I figure I’m going to die.This is the first of a multi-book slow burn reverse harem series. Be forewarned.
Void
Raven Kennedy - 2019
I’m a Void, a rare supernatural capable of absorbing powers at the brush of my skin. Feared. Hated. Untouchable. Thibault Academy is full of supernaturals that want me dead, and the most powerful of them, the Paragons, will stop at nothing to ensure I go back to the hell I came from. They’re cruel, heartless, and have created an unlikely alliance to take me down. If I want to learn how to control the nothingness, I’ll have to survive them. I was born of the void, but I’ll die from the power. This is a reverse harem bully romance.