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Immortal Vices and Virtues #1
Reject Me
“Markus Del Reyes, I reject you.”
He left me no choice.
I refuse to spend the rest of my life with my childhood bully for a mate. I may be a cursed shifter, incapable of shifting—but I wasn’t desperate.
Not till the Alpha Supreme cast me out of the House of Fire and Fluorite for rejecting his son.
Now I’m packless.
Homeless.
No longer under the protection of my House.
Until the dark vampire king of Blood and Beryl turns his sights on me.
In return for protection from my former House, I have to join his.
But nothing ever comes for free.
He wants something from me, and it’s not my allegiance.
It’s the only way I can survive, but at what cost?
I’ve lost everything for doing what I know is right, but the greatest danger I ever faced was never losing my life … it was opening my cursed heart.
**Reject Me is a spicy standalone paranormal romance set in the Immortal Vices and Virtues Universe. Every book is a guaranteed happily ever after with a satisfying ending and no cliffhangers. Perfect for fans of Immortals After Dark, Black Dagger Brotherhood, and the Demonica series.**
He left me no choice.
I refuse to spend the rest of my life with my childhood bully for a mate. I may be a cursed shifter, incapable of shifting—but I wasn’t desperate.
Not till the Alpha Supreme cast me out of the House of Fire and Fluorite for rejecting his son.
Now I’m packless.
Homeless.
No longer under the protection of my House.
Until the dark vampire king of Blood and Beryl turns his sights on me.
In return for protection from my former House, I have to join his.
But nothing ever comes for free.
He wants something from me, and it’s not my allegiance.
It’s the only way I can survive, but at what cost?
I’ve lost everything for doing what I know is right, but the greatest danger I ever faced was never losing my life … it was opening my cursed heart.
**Reject Me is a spicy standalone paranormal romance set in the Immortal Vices and Virtues Universe. Every book is a guaranteed happily ever after with a satisfying ending and no cliffhangers. Perfect for fans of Immortals After Dark, Black Dagger Brotherhood, and the Demonica series.**
530 pages, Paperback
First published May 29, 2022
1455 people are currently reading
12386 people want to read
About the author
Kel Carpenter
73 books2,148 followersKel Carpenter is a master of werdz. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s traveling the world, lovingly pestering her co-author, and spending time with her family. She is always on the search for good tacos and the best pizza. She resides in Maryland and desperately tries to avoid the traffic.
For subrights or media and film inquiries, please reach out to kel@kelcarpenter.com.
For subrights or media and film inquiries, please reach out to kel@kelcarpenter.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 539 reviews
June 16, 2022
I think A LOT of people are going to love this book but I was insanely bored through the whole thing. I felt like there was very little romantic connection and very little emotional/passionate steam. There was steam but it felt juvenile to me. The world building was well done however. I don’t know…maybe I’m just having an off week because I might be the only person not raving about this book.
I almost chose not to rate this but decided to rate it based on the fact that it read more on the YA side for me and I’m not about that life.
I almost chose not to rate this but decided to rate it based on the fact that it read more on the YA side for me and I’m not about that life.
May 30, 2022
The world was interesting, but I was not super invested in the characters and the romance. They all felt very superficial to me with shallow relationships. Most of the drama was due to lack of communication, which is one of my most disliked methods.
We didn't really learn that much about motivations and history, only what was relevant to the direct conflict in the story. By the end, I still didn't really understand how the FMC Dannika/Danni's dad was killed, other than somehow in a power struggle. Shifter blood and other supernatural body parts were mentioned to be valuable as currency at one point, but since Elias quickly took Danni under his wing, she never had to pay for anything. In fact, now that I think about it, we never really saw any true trading or purchasing in the story, or the vampires really even feeding.
I had hoped that Nova, Dannika's magically separated wolf, would play a more significant role, but she was just a prop on the sidelines until it was convenient to trot her out for violence. While it wasn't immediate insta-love at first sight, Dannika and Elias ended up that way rather quickly after only a few weeks together that I didn't really feel was believable. I think adding a heat immediately after their time together wasn't really necessary for relationship purposes and only served to add more smut scenes.
It was an okay read, but I don't think I'll check out the rest of the series.
We didn't really learn that much about motivations and history, only what was relevant to the direct conflict in the story. By the end, I still didn't really understand how the FMC Dannika/Danni's dad was killed, other than somehow in a power struggle. Shifter blood and other supernatural body parts were mentioned to be valuable as currency at one point, but since Elias quickly took Danni under his wing, she never had to pay for anything. In fact, now that I think about it, we never really saw any true trading or purchasing in the story, or the vampires really even feeding.
I had hoped that Nova, Dannika's magically separated wolf, would play a more significant role, but she was just a prop on the sidelines until it was convenient to trot her out for violence. While it wasn't immediate insta-love at first sight, Dannika and Elias ended up that way rather quickly after only a few weeks together that I didn't really feel was believable. I think adding a heat immediately after their time together wasn't really necessary for relationship purposes and only served to add more smut scenes.
It was an okay read, but I don't think I'll check out the rest of the series.
October 1, 2024
Very good standalone paranormal romance!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚🖤❤️💜
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: ☺️😊🙃😋🥰
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Dannika - she is a wolf shifter who couldn’t shift. Years ago, her mother hired a witch to separate her from her wolf, so now the wolf part of her is a separate being that goes everywhere with her. She is part of a house called Fire and Flouride, whose Alpha was her father until her father was murdered on the day she was born, a night they called the Great Sacrifice, because so many died on that night while all the supernaturals were fighting each other. Now there is peace between the houses with the Supreme Alpha of her pack, Mathis who rules with an iron fist.
The Hero: Elias - he is a vampire, and the leader of the Blood and Beryl house. He doesn’t like Mathis and his favorite thing to do is make Mathis look bad, which usually isn’t too hard. So, when he is forced to attend a gathering to recognize the anniversary of the Great Sacrifice and the peace treaty that followed, he does his best to make Mathis appear as small and petty as he actually is.
The story: Dannika didn’t want to spend her birthday at the Celebration Mathis was holding on their house grounds. She especially didn’t want to be anywhere near Mathis’ son Markus who was her childhood bully and made her younger years a living hell. When she runs into Markus and he recognizes Danni as his mate, she immediately rejects him, and Mathis is furious. He planned to get Markus mated and for Markus to get his mate pregnant as soon as possible, so that their family had a new heir and would stay in power for generations.
Mathis ordered Markus to fight Dannika to the death for her insult to their family, but when neither Markus nor Dannika would kill each other and refused to fight, he banished them from his house and property. Though in reality, he planned on killing Dannika before she was able to leave his land. Elias just happened to be there and proposed a solution to Dannika that would keep her safe. Elias was hiding from what a witch predicted would happen when he met his fated mate, so he proposed that Dannika, who wasn’t a vampire like him and whom he thought couldn’t be his mate, would pretend to be his mate and he would give her protection in return.
I really liked this book; it was exciting and sexy. There was the whole storyline about Elias and his cohorts trying to remove Mathis from power, and a lot of political machinations going on, there were traitors in the ranks and Mathis was exerting his power by harassing Dannika’s family. There was also a ton of chemistry between Danni and Elias. The intimate scenes were quite steamy and there wasn’t too many of them. I really liked both characters quite a bit. There were a bunch of great supporting characters as well, including Markus, and Dannika’s peacock shifter adopted sister Adora.
This audiobook was told in two points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Michelle Sparks. Teddy is one of my favorite male narrators; He has a terrific voice and always sounds so natural, you can’t tell he is reading at all. Michelle Sparks has a great voice as well and sounded very natural as well. I liked her soft, youthful sounding voice. It was perfect for Danni.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚🖤❤️💜
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: ☺️😊🙃😋🥰
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Dannika - she is a wolf shifter who couldn’t shift. Years ago, her mother hired a witch to separate her from her wolf, so now the wolf part of her is a separate being that goes everywhere with her. She is part of a house called Fire and Flouride, whose Alpha was her father until her father was murdered on the day she was born, a night they called the Great Sacrifice, because so many died on that night while all the supernaturals were fighting each other. Now there is peace between the houses with the Supreme Alpha of her pack, Mathis who rules with an iron fist.
The Hero: Elias - he is a vampire, and the leader of the Blood and Beryl house. He doesn’t like Mathis and his favorite thing to do is make Mathis look bad, which usually isn’t too hard. So, when he is forced to attend a gathering to recognize the anniversary of the Great Sacrifice and the peace treaty that followed, he does his best to make Mathis appear as small and petty as he actually is.
The story: Dannika didn’t want to spend her birthday at the Celebration Mathis was holding on their house grounds. She especially didn’t want to be anywhere near Mathis’ son Markus who was her childhood bully and made her younger years a living hell. When she runs into Markus and he recognizes Danni as his mate, she immediately rejects him, and Mathis is furious. He planned to get Markus mated and for Markus to get his mate pregnant as soon as possible, so that their family had a new heir and would stay in power for generations.
Mathis ordered Markus to fight Dannika to the death for her insult to their family, but when neither Markus nor Dannika would kill each other and refused to fight, he banished them from his house and property. Though in reality, he planned on killing Dannika before she was able to leave his land. Elias just happened to be there and proposed a solution to Dannika that would keep her safe. Elias was hiding from what a witch predicted would happen when he met his fated mate, so he proposed that Dannika, who wasn’t a vampire like him and whom he thought couldn’t be his mate, would pretend to be his mate and he would give her protection in return.
I really liked this book; it was exciting and sexy. There was the whole storyline about Elias and his cohorts trying to remove Mathis from power, and a lot of political machinations going on, there were traitors in the ranks and Mathis was exerting his power by harassing Dannika’s family. There was also a ton of chemistry between Danni and Elias. The intimate scenes were quite steamy and there wasn’t too many of them. I really liked both characters quite a bit. There were a bunch of great supporting characters as well, including Markus, and Dannika’s peacock shifter adopted sister Adora.
This audiobook was told in two points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Michelle Sparks. Teddy is one of my favorite male narrators; He has a terrific voice and always sounds so natural, you can’t tell he is reading at all. Michelle Sparks has a great voice as well and sounded very natural as well. I liked her soft, youthful sounding voice. It was perfect for Danni.
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May 29, 2022This book is an M/F Paranormal Romance, which means it is *not* RH.
It is spicy so 17+ is recommended.
If you would like to learn more, please join Aurelia and I's readers group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thecr...
It is spicy so 17+ is recommended.
If you would like to learn more, please join Aurelia and I's readers group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thecr...
September 29, 2023
Started as a 5⭐️, finished with an average of 3⭐️
5⭐️ For the first 40-49%
Loved the FMC, strong, smart, practical, but not perfect, or all powerful. Was a little too gorgeous, but can ignore that as it’s not obsessively mentioned.
The MMC was a bit too SNAG for my book boyfriend tastes, but as a lead he was good fun to read. Not too much of an ass, but also smart and practical.
The humour was LOL, the story was intriguing, and the tropes were minimal.
However, as the story progressed it felt like the FMC regressed in both maturity and emotion.
We began to devolve from a plot driven story, to one that was driven from angst.
While our characters motives still seemed reasonable, their reactions became exaggerated and took up too much of their thoughts, with little analysis or practical planning.
In particular, the FMC’s thoughts sounded more like whining, which was not a part of her previously established personality. 3⭐️⭐️⭐️
We top this off with the classic miscommunication argument, which again felt forced and out of character…
Then around the 70% mark, we have a climatic moment, that again felt angst driven, and out of character.
Okay, so now we’re at the big apology scene, the moment where they admit their love, etc., etc.
2.5⭐️⭐️
I prefer stories that present fairness and consideration for both partners. Not where the guy gets better treatment, or the female gets away with more…
But both are held to the same rules, the same judgements, the same standards.
This failed that test in favour of the female character, and had the MMC unequally grovelling to the FMC in a setting that made me not like her very much within that moment, and caused me to lose a lot of respect for the story on whole.
Then the climatic end….fizzle
Yeah that ending sucked! 2⭐️⭐️
Buuuttttt…the writing is still truly excellent, the dialogue so easy to read (even when you’re rolling your eyes so much, you’re getting a headache). Plus the humour is so straight-man funny, with some slapstick and sarcastic fun mixed in.
If only….
We spent time on things that weren’t needed, while skimping on that which was.
Nova! She was this useful tool in the background, brought forward when needed, forgotten when not.
She’s a part of the FMC, but doesn’t share the heat cycle?
She gets some of the emotional overflow, but doesn’t seem to have any sexual desire herself?
Doesn’t express any individual opinion as the FMC constantly does.
What is she, other than a tool to be used?
What about all the Kingly duties, the Queenly duties? The world building for where they are living? The meetings and interactions concerning the feud with the other houses?
We only got the intimate personal reasons for wanting to kill the Uber baddie, but there was the implication of so much more, that we never got to experience or learn.
So much was left out, in order to focus on the manufactured conflict.
HUGE disappointment 😮💨
This could easily have been a 5⭐️, but factoring in all that was sacrificed, and all that was sadly included, it ended up being closer to 3⭐️⭐️⭐️ overall.
It’s worth reading, but be prepared to start with plot driven, then angst driven, then rushed to conclude, and finally sappy, drawn out epilogue. 🤷♀️
The humours bits are the best!!
5⭐️ For the first 40-49%
Loved the FMC, strong, smart, practical, but not perfect, or all powerful. Was a little too gorgeous, but can ignore that as it’s not obsessively mentioned.
The MMC was a bit too SNAG for my book boyfriend tastes, but as a lead he was good fun to read. Not too much of an ass, but also smart and practical.
The humour was LOL, the story was intriguing, and the tropes were minimal.
However, as the story progressed it felt like the FMC regressed in both maturity and emotion.
We began to devolve from a plot driven story, to one that was driven from angst.
While our characters motives still seemed reasonable, their reactions became exaggerated and took up too much of their thoughts, with little analysis or practical planning.
In particular, the FMC’s thoughts sounded more like whining, which was not a part of her previously established personality. 3⭐️⭐️⭐️
We top this off with the classic miscommunication argument, which again felt forced and out of character…
Then around the 70% mark, we have a climatic moment, that again felt angst driven, and out of character.
Okay, so now we’re at the big apology scene, the moment where they admit their love, etc., etc.
2.5⭐️⭐️
I prefer stories that present fairness and consideration for both partners. Not where the guy gets better treatment, or the female gets away with more…
But both are held to the same rules, the same judgements, the same standards.
This failed that test in favour of the female character, and had the MMC unequally grovelling to the FMC in a setting that made me not like her very much within that moment, and caused me to lose a lot of respect for the story on whole.
Then the climatic end….fizzle
Yeah that ending sucked! 2⭐️⭐️
Buuuttttt…the writing is still truly excellent, the dialogue so easy to read (even when you’re rolling your eyes so much, you’re getting a headache). Plus the humour is so straight-man funny, with some slapstick and sarcastic fun mixed in.
If only….
We spent time on things that weren’t needed, while skimping on that which was.
Nova! She was this useful tool in the background, brought forward when needed, forgotten when not.
She’s a part of the FMC, but doesn’t share the heat cycle?
She gets some of the emotional overflow, but doesn’t seem to have any sexual desire herself?
Doesn’t express any individual opinion as the FMC constantly does.
What is she, other than a tool to be used?
What about all the Kingly duties, the Queenly duties? The world building for where they are living? The meetings and interactions concerning the feud with the other houses?
We only got the intimate personal reasons for wanting to kill the Uber baddie, but there was the implication of so much more, that we never got to experience or learn.
So much was left out, in order to focus on the manufactured conflict.
HUGE disappointment 😮💨
This could easily have been a 5⭐️, but factoring in all that was sacrificed, and all that was sadly included, it ended up being closer to 3⭐️⭐️⭐️ overall.
It’s worth reading, but be prepared to start with plot driven, then angst driven, then rushed to conclude, and finally sappy, drawn out epilogue. 🤷♀️
The humours bits are the best!!
August 15, 2022
Strong start to a new series, for me.
Storyline started out a little slow but had a strong pick up at about 65%. Since the world is now established, I feel book two will be a great read.
Danni and Elias were strong FMC and MC. There is just enough push and pull in the relationship to keep me riveted and at times laughing at the humor of their situation. Secondary characters were the bomb, and I cannot see where we go next!
Happy reading,
DD 🥂
Storyline started out a little slow but had a strong pick up at about 65%. Since the world is now established, I feel book two will be a great read.
Danni and Elias were strong FMC and MC. There is just enough push and pull in the relationship to keep me riveted and at times laughing at the humor of their situation. Secondary characters were the bomb, and I cannot see where we go next!
Happy reading,
DD 🥂
June 7, 2022
Not your usual vampire/shifter romance
Meet Elias, our main male hero/gentleman/vampire/feminist. All the time I read this book I had a feeling that this hero very generic. He always have the right thoughts and say the right words, like he read it all from some manual. I might even say he don't have any real flaws and that's the main reason why I think he was boring.
The main heroine Dani was just unfazed most of the time, like nothing bothering her in the world.
I liked first part, but big part of the book is relationship between Dani and mate she rejected because he was her bully since her childhood. It was very aggravating idea that she should/might forgive him just because. Her reasoning was somehow explained in the end, but their communications was so irritating it was hard for me to stand it. Just why, why, why would someone forgive their tormentor? (It wasn't that kind of the book). It was almost absurd how much she tried to save him through the book. Like it was really important for her. Just to show how good she is, more showing her unreasonable.
Now the most disappointing part that progress of the plot in this book is miscommunication. From start every good character was more or less smart but then, closer to ending, everyone just plain dumb. Everyone assuming, don't talking and lying. Main heroine did every stupid thing possible: thinking "he don't love me", running away, sending away her wolf, almost dying.
And the smutty for the end. So I give it 2.5 stars (from 5 stars). Their relationship might be called slow burn. But author constantly reminding us that they attracted to each other, no wonder because we actually don't feel it. All scenes very short. When they did final deed it wasn't hot, more mechanical if anything. I just wanted this book to be finished at this point. It's vampire/shifter romance and there no shifting or bloodsucking.
World building not very detailed. Most of the book happening in the woods or in their room.
Meet Elias, our main male hero/gentleman/vampire/feminist. All the time I read this book I had a feeling that this hero very generic. He always have the right thoughts and say the right words, like he read it all from some manual. I might even say he don't have any real flaws and that's the main reason why I think he was boring.
The main heroine Dani was just unfazed most of the time, like nothing bothering her in the world.
I liked first part, but big part of the book is relationship between Dani and mate she rejected because he was her bully since her childhood. It was very aggravating idea that she should/might forgive him just because. Her reasoning was somehow explained in the end, but their communications was so irritating it was hard for me to stand it. Just why, why, why would someone forgive their tormentor? (It wasn't that kind of the book). It was almost absurd how much she tried to save him through the book. Like it was really important for her. Just to show how good she is, more showing her unreasonable.
Now the most disappointing part that progress of the plot in this book is miscommunication. From start every good character was more or less smart but then, closer to ending, everyone just plain dumb. Everyone assuming, don't talking and lying. Main heroine did every stupid thing possible: thinking "he don't love me", running away, sending away her wolf, almost dying.
And the smutty for the end. So I give it 2.5 stars (from 5 stars). Their relationship might be called slow burn. But author constantly reminding us that they attracted to each other, no wonder because we actually don't feel it. All scenes very short. When they did final deed it wasn't hot, more mechanical if anything. I just wanted this book to be finished at this point. It's vampire/shifter romance and there no shifting or bloodsucking.
World building not very detailed. Most of the book happening in the woods or in their room.
July 4, 2022
Picked because I enjoy multi author series. I liked it. M/F with two strong leads, bit of humor and the bad guys where they should be. The miscommunication and run away into trouble was a bit annoying but I liked how everything played out. I was more interested in Adora and her secrets. I didn't like Markus at the start, I kept thinking Danni should've offed him when she had the chance. He did grow on me with his path to redemption. The age gap between him and Ysa is a bit much. I liked Nova having her own role and body. Had a bit of everything and didn't get too much of a debbie downer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2022
Five stars because I loved this!
Ousted by the Alpha Supreme for publicly rejecting her mate bond with his son, Dannika finds herself in a fight for her life and the odds are not stacked in her favor. Enter Elias, vampire and King of Blood and Beryl, who strikes up a deal to protect Danni, the only catch is she must fake being his mate for the rest of forever.
I loved the chemistry between Elias and Danni, and really loved how their relationship progressed. Not a fan of third act relationship conflict, but it didn’t matter too much because of the Mathis/Mole drama going down at the same time.
My only complaint is that I wish it would have explained what caused Danni not to be able to shift properly in the first place. Other than that I really loved this and can’t wait for the other books set in this world!
Ousted by the Alpha Supreme for publicly rejecting her mate bond with his son, Dannika finds herself in a fight for her life and the odds are not stacked in her favor. Enter Elias, vampire and King of Blood and Beryl, who strikes up a deal to protect Danni, the only catch is she must fake being his mate for the rest of forever.
I loved the chemistry between Elias and Danni, and really loved how their relationship progressed. Not a fan of third act relationship conflict, but it didn’t matter too much because of the Mathis/Mole drama going down at the same time.
My only complaint is that I wish it would have explained what caused Danni not to be able to shift properly in the first place. Other than that I really loved this and can’t wait for the other books set in this world!
May 31, 2022
Purchased this bc I’m a fan of the author. Truthfully, I had low expectations & I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a decent fluff book.
June 9, 2025
Audio:-5 stars for Teddy Hamilton and Michelle Sparks. The audio can be found on Everand
Book: 3.5 stars
Decent but not life changing
Book: 3.5 stars
Decent but not life changing
February 16, 2023
I didn't have a plethora of expectations going into this book because I haven't read either of these authors before. Sure, I expected the story to be good simply from reading the blurb and connecting with it. But I didn't know that it would be quite this awesome. Saying that I was impressed with this book is a gross understatement.
I don't know how this author duo does it, but the seamless narrative was what really stood out to me. I really loved their writing style. It was just really high-quality writing that I felt a connection with. The plot of the story was so compelling and addictive. I loved the plot twists and how unpredictable the story was. The world-building was really fantastic. The reader really got a great sense for this dystopian-ish world of (mostly) supernaturals.
All of the characters in this book were really fantastic. They are the kinds of characters that really stand out and make an impression. Even the secondary characters were memorable and engaging.
The spark between Elias and Danni was undeniable. I loved how that spark wasn't only sexual. It traversed over into their personalities and all facets of each other. They just fit each other perfectly.
Overall, this was a unique and wholly original story with well-written characters and plenty of passion. This is a book that I couldn't put down and may very well have turned me into a fangirl. One of the authors has been on my radar for a while and other book blurbs from this author duo have caught my attention so I will for sure be reading more from these authors. There is nothing quite so lovely as getting such a great impression from an author by reading one of their books and then feeling giddy at the aspect of going through their backlist. So much to look forward to. I suppose if I had to end my review on one single thought, then that would be it.
BLOG FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM GOODREADS TIKTOK TWITTER BOOKBUB AMAZON PINTEREST KO-FI
I don't know how this author duo does it, but the seamless narrative was what really stood out to me. I really loved their writing style. It was just really high-quality writing that I felt a connection with. The plot of the story was so compelling and addictive. I loved the plot twists and how unpredictable the story was. The world-building was really fantastic. The reader really got a great sense for this dystopian-ish world of (mostly) supernaturals.
All of the characters in this book were really fantastic. They are the kinds of characters that really stand out and make an impression. Even the secondary characters were memorable and engaging.
The spark between Elias and Danni was undeniable. I loved how that spark wasn't only sexual. It traversed over into their personalities and all facets of each other. They just fit each other perfectly.
Overall, this was a unique and wholly original story with well-written characters and plenty of passion. This is a book that I couldn't put down and may very well have turned me into a fangirl. One of the authors has been on my radar for a while and other book blurbs from this author duo have caught my attention so I will for sure be reading more from these authors. There is nothing quite so lovely as getting such a great impression from an author by reading one of their books and then feeling giddy at the aspect of going through their backlist. So much to look forward to. I suppose if I had to end my review on one single thought, then that would be it.
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June 4, 2022
Original review
This book was provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Kel Carpenter and Aurelia Jane!
Reject Me is the first standalone book in the Immortal Vices and Virtues world and tells the story of Dannika and Elias.
From the moment I met Dannika, I loved her. She’s such an interesting character, and I really enjoyed reading in her perspective. She’s not your average shifter, and I loved that about her. Elias is a vampire, and he’s so hot and irresistible. I loved seeing Danni and Elias fall for each other, and I loved reading their happy ending. There were some spicy scenes in this book, but also really funny moments that made me laugh out loud. I also really liked the secondary characters such as Adora and Ysa.
This book was provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Kel Carpenter and Aurelia Jane!
I’m a big fan of Fantasy Romance books, and when I saw that the Immortal Vices and Virtues series is going to be an eleven-book-series written by different authors, I couldn’t be more excited! The first book in the series is called Reject Me, and it’s written by Kel Carpenter and Aurelia Jane. I’ve read some books by Kel Carpenter that I really enjoyed, but Aurelia Jane is a new author to me. I really enjoyed the duo’s writing style and I fell in love with the characters. I read Reject Me in one sitting, it was such an addictive book and I had to know what was going to happen to the characters.
From the moment I met Dannika, I loved her. She’s such an interesting character, and I really enjoyed reading in her perspective. She’s not your average shifter, and I loved that about her. Elias is a vampire, and he’s so hot and irresistible. I loved seeing Danni and Elias fall for each other, and I loved reading their happy ending. There were some spicy scenes in this book, but also really funny moments that made me laugh out loud. I also really liked the secondary characters such as Adora and Ysa.
Reject Me was such an amazing and addictive Fantasy Romance, and it set the bar high for the next book in the Immortal Vices and Virtues series. I really enjoyed reading this book, it was so well written, fast paced and hard to put down! I fell in love with the main characters, and I was so happy at the end of the book. I highly recommend Reject Me if you’re looking for an amazing Romance read with shifters and vampires. I’m really excited for the next book in the series, Queen Me.
June 10, 2022
Great read. I loved how the supernaturals were mixed within houses and existed well together.
Really interesting world building and Danni and Elias are both well written likeable characters.
Enjoyed this world so much I preordered the rest of the series. Can’t wait to dig into them all.
Really interesting world building and Danni and Elias are both well written likeable characters.
Enjoyed this world so much I preordered the rest of the series. Can’t wait to dig into them all.
July 8, 2022
“I’m already yours. I chose you. Now fuck me like you own me.”
Danni’s worst nightmare comes true when she is mated to her childhood bully. She refuses him resulting in her banishment from the pack and the only home she has ever had. She has no choice to seek refuge from Elias, the king of Blood and Beryl. But nothing is free and the payment is a lifetime worth: pretend to be his mate.
__________________________________
Okay. I fucking loved this. Is there anything I have to complain about? Not really. I could knit pick but I truly think this was the best shifter book I’ve ever read.
Most shifter novels are toxic and honestly? Badly written. It’s the same alpha dude doing the same thing with the same wounded rejected special wolf. No offense, they serve a purpose.
Grant it, I will admit that Danni doesn’t end up with a shifter. But she also wasn’t like any other shifter I’ve read about before. I loved that her wolf was separate from her body. It was so cool to see Nova’s connection with her and the control they both had. I also loved that Danni never caves about her decision not to mate Marcus.
I was afraid they would do a back and forth thing. Marcus would change and she’d buy into it but in the end choose Elias. Nope. From the get go she says no and until the very end she says no. She was no push over but she was also not overly aggressive.
.
.
.
”When it came down to it . . . fuck it all, I wanted her.”
.
.
.
Elias is great. He is dark and brooding, knows how to be a dick. But he respects women and despite basically forcing Danni to be his pretend mate, he wants her to be happy and build a home in his court. He didn’t give me “good guy” vibes. He definitely has a violent side. He just never takes that out on Danni.
Their relationship is strong from the start. Their connection is strong. I love where their relationship went and how they turned out in the end. I will say when the conflict finally hits the big point, it happens because of miscommunication. Which was silly, it could have easily been solved but it doesn’t last too long.
I also wish the last fight had bit more to it. More spice. More heat. What was there was GREAT. I’m just selfish and wanted more because I loved Danni and Elias so much. 🤍
I don’t think this has much triggers to it. There is some violence, it is descriptive and there is some torture. But all in all, the heat and violence doesn’t have anything I think would offend or trigger someone. ✨
Danni’s worst nightmare comes true when she is mated to her childhood bully. She refuses him resulting in her banishment from the pack and the only home she has ever had. She has no choice to seek refuge from Elias, the king of Blood and Beryl. But nothing is free and the payment is a lifetime worth: pretend to be his mate.
__________________________________
Okay. I fucking loved this. Is there anything I have to complain about? Not really. I could knit pick but I truly think this was the best shifter book I’ve ever read.
Most shifter novels are toxic and honestly? Badly written. It’s the same alpha dude doing the same thing with the same wounded rejected special wolf. No offense, they serve a purpose.
Grant it, I will admit that Danni doesn’t end up with a shifter. But she also wasn’t like any other shifter I’ve read about before. I loved that her wolf was separate from her body. It was so cool to see Nova’s connection with her and the control they both had. I also loved that Danni never caves about her decision not to mate Marcus.
I was afraid they would do a back and forth thing. Marcus would change and she’d buy into it but in the end choose Elias. Nope. From the get go she says no and until the very end she says no. She was no push over but she was also not overly aggressive.
.
.
.
”When it came down to it . . . fuck it all, I wanted her.”
.
.
.
Elias is great. He is dark and brooding, knows how to be a dick. But he respects women and despite basically forcing Danni to be his pretend mate, he wants her to be happy and build a home in his court. He didn’t give me “good guy” vibes. He definitely has a violent side. He just never takes that out on Danni.
Their relationship is strong from the start. Their connection is strong. I love where their relationship went and how they turned out in the end. I will say when the conflict finally hits the big point, it happens because of miscommunication. Which was silly, it could have easily been solved but it doesn’t last too long.
I also wish the last fight had bit more to it. More spice. More heat. What was there was GREAT. I’m just selfish and wanted more because I loved Danni and Elias so much. 🤍
I don’t think this has much triggers to it. There is some violence, it is descriptive and there is some torture. But all in all, the heat and violence doesn’t have anything I think would offend or trigger someone. ✨
June 17, 2023
Low 3-stars
This barely made three stars for me. Let me emphasize the for me part. Although I have objective complaints, they mostly didn't work for me for subjective reasons. What I mean is that the complaints I have may not be deal breakers for other people because they aren't uncommon.
Objectively, the book is way, way, way too long. The plot here did not need anywhere near 532 pages to tell!
Objectively, this book doesn't know if it wants to be YA or NA. New adult books can be hard to predict going in. Get one on the older end, and it can feel mostly adult; get one on the younger end, and it basically feels like young adult fiction. The MFC here is 24 (the MMC is 300+), but the writing and plotting feel very YA. This would be fine, except the book also has explicit sex in it. And the combination of a YA plot and prose paired with explicit sex is jarring and feels inconsistent.
Objectively, the plot is really predictable and formulaic. This book feels like nothing more than recycled material. We have all seen every single aspect of this story before—the character types, the plot, the third-act miscommunication drama, the betrayer, and the villain all recycled. Here's the thing about recycled material though (which brings me back to my first point), we read such books because a lot of us like them. This one just didn't manage to do it for me.
The writing is perfectly readable. The cover is gorgeous, and the world this sets up for the rest of the series looks interesting.
This barely made three stars for me. Let me emphasize the for me part. Although I have objective complaints, they mostly didn't work for me for subjective reasons. What I mean is that the complaints I have may not be deal breakers for other people because they aren't uncommon.
Objectively, the book is way, way, way too long. The plot here did not need anywhere near 532 pages to tell!
Objectively, this book doesn't know if it wants to be YA or NA. New adult books can be hard to predict going in. Get one on the older end, and it can feel mostly adult; get one on the younger end, and it basically feels like young adult fiction. The MFC here is 24 (the MMC is 300+), but the writing and plotting feel very YA. This would be fine, except the book also has explicit sex in it. And the combination of a YA plot and prose paired with explicit sex is jarring and feels inconsistent.
Objectively, the plot is really predictable and formulaic. This book feels like nothing more than recycled material. We have all seen every single aspect of this story before—the character types, the plot, the third-act miscommunication drama, the betrayer, and the villain all recycled. Here's the thing about recycled material though (which brings me back to my first point), we read such books because a lot of us like them. This one just didn't manage to do it for me.
The writing is perfectly readable. The cover is gorgeous, and the world this sets up for the rest of the series looks interesting.
May 1, 2024
I had no idea I was going to read this until a few days ago when I decided to read book 2 by Amber Lynn Natush. I figured I should just start with this one and so I did even though my tbr pile is ridiculous. I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed my time in this world that's been created.
It starts in a dystopian type world where the humans lost the world to the supernaturals 50 years ago. Danni is a wolf shifter who is unable to shift. She lives with her family in one of the several House's that command the world. She and her sister must go to an event celebrating a war anniversary which is also her birthday. The son of the heir to the throne of her house will be looking for a mate bond to happen. Guess who it ends up being? That would be a big no as he was also the guy that had bullied her in horrible ways while they grew up. The vampire King of another house is there and watches this all happen with great interest. I'm going to leave it right there. There's so much that happens but you need to read it yourself. I loved the world building and how different it was from most of the paranormal books I've read. Unique. That's important to me after reading so many paranormal books to the point that now I only read the occasional one.
I really did like the main characters and all the magic each had. The side characters as well. One thing did get on my nerves and that was the author's use of the word huff. And huffing. It was throughout the book and it jumped out at me. The wolf huffed. But then characters huffed as well. And really that was the only thing that bothered me. I enjoyed the book and I would love to see some of the other characters introduced get their own book. Recommended to adult paranormal romance or urban fantasy readers.
It starts in a dystopian type world where the humans lost the world to the supernaturals 50 years ago. Danni is a wolf shifter who is unable to shift. She lives with her family in one of the several House's that command the world. She and her sister must go to an event celebrating a war anniversary which is also her birthday. The son of the heir to the throne of her house will be looking for a mate bond to happen. Guess who it ends up being? That would be a big no as he was also the guy that had bullied her in horrible ways while they grew up. The vampire King of another house is there and watches this all happen with great interest. I'm going to leave it right there. There's so much that happens but you need to read it yourself. I loved the world building and how different it was from most of the paranormal books I've read. Unique. That's important to me after reading so many paranormal books to the point that now I only read the occasional one.
I really did like the main characters and all the magic each had. The side characters as well. One thing did get on my nerves and that was the author's use of the word huff. And huffing. It was throughout the book and it jumped out at me. The wolf huffed. But then characters huffed as well. And really that was the only thing that bothered me. I enjoyed the book and I would love to see some of the other characters introduced get their own book. Recommended to adult paranormal romance or urban fantasy readers.
June 5, 2022
Reject me is a stand-alone in the Immortal Vices and Virtues world.
First of all, this book has dual pov! For me, being able to see inside the guy’s mind as well brings something extra to the story.
This is the first book I’ve read by these authors and I have to say, after finishing this book, I’m pleasantly surprised with their writing style and will definitely read more books by them in the future.
The story doesn’t have a long intro, no it picks up the pace rather quickly, capturing your attention fully.
Dannika , the FMC is a badass, she stands up for herself and despite having found her mate, rejects him as he has bullied her all her life. I mean, that takes some serious character.
Throughout the story she remains this badass woman.
Elias, the MMC captured my attention from the very first chapter and held it to the very last.
He’s a very intriguing and sexy guy.
Maybe most importantly, the story has a HEA.
And more good news, there will be eleven books in this world!
First of all, this book has dual pov! For me, being able to see inside the guy’s mind as well brings something extra to the story.
This is the first book I’ve read by these authors and I have to say, after finishing this book, I’m pleasantly surprised with their writing style and will definitely read more books by them in the future.
The story doesn’t have a long intro, no it picks up the pace rather quickly, capturing your attention fully.
Dannika , the FMC is a badass, she stands up for herself and despite having found her mate, rejects him as he has bullied her all her life. I mean, that takes some serious character.
Throughout the story she remains this badass woman.
Elias, the MMC captured my attention from the very first chapter and held it to the very last.
He’s a very intriguing and sexy guy.
Maybe most importantly, the story has a HEA.
And more good news, there will be eleven books in this world!
December 31, 2023
Honestly this was pretty fun and it’s always refreshing to see the FMC reject her fated mate who was her childhood bully. Go Dannika.
Love a fake marriage/fake mate turned real second chance mate trope.
I wish there would have been more, idk substance? Like Elias was working towards a goal for literal decades, and then he up and throws that plan in the trash and just “takes the easy way out”? Like the fuck?
Also 🙄 a decent amount of miscommunication here, or just straight up lack of communication period.
Overall it was fun, quick, and pretty entertaining, 3.5 stars. I do enjoy Kel Carpenter’s work so no surprise there.
Love a fake marriage/fake mate turned real second chance mate trope.
I wish there would have been more, idk substance? Like Elias was working towards a goal for literal decades, and then he up and throws that plan in the trash and just “takes the easy way out”? Like the fuck?
Also 🙄 a decent amount of miscommunication here, or just straight up lack of communication period.
Overall it was fun, quick, and pretty entertaining, 3.5 stars. I do enjoy Kel Carpenter’s work so no surprise there.
May 28, 2022
This is the first book that i have read by both these authors and I can tell you, they make a great team. You could feel the emotions coming off of the pages. My heart hurt at times, I cried at times, and I even swooned at times (more times that the crying and heartache). This story follows Danikka and Elias. Both stubborn. Both alphas in their own right. But together, the sparks fly! The chemistry is of the charts and a twist i didn’t see coming. I do hope you pick up this book! You won’t regret it at all!
January 1, 2025
The reviews saying this is YA are ridiculous... Is it a paranormal romance? Yes. Is there spice? Yes. Is it a dark paranormal romance? No. It's a fun stand alone story about a woman fighting against fate for all the right reasons and getting a second chance. I enjoyed this and struggle with all the negativity in the reviews because this was on the same level as a Suzanne Wright shifter book or Rabid. If you like shifter romances you'll probably like this.
Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Audio 🎧🎧🎧🎧
Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Audio 🎧🎧🎧🎧
February 11, 2023
Enjoyable
I liked this book a lot. The characters were interesting and multifaceted. The plot was straightforward but still kept me entertained. I am definitely reading the next book!
I liked this book a lot. The characters were interesting and multifaceted. The plot was straightforward but still kept me entertained. I am definitely reading the next book!
May 28, 2024
Didn't love this one, but didn't hate it either. I've come to realize I like these authors' works separately more than their collab books.
June 1, 2022
Danni put her fate in her hand when she left her pack cause she refused to be told who she be be with so when she leaves and seeks a alliance with Elias in excahange for basically the same thing just a phony she’s about to find out there’s more at stake then her former pack. Loved this series starter!!!
May 27, 2022
A whole new world to explore and who better to start us off than Kel Carpenter and Aurelia Jane. Danni has spent her whole life being tormented by bullies and when the biggest bully of them all turns out to be her fated mate, she rejects him. Forced to flee her family and home she ends up with Elias, and here is where the fun begins. The heat level is at times off the charts while the side characters add not only humour but also some drama and intrigue. The story itself has a little of everything: sexual tension, love, lust, hate, and betrayal there are also moments of despair and danger and some sweet romance weaved into a fast-paced action-packed story. I can't recommend this story enough and my only complaint is I wish there were more stories with these characters to come.
June 1, 2022
Reject me is a large standalone. However it was one I didn’t want to put down! I would spend hours at a time reading, giving up sleep because I just wanted to know what happened next! If this is just the start of this universe I can’t wait to read what happens in the others!! This one has a very solid storyline, action, 🔥, romance and power! There is closure in the story so any future mentions and interactions would just be a bonus in the rest of the universe!
January 28, 2024
Mon avis en Français
My English review
J’étais curieuse de découvrir ce roman de Kel Carpenter. C’est une série qui propose des tomes indépendants. Ce qui est amusant, c’est que chaque tome est écrit par un auteur différent. Pourtant, le deuxième tome porte sur une des sœurs de Dannika qui est le personnage principal de ce roman.
Je ne savais pas trop à quoi m’attendre en commençant le roman, mais c’est bien une romance paranormale plutôt classique dans le genre. Donc bien sûr, la romance est très présente dans l’histoire.
Dannika essaie de vivre sans se faire remarquer au sein de sa meute. Ce n’est pas simple… Et encore moins quand elle se retrouve être l’âme soeur du fils de l’alpha. Le type qui l’a harcelée et torturée toute son enfance. Alors bien sûr, elle le rejette. Pourtant il n’en fait rien de son côté. Obligée de fuir son père qui est décidé à l’éliminer, elle se réfugie au sein du clan des vampires dont le roi lui propose un étrange marché pour la protéger : qu’elle joue le rôle de son âme soeur. Mais quand fiction et sentiments se mélangent, ce n’est pas facile.
C’était un roman sympa, même si j’en attendais peut-être un peu plus.
My English review
J’étais curieuse de découvrir ce roman de Kel Carpenter. C’est une série qui propose des tomes indépendants. Ce qui est amusant, c’est que chaque tome est écrit par un auteur différent. Pourtant, le deuxième tome porte sur une des sœurs de Dannika qui est le personnage principal de ce roman.
Je ne savais pas trop à quoi m’attendre en commençant le roman, mais c’est bien une romance paranormale plutôt classique dans le genre. Donc bien sûr, la romance est très présente dans l’histoire.
Dannika essaie de vivre sans se faire remarquer au sein de sa meute. Ce n’est pas simple… Et encore moins quand elle se retrouve être l’âme soeur du fils de l’alpha. Le type qui l’a harcelée et torturée toute son enfance. Alors bien sûr, elle le rejette. Pourtant il n’en fait rien de son côté. Obligée de fuir son père qui est décidé à l’éliminer, elle se réfugie au sein du clan des vampires dont le roi lui propose un étrange marché pour la protéger : qu’elle joue le rôle de son âme soeur. Mais quand fiction et sentiments se mélangent, ce n’est pas facile.
C’était un roman sympa, même si j’en attendais peut-être un peu plus.
July 27, 2022
Hmmmm
3 1/2 stars. I liked the storyline. Loved our side characters, and absolutely loved our vampire king. My issues lies with our H. Not going to lie, I was 100% conflicted on her character. She has the strong character presence in the beginning. So strong, it caught our king from the moment his eyes landed on her. Yet afterwards it seemed to dim. She was so unsure, freaking out, and it was confusing. She seemed so put together, yet falling apart at every corner. Her brass rage and outburst over things in her past just didn't feel like her? She was so mature and wise at moments, then a hot mess of rage and nerves. I wasn't sure if I liked her character just on the confusing way she acted. About 80% was when we finally had smooth sailing, but there was a lot of her I didn't like until that exact point.
3 1/2 stars. I liked the storyline. Loved our side characters, and absolutely loved our vampire king. My issues lies with our H. Not going to lie, I was 100% conflicted on her character. She has the strong character presence in the beginning. So strong, it caught our king from the moment his eyes landed on her. Yet afterwards it seemed to dim. She was so unsure, freaking out, and it was confusing. She seemed so put together, yet falling apart at every corner. Her brass rage and outburst over things in her past just didn't feel like her? She was so mature and wise at moments, then a hot mess of rage and nerves. I wasn't sure if I liked her character just on the confusing way she acted. About 80% was when we finally had smooth sailing, but there was a lot of her I didn't like until that exact point.
June 6, 2022
Reject Me is the first standalone book in the Immortal Vices and Virtues world and follows the story of Dannika and Elias.
I love shifter paranormal fated mates/rejected mates stories. They’re my fave. I really enjoyed how different this book started out and how Dannika meets Elias. There were a couple different twists on this story that I enjoyed.
I think I would’ve liked to see more from the characters in general, the beginning was a smidge confusing as we’re introduced to the world but I enjoyed Elias and Dannika’s journey!
They have tons of banter, on page chemistry and off the charts passion which anyone can appreciate wink wink
I love shifter paranormal fated mates/rejected mates stories. They’re my fave. I really enjoyed how different this book started out and how Dannika meets Elias. There were a couple different twists on this story that I enjoyed.
I think I would’ve liked to see more from the characters in general, the beginning was a smidge confusing as we’re introduced to the world but I enjoyed Elias and Dannika’s journey!
They have tons of banter, on page chemistry and off the charts passion which anyone can appreciate wink wink
May 5, 2024
The first book to the Immortal Vices and Virtues series kicks off with Reject Me and boy was if fantastic. I adored Elias and Dannika they are just so hot together. Also Ysa is such a great second for Elias and Markus grew on me and redeemed himself imo. I really liked the viciousness of Adora. Kel and Aurelia are a great set of writers.
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