Only the Strong (Death Gate Grim Reapers, #5) (2024)

4.5 Stars... Never a dull moment when the Winters family comes to town... Izzy is used to being the most powerful magic user around; that all changes when she is confronted with Zoe Lake-Winters... A powerful Mage with an incredible history... With the potential war looming with the Revenants and still many unanswered regarding the loyalty of the Reaper Council, Izzy and the Grimlocks need all the fire power they can gather... When gates begin appearing in unspecified locations and the Revenants and Wraiths appear to be joining forces, it will take both a Mage and a Bruja to defeat the enemy... Told with all the witty banter we love in these characters and high octane, action packed sequences that pulled the momentum of the story forward, this was another intense and engaging addition to this series... My only concern, is that the author tends to focus on the Grimlock brood as a primary entity and not secondary characters... In addition, in this particular read, the Winters family is also shined upon which leaves the MC, Izzy, to fall to the background... I would like to know more about Izzy and all the power she possesses as well as dive further into the mystery surrounding her parents' "deaths"... We get glimpses of these facts but not the whole story... This feels more of a continuation of the Grimlock series and not necessarily a spin-off... I still enjoy the books because I love those characters; I simply would like to see Izzy come to the forefront of the story:)

Yay it’s here the cross-over I’ve been hanging out for Izzy and Zoe with a side dose of Aisling and a butt load of Sami lol
And really what could go wrong when these families collide with all that magic flowing between them...

Cormack is in his element he has his gorgeous grand daughter Lily to spoil and now he has Sami the feisty, sarcastic teenager who has stolen his heart and reminded him what fun Aisling was at the same age...lol
Aric and Zoe are loving on Lily and enjoying remembering what Sami was like before she could talk... lol
Izzy has he hands full with the gate going back online and wondering what fresh he’ll might happen now as well as meeting Zoe, Aric and Sami when they come to town to visit Paris... Izzy is intrigued and just a bit terrified by the mage’s reputation...
When revenants and wraiths combine forces trouble is bound to ensue, add in extra gates and megalomaniacs wanting to live forever and you just know this book is going to be totally awesome...

This was a fantastic story and an absolutely brilliant cross-over and I have to say I love the idea of Sami visiting the Grimlocks more often that would be so much fun.

This series just keeps getting better and better! I loved the Covenant College series with Zoe and Aric, and being able to keep seeing them just makes everything better. I hope we see Zoe and the crew again with Izzy, they're going to become great friends i think.

I have to say that Izzy got some news that could distract anyone on their best day. Braden was there to keep her focused and hide if that was what she needed. I love that he has grown so much with Izzy and they have a love that comes along once in a lifetime.

We got to see a side of Cormack, that included his love for mouthy women, we have not seen and it just made him even one in a million.

One of the best things about Amanda is that we never stop seeing the characters we love, they just keep popping up, and they fill my heart with joy. I hope we continue to see not only Zoe, but the Grimlocks in future series about the rest of the brothers.

Excellent!

I'm always thrilled to read about Izzy and the Grimlocks, plus Zoe and Sami are both dreams (they said so), so I knew I would enjoy this book. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. I kept turning pages, and was sad when it ended. Whatever is going on with the gate and the Revenants and Wraiths, I need to know. And the bombshell dropped on Izzy, I definitely need to know more about that.
If you haven't read these books for, what are you waiting for? Go, now! Get them, read them, I'll wait. They're GOOD!

This wasn’t as good as the other novels in the series

This felt like filler material. It was just an excuse to do a crossover with the Lake-Winters family from the Covenant College series. That would have been fine, except for the almost same premise as the previous novel was rehashed here. I think the next one could be similar.

Likely several of these books could have been condensed into one book where the story could progress quickly. This seems to be dragging it out, just to make a new novel in the series, without having to come up with a new plot or storyline.

The crossovers books are fine, but the constant pointing out of something that happened in another series is frustrating. If you need to bring it up, fine do it once with some exposition and be done.

Not one of the better books in the series. Feels more like re-hash of the same storyline over again with little or no character development and growth.

Excellent. I wish I knew the people in this story. Or at least people like these. I’m bereft when I finish one of these books.

It lacks the spark Izzy usually provides.

I’ve loved these characters since I first discovered this series, however I thought there was just something lacking this time round. Not in the synopsis, but in the mostly passive role Izzy played. She isn’t her usual self, and the introduction of Sami and Zoe with their forceful personalities... well, they sort of overwhelmed Izzy.

I will say that there was a great twist in the ongoing saga of Izzy’s missing memories regarding her parents and the gate, and I cannot wait to get my hands on book six to see where that takes us.

3 stars ⭐️

An entertaining supernatural urban Fantasy mystery series

Extremely entertaining supernatural urban fantasy series. A world of life and death. Grim reaper‘s are real when someone dies their soul is reaped by a reaper and then that soul is transferred to the other side. Around the world there are what they call death gates. This is where reapers stand watch and when they collect souls they transfer them through these gates to the other side. There is a reaper council in the Detroit area that our story is based around. The Grimlock family is a family of reapers they are just one family of many in this region. Other councils or in charge of other regions around the world and country. Our story revolves around this particular Council with this family and the other employees that guard the gate on Bell Island in Detroit. We have a woman that is half Cajun which half reaper and a vampire and another witch who stand guard at the gate and run daily operations there every day. Our story focuses around these people and their interactions and the troubles going on in their section of the reaper world.
And extraordinarily awesome cast of unique eclectic and extraordinarily entertaining characters. Plenty of snarky attitude even a bit of humor mixed with a bit of dark supernatural entertaining horror aspects that will entertain you and delight you from beginning to end. Once you begin reading the stories you will not want to put them down. You will laugh you’ll cry and you will want to join their Mary band of misfits.

It's bad when an author forgets

What they've written about their own character and said character's powers.
Hint: invisibility-dome with the cone of silence versus just invisible and be quiet, because there's no sound dampening.

I'm a bit disappointed. Ms. Lee has a habit of stating something in a paragraph then restating it like an epiphany a few paragraphs later - or even entire chapters.
She does this in the series about the Winchester cousins, Charlie Rhodes, and even with Aisling's own story.

Yes, I read several of Ms. Lee's works, and that includes as Lily Harper Hart.

It's very formulaic, very same-ish. I know, what's good for the goose is good for the gander, and she sticks to what's familiar.
It's because it's so same-ish that I can read Poet or Avery or any of the Winchesters or Charlie, and I'm not entirely lost.
However, another note of contention is when an author has so many intertwining bits that the reader *has* to have read all the other series to know where we are in the story.

Other than Charlie Rhodes, I've only read the other series until they've "hooked up" with the love interests... but I first "met" Ms. Lee with Aunt Tillie.

I'll continue to read bits of Ms. Lee's series because there is comfort in the familiar.
I'm just disappointed when an author can't remember their own character.

And yes, know I'm giving it two stars and I have no desire to buying other books of this serie. Come on. I understand that the author loves the Grimlock and that's why she had to bring them (all of them) in this serie (no, I don't really understand), but now also Zoe from another serie?!
And Izzy? She is now just a witness of all the shenanigans of Aisling, Zoe, Sami and all the other Grimlock. But what made me decide to stop buying others books of these serie, is the encounter with Angelina Davenport. This girl has been terrible in the past to Aisling and her friend Jerry (yes I know this is not a serie about Aisling), but it's in the past! The author paint her and Aisling as friend who likes gives each others words the first time Angelina appears in this serie. And in this book, not only Aisling gives here trouble, but her and Zoe (again, isn't Izzy the main character???), decide to harass her for the sake of it (and Zoe doesn't even know Angelina) and then ask Izzy to forcibly read her mind not only for information but also to know what Angelina think of Aisling. No. Really. No.
This characters are like children, totally unrealistic and, above all, absolutely without any conscience.
I quit.
I'm going to help Angelina Davenport to escape from the evil Grimlock and their friends.
Really.

Wow amazing!!

Wow this book was amazing!! so much happened and lots of things were revealed as well as a shocking twist that was revealed at the end.
Zoe winters and her family come to visit paris and get involved with the gate situation.
I loved their interaction with the grimlocks. It was laugh out loud funny.
There was a lot of stories about Aric and Zoe past so it would be good if you had read the series before reading this book. It has made me curious about it and I think I will be reading the series very soon.
This book had me laughing madly. I loved it and could read this book over and over again. Izzy and Zoe make a fantastic team . Zoe helped Izzy understand her role and life.
Although Zoe did takeover a few times, she helped Izzy understand that she is key to the situation and that Zoe is there to help Izzy and not run the situation herself.
Sami was another aspect of the story which i loved and found hilarious. She was fabulous and so snarky. Cormac doted on her as she reminded him of a very much younger Aisling.
Best story yet. Can't wait for the next book in the series to find out what Izzy does next with the information that was revealed and if she ever finds out the truth behind what happened to her parents.

Gates galore..

As Izzy gets ready to reboot the gate Zoe, Aric and Sami Lake-Winters turn up to visit Paris. An initial success with the gate turns to worry as a revenant breaks through but Sami blows it up before anyone can react.

Cormack is feeling the pressure with his mother, Mary, incarcerated for her crimes and there's a worry that his father Emmett will be waiting on the other side of the gate, but Mary won't discuss the plans they had or tell him how the gate would be able to save her from the cancer she's riddled with. A break in at the house she's being held in leaves the guards mutilated and Mary dead from what appears to be fear itself.

The team expands to include the Lake-Winters and they have to try and work out who on the reaper council is involved. Suspicious of Adam Grimaldi who is leading the revenant investigation despite having been previously thrown off the council for stealing a book, Izzy, Zoe and Paris decide to investigate his home.

What they discover will bring them and the whole Grimlock family into danger.. can they work out how deep the infiltration is? Who they are able to trust? And fix the situation once and for all?

Wow! So great!

Okay this crossover with the covenant gang had everything I wanted. It was seriously beyond the best! The Grimlock's are my absolute favorite and the Covenant team is my close second. Zoe and Aisling together though....! I loved Sami in this book also and the way Cormack spoiled her and indulged her was hilarious. Aric was in the back seat of this adventure but his love for his family and loyalty was still ever present. Izzy and Braden have come so far in such a short time but are growing stronger as a couple. I'm hoping we will get to see the big Aidan-Jerry wedding show when it finally happens! I am also hoping she finds a way to wrap up Redmond's story in this series or gives him something else because we were left hanging with us not knowing who he ends up with. I cannot wait for the next book and was so sad I finished this one so quickly.

Critical Backup

The prolific Ms. Lee has penned yet another fascinating crossover addition with A Death Gate Grim Reapers Thriller. Izzy & the Grimlocks are joined by Zoe Lake, her husband, Aric & teen terror daughter, Sami of the Coven College series. Ostensibly on vacation to visit Paris, Izzy's fellow Gate worker, Zoe, a powerful mage, gets involved in the hunt for the traitors on the Reaper Council. Revenants have been increasing & the discovery of new unknown Gates has everyone on high alert. Not to mention trying to keep snarky 14 yr. old Sami from letting her magic run amuck. Izzy has more than her hands full. However, her new found friends might just make a difference.

Soon so good

This book was so good. There was a lot of really good advice as well as a lot of funny moments. Sami still drives me crazy, as that age tends to do. She is gonna be a dang powerhouse. She already is and is still learning control and what to do and about her powers. Zoe is a blast from the past. Covenant College is one of my favorite series. Izzy learns more as about herself and gets some unsettling news at the end.
This is a great book, lots of snark and it's faces paced, non-stop action. We even get AbraMson from "Bob" again.

Wow!

The long awaited book featuring Zoe Lake-Winter's and family is here and it was amazing! Izzy and Zoe together are a force to be reckoned with, but Sami (Zoe and Aric's daughter) completely stole the show. This really was an amazing and engrossing story. I absolutely love the Grimlock's and Braden and Izzy are great together adding in the mystery of Izzy's parents deaths and gates popping up around town for an action packed adventure that will keep you guessing right up to the end!

Izzy and Zoe are magic together

This is one of my favorite series from Amanda M Lee...and this is another great story in the series. Izzy and Braden and the rest of the Grimlocks are figuring some things out about the mystery going in around them, and the Lake-Winters family is along to help! Everything has been building to the confrontation that is coming, and what they find leaves as many questions as answers. These are great books to escape in for a bit, with fun and relatable characters you can't help but love - can't wait for the next one!

Only The Strong is Book 5 in the Death Gate Grim Reapers Series by Amanda M. Lee.
This is the crossover I have been waiting for! Izzy and the Grimlocks have their hands full with another situation with the Gate. Zoe Winters-Lake and her husband Aric and daughter Sami come to visit and she is one powerful mage. They are from the Covenant Series and I was so thrilled to have them get together with Izzy.

This was a fantastic, non stop book with wonderful characters that I have loved across several series.

Another hit from Amanda M. Lee

Amanda M Lee is a new all time favorite author. She has a way of drawing you into a book and getting your feeling involved. I can't wait to read the next one in this series. I love the Grimlock's and all of the other characters. I love how she gets other characters from other series into the mix. I have never laughed and cried reading a book as I have reading hers books. The only other Authors that have manged to do that are Nora Roberts, JD Robb, Catherine Coulter, and Richard H. Stephens. Would love to find more that can do that.

I love the snarkiness of Amanda Lee's characters. The story lines/ideas are just out-of-this-world! However, I wish she take the constant sexual needs down a notch and stop making every male character so rigid when their partner gets into some type of trouble. I hate the guys saying "You're grounded", "I'm angry 'cause you got in troubles way", etc... I mean, come on, these girls are bad-ass characters who can take care of themselves. Please let's get the guys to stop complaining and instead start celebrating their women; it is, after all, 2021!

And strong gets skillet breakfast and ice cream

Another smash hit by Ms Lee. Smash and hit being the right way to handle trouble. Added characters, along with the Grimlock family, and creatures look out. But again no 5 stars without Aisling more prominent. The appearance of unknown gates causes more creatures coming in and trying to kill our heroes. Now read up and finish the rest, it's funny, smarmy and deathly.

You can't go wrong reading Amanda M. Lee, her stories are amazing! Only the Strong is Izzy's next story, but it's a crossover with the Covenant College main characters Zoey, Arik and Sammie. Death Gate is one of my favorite series of all time. It is so much fun reading these crossovers, it's like visiting with old friends that you haven't realized you've missed terribly. Amanda is an amazing author, get any or all of her books, she's the best!

OMG!!!! I love your books!!!

I have 6 days till book 6 hurry right faster you make me laugh you make You make me cry that's the best thing in books and you do it all I love the way you intertwine your other books With these books I read them all just right faster I read a book a day I've read this series at least for 5 times so hurry Thank you thank you thank you. I love sami izzy Zoey all of them what's with bob it's so Cool

Still a great book, but I was a bit disappointed at the end. The fight was not even truly much of a fight and there seemed to be a lot of repetitive story telling. Probably more of a 3.5 for me..I still enjoyed the book and I am fully enjoying the series. Also...side note...I wish I knew what order to read all these books Amanda has written as it seems each story ties someway into each other. Either way, So far I have liked all her books and will get them all read at some point.

So good

In the beginning I was afraid it was going to be a little too political, with all the scrap we have to deal with in our real world of political idiots doing absolutely nothing for the country but lie and act so greedy; with that said, a fantastic adventure that I never really knew what would happen next. Great series, great story, with so much trouble still coming. Highly recommend.

Female power abounds

The potent combination of Izzy and Zoe (not to mention Sami) makes for a celebration and demonstration of female power. Joining Grimlock forces with Izzy, now pretty much a Grimlock herself, the Lake-Winters clan helps confront the growing conspiracy and threat faced by the reaper community.

Great Crossover Book

Izzy and Zoe worked so well together! I loved this book. I like the God, Bob, even though Zoe appears not to. I mean afterall, a God is not supposed to provide you all the answers, just give some direction, so he is awesome in my humble opinion. But Sami stole this book. She is a hoot! And one powerful chickadee. Love her.

Zoey, Izzy & Ainsley. What more could you want?!

This is the best one yet. I love the Grimlocks. I love the Winters. What’s better than them smushed together into the same book? Nothing. Sami is still a pain. Lily is intriguing. Throw in a little Jerry & you have a masterpiece! Oh & Cormack & James Winters have got to be two silver foxes! Love it

I really love this series. The Grimlocks are an amazing family that always stick together, love unconditionally, and always manage to save the day. I love reading about the adventures of the Grimlock family. This is one of my favorite worlds, I love all the characters in this universe. I look forward to reading more from all her worlds.

The best one yet

Amanda M Lee has outdone herself with Only the Strong. Izzy is an amazing character and adding Zoe to the mix was absolutely amazing. Death Gate Grim Reaper is a fantastic series that will bring new characters and keep you in touch with the ones you've been missing. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this series. Great job Amanda!!!