Honor Bound - Book Review

Honor Bound (The Honors #2)
by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre

What is it about:
Zara Cole was a thief back on Earth, but she’s been recently upgraded to intergalactic fugitive. On the run after a bloody battle in a covert war that she never expected to be fighting, Zara, her co-pilot Beatriz, and their Leviathan ship Nadim barely escaped the carnage with their lives.

Now Zara and her crew of Honors need a safe haven, far from the creatures who want to annihilate them. But with two wounded Leviathan to treat, plus human and non-human refugees to help, they’ll have to settle for the nearest outpost, called the Sliver: a wild, dangerous warren of alien criminals. Zara’s skills from the Zone may be invaluable. However, Zara discovers that the secrets of the Sliver may have the power to turn the tide of the war they left behind—but in the wrong direction.

Soon Zara will have to make a choice: stand against the ultimate evil or run from it. But she’s never walked away from a fight.

What did I think of it:
This book is just as good as the first.

With the crew being in a space station there's more bonding and more disagreements between them than the relationship being focused on Zara and Nadim, although there's enough going on there as well. I liked getting to know everyone a little better, and to see new aliens and customs.

Zara and her friends manage to get themselves in lots of trouble on Sliver, and it was fun to see how they try to get out of it. When they get a special job they find themselves in even hotter water, and they have to work together and think on their feet to survive.

I really like how relationships are developing. I like how Zara and Beatriz are towards each other and how they both are important to Nadim in different ways. I also loved seeing Zara and Nadim struggle with what they share with each other and what they try to keep to themselves.

Next to the clear danger and enemies there are some developments in this book that hint at new and extra trouble in the next book. I can say I'm already eager to get my trotters on that book, because I really need to know what happens next. Talk about a cliffhanger ending!

Why should you read it:
It's an awesome YA SF read.


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Midnight Blue-Light Special - Book Review

Midnight Blue-Light Special (InCryptid #2)
by Seanan McGuire

What is it about:
Cryptid, noun:
1. Any creature whose existence has been suggested but not proven scientifically. Term officially coined by cryptozoologist John E. Wall in 1983.
2. That thing that's getting ready to eat your head.
3. See also: "monster."

The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity--and humanity from them. Enter Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she'd rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and when her work with the cryptid community took her to Manhattan, she thought she would finally be free to pursue competition-level dance in earnest. It didn't quite work out that way...

But now, with the snake cult that was killing virgins all over Manhattan finally taken care of, Verity is ready to settle down for some serious ballroom dancing—until her on-again, off-again, semi-boyfriend Dominic De Luca, a member of the monster-hunting Covenant of St. George, informs her that the Covenant is on their way to assess the city's readiness for a cryptid purge. With everything and everyone she loves on the line, there's no way Verity can take that lying down.

Alliances will be tested, allies will be questioned, lives will be lost, and the talking mice in Verity's apartment will immortalize everything as holy writ--assuming there's anyone left standing when all is said and done. It's a midnight blue-light special, and the sale of the day is on betrayal, deceit...and carnage.

What did I think of it:
I really enjoyed Discount Armageddon, so I pre-ordered this book back in 2012. Once it arrived in March 2013 I managed to let it linger on the shelves though...

But with Seanan McGuire being one of the authors who will be at Worldcon this year, I decided to dig this book up.

And why did I wait this long? This is yet another very cool read. Verity might be rash at times, but she loves her friends and family. Once she knows they're in danger she does everything she can to keep them safe. I loved falling back in this world and getting re-acquainted with the cryptids. I totally loved the Aeslin Mice in the first book and in this one they're back and with a bigger role!

The story is fast paced and both fun and suspenseful. I raced through this book to see if all my favorite characters would make it out alive.

All in all a wonderful read. You bet I'll pick up the next book in this series soon. Luckily it's already somewhere in my TBR as I came across it in a sale a few years ago.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun and very entertaining UF read.


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The SULLIVANS - Best Zombie Book Nominations

Here are my nominations for
the SULLIVAN Award for Best Zombie Book.

Let me know in the comments what book you are rooting for. It can be one of these books, or another zombie book you love.

The winner will be announced during my Award Event in June.
(there might be a vote if needed)


100 Days in Deadland (Deadland #1)
by Rachel Aukes


Deck Z
by Chris Pauls and Matt Solomon


Dread Nation (Dread Nation #1)
by Justina Ireland


Flesh
by Laura Bickle


Rot & Ruin (Rot & Ruin #1)
by Jonathan Maberry

This Monstrous Thing - Spoilery Book Rant

This Monstrous Thing
by Mackenzi Lee

What is it about:
In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits.

His brother, Oliver—dead.

His sweetheart, Mary—gone.

His chance to break free of Geneva—lost.

Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead.

But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship.

Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay...

What did I think of it:
*Spoilers Ahead*

So this is a retelling of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, with a steampunk twist.

This could have been a nice retelling, but for one thing: the inclusion of Mary Shelley as a character. I was enjoying the book until more and more about the character Mary was revealed.

Picture someone writing an amazing story, that starts a new genre and is still loved many years after it was first published. Picture someone using this beloved classic to write their own version. Picture them using the original author of the story as a character in their retelling.

Got that? I for one picture a woman who did something amazing, and deserves praise and thanks from the borrowing author.

None of that in This Monstrous Thing. Mary is a girl who wants adventure, and acts big while she is secretly scared of real adventure. She uses Alasdair to feel good about herself, writes a book about him resurrecting his brother, while she knows he wants to keep it secret - therefor betraying his trust - and she is a coward who runs off when she is needed...

Seriously?!

That's how you treat the author who's story you are using for your retelling? I couldn't care for this story anymore once it was clear Mary was painted as a story stealing coward. I think she should have been left out if this is the way she was used.

You bet this book was immediately donated to the charity book shop after I finished it.

Why should you read it:
Don't! Read the original instead.


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Introducing: The SULLIVANS!

Award season is upon us with lots of books getting nominated, judged, etc...

And as always only few of my favorites appear on the lists. I grumbled a bit, but then I decided:

Why not have my own awards!

So the SULLIVANS was born.

And you can join the fun!

I will have my own award season in June!
I'll make an amazing award for one book I think really deserves ALL THE AWARDS! This award will be the SULLIVAN for Awesomest Book of Awesome!

But...
There are more books that deserve awards!

So these next few month I'll be nominating books for the SULLIVANS in different categories. Think: Best Zombie Book, Best YA Fantasy, Best Urban Fantasy, Most Awesome Sidekick, Total Cover Buy But Did Not Regret, Swooniest Romance, etc...

And here you guys can help!

Know a cool category for a SULLIVAN, or a book you think really deserves to be nominated for a cool award? Let me know! Either in the comments of one of my SULLIVANS posts or email me. I'll have some voting rounds if enough people are interested.

Lets give the books we love some extra love!

The Queen's Resistance - Book Review

The Queen's Resistance (The Queen's Rising #2)
by Rebecca Ross

What is it about:
Finally, Brienna is a mistress of knowledge and is settling into her role as the daughter of Davin MacQuinn, a disgraced lord who returned to Maevana to reclaim his house. Though she’d just survived a revolution, one that will finally return a queen to the throne, she faces another difficult challenge. She must prove herself trustworthy to the MacQuinns. But as Queen Isolde Kavanagh’s closest confidant, she’ll have to balance serving her father’s house as well as her country. And then there’s Cartier, a wholly separate but desirable factor in her new life.

Aodhan Morgane, formerly known as Cartier Évariste, is adjusting to the stark contrast between his pre-rebellion life in Valenia as a master of knowledge and his current one as the lord of a fallen house. During his castle’s restoration, he discovers a ten-year-old boy named Tomas, whose past and parentage are a complete mystery. So when Cartier’s former pupil Brienna is as taken with Tomas as he is, he lets his mind wander—what if he doesn’t have to raise him or his house alone?

As the Lannon trial rapidly approaches, Brienna and Cartier must put their feelings aside to concentrate on forging alliances, executing justice, and ensuring that no one interferes with the queen’s coronation. But resistance is rumbling among the old regime’s supporters, who are desperate to find a weakness in the rebels’ forces. And nothing makes a person more vulnerable than deep-seated love.

What did I think of it:
I fell in love with The Queen's Rising, so I pre-ordered this book as soon as I could.

And what a beautiful story this is!

After having defeated an evil king Brienna and her friends discover that's not the end of their problems. The bad guys need to be punished, the queen crowned, and a new future has to be build. But who actually are the bad guys? And to stay in power the queen needs alliances.

The story is told from both Brienna's Point of View and Cartier's PoV. Both have their own problems they have to deal with, but they're also there for each other. I rooted for both of them to solve their problems and be together. I liked how not every problem is huge and earth-shattering, but how some seem small, but are just as important as bigger ones.

There were some things that I could see coming, but it wasn't annoying, I actually enjoyed looking for extra clues and for the moment things would fall together for Brienna and Cartier.

All in all a beautiful read and a worthy sequel to The Queen's Rising. I really hope that Ross will write more books in this world, because I want more!

Why should you read it:
It's a wonderful Fantasy read.


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Lonen's Reign - Out Now!

It's here!
The thrilling conclusion to The Sorcerous Moons series. Go grab your copy, because I can tell you it's amazing!


Lonen's Reign (Sorcerous Moons #6)
by Jeffe Kennedy

A Looming Threat

The sorceress Oria has finally come into her own—able to wield the power of her birthright and secure in the marriage she once believed would bring her only misery. But the past she escaped still chases her, and the certainty of war promises to destroy everything she’s fought to have.

An Impossible War

Once before Lonen led an army in a desperate attempt to stop the powerfully murderous sorcerers of Bára—and he nearly lost everything. Now he must return to the battlefield that took the lives of so many of his people. Only this time he has more to risk than ever.

The Final Conflict

With guile, determination—and unexpected allies—Oria and Lonen return to the place where it all began… and only hope that it won’t also be the end of them.


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Teaser Tuesdays - Honor Bound

"You could have killed yourself!"
"And you followed." I pointed out. "Couldn't have been that bad."

(page 67, Honor Bound by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre)


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---------

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you sh"are doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Bad Luck Bride - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

The Bad Luck Bride (The Cavensham Heiresses #1)
by Janna MacGregor

What is it about:
All were shocked at the announcement of the “cursed” Lady Claire Cavensham to Lord Alexander Hallworth, the Marquess of Pembrooke, especially since she is already engaged to another unfortunate Lord. Perhaps she will make it to the altar this time with one of these fine gentlemen! —Midnight Cryer

No one is left breathless at the imperious pronouncement of her engagement to Lord Pembrooke more than Claire. She hardly knows the dangerously outrageous man! But after three engagements gone awry and a fourth going up in glorious flames, she isn’t in a position to refuse...

Alexander requires the hand of his enemy’s fiancée in marriage in order to complete his plans for revenge. It’s his good fortune that the “cursed” woman is desperate. However, what begins as a sham turns into something scandalously deeper...

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
This is a nice read.

Maybe it's just me, but the conflict in this book felt tame. Don't get me wrong: I liked Claire and Alexander and I enjoyed their romance, but with the set up I had expected more drama and more hurdles to their happy end. And even the hurdles they had to take lacked a certain depth in my opinion. I didn't feel their emotions, I wasn't invested in their struggles. Part of this may be because both keep their cards close to their chest, which made it hard for me to really get to know them.

That aside: they made a sweet couple and even though I didn't emotionally connect I had fun seeing their romance unfold. A nice read when you're in the mood for an enjoyable Historical Romance. I might even try another book by MacGregor if I run into it.

Why should you read it:
It's an enjoyable Historical Romance.


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We Recorded a New Podcast Yesterday

Trail of Lightning - Book Review

Trail of Lightning (The Sixth World #1)
by Rebecca Roanhorse

What is it about:
While most of the world has drowned beneath the sudden rising waters of a climate apocalypse, Dinétah (formerly the Navajo reservation) has been reborn. The gods and heroes of legend walk the land, but so do monsters.

Maggie Hoskie is a Dinétah monster hunter, a supernaturally gifted killer. When a small town needs help finding a missing girl, Maggie is their last—and best—hope. But what Maggie uncovers about the monster is much larger and more terrifying than anything she could imagine.

Maggie reluctantly enlists the aid of Kai Arviso, an unconventional medicine man, and together they travel to the rez to unravel clues from ancient legends, trade favors with tricksters, and battle dark witchcraft in a patchwork world of deteriorating technology.

As Maggie discovers the truth behind the disappearances, she will have to confront her past—if she wants to survive.

Welcome to the Sixth World.

What did I think of it:
When I heard about this book I had to get it. Post Apocalyptic Urban Fantasy with a Navajo heroine? Sign me up.

And I very much enjoyed this read. I loved the lore, worldbuilding, characters, and most of the story. What worked less for me was Maggie's background. At the start of the story she is pining after her mentor, the man who taught her how to be a monster hunter and how to use her clan powers. It turns out this relationship was pretty important for how Maggie reacts to things and for some parts of the story. I had wanted to know more about this relationship, maybe even have that relationship be part of the book instead of only seeing Maggie pine over it after the fact. Because I didn't see what happened it was hard to connect with this part of the story.

That aside this is a cool read with many twists and turns, nasty monsters (both human and otherwise), and a really interesting setting. Maggie can be completely oblivious at times, but Kai and other characters made up for that. And the ending! I need to know what will happen next.

All in all I'll get my trotters on the next book once it releases.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Post Apocalyptic Urban Fantasy read.


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SALVATORE by Cecy Robson - Spotlight

SALVATORE

by Cecy Robson
Publication Date: March 13, 2019
Genres: Adult, Gritty, Contemporary, Romance, Standalone

#PREORDER NOW!

Releasing 3/13!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Bnn3OG

Paperback: https://amzn.to/2NQswTt

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2Gc6t8r

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2SRnUx5

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2H92EBM

iTunes: https://apple.co/2DUsw1m

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2Tz4xtJ

B&N: http://bit.ly/2S9qLpE

SYNOPSIS

Desperate men do desperate things . . .

Salvatore Torre is a dangerous man. If you’ve lived the life Sal has, rage is to be expected and maybe so is heart. After his father killed his mother in a jealous rage, Sal was left to raise his two younger brothers, becoming a parent long before he was ready.

Desperate for money to support his family, Sal sought help from his old friend, Vincent Maggiano, the son of New Jersey’s top crime boss being groomed to take over his ailing father’s empire.

Sal never planned to join the mob. He also never planned to fall for his brother’s sweet and ultra conservative counselor, Adrianna Daniels.

Aedry isn’t the type of girl Sal is usually drawn to. Her skirts are longer, her hair is tamer, and her heels aren’t clear. But he can’t deny the attraction he feels. And Salvatore’s dark, sexy, and dangerous persona is the exact opposite of the clean-cut business men who usually catch Aedry’s attention.

Neither planned on a life of crime nor did they plan on love. But now, both are in too far.

Excerpt


“What do you think, Salvatore?”
Donnie taps her iPad with her long red nails when she finds yet another pair of shoes she wants. Like I actually give a shit what she’s buying with Vincent’s money.
“Sure. Get them,” I answer, not bothering to really look and fixing my gaze back on the door.
She pouts in that way that annoys me, but probably gets Vin hard. “That’s what you said about the other six. I’m serious. Which ones should I get?”
I don’t have to tell her that Vincent will buy her whatever she wants so long as she keeps blowing him, but I come close. The muscles along my back are ready to tear away from the bone. Every nerve along my spine fires a warning that shit’s about to go down. But I don’t show it, my face giving nothing away. “Donnie, I’m paid to watch your back. Not help you pick out shoes,” I mutter.
She starts to argue, but a knock to the door shuts her up, so does me motioning her to the corner. She may spend her days worrying about what she looks like and what she’ll wear, but she’s not stupid enough to ignore me.
I lean against the wall, opposite the door. Donnie might have shrugged off Vin yelling down the hall, but I didn’t. He isn’t happy. Neither are the other mob bosses in Jersey. It won’t be long before hell itself rains down on us. “Yeah?” I ask, keeping my deep voice casual, like my piece isn’t already clutched in my hands.
“Vincent wants you in on the meeting,” Lucca says.
Lucca’s smart. And for someone who hasn’t been in the family long, he’s tough and good on his feet. But I pick up enough in his voice to know this meeting’s not going as planned. So maybe Vin didn’t send for me. Maybe Lucca thinks I’m needed. If so, things are a lot worse than I thought.
Donnie looks at me, her preoccupation with shoes nothing more than a memory. “Lock the door behind me,” I tell her.
She rushes forward. I snag her elbow and pull her in tight to whisper in her ear. “You hear shots, you leave out the back, through the alley and down the street. Find a diner, a store, any place with lots of people. Got me?”
She nods, but she’s trembling already. Shots fired means there are plenty more to come. The other family knows who Donnie is to Vin. But if they don’t know she’s here or if they find her with too many witnesses, she’ll be okay.
She clutches my arm when I start to leave. “Sal . . .” she says.
Donatella and me are from the old neighborhood. We’ve known each other since back when we were kids and we were too stupid to know shit about organized crime. Now, we’re more stupid, because we’re willingly a part of it. She wants to say something like “be careful” or “keep him safe” or something else I don’t need to hear. So, I don’t.
I crack open the door, making sure Lucca’s standing there alone, and step out.
His eyes cut toward the hall leading to Vincent’s office, where he’s meeting with Arturo, the boss in charge of most of South Jersey, including Atlantic City. Yeah. Shit’s going down. But I don’t move until Donnie clicks the door lock behind me.
Lucca starts forward, moving fast. I haul him back. “Easy,” I mutter.
That’s all he needs to hear. He slows, mimicking my pace and stance, chest out, hand curled near the piece at his waist, face hard and unreadable.
Arturo’s men stand in unison when we round the corner. At the sight of me, Vin’s men rise, too. They see what I want them to see in me and Lucca and me. A united front. It solidifies our crew and tenses Arturo’s. As Vin’s crew fixes their hard stares on the other family, I know they’re ready for what the next few minutes will bring.

ABOUT CECY ROBSON

Cecy Robson is an author of contemporary and new adult romance, young adult adventure, and award-winning urban fantasy. A double-nominated RITA® Finalist, Winner of the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and published author of more than twenty titles, you can typically find Cecy on her laptop or stumbling blindly in search of caffeine.

Connect with Cecy online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter | Bookbub | Goodreads | Amazon Author Profile

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Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful - Book Review

Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful
by Arwen Elys Dayton

What is it about:
Set in our world, spanning the near to distant futures, Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful is a novel made up of six interconnected stories that ask how far we will go to remake ourselves into the perfect human specimens, and how hard that will push the definition of "human."

What did I think of it:
This sounded like an interesting read, but I should have known better.

The first two stories were the best in my opinion, although right from the start it is clear this book is taking the 'science is weird and scary' approach. After those two stories it only went downhill, exploring all the ways new technologies can go wrong, be misused, and be twisted. I will confess was losing my interest fast. I did soldier on, but the writing itself got more dense as well, so I confess to skimming the last two stories.

All in all not my kind of read.

Why should you read it:
Maybe you don't mind the science is scary feel of this book.


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Teaser Tuesdays - The Bad Luck Bride

His silence settled around her, causing her stomach to tangle into knots. She waited for ages, the rattle of the carriage wheels and the rhythmic clop of the horses the metronome of time passing.

(page 71, The Bad Luck Bride by Janna MacGregor)


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---------

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

City of Ghosts - Book Review

City of Ghosts (Cassidy Blake #1)
by Victoria Schwab

What is it about:
Cassidy Blake's parents are The Inspecters, a (somewhat inept) ghost-hunting team. But Cass herself can REALLY see ghosts. In fact, her best friend, Jacob, just happens to be one.

When The Inspecters head to ultra-haunted Edinburgh, Scotland, for their new TV show, Cass—and Jacob—come along. In Scotland, Cass is surrounded by ghosts, not all of them friendly. Then she meets Lara, a girl who can also see the dead. But Lara tells Cassidy that as an In-betweener, their job is to send ghosts permanently beyond the Veil. Cass isn't sure about her new mission, but she does know the sinister Red Raven haunting the city doesn't belong in her world. Cassidy's powers will draw her into an epic fight that stretches through the worlds of the living and the dead, in order to save herself.

What did I think of it:
I loved The Archived series and This Savage Song by Schwab, so I was very curious about this book that is aimed at a younger audience.

And this is a really cool read.

Cass can see ghosts and cross to beyond the veil, but she still has to learn a lot about her powers and how to use them. In Edinburgh she discovers that there are far more powerful ghosts than she ever met before and that she has to learn fast if she wants to survive.

I liked Cass' friendship with Jacob and loved how they were there for each other. I also enjoyed learning a bit about Edinburgh's history and ghost stories. I had some trouble with Lara, but she grew on me. And this book made me look up the rules of taking a pet to the UK and I discovered that these days it's a lot easier than it was in the past.

All in all this book sets up the world and characters in a very enjoyable way and adds a creepy adventure with high stakes. I had a good time with this book and will definitely keep an eye out for the next.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun and enjoyable Middle Grade read


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On Our Radar - Dancing with the Viper

Dancing with the Viper (Viper #1)
by Amy Beatty

In the eight years since the first Talessanin embassy ship landed on Earth, Hanna Bradley, like most other humans, has never met one of the reclusive extraterrestrials—and she likes it that way. Hanna’s life is finally going well. She has her friends. She has her art. She has her own cozy home. And it’s been months since the last bout of horrific nightmares left her weeping on the floor of her locked bedroom closet.

Then Jon moves in across the street.

Jonantathinel of House Kanestelan Ehr has left the intergalactic emperor’s service to settle in a small, quiet town on the empire’s newest planetary protectorate, Earth. But Jon isn’t just any alien ex-soldier. Jon has secrets.

When Hanna’s charming, yet intimidating new neighbor tries to spark a romance, the spark reignites the terrors of Hanna’s past, and she struggles to keep her balance as Jon’s ominous secrets whirl around her, and draw her in.


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Let's Talk About Our TBR Bookcase - Podcast

Lady Smoke - Book Review

Lady Smoke (Ash Princess Trilogy #2)
by Laura Sebastian

What is it about:
The Kaiser murdered Theodosia's mother, the Fire Queen, when Theo was only six. He took Theo's country and kept her prisoner, crowning her Ash Princess--a pet to toy with and humiliate for ten long years. That era has ended. The Kaiser thought his prisoner weak and defenseless. He didn't realize that a sharp mind is the deadliest weapon.

Theo no longer wears a crown of ashes. She has taken back her rightful title, and a hostage--Prinz Soren. But her people remain enslaved under the Kaiser's rule, and now she is thousands of miles away from them and her throne.

To get them back, she will need an army. Only, securing an army means she must trust her aunt, the dreaded pirate Dragonsbane. And according to Dragonsbane, an army can only be produced if Theo takes a husband. Something an Astrean Queen has never done.

Theo knows that freedom comes at a price, but she is determined to find a way to save her country without losing herself.

What did I think of it:
This is a worthy sequel to Ash Princess.

I loved the overall story and the intrigue. So many people want things from Theo for many different reasons. It's unclear who she can trust and who will stab her in the back if she is not careful. I will say that although Theo acts smart most of the time, she is also a bit dense at times. With the danger she is in I would have expected her to be a lot more careful than she is.

The love triangle drama that started in Ash Princess is far from over: Soren and Dingus (yeah, I totally can't remember his name, which might tell you who my favorite of the two is) are in a pissing contest to win Theo's attention and heart, and Theo is angsting over who she likes best while also shopping for a husband elsewhere. The whole love mess is the least interesting part of the story I will confess. I hope Dingus gets dumped soon.

I love the relationship between Theo and Artemesia, one of her advisors and her cousin. Artemisia is not used to having friends and is wary of showing her feelings. I loved seeing the trust and friendship between the two of them grow over the course of the book. I'm rooting for them to be best friends and inseparable by the end of this trilogy.

All in all this story is full of intrigue, difficult decisions, and danger. Some really cool things happen, and the ending left me eager for the next book. I need to know what will happen next. You bet I'll get my trotters on the last book once it releases.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool YA Fantasy read.


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Lonen's Reign - Cover Reveal

Lonen's Reign
by Jeffe Kennedy

The thrilling conclusion to the Sorcerous Moons series
Available March 20, 2019




Preorder links can be found here

Phoenix Falling - Book Review

Phoenix Falling (Wildlands #5)
by Laura Bickle

What is it about:
In the Yellowstone backcountry, a merciless source of evil carries a torch for the past…

Petra Dee and her immortal husband, Gabe, have been trying to gain a toehold in what passes for ordinary life in Temperance, Wyoming—

a wickedly enchanted land founded generations ago by the alchemist, Lascaris. Petra may be adept when it comes to the uncanny, but as a reasoned geologist, Petra still can’t fathom the wildfires suddenly engulfing Yellowstone National Park, or why Gabe claims to have seen the sky explode in flames. The answers could lie in the past.

It was a dreadful night in 1862 when Lascaris went harvesting for souls, only to be set upon by townsfolk determined to eliminate the root of all evil in a trial by fire. Petra can’t help fearing that Lascaris has crawled out of the ashes of history to wreak vengeance—and to complete his mission by claiming every vulnerable soul in Temperance.

With the help of Gabe and her coyote sidekick, Sig, Petra must now venture into Lascaris’s shadow before he turns her world into an inferno burning out of control.

What did I think of it:
I totally pre-ordered this book and had to restrain myself from diving right into it once it arrived. Instead I was good and finished the book I was reading first before devouring this one.

And I can tell you I would have finished this book in one sitting if I didn't have appointments I had to keep. This is yet another amazing story.

Bickle always manages to capture my attention and make me feel for her characters. I love how she even managed to make me feel sorry for Owen, who is the kind of guy who thinks he's a hero, but is making all the wrong choices that make him a jerk instead of a hero.

The stakes in this book are high and Petra and her friends might have to make sacrifices to stop the fires threatening Temperance. Ancient evils, creatures, and secrets make this even more difficult and dangerous.

This book is the end of the series as far as I understand, and if it is: this is an ending you want for an awesome series as this. It left me with all the feels, both satisfied and eager for more of these wonderful characters and this setting. You bet I'll be rereading this series, and I will hungrily wait for more books by Bickle.

Why should you read it:
It's an amazing UF read.


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On Voodoo Bride's Radar - Right Reasons

This sounds like a fun Comtemporary Romance.


Right Reasons
by Henley Maverick

Desperate times call for desperate measures and that's exactly what it has come down to for Navy Harper. Facing eviction from her apartment and desperate for a way to continue paying for law school, she signs up for a reality television show where the winner receives a sizable cash prize. All she needs to do is open her torn and tattered heart, fall in love, and convince the audience that she and whomever she falls for are deserving of the money.


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