The Reckoning (Children’s House: Book 2) by Yrsa Siguroardottir

3.5 Stars

Date of publication: February 12, 2019

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Series: Children’s House

DNA—Book 1

Throttling—Book 2 (I believe this is also The Reckoning. Google translate didn’t do a great job translating from Icelandic to English on Goodreads)

Absolution—Book 3

Where you can find The Reckoning: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

The Reckoning is the stunning follow-up to The Legacy, which was the start of a thrilling new series that Booklist (starred) recommends for fans of Tana French.

Vaka sits, regretting her choice of coat, on the cold steps of her new school. Her father appears to have forgotten to pick her up, her mother has forgotten to give her this week’s pocket money, and the school is already locked for the day. Grownups, she decides, are useless.

With no way to call home, she resigns herself to waiting on the steps until her father remembers her. When a girl approaches, Vaka recognizes her immediately from class, and from her unusual appearance: two of her fingers are missing. The girl lives at the back of the school, on the other side of a high fence, and Vaka asks to call her father from the girl’s house. That afternoon is the last time anyone sees Vaka.

Detective Huldar and child psychologist Freyja are called in. Soon, they find themselves at the heart of another shocking case.

From the international number one-bestselling author of The Silence of the Sea, winner of the 2015 Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel Yrsa Sigurdardottir returns with the follow-up to The Legacy.

My review:

I have developed a liking for police thrillers. And I have an interest in these type of books set in other countries. So when I saw The Reckoning is set in Iceland, I needed to read it. I am glad that I did. I got insight into how the Icelandic criminal system worked as well as their version of CPS.

The Reckoning is book 2 in the Children’s House series. When I saw that, I was immediately put alert. In my experience, the second book in any series lacks. It is usually a filler between the 1st book and the 3rd book. But not in this case. The Reckoning is a stand-alone book. There were a few references to book 1 but they did not take over this book. That alone made me like the book.

I wasn’t sure if I liked Huldar or not, at first. He didn’t exactly fit into the image I had of an Icelandic police officer. His appearance, for one. Whenever I picture a police officer (especially ones in a foreign country) has clean cut and neat. Huldar was not that. I also had doubts about his professionalism. At one point in the book, he was sleeping with his boss. But, I did come to like him. He was a good police officer who was dedicated to tracking down the threats that were in the time capsule. He treated the suspects (and victims) with respect.

I thought that Freyja was a mess in this book. She was in a codependent relationship with her incarcerated brother. She had suffered a demotion at work because of Huldar. And, to top it off, she was back to working with Huldar, who was also trying to pursue a relationship with him. I also did wonder why she was in the plot during the first half of the book. But, as the book went on and more of the main plotline was revealed, I started to understand why. She also played a pivotal role at the end of the book.

I thought that main plotline was heartbreaking. I loved how the author kept who the killers were until the end of the book. I loved how she tied everything together. I will say that the identity of the killers were surprising. I didn’t see it coming. As for the writer of the threat, I did call that one. But, the reason behind the threat, I didn’t.

What did surprise me in this book was the twist that the author threw in at the end of the book. All I have to say about it is “Whoa“. I did not see that coming. I could understand why those people did what they did.

I gave The Reckoning a 3.5-star rating. This was a fast-moving mystery with an engaging plotline. The main characters were dysfunctional and did take a while to grow on me. The main plotline was heartbreaking. I liked how the author kept who the killers were under wraps until the end of the book. What I also liked was the twist that was thrown in at the end. I didn’t see that coming.

I would give The Reckoning an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is violence. There is language. There are trigger warnings. They would be rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and physical abuse. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Reckoning. I would also reccomend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Reckoning.

All opinions stated in this review of The Reckoning are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read The Reckoning?

Love it?

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Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Own to Obey (Myth of Omega: Book 7) by Zoey Ellis

Own To Obey (Myth of Omega Book 7) by [Ellis, Zoey]

4 Stars

Publisher: Quill Ink Books

Date of publication: February 6th, 2019

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Romance

Series: Myth of Omega

Crave to Conquer—Book 1

Crave to Capture—Book 2

Crave to Claim—Book 3

Credence—Book 3.5

Reign to Ruin—Book 4

Reign to Ravage—Book 5

Reign to Rule—Book 6

Own to Obey—Book 7

Own to Obsess—Book 8 (expected publication date: April 25th, 2019)

Where to find Own to Obey: Bookbub| Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

He obtained her – and now she must obey

The Alpha Prince

Brutality and tradition are a way of life for ferocious tribe leader, Kardos. Born different from the other princes, he strives to be the best–to earn his place and prove his worth.

After negotiating for a rare Omega not seen in his Land for over one hundred years, he is keen to present her to the High Chief and gain the recognition he deserves.

It doesn’t matter that she has mesmerizing beauty, or that her manner is too mild for his culture. It doesn’t matter that deep down, a craving burns strong to keep her for himself.

She must accept her fate – and so must he.

The Omega Gift

Sheltered all her life, Omega Shaya found joy in the gardens of her home, the protection of her sister, and the simplicity of her life.

But when the decision to save her sister suddenly puts her in the possession of a fierce tribal warrior, she begins to understand that life can be savage, and painful, and complex.

Alone, and with no way to protect herself, Shaya is determined to overcome the harsh treatment of a culture she doesn’t understand, but when she finds herself attracted to the Alpha’s dominance, she has to find a way to resist him so he doesn’t break her completely; body, mind, and heart.

Own To Obey is the first book in this couple’s story, but the seventh installment of the Myth of Omega series. This is a dark, steamy, Omegaverse romance. Cliff-hanger included. For fans of barbarian Alpha anti-heroes, sweet but savvy Omega heroines, epic fantasy worlds, and captive romances. Discover a magical kind of dark…

Own To Obey includes romance and situations of a dark nature. Some aspects of this story may be sensitive for some readers. For ages 18 and over

My review:

I am going to start off this book with a warning. There are situations in this book that will trigger people. There are situations that will make people upset. If you have triggers, then don’t read the book. If not and you can look past the beginning few chapters, then read it.

Now that is out of the way, let’s get onto the review!!

I enjoyed reading Own to Obey, even though it was the 7th book in the Myth of Omega series. I do not like picking up a book mid-series. 9 out of 10 times, I am left with a “WTH” feeling as I read. I did get a small sense of that when I started reading Own to Obey. I was confused with who the characters were and why Kardos needed an Omega. But, the author did a fantastic job of explaining everything.

I will admit that I wasn’t a fan of the first few sexual scenes of the book. The author did a great job of having Kardos explain why he did what he did. But still. It was hard to read. But, as Shaya’s feelings for Kardos grew, the sex scenes got hotter. By the time Shaya went into her Haze, the sex was steaming hot. I was a little confused about the knotting at first. But it was explained in the book and then it made sense. Survival of the fittest.

I did like Kardos even if I didn’t understand his reasoning sometimes. It drove me nuts. He should have talked to Rozalia sooner. If he did, some of the hurt that Shaya went through could have been avoided.

I felt awful for Shaya. She had been ripped away from everyone she loved and was given to a leader who was determined to make her into one of his people. She tried so hard those first days. As traumatized as she was, she tried. And what did she get? A shinno who’s way of teaching her things involved pain and a hurt shoulder. I would have acted the same way she did if in that situation. Except for the orgy she walked into. I would have noped right out of there instead of staying…lol.

The end of the book was interesting. It showed a lot more of Kardos’s peoples culture. It explained the hierarchy on the island and how an Omega was going to change everything. It explained Kardos’s role in that hierarchy. It showed the depth of feelings that Kardos had for Shaya. Those last scenes said it all. I can’t wait to read book 8!!

I would give Own to Obey an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence There are triggers. I am not going to say what they are because they are spoilers to the plot. I will say that I recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Own to Obey. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher and the author for allowing me to read and review Own to Obey.

All opinions stated in this review of Own to Obey are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Friends with Benefits (Beta Brothers: Book 2) by Hazel Kelly

Friends with Benefits: A Steamy College Romance (Beta Brothers #2) by [Kelly, Hazel]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: August 8th, 2018

Genre: Romance, New Adult

Series: Beta Brothers

My Best Friend’s Ex—Book 1

Friends with Benefits—Book 2

Where to find Friends with Benefits: Amazon

Synopsis:

Carter’s been crazy about Nina since the first time he saw her emerald eyes, but his fratastic reputation landed him in the friend zone before he even had a chance to say, “How you doin’?”

So when Nina suggests they become friends with benefits, he can’t believe his luck.

After all, once he’s gotten in her pants, winning her heart should be easy… right?

**This is a full-length, standalone romance novel with no cliffhanger, no cheating, and a heart-swelling HEA.

My review:

I am guilty of judging this book before I even read it. I thought this book was going to be all sex and minimal plot. The blurb and the cover didn’t add much to the opinion I formed. Then I read the book. I gotta tell y’all, I was surprised and pleased!! I love it when a book turns out to be the exact opposite of what I thought it was going to be.

I enjoy it when I read a romance where the main characters have some sort of friendship of sorts. Nina and Carter know each other through their best friends, who are dating. Their relationship was friendly for months before they hooked up. Their friendship made their transition into FB’s pretty easy.

Nina and Carter’s sexual relationship was hot. I did laugh when she was amazed by the size of Carter’s package. I would have had the same thoughts. I also liked that the sexual tension and attraction didn’t fade as I read the book. The author did a fantastic job of keeping it hot until the end of the book. 95% of the romances I read have the sex scene fizzle out after the first time.

I liked Nina and I agreed with Sadie after reading the first couple of chapters. She needed a FB. I understood why she didn’t want a relationship. If I had been treated that way by my exes, I would have the same feelings. I also understood why she had rules when she instigated to FB arrangement with Carter. She did kind of annoy me at points in the book. She got jealous way to easy. She was willing to believe that Carter was seeing other people besides her. She was too stubborn to see that Carter cared about her. Why else would he have brought her dinner (with cheesecake!!) on Valentines Day?

I loved Carter. He was perfect for Nina. I liked how he took things slow with her. He had feelings for before she approached him to be her FB. It was like Christmas and his birthday rolled into one when that happened. When they broke up, even though he instigated it, he was as hurt as she was. I loved seeing a guy who was in touch enough with his feelings to admit that.

The book ended on a positive note. I liked that everything was resolved. I liked that future plans were made. I can’t wait to see Nina and Carter in other books. I can’t wait to see how their relationship progressed.

I would give Friends with Benefits an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is some mild violence. There are triggers. They would be alcoholism. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Friends with Benefits. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Friends with Benefits.

All opinions stated in this review of Friends with Benefits are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Dark Alpha’s Awakening (Reaper: Book 7) by Donna Grant

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Swerve

Date of publication: February 5th, 2019

Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy

Series: Reaper

Dark Alpha’s Claim—Book 1

Dark Alpha’s Embrace—Book 2

Dark Alpha’s Demand—Book 3

Dark Alpha’s Lover—Book 4

Dark Alpha’s Night—Book 5

Dark Alpha’s Hunger—Book 6 (review here)

Dark Alpha’s Awakening—Book 7

Where you can find Dark Alpha’s Awakening: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

There is no escaping a Reaper. I am an elite assassin, part of a brotherhood that only answers to Death. And when Death says your time is up, I’m coming for you…

Serving Death and the Reapers has been my life for centuries. I’ve always put my duty before everything, even my yearning for Death. But now, she’s fading – our foe is bent on destroying her and he will stop at nothing until he does. Death holds the key to our survival. I will do everything in my power to stop her from disappearing. For her, I will ensure we have the best fighting chance. For her…I will cross the divide keeping us apart.

My review:

I was pretty stoked when I saw that there was going to be a book 7 in the Reapers series. I got even more excited when I started reading Dark Alpha’s Awakening. Why was I excited? Because it was Cael and Death (Erith’s) romance. The romance that I was waiting to read. It was also the romance that I didn’t think would happen. So, yes, I was thrilled.

I loved that I got to know more about Erith in this book. Her origins fascinated me. Her stint as Mistress of War and what started it fascinated me. As did why she stopped and formed the Reapers.

Erith brought it in this book. She was determined to find out what Bran was doing/using to drain her life essence. She was also going to end Bran, which was something that should have been done years ago. I loved it.

Cael was awesome in this book also. He was going to do whatever it took to save Erith from Bran. He was a great leader who was loyal to his Reapers. He was willing to do whatever it took to protect his Reapers, their women, and Erith. And oh boy, did he.

I liked how the author kept the sex scenes in Dark Alpha’s Awakening to a minimum. There were 2 or 3 scenes of Erith and Cael having sex. Those sex scenes were beyond hot. There was no build up of sexual tension in this book. But, Cael and Erith had 6 previous books to let it build and man, did it explode.

I enjoyed that the author had this world intertwined with The Dark Kings world. I didn’t quite catch on that they were in the same universe until the last Dark King book, Dragonfire. There was a certain point where Eoghan and Thea were mentioned. At that point, I was like “They are connected, WTH.”. That showed up even more so in this book. Bran, Balladyn, Rhi, Usaeil, and Xaneth were all featured in this book.

What surprised me the most about this book was the author was not afraid to let people die in this book. There were a couple of deaths that took me by surprise. One I was expecting but the other, well it blindsided me. That made me wonder who was going to be the next one to get killed. I have a good idea who but I am going to have to wait to see what happens in the next book.

I am also waiting to see if Erith takes the advice that was given to her and involve the Dragon Kings in the war that is going to happen. Guess I am going to need to keep reading the books to find out.

The end of the book was interesting. While some plotlines were tied up there were other ones that were left open. New plotlines were introduced near the end of the book. I am interested to see where the plotline with Xaneth is going to go. From what was written at the end of the book, it doesn’t look good.

I would give Dark Alpha’s Awakening an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is explicit violence. There are triggers. They are the death of a loved one and murder. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Dark Alpha’s Awakening. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Dark Alpha’s Awakening.

All opinions stated in this review of Dark Alpha’s Awakening are mine.

Sisters of the Fire (Blood and Gold: Book 2) by Kim Wilkins

Sisters of the Fire (Blood and Gold, #2)

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Ray

Date of publication: February 5th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Blood and Gold

The Crown of Rowan—Book 0.5

Daughters of the Storm—Book 1 (review here)

Sisters of the Fire—Book 2

Queens of the Sea—-Book 3 (expected publication date: 2019)

Where you can find Sisters of the Fire: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

An action-packed, compelling historical fantasy, from the pen of an award-winning author

The battle-scarred warrior princess Bluebell, heir to her father’s throne, is rumoured to be unkillable. So when she learns of a sword wrought specifically to slay her by the fearsome raven king, Hakon, she sets out on a journey to find it before it finds her. The sword is rumoured to be in the possession of one of her four younger sisters. But which one? Scattered as they are across the kingdoms, she sets out on a journey to find them.

Her four sisters all have their own paths to tread, the gifted magician Ash is on a journey to find a dragon that could determine her destiny. The beautiful, unhappy Rose has left her undermagician Aunt and is speeding to the aid of her daughter, Rowan, who has been lost to her. Ivy, sold into marriage for the sake of an alliance, is now set to become the ruling Duchess of Seacaster with the imminent death of her older and sick husband, and the power-hungry Willow is raising her infant child as a potential trimartyr king and training to be a warrior for the fanatical religious order Maava.

From wild rocky coastline to granite-topped tors, from bustling harbours to echoing ghost towns, from halls of kings to ancient primal woodlands, this story follows five sisters upon whose actions kingdoms will rise and fall.

My review:

Sisters of the Fire takes place 4 years after the ending of Daughters of the Storm. Each of the princesses has gone to different lives. Bluebell hasn’t changed much from the last book. She is charged with protecting the kingdom and she takes that seriously. After a battle that ends with a randerman raider held captive, Bluebell learns something interesting. She learns that one of her sisters has possession of a sword that can kill her. But which one hates her that much that they want her dead? Is it Rose? Who’s actions caused her to be separated from her daughter Rowan and live in isolation with her undermagician aunt. Or is it Ash? Ash has kept herself isolated from her sisters. She fears that the prophecy she saw in a vision will not only kill her but her sisters. Plus, she has a dragon to kill and a vision that she is determined not to come true. How about Ivy? Ivy who was the reason Rose was sent away from her daughter. Ivy, who’s scheming will end up costing her more than she thought it would. And then Willow. Meek, mousey Willow whose outer appearance doesn’t hint at the fanatic inside. Willow, who is willing to do anything to bring Maava to her father’s kingdom. Which sister will betray her?

I enjoyed reading Sisters of the Fire but it did take me a while to get into the book. The book got off to a slow start. The author had to give the background on 6 separate storylines before the book could get off the ground. She had to explain what happened to the sisters and Rowan in those 4 years. I would say that the first 30% of the book crept by for me. But, when Bluebell met with Rose, then I saw the book pick up steam. After that, the book flew. I couldn’t put it down.

If I had to have a sister that I disliked the most, it would have to be Willow. I knew that her mind wasn’t well during the first book. I mean, she heard flipping angels for crying out loud. What she morphed into in this book frightened me. She was what I call an uber fantastic. I felt so bad for her child. Look at what she put the poor thing through. She cut off eyelashes, gave the kid a bath and used a wire brush and refused to let the kid act like a child. But, what shocked me the most, was what Willow did. Even though she was bat poop crazy, I wasn’t expecting her to do what she did. I was saddened and surprised by it.

If I had to have a favorite character, it would have to be Rowan. For a small child, she was very wise. She saw what people were like. She also suffered from Rose not being there. Snowy was a good father figure but it wasn’t enough. She needed her mother. I thought her hearing the singing tree was interesting. Even more interesting was her connection to the First Folk. I wish more time had been spent explaining her time with the First Folk.

I can’t even get into all the storylines. If I did, this review would be way too long. Let me say that I thought they were amazing. I also thought that the author did a fantastic job at merging all them.

There was even a bit of romance in the book. I wasn’t expecting who the characters were (took me by surprise) but I thought it was sweet. I can’t wait to see if that romance will survive the next book.

The end of the book was good. I liked how the author took each sister and left their storyline open. The epilogue fascinated me. It left more questions than anything.

I gave Sisters of the Fire a 4-star rating. This was a good read. It did get off to a slow start but once the book got rolling, it took off. It was well written. I liked (or hated) the characters. The plotlines were intriguing. I did wish that there was more of an explanation of Rowan’s time with the First People. Other than that, I enjoyed the book.

I would give Sisters of the Fire an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is graphic violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be the talk of child abuse. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Sisters of the Fire. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Del Ray, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Sisters of Fire.

All opinions stated in this review of Sisters of Fire are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**