Category: Non ARC

R + J Sucks (The Complete Saga): A Paranormal Shakespeare Retelling by Ann Hunter

R+J Sucks [The Complete Saga]: A Paranormal Shakespeare Retelling

4 Stars

Publisher: Aisling House, LLC

Date of publication: September 1st, 2017

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

Where you can find R + J Sucks: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Teenagers. Romance. Vampires. 

Get all three books in one go with this complete set of R+J Sucks, and save 50% off. 

R+J v.1: When immortality is the be all, end all of Capulet family, can Juliet escape her ancestry to live happily ever after? 
A boy from the wrong side of the tracks, Romeo is forbidden to cross into Capulet territory, but how long can he resist when all that beckons him is gold and prosperity? Will he realize in time that all that wealth was amassed in blood, or will he sway to Juliet’s overpowering natural charisma? 

R+J v.2: The Capulets have plans for Juliet, a rare natural-born vampire. She must marry Paris and continue the bloodline. But how can she when she’s fallen for a human? Such a love is forbidden, and her cousin Tybalt is sure to “discourage” Romeo Montague. Unsettled by this unholy union, the Montagues are ready to defend their family and Romeo’s soul. 

R+J v.3: With Romeo facing his entire family being hunted by the vampire Royal Guard, it’s up to him and Juliet to fight for their happiness. Fearing the downfall and disgrace of her own family, Juliet must choose love or immortality. Will the Montagues save themselves from the wrath of the Capulets? Or will Paris ensure the downfall of Romeo and his clan? 

Two households, both of great dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge breaks new mutiny, and civil blood makes civil hands unclean….

My Review:

I am a huge Shakespeare fan. I have read his plays more than once. Among my favorite plays are Romeo and Juliet. Something about forbidden love that ends tragically gets me. I have watched a fantastic rendition of Romeo and Juliet. It is Romeo + Juliet, starring Clare Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio. Unfortunately, I haven’t found a written take on that play that I liked until R + J sucks.

I enjoyed reading this book. The author did a great job of keeping true to the original play while putting her own original spin on it. It never crossed me, before reading this book that Juliet could be a vampire or that Romeo could be a poor Latino boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Right away, that grabbed my attention.

Romeo made me laugh. Right from the beginning, when he was told to get lost by a girl that he had dated. He would do anything for his family. Then he met Juliet and everything spiraled out of control. He should have listened to Father Laurence and stayed away. But, no, he didn’t (typical teenage boy) and man, the fall out from that was awful.

I did like Juliet. I could understand why she left her house unchaperoned. In her way, she was rebelling against her parents and the marriage that they were forcing upon her. I think her commonsense took a leave of absence. I couldn’t believe that she would lead a human into a house full of vampires and then keep him there!! I did a facepalm with that. The fall out from her actions was as bad as Romeo’s.

The secondary characters gave depth to the story. I did like that all the secondary characters in the play were written into the story. I also liked that the parents were given first names and personalities to match their characters. Romeo’s mother lived up to her name, as did Juliet’s mother. Actually, Juliet’s mother more than lived up to her name. What a cold, calculating woman.

I do wish more insight was given into how a natural-born vampire comes into existence. The very barest of explanation was given.

These books are also serial novels. I am not a fan of those and I avoid them at all cost. But, if they are compiled into one book, then I will read them.

The end of the book was interesting. I was surprised at the end of the book. Not what I was expecting.

What I liked about R + J Sucks:

A) Great take on Romeo and Juliet

B) Relatable characters

C) Interesting end to the book.

What I disliked about R + J Sucks:

A) Juliet’s mother.

B) Little insight into what a natural-born vampire was

C) Serial novel.

I would give R + J Sucks a rating of Older Teen. There is mild violence. There is mild language. But, there are no sexual situations. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

There are no trigger warnings in R + J Sucks.

I would reread R + J Sucks. This is a book that I would recommend to family and friends.

I would like to thank Ann Hunter for allowing me to read and review R + J Sucks.

All opinions stated in this review of R + J Sucks are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Befriended by Ruth O’Neill

Befriended

4 Stars

Publisher: Lulu.com

Date of publication: February 5th, 2018

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Where you can find Befriended: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Some secrets never leave us alone. . . Gemma Peacock’s life was perfect – or at least, she thought it was. She had a home she loved, a job she enjoyed, and a husband she adored. The only cloud on the horizon was the continuing tension between Gemma and her mother-in-law, but that’s the same for everyone, right? After the death of her beloved husband, Ritchie, everything begins to fall apart. Indiana Manors’ life, on the other hand, is far from perfect – but she knows just what she has to do to fix it. Befriend Gemma Peacock – and destroy her.

My Review:

I wasn’t expecting to like Befriended as much as I did. When I read the blurb, I thought that it was going to be a chick lit novel. There were parts of the book that do have that vibe. But, this book was so much more. It was the so much more that surprised me. The more I read, the more I liked and the more I enjoyed the story.

I did feel bad for Gemma for about 90% of the book. Her husband’s death devastated her. But, it was the secrets that were revealed after his death that rocked her world. Which brought me to my first question. Why did she keep going back to Indiana? I know that Gemma wanted to help her but still. I agreed with Maria. Gemma should have told Indiana to leave her alone after what happened in Crete. I do think that Gemma needed to come to terms with what Ritchie did and Indiana was there to help.

There was a point in the book where I did think that Indiana and Gemma’s relationship was going to become a Single White Female type of relationship. I mean, Indiana was calling Gemma’s friends and driving them away. She even phoned Mick and told him that Gemma wanted nothing to do with him. Thankfully, Mick didn’t believe that BS.

My feelings for Indiana was all over the board in the book. I first felt disgust for her when she revealed why she became Gemma’s friend. That changed to feeling bad for her because of her mental illness. I will say this, she did try to get help. My feelings then morphed into pity when it was revealed why she had singled out Gemma and what was being kept from her. Then I actually started to like her at the end of the book. Like I said, they were all over the place.

I did not see the big twist that came towards the middlish (more towards the end) of the book. I also did not see who was behind everything. That came as a huge surprise. Put it this way, when it was revealed why and who set everything in motion, my mouth fell open and I whispered (I was in bed), “No freaking way“.

I did think that Mick’s romance with Gemma was cute. But it did seem to me that it was more of an afterthought. I didn’t see that Gemma had feelings for Mick until he came to London. I thought they were friends. Then, suddenly, she has feelings for him. It seemed like it came out of nowhere. Of course, I could have missed the cues to their romance with everything else that was going on in the book.

The end of the book was great. I loved that everything was ended the way it did. Each character got their version of a happy ending.

What I liked about Befriended:

A) Great storyline

B) Likable characters

C) Twist that I didn’t see coming

What I disliked about Befriended:

A) What Gemma was put through the first half of the book

B) Indiana’s antics in the first half of the book

C) Mick’s relationship with Gemma

I would give Befriended an Adult rating. While there is sex, it is not graphic. There is language. There is also mild violence. I suggest that no-one under the age of 21 read this book.

There are trigger warnings in Befriended. They are mental illness, the death of a spouse and kidnapping. If you are triggered by any of these, I would suggest not reading the book.

I would recommend Befriended to family and friends. I would let them know about the triggers. This is a book that I would reread.

I would like to thank Ruth O’Neill and Lulu.com for allowing me to read and review Befriended.

All opinions stated in this review of Befriended are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Colossus (Run Rabbit Run: Book 1) by Jette Harris

COLOSSUS: a serial killer thriller (Run Rabbit Run Book 1) by [Harris, Jette]

4 Stars

Publisher: 

Date of publication: November 19th, 2015

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Horror

Series: Run Rabbit Run

Colossus – Book 1

Two Guns – Book 2

Where you can find Colossus: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Lured away from safety by their own goodwill, four high-school seniors from the affluent suburbs of Atlanta are kidnapped, tortured, and forced to entertain the malicious appetites of an unpredictable predator. He calls himself Rhodes. They call him COLOSSUS—looming, omnipresent, and threatening to collapse into insanity.

Heather Stokes, clever, resourceful, and no stranger to tragedy is willing to risk her life and sanity to protect her friends. They are focused on survival. But as the month hurtles the four toward their likely deaths, their worst nightmares become increasingly real—even for Rhodes: All of their efforts could be in vain, and it is likely none of them will survive.

COLOSSUS is an uncompromising, white-knuckled serial killer thriller, featuring unforgettable characters and an unsettling, nightmare-inducing antagonist. A must-read for fans of Karin Slaughter and Thomas Harris.

My Review:

I haven’t had a book that has affected me the way that Colossus affected me in a long while. I wanted to put the book down and stop reading it but at the same time, I had to finish reading the chapter. I needed to find out what happened to Heather and her friends. I wanted to know the mystery behind Rhodes. I do not like it when books end with no resolution to the storylines. But in this book, it fits. It also left the book wide open for book 2.

This book is brutal. Not going to lie and tell you all that this book has a couple of scenes that will make you wince. It doesn’t have a couple. The whole book from the time Heather is kidnapped to the end is scene after scene of brutality. I like to think that I have a pretty thick skin when it comes to books with graphic violence. But I reached my limit with Colossus. I praise the author for that. I was kept breathless from chapter to chapter. Rhodes was such a wild card that I couldn’t predict what he was going to do next.

What was interesting to me was how the author was able to make all 4 kids have different reactions to their situation. Witt thought that if he could get on Rhodes good side, and stay there than he wouldn’t be tortured. He was also very submissive. Monica, while submissive, became withdrawn and quiet. She would curl up into a ball to make herself smaller. Like she wanted to disappear. Z did try to fight Rhodes but he was always overpowered. He learned to do what Rhodes wanted without making a sound. Heather fought Rhodes tooth and nail. She got the worse of the beatings. But there was something about her that Rhodes liked and that was the only reason she was alive.

There were times in the book where I wanted to tell Heather to stop fighting Rhodes and do what he wanted. Especially when he told her that they all had a time limit hanging over their heads. If anything, that made her fight harder.

What also got under my skin was the rape scenes. They were pretty graphic. What affected me was that it wasn’t just the girls getting raped. The boys did too. Then Rhodes videod them raping each other. It did get pretty intense during that part of the book.

Rhodes was a complete mystery. There was more to him than being a psychopathic serial killer. There were hints about someone who he had in his life that wasn’t there. Hints about his childhood and the abuse he endured. Hints about Spain and a job that waited for him there. Just the barest of facts and I wanted more. So I was a little disappointed when the book ended and there was no mention of it. I am hoping that book 2 gets more into his background.

The end of Colossus was a not what I thought it was going to be. It played with my mind. I stayed up after I was done with the book and thought about the ending. It affected me that bad. Let’s say that what I thought was going to happen didn’t happen. There was a twist that made me go “W.T.H.“.

What I liked about Colossus:

A) Kept me on the edge of my seat

B) Fleshed out characters

C) Excellent storyline

What I disliked about Colossus:

A) The violence

B) The rape scenes

C) Rhodes is a complete mystery. Drove me nuts.

I would give Colossus an Adult rating. I would not let anyone under the age of 21 read this book. There is explicit violence. There are explicit rape scenes. There is explicit language.

This book definitely has trigger warnings. They would be rape, kidnapping, and assault. If you are triggered by any of these, I would suggest that you not read the book.

I would recommend this book to family and friends. But I would make sure that they knew how intense and graphic the book can get. I would also let them know about the triggers. This is a book that I could see myself rereading.

I would like to thank Jette Harris for allowing me to read and review Colossus.

All opinions stated in this review of Colossus are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

The Emperor’s Visions (formerly Warriors) by R.A. Denny

The Emperor's Visions (Tales of Tzoladia Book 4) by [Denny, R.A.]

4 Stars

Publisher: self-published

Date of publication: October 18th, 2017

Genre: fantasy, young adult, Christian fiction

Series: Mud Rocks and Trees

Refugees – Book 1 (review here)

Seekers – Book 2 (review here)

Captives – Book 3 (review here)

Warriors – Book 4

Visionaries – Book 5

Where you can find Warriors: Amazon | Barnes and Nobles

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

“The only thing keeping that seal around his neck is his head. Heads are easily removed.”
Time is running out. Tzoladia is under siege. Heads will roll.

As the prophecy unfolds, Emperor Zoltov’s military forces take action to exterminate the “Subhumans.” Leaders form risky alliances.  Metlan’s ambition propels him into places of mystery and murder. Brina and Amanki sail through a sea filled with enchantment and betrayal. Moshoi is dazzled by treasure as he faces the horrors of an evil empire. All forces converge on Tzoladia for a showdown.

Will mud, rocks, and trees come together and prevail? Who will lose their heads?

My review:

When R.A. approached me to review Warriors, I was pretty stoked. I have loved every book in this series. Usually, I expect some sort of lull in a series. A book that isn’t up to par with the rest of the book. Not with this series. Each book has been fantastic and Warriors continues with the excellence.

Warriors picks up shortly after the events of Captives. Amanki is a foot soldier in the Tzoladian Army. Brina is a slave and is being used by the leader of the Sparaggi Tribe. Tuka is working for the emperor. He is also a spy for a local resistance group. Metlan is now the king of the Samalitans. He also holds Brina’s seal. Somehow, they all must meet up and bring the seals together.

Amanki is on the front lines of a war that he didn’t ask to be in. Fighting for an emperor that wants him dead. I liked that he still held on to his faith, even when events happened that made him question it. He grew in this book. He became more of a leader.

I was a little put off by Brina at the beginning of Warriors. There was a point in the book where I did question whether she was going to continue with her quest. She did redeem herself in my eyes after the battle when she aided Amanki. If she gets her seal back from Metlan, what it will do. If Amanki’s can call a leviathan, then what will hers call?? I also figured out what was going to happen between her and Metlan before it happened.

Tuka had it rough. He was spying on the emperor for a group of rebels within the palace. He was being pressured to assassinate the emperor because he was the closest to him. He also was supposed to help Burlem find out who ordered the killing of the women and children of his tribe. At one point, I didn’t know what was going to happen to him. I thought that he was going to do one thing and ended up doing another. Put it this way, I am glad that he met Samuel.

Metlan got on my nerves. I know that he had to prove that he was worthy of being a king but still. He played Brina. But, I am wondering if he did have feelings for her. And what he did was more of a political attempt to get the Karsonians to behave. Guess I’ll have to see. I am also wondering where Pergassi is and if she is still alive.

There are a couple of twists in the plot. One that I saw coming. One came out of left field. With the one I saw coming, the author dropped enough hints in the earlier books. So when Baskrod revealed it to Metlan, I wasn’t surprised. The other one, though, took me completely by surprise. I kick myself because I should have seen it coming.

The Christian element of the book was well written. Adon was discussed, praised and it was mentioned but it didn’t take over the book. Which is great for someone who wants to read a religious-themed but doesn’t want to feel it being forced down your throat.

I thought that the fantasy aspect of the book was very well written also. I love to read fantasy but I have found some of the books can be dull and repetitive. Warriors was a refreshing change from that.

The character and world building in this book were over the top. The author took an already great world/characters and added more depth to them. I am looking forward to seeing how much more she adds to the world/characters in the next book. I enjoy reading a book where I can picture the characters and the world. It makes it so much more interesting to read.

The end of Warriors was a mess. I won’t go into it other than to say it was sort of cliffhanger. But, things look to going in the right direction (finally!!) for Brina, Tuka, Amanki, and Metlan.

What I liked about Warriors:

A) Amazing world/character building

B) Fast paced original storyline

C) The plot twists

What I disliked about Warriors:

A) Metlan. Player going to play (cue in Taylor Swift here)

B) Pressure on Tuka.

C) The battle scene with Amanki and Kishar. And then the one with Amanki and Jacob

I was a bit torn on what rating to give Warriors. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to give it a Tween or a Young Teen rating. For the sake of the review, I would say Young Teen rating. There is violence. There is no sex but there is a couple of scenes where Metlan and Brina kiss. Again, nothing graphic. No language.

There are no trigger warnings in the book.

I would recommend this book to family and friends. I would reread this book.

I would like to thank R.A. Denny for allowing me to read and review Warriors.

All opinions stated in this review of Warriors are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

We Own the Sky (The Muse Chronicles: Book 1) by Sara Crawford

We Own the Sky (The Muse Chronicles #1)

4 Stars

Publisher: 

Date of publication: August 15th, 2017

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance

Series: The Muse Chronicles

We Own the Sky – Book 1

Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming – Book 2

Where you can find We Own the Sky: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

What could you create if you fell in love with a Muse?

16-year-old musician, Sylvia Baker, has always been different. She’s the only one who can see the “flickering people.” When she sees a gorgeous flickering man named Vincent, she learns that they are Muses.

With his help, she finds herself creating exquisite songs that she loves almost as much as songs by her favorite bands–Radiohead, M83, and The Black Keys–and she is falling in love in a way she never knew was possible. While trying to maintain her newfound friendships and her band, she falls deeper into the world of the Muses. 

When the original Greek Muses wake to find a world in which the internet has given everyone the tools to be an artist, a battle between traditional and new methods of creation ensues. As Sylvia discovers how she is connected to the world of the Muses, she learns that this war may put her music, her love, her very life at stake.

My review:

I have read a few books are centered around Greek mythology. Some have been horribad, some have been eh, and others great. We Own the Sky falls into the great category. I thought that it was a different and original take on the myth of the Muses.

We Own the Sky’s plot is original and sad at times. Sylvia is a 16-year-old musician who happens to see flickering people. That bit of information she keeps to herself because of her past mental health issues. So when one of the flickering people talk to her, she is shocked. Her shock turns to awe when Vincent tells her that the myths about the Muses are real and that he is an Earthly Muse. The same time that Sylvia and Vincent’s relationship turns to love, one of the Original Muses awakens from a 500-year sleep. Angered by what she finds, Clio decides that a culling of the Earthly Muses is needed. Starting with Vincent. At the same time, Sylvia’s world is rocked and not in a good way.

I loved how the author handled alcoholism, substance abuse and mental illness in We Own the Sky. They were written about realistically. Mental illness, substance abuse, and alcoholism are often written like there is a magical cure. That everything will be alright after the addict stops using/drinking or when the person with mental illness is put on medication. That is so far from the truth it isn’t funny. Like in the book, there are setbacks. There is rehab. There are interventions. We Own the Sky showed the messy side that most authors will not write about.

I liked and pitied Sylvia. She had dealt with so much in her life. Her mother OD’d when she was younger. Her father, a junkie, and alcoholic spiraled down until he hit rock bottom and went into rehab. Sylvia herself did a stint in rehab. Not for addiction but because she was depressed. I wanted to give her a hug. Writing in her journal and playing music was her solace. I loved her surprise when she realized that the flickering people weren’t a figment of her imagination.

I didn’t know what to think about Vincent. I know his sole purpose was to inspire his charges but to fall in love with each one of them? Uggh, typical guy…lol. What he did to his last charge was horrendous. I don’t know how Sylvia wasn’t scared off by it when he told her. I did think he did the right thing by not going near Sylvia after Clio started her rampage.

When Clio was introduced, I could understand why she felt the way she did. She was used to inspiring a few people by whispering in their ears. But now, in the age of the internet, anyone could be an artist and that bothered her. I also understood her anger at Urania. She was the one left awake for 500 years and in Clio’s mind, she should have put a stop to it instead of encouraging it. But I don’t understand why it pushed her over the edge. Because what she did after she had that dagger was very unMusely.

That brings me to the biggest issue I had in the book. If Urania knew that Clio was that unstable, why did she ask another Muse to create a room to hide it. Why didn’t she hide it and not tell anyone? That didn’t make sense to me. But then again, if she did that, then Clio wouldn’t have trapped her, gotten the dagger, and started her rampage.

The storyline with Sylvia’s mother bothered me too. I didn’t understand why she was brought into the book so late and why the author chose to have her do a 180. But, it made perfect sense once everything was brought together at the end of the book. Of course, there was a twist in her storyline that made me go “Shut up” when it was revealed. 

The storyline with Sylvia’s friends was pretty rough. The only one who actually wanted to be her friend was Bianca. Everyone else talked to her because of her father owning a bar that plays live music. I kind of wanted to smack Travis and Ryan when Sylvia was butt dialed. Talk about jerks. But Travis did end up being a true friend in the end. It takes a true friend to do what he did.

The romance part of We Own the Sky was actually very sweet. Sylvia was heads over heels for Vincent. She fell hard for him. He was also heads over heels for her. Which is what made the end of the book so hard to read.

There is no sex in We Own the Sky. At least I don’t think there is. Vincent slept in Sylvia’s bed a few times and they kissed. I didn’t get the feeling that anything happened between them other than kissing. If it did, it was so vaguely written that even I didn’t catch it.

The end of We Own the Sky made me cry. It was heartbreaking on so many levels. It was not a happy ending. I cried for Sylvia. She got the rough end of the stick. I liked that there was an epilogue and I loved that the chapter of the next book was included. I am very interested in reading Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.

What I liked about We Own the Sky:

A) Greek mythology. Loved that the Muses were used

B) Addiction/substance abuse/mental illness were correctly portrayed

C) Sylvia and Vincent’s romance

What I disliked about We Own the Sky:

A) Vincent falling in love on a dime. Every person he mentored, he fell for.

B) Urania knowing Clio was unstable and not hiding the dagger where only she knew where it was.

C) The storyline with Sylvia’s mother.

I would give We Own the Sky an Older Teen rating. There is mild violence (mostly Clio and nothing graphic, just implied), mild language. There are no sexual situations. Vincent and Sylvia do kiss but I believe that it stopped there. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

There are trigger warnings in We Own the Sky. They are drug use, alcoholism, talk of suicide, talk of OD‘ing, talk of depression and talk of rehab. If you are triggered by any of these, I would suggest not to read the book.

I would recommend We Own the Sky to family and friends. I would include a note on the trigger warnings. This is a book that I would read again.

I would like to thank Sara Crawford for allowing me to read and review We Own the Sky.

All opinions stated on We Own the Sky are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

To Kill a Priest: The Priors, Part 1 By Weston Kincade

To Kill a Priest: The Priors, Part 1

4 Stars 

Publisher:

Date of publication: February 1st, 2015

Genre: Fantasy, Suspense

Where you can find To Kill a Priest: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Episodes 1-9

The universe is much larger than people think—with worlds spanning into infinity and human kind evolving into everything from vampires to the unknown. Are you one of these unlucky few?

Madelin is, and the government black-op agency called PASTOR knows it. To free herself from their clandestine clutches, she will have to trust an unknown godfather… the only family she has left after the agency’s murderous tendencies. As she strives to overcome her medically induced amnesia, she and her newfound friends must test the limits of this world and break them. The government has secret plans for her future if she remains… but will the next world be any better?

My review:

I do not like serial novels. The reason I don’t like them is that I hate waiting for the next book to come out. I am not a patient person. I am kind of like Veruca Salt in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. “I WANT it NOW” when it comes to books. But, if the books are compiled into a single book, then they are alright. To Kill a Priest, while a serial book, has episodes 1-9 under one cover.

To Kill a Priest starts off with an ex-mercenary finding a young woman dressed in a kimono. The girl has come out of nowhere. He makes a decision to help her. Meanwhile, a man has hacked into a government black op agency called PASTOR. This agency is responsible for murdering his best friend and his wife. They also have kidnapped their daughter, his god-daughter. He is determined to rescue her.

I enjoyed the fantasy aspect of this book. The author did a great job in explaining multiverses. He did an even better job of explaining how Madelin, Father Leodenin, and Jedd were able to open the rifts and travel between the dimensions.

I liked Madelin. I felt that she adapted to being able to open rifts pretty well. Considering that her first time was under duress. I liked the mental image that she used, a black rose. I did think that she was too trusting. I mean, she didn’t know Daniel from a hole in the wall and she went with him. But, she did turn out to be a very strong female character towards the end of the book.

The other main characters, Jedd, Roger and Daniel, each had their own tragic backstory. I didn’t see how the three men would figure into the book when they were separated by dimensions. But once they got together, they melded well together. They also melded well with Madelin. There were no awkward pauses in the book when they finally came together in the middle of the book.

I did like that the book was full of action and suspense. I don’t like it when guns or any sort of action are brought into books like this. But in To Kill a Priest, it went perfectly with the book. I also liked not knowing what was going to happen next. When I thought the author was going one way with the book, it went the opposite direction.

The bad guys at PASTOR. I couldn’t get over how evil Father Leodenin was. I do wish more was spent on PASTOR and exactly what tests they were running on the kids there. I am sure more will be explained in the next episode. The glimpse that the author gave was chilling. Seeing that Father Leodenin was once a test subject, I can only imagine what they were doing to the kids.

The last half of the book was a surprise. I did have my suspicions about Lord Alain and wasn’t surprised when Juno revealed the “big secret“. I was surprised at what happened at the end of the book. While I was expecting Madelin to do what she did, I wasn’t expecting who they brought, where they went and who followed them.

What I liked about To Kill a Priest:

A) Interesting mix of fantasy and suspense

B) Great storyline

C) Great main characters (and secondary)

What I disliked about To Kill A Priest:

A) The scene with Alain and Madelin. I wasn’t’ prepared for what he did

B) The scene where Roger was introduced. I winced for him

C) The beginning scenes where Madelin was being held captive by PASTOR

I would give To Kill a Priest an Adult rating. There is violence, language but no sexual situations.

There are trigger warnings for To Kill a Priest. They would be the beating of a woman, kidnapping, and rape (no graphic scene but talked about after the fact). If you are triggered by these, do not read the book.

I would recommend this book to family and friends. I would include a warning about the trigger warnings. This is a book that I would reread.

I would like to thank Weston Kincaide for allowing me to read and review To Kill a Priest.

All opinions stated in this review of To Kill a Priest are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

The Darkest of Dreams (Annika Brisby: Book 4) by Emigh Cannady

The Darkest of Dreams(Annika Brisby, #4)

5 Stars

Publisher: Silver Poplar Press

Date of publication: January 29th, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Series: Annika Brisby

The Flame and The Arrow – Book 1 (review here)

The Silver Thread – Book 2 (review here)

The Scarlet Tanager – Book 3 (review here)

The Darkest of Dreams – Book 4

Where you can find The Darkest of Dreams: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A heinous crime. An empire in turmoil. And a modern girl at the center of it all.

Darkness has fallen on the Marinossian family, leaving ruined lives in its wake and leaving Annika to pick up the pieces. With a deadly doppelgänger still on the loose, she’s escorted back to America to wait out the storm…however long that may be.

A world away, Talvi has been dragged to the desolate prison on Bleakmoor Island where he awaits trial for murder. His time in solitary confinement has pushed him to the brink of madness. The only thing keeping him from completely losing his mind is the mysterious inmate in the cell across from him. He’s one of the Näkki—the half-demon dark elves who were banished from his country hundreds of years ago. As Talvi gets acquainted with his new friend, he learns another version of his country’s history that makes him question his convictions. He vows to get some answers…if he ever gets out alive.
The question is, will Annika be there if he does?

My review:

I could not wait to read The Darkest of Dreams. I have read the earlier 3 books and I have become involved with the series. I needed to know what happened next. I needed to know what was going to happen with Talvi and Annika. Especially after the events of The Scarlet Tanager. Well, I wasn’t disappointed. The Darkest of Dreams exceeded my expectations.

The Darkest of Dreams starts after the cliffhanger in The Scarlet Tanager. Annika and the rest of the Marinossian family are left reeling and heartbroken. Annika is sent away for her own protection because there is a doppelgänger still out there. A doppelgänger that still wants to harm her. Annika throws herself into her work and exercising to cope with her grief. But, Annika soon finds out that what she thought happened that fateful night is not what anyone thinks it is. Determined to make things right, Annika travels to the one place she is not welcome.

Meanwhile, Talvi is in solitary confinement on Bleakmoor Island. On trial for murder, he is hoping to get out on a self-defense claim. But until then, he has to deal with abusive guards, sub-par living conditions and his own mind. When another prisoner is brought into the same area as he is, Talvi befriends him. Talvi soon learns that this prisoner is not who he seems. He also learns that what he has been taught about his country’s history might not be true.

Annika rocked in this book. From the first chapter, she dealt with the aftermath of what happened. I thought her scene with Heron was fantastic. When she got back to America, she had to deal with the fall out there too. James and her bandmates were there for her. Patti Cakes, not so much. I loved seeing the change in her, physical and mental. I cheered her on during the last half of the book. She did the right thing when faced with a huge surprise. Not going to get into it but it was awesome. Also, I will never look at glass elevators the same again.

Talvi broke my heart. He was suffering mentally over what happened. But to be punished for marrying a “modern” (ie non Elf) girl went too far. He was surviving in conditions that were horrible. Not only did he have a broken jaw (in 4 places) but he had to eat food that was disgusting. His cell was tiny. His bed was infested with bedbugs and lice. I did a literal “eww” when he was killing the bedbugs and nits. I was happy when Nillin was introduced. It gave Talvi something to focus on other than Annika and the events leading up to him going to jail. I wasn’t surprised when Nillin revealed who he was. There were little clues that I picked up on (which is a miracle because I don’t pick up on anything….lol).

This book focused on Talvi and Annika separately. It showed the deep rift in their marriage, no thanks to Finn. But, it also showed that if you worked towards something, it can be healed. I am not going to go much into the book. I will say that I enjoyed the self-help scene and was laughing at the notes left in the book.

There is a huge twist in the book. It wasn’t at the end, though. It was in the middle when Annika was touring in Japan. I was very surprised at this twist because it came out of nowhere. My jaw dropped, I went “Noooooo waaaaayyyyy” out loud and continued to devour the book.

The end of the book was good, very good. Again, something I can’t get into because in doing that, it will give away some major spoilers. Let’s say that the next book is going to be fantastic.

I will not be a Pros/Cons of The Darkest of Dreams. If I did them, I would be giving away some major spoilers.

I would give The Darkest of Dreams a rating of Adult. There are mild violence, language, and explicit sexual situations. I would not recommend anyone under the age of 21 reading this book.

There is no trigger warning in The Darkest of Dreams.

I would recommend The Darkest of Dreams to family and friends. I would give a warning about the explicit sex but other than that, tell them to read. This is a book that I will be rereading.

I would like to thank Emigh Cannaday and Silver Poplar Press for allowing me to read and review The Darkest of Dreams.

All opinions stated in this review of The Darkest of Dreams are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Melkorka (The Kaelandur Series: Book 1) by Joshua Robertson

Melkorka (The Kaelandur Series, #1)

4 Stars

Publisher: Crimson Edge Press

Date of publication: January 2017

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Kaelandur Series

Melkorka – Book 1

Where you can find Melkorka: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Kaelandur was forged by the Highborn to slay one of their own, Nedezhda Mager. As their slave, Branimir Baran never thought to question his cruel masters until he is forced to take part in the execution. His actions begin a chain of events that will lead him to confront demons, cannibals, and himself as he is forced to question his own morality and the true meaning of good and evil.

My review:

I am not a stranger to reviewing books from Joshua Robertson. I have reviewed two short stories by and was very impressed. So, when he approached me to review Melkorka, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. I am glad I did because Melkorka exceeded my expectations.

Melkorka’s plot was very simple. It follows the Kas slave, Branimir, as he is forced on a frantic journey to protect the Ash Tree. The journey is filled with peril from outside elements and the people he is traveling with. Can Branimir survive long enough to save the Ash Tree? Or will his journey be for nothing?

Branimir held my sympathy because he was the innocent one in everything. Kinhar forced him to be part of the execution. He also forced to go with them on their mad dash from Melkorka after the battle that decimated the city. He was treated horribly by everyone in the party except Dorofej. It was nice to see him come into his own by the end of the book. To shed the slave mentality that had been bred into him.

There was a blurred line between good and evil in Melkorka and I enjoyed it. Some of the “good” guys were not “good” guys, per se. The author did a great job of casting the good guys into that gray area on more than one occasion.

The usage of magic was different from what I have read in other books. The caster aged with every spell that they cast until they die. But, some of the casters also were able to reverse the aging that the magic caused. Kinhar did. He went from elderly man to a young one during one of the battles that they had during the book.

There is a lot of violence in Melkorka. Being familiar with the author, I was not surprised at the graphic violence. I couldn’t see this book being written any other way. It needed to get bloody. What I also liked is that the author didn’t spare anyone from being killed. I was surprised at some of the characters that were killed off. There was one that did disturb me but only because the travelers were fed the body and told after the fact. I gagged at that.

I did have one complaint (don’t I always). There were several references of Kras and Highborn having one eye. The other eye was gouged out in a ritual. Falmagon did kind of explain it. That was something that stayed in the back of my head the entire book. I wish that more was explained about it. Considering that this is a series, I am willing to bet that more will be explained in the upcoming books.

The end of Melkorka was action-packed and bloody. I was not expecting what happened to happen. But it makes sense. I am excited to see where this series goes.

Pros of Melkorka:

A) Rich world building

B) 3D characters

C) Great storyline

Cons of Melkorka:

A) Not enough explanation about the eyes being gouged out in both Kras and Highborn

B) The treatment of Branimir and Dorofej for a majority of the book

C) Falmagon. I didn’t trust him as far as I could throw him the entire book

I would give Melkorka a rating of Adult. While there is no sex or swearing in the book, there is graphic violence. I would not recommend for anyone under the age of 21 to read this book.

There are trigger warnings that go with Melkorka. If you are triggered by graphic violence, then I would suggest not to read this book.

I would recommend Melkorka to family and friends. But I would include a warning about the graphic violence in the book. This is a book that I would reread. It is also a series that I am very interested in continuing to read.

I would like to thank Crimson Edge Press and Joshua Robertson for allowing me to read/review Melkorka. 

All opinions stated in this review of Melkorka are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

When Blood Falls by Joshua Robertson

When Blood Falls

4 Stars

Publisher: Crimson Edge

Date of publication: January 2nd, 2017

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Thrice Nine Legends

Where you can find When Blood Falls: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Defending against the demons of the Deep has long given Tyr Og’s brethren purpose. When Tyr’s mother is robbed from him during childhood, he loses his will to live. Now, filled with rage and regret, Tyr hungers for a worthy death to bring an end to the futility of his life. In a short tale of blood and self-loathing, Tyr seeks the most honorable path to finally join his mother in the afterlife.

My review:

When Blood Falls is a chilling short story that is set in the Thrice Nine Legends world.  A short story, 29 pages, this book gives you more of an insight into the Thrice Nine Legends and The Melkorka series.

This is a violent and bloody story. While the violence and blood didn’t bother me, it might bother more sensitive people. So, a heads up on that. The violence didn’t bother me. I have reviewed other Joshua Robertson books before and I know what to expect from them. This book fits right in the world that he is creating. A violent, unpredictable world that is being overrun with demons.

I did feel bad for Tyr during this book. He suffered one loss after another. First his mother, then his sister. I can’t get much into the book other than that. Like I said above, it is a short story and  I would be giving away the entire book if I went into it.

I did have one small complaint. I do have a feeling that my complaint will be answered in the other books. My complaint is that the blood cascade was never fully explained. Like I said, it is probably explained in the other books.

I am not going to do a Pros/Cons list because the story is too short for one. I also feel that me doing that would be giving away spoilers to the book.

I would give this book a rating of Adult. While no sex or language, there is graphic violence. I would recommend no one under the age of 21 read When Blood Falls.

There are trigger warnings in the books. If you are triggered by graphic violence, I would not read When Blood Falls.

I would recommend When Blood Falls to family and friends but I would include a warning about the violence. This is a book that I would reread.

I would like to thank Crimson Edge Press and Joshua Robertson for allowing me to read and review When Blood Falls.

All opinions stated in this review of When Blood Falls are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Illera’s Darkliete: A Fantasy by Gail Gernat

Illera's Darkliete: A Fantasy

4 Stars

Publisher: Andrea James Publishing

Date of publication: December 28th, 2017

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Series:

Lera Sorrow – review here

Where you can find Illera’s Darkliete: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

When the messengers from Frain arrive to secure the hand of Princess Illera to their selfish air to the throne, Torul, she hides. Forced by circumstances, and her father, Illera and her three companions journey to the cold, dark north. Fighting against her fate, Illera plunges the quartet into danger. But when she accedes to the demands of cruel destiny they must fight against a ravening evil that knows no restraint. Using her mixed blood heritage, can this innocent child learn and mature fast enough to control the forces ripping her world apart? Can she negotiate the political intrigues and defeat the hordes of Shul, the pirates of Carnuvon and the hatreds of Frain?

My review:

As I said in my review of Lera’s Sorrow, I wasn’t looking for another book to review. But something about the blurbs of these books called to me. I am very glad that I decided to read and review these books because they were fantastic.

Illeria’s Darkliete’s plot was great. It follows Illeria as she is forced into a marriage with the son of a kingdom that is threatening to invade. Illeria fights with everything she has against the marriage. Her guards, Lark and Raven, are won over to her side after she saves them. Forced on the run, Illeria makes allies from the most unlikely people. Will she have what it takes to defeat the King of Frain? Or will her world rip apart?

I like Illeria but not in the beginning. I thought she was acting like a brat when her father announced that he was sending her to Frain to wed Torul. I mean, come on, she hid in the walls of the castle to avoid meeting the ambassador. But as the story went on (and taking in the prequel with the King of Frain), I could understand why she acted the way she did. Made sense. She also rose to the occasion once she arrived back in Madean. I also thought that she did a great job of mastering her magic during her adventures.

Speaking of her magic, I loved reading about her powers. The author did a great job of increasing what she could do a little at a time. It made for a more pleasurable read for me. Illeria got to master a bit of her magic at a time before either her magic strengthened or a new aspect showed up.

I thought that the pseudo love triangle hinted at in the book wasn’t needed. But, saying that, I did not know who Illeria was going to choose. It was a big mystery until she actually did it. And yes, I was very surprised by it. I did get a giggle when certain people in the book kept referring to Illeria and her supposed pseudo-love triangle.

I did like Raven and Lark. I thought that their backstories were sad. I also thought that they were stubborn and headstrong in parts of the books. Lark always seemed to be the one getting kidnapped and used as bait to lure Illeria out. Raven seemed to take risks that were a little unnecessary. But, like I said, I did like them.

The bad guys in this book were bad. I had chills reading about Torul and the King of Frain. Out of all the bad guys in the book, they were the baddest of the bad. I can’t even describe them. You need to read the book to find out.

There was a twist towards the end of the book that made me go “Whaaaaattt“. I was not expecting this twist. It came out of nowhere. Talk about being blindsided.

The end of the book was what I expected. I liked that Illeria made her choice of who she was going to be with. I also liked that she took total control of her kingdom. What I liked, even more, was seeing Illeria and her family in the future. Makes me wonder what book 3 will be like!!!

Pros of Illeria’s Darkliete:

A) The world building was out of this world (pun not intended)

B) Relatable and likable characters

C) The ending

Cons of Illeria’s Darkliete:

A) The pseudo love triangle

B) The King of Frain

C) The whole journey through the swamp

I would rate Illeria’s Darkliete as a book suitable for Older Teens. There is violence, some of it graphic. There is no language. There is a scene where Illeria kisses someone (can’t say, big plot reveal) but nothing sexual. I would feel comfortable with anyone over the age of 16 reading this book.

There are triggers in this book. They would be the talk of rape, talk about past domestic violence. So, if those trigger you, don’t read this book.

I would recommend Illeria’s Darkliete to family and friends. I would include a warning of the triggers. This is a book that I would reread.

I would like to thank Andrea James Publishing and Gail Gernat for allowing me to read and review Illeria’s Darkliete.

All opinions expressed in this review of Illeria’s Darkliete are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**