Category: Non ARC

The Wizard’s Ward by Jules McAleese

Publisher: Vale Media

Date of publication: April 30th, 2022

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Young Adult

Series: Vale

The Wizard’s Ward—Book 1

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | B&N | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

Francis has gray blood.

The King of the Elves ordered all gray bloods be put to death, by any means necessary. Francis, the Wizard’s Ward, has been hiding in plain sight all her life, under the care of Billington, the King’s wizard. When Billington disappears from the Cardinal castle, Francis enlists the help of her first love, a battle-ridden soldier called X, to find the only family she’s ever known.

But outside the castle walls, there is a war raging between kingdoms and Francis faces countless dangers that plague the land of Vale. Shapeshifting bounty hunters search for military deserters, pirates maraud Vale’s seas, combat-trained dragons dwell in the witch’s mountains, and betrayals harden once-warmed hearts.

As the journey pushes Francis to her limits, she uncovers the true power of her gray blood, a power that could fulfill a prophecy and bring down a psychotic king.

Vale: The Wizard’s Ward is the first installment of an epic young adult fantasy franchise.

First Line:

“Three pieces of kings copper?” Billington asked, as his unruly gray eyebrows rose in skepticism.

The Wizard’s Ward by Jules McAleese

I first saw reviews for The Wizard’s Ward on a couple of blogs I follow. I was very interested in reading it from the blurb and the reviews I kept seeing. But I figured that I would have to wait until I saw it for sale on Amazon. So, imagine my surprise when the author emailed me and asked if I would like to read/review this book. Of course, I jumped on it, and when I got the physical copy of the book, I decided that this would be my vacation book. Let’s say I read this book in 4 hours (split between two days) while driving to Fl, and I couldn’t get enough of it. I also have loaned it to a friend and her daughter (remember, I got a physical book). When I get it back, my 16 and 14-year-olds want to read it. So yes, I liked this book and have been recommending it to everyone.

The Wizard’s Rule had an exciting plotline. Francis is Billington’s ward, the wizard for The King of Elves. But Francis has a secret. She has gray blood, and The King has ordered all people with gray blood to be killed. Billington is hiding her in plain sight to protect her. Several things happen at once. Francis’s first love, a soldier named X is back from his 2-year deployment, Francis is required to attend a ball about her bully who happens to be the sister of The King, and Billington disappears. Determined to find him, Francis needs to go outside the castle and follow clues to where he could be. With the help of X, she escapes the castle but soon realizes that X is damaged and dangerous. With help from a surprising source, Francis enlists on a journey that will have her sail with pirates, fly with dragons, and confront a tyrant. But, can she find Billington, and can she learn what makes her so special to so many people?

I loved Francis. She did take her relationship with Billington for granted until he disappeared. It was then that she realized how much she had been protected. She also realized that he would have never disappeared without letting her know. That is when she took action and decided to go search for him. She learned much about herself and what her gray blood could do on that journey. Seeing her character grow and evolve was awesome!!

Let’s talk about X. I was pretty conflicted about his character right from the start. I didn’t understand why Francis had such strong feelings for him. He didn’t seem like her type. As the book went on and I got to see what happened from his perspective, I understood what attracted her to him. I also began to understand what attracted him to her. Francis was X’s haven. Memories of her helped him keep sane and not lose it when he was on that horrible island and forced to do awful things. So, I was a little surprised when the author had the storyline go the way it did. Surprised didn’t precisely entirely cover my reaction to that scene. More accurately, I was sad, horrified, and disgusted by his actions. Those feelings carried over for the rest of the book with everything he did and who he ended up hooking up with. But there were hints of the old X in there. He still thought about Francis constantly and imagined her when he was with Medea (which did gross me out).

I wish that Billington was more of a presence in the book. I loved how he came into the custody of Francis and raised her as his daughter. But there was a massive chunk of the book where he was just gone. I couldn’t get a feel for him as a character because of that. I hope he will be more there in the next book. I also hope the author explores Billington and Francis’s relationship a little more. He is her father, he did raise her, and I would love to see that discussed more.

The storyline about Francis’s gray blood was well written. I loved that the author didn’t fully explain what it meant (other than the prophecy and magic) until the end of the book. At that point, it made perfect sense, considering what had happened. I hope that in book 2, the author delves more into what gray blood can do.

The romance angle of the book was well written also. But, to be honest, I couldn’t pair Francis and X together in my head romantically. They were just too different. I hope that the author has them come together at some point in book 2. There are a lot of unresolved feelings on both their ends.

The author very well wrote the fantasy/magic angle of The Wizard’s Rule. The author did a fantastic job building this rich world where magic existed and was used for almost everything. I loved that Francis didn’t have a good grip on her magic for 90% of the book. She understood the spells, but they wouldn’t obey her. She ended up “wishing” for the magical things to happen, and they did. I can’t wait to see where the author will take that. I also can’t wait to see more of the fantasy world that these characters live in. The author gave us a glimpse into witches, sirens, centaurs, dragons, and pirates. What else could there be?

There are a couple of twists in the plotline. One comes with X’s storyline (see above). While I didn’t see it coming at the time, looking back, it made sense. But, the other plotline twist is HUGE and takes place in the very last chapter. I was so taken aback by what was revealed that I had to read that chapter 3 times. And each time, I kept thinking, “OMG, what did I READ!!!” It was very sneaky of the author to do that because there are certain characters that I can’t look at the same now. It also makes me want to read book two because of what was revealed.

As I mentioned, the end of The Wizard’s Ward was a complete bombshell. The author didn’t wrap up any of the storylines. Instead, she left them open, which left a vast opening for book 2.

I would recommend The Wizard’s Way for anyone over 13. There is no language, mild to moderate violence, and some very mild non-graphic sexual content (with X and Medea).

Rosie Shadow by Louise Worthington

Publisher: Red Escape Publishing

Date of publication: March 1st, 2021

Genre: Horror

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Whatcha crying for, sissy? Why don’t you grow a pair?’ Rosie says to her mother…‘Send me to school and I’ll rip off your arm! Beat you with the stump.’

Abandoned by her terrorised mother at the age of six, Rosie Shadow will do anything to win the affection of her father Archie, an undead cannibal in charge of Her Majesty’s Prison Shortbury, now operating as a visitor attraction.

Clare is sent reeling into Archie’s arms with the grief of losing her boyfriend in a mysterious car accident when he collides with an ancient yew tree.

The secrets in the Medieval dungeon beneath the prison are under threat when Clare becomes suspicious of Archie’s true identity and his progeny.

Rosie Shadow is Book I in The Black Tongue Series.

First Line:

At dawn, blackbirds and sparrows sing a love song to celebrate life from the top of the yew tree.

Rosie Shadow by Louise Worthington

Rosie Shadow was a different type of zombie/horror book than I have read. Not saying that I didn’t enjoy it (I did), but it wasn’t typical of the genre.

Rosie Shadow has two distinct storylines. The first storyline centers around Clare, the death of her boyfriend Lenny, her job at a prison made tourist attraction, and her relationship with her boss, Archie. The second storyline centers around Rosie, Elly (her mother), and various social workers brought to help Elly with Rosie. Both storylines are somewhat merged by the end of the book. I say somewhat because Rosie never physically meets Clare or Archie (even though she communicates telepathically with him).

Clare had my sympathy for the entire book. She was dealing with the death of her boyfriend, her school studies, and having a not-so-great relationship with her father. I was in awe over how she dealt with everything. I would have been a freaking mess, but she wasn’t. The only thing that showed that she was internally freaking out was her smoking and her relationship with Archie. But, I think her calmness helped her when everything went to crap at the end of the book. She was the one who kept her head. She was the one who was able to think on her feet with Archie. She was the one who was able to help Beth.

Archie’s character was different. Yes, he was an undead cannibal (or a zombie), but he didn’t act like your typical zombie. He held a job at the former prison. He didn’t crave brains. Instead, he needed to eat a young woman’s flesh to stay alive (for lack of a better term). I wish the author had given more background on him, but I did like what was provided. He was a former prison inmate who died (and was resurrected ?) there. While eating flesh kept him alive, sex was better, and he thought he had found a willing partner in Clare. He wasn’t necessarily evil, but he wasn’t good either. If I had to put a finger on it, he was chaotic neutral with leanings toward evil.

Rosie scared me. She was the evilest, twisted 6-year-old that I have read about in a while. She terrorized her mother, ate raw animals (which disgusted me), loved playing with animal corpses, lying in dirt graves, and generally scared people. I didn’t understand why she was the way she was until the connection to Archie was made (the scene where she killed her social worker and fed her to the yew tree to give to Archie). She sent chills up my spine every time she appeared in the book. When she went to the respite fosterer, I knew that a showdown was coming. And the author didn’t disappoint with that.

The author very well wrote the horror angle of Rosie Shadow. I am not easily scared or even disgusted while reading this genre, and the author succeeded in doing both. The last half of the book that detailed the life-or-death fight scenes between Clare and Archie/Rosie and Annie gave me nightmares.

The paranormal aspect of the book was also very well written. I wish the author had given more detail about Archie’s turning (it interested me a lot), but other than that, I was pretty satisfied with what I read.

The end of Rosie Shadow made me wonder if or when Rosie/Archie would reappear. I know this is book 1 of a series, and I am very interested in reading what book two will bring.

I would recommend Rosie Shadow to anyone over 21. This is language, extreme violence, gore, and somewhat graphic sexual situations.

With One Breath (Blackhawk Security: Book 1) by Margaret Watson

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: March 1st, 2022

Genre: Romance, Suspense

Series: Blackhawk Security

With One Breath—Book 1

Once Removed—Book 2 (review here)

Once Burned—Book 3 (review here)

Fool Me Once—Book 4 (review here)

Just This Once—Book 5 (review here)

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

Two against the Taliban, two wildly different agendas — both crazy risky!

Laila’s not the type of woman who needs rescuing. Except for a tiny rule-breaking penchant, she’s a model CIA agent—smart, resourceful, brave, and very very determined.. But right now she’s in a tight situation—in more than one way. She’s hiding from the Taliban in a network of pitch-dark interlocking caves, so narrow a cat could barely thread its way through them. A cat or an agent trained for it.

And that would be Jase, her designated rescuer.

Once her CIA training agent, he’s the last man she’d get involved with, even though he’s the hottest guy she’s ever met. He’s bossy. Intimidating. Way too alpha. And a strict rule follower.

All traits on her ‘no fly’ list.

Set against the tense U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, this rapid-fire tale begins with electrifying action, moves on to fast-flying sparks, and never lets up. Laila’s on the way to Kabul to leave the country, where she also teaches a class of village girls, when her driver betrays her. She outwits him, but it’s only a matter of time till the Taliban track her down.

She’s never been so glad to see Jase.

Romance should be the last thing on either’s mind as they frantically crawl and slither their way through the claustrophobic caves, desperate to find an exit. Still, infatuation sparks.

And smolders.

But neither can afford to take their eyes off their own goals. Jase’s is simple–to rejoin his team and deliver Laila safely to Kabul. But Laila has a more ambitious agenda, one that will require breaking rules, disobeying orders, and endangering the whole team.

First Line:

Laila’s arms ached as she held the heavy M4A1 carbine in front of her.

with one breath by margaret watson

I committed the one thing that I have told people not to do—read books out of order if they are in a series. In my defense, the author restructured the series and bumped this book up to the first book in the series. So the book I thought I was reading last ended up being the first book in the series. It threw me for a loop but didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book.

With One Breath had an exciting plotline. Laila is a civilian CIA agent who goes undercover in a remote village to gather information on the Taliban. Jase was Laila’s trainer in Kabul, and he is part of an extraction team that is supposed to get Laila and leave after intel tells them that she is in immediate danger. Circumstances strand Laila and Jase in caves outside a Taliban arms depot. Fighting a red hot attraction, Laila and Jase must work together to avoid getting captured by the Taliban. But Laila also has another plan that needs to be set in motion once they get out. She wants to move her girl students and their families to the embassy in Kabul and save them from the Taliban. Will Laila and Jase get out of the caves? Will they rescue the girls and their families? And will they give in to their attraction?

With One Breath is the first book in the Blackhawk Security series. Since it is the first book, readers can read it as a standalone.

If you are claustrophobic and do not do well reading about people being trapped in caves, I highly suggest not reading this book. A good part of this book takes place in the caves where Laila and Jase are hiding. I am not claustrophobic, and those scenes got my anxiety going through the roof.

I liked Laila and loved her determination. The only thing that I didn’t even remotely like about her was that she trusted too quickly. She was led into a Taliban trap by the older brother of a girl she taught in school. Then, she took him with her during her rescue of those same girls. I get why she did it but still. Other than that, she rocked. I don’t know how she dealt with being in those caves (and traveling the passages!!) without having a breakdown.

I also liked Jase. I did think he was a little too straight-laced, but when the author gave his backstory, I understood why. I liked how he tried to keep it professional with Laila and kept his cool under pressure. Even though he didn’t like Laila’s plan, he went along with it. The only thing I didn’t like was that he called Laila “bae.” I made my feelings clear in a previous review. Other than that, I thought he was the perfect Alpha male.

The suspense angle of the book was well written. I loved the cat and mouse game Jase and Laila played with the Taliban. Those scenes in the cave and the scenes that involved them escaping had me on the edge of my seat. I was also kept on edge with the plan to get the girls and their families out to Kabul and then out of the country. There were points during those scenes that I did wonder how it was going to go. And of course, what happened to Jase at the airport had me screaming!!

The romance angle of the book was also just as well written. There is no InstaLove involved. Instead, Laila and Jase’s relationship was allowed to blossom naturally. Of course, being in a high-stress situation did move it along, but it wasn’t Instalove. I also liked that the relationship continued to progress after Kabul and that it showed that being in love wasn’t perfect. It was messy, and some things could derail it if allowed. I loved it!!!

Jase and Laila had insane chemistry. The author kept the sexual tension up for most of the book before allowing them to have sex. That was the only time they had it, and I loved it. Not having sex every other page allowed me to focus on the storylines.

The end of With One Breath was terrific!! Laila and Jase fought tooth and nail for their happiness, and I cheered with how they ended up. I also loved that the author gave updates on the girls and their families.

I would recommend With One Breath to anyone over 21. There is violence, language, and sex.

Just This Once (Blackhawk Security: Book 5) by Margaret Watson

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: July 31st, 2021

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

Series: Blackhawk Security

With One Breath—Book 1

Once Removed—Book 2 (review here)

Once Burned—Book 3 (review here)

Fool Me Once—Book 4 (review here)

Just This Once—Book 5

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sierra Baker has no idea she’s in danger – until a frightening and unsettling traffic stop late one night. When Cody Parker shows up the next day and announces he’s her bodyguard, she’s even more terrified. Is Parker on the level? Or is this the shadowy stranger who stopped her car the night before?

Her partner Alex assures Sierra the danger is real – the Russian mob is after her. Parker has been sent to protect her. But she and Cody are oil and water. Complete opposites who agree on nothing. Except for their irresistible attraction to each other.

First Line:

Sierra’s shoulders relaxed as she turned her car onto the stretch of road winding through Iverson Woods Forest Preserve near Evanston.

just this once margaret watson

I have been in the mood to read contemporary romance lately. I had been reading some books with a heavy subject matter, and I needed something that was the opposite. So, when I got the invite to read/review Margaret Watson’s romances, I jumped on it. I have always enjoyed her book and figured that this book would be a perfect way to decompress. I was right!! I enjoyed reading Just This Once.

Just This Once is book 5 in the Blackhawk Security series. Readers can read this book as a standalone. But, I would highly recommend reading the previous four books to get the background behind some of the characters mentioned in the book.

Just This Once had an exciting plotline. The Russian bratva is targeting Sierra. They think she has the information that they were going after Alex (in book 4). Cody is a bodyguard for Blackhawk Security and was hired to guard Sierra until the threat was over. What they weren’t expecting was the instant attraction and heat between them. But secrets are being held, which could potentially kill Sierra and her family. Can Cody protect her from the bratva? And will he realize that what he and Sierra have is worth keeping?

I loved Sierra in this book. She was independent and knew what she wanted. She wasn’t afraid to challenge Cody on certain things. But she was also an enigma. I did get a little irritated with her past being such a secret. By the middle of the book, I was ready for her to spill the beans to Cody. But even when it was revealed, I was still left wondering what her parents did that made them targets. I am hoping that it will be shown in upcoming books. Other than that, I loved her!!

Cody was almost too alpha male for me. That was the only thing that I didn’t like about him. That and the fact that he called Sierra “bae” all the time. I hate that word and think it is ridiculous for teens/early 20’s to say it, but having a character who is in his 30’s saying it made me go, “Bleh.” I will say that he was a great bodyguard, trying to keep it professional. I loved seeing his struggle to keep his feelings for Sierra at bay while trying to protect her from the Russians.

The suspense angle of the book was terrific. That part of the plotline continued from book 4 with the bratva. Alex’s ex-husband did make a small appearance at the beginning of the book, and my thought process was “Freaking Jerry.” If you have read book 4, you understand why I thought that. I also liked that the author continued the minor plotline of the police mole, and I loved how she wrapped it up.

The romance was just as good. I will warn everyone that there is InstaLove involved. Sierra and Cody were together for a very intense week. They were being chased by the mob and were holed up in a safe house (not a SAFE house but a house that was fortified and secure). I wasn’t surprised that the romance moved that fast.

The chemistry between Sierra and Cody was unbelievable. I kept waiting for them to break down and have sex. But, surprisingly, they only had sex twice. I loved that the author did that, though. It kept my attention on their romance instead of me skimming the pages just to read the sex scenes.

The end of Just This Once was interesting. I wasn’t surprised at what happened after Cody caught the mole. Police close ranks around their own. I was also surprised at Sierra telling Cody her real name. I have to say; it didn’t fit her. Of course, they get their HEA, but I wondered about that for a couple of chapters.

I would recommend Just This Once to anyone over 21. There is graphic sex, language, and violence.

Hollow: a Love Life a Life by Jazalyn

Publisher:

Date of publication: December 19th, 2020

Genre: Poetry

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

A ghost spirit of dark’s universe falls in love with a ghost spirit of light’s universe, and while they cannot meet, for they wander around separate realms and spacetimes, they live their love through a secret and sacred interaction.

First Line:

Love is great!

hollow: a Love like a life by jazalyn

Poetry isn’t exactly my favorite type of book to review. I find it hard to put my thoughts on the book to paper (or, in this case, screen). But, saying this, I have found myself honored to read and review Jazalyn’s poetry. She is a talented writer, and I look forward to her future work.

Hollow: A Love Like A Life was wonderfully written. It is the story of two opposite spirits (dark and light) who fall in love but can not be together.

The poems touched me. I got emotional reading them. I found myself rooting for each spirit and hoping that they got to see each other. I also understood what it was like to love like that, and honestly, it sucked.

I would recommend Hollow: a Love like a Life to anyone over 16. There is mild language.

Ashes in Venice: A Vengeance Thriller by Gojan Nikolich

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

Date of Publication: March 3rd, 2022

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A heartless psychopath with size 16 shoes, nursing home hookers and an irreverent Las Vegas homicide detective with a gambling habit set the tone for this off-beat tale of revenge and retribution.

Blackjack addict Frank Savic is deeply in debt and facing family problems when he’s asked to delay his retirement to catch a vigilante killer who murders other murderers in a manner the veteran cop has never seen.

While dead bodies stack up in quick succession, the motorcycle-riding policeman also finds himself reluctantly involved with a desperate mother who will do anything to get justice for her dead son.

Savic, his investigation complicated by a suspected FBI coverup and a prison bribery scandal, is unaware that the murderer might be the solution to his own financial and domestic dilemma.

Add a vengeful killer who seeks justice for his own unbearable loss and you have a teasing psychological thriller that blurs the line between good and evil and where surgical bone saws and spiders are just tools of the trade.

First Line:

Shirtless in the heat at night, Jasper Colt peeled his naked back from the filthy vinyl chair next to the open window.

ashes in venice by gojan nikolich

I went into reading Ashes in Venice thinking that this was going to be a standard psychological thriller where the cop and the killer do a cat and mouse chase, with the cop coming out on top in the end. I was very wrong about that. What I read was an intriguing thriller where I cheered the killer on and hoped the cop didn’t catch him. Weird, right? But I loved it!!

Ashes in Venice had an exciting plotline. Frank Savic is a Las Vegas cop who is weeks away from retirement when he is asked to postpone it to help with a serial killer case. Needing the money due to overwhelming debt, Frank agrees. As the body count rises, Frank’s personal life and investigation intertwine. Can Frank find the killer? What is the motive behind the killings? And what’s the deal with the spiders?!?

Ashes in Venice had a medium-paced plotline. I enjoyed that because it gave me time to process each chapter without feeling rushed into the next one. The plotline did pick up speed towards the end of the book (when everything was coming together).

What I liked the most about this book because the main character was morally grey. Take Frank, for instance. He was an old-school cop who didn’t think anything of roughing up a witness to get what he wanted. Towards the beginning of the book, there was one scene where he took a witness’s phone and threw it in a fridge. But, on the other hand, he was a doting husband trying to take care of his wife, who is in a nursing home and is suffering from dementia. I loved it!! Sometimes, I need a main character who isn’t good but isn’t bad, and Frank delivered that.

I also felt sympathy for the killer. He went through what is my worst nightmare (as a parent and wife). So, I understood why he started doing vigilante killing. Once his end game was revealed, I was rooting for him. I can say this with 100% honesty; I have never rooted for a killer not to get caught.

The last main character is William (aka Billy). He has been sentenced to life in jail for murdering the son of a secondary character. Billy is one of the vilest, disgusting characters I have ever read. He deserved everything that happened to him.

The secondary characters fleshed out the book and gave it an extra depth. I enjoyed the realistic portrayal of the nursing home that Frank’s wife was in. Having worked in one, I can testify that most of what is portrayed in the book is true.

I want to warn everyone that there is graphic violence and gore in the book. It didn’t bother me (I usually am not affected by stuff like that), but it might affect someone sensitive to that. There is also mention of rape and multiple child murders.

The thriller angle of the book was well written. I couldn’t get enough of it. The author kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering if Frank would catch the killer and what the motives were.

I felt the same way about the suspense angle of the book. As I mentioned above, I was kept at the edge of my seat the entire book.

The author amazingly wrote the end of Ashes in Venice. I loved how everything was wrapped up and finally understood why the book was titled the way it was. I will say that the scene with Billy and the spiders was one of the more gruesome and inventive ones that I have read. The end scenes were sad, and I wasn’t prepared for the final chapter.

I would recommend Ashes in Venice to anyone over 21. There is language, extreme violence, and extreme gore.

Lion’s Heart: A Tale of Sherwood Forest (High Tower Fairytales) by Jacque Stevens

Publisher: sjacquebooks

Date of publication: December 30th, 2021

Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling, Romance

Series: High Tower Fairy Tales

Winter Falls: A Tale of the Snow Queen (review here)

Cry Wolf: A Tale of Beauty and the Beast

Lone Wolf: A Tale of Beauty and the Beast

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Between Dog and Wolf: A Tale of Beauty and the Beast

Wolves at Bay: A Tale of Beauty and the Beast

Depths

Graves: A Tale of the Little Mermaid

Storms (review here)

Robin’s Hood: A Tale of Sherwood Forest (review here)

Marian’s Man: A Tale of Sherwood Forest (review here)

Lion’s Heart: A Tale of Sherwood Forest

Letters by Cinderlight: A Tale of Cinderella (review here)

Wishes by Starlight: A Tale of Cinderella (review here)

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

Who is the power behind the throne?

Marian has risked everything to bring King Richard the Lionheart to England.

But as the king’s heart turns toward vengeance who will be left to stand in his wake?

If you like inspirational heroines, unique love stories, and non-stop twists and turns, this action-packed fantasy retelling is for you!

There are so many stories I could tell of Robin Hood.

Lion’s Heart by jacque Stevens

I was very excited when I got Lion’s Heart’s mobi in my inbox. I enjoyed the other books in the series and couldn’t wait to see how Marian and Robin’s romance ended. Plus, I wanted to know how the author handled King Richard coming back. I wasn’t disappointed.

Lion’s Heart is the 3rd and final book in the Robin Hood part of the High Tower Fairy Tales series. This book picks up almost immediately after the events of book 2. Marian is traveling to Germany with Queen Eleanor to free King Richard. While in Queen Eleanor’s company, Marian learns to hone her power and spirit. She also realizes that the King Rob idolizes is impulsive and reckless but cares for his people.

Meanwhile, back in England, Rob is furious over Marian leaving him. But bigger things are happening. Gisbourne is laying siege to Rob’s castle. Rallying his friends and allies, Rob prepares to war to protect his people and home. Can Marian come home in time?

I liked Marian in Lion’s Heart, but I wouldn’t say I liked how she confirmed when she was with Queen Eleanor. Marian was a folk hero and used to running wild. I loved that part of her, and honestly, it made the previous books. To read and see her transformation didn’t jive with me. I understood why the author had her do it. She needed to fit in during the journey to Germany, and she needed not to draw attention to herself. But still, I wouldn’t say I liked it. It didn’t fit with the character presented during the first two books.

I loved Rob in Lion’s Heart. I felt that I got to know him better in this book than in books 1 and 2. I loved how the author had him actively dealing with his PTSD while trying to defend his people against Gisbourne’s forces. That scene where he told Will to take the bottles away (so he wouldn’t drink) stuck with me. What also stuck with me was that he was afraid he would hurt Marian, so he didn’t sleep (like sleep-sleep, not having sex) with her. It broke my heart and made me want to hug him.

The author didn’t discuss the plotline with Gisbourne until about the middle of the book. I had wondered what had happened to him after the events of book two, and the author answered my questions. I felt a little bad for Gisbourne initially, but that faded around the middle of the book. Then I started rooting for Marian and Rob.

The plotline with Marian going with Queen Eleanor to rescue King Richard was exciting. I enjoyed reading about medieval England court life, putting aside Marian’s change. I also thought that Queen Eleanor was a badass. She handled everything like a boss!!

The romance angle of Lion’s Heart was sweet. I loved the chemistry that Rob and Marian had.

The end of Lion’s Heart was a little bitter-sweet. The author was able to wrap up all of the storylines across the three books in a way that satisfied me. I also liked the epilogue!!

I would recommend Lion’s Heart to anyone over 16. There is light sexual content, mild language, and mild violence.

Rose: Future Heart by Jazalyn

Publisher:

Date of publication: December 19th, 2020

Genre: Poetry

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

A beautiful and charismatic but blowsy and lonely rose faces external turbulences and internal battles of life and love, but She overcomes them filtering the positiveness and the negativeness, and She becomes the future heart deep down inside She always was.

First Line:

We rise/And we fall;/We fall/And we rise;/In a time/That rise/Is the new fall/And fall/Is the new rise

Future Rose Heart by Jazalyn

I had stated in a previous review that poetry is challenging for me to review. I am used to reviewing novels and discussing plotlines and such. But it isn’t as easy to do when it comes to poetry. I am going to try my best with this review!!

Rose: Future Heart is about a beautiful rose. The rose is dealing with the loss of great love and negative influences in her life. She realizes that to find love, she needs to love herself. And when she does, she finds a love that transcends everything.

The author beautifully wrote the poetry in this book. The poems themselves were easy to read. While I didn’t connect with them, reading and reviewing poetry is out of my comfort zone, I enjoyed reading them.

I would recommend Rose: Future Hearts to anyone over 21. There is language, no sex, and no violence.

Heir of Blood and Secrets by Linda Xia

Book Cover

Publisher: New Degree Press

Date of Publication: August 24th, 2021

Genre: Fantasy, Dystopia, Young Adult

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

Goodreads Synopsis:

“We’re all complicit in things we regret. Sometimes, we just do what we must.”

In the city-state of Devovea, behind the walls of the Castle, Scylla Delevan waits for a chance to prove herself. When a Magistrate is murdered and her father stands accused of the crime, she eagerly sets out to prove his innocence. As she races to find the real killer before it is too late, she begins to unearth dangerous secrets that could throw the fragile balance of her city into chaos. In too deep to turn back, Scylla is forced to question all she has ever known and choose between what is expected of her and what is right.

Family loyalty and personal beliefs collide as Scylla navigates a dystopian world divided by race and gender. Heir of Blood and Secrets will challenge you to consider how far you are willing to go—and what you are willing to sacrifice—to forge a better world.

First Line:

“So this is what hell looks like.”

heir of blood and secrets by linda xia

I am a massive fan of YA. I am also a huge fan of dystopia. So when the author approached me to read/review Heir of Blood and Secrets, I jumped on it. Why wouldn’t I? They are two of my favorite genres. But, as I started to read this book, I was also surprised to find out that the author added a mystery. All three combined made for an exciting book that kept my attention.

Heir of Blood and Secrets had an intriguing plotline. Scylla (pronounced sky-la) is the only daughter of a Magistrate in the city of Devovea. As the sole heir to the Magistrate, Scylla is expected to attend events where her father mingles with other Magistrates and the wealthy. At one of these events, another Magistrate is murdered, and Scylla’s father is arrested for doing it. Confident of his innocence, Scylla has a limited time to prove his innocence. But, as she follows leads, Scylla finds a lot more than her father’s innocence at stake. Can Scylla prove his innocence and keep the secrets she has learned from getting out? Or will she be destined to lose her father and destroy her home?

Heir of Blood and Secrets was a fast-paced book. Considering that it takes place over three-four days, I wasn’t surprised by the pacing. There was a slight lag in the middle of the book (when Scylla was shadowing the detective), but it didn’t affect how I felt about the book. It was just right.

Scylla has to be one of my favorite female main characters to date. She was spunky, and she was tenacious. She was determined to find evidence to clear her father’s name. Her loyalty was also a central focus of the book. Even when faced with truths that she didn’t want to believe, she was steadfast.

I would love to see a book with Ilya or Galen in the future!! The secondary characters were well written and added additional depth to the plotlines. I usually do not get attached to secondary characters, but I did with these.

The mystery angle of Heir of Blood and Secrets was well written and kept me engaged. I did figure out who the killer was about halfway through the book. But, and I stress but, the author made me rethink who it was. So, by the time the murderer was revealed, I was surprised (but also doing an internal fist pump because I was right).

The dystopian angle of the book had me wanting to visit there. Devovea is a city-state ruled by an enigmatic ruler called The Crown. I was fascinated by the class system outlined in the book and how everything trickled down. Up at the top was The Crown, then the Magistrates, then the guards, and everyone else. The Magistrates and The Crown lived in The Castle. Everyone else lived in an area called The Tiers. As explained in the book, the higher the address, the poorer the neighborhood.

The author weaved a little romance into Heir of Blood and Secrets, but the author kept it on the backburner. Honestly, I didn’t see it coming and was surprised at who it was.

The end of the book was a blur, but it was so good. There was so much happening that I almost couldn’t keep track of it. The author wrapped some things up but left other things up in the air. Doing that, she left an opening for book 2, which I can’t wait to read!!!

I would recommend Heir of Blood and Secrets to anyone over 16. It is a clean book (no sex or kissing or language). There is some violence, but none of it is graphic.

Liar: Memoir of a Haunting by E.F. Schraeder

Book Cover

Publisher:

Date of publication: February 22, 2021

Genre: LGBTQ+, Horror

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

Who doesn’t crave a little escape? Dreaming of small-town life and rural charm, Alex and Rainey find a deal on an old rustic home they can’t resist. But soon after Rainey moves, her preoccupation with weird local history and the complications of living alone in the woods take a toll. Alex worries that the long nights and growing isolation are driving her stir crazy. When the Sugar House is damaged and Rainey goes missing, Alex doesn’t know where to turn. Was it a storm, vandals, or something worse? What happened at the Sugar House? The only thing worse than wondering is finding out.

First Line:

All we wanted was a cabin in the woods. We didn’t want this story.

liar: memoir of a haungting by e.f. schraeder

When I first read the blurb for Liar: Memoir of a Haunting, I was a little intrigued. I have read horror, and I have read LGBTQIA+. But, in all the years that I have been book blogging, I don’t think that I have ever read the two together. So, ultimately, that is why I decided to review Liar. I am glad I did, but I will warn, this book might not be for everyone.

The plotline for Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting is interesting. Rainey and Alex are a queer couple looking to move to a place that is more accepting of their lifestyle. They settle on Vermont, a state that has always been more accepting of alternative lifestyles. After seeing multiple houses, they are shown Sugar House. They fall in love with the house and the more laid-back lifestyle. But things aren’t what they seem at Sugar House. When Rainey finds a strange journal that has mad rambling about aspens and a space between the worlds, she slowly starts moving her mind. What happens to Rainey and Alex? Is Sugar House haunted, or is it all in Rainey’s head?

Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting is a slow-burn book. It starts off slow and keeps up the slow pace for 90% of the book. The plotline didn’t get going until Alex showed up at Sugar House after Rainey went missing. At that point, it did pick up and kept a steady, medium pace until the end of the book. I enjoyed it and I feel that the flow of the book would have been interrupted if it went any faster.

The book is told from a dual point of view, Rainey and Alex. The book’s primary focus is Rainey and her deteriorating mental health, but some chapters were told from Alex’s POV. I felt that those added some extra depth to both characters. I got to see what was going on with Rainey from some else’s perspective.

Mental health is a significant part of Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting. Rainey has issues that she is working on when she moves to Vermont. Those issues come to a head during her time at the house. At points, the author made me wonder if Rainey is haunted, or is it all in her head? By the end of the book, I was still wondering that.

The horror angle of Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting is very subtle and gradual. There were points in the book where I wondered if Rainey’s isolation was messing with her head or if something was going on. That is what made me like this book the most. You didn’t know. Tie in the mental health angle made for a fantastic read.

Also interwoven in Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting is the story of Rainey and Alex’s relationship. I thought they had a great relationship at the beginning of the book, but I knew by the middle that it was in trouble. I know how hard it is to have a partner who travels. My SO of 17 years travels all the time for work (3 days a week, every week), and it sucks. But I have three children and live in a populated area while Rainey was alone and living in isolation. That is a huge difference, showing Rainey’s worsening mental state.

The end of Liar: Memoir of a Haunting was interesting. The author wrapped the storyline so that I wondered what happened. It also wasn’t ended on a HEA. Instead, it ended with two people trying to find each other and figure out what happened at Sugar House.

I would recommend Liar: Memoir of a Haunting to anyone over 16. It is a clean book with very subtle scares. There is language, some mild violence, and some mild gore.