Tag: book 1

Steel Crow Saga (Steel Crow Saga: Book 1) by Paul Krueger

Steel Crow Saga by [Krueger, Paul]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Ray

Date of publication: September 24th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy, LGBTQIA

Where you can find Steel Crow Saga: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Series: Steel Crow Saga

Steel Crow Saga—Book 1

Book Synopsis:

Four destinies collide in a unique fantasy world of war and wonders, where empire is won with enchanted steel and magical animal companions fight alongside their masters in battle.

A soldier with a curse
Tala lost her family to the empress’s army and has spent her life avenging them in battle. But the empress’s crimes don’t haunt her half as much as the crimes Tala has committed against the laws of magic… and her own flesh and blood.

A prince with a debt
Jimuro has inherited the ashes of an empire. Now that the revolution has brought down his kingdom, he must depend on Tala to bring him home safe. But it was his army who murdered her family. Now Tala will be his redemption—or his downfall.

A detective with a grudge
Xiulan is an eccentric, pipe-smoking detective who can solve any mystery—but the biggest mystery of all is her true identity. She’s a princess in disguise, and she plans to secure her throne by presenting her father with the ultimate prize: the world’s most wanted prince.

A thief with a broken heart
Lee is a small-time criminal who lives by only one law: Leave them before they leave you. But when Princess Xiulan asks her to be her partner in crime—and offers her a magical animal companion as a reward—she can’t say no, and soon finds she doesn’t want to leave the princess behind.

This band of rogues and royals should all be enemies, but they unite for a common purpose: to defeat an unstoppable killer who defies the laws of magic. In this battle, they will forge unexpected bonds of friendship and love that will change their lives—and begin to change the world.

First Line:

Dimangan heard his name and came when he was called.

Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger

My Review:

I have noticed a couple of themes in the books that I have been reading lately. The first one is that I saw is the plenty of strong female characters. The second is that Japanese/Chinese based fantasy is becoming more popular. Both caught my attention when I read the blurb for Steel Crow Saga. I am happy to say that I loved Steel Crow Saga!! It was a fantastic read.

Steel Crow Saga has four separate plotlines. Usually, that would be an issue for me. I lose focus on many plotlines. But, in this book, it wasn’t an issue. The author was able to keep all four plotlines separated. I had no problem keeping them straight. I also loved that while the plotlines did get merged towards the end of the book, they were still separate.

The characters in Steel Crow Saga were well written and well fleshed out. That made the book so much more enjoyable for me to read. I did have my favorite characters in the book. I loved Lee and Xiulan, separately and together. I also did like Tala and Jimuro, but Lee and Xiulan captured my heart.

The fantasy angle of the book was amazing!! I loved how shadepacting worked. To have an animal bond that close to you must be amazing. But I also could see why it was done with only animals and not humans. I thought having the bad guy having hundreds of shades was great. I also liked that the characters could steal the shades from other people. I liked it.

Another part of the book that I loved was the LGBT representation in the book. Xiulan and Lee had feelings for each other. Jimuro’s oldest friend was a transgender man. Mang, Tala’s brother, was gay. Lee, and I believe Jimuro, were bisexual. I loved it!!

I have read reviews where this book was compared to The Last Airbender and Pokemon. I did get the Pokemon vibe while reading it but I didn’t get The Last Airbender vibe. Shrugs.

I also liked that each race was a different Asian country. China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and India were represented. Doing that added more depth to the book. There also could be more countries that I didn’t pick up on.

There was a lot of violence and death in Steel Crow Saga. It didn’t bother me (violence in books usually don’t). But some people are bothered by violence. Unfortunately, this book couldn’t be told without the violence.

Tala and Mang’s relationship was one of the saddest ones that I have read to date. My heart broke several times whenever their relationship came up. The author also explains how he became a shade. Again, talk about my poor heartbreaking. I was in tears. What Mang asked Tala to do was awful, and it shaped her for the rest of her life.

The end of Steel Crow Saga was interesting. It was interesting because while the main storylines ended, the author left room for another book. I am curious to see what will happen with Tala and Jimuro, especially after what was revealed. I am also interested to see where Lee and Xiulan’s relationship will go. Also, I want to know what will happen with the different countries now that the war is over. I can’t wait for book 2 to come out!!

I would give Steel Crow Saga an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Steel Crow Saga. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

The Lost and the Scarred (Kingston City Limits: Book 1) by T. Marie Alexander

The Lost and the Scarred (Kingston City Limits Book 1) by [Alexander, T. Marie]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of Publication: September 16th, 2019

Series: Kingston City Limits

Genre: Romance, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, New Adult

The Lost and the Scarred—Book 1

Where you can find The Lost and the Scarred: Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

ROX
When I was six, Wran Belmont found me buried in snow and gave me a place to live.

He became my best friend.

When I was fifteen, I gave him all of me—only for him to abandon me.

Now, he’s back and expecting the lost, scarred girl he’s left behind. I’m not that girl anymore. And while I may still have secrets, it will not be as easy for him to retrieve them this time around.

WRAN
When I was eleven, my father lost his job and became a pathetic excuse for a father. A few months later I found Roxanna Raine buried in snow, barely hanging on to life.

Her father was the reason mine was an alcoholic, and I thought about letting her freeze to death.

One look in her eyes and she became my kryptonite. I swore I would get my revenge, though, even if it was on the fair-skinned beauty.

When I was nineteen, I left Rox without an explanation—broken-hearted and even more lost.

Now, I’m back and I’ll do anything to make up for the stolen time.

First Line:

“I’m taking her!”

The Lost and the Scarred by T. Marie Alexander

My Review:

I was excited about reading The Lost and the Scarred. I have become a massive fan of dark romances. The blurb promised that this was going to be a juicy one. And it was. I couldn’t read this book fast enough.

The plotline that highlighted Wran and Rox’s dysfunctional relationship was dark. Oh so dark and I loved it.

The plotline with Rox and Harley was interesting. It took me a while to realize what happened. I understood why Rox insisted on keeping her visits to Harley a secret. Wran would have blown a gasket.

The plotline with Rox and her father was heartbreaking. The author was cautious not to reveal too much about her years with him. I did guess at what happened to Rox after her mother’s death. There have been very few times where I wished that I could morph into a book and bring all holy hell to a character. This was one of them.

The romance between Rox and Wran didn’t seem real to me. Mainly because of how Wran acted. He was an immature, jealous idiot with an anger management problem and he took it out on Rox. So, yeah, the romance didn’t spark for me.

Josh drove me nuts. He had the power to keep Wran away from Rox. He was the freaking sheriff!! Instead, he talked and talked but didn’t do anything about it. He let Wran have his man tantrums all over the place. He even got assaulted by Wran at the police station. Which made me go “WTF.”

Cade was another person who drove me nuts in the book. He held back who he was to Rox. He went out of his way to piss Wran off. But, he did come through in the end.

The end of The Lost and the Scarred ticked me off. I didn’t agree with what Lynn did at all. Also, it was a cliffhanger. And if you have been reading my blog long enough, then you know how I feel about cliffhangers. I do need to read book 2.

I would give The Lost and the Scarred an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread The Lost and the Scarred. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

Fangs and Frenemies: A Blue Moon Cozy Mystery (Witches with Anxiety: Book 1) by Cherry Andrews

Book and Author Details:

Fangs and Frenemies: A Blue Moon Bay Cozy Mystery 
by Cherry Andrews 
(Witches with Anxiety, #1) 
Publication date: September 4th 2019
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal

Add to Goodreads

Book Synopsis:

A socially awkward bobcat shifter.

An ex-cheerleading vampire.

A sweet—but slightly neurotic—cupcake-baking witch.

They fight crime? 

When the case of a missing mean girl throws Hazel back into contact with two old classmates, it’s time for these supernatural frenemies to set aside past grudges and help clear each other’s names.

But in the cloudy, romantic beach town of Blue Moon Bay, Oregon, it seems nearly everyone’s guarding a secret. 

And they all involve magic of one kind of another. 

Will these three women, who normally can’t stand each other, crack the mystery of what really happened to Hazel’s old bully, Ashlee—or is their effort cursed to fail?

Giveaway:

Giveaway ends September 19th.

Grand prize is a $50 Amazon gift card.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d04251233258/

Purchase Links:

Amazon

Author Bio:

Cherry Andrews loves a good scone, a good book, and curling up with her cats by the fireplace. 

You can read FREE CHAPTERS on her website at www.cherryandrews.com

Author Links:

Website

Goodreads Page

Merlin’s Shakespeare (Merlin’s Shakespeare: Book 1) by Carol Anne Douglas

This is my stop during the blog tour for the Merlin’s Shakespeare series by Carol Anne Douglas. This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 3 till 16 September. See the tour schedule here: http://www.lolasblogtours.net/blog-tour-merlins-shakespeare-by-carol-anne-douglas

Stars

Book and Author Details:

Merlin’s Shakespeare (Merlin’s Shakespeare #1)
By Carol Anne Douglas
Genre: Fantasy/ Time Travel

Age category: Young Adult

Add to Goodreads

Book Synopsis:

Beth loves Shakespeare’s plays, but does she want risk her life for them?

The immortal wizard Merlin transports high school actor Beth Owens to Shakespeare’s London and the worlds of Shakespeare’s characters in search of a missing play about King Arthur. Mercutio guides her and flirts with her, but Richard III threatens her sanity, her friends’ lives, and the integrity of Shakespeare’s plays.

Giveaway:

The prizes are:

One set of paperback copies of both Merlin’s Shakespeare and The Mercuito Problem (US only)

Two winners will each win a set of e-book copies of both Merlin’s Shakespeare and The Mercuito Problem (International).

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1000e4f1323/

Purchase Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

Author Bio:

Carol Anne Douglas has loved Shakespeare since she watched A Midsummer Night’s Dream when she was a child. She identifies with the character Nick Bottom because she wants to play every part, which only a writer can do. She is an avid reader of Arthurian and Shakespearean literature. Her previous fantasy novels, Lancelot: Her Story and Lancelot and Guinevere, feature Lancelot as a woman in disguise. When Douglas isn’t reading or writing,
she spends as much time as she can in the national parks, hiking and watching wildlife. She lives in Washington, D.C.

Author Links:

Website

Goodreads

Amazon

Twitter

First Line:

Beth Owens put herself in the mood for playing Puck at Not Your Mama’s Ingenue Summer Theater Camp.

Merlin’s Shakespeare by Carol Anne Douglas

My Review:

When I was in high school, I was a huge Shakespeare nerd. I read and reread his plays. I watched everything and anything that even mentioned Shakespeare. My enjoyment of his work hasn’t faded as I have gotten older. I am also a massive fan of Canterlot. So when I read the blurb and saw that Merlin’s Shakespeare contained both, I knew that I had to read this book.

I felt divided about this book. I loved that the author was able to bring Shakespeare, Oberon, Titiana, Richard III, Lady Macbeth, Mercutio, and other characters to life. Each character was how I pictured them to be, and it made that aspect of the book enjoyable to read. But there were parts that I didn’t like about the book. I felt that the non-Shakespearean characters lacked depth. I didn’t like how Merlin was portrayed. And the ending didn’t jive with me (even knowing that there was going to be a book two).

I did like Beth and felt for her. She was picked to do something that other people couldn’t. But I had questions about her. I wanted to know how she got her magic. Was it inherited? Did her unnamed father have it? I would have loved to see more focus on that. I also wanted to see more of her out of non-Shakespeare relationships. It bothered me that they were shoved to the back burner for almost the whole book.

I did not like Merlin. He rubbed me the wrong way the entire book. He appeared whenever he felt like it. He came across as surly and grumpy for the whole book. I didn’t like him.

I did like how the author entwined Shakespeare and the legend of Camelot together in the book. To have King Richard III be based on Mordred was fascinating. There were similarities there.

Speaking of King Richard III, I loved his character. Go figure, liking a villain. He was sneaky, charming, and ruthless. He was the perfect villain.

There were some wanna be romances in the book. Romeo trying to woo Lady Macbeth was hilarious. The attraction that Beth had for Mercutio was cute. But nothing took off, which made what happened at the end of the book interesting.

The end of Merlin’s Shakespeare was exciting. I can’t get into it because of spoilers, but a whole lot of craziness went down. Individual storylines were ended, and certain storylines were left open. I am interested to see where book 2 goes.

I would give Merlin’s Shakespeare a Young Teen rating. There is no sex. There is no language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 13 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread Merlin’s Shakespeare. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

The Truth About Cowboys (Texas Heat: Book 1) by Laura Renee Jones

The Truth About Cowboys (Texas Heat Book 1) by [Jones, Lisa Renee]

4 Stars

Publisher: Entangled Publishing, Entangled: Amara

Date of publication: August 27th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Texas Heat

The Truth About Cowboys—Book 1

Tangled Up In Christmas—Book 2 (expected publication date: October 29th, 2019)

Where you can find The Truth About Cowboys: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

I had my life figured out.

Engaged to a successful man.

About to make partner at my firm.

Bought a high-rise apartment in downtown Dallas.

And then, poof, it’s all gone. Now, like in some cheesy romantic comedy, my car has broken down in the pouring rain on my way to “find myself” in The Middle of Nowhere, Texas. Cue hot guy coming to my rescue and changing my tire. This is the part where we flirt and have a meet-cute, right? That’s how it works in romance novels, and I should know—after all, I’m coming to Texas to write my own cowboy romance. But nope. This sexy cowboy lights into me about not being prepared for the country roads and how inappropriate my high-heeled boots are.

Little did I know, Jason Jenks would tilt my world into a new dimension with his sinful smirk and his bad attitude. Every time I turn around, he’s there to reluctantly save the day. And every time, I think there may be something to that spark we ignite. But there’s a reason the majority of country songs are about broken hearts. The closer I get to this man, the closer I get to learning the truth about cowboys.

First Line:

Rain pours on my window, the wipers on my windshield working fervently to clear the glass and my view.

The Truth About Cowboys by Lisa Renee Jones

My Review:

I am going to admit this; I read this book because of the cover. I mean, look at it. The model is gorgeous. But the cover itself is striking. Black and white with the title in blue. Eye-catching!!

The Truth About Cowboys is the love story of Jessica and Jason. Jessica is trying to find herself after a painful breakup. Jason is trying to keep his family’s ranch from being repossessed. They meet on a rainy country road leading to Jason’s ranch, where they clash. They continue to fight when Jason finds out that his grandmother had rented out the cottage he uses as an office to Jessica. But, behind the unfriendliness and distrust, Jason and Jessica want each other. Can Jason get over his mistrust of Jessica? Can Jessica get over her ex?

I loved Jessica. From the beginning of the book, she let him know that she wasn’t going to be pushed around. I did think that she put up with more from him that I would have. I liked how she bonded with Martha. Those were some of the best scenes in the book!! To sum it up, Jessica was a strong woman who didn’t back down when a jerk decided she needed to be put in her place.

I didn’t like Jason until almost the end of the book. I did feel bad for him. The amount of pressure he was under would have broken a lesser man. But it didn’t excuse his behavior towards Jessica. There were times where I got mad. Like when he refused to fix her AC or when he went hot and cold with her. How about when he flipped out on her in the hospital? He did have some redeeming qualities, which were highlighted at the end of the book. He redeemed himself when he went after Jessica and apologized. That made me go from not liking him to liking him. He realized he was being an a**hole and made up for it.

If I don’t like a character, I can’t get into the sex scenes. Well, for this book, I did. Jessica and Jason had incredible sexual tension, which in turn lead to fantastic sex scenes. I couldn’t get enough of those!!

I loved Martha. She cracked me up. She wasn’t afraid to call Jason out for being a jerk. I loved when she did that. I thought it was hilarious that she rented the cottage so that Jason could meet someone.

The end of The Truth About Cowboys was a typical HEA ending. The epilogues were great. I can’t wait to read book 2!!

I would give The Truth About Cowboys an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Truth About Cowboys I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

The Truth Behind the Lie (Kouplan: Book 1) by Sara Lovestam

The Truth Behind the Lie: A Novel by [Lövestam, Sara]

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: August 27th, 2019

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Series: Kouplan

The Truth Behind the Lie—Book 1

Where you can find The Truth Behind the Lie: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

The Truth Behind The Lie is Sara Lövestam’s award-winning and gripping novel about blurred lines, second chances, and the lengths one will go to for the truth.

When a six-year-old girl disappears and calling the police isn’t an option, her desperate mother Pernilla turns to an unlikely source for help. She finds a cryptic ad online for a private investigator:
“Need help, but can’t contact the police?”

That’s where Kouplan comes in. He’s an Iranian refugee living in hiding. He and his brother were forced to leave Iran after their involvement with a radical newspaper hated by the regime was discovered. Kouplan’s brother disappeared, and he hasn’t seen him in four years. He makes a living as a P.I. working under the radar, waiting for the day he can legally apply for asylum.

Pernilla’s daughter has vanished without a trace, and Kouplan is an expert at living and working off the grid. He’s the perfect PI to help… but something in Pernilla’s story doesn’t add up. She might need help that he can’t offer…and a little girl’s life hangs in the balance.

First Line

The rain was so strange the day they took Julia.

The Truth Behind the Lie by Sara Lovestram

My Review:

I made a mistake before I started reading The Truth Behind the Lie. I read the reviews before I read the book. This is something that I usually don’t do. I had scrolled down on Goodreads, and one review caught my eye. You all know how that goes. You can’t read one. I got sucked down a rabbit hole of enthusiastic reviews, awful reviews, and mediocre reviews. By the time I emerged, my opinion of the book wasn’t that great. Then I read The Truth Behind the Lie; I can say for sure that my opinion of the book was changed for better.

One thing that caught my attention of The Truth Behind the Lie was that it was set in Sweden. Over the last year, I have noticed that most of the thrillers I read have taken place in those northern European countries. But what set this book apart for the other books was that Kouplan was not native to Sweden. Instead, he was an Iranian illegal immigrant. It was interesting to see Sweden through an immigrant’s eyes.

Kouplan caught my attention right from the beginning. His backstory was sad. He escaped from Iran after his older brother, who ran a radical newspaper, went missing. He was in the country illegally after his bid for citizenship was denied. The tension from that and from not seeing his family were well written. The only way he was surviving was working odd jobs and hoping someone answered his PI ad in the paper.

When Pernilla answered his ad, he thought that he had an easy case. He believed that Julia was taken in a custody dispute. That all he would have to do is find the father, and it would be over with. But, the case ended up being one of the hardest things he ever had to work on. The case was one of the best things about the book. Even when I felt that it was getting nowhere, I knew that something was happening. That Kouplan would break the case and find Julia. There was a break, but it wasn’t what I thought it would be.

There were a couple of considerable twists in the case that took me by surprise. One involved Pernilla, Julia, and the girl in the room. The other involved Kouplan. Neither I saw coming. Both almost made me lose my shit when they were revealed.

I did learn some interesting facts when reading The Truth Behind the Lie. I learned that mental health in Sweden was managed as well as the rest of the country. What surprised me was that the government took children away from parents if the parent had a mental illness. I was not expecting that. I also was surprised to learn that the children needed to be registered with the government. These two things I mentioned are huge in this book, so keep them in mind when reading this book.

The end of The Truth Behind the Lie was exciting. Remember the twists I mentioned above? They are both revealed in the last chapters. I loved how Pernilla, Julia, and the girl in the room was revealed. I got chills up and down my spine when I read it. The twist involving Kouplan came out of left field. I was NOT expecting what was revealed to be revealed. After I got over my shock, I loved it!!

I would give The Truth Behind the Lie an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is mild language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Truth Behind the Lie. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

Small Spaces (Small Spaces: Book 1) by Katherine Arden

Small Spaces by [Arden, Katherine]

3 Stars

Publisher: Penguin Group, Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Date of publication: September 25th, 2018

Genre: Horror, Middle Grade

Series: Small Spaces

Small Spaces—Book 1

Dead Voices—Book 2 (expected publication: August 27th, 2019)

Where you can find Small Spaces: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Bestselling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingale makes her middle grade debut with a creepy, spellbinding ghost story destined to become a classic

After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie only finds solace in books. So when she happens upon a crazed woman at the river threatening to throw a book into the water, Ollie doesn’t think–she just acts, stealing the book and running away. As she begins to read the slender volume, Ollie discovers a chilling story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who both loved her, and a peculiar deal made with “the smiling man,” a sinister specter who grants your most tightly held wish, but only for the ultimate price. 

Ollie is captivated by the tale until her school trip the next day to Smoke Hollow, a local farm with a haunting history all its own. There she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she’s been reading about. Could it be the story about the smiling man is true? Ollie doesn’t have too long to think about the answer to that. On the way home, the school bus breaks down, sending their teacher back to the farm for help. But the strange bus driver has some advice for the kids left behind in his care: “Best get moving. At nightfall they’ll come for the rest of you.” Nightfall is, indeed, fast descending when Ollie’s previously broken digital wristwatch, a keepsake reminder of better times, begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN. 

Only Ollie and two of her classmates heed the bus driver’s warning. As the trio head out into the woods–bordered by a field of scarecrows that seem to be watching them–the bus driver has just one final piece of advice for Ollie and her friends: “Avoid large places. Keep to small.” 

And with that, a deliciously creepy and hair-raising adventure begins.

First Line:

October in East Evansburg, and the last warm sun of the year, slanted red through the sugar maples.

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

My Review:

When I saw that Katherine Arden wrote Small Spaces, I knew I had to read it. I was a massive fan of the Winternight Trilogy, and I had high expectations of Small Spaces. Unfortunately, it fell short for me.

Ollie is an eleven-year-old who suffered a tragic loss. Refusing to talk about what happened, Ollie shut herself from the world. Her only solace was reading. After defending a new student from bullies, Ollie goes to her secret reading area. There she meets a deranged woman about to throw a book in a stream. Stealing the book, Ollie reads a story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who loved her, and the smiling man. The next day, Ollie takes a field trip to Smoke Hollow, where she notices something strange about the scarecrows. When the bus breaks down on the way home, Ollie’s teacher goes back to the farm to get help. The bus driver warns Ollie and her friends to start running. Then he says, “Avoid large places, keep to small.” After that, her watch, the last physical thing her mother was wearing the day she died, spells out the word “Run.” That’s when the adventure begins. What will happen to Ollie and her friends? Who is the smiling man? How is he connected to what was happening to Ollie? And what exactly does the bus driver mean?

I thought Small Spaces storyline was fantastic. It was creepy enough for upper elementary/middle school-aged children.

I did like the characters, but I felt that there was not a lot of depth to them. Ollie was the loner with a tragic past, Brian was the jock who had a hidden side to him, and Coco was the new girl who was trying too hard to fit in. The author did try to make them more fleshed out. Brian quoting Alice in Wonderland did surprise me. As did Coco revealing that she used to rock climb before she moved to Evansburg. But other than that, I didn’t get a connection with them.

Revealing Ollie’s tragic past sooner would have been an asset to the book. I did guess at what happened early on in the book, but it took forever for it come out. I wanted to reach into the book and hug her.

I did have an issue with the formatting what reading Small Spaces. I would be reading a paragraph, and then random numbers would appear (example: running in the 1. woods). It made it hard for me to read the book and did take away from my enjoyment of it. It also affected my rating.

I also thought that paranormal/horror angle of the book was almost too understated for me. I am an adult and used to more scares. But, as I said above, this would be a perfect book for middle-grade kids. But for adults, no.

The end of the book left me feeling unfulfilled. While I liked what Ollie did, I was left wanting more. There is a book 2, which I would like to read.

I would give Small Spaces a Tween rating. There is no sex. There is no language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 13 read this book.

I would reread Small Spaces. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

Nocturne in Ashes (Riley Forte: Book 1) by Joslyn Chase

Nocturne In Ashes: A Riley Forte Suspense Thriller, Book One by [Chase, Joslyn]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: July 20th, 2017

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Series: Riley Forte

Nocturne in Ashes—Book 1

Where you can find Nocturne in Ashes: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Now she’s playing for her life!

With the death of her husband and son, concert pianist Riley Forte’s life and career shattered. Her comeback performance bombs, her sponsor pulls out, and she faces the tattered ruins of a once-happy life.

When Mt. Rainier erupts, isolating her in a small community stalked by a serial killer, it seems like the end of everything, but it brings a new chance for Riley.

If she can evade the clutches of a dedicated killer.

In a riveting action story filled with breathtaking suspense, Riley fights to hang on to the one thing she has left—her life, and the one thing she needs to turn it around—redemption.

First Line

The summer he turned thirteen, he took his first life.

Nocturne in Ashes by Joslyn Chase

My Review:

When I read the blurb for Nocturne in Ashes, my interest was caught. I haven’t read a lot of books that take place in Washington state. I also haven’t read a lot of books that deal with catastrophic eruptions of volcanoes. Add in that there is a serial killer loose in a community isolated by the eruptions and I had to read it. I am glad that I did because this book was a fantastic read.

Nocturne in Ashes starts with Riley Forte having a breakdown during her come back tour. Once a promising concert pianist, Riley’s world was torn apart when her husband and young son were killed. That concert was supposed to usher back into the spotlight. Instead, she is left with no sponsor and her career in shambles. She is at home when Mt. Rainier erupts. She discovers that there is a serial killer in the gated community. As the body count rises, suspicion is cast at everyone in the community. Will the killer be caught? Who will it be?

Nocturne in Ashes was one of those books that started with a bang and kept its momentum for the entire book. I couldn’t believe how fast-paced the book was. Usually, when a book is fast-paced, there is lag at some point in the book. There wasn’t any, and I loved it.

I felt awful for Riley during the book. She was struggling to overcome and understand why her husband and son had to die. She was struggling to get her career back on track. She had so much on her plate. Then to get involved in an investigation that involves a serial killer? Which is why I didn’t blame her for taking off when she did. Was it a stupid move? Yes, but she needed to do it. She would have never figured out who the killer was if she didn’t.

I did figure out who the serial killer was early in the book. But, there was a twist in that plotline that I didn’t see coming. It blindsided me. I had to put down my Kindle to process what I read. I was that shocked.

Nate’s investigation was another plotline that I loved. I liked that his investigation went on even though he was cut off from the rest of the state. I found it fascinating how he handled different situations.

I found Rick’s journey to get to Nate fascinating. He knew who the killer was and he wasn’t going to leave Nate stranded. He had some creative ways of getting to Nate. There were specific points in the book where I doubted if he would get there.

The end of Nocturne in Ashes was intense. Like I mentioned above, there was a twist in the plot that took me by surprise. What I liked the most is that the author didn’t end the book after the twist. She kept it going. She showed what happened to the characters afterward. Loved it!!

I would give Nocturne in Ashes an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Nocturne in Ashes. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

Kingdom of Exiles (The Beast Charmer: Book 1) by Maxym M. Martineau

Kingdom of Exiles (The Beast Charmer Book 1) by [Martineau, Maxym M.]

4 Stars

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Date of publication: June 25th, 2019

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Series: The Beast Charmer

Kingdom of Exiles—book 1

Where you can find Kingdom of Exiles: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin’s Creed in this epic, gripping fantasy romance from debut author Maxym M. Martineau.

Exiled beast charmer Leena Edenfrell is in deep trouble. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts on the black market—an offense punishable by death—and now there’s a price on her head. With the realm’s most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes him an offer he can’t refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.

If only it were that simple. Unbeknownst to Leena, the undying ones are bound by magic to complete their contracts, and Noc cannot risk his brotherhood of assassins…not even to save the woman he can no longer live without.

My Review:

Leena was exiled from her Charmer home. Leena needed to make ends meet and to do so; she started selling off her animals on the black market. That is an offense punishable by death. So she wasn’t surprised when an assassin showed up. After beating the assassin, Leena forces him to take her to the guildhouse. It is there, Leena makes a deal with the guild master of the Cruor, Noc. 4 magical beasts in exchange for her life. What Leena doesn’t know is that there is no way for a Cruor assassin to back out of a contract. While Noc says yes, he knows that in the end, he will have to kill Leena and collect the bounty. But, it soon becomes hard for Noc to consider killing Leena. Enough doubt has been raised about the contract and if it is justified. Will Noc be able to do the unthinkable and break the contract? Or will everything end with Leena being killed?

What drew me to Kingdom of Exiles was the blurb. As soon as I caught sight of the words Fantastic Beasts and Assassin’s Creed. I knew that I needed to read this book. I am a huge Harry Potter and Assassin’s Creed fan, and I was interested in seeing how the author was going to combine those them together. I wasn’t let down. I do want to add in that I also caught glimpses of Pokemon in this novel too. Not in how the beasts were caught but in the battle scenes.

There are three major and several secondary plotlines in Kingdom of Exiles. The first plotline focuses on Leena, her beasts and the reason why she was exiled from the Charmers. The second plot line focuses on Noc, the Cruors, and Leena’s contract. The third plotline focuses on Leena, Noc, and their relationship.

I liked all the main storylines. They were all well written. When the author did chose to bring them together, she was able to do it without interrupting any of the storylines. There were also no dropped storylines.

The secondary storylines were well written. I did think that there was a dropped storyline towards the end of the book. It made me a little aggravated because I wanted to know what happened to a particular character. But, it was brought back up at the end of the book. Which makes me wonder if that is going to be the main storyline for the next book.

Like the plotlines, I thought that the main characters were well written. Now, I will say that both characters a little off put me at the beginning of the book. They both came off as cold people. But as the book went on and I got to know both characters, my opinion of them changed. Their character development featured in my change of opinion.

Like I mentioned above, I didn’t like Leena when I started reading Kingdom of Exiles. She came across as aloof and uncaring. The scene with the buyer of the Gyss is an excellent example. But, then something remarkable happened. That first impression got turned around. My disinterest and disdain for her got turned around into me being invested and admiring her. I can count on one hand how many times that has happened.

Leena was also one of the strongest female characters that I have read to date. She went through a lot in the book, and she didn’t let it beat her down. She learned from those experiences. I loved it!!

Again, as I mentioned above, I didn’t like Noc when I started reading the book. He was cold and aloof. Take any of his scenes at the beginning of the book. Then, as the book went on, the explanations began. By the middle of the book, I understood why Noc had those walls up. He was afraid of his curse. He couldn’t show emotion or his curse would start up. But, like Leena, my first impression got turned around. By the end of the book, I loved him.

Speaking of Noc’s curse, I would have loved to know why the high priestess cursed him. Also, I would have loved to have known who he was before he was resurrected. There were hints but nothing confirmed. Drove me nuts because I have a few ideas of who he was, but nothing confirmed it.

The secondary characters were as well written as the main characters. I loved it. I felt that I got to know Kost, Ozias, and Calem as well as Noc and Leena. I can’t wait to see what book two holds for the secondary characters. I am hoping that the book focuses on either Calem or Oz. They were my two favorites in the book.

The bad guys in the book had my attention from the get-go. Wynn gave me chills. He believed what he was doing was the right, and that was frightening to me. What he subjected Leena to when he held her captive was heartbreaking. Ravenwas an enigma. I had questions that weren’t answered in this book. The most important issue was why? Why did she set those events in motion? I was frustrated by the lack of answers, but I have a feeling that they will be answered in the next book.

Kingdom of Exiles was a great fit in the fantasy genre. Leena’s Charmer abilities alone could have fueled a book. As well as Noc’s curse and his powers. I did find it creepy that he could make daggers out of the shadows.

Kingdom of Exiles was also a great fit in the romance genre. Noc and Leena’s instant attraction had my pulse racing. The back and forth dance that they did was hot. By the time they had sex, it was earth-shattering. I had to put my Kindle down and fan myself; it was that hot. My only complaint about the sex scenes was the use of crease of Leena’s vagina. Once, yes. But every single time, no. It got to the point where I started laughing when Noc was fingerbanging/eating her out, and crease was used.

There was also the point of the Kost/Noc/Leena semi-love triangle. I use semi because Noc didn’t reciprocate Kost’s feelings. But it was set up that way. I loved that the author had an LGBT representation in the book. I do wish that Kost’s sexual preference was made more clear towards the beginning. Because up until that scene with Leena, he came across as kind of a douche canoe. I also loved how Noc handled finding out about Kost’s feelings for him. It was done in such a classy way that I couldn’t help but say to myself “This is how it should be done in real life!!!” I am also eager to see Kost find love. There was a hint of something at the end of the book. Something that I can’t wait to see if the author explores or not.

The end of Kingdom of Exiles was excellent. I also had so many questions about what was going to happen and no answers. The epilogue held the most questions for me. Because of what happened to Noc at the end. What will that mean for him and Leena? I can’t wait to find out.

I would give Kingdom of Exiles an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Kingdom of Exiles. I would also reccomend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Kingdom of Exiles.

Book Disclaimer

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

Have you read Kingdom of Exiles?

What are your thoughts?

Let me know!!

Jackson (Eternity Springs: The McBrides of Texas Trilogy: Book 1) by Emily March

Jackson: Eternity Springs: The McBrides of Texas by [March, Emily]

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Date of publication: June 25th, 2019

Series: Eternity Springs: The McBrides of Texas

Jackson—Book 1

Where you can find Jackson: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book synopsis:

From New York Times bestselling author Emily March comes Jackson, the newest novel in the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series. 

Sometimes it takes a new beginning 
Caroline Carruthers thinks she buried her dreams along with the love of her life…until a stranger named Celeste dares her to chase a dream all on her own. Moving to Redemption, Texas, is chapter one in Caroline’s new life story. Opening a bookstore is the next. Finding love is the last thing on her mind as she settles into this new place called home. But when she meets a handsome, soulful man who’s also starting over, all bets are off.

to reach a happily-ever-after 
Jackson McBride came to Redemption looking only to find himself, not someone to love. Ever since his marriage ended, he’s been bitter. Sure, he used to believe in love—he even has the old song lyrics to prove it—but the Jackson of today is all business. That is, until a beautiful young widow who’s moved to town inspires a change of heart. Could it be that the myth of Redemption’s healing magic is true…and Jackson and Caroline can find a second chance at a happy ending after all?

My Review:

First Line:

Bang.

Jackson by Emily March

When I saw that Emily March was coming out with a trilogy that was based on the Eternity Springs series, I was happy. I was upset when that series seemed to end with The Christmas Wishing Tree.

Jackson isn’t a story about two people falling in love. It is a story of two people overcoming great hurt to find themselves.

I did feel bad for Caroline. Her situation was heartbreaking. She was so sad at the beginning of the book that I wanted to reach through and hug her. After her husband died, she became a changed person. She wasn’t afraid to open a new chapter in her life. I loved it!!

I felt awful for Jackson. He was shattered at the beginning of the book. He had lost his music (he was a songwriter). Not being able to see his daughter for five months was devastating. Again, I wanted to reach through the book and hug him. I did like him. I liked that he realized that he wasn’t perfect. I liked that he was forgiving. The latter half of the book showcased that perfectly.

I wish that Redemption, Texas, was a real place to visit. That would be somewhere I would be interested in visiting. I loved the idea of a B&B that is set in a former bordello. Again, I would be interested in staying there.

I was thrilled when Celeste Blessing made her appearance in Jackson. I loved how the author introduced another Blessing, Angelica. Celeste and Angelica were hilarious. Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to be a Blessing. I died laughing in every episode that they appeared in.

The main storyline, Jackson and Caroline’s romance, was well written. I liked that the author chose to wait until several months after Caroline’s husband died to have them kindle their romance.

I didn’t care for the sex scenes. They could have been a little more graphic. The first time they had sex, I couldn’t tell. I thought he was writing a song!! I had to reread that passage a few times before it dawned on me what they were doing.

I wasn’t a fan of the storyline that involved Jackson and his ex-wife. What she did to him at the beginning of the book was unforgivable. All the jerking around she did with Jackson’s visitation was Haley was unforgivable. The way she acted after the plane crash was normal. I would have been the same way. But when she tried to manipulate him into staying with her, no thank you. Even the way she acted towards the end of the book made me mad. But, it was a great story of forgiveness. Something I wouldn’t have been able to do.

I loved the storyline with the B&B and everything around it. I thought that it was amazing that they were going to make the former bordello into a B&B that offered guided tours to Enchanted Canyon and the ghost town of Ruin. But the book didn’t go much into the ghost town or Enchanted Canyon, which disappointed me.

The end of Jackson was heartwarming. I have a feeling the next book will be about Tucker and Gillian. The way they acted at the end of the book made me raise my eyebrows. The epilogue was perfect. I love it when everything comes together!!

I would give Jackson an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Jackson. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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