This is a weekly meme where anyone can choose and highlight a random book from their Goodreads TBR. This meme was formerly featured on LaurensPageTurners and was taken over by Budget Tales Book Blog.
This is a post-apocalyptic story about how a hero, John Harris, leads a group of people in rebuilding the country after a major nuclear and EMP attack. A coalition of Islamic Terrorists, Drug Cartels and rogue US Government thugs kill over 200 million people in the USA and Western Europe. John leads the fight against the rogue Department of Home Land Security and Mexican Drug Cartels while the remnants of the US military deal with the terrorist countries overseas. There is no electricity and food and water are running out. Looting, rioting and gang violence are the rule of the day. John’s team fights for survival against very long odds, but John is a hard man for hard times. The four book series spans from 2020 to 2048.
Set in rural Vermont in the volatile 1960s, Agony Hill is the first novel in a new historical series full of vivid New England atmosphere and the deeply drawn characters that are Sarah Stewart Taylor’s trademark.
In the hot summer of 1965, Bostonian Franklin Warren arrives in Bethany, Vermont, to take a position as a detective with the state police. Warren’s new home is on the verge of monumental change; the interstates under construction will bring new people, new opportunities, and new problems to Vermont, and the Cold War and protests against the war in Vietnam have finally reached the dirt roads and rolling pastures of Bethany.
Warren has barely unpacked when he’s called up to a remote farm on Agony Hill. Former New Yorker and Back-to-the-Lander Hugh Weber seems to have set fire to his barn and himself, with the door barred from the inside, but things aren’t adding up for Warren. The people of Bethany—from Weber’s enigmatic wife to Warren’s neighbor, widow and amateur detective Alice Bellows — clearly have secrets they’d like to keep, but Warren can’t tell if the truth about Weber’s death is one of them. As he gets to know his new home and grapples with the tragedy that brought him there, Warren is drawn to the people and traditions of small town Vermont, even as he finds darkness amidst the beauty.
First Line
The day was hot and clear, the sky overhead a thick blue traced here and there with ragged wisps of stringy clouds that reminded Sylvie of the bloody scratches she got when pruning brambles.
Important details about Agony Hill
Pace: Slow but does pick up to medium by the end of the book.
POV: 3rd person (Warren, Alice, and Sylvie)
Series:Agony Hill is the 1st book in the Franklin Warren series.
Content/Trigger Guidance: Agony Hill contains themes that include homelessness, poverty, classism, sexism, misogyny, dubious consent scenario*, adult-minor relationships*, emotional abuse, alcoholism, alcohol consumption, alcohol abuse, pregnancy, blood, cancer*, dead bodies, death of a spouse, grief & loss depiction, death of a parent, fire & arson, gun violence, conscription*, war, murder, and animal cruelty. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.
Dubious Consent Scenario:Sylvie remembers her first sexual encounter with Hugh. She was pressured into having sex because it was her wedding night.
Adult-Minor Relationship: Hugh was thirty-five when he met and married Sylvie, who was in her mid-teens.
Cancer:Alice goes and visits a neighbor who is dying of cancer during her investigation into who stole bullets and framed a friend of hers.
Conscription: The draft is mentioned at various points during the book. Sylvie interacts with a young man who is a draft dodger.
Language:Agony Hill contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.
Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Agony Hill.
Setting: Agony Hill is set in 1965 in Bethany (a fictional city), Vermont.
My Review:
I enjoy reading police procedural novels. I have been reading quite a bit of them, and I am always fascinated by the work and time that goes into solving a case. My fascination grows even more when the book is set in the early days of forensic science. Agony Hill is one of those books.
I was also pleased to see that Agony Hill takes place in Vermont. I can count on one hand the number of books set there in the past year.
Agony Hill is the first book in the Franklin Warren series, but it can also be read as a standalone.
Agony Hill takes place in 1965, and the author mentions the Vietnam War and the draft. The author does explain in her note (at the beginning of the book) that she didn’t use the spelling that most small-town papers used for the war (theyseparated Vietnam into Viet Nam). She didn’t want to confuse people; I am happy she did that. I am also glad there weren’t too many scenes with anti-war protests (actually, there was a brief scene of a veteran marching against the war in the parade).
The main storyline of Agony Hill is centered on Warren (a recently hired detective from Massachusetts), Sylvie (thewife of the victim), and Alice (an amateur detective who is more than she seems). The book is slow. Usually, I’m not too fond of it when books start and stay slow, but in this case, it worked. It allowed me to digest the clues that Warren uncovers, try to figure out who Alice was and the motive behind Hugh being killed. It took me a long time to read, but I enjoyed it.
I have never read a book in which people were so happy to see someone die. I get that Hugh Weber was unlikable, but to have no one, not even his wife or children, mourn for him was a bit much. Of course, the more Warren uncovered about this unpleasant man, the more I could understand why people felt that way.
I liked the main characters (Warren and Sylvie). Each had a compelling backstory, which added mystery to the main storyline (Warren’s background and everything about Sylvie).
I do want to mention Alice. I loved her. She was the epitome of your busybody, widowed neighbor. However, as the author got into her background, it was surprising to discover that she was so much more. Alice has a lot of layers to her, and I feel that the author isn’t done yet with this character.
The mystery angle was well written. The author kept me on my toes about who killed Hugh and why. I had several suspects on my list but started mentally crossing them off as Warren began talking to people. I was shocked at what happened and even more surprised at what Warren did. But, having thought about it, it was the right call.
The end of Agony Hill was interesting. I liked how the author wrapped everything up, but I also liked how she left a little room for the next book. I have a feeling that Bethany, Vermont, is going to be a hopping place now that Warren is there.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Sarah Stewart Taylor for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Agony Hill. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
If you enjoy reading books similar to Agony Hill, then you will enjoy these books:
This is a weekly meme where anyone can choose and highlight a random book from their Goodreads TBR. This meme was formerly featured on LaurensPageTurners and was taken over by Budget Tales Book Blog.
Two Fates. Two Worlds. One Love.
Eighteen-year old Daria Jones feels trapped in the cow-strewn suburbs of Fresno, California. And with a father so overprotective he’s installed video and thermal surveillance down the street, she doesn’t get out much. Until the night he disappears.
Following the trail of notes he’s left behind, Daria gathers three things: a dark force is hunting her, her father’s fled to another world on a cryptic mission, and the only one left to trust is her ex-best friend, Alexander Anderson. The more she learns about her father’s absence, the more she realizes she must go to this other world to find him. And Alexander is the only one who knows how to get there.
Amidst a world of diabolical creatures, ancient magic, and bizarrely intuitive vegetation, Daria must find her father before the dark force finds her. But the truth of who she really is could be her greatest enemy of all.
A new Regency romp of a series, about governess who believes in cultivating joy in her charges, clashes with the children’s uncle who hired her, only to find herself falling in love.
When the flighty older sister of former naval captain, Henry Kincaid, decides on a whim to accompany her explorer husband on an expedition to Egypt, he finds himself unwittingly left in the lurch with her three unruly children and her giant, mad dog. With no clue how to manage the little rascals, a busy career at the Admiralty that requires all of his attention, and no idea when his sister is coming back, Harry has to hire an emergency governess to ensure that everything in his ordered house continues to run shipshape. In desperation, he goes to Miss Prentice’s School for Girls prepared to pay whatever it takes to get a governess quick sharp to bring order to the chaos.
Thanks to her miserable, strict upbringing, fledgling governess Georgina Rowe does not subscribe to the ethos that children should be seen and not heard. She believes childhood should be everything that hers wasn’t, filled with laughter, adventure, and discovery. Thankfully, the three Pendleton children she has been tasked with looking after are already delightfully bohemian and instantly embrace her unconventional educational ethos. Their staid, stickler-for-the-rules uncle, however, is another matter entirely…
First Line:
Georgie stared up at the strange building while her stepfather’s latest dour housekeeper supervised the unloading of her things from the back of the hackney.
Important details about All’s Fair in Love and War
Pace: Medium
POV:3rd person (Henry and Georgina)
Series:All’s Fair in Love and War is thefirst book in Miss Prentice’s Protegees series.
Content/Trigger Guidance: All’s Fair in Love and War contains themes that include the death of a parent, child abuse, emotional abuse, animal cruelty, abandonment, classism, era-appropriate sexism & misogyny, anxiety, anxiety attacks, alcohol consumption, military service, military deployment, and conscription.
Language:All’s Fair in Love and War contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.
Sexual Content: There is moderate sexual content in All’s Fair in Love and War.
Setting: All’s Fair in Love and War is set in London (Mayfair), Plymouth, and Cawsand, England.
My Review
When I started reading All’s Fair in Love and War, I badly needed a book that didn’t require me to think about what I read. The previous three books I had read before this one were heavy books, and I badly needed one that I could coast through. Thankfully, All’s Fair in Love and War let my overstimulated brain rest.
All’s Fair in Love and War is the first book in the Miss Prentice’s Protegee’s series. Since it is the first book, there will be no warning if it is a standalone. You can dive right into this book without having to worry about that.
The storyline of All’s Fair in Love and War follows Georgina and Henry. Georgina has been trained to be a governess at a prestigious school, where she is the founder’s protege. However, she has been having issues finding work because she does not adhere to conventional teaching or raising children. Because of her childhood, which was spent being shuttled from naval base to naval base by her stepfather, she abhors rules and believes that children should be seen and not kept in the classrooms or out of sight. These beliefs have cost her jobs. When Henry, a former naval captain on the fast track to becoming an Admiral, inquired at the agency about governesses after his sister left her three children with him, Georgina was presented and hired. Georgina and Henry’s relationship begins, both working and personal. The more time the two spend together, with and without the children, the closer they get.
Georgina (or Georgie) was way ahead of her time, education-wise, and I liked that. I do have a feeling that Georgie’s views on education and childrearing will upset some of the die-hard Regency readers (too modern), But, for me, it was refreshing. I liked seeing the children bloom under Georgie’s care. I was also surprised when it was revealed (by the children) that their mother taught them and that all of them were smart beyond their years. Georgie considered that in their lessons, and I loved seeing the children learning in an environment that enriched and supported them.
I liked Georgie. She wasn’t afraid to let people know her feelings and views. Her childhood (and the abandonment at Miss Prentice’s school) did scar her, but she refused to let it bring her down. She was authentically herself and stayed true to herself throughout the book.
I also liked Henry. He did come across as an uptight, rigid person at the beginning of the book. But, as his backstory was explained, I understood why he was that way. He was terrified of reliving his childhood with irresponsible parents. But, at the same time, he was also terrified not to live up to the standards that his grandfather and the Royal Navy beat into him. He was also a workaholic and was severely stressed out when Georgie and the children came into his life. He needed them, even if he wouldn’t admit that to himself. His character growth was fun, and I loved seeing him unwind. I also loved seeing him slowly realize there is more to life than work and promotions.
I can’t write this review without mentioning the children or the dogs. The children and Norbert (thedog) stole scenes when they were in them. I laughed at their shenanigans. I also agreed with Henry when he said that they were hellions. And Norbert, you have to read the book to understand my Norbert love (and I am including his son, too). Everyone should have a Norbert.
The romance angle of All’s Fair in Love and War was sweet and a little spicy. Henry fought, falling in love with Georgie. At a point in the book, I got a little frustrated with him because he was hung up on something that happened years earlier (being forced to break an engagement). I would be rich if I had a nickel for every eye roll I did when that woman’s name was mentioned. I liked that Georgie was more straightforward. Once she got to know Henry (saw past what he projected), she fell in love with the inner him.
Of course, there is sex in this book. Because of the chemistry and the build-up that the author did with Henry and Georgie, the sex was fantastic—a little vanilla but amazing.
The end of All’s Fair in Love and War was your typical HEA. I liked that everything worked out for Henry and Georgie. But I am curious about the next book and whether it will be anything like Henry and Georgie’s romance.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Virginia Heath for allowing me to read and review this ARC of All’s Fair in Love and War. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
If you enjoy reading books similar to All’s Fair in Love and War, then you will enjoy these books:
This is a weekly meme where anyone can choose and highlight a random book from their Goodreads TBR. This meme was formerly featured on LaurensPageTurners and was taken over by Budget Tales Book Blog.
Pope Benignus is dying, and the man who takes his throne will hold the reins of an empire. Conspiracies swirl like shadows around Livia, the pope’s daughter, who refuses to be anyone’s pawn: chasing the whispers of a deadly coup, she vows to expose the truth and save her church from disaster. Livia has secrets of her own, though, and one wrong move could cost her life and her soul.
Felix is the scion of a dying merchant house, a man with just one chance to save his family and the woman he loves. His last hope lies in the snowbound hell of Winter’s Reach, a former prison colony turned “free city” under a brutal tyrant’s reign.
Livia and Felix have never crossed paths, but they’ve both been snared in a far greater web than they can imagine. They — along with a pair of veteran bounty hunters, an exiled politician, and a sadistic coven of witches — are cogs in one man’s apocalyptic plan for revenge. A plan which, if it succeeds, will leave an entire nation in flames.
Rise and shine. The Evans women have some undead to kill.
It’s 1999 in Southeast Texas and the Evans women, owners of the only funeral parlor in town, are keeping steady with…normal business. The dead die, you bury them. End of story. That’s how Ducey Evans has done it for the last eighty years, and her progeny―Lenore the experimenter and Grace, Lenore’s soft-hearted daughter, have run Evans Funeral Parlor for the last fifteen years without drama. Ever since That Godawful Mess that left two bodies in the ground and Grace raising her infant daughter Luna, alone.
But when town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for a regular burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi―the original vampire―are back. And the Evans women are the ones who need to fight back to protect their town.
As more folks in town turn up dead and Deputy Roger Taylor begins asking way too many questions, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and now Luna, must take up their blades and figure out who is behind the Strigoi’s return. As the saying goes, what rises up, must go back down. But as unspoken secrets and revelations spill from the past into the present, the Evans family must face that sometimes, the dead aren’t the only things you want to keep buried.
A crackling mystery-horror novel with big-hearted characters and Southern charm with a bite, Bless Your Heart is a gasp-worthy delight from start to finish.
First Line
Edwin Boone was not the kind of man to be intimidated by a walk in the dark.
Important details about Bless Your Heart
Pace: Fast (the entire book takes place within a week of the first death)
POV: 3rd person (Ducey, Lenore, Grace, Luna, Deputy Roger Taylor, Sherriff Johnson, Crane, Snow Ledger, and Edwin Boone (the last two being victims of the vampire))
Series: 1st book in the Bless Your Heart series
Content/Trigger Warnings: Bless Your Heart contains themes of death, gore, violence, blood, body horror, child death, murder, animal cruelty, vomit, medical content, death of a parent, injury and injury detail, homophobia, grief, alcoholism, eating disorder, toxic relationship, mass/school shootings*, and bullying. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.
Mass/School Shootings—Bless Your Heart takes place the summer after the Columbine school shooting. While Crane didn’t attend Columbine, he was bullied because he wore a trenchcoat and Goth attire.
Language:Bless Your Heart contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.
Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Bless Your Heart.
Setting: Bless Your Heart is set in a small town (the name was never given) in Southeast Texas.
My Review:
In a previous review, I mentioned that books containing vampires are some of my favorites. I also mentioned that I very rarely review them. That was until last week when I read two ARCs that included vampires and vampire hunters.
The cover and the blurb attracted me to Bless Your Heart. I was interested to see how a book about women funeral parlor owners and vampire hunters would read, if I could connect to any of the characters, and if the storyline was good. I am happy to report that it was a yes to all of those.
The main storyline of Bless Your Heart was interesting, and it kept me glued to the book. The storyline centers on the Evans women (Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and Luna), their family life, The God Awful Mess-which took place fifteen years earlier, and their history with vampire hunting. Bless Your Heart was a well-written and gut-wrenching book that had me up reading late.
The author did a fascinating job of telling the storyline. She chose a different family member/law enforcement/victim and had the chapter revolve around what they were feeling/doing. The chapters containing Ducey, Lenore, and Grace were self-explanatory (with the funeral parlor business and killing the vampires). Those chapters also gave insight into how The God Awful Incident affected each woman. Luna’s chapters were a little different. In the beginning, it showcased how she was an ordinary teen. But, once she learned about the family’s side gig (the vampire killing), her chapters got dark, fast. The law enforcement chapters showed the confusion and the different theories floated around. And lastly, the victim’s chapters were the most heartbreaking to read, mainly because the people who were killed and turned were doing nothing but going about their daily (or nightly) chores.
The Evans women were unlike any characters I have read. They each had their own personality, and the author allowed those personalities to shine. At the same time, I saw how dysfunctional they had become after The God Awful Incident. But even with that, I liked how they banded together to protect each other and Luna.
The horror angle was on point. There was a point where I started to dread when a new body was found. Each scene was worse than the last. I don’t get grossed out easily by stuff like that, but I got close in this book. Blood and gore spread across the pages; by the book’s end, it was one bloody scene after another.
The mystery angle of the book was good. I was taken by surprise by who the master vampire was and how Luna figured into it. While that was going on, The God Awful Incident was revealed, and it indeed was A God Awful Incident. It was the revelation that led to a shocking revelation about Luna. Both of those revelations took me by surprise. I did have the master vampire pegged on someone else and was happy that I was proven wrong.
The end of Bless Your Heart was heartbreaking. I’m not too fond of it when there are deaths involving main characters. But the ending scene gave a glimmer of hope. Because of what was shown, I am super curious to read book two.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Lindy Ryan for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Bless Your Heart. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
If you enjoy reading books similar to Bless Your Heart, then you will enjoy these books:
She has power over death. He has power over her. When two enemies strike a dangerous bargain, will they end a war . . . or ignite one?
Heroes die, cowards live. Daughter of a conquered world, Ruying hates the invaders who descended from the heavens long before she was born and defeated the magic of her people with technologies unlike anything her world had ever seen.
Blessed by Death, born with the ability to pull the life right out of mortal bodies, Ruying shouldn’t have to fear these foreign invaders, but she does. Especially because she wants to keep herself and her family safe.
When Ruying’s Gift is discovered by an enemy prince, he offers her an impossible deal: If she becomes his private assassin and eliminates his political rivals—whose deaths he swears would be for the good of both their worlds and would protect her people from further brutalization—her family will never starve or suffer harm again. But to accept this bargain, she must use the powers she has always feared, powers that will shave years off her own existence.
Can Ruying trust this prince, whose promises of a better world make her heart ache and whose smiles make her pulse beat faster? Are the evils of this agreement really in the service of a much greater good? Or will she betray her entire nation by protecting those she loves the most?
First Line:
The sky was crying again.
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang
Important details about To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods
Pace: Alternates between medium and fast
POV: 1st person (Ruying), 3rd person (Antony for a chapter), 2nd person (following Ruying on a mission for a chapter)
Content/Trigger: To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods contains themes of colonization, death, addiction, violence, drug abuse, toxic relationship, xenophobia, murder, genocide, torture, war, kidnapping, racism, blood, confinement, physical abuse, gaslighting, injury & injury detail, child abuse, child death, drug use, emotional abuse, gun violence, sexism, slavery, death of a parent, misogyny, grief, medical trauma, classism, gore, trafficking, toxic friendship, sexual harassment, pandemic/epidemic, bullying, self-harm, police brutality, medical content, suicide attempt, abandonment, racial slurs,rape, suicidal thoughts, and alcohol. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.
Language:To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.
Series:To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods is the first book in the To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods series.
Sexual Content: There is mild consensual sexual content* in To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods.
It is implied that Ruying has sex with Antony after they escape from Donghai.
Setting: To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods is set in the world of Pangu. Most of the book is set in Jing-City (in Er-Lang). Ruying and Antony travel to Donghai (in Sihai) in several chapters.
My Review:
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods has been on my wishlist since I saw it appear on several blogs last year. I love books that are based on Chinese mythology/culture. So, when I saw that Random House had it wish only, I decided to take the chance and wish for it. I was delighted when I got the email saying my wish had been granted. But I was also cautious because I have a habit of hyping books up and being disappointed when I read them. Happily, this wasn’t the case with To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods. I loved the book!!
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods is the first book in the series with the same name. Since this is the first book, you can read it as a standalone. But I will go on a limb and say that the rest of the series will not be standalone. There was so much world and character-building that it would be hard to jump right in if you started reading later in the series.
The main storyline of To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods centers around Ruying. It was well-crafted and well-written. Add in the more minor, secondary storylines (with Ruying’s family, Antony’s family, and the resistance), and I couldn’t put the book down. I devoured this book in one sitting.
Ruying was not a likable character when the book began. Was she sympathetic? Yes. But, likable, no. She hated the Romans with a passion. She witnessed her father and sister get addicted to a drug that they introduced to the population. She also chafed under the rules that they imposed. So, I wasn’t surprised when she did something stupid and got caught by the Romans. There was a change in her after the Romans caught her, which saddened me. But, again, I understood. Everything she did, she did to protect her grandmother and sister.
I did not like Antony. He used terror and psychological tactics to tear down Ruying and build her up to what he wanted. He was a master manipulator who said all the right things to Ruying to gain her trust and confidence. But I couldn’t help but pity Antony in a way. He, too, was shaped into what he was by a cruel adoptive grandfather and father. I wasn’t surprised when a huge secret of his was revealed. I did see it coming, but I wasn’t prepared for what it did to Ruying.
The magic in To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods was fascinating. People were either born with or without magic. But, since the Romans arrived and after they destroyed the temples (where people learned to control their magic), magic was disappearing. The author showcased different levels of magic, going from common to rare. Ruying’s magic fascinates me because of what is tied to it (every life she takes shaves years off her life). But I also wondered if that was true (something Antony said to Ruying made my antenna go up). I also wondered if her sister’s magic (life) would come into play later in the series.
The book had a romance angle, but it made me slightly sick to read. I understand that Ruying was developing something akin to Stockholm Syndrome, and her feelings came from that. But still. Her other romance choice, a childhood friend turned drug kingpin, wasn’t much better. But I would have chosen him over Antony.
The end of To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods only raised more questions than it answered. Nothing was resolved, but a lot was revealed. Given how the last chapter ende, I look forward to what will happen in book 2.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Molly X. Chang for allowing me to read and review the ARC of To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
If you enjoy reading books similar to To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods, then you will enjoy these books:
New York Times bestsellers P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast return with a new duology set in a dark and magickal world filled with incredible danger and irresistible romance.
Wren Nightingale isn’t supposed to have any powers. Born of magickal parents but not under a moon sign, she was destined for life as a Mundane—right up until she starts glowing on her eighteenth birthday. In a heartbeat, Wren’s life is turned upside down, and she’s suddenly leaving her home for the mystical Academia de la Luna—a secret magickal school on a hidden island off the Seattle coast.
Lee Young has always known about his future at the Academia. He has one goal: pass the trials, impress the Moon Council, and uphold his family’s reputation. But he wasn’t expecting to be attending alongside the girl he’s been secretly in love with for as long as he can remember.
As Wren and Lee are thrown into the Academie’s gruelling trials, they quickly learn there’s something different–and dangerous–about the school this year. Wren will have to navigate a web of secrets, prophecies–and murder. And Lee will have to decide who to protect–his family’s legacy, or the girl he loves.
First Line:
I’m pretty sure that, at any moment, blue and red lights will flash and the local sheriff will tear down the street and stop me. Again.
Draw Down the Moon by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Important details about Draw Down the Moon
Pace: Medium
POV: 1st person (Wren and Lee)
Content/Trigger Warnings:Draw Down the Moon contains themes of death, violence, blood, grief, death of a parent, murder, gaslighting, toxic friendship, injury & injury detail, bullying, classism, misgendering, *anxiety & anxiety attacks, death of a sibling, boating accidents, and knife violence. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.
Anxiety & AnxietyAttack—Lee remembers anxiety attacks that plagued him as a child while talking with Wren.
Language:Lost & Hound contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.
Series:Draw Down the Moon is the first book in the Moonstruck series.
Sexual Content: There is very mild sexual content in Draw Down the Moon.
Setting: Draw Down the Moon is set in Oregon (Fern Valley and Seattle) and on an island in the Pacific Northwest (Moon Isle).
My Review:
I have been a big fan of P.C. Cast, having read her Tales of a New World series and loved it. So, when I saw that she had a new book, Draw Down the Moon, I knew I needed to read it, and I was thrilled when I got the widget from St. Martin’sPress in my email. Having read the book, I think it was an excellent start to this series.
The main storyline of Draw Down the Moon centers around Wren and Lee. Wren is born a Mundane in a world where magic is powerful. On the other hand, her best friend, Lee, is a potent healer and is going to the highly sought-after Moon Isle to learn how to harness his magic. But everything changes when, on the night of her eighteenth birthday, Wren suddenly develops magic. At a loss of how it happened, Wren soon finds herself on a ferry to Moon Isle. Once on the island, Wren is plunged into a treasure trove of secrets and lore. With the secretive head of the school seemingly watching her, the elemental assigned to her house protecting her, and her feelings for Lee growing daily, Wren must figure out what is going on. But the truth will have a cost, either breaking Wren or setting her on a path to right old wrongs.
The main storyline of Draw Down the Moon was well written. Even the fact that it was a dual POV didn’t bother me. The author could seamlessly go between Wren and Lee’s POV without disrupting the storyline. I also liked that while I figured out what was happening (around when Wren had the 2nd trial), I was still surprised at what happened and the fallout.
I did get some strong Harry Potter vibes during the chapters where the other students were assigned to their houses. But I did like how they were assigned (it was better than the Sorting Hat, and yes, I am prepared for backlash on that). The Harry Potter vibe got stronger when they entered the dorms. But, as soon as Wren got her room, those vibes stopped, and the book started to take shape. I will warn you, there is no kindly headmaster (actually, just the opposite) or teachers with an agenda (well, not that I saw). The only magical creatures are the elementals that allowed the school to be on the island, and they are dangerous.
I liked Wren. She was mischievous and not afraid to stand up for herself. She was also out of her element during the first few days in school. Her lack of magic did set her apart. But it was during the first trial that I noticed something about her power. That thought grew when the elementals started approaching and talking to her. I did wish that she and Lee weren’t so tight. I would have loved to see her interact with Sam or any other students she befriended more.
Lee was all right, and I felt terrible for him. The poor kid was under so much pressure to live up to the family name that he suffered panic attacks. Add in that his older sister was killed while at the school, and he was barely keeping it together. At times, I could see almost two different sides of Lee. There was one side where he was this carefree boy man who just wanted to hang with his girl, and there was the other side where he was this anxiety-ridden mess who couldn’t/wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize his family name. I wasn’t surprised by any of his decisions. They were all done to further his family name. The only thing he couldn’t control was Wren or his feelings for her.
The fantasy angle of Draw Down the Moon was amazing. I loved that the author chose the magic system based on astrology. At first, there wasn’t much information about the different signs and magic. But, as the book went on, the author did start explaining the origin story of the Moonstruck and the other magic. I also liked that the author used elementals instead of the usual creatures featured in these books. The fact that the elementals were aware of Wren and were protecting her, but no reason was given, was frightening.
The fantasy angle also included a book Wren could not read (the writing was messed up). How she got the book was pretty funny, but she needed to decode it once she got it. All she knew was that Lee’s older sister wrote it, and it was something explosive. I wasn’t prepared for what it was and the fallout that happened. But I did like seeing the lore and the island’s past brought into better focus. It explained a lot.
The last couple of chapters of Draw Down the Moon were heartbreaking. While I like it when an author kills off major secondary characters, I was very heartbroken and surprised by who the author chose. While I had figured out Wren’s magic, I was not prepared for what happened at the end of the book. The revelations that were revealed were earth-shattering, as was the fight that went along with them. I also didn’t blame Lee for what he did.
The author ended Draw Down the Moon on a cliffhanger. There were so many questions that needed to be answered. And when I say so many questions, I mean it. I cannot wait to read book two and see what the fallout from the death and Wren and Lee’s actions have on the island.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, P.C. Cast, and Kristin Cast for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Draw Down the Moon. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
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The runaway international bestseller–part sweeping historical epic, part legal thriller–following the trial that shaped the life of the young Julius Caesar and gave root to an immortal legacy.
Every legend has a beginning.
Rome, 77 B.C. Senator Dolabella, known for using violence against anyone who opposes him, is going on trial for corruption and has already hired the best lawyers and even bought the jury. No man dares accept the role of prosecutor–until, against all odds, an unknown twenty-three-year-old steps out to lead the case, defend the people of Rome, and defy the power of the elite class. This lawyer’s name is Caius Julius Caesar.
Masterfully combining exhaustive historical rigor with extraordinary narrative skills, Santiago Posteguillo shows us the man behind the myth of Caesar as never before, taking us to the dangerous streets of Rome where the Senate’s henchmen lurk on every corner, submerging us in the thick of battle, and letting us live the great love story of Julius Caesar and his wife, Cornelia.
After Julius Caesar, the world was never the same. I Am Rome tells the tale of the early events that shaped this extraordinary man’s fate–and changed the course of history itself.
First Line
The woman spoke quietly to her baby as she rocked him.
I Am Rome by Santiago Posteguillo
Important details about I Am Rome
Pace: Slow
POV:3rd person (numerous people but mainly from Julius Caeser)
Trigger Warnings:I Am Rome contains themes that include rape, sexual assault, slavery, torture, war, classism, arranged marriage, divorce, alcohol consumption, childbirth, pregnancy, teen pregnancy, blood & gore depiction, body horror, dead bodies & body parts, knife and sword violence, murder & attempted murder, whipping, massacres, military service, and military violence.
Language:I Am Rome contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.
Sexual Content: There is moderate sexual content in I Am Rome.
Setting:I Am Rome is set in and around Rome, Italy.
My Review
Julius Caesar is one of those historical figures that have fascinated me ever since I could remember. But, when I tried to read books (mainly nonfiction) that described his reign over the Roman Empire, it would bore me. I also couldn’t find a historical fiction that stuck to the facts. Because of that, I was hesitant to accept the widget when Random House sent me it. But I did, and oh boy, I am glad that I did. This book was fantastic.
I Am Rome is well-written, well-researched historical fiction that captivated me from the prologue. This book is over 600 pages long, and its length can be slow. I normally cannot deal with a slow, long book, but in this case, it worked. I could process the different parts of Julius Caesar’s life without getting overwhelmed by the information given.
The story of Julius Caesar is told in two storylines. The first storyline revolves around Julius Caesar and the trial where he prosecuted Senator Dolabella, a morally and politically corrupt politician. The second storyline follows Julius Caesar from birth to the years before he took the Senator Dolabella case. I was interested in the trial storyline (I liked how Caesar pleaded his case and presented the witnesses/evidence against Dolabella), but it was a little dry. The second storyline explained almost everything brought up in the first storyline. Yes, I know that what I said is phrased awkwardly, but it will make sense if you read the book.
What I loved about this book is that the author included footnotes at the end of each chapter. He also gave direct quotes about where cities would be in the present day and other interesting tidbits of information, so I was not left wondering about anything.
The undercurrent of I Am Rome is a love story between Cornelia and Caesar. I don’t know if Caesar truly loved Cornelia in real life, but he adored her in this book. And she returned his feelings. They did run up against a few obstacles, but love trumped everything. I adored reading their interactions because Caesar truly seemed to consider what Cornelia said.
I Am Rome is violent and bloody. The author didn’t attempt to sugarcoat the violence. He laid it all out there. Some scenes made me retch, and others made me furious. But, I kept in the back of my mind that it was in context with the period in which it was written. I did provide a list of trigger warnings above.
The end of I Am Rome was very suspenseful. The author merged the two storylines at the perfect moment. While the trial ended in a way that I expected, I was not expecting what happened after. The author left the book open for book 2; I can’t wait to read it!!
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine, NetGalley, and Santiago Posteguillo for allowing me to read and review this ARC of I Am Rome. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
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A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.
Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.
Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.
First Line:
My mother taught me many skills to ensure I’d make a good wife to my husband.
A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle J. Jensen
Important things you need to know about Ill-Fated Fortune:
Pace: Fast
POV:1st person (Freya)
Trigger Warnings:A Fate Inked in Blood contains themes that include violence, war, death, blood, gore, death of a parent, fire & fire injury, murder, sexism, injury & injury detail, animal death, grief, bullying, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, infidelity, misogyny, physical abuse, vomit, kidnapping, gaslighting, classism, suicide attempt, bigamy, and toxic relationships.
Series:A Fate Inked in Blood is the first book in the Sage of the Unfated series.
Language: There is moderate swearing in A Fate Inked in Blood. There is also language used that might offend some people.
Sexual Content: There is moderate sexual content in A Fate Inked in Blood. But, the lead-up to Bjorn and Freya having sex is explicit.
Setting:A Fate Inked in Blood is set in Skaland.
Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):
In an unwanted and abusive marriage, Freya lives to keep her husband, a child of the gods, happy. Freya is also hiding a huge secret, one so big that it could rip apart everything that she knows. And it happens; her secret is discovered the day her husband decides to have her killed by the king so he can marry another woman. What is Freya’s secret? She is also a child of the gods. She is The Shieldmaiden of a prophecy where she is foretold to unite a fractured Skaland.
Brought to the capital of Skaland by a fanatical Snorri (the king), Freya is forced to marry him and then is bound by a blood oath to keep his secrets. Snorri then orders his son, Bjorn, to train and protect Freya. Freya is desperate. She needs to learn to fight and control her magic to appease Snorri and the gods. Meanwhile, she survives attempts on her life and trials given by the gods. Freya is also battling an attraction to Bjorn, which is forbidden since he is technically her stepson. Can Freya live up to what the prophecy said and unite Skaland? Or do the gods have other plans for her?
My Review
I was browsing NetGalley (specifically the Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine page) when I noticed A FateInked in Blood and saw it was wish only. I was going to pass (the cover didn’t thrill me then), but when I read the blurb, I knew I needed to read it. This book was based on Norse mythology, and from the blurb, it looked good. So, I took the gamble and wished for it. I was thrilled when I got the email telling me it was granted. Now that I have read the book, I can tell you that it is fantastic. It was a rare five stars for me!!
A Fate Inked in Blood’s main storyline centers around Freya, her magic, and Bjorn. The author took Norse gods and goddesses and interwove them into a violent and bloody storyline that reflected how the way of life was back when people still worshipped the gods. But she put her own spin on things, which made this book so good.
I loved Freya. Her life wasn’t great the entire book. But she kept her wits about her and used her circumstances to better herself. I also liked how she handled being told that she would unite Skaland. Her reaction was something that I could see an ordinary person doing.
Freya’s magic was a huge aspect of the book, but at the same time, so little was known about it. Her training wasn’t excellent (she had to be trained fast), and most of what she knew was instinctive. A massive twist in her origin story took me by surprise. I hope that in book 2, she gets the training to understand and use her magic.
Oh, Bjorn, let me tell you about Bjorn. He was utterly devoted to Freya when his father made him her protector. But, even before that, he looked out for her. His backstory was tragic. It was a little drawn out, and I figured out what was happening before the book’s end. But, it was that drawn-out story, along with his utter devotion to Freya, that made him so amazing to read.
I want to warn you that A Fate Inked in Blood has a lot of gore and violence. But, considering when this book took place, I thought it was weird if there wasn’t any (if that makes sense).
Several secondary storylines involve Snorri and his war. From the threats to kill her family to marrying her to going into battle, it helped flesh out Freya’s storyline and made me better understand what she was going through.
The fantasy angle of A Fate Inked in Blood was terrific. The author did her research when it came to Norse gods and customs of that era. I couldn’t put the book down when Bjorn and Freya battled through the caves or when the gods came to witness her battle.
While I saw how Bjorn’s storyline would end, I did not expect the book to end the way it did. I was utterly floored by what was revealed about Freya and Bjorn. I didn’t see it coming, and I had to reread those chapters several times to understand everything. Events happened so fast that I did get turned around. It also made me very excited to read book2. Because I can’t wait to see what a pissed-off Freya is capable of!!
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Danielle L. Jensen for allowing me to read and review this ARC of A Fate Inked in Blood. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
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Escape Into Reading 