Tag: fantasy

Something (Wisteria: Book 1) by Shelby Lamb

Something (Wisteria, #1)

Title: Something

Author: Shelby Lamb

Publisher: Grunge Bookz

Date of publication: January 9th, 2017

Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Mental Health, Paranormal

Number of pages: 304

Series: Wisteria

Something – Book 1

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

“I will find true love and everything will be okay. I will find true love and everything will be okay…” she chanted.

They say be careful what you read. Something is wrong. Something is very wrong. It can happen to anyone. This is just four teenagers’ story. Aubrey Golding hates her face, her body, and is devastated after Nathan Silva leaves her. Alone, suicidal, and desperate for love, she discovers a book called Something and unknowingly links others to a dark and terrifying curse that is beginning to consume her. Nathan is glad to be moving on with someone new and can hardly believe what is happening now. Wild child and amateur porn star, Bella Broadhurst, loves bullying that “emo whore” Aubrey with the other girls, but mostly she loves partying, hookups, and plain ol’ drama when terror arises. And Kendra Coke is just a new teen mother working on a delicate relationship when things start becoming utterly bizarre. Chilling sleep disturbances and figures hiding in the corners of their rooms are just warnings of what is to come. Be careful what you read, they say. Tread carefully.

My review:

A quick warning before I start my review…..there are triggers in this book and I will be mentioning them. So, do not read this review if it will affect you in any way!!

Now, onto the review.

This is a book that you can’t read without feeling sympathy/horror/anger (or a combination of all three) towards the main characters. Their lives are so messed up that it isn’t even funny. Actually, the only halfway normal one, if you call her that, is Kendra. Her only issue is that she is 15 and having twins. Other than that, she is probably the nicest person in the book and I felt awful when what happened to her happened.

I felt awful for Aubrey. She is bullied mercilessly, she has self-esteem/mental health issues, she is stalking her ex-boyfriend and she has self-esteem problems. She self-medicated through sex, drinking, drugs, and cutting. At one point in the book, she attempted suicide. When she did reach out for help, she was told she was imagining things and it was all in her head. Even her teachers at school were jerks. The poor kid could not catch a break. Her only solace was reading a book that she found in a used bookstore, a book called Something and hanging out with her best friend, Adelaide. But there are things that Aubrey doesn’t realize that Adelaide is hiding from her. She also doesn’t realize what Something is and what it could do.

All Aubrey wanted was for someone to love her for who she was and….someone listened. But that someone (or something???) was really not the person that she should be going for. Because they wanted to possess her….totally.

I really thought what Nathan and Adelaide did to Aubrey was awful….mainly because Adelaide was Aubrey’s best friend. Nathan really should have moved onto someone else and you know what, I didn’t blame Aubrey for reacting the way she reacted when she found out. I think I would have done the same thing.

The horror part of the book was truly that. I actually jumped in places (like when Audrey discovered the hidden door that led to a secret passage in Tyler’s house). The author did a great job with writing just enough to get your brain working and then she would change the scene. Gaaahh!!!!

I thought the author did a great job ending certain storylines (of course in the creepiest way possible) and merging the Audrey/Nick/Adelaide storyline.

The way the book ended totally hooked me into the next book. I need to know what happens!!!

How many stars will I give Something: 5

Why: This is a genuinely creepy fantasy/horror book with characters that I could relate too. I was sucked into the book from page one and literally could not put the book down. I would be hesitant to let anyone over the age of 16 read this book because of the triggers. Other than that, the book was great!!!

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Late Teen

Why: Language, sex. Also an attempted suicide scene, drug use, bullying

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

The Name of Death by Joshua Robertson

The Name of Death

Title: The Name of Death

Author: Joshua Robertson

Publisher: Crimson Edge Press

Date of publication: January 2nd, 2016 (originally published December 26th, 2016 by Smashwords)

Genre: Fantasy

Number of pages: 40

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Drada Koehn is a fearless, formidable fighter ensnared in a presaged war against the northern humans. When the Speaker foretells their victory upon discovery of the name of death, she sets out to unravel the mysterious prophecy. Now, bound by duty and honor, Drada faces untold horrors with her companions, searching for what may never be found. In a story of unexpected twists, she soon finds that her resolve to see the quest done will be the fortune or doom of her people.

My review:

Since this was a very short story (4o pages), this is going to be a very short review. If I write a longer review, I would run into a conundrum of revealing something I shouldn’t. Which I don’t want to do.

The Name of Death was very well written. From the beginning, where Drada was doing the death rites for her war brother to the end, it sucked me in. But, it also left me with questions. Questions that probably will be answered when I read the novels that this short story is set in.

The characters were pretty fleshed out for being in a short story. Which is good because I have read some short stories where the characters weren’t given much detail or you had to read other books to realize who they were. Not this book and I liked it.

I am not going to discuss the end of the book because I can’t without giving anything away. Let’s just say that things aren’t too good and I was made to wonder if this short story leads into a bigger one.

How many stars will I give The Name of Death: 4

Why: I thought this was a great short fantasy. From what I understand from other reviews, there are other books in this world and I am very interested in reading them.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Early teen

Why: Violence

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

Spectra by Ebony Olson

Spectra

Title: Spectra

Author: Ebony Olson

Published: Inkitt

Date of publication: February 22nd, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Number of pages: Unknown

POV: Alternating 1st person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

One touch of Spectra’s fingers leaves the predator Bay craving more.

Spectra is a Balance; a decadent of angels whose soul has been intertwined with that of sorcerer Alexander, although her heart belongs to Mercury, the son of an archangel.
Bay is a predator de Sang and sorcerer, who runs his own private security company, fighting the purist organization Essence. Seeking out Spectra for her special abilities the last thing he expected to find was a Balance strong enough to withstand his potent energy. With her heart and soul already claimed, could there be room for another in her life?

When Bay’s infatuations bring Spectra to the attention of Essence and put her life at risk, he must learn that sometimes sacrificing the ones you love is the only way to save them.

My review:

When I started reading Spectra, I went into it thinking that it was going to be one of those paranormal romances that focuses more on the sex than the story. Boy, was I wrong. While sex does get mainlined for a while, the real story ends up being the relationships that Spectra has with Bay, Merc and Alexander and, of course, the Essence storyline (which was fascinating).

Spectra was a tough chick. She was dealt a crap hand in life. Her sister was killed by a predator (think vampire/were animal), her mother just couldn’t deal and committed suicide when Spectra was 14. Then she is date raped after her college boyfriend slips her a Rufie and she dies from an allergic reaction to it. She is brought back to life and she makes it her life’s mission to help those who can’t help themselves (victims be it of abuse or other things).

Alexander was so sweet at first and then he morphed into a jerk. I was kinda taken aback when he did the 180 because it went against how he was portrayed. But when it was revealed why he morphed into a jerk, I wanted to reach into the book and smack him. Put it this way: Can’t have your cake and eat it too!!!

Next to Spectra, Merc was my favorite character in the book and he was a perfect fit with Spectra. Their relationship was a little strange (totally open, both were able to see/sleep with other people) but it worked for them because they didn’t get jealous. I mean, the first time we meet Merc, he is nailing a girl in Tommy’s bar……lol.

I wasn’t too sure about Bay at first. But the more I read, the more I started to like him and by the end of the book, I loved him. He also was a good fit with Spectra but, and stress but, because he was a predator (aka vampire) and a sorcerer (which is the first time I think that I have read those two being combined). He was the one the uncovered the wrongs that Alexander was doing to her, thinking that he was protecting her, and he was the one that was there, along with Merc, when Spectra needed him the most.

The whole storyline as to who Spectra’s father was and the storyline about exactly what she is was played out beautifully. I kinda felt bad for her when it was revealed who her father was, and a little shocked, to be honest. Then when Bay finds out exactly what she was, again it was a huge surprise to me. There were hints dropped throughout the book but I didn’t exactly put two and two together until Bay found out.

I would be a fool if I didn’t address the sex scenes. They were all hot. Very hot but what ruined them for me is that Spectra would go from one man’s bed to another in the same day. Also, the whole cumming in her until she was married. It was great (and that she insisted on condoms was awesome) until well, you have to read the book. I wish that it was carried out until the end because it was kinda different.

The ending was good but I couldn’t tell if there was going to be a book 2? I am so torn because there was so much left in the air.

How many stars will I give Spectra: 4

Why: A great paranormal/fantasy with hot sex scenes. The ending I was a little torn on and I wish there was better clarification on if there is going to be a book 2.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, violence, and language

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

By Virtue Fall: A Song of the Shadowdance (Shadowdance Saga: Book 1)by Mark Wooden

By Virtue Fall: A Song of the Shadowdance

Title: By Virtue Fall

Author: Mark Wooden

Publisher: Writer Geek Press

Date of publication: March 8th, 2014 (original publication date was December 20th, 2013)

Genre: Fantasy

Number of pages: 236

POV: 3rd person

Series: Shadowdance Saga

By Virtue Fall – Book 1

For Her Sins – Book 2

A Reason to Live – Prequel

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Vampire and assassin Adriana Dupré have nothing left.

Manipulated into slaughtering nearly all of her bloodline, she wants only two things: finding her sister-turned-vampire and avenging the deaths of her family.

Sorcerer and Hollywood bad-boy Dwyer Strathan has information she needs. To get it, Adriana must retrieve two relics — the Vyntari shards.

To get the shards, Adriana must journey from the soulless glamor of modern-day Los Angeles to the seedy underworld of Berlin.

She will engage in battles against vengeful werewolves, a trio of warrior sorcerers who protect the Vyntari shards, and other supernatural creatures bent on keeping her at bay.

Each encounter draws Adriana deeper into the supernatural underworld’s struggle for control of the shards, a struggle long hidden from human eyes —

The Shadowdance.

Adriana must ultimately decide if her desire for revenge is worth giving Strathan the power to destroy the world.

My review:

By Virtue Fall is an action-packed fantasy that doesn’t lose steam. We follow Adriana as she goes up against the Daughters of Lilith, her former cohorts, in an effort to try to save her sister, Dominique from them. In her effort to do so, Adriana joins forces with Dwyer Stratham, the head of the Order of Haroth….a group of sorcerers that practice dark magic. She is to get him Vyntari shards….relics that are very powerful and very important. If she gets them, Dwyer will give her information about her sister. Stress if. Adriana has to go up against the guardians of the shards, the Knights of Vyntari and the werewolves that she almost caused the extinction of.

***************************************

This book was action packed from the first page when Makeda steals one of the Vyntari shards from a mystical temple that is shrouded on Mount Kanchenjunga and doesn’t let up until the end. One of the reasons why I really liked this book. Sometimes, and I have said this in other posts, a girl just needs nonstop action in her book. I liked that there were different fighting styles shown (Japanese was the main one). The nerd in me cheered when Michael Freeman had a quarterstaff and used it while blind. I also liked the epic fight scenes. Every single one with Adriana was epic.

Now, the blood and gore in this book might be a little too much but it is needed. This book isn’t heart, flowers and happy endings. It is a book about revenge and revenge can be a little bloody if you are a vampire on a mission. Take for instance the killing of the international pop star. Talk about an image that is burned into your brain. That had to have been the goriest deaths in a book that I have read in a while.

Adriana took a while to grow on me but she did. During the course of the book, you could see her going from this heartless assassin to a vampire who wanted to make amends with those she hurt (even if they hated her and wanted her dead). She was so full of rage and I liked how she turned that rage into a finely honed weapon.

What I really liked was the way Adriana was turned into a vampire. Talk about a different way of doing it and again, refreshing to read. I actually like his way better than the usual way that vampires are spawned. Less chance of rogue vampires running around and the vampire population is kept under strict control.

Another first for me was that the author hyperlinked main characters bios into the story. So, all I had to do was tap the name and it went right to the bio on the book’s website. I found that it was easier to do that (and not lose my place in my book) then to go looking for it. I have a Kindle Paperwhite and it can be a little difficult navigating at times. So to have that information at my fingertips was great!!!

The storylines were not resolved in this book and the book was ended in a way that it was left wide open for book 2.

How many stars will I give By Virtue Fall: 4

Why: An action-packed book that features some kick-ass vampires. I couldn’t stop reading it.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Violence and language

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

Evening’s Land by Pauline West

Evening's Land

Title: Evening’s Land

Author: Pauline West

Publisher: Self Published

Date of publication: February 20th, 2017

Genre: Gothic, Romance, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Fantasy

POV: 1st person and 3rd person

Number of pages: 376

Series: No

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

The dark elegance of Anne Rice’s THE WITCHING HOUR meets the lush parallel worlds of Neil Gaiman’s SANDMAN series.

Reeling after her best friend’s suicide, Ada Walker falls under the spell of the collective subconscious, the EVENING’S LAND, searching for Faye’s soul with a rakishly hypnotic ghost named Christopher.

Richly preternatural and spine-tinglingly erotic, EVENING’S LAND is an exploration of love, loss, and loyalty that will haunt you long after the last page is turned.

My review:

This review is going to be so very hard to write. Not because the book was good, it was very good, it is because I am going to have a hard time not giving away some major that happens in the book. So I am very carefully editing what I am writing here (I have already deleted 3 starting paragraphs but will be keeping this one).

I think the author did a great job highlighting what happens after someone commits suicide. What happens to the people who are left and how it strains relationships/friendships. I really wanted to hug Ada because of that trauma. No one should find their best friend dead.

I also wanted to hug Faye. She had a crappy home life. A father who seemed to disdain her and a mother who went along with it. The whole hiking trip in the cave nailed that for me and showed me why Faye took the risks she did and why she basically clung to Ada. I think that’s why she broke when she was raped.

Not that Ada had it any better. Her mother slept around, her father was an enabler and Ada started cutting as a direct result of that. So, when she found Faye, it pushed her over the edge. I think her parents did the right thing by moving her across the country so she could heal. Too bad that they couldn’t fix their own issues.

I think if I fell into the Land like Ada did, I would have done the same thing. I would try to find Faye’s soul and try to pull her out of her Purgatory. And I think I would have been as surprised as Ada was if I met a boy in the Land and I would have been even more surprised when he appeared in my bedroom and started to seduce me.

Speaking of Christopher, I was so wrong about him. So wrong and I got so mad at myself for being wrong. I really wish that he didn’t do what he did because it really pole-axed me and definitely changed the story. Want to know what it was??? Read the book, you won’t be disappointed.

The Oliver Roamery storyline was truly scary. I got goosebumps when he appeared in the story. He is one of the most genuinely creepy characters written. Evil just poured off of the pages when he appeared.

When all 3 storylines (plus the secondary storyline with Mary and Jupiter) meet, it is explosive. Again, read the book if you want to find out how/why it was explosive.

This book was told in 1st and 3rd person but the author did a great job of distinguishing not only who was speaking but what time frame. The whole first half of the book was basically flashbacks starting 3 years previously and alternating between Ada and Faye. Once Faye commits suicide, no more flashbacks, obviously but then the author switches to 3rd person to start the Oliver Roamery storyline.

This book is erotic but I liked that the author chose not to go into the details of when people were having sex. Just flashes of memory, which actually conveyed more than a whole paragraph would. The only time she got wordy was when Ada and Christopher were making out/Mary and Oliver (belch).

The end of the book wasn’t what I expected, at all. I am still shaking my head over it.

How many stars will I give Evening’s Land: 5

Why: This is the first Gothic fantasy that I have read and I have to say, I loved it. The author has an almost lyric style of writing and she keeps you very engaged throughout the book. The story and sub-storylines were brought together with a bang and the book ended with a bang.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes but with a warning about the suicide scene and the rape scene

Age range: Adult

Why: Language, Sex (forced and consensual) and mild violence

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

Push (Beat: Book 2) by Jared Garret

Displaying

Title: Push

Author: Jared Garrett

Publisher: Future House Publishing

Date of publication: Feburary 8th 2017

Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction

Number of pages: unknown

POV: 1st person

Standalone: No

Series: Beat

Beat – Book 1 (review here)

Push – Book 2

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Two months after the attack on New Frisko, Nik Granger and the other survivors believe themselves hidden from the tyrannical rule of Prime Administrator Adam Holland. After finishing a patrol, Nik returns to camp to discover everyone was wrong. Holland and his Enforsers have killed or captured most of the survivors—including Nik’s parents.

Barely escaping with their lives, Nik and his friends Pol and Melisa race to stop Holland before he murders their friends and family. As they travel through what’s left of America, they face danger at every turn, including Ranjers who will stop at nothing to carry out Holland’s sadistic orders. With the world against them, can they make it in time to save what’s left of humanity? And when it comes to it, will Nik have what it takes to destroy Holland once and for all?

My review:

Push picks up two months after Beat ends.

Nik and his group of Pushers are living in the woods, near New Fisko, and they are battling relentless Ranjers who are determined to wipe them out of existence.

During one attack on their camp, the Ranjers kill several people and take Niks mother and father (Kayt and Bruse) hostage per the Prime Administrator. He is warned that if he goes after them to find out where they were, then he will kill Nik’s parents. Which is the wrong thing to say to Nik.

They travel to another site (where other survivors from New Frisko are). After they get there, a group of Wanderers happens to wander near the camp (which is located in a cave). The leader of the triune of Wanderers dropped a bombshell on Nik. He knows information about Holland (the Prime Administrator) and is willing to let Nik know….if Nik lets Devera, a young Wanderer girl, join his triune. After making that decision, he returns to the caves to find Dyana and Pol arguing about Nik not being the leader of the Pushers. It escalates to Dyana blaming Nik for everything that happened from the destruction of New Frisko to present day. Nik makes the announcement that he will go traveling to San Francisco to see what intel he can get on Holland.

The trip to San Francisco is pretty much drama free and the trip to find Holland’s offices are too. One of the Wanderers, Lily, was alerted to an attack being planned by the Ranjers that targeted her father and she left with Pol and James to go warn him what was happening. Leaving Melisa and Nik to search the building. What they turned up (and almost died for) was something that would rock their worlds.

From this point on, the book focuses on Nik, James, Lily, Pol and Melisa and their journey to go free Nik’s parents. It is full of action and there was a twist that I kinda saw coming and one that I didn’t see coming.

I did think that Nik must have nine lives. That boy was beaten, stabbed, impaled with metal, shot and choked. He didn’t die. I seriously was in awe over that….lol. Either he was super lucky or he was a superhuman. I am still trying to figure that one out.

The substory of the Wanderers and the Outsiders was interesting. The Outsiders fascinated me and I really wished that there was more background on them. A society of people who have piercings, tattoos and body modifications while being artistic fascinated me.

The end of the book was great. I couldn’t get a feel if there is going to be a book 3 (there is the NorthWest, SouthWest, MidWest, SouthEast and NorthEast to explore…hint, hint).

How many stars will I gave Push? 4

Why: A great 2nd book that didn’t hold back on the action.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age Range: Teen

Why: No sex (a couple of very mild kissing scenes) and no language. Lots of violence.

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

Suri Five by Jacob Whaler

Suri Five

Title: Suri Five

Author: Jacob Whaler

Publisher: Self-published

Date of publication: December 29th, 2016

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Cyberpunk, Dystopian

Number of pages: 310

POV: 1st person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

A monster lurks inside Suri.
Consumed with grief and rage at the death of her mother, Suri channels her anger into a mysterious virtual reality war zone called the Game where she quickly rises to the top. A covert government unit is watching. Using a deep copy of Suri’s brain, they build Five, the ultimate artificial intelligence.
As the digital embodiment of the monster inside Suri, Five is the perfect weapon for the cyberwar with China. But when Five is unleashed online, she slips off her chains, turns against her creators and, with all of Suri’s rage boiling inside, vows to annihilate humankind.
Only Suri can stop Five.
But will she?

My review:

Suri Five is a fast-paced cyberpunk/dystopian/science fiction book about what happens when the government creates an AI who becomes self-aware and starts to wreak havoc on the world. Their only hope is the rage-filled teenager whose brain they illegally copied to make the AI.

**********************************

I am going to start by saying this had to have been one of the best cyberpunk/dystopian books that I have read to date. The book sucks you in and then takes you on a wild ride following Suri. Then it spits you out and makes you think about what you just read. Because fighting wars digitally and with AI’s are definitely in our future. As well as a world that totally relies on the Internet (known as the Mesh) for everything. If you think about it, its scary and that is what made this book so good.

I thought that the class separation (just rich and poor with no middle class) is spot on also. The middle class is quickly disappearing and unfortunately, this is something that I can see happening. And the wall, don’t even get me started on that.

What also makes this book good is that Suri is a totally unlikable character. She is a self-admitted bully with severe anger issues that started when she was 8 and her mother died of a brain tumor. The only time she was nice was when her younger brother, Tommy. Then she acted like a normal human being who wasn’t consumed by anger. To be honest, that was the only saving grace that she had in my eyes because I couldn’t stand her. I actually said out loud, and my SO just gave me this look when I said it, “Girl, you need therapy and meds”.

I liked Richard (or Dick as Suri decided to call him) a lot but I did think he was a fool to keep coming back and trying to warn Suri about The Game. She even got him expelled from school by hacking into the school’s system after he dared to try to talk to her during school. I don’t think he liked her that much but I do think that he felt that he needed to warn her about Blodgett. I mean, he was always there to save her. At one point in the book, I thought that there was going to be a romance blossoming and I was so thankful that nothing happened from it. To be honest, romance wouldn’t have fit into this book.

Blodgett was so slimy in this book. He did things so underhand, like get a copy of Suri’s brain under the guise that she had the same type of brain tumor that her mother did. What an awful, underhand thing to do to people. And all the training in The Game that he did had a double purpose too. I felt so dirty after reading the scenes with him in it that I wanted to take a shower.

Suri Five, I kinda felt bad for but at the same time, I was chilled by what I read. I mean, she didn’t ask to be brought to life,  she didn’t ask to be an exact copy of Suri and have her rage issues and she definitely didn’t ask to be a weapon of war. But however, she was self-aware and once she turned off her fail-safe, she could have made the choice to not do what she did. Instead, she turned into what Suri couldn’t be in real life, a mass murderer.

Oh and I do have to mention her name. Her same is actually Suri V. Take a good long look at it. So fitting for the book!!!

There is a huge plot twist that actually broke my heart. I did not see it coming and when it happened, I cried. It literally broke my heart. I couldn’t understand why it had to be that person but at the same time, I understood….if that makes sense.

The end of the book was actually pretty sad too. The last words of the book wrenched my heart. Arrgggh.

How many stars will I give Suri Five: 5

Why: I really enjoyed reading Suri Five. Like I stated above, it is a very fast-paced book with scenarios that could actually happen….given time. After I finished reading it, I had to stop and think about it.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Older teen

Why: Violence and some mild language.

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

Gilded Cage (Dark Gifts: Book 1) by Vic James

Gilded Cage (Dark Gifts Book 1) by [James, Vic]

Title: Gilded Cage

Author: Vic James

Publisher: Random House Publishing – Ballantine

Date of publication: February 14th, 2017

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy

POV: Alternate 3rd person

Number of pages: 368

Series: Dark Gifts

Gilded Cage – Book 1

Tarnished City – Book 2 (publication date not stated on Goodreads)

Bright Ruin – Book 3 (publication date not stated on Goodreads)

Standalone: Yes

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Not all are free. Not all are equal. Not all will be saved.

Our world belongs to the Equals — aristocrats with magical gifts — and all commoners must serve them for ten years. But behind the gates of England’s grandest estate lies a power that could break the world.

A girl thirsts for love and knowledge.

Abi is a servant to England’s most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of the noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family’s secrets might win her liberty, but will her heart pay the price?

A boy dreams of revolution.

Abi’s brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution.

And an aristocrat will remake the world with his dark gifts.

He is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy?

My review:

Gilded Cage starts off with a young woman, Leah, running for her life across the ground of the estate she was a slave too…Kyneston. She is hoping to make it to the wall before Gavar and Jenner do. She has her baby, Liberty (aka Libby) with her and she is hoping that Libby would be able to open the gate so they could escape. It doesn’t happen. Libby doesn’t have the Skill to open the gate. Or as Silyen, the youngest and the most Skilled of the 3 brothers said, maybe she doesn’t want to leave her family.  It doesn’t really matter anyway because before Leah could do anything else, Gavar shoots Leah. Miraculously, Libby isn’t hurt and Gavar takes her back to the house….leaving Jenner to mourn over Leah. Jenner does try to get Silyen to heal her but he won’t…saying that even he can’t bring back the dead. As they are talking, Leah dies.

A few months later, we are introduced to Abi, Luke, Daisy, and their mother and father.  Luke is the equivalent of a junior in high school and Abi, a senior. Their little sister, Daisy, is 10 years old. Luke is studying for his final exams when he notices a strange man looking at his father’s restored Austin-Healey. The man unnerves Luke, for some reason, and is quickly on his way after seeing that Daisy is celebrating her 10th birthday.

Later that night, Luke overhears something horrific. His mother and father have decided to enact their slave days. See, in this dystopian society, all commoners are supposed to serve the Equals, those who have the Skill and rule over the country, for 10 years. What is Skill….well consider it magic of a sort. The Equals can do anything with it…including healing, mind reading and building houses or maintaining a gate that only opens for the Equals. They are sent to a slave town (called Millmoor) to serve out their 10 years. After the 10 years are over, the commoners can hold certain jobs (never went into in the book), own a house and travel abroad.

So it is understandable that Luke is upset. He is losing 10 years of his life and Daisy, who is 10, will not be able to receive any education during the 10 years. Luke would be missing out on college, girls and the start of his life. I would be upset too.

But Abi had come up with a solution. She applied, for the family, at a department within the Labor Allocation Bureau called Estate Services. That is where the Equals go for their house slaves. Her application got accepted and they are being sent to serve the Jardine family on the estate of Kyneston. Seeing that Luke is under the age of 18, he goes with his family. It is the perfect solution to something that is dreaded in the lives of the common people.

Except it didn’t go that way. The day that they are being picked up by the LAB person to be driven to Kyneston, things change. The driver only has 4 names written: Mum, Dad, Daisy, and Abi. Luke, unfortunately, gets sent to Millmoor. Which is unheard of because he is a minor. The officer, who was an idiot and I didn’t like him at all, and Luke’s Dad gets into a scuffle. Dad gets a beat down and the officer, Kessler, explains that they are all nonpeople and have no rights. They all separate and then the story goes into Luke at Millmoor, Gavar at Kyneston and various areas, Silyen at Kyneston and Abi at Kyneston.

I couldn’t put my finger on how I felt about Silyen. He had an agenda and he wasn’t afraid to use people to get desired results. But I also saw glimpses of a kind person and of someone who could be more than what he was raised to be. If that makes sense.

Gavar did redeem himself in the book. I did feel bad for him because his father had an ironclad grip on him. It came out that he was in love with Leah but his father made him shoot her. Which is awful. But his father’s control over him was slipping. Gavar reminded me of an abused dog who is just waiting for its master to not be paying attention before tearing his throat out. I also feel that his fiancé will be caught up in that once Gavar snaps. But he does have a soft side. He loves his daughter and he is very taken with Daisy, who is Libby’s nurse and I believe that he would move heaven and earth to protect both of them. It is going to be very interesting to see how Silyen and Gavar’s storylines end up in the other books.

Jenner was actually my favorite brother. He is Skillless but he is an asset to the estate and runs it. He is close to Silyen (well as close as Silyen lets him be) and he is getting very close to Abi. So close that Jenner’s mother, Lady Thalia, reminds him that he is an Equal (even if he doesn’t have powers) and that she is a slave and warns him off her.

Daisy had to have been my favorite person in the book. She was so upbeat and always saw the bright side of everything. She even liked Gavar, which kinda blew my mind. To be caring for a baby at her age was amazing (now granted Gavar did most of the caring for Libby when he was home and Daisy was just there as a babysitter) but still. She matured over the course of the book and I can’t wait to see where the author takes her character in book 2

I honestly didn’t know what to think of Abi. At times I liked her, at times I wanted to tell her to shut up and at other times I was in awe over her braveness. I am very interested to see what happens to her in book 2.

I felt awful for Luke. Being ripped from his family, put into an awful slave town and being worked to the bone, no wonder he became radicalized. His friendship with Renie, a girl his sister’s age, was very cute but at the same time dangerous. The events after was reunited with his family were beyond his control. I am very interested in what happens to him. Very interested.

Lord Whittman Jaradine, Gavar, Jenner and Silyen’s father, is a bad, bad, bad man. I literally got the chills when I was reading his scenes because his evilness just came off the pages. Again, a storyline that I would be very interested in seeing where it goes. I am also interested in seeing what happens between him and Gavar.

The end of the book ends as a cliffhanger, which made me want to yell. If you have read my reviews for any length of time, then you all know how I feel about cliffhangers. But, it did get me interested in book 2 (which I didn’t know there was going to be one until I pulled Gilded Cage up on Goodreads).

How many stars will I give Gilded Cage: 4

Why: A great dystopian book. This was a quick read with complex characters. I can’t wait to read book 2!!

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age Range: Teen

Why: No sex, no language. But there is violence…including a graphic scene of a head being blown off. Also, there is a disturbing side story about a man forced to live like a dog.

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

Mage of Legend (Dragon Highlands: Book 1): A Kal’brath Novel by Jennifer Amriss

Mage of Legend (An M/M Gay Fantasy Romance): A Kal'brath Novel

Title: Mage of Legend

Author: Jennifer Amriss

Publisher: Magelight Press

Date of publication: February 3rd, 2017

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, LBGTQIA

POV: 3rd person

Number of pages: 352

Series: Dragon Highlands

Mage of Legend – Book 1

Kal’brath Novels

Race Against the Dark – Book 1 (review here)

Healing Wounds – Book 2 (review here)

Twilight’s Children – Book 3 (review here)

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes, the first book in the Dragon Highlands series

Where this book can be found: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Dimensional Rifters Were Nothing But Legends.
Until now…

Ages ago, one of the old gods threw Minuvel, the last Ivari, into a dimensional prison. She was too powerful to kill and too dangerous to let roam free. But her vault was lost.

A Spoiled King and A Skilled Hunter.

After a beautiful stranger saves his life, Xastrian, the new Dragon King, owes Velithor a life-debt. But as the two join forces to battle the crazed Ivari who shares their prison, he discovers he wants so much more. Soul-bonding with the shy, resourceful hunter would be worth anything. Even facing death a second time.

Trapped and Hunted.

Xastrian must rely on Velithor’s knowledge of the forest. Velithor must help Xastrian regain his power. And one of them must tap into the magic of legend to become a dimensional rifter before the Ivari drives Xastrian mad and ruins their chances of ever finding their way home.
Reading Order

Mage of Legend
Lurir: Going Home (Short Story)- COMING SOON!
*Dragon Court- COMING SOON!

Dragon Highlands Book 1.

This side duology to the Kings of Kal’brath series is set in the same universe where Mother, the sentient planet, cradles the races of three parallel worlds: Adradis of the elves and other magical races where the continent of Kal’brath resides, Earth of the magicless humans, and Morka of the magic-negating bashkai. If you loved the Kal’brath books, this duology brings back Velithor for more fun, romance, and gripping adventure.

These light fantasy romps are sure to be favorites you will want to read again and again.

Please note that this is book contains an M/M (Gay) Fantasy Romance subplot.

Want to know the reading order for the entire universe? Here you go!

1. Race Against the Dark (Kings of Kal’brath Pilot) [Het]
2. Healing Wounds: Mother Book One (Kings of Kal’brath 2) [Het]
3. Twilight’s Children: Mother Book Two (Kings of Kal’brath 3) [Het]
4. Mage of Legend (Dragon Highlands 1) [Gay]
5. Lurir: Going Home (Dragon Highlands Short) [Clean]
6. Dragon Court (Dragon Highlands 2) [Gay]

My review:

I was so excited when Jennifer contacted me to let me know that not only did she have another Kal’brath novel coming out and it was going to have Velithor in it, I was super excited. I didn’t come out and squeal like a teenager at a boy band concert but it was pretty close.

I am going to admit, I wasn’t a fan of Xastrian at first. He takes off after an assassination attempt (hello, an unknown person wanting to kill you!!) to practice his magic, which he isn’t very good at and not only did he end up blasting the area he was in (with everything in it) in between dimensions but he also almost died. After Velithor saves him, he acts like a spoiled brat. There were times I wanted to smack him. But he did start to grow on me. Slowly but he grew on me. By the end of the book, I really liked him.

Velithor, oh Velithor. I was so happy to see that he had a love interest that worshipped him. I actually cried a few times in the book. Once when Niral died saving him from the harpies (which, btw were not what I thought they would look like. WoW totally ruined that for me…..lol). Once when the mama grizzly died, leaving the cubs orphans and once when Velithor explained why he has white hair and Xastrian told him that he should feel cherished. Ahhhh…waterworks.

The sex scenes between Velithor and Xastrian were beyond hot and so sweet. The feelings between both of them just came off the pages and to be honest, it made the sex even sweeter to read. What I really liked, though, was that they had sex twice. The rest of the time, it was them making out and letting their feelings grow between each other.

The storyline involving Minuvel was awesome. She was a witch with a capital B and didn’t fail to pull out all the stops when he flat-out told her no. I was neutral about her at first (I mean, I would be little witchy if locked in a prison for as long as she was) but when she tortured Xastrian in the tunnels, I hated her. But she did get what was coming to her so I felt vindicated.

The storyline with the sithak was interesting. Mainly because how he was connected to both Velithor and Xastrian. I wasn’t expecting to like him that much or for him to actually care about them both. From the last book, I thought that he was a monster and I am glad that my image of the sithak was changed. I hope that he makes appearances in other books!!

The end of the book was pretty open-ended. I do have some questions that I hope will be answered in the next book. Like how will a certain engagement end up? And who is the assassin? Will the cubs stay with Velithor and Xastrian?

How many stars will I give Mage of Legend? 4

Why: I really liked this book. I couldn’t put this book down. I had to find out if Xastrian and Velithor defeat Minuvel and escape the prison. I couldn’t put the book down and finished it within a day and a half. It was that good.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and violence

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

The Devil’s Library: The Windhaven Chronicles by Waston Davis

The Devil's Library (The Windhaven Chronicles) by [Davis, Watson]

Title: The Devil’s Library

Author: Watson Davis

Publisher: Unknown

Date of publication: February 8th, 2017

Genre: Fantasy, Dark Fantasy

POV: 3rd person

Number of pages: 283

Series: The Windhaven Chronicles

The Devil’s Library – Book 1

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes, the first book in series

Where you can find this book: Amazon | Goodreads

Amazon synopsis:

A Rogue, A Renegade, and a Treasure Beyond Belief

Gartan finds a map to a treasure across the sea, and he decides he must have it. He plots and plans and refuses to be denied the greatest raid in history, even if he has to face down two of the greatest empires in the world.

And then the dragon arrives.

In this action-packed sword and sorcery novel of The Windhaven Chronicles, Watson Davis tells a tale of pride and greed, of magic beyond comprehension, and creatures beyond belief.

Buy it today.

My review:

As most of you know by now, if you have followed my reviews on Amazon or reading my blog long enough, I am a huge fan of anything in the dark fantasy genre. So when I was approached by Watson Davis to review this ARC, I jumped at the chance and I wasn’t disappointed.

Gartan, the Onei leader, reminded me of a 3-year-old. Very impulsive, selfish and prone to just doing what he wanted without thinking of the consequences. He drove me nuts for about half the book and I seriously wanted to smack him at times. Around the middle of the book, after the battle with the kraken, he started turning around for me. I believe it was when he kept Dyuh Mon from drowning after the kraken destroyed the boat he was on.

On the other hand, Tethan, Gartan’s son, the exact opposite of him. He spoke Shiran, so was able to communicate with about almost everyone that they came into contact with….not that it did any good with Gartan just killing them. He was against Gartan’s quest (following a map on human skin to a great prize….sounds like a good time (sarcasm here). But like a good son, he followed his father into battle. Hell, he even killed a dragon, earning the respect of the clans and his father.

I didn’t trust Dyuh Mon when he first appeared in the book. I don’t know if it was because you could tell that he was lying or his pointy teeth or what but he rubbed me the wrong way. For someone who used to be the Librarian for the Eternal Council, he was a weak little thing and he was more than happy to let Gartan do his dirty work for him. I did feel vindicated at the end of the book about my feelings for him (want to know what, read the book).

There are so many secondary characters that this post would be taken over. When I say I got very upset when some of these characters died (like Nohel), I am not lying. Normally, the secondary characters are flat and two-dimensional. These are not and they add so much to the story.

I will say that I liked the take on the magic users in this book. They were not all good, they used their magic in battle and they killed people with it. Which was utterly refreshing to read. Listen, I am all for magic being used for good with hearts and sparkles everywhere. But sometimes, you need to have magic that can blow a head off or explode a person.

I did get a laugh out of the book. Sorry, but I was gigglesnort laughing at the description of a honking kraken. For some reason, I had the image of a very angry goose…..lol.

I will also warn everyone, there is a lot of violence in this book. The Onei are barbarians and they definitely act like it. Between people getting blasted by magic, attacked by a mind-controlled dragon and getting killed in raids or by ships being attacked, the violence was through the roof and it was bloody. Now, it didn’t bother me any but it might bother someone who hates any type of violence.

I will say that the Gartan/Dyuh Mon storyline, once it merged, did surprise me at the end. I was not expecting what happened to happen. I don’t want to give too much of that away but the chick that was freed…….she was creepy.

The end of the book was pretty open and I really wasn’t surprised at by what I read. The way the book was set up at the end, though, would make a great intro to book 2.

How many stars will I give The Devil’s Library: 4

Why: I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters were well written and very 3 dimensional. I also liked the fact that magic wasn’t fluffy and cute in this book. It was used for good and bad. While the violence portrayed in the book didn’t bother me, it might bother other people who are sensitive to it.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes but with a warning about the violence

Age range: Adult

Why: Violence

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