**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**

Death Island is a new adult fantasy by author Kelsey Ketch. Death Island is a pirate adventure that is filled with intrigue and mythology. I enjoyed this novel overall. It was a lot of fun. I love a quest style adventure. I love pirates and I love mythology, so those elements of the story were right up my alley. I believe Death Island is slated to be a standalone, but the ending did leave open the possibility for some more exploration in this world that Kelsey Ketch has created.

There were a lot of things I really enjoyed about Death Island and a few things that held me back from totally falling in love with the story, but let's start with all the elements that I really enjoyed. First, I loved the main character, Meriden. She is spunky and fiery and a great adventure heroine. She was always up for whatever was thrown her way, which was evidenced by the fact that right in her first chapter she went from waking up to immediately getting involved in a pirate fight. It was easy for me to root for Meriden for the whole time. Next, I really liked the fact that Death Island is told in multiple points of views. It helped me get to know the characters better and kept the story interesting. The romance was also good. It felt a little predictable at times and a little cliche, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. The world that Kelsey Ketch created was also really cool. It is set in the 1800s, so it felt partially like a historical, partially like a fantasy with the mythology elements woven in and I really dug the mixture. And finally, I loved loved loved the mythology and the mystery of Death Island, Meriden and Gregory seek out to find. The characters and the mystery were what kept me interested in the book.

The list of what I did enjoy is so much longer than the list of issues I had with the novel, but the issue was enough to stop me from becoming fully obsessed with Death Island. This book was longggg and it felt even longer. Death Island clocks in at 726 pages, which makes it the longest single novel that I have read in a while. The length itself isn't necessarily an issue, because I have read plenty of really long books that I have absolutely loved, but this one felt slow. And the sheer length plus the kind of dense and meandering plot lines got to me in parts. It got to be a little boring at times. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it were broken up into installments and the pacing was sped up a little bit. But overall, I did enjoy the characters and the story. If there were another novel in this world, I would likely read it as well because I really enjoyed the world that Kelsey created. Fans of long fantasy novels and of hidden mystery style quest stories should check out Death Island. 

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**I Love You Subject to the Following Terms and Conditions is the first book in the adult romantic comedy series called Contract Killers by Erin Lyon. I loved this book. As soon as I read the title, I knew I was going to love this book. (The title still cracks me up.) I love you,  Subject to the Following Terms and Conditions (hereinafter "I Love You") (see, I can be lawyer funny too...) is set in a world where the concept of marriage has turned into a series of seven year contracts. At the end of your contract term, you and your partner can choose whether or not to re-sign for another term of years. How romantic, right? This book is marketed as, "27 Dresses meets Bridget Jones’s Diary for the millennial set", which I think is spot on. I really really enjoyed every moment of this book. In fact, when I got to the last page, I kept trying to turn for more. I need more!

I'm really hoping that the contract killers series is going to be several books long, focusing on lots of different "contract killers" or men that only go after women that have signed a contract with another man. But I know it will be at least two books long because our main character's story is not finished yet. I am dying to find out what is going to happen with Kate. I really like her. When we first meet her, she is pretty happy with the way her life has turned out. Until her jerk of a partner decides that he is not going to re-up their contract. Kate's journey is just so darn relate able. Whether it is on the newly single level, or on the trying to find a job/career level, something about Kate and this book will have you nodding along. I loved getting to know Kate. We would be great friends!

I completely adored Adam. I didn't think I was going to love him right away, but he totally won me over. I am so excited that we get to see another book and I am hoping for tons of Adam in it. This book left off at a killer cliffhanger, and I am itching to get my hands on the second book in the series. I think I love you is the perfect novel for fans of witty romances with tons of humor and lots of heart. This book needs to be made into a movie. The whole time I was reading I Love You, I was seeing it unfold on the big screen in my mind. I can't wait to read more from Erin Lyon because she totally sold me on this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**I Love You Subject to the Following Terms and Conditions is the first book in the adult romantic comedy series called Contract Killers by Erin Lyon. I loved this book. As soon as I read the title, I knew I was going to love this book. (The title still cracks me up.) I love you,  Subject to the Following Terms and Conditions (hereinafter "I Love You") (see, I can be lawyer funny too...) is set in a world where the concept of marriage has turned into a series of seven year contracts. At the end of your contract term, you and your partner can choose whether or not to re-sign for another term of years. How romantic, right? This book is marketed as, "27 Dresses meets Bridget Jones’s Diary for the millennial set", which I think is spot on. I really really enjoyed every moment of this book. In fact, when I got to the last page, I kept trying to turn for more. I need more!

I'm really hoping that the contract killers series is going to be several books long, focusing on lots of different "contract killers" or men that only go after women that have signed a contract with another man. But I know it will be at least two books long because our main character's story is not finished yet. I am dying to find out what is going to happen with Kate. I really like her. When we first meet her, she is pretty happy with the way her life has turned out. Until her jerk of a partner decides that he is not going to re-up their contract. Kate's journey is just so darn relate able. Whether it is on the newly single level, or on the trying to find a job/career level, something about Kate and this book will have you nodding along. I loved getting to know Kate. We would be great friends!

I completely adored Adam. I didn't think I was going to love him right away, but he totally won me over. I am so excited that we get to see another book and I am hoping for tons of Adam in it. This book left off at a killer cliffhanger, and I am itching to get my hands on the second book in the series. I think I love you is the perfect novel for fans of witty romances with tons of humor and lots of heart. This book needs to be made into a movie. The whole time I was reading I Love You, I was seeing it unfold on the big screen in my mind. I can't wait to read more from Erin Lyon because she totally sold me on this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

Soooo cute! Review to come.

4.5/5 stars

The Booke of the Hidden is the first book in a new series by the same name, by Jeri Westerson. I really, really enjoyed this supernatural/urban fantasy read. It follows our main character Kylie, as she moves across the country to a town in Maine, where she opens up her own Herb & Tea shop. There she finds a book hidden in the wall, called the Booke of the Hidden. From there, she is swept up in a crazy whirlwind demon hunting adventure that reminded me of part Buffy the Vampire Slayer and part Supernatural. I cannot wait to read more about this series.

Kylie is a feisty main heroine. She has no problem standing up for herself, which I loved about her. Even when she first meets the mysterious Mr. Dark, she doesn't mind putting him in his place. I loved that Kylie was immediately embraced into this quirky small town. It is already a spiritual town. Kind of like in Buffy, where the town seemed to be the epicenter of supernatural activity. Except in this case, it is not because of a hell mouth, but rather because of the Booke. The Booke is really rather fascinating, so I am going to put a spoiler in place right here, which is really not much of a spoiler since it's descirbed within the first 50 pages of the story, but click on if you want to see how the Booke works. 

When Kylie finds the Booke of the Hidden she opens it and sees that it is blank. The book forms a connection with Kylie and she is the only one that can open it. The Booke acts like a kind of pandora's box, and when she opened it she released a whole bunch of demons into the world. She is then tasked with rounding up and defeating the demons by killing them and writing in the Booke to trap them there. Cool, right?

There is a light budding romance in The Booke of the Dead. I really liked the romance, but I wanted more of it. If I am being honest with myself, the light romance is the reason I couldn't commit to 5 stars for this otherwise excellent story. I am really hoping that the romance will develop into something more in the next book, because I love the dynamic between the two of them. Bring on more romance! (even if it is a love triangle, I will take it) 

Bottom line: If you are a fan of demon hunting adventures, set in a cool atmosphereic small town, with plenty of supernatural baddies, then The Booke of the Hidden is a great book for you. It is the start of what is sure to be an exciting series. I can't wait for the second book. I love the spunky main character and I am really interested to see the whole cast of secondary characters developed more. Plus, I totally want more romance! I really enjoyed The Booke of the Hidden.

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**The Valiant is a young adult novel about a female gladiator. I was pretty much in from the very moment I saw the cover. And then I read the summary and I was really in! And then I saw the piles and piles of hype this book was getting and I was in even more. Sometimes hype makes me nervous, but I was already so convinced that I would love The Valiant that this hype just ratcheted my excitement up more. And guys, this is no ordinary hype. I am pretty sure The Valiant was the book I saw popping up on almost everyone's top 10 books of 2017.  And I am beyond happy to report that The Valiant lived up to my very, very high expectations and even exceeded them!

In The Valiant we meet Fallon, who has a vendetta against Julius Caeser for killing her sister. But before she can carry any of her plans out, she is captured and sold as a slave. She is sold to an elite training school for female gladiators. Let me repeat that! She is sold to a training school for female gladiators!!! Yes, please!! Fallon is awesome. I cannot even express how much I love her as a character. the other characters were compelling as well. I really enjoyed Elka and Cai. Fallon herself comes into her own. Her world view changes throughout the book, which is really exciting because I know there is so much more character growth to come in books 2 and 3. 

There is a lot of world building in The Valiant, which I loved. But it also makes me even more anxious for the second book, The Defiant. I think the romance is going to be more prevalent, and there will be plenty of kick butt characters doing kick butt things. I am all about Fallon and Caius. Right from their first meeting things were pretty explosive between these two. I want to see more from them! 

Bottom line: The Valiant lives up to everything it promises and more. Kick butt female gladiators, set in a wonderfully fleshed out world. The Valiant was an addictive read that I absolutely love. Bring on the second book!

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**Gathering Darkness is the third book in the Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes. The Falling Kingdoms series has been a beloved fantasy series for years now, and with the sixth book coming out this year now is the perfect time to get caught up. I read the first book, Falling Kingdoms years ago when it first came out, but then I never continued on with the series. I own the first five books and I have been meaning to continue on for years, but I never did. Now that the sixth book is out, I have decided that a binge read was in order. So I re-read book one and then continued on to book two, three and I am currently reading book four. 

This is a series that must be read in order, which means that it is almost impossible to discuss plot points in Gathering Darkness without getting involved in tons of spoilers, so I will keep this review to some of the general things I am LOVING about the Falling Kingdoms series. And let me start with this...I freakin' love these books! They are absolutely addictive. This series is turning out to be everything I love about fantasy series. So what exactly do I love about this series? Well, let me tell you. 

First, I love the massive and complex world. Mytica is made up of multiple different kingdoms, each with their own rulers, laws and complex difficulties. From each of these kingdoms we meet very different characters that plot lines become intertwined. I love learning about all of the different kingdoms and the magic structure and the whole world in general. Morgan Rhodes has done a fantastic job creating an immense world that is immensely interesting and woven with all kinds of fascinating details. One of my very favorite parts of a fantasy is getting to envision a whole new world in your head. And Mytica is full of magic and politician intrigue and plenty of crazy twists and characters to keep any reader totally invested and riveted to the story. 

Next, I love the characters. And there are a ton of characters. The books in the falling Kingdoms series are told from multiple perspectives and right from the very first book, I enjoyed that story telling method because we got to know so many people. Now, I will say- don't get too attached to any one character because Morgan Rhodes can be brutal with who she kills off. There are lots of deaths in each book and some of the twists in Gathering Darkness left me completely speechless! (That ending tho, right?!) Cleo is a personal favorite of mine. I love watching her come into her own as the books progress. Most of the characters have had really impressive character growth as the stories get more and more intense. 

Finally, the writing and the plot of Gathering Darkness was the best yet! I am being totally serious when I say that this series just keeps getting better and better as it goes on. Even at this moment, I am itching to finish my to-do list so that I can go back to reading Frozen Tides. The twists and turns keep getting bigger and more surprising and I cannot wait to see what is going to happen next in this series. It is quickly becoming one of my very favorites. There are tons of great characters, lots of romance (the various romances have had a lot of ups and downs for me, but I won't get into details so I don't spoil anyone) and a really intricate and awesome world and magic system. The Falling Kingdoms series is beyond excellent. If you are new to the series, I demand that you start reading right now so you can be ready for book six to release, and if you are an old fan, now is the perfect time for a re-read! Gathering Darkness and the series as a whole is one of my all time favorites!

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Ink, Iron, and Glass is the first book in a new duology by the same name from debut novelist Gwendolyn Clare. Ink, Iron, and Glass is a steampunk fantasy duology about a world where a type of science called scriptology exists. Scriptology is a science magic hybrid where the "scientist" can actually create a new world by scripting or writing it into existence. This concept gripped me right from the start. How awesome and complex it would be. And I was immediately intrigued to see how Gwendolyn Clare would handle such a big idea. And I have to say, she handled it really well. I loved that she didn't water the idea of writing a world into existence. She embraced how complicated and complex it would be. You have to make it livable world. If you create a world that does not support air, then everyone in that world would die. Same with gravity, warmth, food. Creating a world was not just about writing flowery descriptions of the rolling hills and beautiful field of flowers. Your coding had to back up with a world that was actually inhabitable. And I loved that. That also meant that the start of the book is a little dense. In a good way. There is a lot going on in the world of Ink, Iron, and Glass. 

Ink, Iron, and Glass is a book that really builds as it goes on. It was a book that just kept getting better and better. By the time I was done, I didn't want it to end. I loved the whole gang of characters. We follow Elsa who is on a quest to find her worldbook, after her home world was attacked. Elsa is a special kind of person and soon she finds herself a group of people who have abilities like she does. The group home kind of reminded me of refuge for masterminds, but with a magical element. They are called pazzerellones, and it was here that the steampunk elements of the story really came to life. I loved watching Elsa interact with people who were gifted either mechanically, or able to perform alchemy or scriptology, like she could. They set off to help her find her wolrd book, and they become entwined in something much larger than they expected. I loved the politics and all of the secrets.

Ink, Iron and Glass combines so many elements that I love in a fantasy. It has great characters, a really cool science and magic system, and a great plot line. The world itself was my favorite part of the novel. I just could not get enough of Scriptology. I really appreciate how much time and detail Gwendolyn Clare went into. She describes the world structure very well, which gave me a really solid foundation while I was reading. And then the adventure she sends the characters on was great. I loved some of the twists and secrets that were revealed, and I really liked the friendships that were formed. I was so happy to see positive friendships come from the group of pazzerellones. 

Ink, Iron and Glass is a fantastic debut novel, filled with magic, politics, intrigue, magic and a really fascinatingly complex world. This novel had me thinking all kinds of fantastical things. I cannot wait to get my hands on a finished copy of this one as well. The cover is stunning. I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book. I am excited to see how this duology wraps up.  This is a book you want to keep on your radar for sure.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Rise is the first book in the new adult Coven of Fire series by author Sierra Cross. It has been some time since I have read an urban fantasy and even longer since I have read an urban fantasy featuring witches, so I was really pumped to read Rise. I love new adult books that are in the fantasy and paranormal genres because there don't seem to be too many of them. Rise did not disappoint. I enjoyed this read from start to finish. There were a few slow sections of the book, but overall, I flew through this novel and I am anxiously awaiting the second book, which is already out. In fact, the first four books were all released in 2017, which is crazy! You go Sierra Cross! Book 5 is due to come out this year.

Rise follows our main characters, Alix, Callie, Matt, with some great secondary characters as well. I really enjoyed how many people were showcased in such a short book. I think that is going to be my favorite aspect of the upcoming novels as well. We get to watch some of the characters come into their powers and we get to watch everyone as a whole as they try and save the world. We get to learn about their parents coven, and watch as they start their own to try and battle the demons entering their world. The plot was interesting, if not a little conventional and predictable. But it worked with the story. I am interested to see where the author is going to take this series next.

The characters were hit or miss for me. Some of them I loved and some not so much, which I think was intended. But as I said before, I like how many characters we were introduced to in this novel. I think it opens up lots of possibilities for future plot lines and developing relationships. Overall, I think the Coven of Fire series is one that I will enjoy continuing on with. It is a little formulaic but it was nonetheless a good read. If you like witchy urban fantasies and new adult books, give this series a try!

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs