“We are the light against the darkness. And now we’ve failed in our duty. Clarence is gone,” she said bitterly. “Escaped. He murdered an orderly. There’s no doubt it’s the same creature that ran loose in New York. None at all.”

Kat Ross, you have created a fan for life! I absolutely loved this, for many of the same reasons I loved The Daemoniac (the first book in the series) last year.

The Thirteenth Gate is:

Well paced. I can't say this enough...Kat Ross just gets pacing.
Full of familiar and new characters who you'll want to get to know.
A great mix of historical, paranormal, mystery, and romance!
Atmospheric - again, the setting plays a big role and is a character unto itself.
Standalone enough to read it alone but connected enough to make you want to go back and forward in the series (more on that in a bit).
“So, The Serpentine. It’s by far the closest one.” Sidgwick swallowed. “I went boating in Hyde Park just a few months ago. Are you saying—?” “That there’s a portal to the Underworld beneath the lake? Yes, but only in parts.”

The Thirteenth Gate is the second in the Dominion series but also connects with Kat Ross' previous series, The Fourth Element Series. I've read The Daemoniac but have not yet dove into The Fourth Element Series (but did I pick up the first one as soon as I finished this one? You bet.). Readers who have picked up any of the previous books will welcome revisiting the world and characters and, for new readers, you get enough background info that you won't be lost. The worldbuilding and setting up of the story never feels overstretched. Pieces of the story take place in New York and other times the setting is London, both richly painted yet the world has been updated to allow the paranormal elements to flow.

Fans of Sherlock + Supernatural will feel at home with the paranormal and mystery elements. I felt a sense of urgency as the two parties searched for the Thirteenth Gate, which will surely bring destruction to humankind. Nothing and no one is safe from the demon underbelly.

I can't wait to see what the gang is up to in the next book.

Today I'm here to co-review episode 1.5 along with Kelly from BookCrushin. We've been listening to the serial together and agreed to co-review every 5 episodes. Let's be real...We spend Wednesdays talking about Geek Actually so this is just an excuse to share it with you all ;).

What 5 adjectives would you use to describe Geek Actually?

CJ: Fun. Feminist. Witty. Vivid. Goals.

K: Entertaining, relatable, diverse, sexy, and of course very GEEKY! Is that cheating? Because it really is more of a modern geek chic!

Of the squad of 6, which characters do you find yourself drawn to most? What appeals to you about them?

CJ: Is all of them an acceptable answer? No? Ok, fine. I am fascinated by Michelle, especially after episode 4. I so can’t wait to see what fun she gets into now that she’s entering the dating scene.

K: Would it be cliche to say Christina since she's the queer one of the group? No, good. I don't really have any of their jobs or skills but I live the Geek Life so I feel connected to them all in some aspect, but I can't help but relate to the not femme, yet not completely butch, Christina.

Let’s talk about the latest episode, Beware of Rage Bait. What’s going on now that we are 5 eps in?

CJ: Well, Beware of Rage Bait is the PERFECT title for this episode. I feel like we are right before a big storm. Things are building, with relationships, friendships, and bosses. I really wanted to strangle Taneesha’s boss (and her whole set of colleagues) in this ep.

K: I definitely think this is Teneesha's breaking point, I think her supervisor is trolling her online on purpose. Christina is definitely going to have an internal crisis about her possible relationship status. Michelle is getting to that point where she is researching and preparing to step out into a new world of erotica. Aditi is solid in her home life, but I think the work hammer is coming for her! Elli was missing in this episode, but hopefully that means she made it more than one day on her new job!

Any predictions or hopes for the next 5 eps?

CJ: Vivi and Christina are at the breaking point. I have so much hope for them but they’ve got some big things to work through. I hope they make it. I also hope Michelle and Aditi can figure out how to keep their friendship intact with this book deal! Aditi needs some relief from her life but I don’t know what that looks like yet!

K: I have serious hopes for HEA for all the ladies! I want Michelle to find some stress relief in the non-vanilla type! I really want Christina to realize relationships can be rewarding and worth putting the work into. I definitely want Taneesha to find a new job that respects her and for Diego to ask her out damn it! I hope Elli has found her calling being a personal assistant and still rocking the cosplay! I also hope Aditi writes the hell out of book 2 and scores another best-seller!

What works about this format? Who would enjoy this serial most?

CJ: Everyone has an hour to invest, and you get it in audio and ebook format! Little bite size morsels that make an entire season palatable in the age of full TBRs. People who love chick lit will especially find joy in this but I think there’s something for everyone.

K: This is my first weekly serial and now I get so excited for Wednesday's. I download the audio before my commute and the episodes are so perfect I am entertained the entire drive. It really makes me feel successful being able to accomplish a quick read and review each week. I think anyone over the age of 18 (due to mature content) and if you like ensemble casts or multi-POVs you will love this series! It is super entertaining and I wish I had friends like these ladies in my life. Each and every character feels real and relatable, so I think everyone would enjoy Geek Actually!

If you enjoy the idea of Miles Morales, pick up the Jason Reynolds book and wait for the next Miles comic iteration.

Matthew Landis is a great addition to the middle grade scene!

ICYMI - Vanguard has been my most anticipated book of this year since it was announced. I am an avid fan of the Razorland series and was so excited that Ann came back to the world so many years later. I was NOT disappointed!

Vanguard is very much about Tegan, a character fans will recognize from the original series. She's living in a world where humans and Uroch are navigating how to co-exist, which felt very real. We saw the war and now we are seeing society repair itself. The tension between the once warring parties still very much exists and it becomes near and dear to Tegan to help correct this in her own way.

Tegan has been through some stuff. Life was not easy before she was added to our rag-tag gang and I appreciate her sense of strength and ability to push through. She has some triggering moments, which are acknowledged. She's not 100% healed and that is totally ok. We also get a look into the Uroch and their world, which has its own rules, language, and culture.

Ann is a romance writer at heart, something I loved about the original books in the series and something I loved in Vanguard, too. Her writing makes the story un-put-downable!

As a bonus, you get glimpses into how Fade and Deuce are doing. Not unexpected but I loved those parts!

I had the opportunity to listen to this on audio and highly recommend this route. I felt very immersed in the story throughout!

Raise your hand if you sobbed like a big ol' baby at the end of Rogue One? 🙋🙋🙋 I so wanted more of Jyn and REBEL RISING is absolutely perfect for that! Of course, it wouldn't be right reading this book and talking about it without ultimate Star Wars fangirl, Kelly (@BookCrushin). So we are here today with a co-review!


Fans wanna know…How much of a Star Wars fan are you? Show off your personal Star Wars fandom.

CJ: I am a casual Star Wars fan. I've seen all the movies (in theaters since I've been alive) but I do not have the whole history memorized or anywhere near that level. I hate JarJar Binks, though...Does that make me a true fan? Here's my small collection of SW Pops!


(See the full post on the blog for the photos!)


K: Well I would have to say that if any one fandom could be associated with me & my partner, it would be Star Wars. Our kitchen has more SW in it than anything else, Darth Vader toaster, R2D2 timer, R2D2 Tea Pot, R2D2 lunch bag, 5 Large character mugs - Vader, Stormtrooper, and Boba Fett, the other 2 are FunkoHome, C3PO and Jabba; 5 other coffee mugs that we actually use, 15 pint glasses & yes I broke the Kylo Ren one and I am devistated! We have no less than 10 pairs of SW socks, 3 pairs of pajamas bottoms, and over 30 tshirts - I stopped counting! We currently have 4 throw blankets, and 6 posters. We also have 8 books and about 10 comic books. The biggest collection by far is the Funko Pops! We have over 90 and there are more than that we don't even own! We also have 8 of the full size Whacky Wobblers these were released by Funko before there were Pops! And we also have all sorts of other SW stuff...like stickers, decks of cards, luggage tags, keychains, enamel and metal pins, etc., etc., etc.. I mean it could be out of control, but I have seen way bigger collections. We of course own 3 video games, 9 different VHS tapes, all the DVDs, the Blu-ray special edition collection, as well as the digital editions of The Force Awakens and Rogue One. No big deal. Plus I am sure there are tons of things I have left out...like every time there is a holiday we buy our nieces & nephews all the SW toys we can!

What makes Rebel Rising accessible to hardcore Star Wars fans and those who are new to the franchise?

CJ: Because Rogue One and Rebel Rising are somewhat self contained, they're a great entry point for new fans. Long term fans will love seeing familiar worlds and characters, wrapped within the spirit of rebellion.

K: Well to start off, Rebel Rising was a prequel book to the prequel movie Rogue One. There is nothing you need to know about the story to understand what is going on in Rebel Rising. Now if you do know your lore it does make some of the references way more appealing, but even some went over my head while I listened. Rebel Rising is also quite suitable for the teen generation, nothing explicit other than death & violence. There was a little bit of kissing at one point in the book and it was cute as hell! I highly recommend reading this book if you liked Jyn Erso's story and Rogue One. I felt it really gave us some character insight into her life and upbringing.

Rebel Rising is Jyn’s prequel to the prequel. How does Beth Revis capture her compared to her movie counterpart?

CJ: I loved how Beth Revis captured young Jyn. It felt seamless to me.

K: I feel like we get great insight into Jyn's hard exterior. She has had some rough times growing up and we wouldn't know much of this from just Rogue One, but Rebel Rising shows us all of her heartache and vulnerableness. She loses her mother at 5yo, her father is taken away by the Empire. She is left alone on a pretty deserted planet and is rescued by a rebel friend of her mother's, Saw Gerrera. Saw sheltered her and taught her about the rough world around them. He didn't know squat about raising a child, but he just knew he had to protect her identity and to trust no one. I loved this part of the book, even though it was a large chunk of the story. The book actually made me like Saw, who was a very unlikable character from the movie. Actually, I had way more feelings for almost all of the rebels, as well as Saw and Jyn, in the book than in the movie.

The audiobook is ridiculously amazing for Rebel Rising. What makes it awesome?

CJ: O M G the audio was the best part of this book. It has a full set of sound effects and is narrated by ultimate narrator, Rebecca Solar. My husband kept asking me about it as I was listening to it (often in the shower haha).

K: Well for starters it is produced spectacularly, with sound effects and all! At the beginning it was kind of hard to get used to the constant background noises, but once I was in it - I was so into it! I have now told every person I know to listen to it & I don't know if I can read another SW universe book, I think I will listen to all them!

What would you recommend for someone who wants a quick dive into the franchise?

CJ: I didn't fully connect with the franchise until Rogue One, so I would say start there. Honestly, anywhere you dive in is a good place to dive in!

K: Well if we are talking canon books, than I would say Rebel Rising was spectacular insight into the prequel. I absolutely loved Bloodline by Claudia Gray as a Leia centered bridge book from the end of The Return of the Jedi (VI) to The Force Awakens (VII). For a non main character centered story I also highly recommend Lost Stars by Claudia Gray! Lost Stars is a YA romance novel set in the SW universe as an outer rim planet is about to conquered by the Empire. As for movies, if you never seen any of them...watch them all, but know that Episodes 1-3 aren't meant for the adult fan, but any kid I know that has watched them, absolutely brought them into the fandom, any adult who was already in it...those were a hard sell.

I need book 2 now!!!

There is no one else I'd want to write in the Sherlockian world. This is basically fanfiction in the best way.

At last year's NovCon, I had the chance to meet Alexis Bass and get to know her debut, Love and Other Theories, while I eagerly awaited What's Broken Between Us to publish. It took me a whole year to finally read it, which is a shame because What's Broken Between Us is a fantastic insight into what it's like to feel judged for actions you didn't commit.


I can't be caught crying, I have to be ready to offer condolences. 


This is Amanda's story. Her brother, Jonathan, has clearly been commanding the spotlight - at school, with her parents, even with her friends. Worse, Jonathan kills his best friend and injures his girlfriend in a drunk driving incident. So now it's all eyes on the family for his transgressions and Amanda is getting the worst of it. 


Both of them, insisting we have our own lives, letting us think we scored independence early. Like responsibility doesn’t have to be learned, honed. Instead, Jonathan and I were alone, free but struggling, with only ourselves and each other to depend on.




What's Broken Between Us is also a story of how family dynamics contribute to and are affected by Jonathan's actions. Amanda's parents have different ideas on how to parent. They're the type of parents the media would question after a tragedy. Yet they don't change their parenting style, even after Jonathan is released on probation. He does not seem repentant, even after he was handed a relatively light sentence. 


Amanda's reactions and need to hold everything in is heartbreaking. She feels so much guilt and has taken on the responsibility that should belong to her brother, which she acknowledges to an extent. There is a lot of realism in this story. Amanda's guilt, Jonathan's lack of empathy and apology, and the way people around them treat them both. Drunk driving impacts a lot of people, including the family members of the person who committed the crime. 


Part of the central plot is the romance between Henry (the brother of the injured girl) and Amanda, which has been interrupted by the tragedy in multiple ways. The two of them were together when her brother decided to drive after drinking, coupled with the family dynamics of putting either of them in the room with each other's parents. Obviously this becomes very messy and is not perfect. 


Not every character is "likeable" and not very story is meant to be empathetic. Nonetheless, What's Broken Between Us is the perfect title for the dynamics that occur between the characters in this story.

When this story ended, I wanted more!