The Unlikable Demon Hunter: Sting is book two in Deborah Wilde’s series which is branded as “Bridesmaids meets Buffy” and if you are looking for a paranormal book with a main character who really doesn’t have things figured out, you should consider this series.

I found myself enjoying Sting a bit more than I did book one as Nava is slowly getting settled in her new role as a demon hunter. She is very focused on getting the Brotherhood to consider helping her brother since she took his place with the demon hunters. Nava is also headed out with Rohan to go undercover so they can unmask a demon movie star but she and Rohan both have to face the feelings they have and as I’ve come to realize, nothing is really easy with Nava.

As Nava, Rohan, and Drio head to Prague, Nava is given the directive that she needs to follow instructions completely and of course, we all know that isn’t very realistic. While she does go against orders every now and then…ok, more often than not…I have to admit, in most cases Nava was spot on. She may not have as much experience as Rohan and Drio in the demon arena but she definitely knows how to gain someone’s attention and that is what pushes the story forward and gets Samson to reveal himself.

The other piece to this story is Rohan going back into the music world. He definitely had some challenges the first time around and because this mission requires him to jump back into that role, it forces both Rohan and Nava to face some things about themselves that they may not have if he didn’t go back. We also get to learn more about one of Rohan’s songs and what/who it is about. I think that is the trigger that forces Nava to start to figure out what she wants.

Of course, as the story progresses, there is a lot of action, some shenanigans, and of course some hook-ups that all come together as a great book two in this series. The character and story development was great and both the introduction of new characters as well as seeing some old favorites helped not only move the story forward, but also made me more invested in what happens next for all.

If you are looking for a new paranormal series, consider checking this one out. While I struggled a bit with Nava in book one, I found myself drawn into her story more in this book and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Of course, the ending was a killer and I can’t say why but once you read it, you will completely understand. I’m looking forward to book three and will be patiently waiting to get my hands on it.

Thank you to the author for the review copy!

I really, really wanted to like this one but it fell short for me. The story had a lot of promise but there were some issues I had with the editing and they kept pulling me out of the story. The pacing was also a pain point for me as there were parts that dragged for me and other parts where I felt like I missed something.

I did like the characters and thought between the king, the White Ravens, and Wilona, there is a great story here. I might check out the next book just to see what happens next but we'll see.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Every Last Lie is Mary Kubica’s new book and I was pretty excited to get my hands on this one. I loved Mary’s first book and thought this story would have a similar feel. Admittedly I tend to stick with YA but there are a few authors who convince me to visit adult fiction every now and then and Kubica is one of them.

As I started this book, I was immediately pulled into Clara’s story. It alternates between after (present time) from Clara’s perspective and before (the accident) from Nick’s perspective. It was an interesting way to read the story but I’m not sure it really clicked for me. Sometimes I am an impatient reader and the back and forth was taking too long to get me to what had really happened and how Clara moves forward.

Clara was an interesting character for me. There were times where I was amazed that she had no clue what was going on with Nick. As close as they appeared to be, I couldn’t get behind him keeping such huge secrets from her. I get that he was trying to push through and come up with a way to solve the issues without burdening Clara but they were married and those were some BIG secrets.

Overall I found the story interesting and it was a pretty quick read. If you’re looking for an adult mystery that has a solid story and characters that will have you questioning their every move, consider checking this one out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

When I read the summary of Lake of Destiny by Martina Boone I was immediately interested…I mean, it includes the Highlands, men in kilts, and some romance.

Anna has had a rough time of it lately…her fiancé left her and she recently lost her job at a top law firm in Washington, D.C. so when her aunt asks her to come to Scotland to help organize a festival, she jumps at the chance to get away and do something where she isn’t failing to meet everyone’s expectations of her.

I liked Anna and while some pieces of her story were slow to come out, I thought she was a solid character. It is clear she is running away from her life and her mother. She has never quite lived up to her mother’s expectations and on top of that, Anna has always felt like she has taken a backseat to her sister’s lives in her mother’s eyes. As her history is revealed, I couldn’t blame her. I’m not saying avoidance is the right thing but I don’t know that I would have had the strength to deal with the things that Anna did. I know that sounds cryptic but I don’t want to give anything away…just know that I don’t blame her.

When Anna gets to her Aunt Elspeth’s village in the Highlands, she is immediately welcomed. Well…after she crashes into one of the locals. Elspeth talked Anna into coming to help with organizing a Beltane Festival and Anna immediately dives right in to helping negotiate the event between the villagers and Connal MacGregor…the man she crashed into and the man who really just wants to stay locked away on his land. Unfortunately the changes to the festival mean he may have to reveal his secrets and he’s not sure he is ready to do that.

As Anna and Connal get to know more about each other, they quickly fall for one another. Unfortunately, Anna is still planning to go home to the states after the festival and Connal isn’t completely ready to share all his secrets. This creates some bumps for these two but Elspeth is there to talk some sense into Anna and Connal quickly realizes that if he truly cares about Anna, he can’t hide away in his house. I loved seeing these two open up to each other. No, they weren’t always straightforward with each other but they both came to realize that life may have had plans for them that were different than what they thought they wanted.

I loved the secondary characters in this story as they added some perspective for the main characters. Elspeth and Anna’s mother, Brando, Moira…all added something to the story to keep it moving forward but also give Anna and Connal others to interact with. As both characters come to realize just how their decisions have been impacting those around them, they also realize that if they don’t change, they might just regret the decisions they have made.

This ended up being a quick read. There are some pieces to the story that I wanted more from – really I am interested in seeing if Anna’s relationship with her mother and sister will ever change. If you’re looking for a light romance set in the Highlands of Scotland that has a bit of folklore included, definitely consider checking this one out. I will be keeping my eye out for another book if this is a series as there are a few other characters I’d be interested in finding out more about.

Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett had my attention from the second I saw the cover. I know, I know…but the cover is gorgeous and ultimately, I found the story was great too! I will say the twist wasn’t unexpected but I found myself unable to put this one down once I started.

Kamzin is the main character and has always dreamed of becoming one of the Emperor’s royal explorers. She wants to follow in the footsteps of her mother and be able to map the empire – her problem is opportunity. As the second daughter or the elder, she is being pushed toward the role of Asmiri’s shaman even though she doesn’t really have an affinity (or interest) in it. When she finds out that the famous River Shara is coming to their lands, she knows this is her only chance to get what she wants.

Kamzin was an interesting character for me. She clearly wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted and if that meant she had to put herself in danger, she would do it. As the younger daughter, she was at a disadvantage to her sister who apparently was super smart and would be a great leader someday but she didn’t let that stand in her way. She cared about her people and that was clear in the actions she took throughout the book.

River Shara is from one of the oldest and most prestigious families in the Empire and he also happens to be the greatest explorer ever known in the Empire. When he visits Kamzin’s village, he expects to take Kamzin’s older sister, Lusha, with him on his expedition to retrieve a rare talisman from Raksha, the tallest and deadliest mountain in the Aryas. Unfortunately for River, Lusha takes off with a rival to find the talisman on their own. When Kamzin leaps at the opportunity to join him instead, River takes Kamzin with him and quickly realizes it was a good decision. Along the way, we find out River has some secrets and they create some tension between him and Kamzin. On the other hand, Kamzin and River form a friendship and despite her concerns, they become pretty close.

The other characters in the book helped to move the story along and while there were times that I felt they slowed the pacing down a bit, they still added to the story. Tem is Kamzin’s best friend and he refuses to let her go on the trek without him. He knows he isn’t the best climber and with his breathing problems might even slow them down, but he isn’t willing to leave Kamzin on her own on the most dangerous expedition ever. Tem was a solid character and while he and Kamzin had something more in their past, she was careful to keep him in the friend-zone and even if he wanted more, it was clear he truly cared about her and would do whatever he could to keep her safe.

Lusha is Kamzin’s sister and I admit it…I didn’t care for her at all. She kept things from Kamzin and she treated her like she wasn’t worth her time. Even when Kamzin was the one who could complete the climb and potentially protect everyone, Lusha talked to her like she was a child. She just rubbed me the wrong way from the very first time we meet her in the book and that never changed.

The world that Fawcett has created here was great. There’s magic and dragons as well as ghosts and the fiangul which are described as “a human figure, tall and skeletal. But in place of a human head, it had that of a bird with the curved beak of a vulture. Its shoulders hunched and…its bony legs bent the wrong way.” Not going to lie…that thing sounds like something out of a nightmare. Most of the book is the group trekking to Raksha and facing challenge after challenge which kept things interesting. Add in the twists and turns the story takes as they climb and I found myself pulled into this story and unable to put it down.

Overall I enjoyed this book and will definitely be checking out book two. I can’t say much more as I don’t want to give anything away but based on the way this book end, there is a lot more to look forward to for these characters and I can’t wait to see what happens. If you are looking for something a little different in the fantasy genre, consider checking this book out.

Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the review copy.

Chasing Love is another swoony romance by Melissa West and book two of The Littleton Brothers series. If you were curious about Charlie, this is the book you will want to read. You will get a quick read with a great story about friendship, family, and love.

Charlie is a solid character but I have to be honest, he didn’t stand out for me in the previous book. This book changes that for sure and I loved getting to know him better. Charlie’s friendship with Lucas is tied not only to the backstory between him and Lila but also one of the things that brings them together when Lucas is called back to duty.

The backstory is great with these two. It is clear they have had feelings for each other for a long time and Charlie does his best to stay away but that doesn’t really work out for him. I get where he was coming from in regard to having a discussion with Lucas but Lila is an adult and if she was all for taking their relationship to a different place that should have been enough.

I liked Lila – it’s clear something happened to her when she had moved away but we don’t find out what it was until a bit later in the story. Based on this, it is clear she is strong and a fighter.

If you know me, you know Melissa West is on my auto-buy list as she writes wonderful stories. Her characters are well developed and the stories almost always have more to them than just what you read in the overview. Chasing Love is a quick read and another great, swoony romance by West. If you are looking for something that will keep you turning the pages to see what happens, check this one out.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!

Of course I loved it.

Review to come

3-3.5 stars.

Atlantis Reborn is the third and final book in the Atlantis Rising series by Gloria Craw and I have to admit, I kind of forgot that there was going to be a third book until I was notified that this was being released. Having read the first two, I dove right in as I wanted to see how things were going to end up for these characters.

This book picks up shortly after the end of book two and Alison is officially the head of the Laurel clan which means she needs to meet with the clan leaders to discuss what happens next for everyone. As the story opens, Alison is essentially saying goodbye to her human family (the McKyes) even though they don’t know it. Since things are changing drastically for her, she needs to cut her ties and it isn’t easy for her. Luckily she has Ian and his family to help her through everything.

When Alison gets to the Arx, she begins to learn so much more about who she is and the Laurel clan. She also learns more about what the other clans are concerned about and what they are willing to do to achieve their goals. The biggest issue the clans face right now are tied to their decreasing population and some have uncovered a way to create Atlantian hybrids and Alison knows firsthand how bad of an idea this is.

What I liked about this series was how much growth Alison’s character goes through and it happened throughout every book. She is adaptable and continuing to learn who she is but also where she can help the Atlantians. She has a different perspective and isn’t afraid to share her thoughts and opinions.

The secondary characters were well done in previous books but it felt like they definitely took a backseat in this book. Ian didn’t really have a role here and in my opinion, was really just there as filler. Theron was there to support Alison but he seemed to be her errand guy. I liked the addition of some of the new characters and it was great to see some old characters back in the mix.

Overall I enjoyed this series. While it wrapped the series up well, I don’t know that this one was my favorite. With that said, I thought Craw did a wonderful job developing both the characters and the story. Having crossed paths with the first book in this series inadvertently, I am glad I was able to read the entire series and explore this world that Craw developed. I will definitely be watching for anything new she writes and if you are looking for something different with a unique story, definitely consider checking this one out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the review copy!

3.5 stars. Review to come.