Syn really makes a mess of things in his life. Satisfying his urge to kill by taking on random jobs as a hitman until he meets reporter, Joe Early. Joe is a lot more than just a reporter, and I really liked her most of the time. I could do without the big gun she carried around that mostly didn't really do anything other than serve as a reminder that she carried a gun around. In the overall story of the Brotherhood, this book served as a turning point - a big one - and it seemed to take a little away from Syn and Joe's story at times. 

A decent start to a fantasy series. Pre-written destinies, hidden love, kingdoms betrayed and saved, magic (an interesting system I haven't read before). At times a little over detailed, and physically impossible (even in fantasy land, "normal" bodies can't bend in certain directions.) 

A very big story in a very large world, a good example of epic fantasy. While the world is big, the story focuses mostly on two groups, which makes the story much easier to follow than when the party splits into dozens of different places. The elemental magic was an interesting spin - having to use actual elemental creatures to perform it - and the concept behind the Endarian magic was interesting as well. The fight scenes got to be a bit much, with things not quite possible because physics still holds true to warriors on horseback. A great first book that ends with definitely more to come, but in a place you can breathe a bit as well.

I really love the world building - the clash of technology and magic. A battle between the good of the ones you love and the good of all. To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods is a fantastic start to series where the lines between good and evil are difficult to see, and may not always exist. Ruying is a very complex character that will do anything to save her family - but that may mean sacrificing everything else. All the characters have a lot of depth to them - even the ones that I would consider "side characters" are brought to life and feel very real.

There was a little too much back and forth between 'let's be together' and 'oh, but we can't because of some social or made up reason.' However, I really like Eve (and a side character Alice that I hope we see in the future). The psychic Aunt Agatha was an amazing addition to the story, providing a bit of humor and a touch of magic to things.

A story about magic that isn't really about magic. The bees and fog that dominate the story have real world effects, but they represent hurtful words and actions. It was an interesting way of depicting the concept and adding a layer of mystery to the story as well. The story encompasses three generations and has a lot of tragedy wrapped in it. There are a few characters that I'm not really sure if they were actually real or not. 

A super short dramatization of a detective investigating the death of a young gay man. I found how others spoke of the young man to be the most moving part - and how he had such an effect on people's lives even though he was so young still.

Another cute small-town/rancher romance from RaeAnne Thayne. While some heavy issues are addressed in Dancing in the Moonlight, they are treated respectfully and are just part of the characters, not what defines them. The romance goes a little fast - and I feel like the couple needed more time, but it's a book, and they are so cute together.

I had a hard time following the history in this - which may be because I lack any knowledge of the history of any alcohol and how whiskey, scotch, and bourbon are related. The lecturer was very entertaining and had a very real love for the topic of history that came through as he spoke.

I was really surprised at how much I loved this. Originally a podcast, the story of the California central valley nut farming was fascinating. Marc Fennell took a very deep dive into the history and effects of these farms on the region and the world, and I learned far more than I imagined. He kept the conversation and interviews light and interesting, making even more complex topics easy to understand. 

This was a great start to a new series for me. The Hierarchy is an interesting concept that is basically an energy pyramid scheme. And all pyramid schemes eventually collapse, so I'm curious to see how this one falls. Vis is a very dynamic character, very into the grey area (and he knows it). The inner turmoil he feels over actually finding friends and companions in the "enemy" feels very real and makes him a character I want to follow. 

The action moves along at a pretty steady pace. There is always something going on, and the author isn't afraid to kill someone off and punch you in the gut with it.