I received an eARC of this book from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Please note there are spoilers to previous books in the following review. If you have not read the prior books in the Alinthia series, read at your own risk.

I’ve been reading Siobhan Davis since her first novel [b:True Calling|23293202|True Calling (True Calling, #1)|Siobhan Davis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1456943208i/23293202._SY75_.jpg|42275397] released. You would think that I would know better by now than to start one of her books before bed. But y’all I’ll never learn, and I’ll happily lose sleep every time. The Chosen One is the fourth book in Davis’s Alinthia series and wastes no time in throwing the reader into the action. Picking up almost exactly where [b:The Warrior Princess|39329164|The Warrior Princess (Alinthia #3)|Siobhan Davis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1527868972i/39329164._SY75_.jpg|60954624] left off, Alinthia and her protectors are back on Earth, an Earth that is currently surrounded by Arantu’s army. Her job is simple now, reveal herself to the galaxy and build an army of her own.

Division Among the Ranks
Alinthia and her protectors went through hell and back during the last book. Her protectors were captives or Arantu and his daughter. Dane suffered most at the hands of Alandra. His PTSD affects the entire group, Alinthia the most. Alinthia wants to help Dane. Of her four protectors, he is the leader and also the one that has never fully opened up to her. She makes herself available for him, showing that he can trust her if need be. Yet he continues to hold back, his character arc is heart-breaking. Siobhan Davis handles his character with care and shows the depths of his feelings for the readers.

Cooper, Beck, and Maddox are also still dealing with their time in captivity. However because their torture was different than Dane’s (remember he took the brunt for them), they take every minute they can to show Alinthia their love and devotion. I forgot how much I love each of them. They are fully fleshed out and bring their own unique gifts to the team. Beck is still my favorite though

Some reviews are hard to write. This is one of those reviews. I really enjoyed The Fire Prophecy by Megan Linski, Alicia Rades. It’s the first time I’ve read either author, and I loved the style and tone they gave the characters. Told from alternating POV, The Fire Prophecy follows one girl’s journey to Orenda Academy and her introduction to the world of magical creatures.

What I Liked
I really liked Liam and Sophia. Liam is from the Water tribe and son of the chief. Due to an unfortunate incident that left Liam with a medical disability (kinda, but not really….more on that in a bit), he is no longer in line to lead the tribe. His purpose in life has shifted, and he’s lost because of it. This makes him angry and at times depressed. His mood swings left me with whiplash! But they are understandable and relatable.

Sophia’s story is a bit more complex. She is the lost daughter of the Fire Tribe, raised as a human by water elementals. She has no idea this world of magic exists until Liam comes knocking on her door, but she takes it all in stride, which is admirable. Sophia is angry at the lies her parents told her and the information they withheld. This leaves her vulnerable in her new world. She doesn’t know how to control her fire power or anything about the customs and rules. She adapts quickly though, and I loved exploring this new world with her.

I love the world building! The Hawkei (the tribes of water, earth, air, and fire) are interesting to say the least. How they’ve adapted overtime, their magical creatures, and the Elemental cup are quite interesting and woven throughout the story as Sophia is introduced to it all.

What Left Me Wanting:
Here’s where I struggle. The plot of the story is a little all over the place. It’s clear the authors are following Sophia as she enters into this new world. Introducing the academy, elders, and tribes as Sophia encounters them. This is positive because it doesn’t feel so much like info-dump.

However, it felt like an upper YA version of Harry Potter crossed with Fantastic Beasts and a touch of [b:The Hunger Games|2767052|The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)|Suzanne Collins|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1447303603l/2767052._SX50_.jpg|2792775]. But y’all not in a good way. Sophia’s clueless behavior towards the customs and social circles at Orenda Academy reminded me a lot of Harry’s first encounter with Draco. Her encounter with her house elder was reminiscent of Professor Snape. The Elemental Cup is a free for all with four tasks to complete to get to the end with the magic of the maze in The Goblet of Fire and the violence of [b:The Hunger Games|2767052|The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)|Suzanne Collins|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1447303603l/2767052._SX50_.jpg|2792775]. It was like I’d read it all before, could predict what was coming. While it was ok, it was disjointed and didn’t flow well with the story as a whole.

One other thing that bugged me (and usually I can overlook with Indie authors) is the editing. Words were missing, duplicated, and used improperly (a noun for a verb, etc) frequently. Now I’m not an English major AND I’m a Southern girl who destorys the English language on a regular basis, but it was really distracting and pulled away from my enjoyment of the book. A lot of the mistakes should’ve been caught and corrected if it went through an official edit on the first pass.

My Final Thoughts
Overall, I enjoyed The Fire Prophecy enough to continue the series. I like Sophia and Liam, I even like their teammates Jonah and Imogen. I love the world-building and can’t wait to immerse myself more in that world. I want to know more about the prophecy surrounding Sophia and NEED to know what will happen next after that massive cliffhanger. If you enjoy urban paranormal fantasy with a touch of romance, I say give this one a try. You may like it

Sometimes reviews are really hard to write. This is one of those times. I really wanted to like Inescapable by Amy A. Bartol, but I just didn’t. This is one of those times where the saying “It’s me, not you” comes into play. All of my pet peeves, the things that make me cringe, were found within this book, the main two being insta-love and love triangle. I struggled with these things which detracted from the story overall, again this is just for me. Inescapable follows the story of Evie Claremont as she starts her freshman year of college and myth becomes reality.

Evie is an orphan, raised by her uncle. She doesn’t really remember her mother and the identity of her father is a mystery. I like her independence. Evie knows what she wants and goes for it. Nothing really stops her, not even fear. However she is naive when it comes to boys, and she has three in her life from the moment she sets foot on campus: Alfred (who she nicknames Freddie), Russell, and Reed.

Freddie (y’all excuse the spelling if it’s wrong. I listened to an audio and do not have a hardcopy to check spelling.) is probably my favorite character. He forms a platonic relationship with Evie. They met prior to school starting, and Evie feels sorry for him. Despite that, they become quick friends. They share a lot of the same interests, but don’t seem to harbor affection beyond a brother/sister relationship. At least those are my first impressions

Well, here I am again, having a hard time writing a review for the second book in Amy A. Bartol‘s series The Premonition. It isn’t that I didn’t enjoy Intuition. On the contrary, I really did. It’s more that I don’t know how to unpack all my feelings and thoughts on this book because y’all, there are many! If you haven’t read the first book in this series, please know that there will be spoilers to that book in this review…consider yourselves warned

Why are reviews so hard to write?! Yet again I’m struggling to put words to my feelings on Amy A. Bartol's Indebted, the third book of her The Premonition series. The book picks up where Intuition left off (and if you haven’t read that book, there are minor spoilers coming. Fair warning!). Reed and Evie are happily bonded and hiding away in China with Zee and Buns. Brownie and Russell are on their way to join them when a new bad guy enters the plot. This one has even Reed and Zee scared. So what does Evie do? What she always does, offer herself as the sacrificial lamb without a second thought. *sigh* Let’s break this down.

What I Liked
-The world-building. I love learning about the different species Bartol continually introduces into this world. This time we get water sprites (well, that’s not what they are called in the book, but it’s the closest thing I could think of to what describes them) and an angel killing demon prince. We’re also introduced to more of the angel world. That is one thing I can say for the series. Rich world-building!
-Snark and sass. I love Evie’s snark! She takes crap from no one, and her smart comebacks get her in trouble with everyone. You gotta love that! Plus it’s funny. Like laugh out loud kind of funny at times.
-Brennus is back. I know I shouldn’t love this fae. In fact, he is the villain, the counterpart to Reed, the one the readers should turn their nose at. But I love him! He saves Evie more than once, he killed Freddie for her, and all of his actions towards her indicate that he does love her. He just doesn’t know how to love. It’s been too long since his body had a soul. And Evie, god love her, begins to love him too.
-The Gancanagh. While I don’t trust them or believe their motives pure, I do believe that they care for Evie. Why is the question. As a group, I’m fascinated by them. I know they kill humans without remorse, but I found myself drawn to them and I couldn’t help it!

What Left Me Wanting
-After suffering through Intuition, I really miss Evie’s surrogate family: Buns, Brownie, Reed, Zee, and Russ. They are noticeably absent again except for the beginning and end. Not nearly enough time to learn more about them or connect with the characters more.
-The Persephone deal. Evie makes a deal with Brennus. If he saves Russ and Brownie, she’ll be his six months a year, with no contact with Reed during those six months. I like and dislike this plot point. Brennus wants a chance to show Evie he’s changed. That he wants her alive and unharmed and his “queen.” But he can’t do that if Reed is around, so he makes this deal with her. As a result, the bulk of the book is set in the Gancanagh stronghold.
-Another new baddie. This time it’s a Fallen seraphim. There have been so many things introduced in this series as the villain that I’m beginning to wonder if it will all tie together in the end. I’m not confident.

Final Thoughts
Overall when I finished Indebted, I rated it five stars. But now a few days later as I sit and try to wrap my brain around the book, I can’t. The plot, while it flows well, is all over the place. You have an overall series plot that focuses on Evie’s heritage and (as Reed points out) may be tied to the life previously lived by Evie and Russell. Why would Evie chose to sever her soulmate bond and return as a half-angel? This is the series plot. The book’s plot focuses all its energy on Brennus and this new baddie. I’m exhausted thinking about it. If you enjoy YA paranormal romance, this may be one you’d enjoy.

I received an eARC of this book three years ago before it was released. I attempted to read it on more than one occasion and just couldn’t get into it. Then I grabbed an audio copy of the book from my local library via Overdrive. Y’all this book is meant to be listened to in my opinion. Julie Eshbaugh has written Ivory and Bone as an oral story from the POV of Kol.

Kol is the eldest son of his tribe’s chief, meaning he will one day lead. His tribe however is in some trouble. There are no women/girls his age. Unless they cross paths with another nomadic tribe that has girls Kol’s age (and his brothers’) they may die out. This is a constant burden on Kol, who two years prior didn’t consider it. When two sisters arrive at their tribe with their elder brother, he believes they are there seeking a betrothal. He attempts to woo Mya the eldest sister and fails miserably.

I really like Kol. He’s kinda clueless when it comes to girls. But everything he does is done with good intentions. He wants Mya to feel comfortable in his home, and he wants to develop a good relationship with her, one based on friendship. Kol is kind, brave in a nontraditional sense. He knows his strengths and his weaknesses. He isn’t ashamed of them. Kol shows the potential to be not just a good leader but a great one for his tribe.

Mya is a contradiction to Kol. She is surly, bitter, and refuses to accept any of Kol’s advances/gifts. She’s cold, like ice cold towards him and his tribe. Why would she come if not to form an alliance between their tribes? It bothers Kol, probably more than it should.

The plot of the story revolves around Kol and Mya, but also around a third tribe that arrives. This third tribe creates a lot of conflict between Kol and Mya, but also among the tribes themselves. War is looming and it may end badly. I enjoyed every aspect of this story. It’s steeped in history and what we know of the nomadic tribes during the Stone Ages (which is truly little). The writing style reflects it as it is written in an oral tradition. Kol is telling Mya a story, how they met, how he fell for her. It comes full circle, it has too as the end is the beginning.

Michael Curran-Dorsano brings Kol to life. He is a fantastic story-teller. I found myself on the edge of my seat and holding my breath as he weaved Kol’s story. I’ll be listening to more stories narrated by him!

Overall, Ivory and Bone is unlike anything I’ve ever read….or I guess in this case, listened too. It’s a sweet story about falling in love (well maybe lust) set during the Stone Ages. I fell in love with Kol and Mya, their tribes, and the world around them. I highly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys historical fiction, adventure, and romance.

I received an eARC of this book from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Marvels and Misfits by Scarlett Dawn is the first in a brand-new series about a foul-mouthed Elven princess and her race to save the kingdoms. Y’all I was hooked from the first word to the last, managing to read this in one sitting. All I can say is it is perfection!

Trixie Towers is the daughter and heir of the Elven king. She’s high-spirited, cunning, and lethal. She wants for nothing except her father’s approval which she doesn’t realize she has. I love Trixie. She is thoroughly fleshed-out here. Her snark and wit are quite entertaining.

Then there is King Athon, the king of the Shifters. Athon is your typical Alpha male. Also he shifts to a tiger (why is that hot to me? *swoon*). Athon is not easy to like. He’s arrogant and the person responsible for the death of Trixie’s grandmother. Needless to say there is no love lost between them.

In a twist of fate, Trixie and Athon feel the “urge” for one another. This urge is a fae calling that cannot be ignored. One thing leads to another and a little sneeze sees the two mated. Trixie and Athon are a lot a like, so this could be perfect, except that it is illegal for a shifter and elf to be together….also they hate each other so there’s that too 😂 Lots of tension y’all….a LOT!

The plot of the story focuses on the mistake that leads the two to be mated but also these mysterious earthquakes. What is the cause and why do only the people with immense power seem to be affected? Scarlett Dawn‘s world-building is on point here! I found myself completely engrossed in Trixie’s world, the different kingdoms and species, and the history behind the world. It is all fascinating!

Overall I could not get enough of Marvels and Misfits! I love Trixie and Athon, they compliment each other perfectly. I can’t wait to see where Dawn will take these two characters. And Trixie’s dad….gah! I love him so much! His and Trixie’s relationship reminds me of my own dad which had me laughing out loud at times. If you enjoy a good paranormal romance complete with its own world, I highly recommend you move this to your TBR pile asap.

Another hard to write review….I believe this is becoming a trend for me. It’s either that or I’m about to get in a rut. Sterling by Dannika Dark is the first in her Mageri series. This book has popped up in my Amazon recommendations SO many times that I finally caved and y’all voted it as #MyTBRL read last month. I attempted reading it and found myself so distracted I couldn’t focus. I wound up getting an audio copy through my Audible Escape membership. Nicole Poole is a lifesaver. Her narration reeled me in, and I listened in two days.

Sterling follows the story of Zoë Merrick. Zoë was your average girl, living what she thought was a rather boring life until one night she decides to take a shortcut. That shortcut ended with her being attacked/killed and waking up the next morning in a body bag, and her life as she knew it will never be the same.

I like Zoë. She is understandably frightened and angry at the hand life has dealt her. She can’t return to the life she knew, she can’t even say goodbye to those she loves and love her. And when things start happening to her, she learns to roll with it. Zoë handles her new life much better than I would. She is determined to learn her place and cope with her new reality, and that’s admirable.

This book could really be divided into two separate stories. The first 40% is her life with Adam, immediately after the attack and her transformation. Adam is broken as much as Zoë is. His scars aren’t visible though. He is alone in the world until he finds her, and now he feels it his responsibility to protect her. I have a lot of questions about Adam and very little answers. I don’t even know that he will return after this book, which is odd as I honestly believed him the love interest. The last part of the book is Zoë training with Justus. Justus comes across Zoë on a trip to Memphis. Drawn to her, he recognizes the light within her. This light is what changed her, it’s why she survived the attack, and it is why she leaves Adam to be trained by Justus.

I really struggled with the plot/pacing. As I mentioned, the book could have been divided into two parts. The first part with Adam is oddly paced, and as a result, I felt like I missed big parts of the story. The second part is much smoother and sets up the world for the rest of the series. In fact I’m curious to learn more about the world of the Mageri and what will happen next.

Overall Sterling was just an ok read for me. If it hadn’t been for Nicole Poole’s narration, this would have been a DNF for me. However I’m glad I stuck with it. The conclusion of this story is really just the beginning, and I’m excited to see what happens next. If you enjoy paranormal romance and urban fantasy, I believe you’ll enjoy where this story is going.

I received an eARC of this book via YA Books Central. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

I devoured The Reader by M.K. Harkins. There’s no other way to describe it. I read it in one sitting and then was bereft that it was over. If you like urban fantasy, do yourself a favor and get this book. I promise it will not disappoint.

18 year-old Ann Baker wakes up on a beach, shot with no memory of who she is or how she got there. When two young men approach her, claiming to know her and want to help, she has no choice but to go with them. Soon their story begins to unravel though and Ann is left with more questions than answers. In a world where humans have evolved and some are immortal, who can Ann trust?

I really like Ann, even if she comes off as immature at times. Her frustration and anxiety feel real as she struggles to remember who she is and where she came from. As she is fed little bits of information about her life and what she is, Ann takes it in stride. She is a quick study and wants to learn to control these powers that seem to be waking in her.

The two guys that found her, Devon and Archer, are polar opposites. Devon is a bit of a jerk (well that’s an understatement really). Archer is the golden, boy-next-door. Devon is closed off while Archer is an open book. Yet despite these things, it’s Devon Ann finds herself drawn to. And if I’m being honest, me too.

The plot of this one is fast-paced, like light speed. I didn’t want to sit it down for even a second. As Ann discovers more about who she is, questions arise about why her memory is missing. The plot really revolves around this and the people at North Bend. Who are they really? Why are they protecting her? And who are the Jacks? Are they the people that shot her? So many questions and I promise they are all answered.

Overall I loved The Reader. The fast-paced plot, the world-building, even the little taste of romance are blended into a fascinating story. And that ending….my heart hasn’t started back up yet! Just trust me and read this one