mystiereads_dbooknook's Reviews (723)

King of Ashes will haunt me for forever. It was my first time reading S. A Cosby. And honestly, my mind is blown. Every single positive and brain shattering thing I have read about his work has been proven true to me. He deserves all the praise, and this book? This book is going to rattle people’s souls. 

King of Ashes is at its core a book about family and the responsibilities that come with loving and taking care of your family. At times, that might mean a regular check in, you know, a phone call, or a text. Not for this family though... whew!!! 

The story starts very simply, with the patriarch of the family being in the hospital and the eldest son, Roman, returning to make sure all is well. 

Spoiler alert: All is NOT WELL.

His sister Neveah is feeling depleted from taking care of the family business and holding down the family emotionally. While his little brother, Dante, has done the unthinkable and landed all of them in some dire straits. Of course, Roman does what proper elder siblings do, and steps in to ‘fix’ things. 

And here is where the story goes from interesting to addictive. Beyond the many quotable lines about life, choices, and family, we get an in-depth view of how people turn themselves inside out for those that they love. This was a gritty, gut churning path of street justice and life-level chess. Haunting. Every single chapter just stuck with me in a way I will never forget. 

This is your kind of book if you love family mafia stories, or urban tales that twist your brain. Actually, once you love engrossing stories, this is a book for you. I say this because I got up at 4 AM to finish it. I regret nothing!

Good books are fairly common, but great ones that teach you and change you are rare. King of Ashes? It is up there with the rare air. 
S. A Cosby definitely has me in his grips from now on.

Kasha Thompson is now one of my 'always pick her' writers. She delivers stories with delectable balance of spice and sweetness.
In this one, I felt the pain and disillusionment Clover carried like a shield. So many of us can identify with being that jaded. But my word, Teddy healed those wounds🙌🏾 and then added that extra love to help Clover blossom.
Enjoyed this book and I happily recommend it to anyone who needs the kind of story that makes your heart glow.

I needed this book the second after I finished reading The Jasad Heir. And if you have read TJH then you KNOW why. (If you have not read it yet... get out of here and go read it!) 

The Jasad Heir left us on the cusp of the impossible becoming real, and with our main characters having to face truths that were not only hard but would be excruciating to swallow. As a reader, I could not see a way forward. It was too much. 

The Jasad Crown begins just a few days after that point and immediately gets us into the depth of trials our beloved (and I do mean beloved) main characters Sylvia and Arin must now overcome.

What I loved was the intricate layering of their stories. We were let into their past bit by bit, especially Arin’s, where were learned jaw dropping truths that changed everything! Talk about do not trust anyone! Well anyone but Arin, lol trust him! I absolutely fell in love with Arin (AGAIN!). He was everything in this book, even more so than The Jasad Heir. The way his mind works, the plans, his ability to reason and find his way to support and love Sylvia exactly as she needs him to? Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant to read.

Sylvia (and I’m calling her Sylvia to not be spoiler-y for others) has the most difficult decisions to make in this book. Her heart is set to be shattered and her choices? Whew! I wish them on no one. It was tough reading her pain, and seeing her mature into doing what was best for all, not just some. That arc of the story felt too real. It was a genuine reflection of what it means to mature into a leader, whether she saw it that way or not. Her emotional and mental journey hit home, solidly so.

And just because the POVs of Arin and Sylvia were not enough, we also got POVs from Marek and Sera. I loved that. It gave me, as a reader, a full 360 degree view of what was taking place in their world. You truly felt how the kingdoms were shifting. How the people on the ground were being affected by the main players. That sunk me even deeper into this story.

As if all of the above were not enough, Sara Hashem is a genius with words and a sublimely lyrical writer. I have highlighted the heck out of my copy of the book. There are sentences in there that made me stop, re-read, re-read again and then put my kindle down and sigh. Sara Hashem knows how to romance a reader and seduce their soul. Her dexterity with words will always call to me. She is an author where if she writes it; I am READING IT!

Sigh... I waited over a year to finish this duology. An entire year of pining. And in the end, this duology by Sara Hashem finished me. I am broken in the best way. The Scorched Throne series is imprinted in my soul forever.

Do yourself a favor and read these two books. You will never regret it.

Do you remember the first time you slipped into the wardrobe and found a frozen land? 
Or maybe when you first walked into Diagon Alley? 
Or maybe when you discovered Alanna from Tamora Pierce? 

A moment when you just knew you had read yourself into a place you never wanted to be separated from? This book, A Mastery of Monsters, felt like that all over again for me. A gift really, after all the books I have read. A beautiful gift! 

It starts off with a deadly mystery involving the impossible... Monsters in the modern day. Then it takes you on a journey that engages your mind, stirs your soul, and gets your heart pumping. All because of a dramatic skill revelation and some witty banter. 

The world building and lore in this book is seamless. Bit by bit is revealed, making you wonder about what is true and what is perception? What really is the history of this world? This style of writing and these unexpected reveals keep your brain ticking over with questions. Really interesting questions! 

I absolutely loved it. 

Then we have August and Virgil, our main characters who are not perfect, but who are so real in their appearances, feelings, and needs, that you instantly feel a reflection of them within you. You feel as though you know them. Even though their trials and tribulations are wrapped in fantasy, it all still feels grounded in reality. And it is not just the two of them who connected with me that way, but also the entire found family. They are an eclectic bunch. Pushy, ‘we will be your friend’, lovable, skilled, and carrying around their own secrets. Some deadly ones too. 

I swear if the mystery and magic do not grab you, the characters and their individual stories will. 

Liselle Sambury proves once again she is a FORCE in writing stories that you just want to sink into and forget everything else around you. 

A Mastery of Monsters is definitely book 1 of what will be an astounding series. I cannot wait to see how it all unfolds!

Our Vicious Oaths promised a lot and delivered so much more than I expected. The author Nia Davenport, said this was a dark romance, with diverse characters, written from her soul. And what we got was a deeply enthralling romantasy, with an unforgettable enemies to lovers trope, and so much spice I am still blushing a day after finishing.

From the opening page we are taken to a faraway fae land and we meet our FMC Kadeesha, and we get to see her personality and her determination to be her own person. She is not alone, and we are introduced to a feisty found family made up of equally skilled and strong female warriors, as well as their partner creatures. 
The world building takes you in immediately. We have prophecies, we have warring lands, and a looming war. What more could you ask for right?

Well we get that extra zing, when our MMC enters the story. And boy oh boy when we meet Malachi, things get rowdy! A massive warrior, with locs, and a GRILL!!! He is sexy, snarky, and sneaky!

The story then swirls completely upside down and as a reader I was hooked.
This book had me stressed and tense. I kept having to take deep breaths and to keep reminding myself that this was a book not real life...I was that embedded and invested in this story. A true testament to this author's skill set. 
Nia Davenport writes in a way that imprints her characters on your soul. Malachi and Kadeesha were wholesome in their flaws. You felt for them. You felt their pain. Their struggles. And their drive to overcome it all, not just for their own good but for those they swore to protect.

Ms Nia did not come to play in this book. She came to snatch your feelings, your thoughts, your time, and everything you thought you knew about thrones!!!

And at the end of it all, readers will be left gasping for breath and overwhelmed with the rightness of a story well crafted.

This book is for the dark romance book lovers, for those who truly enjoy enemies to lovers, nested within strong world building, among a found family you want to belong to.

I went into this book deep into a book slump and not knowing exactly what I was getting myself into. Blindly, I read the first page and found myself in the middle of a pit fight with a feisty FMC, who packed a deadly punch and a plot that would keep me guessing.

Needless to say my book slump was immediately over and I found myself up at 1 am with my jaw dropping at reveals that refused to let me fall asleep. Tropes like, One Bed, and Who Did This to You, which both come at the most unexpected moments also did not help with my sleeping schedule. Oh well!

Now the story does take a while to build in between major plot points, but it is satisfying when things get going and we enjoy some intricate world building.

Additionally, this is a slow burn romance that threads through an adventurous tale of mystery and hidden secrets. 
No dragons, but the Direwolves are diabolical and blood thirsty. They do not allow weakness of any kind. And the training...absolutely brutal. Gird yourself but know it is worth it all. Every single word of it.

I definitely recommend this one for the book besties who are into Fourth Wing, mythical animals who connect mentally to your fav characters, and stubborn women who fight for what they want.
The twists, the story behind the story, and the combat kept the pages turning and kept me checking the author page hoping book 2 will be out early.

Enjoy!

A brilliant, multi layered plot that should scare anyone who lives in the Western world and make them wonder....are we really safe?

I loved this book, it gave me political intrigue, a clever FMC, as well as a villain that I had a hard time disagreeing with.
Basically everything you need for a perfect, thrilling read.

If you love puzzles and authors who make you smarter as you read their work...this series is made for you!

Cannot wait for book 3 🙌🏾

Thanks to Ash the Bookworm on IG and Black Odyssey Media I saw this book showcased and thought....why not try it 🤷🏽‍♀️
Fours hours later I am done and pleased that I picked this one up.

This is a good, fun, modern day whodunit, with an investigative reporter and his sister, a homicide detective, unraveling a case that snags your full attention at the end of Chapter One.

The chapters are short. It took me a couple minutes to read Chapter One and even less time to cancel the rest of my day. This is an easy, enjoyable read, even though at the center there are some gruesome murders. You do not feel it though. As the banter and humor between the siblings keep the story moving and light enough that you do not feel heavy while reading.
Instead you are overcome with curiosity. You just want to know, who did it and why. Because with every twist the mystery deepened. In the end though it was smartly wrapped up and left me satisfied and ready to read more of this series and more from Brian Copeland.

Thanks to Net Galley and Black Odyssey Media for allowing me access to this intriguing arc.

It certainly was my pleasure!

If you grew up watching Star Trek or Babylon 5, this book was written to continue those adventures.

I rated this a solid 4.5 stars, as it started with a battle that instantly got you in your feelings and from then until the end, Brit Knight, the author, kept that pace and excitement all the way up!

Bishop the FMC, and title character, is a fighting, rumbling product of her tough life. Always ready to share her punch first philosophy, it was easy for me to get attached to her, and understand why she was the way she was. If I ever need a rescue and I can call a fictional character, I would be fine if I called on her! LOL!

Another delicious aspect to this story was the found family. There were some friends from her past, some news ones, and then a couple surprises that made my jaw slacken as I read. I mean the book just keeps you on your toes, with events happening, decisions going to hell, and so much awesome action. 

BUT!!!!! What really got me in the gut, was the villain. I will not give any spoilers. All I will say, is that the villain in this book, the monstrous enemy...will make your brain pause and start to rearrange itself as more is revealed along the way. To me that elevates this book from good to great!

With easy writing, and descriptions that make you feel like a part of the team, I really have nothing but joy from reading this book.
This was an exciting swim into the moral grey of humanity, one that left a helluva impression.

If you have never tried Sci-Fi before but want a good way to start....welcome, this book is it. 
If you love Sci-Fi and want one of those stories that makes you disappear into it....this book is it.
If you want a good action adventure that is full of battles and solving inner turmoil with fists....THIS BOOK IS IT!
Read this one y'all...promise you will not regret it.

It was good. But not great... for me. I definitely preferred book 1.

Honestly, the story is cozy and sweet, but it took until almost half way through the book for a mutual spark to occur. I spent a long time wondering...when?

But he fell first and he pinned. So if that is your vibe, you will love this book.

With solid, description writing and an overall great story, this is an enjoyable book, it was just too slow paced for me.