FURY UNLEASHED BY N.J. WALTERS I loved the paranormal aspect here, angels, demons, even a rogue vamp, some of them big players you've definitely heard of. I have to say though, I wish there would have been more of it in the beginning especially. I really enjoyed all of those encounters a lot more than the inside of Maccus's bedroom. It was an interesting story line that I'm curious to see continued in following books. PNR is my jam, but I actually would have preferred a little less R in this one...or maybe even more R and less sex. I don't know if that has anything to do with how quick they jumped in the sack or what, but I mean sometimes a lady likes a little build up before blastoff, just sayin'. I feel like the second half had more world building and interaction with other characters which I enjoyed more. The ending took an interesting turn which made me definitely want to see what happens next.
 
I received an ARC of this book Entangled Publishing via Netgalley and this is my honest review.

Unfortunately I never connected with this story in any way. I found myself skimming a lot to get through it if I'm being completely honest. The characters all seemed one dimensional. The only one we get a sense of in any way is Shae and truly only in that whatever desire driving her in a moment was the most important thing ever and worth anything with no thought to the consequences or what happens after she gets what she wants. The rest we really didn't get to know much at all.

The worldbuilding and plot felt a bit shakey at times to me as well. We start out with the idea that this illness, the blot is ravaging places and then jump to years later when mostly it's just the memory/fear of it that is around, and by the end it rolls back in with a twist. The blot was the whole reason people lived in fear of words and writings and pretty much everything and looked to the Bards and their blessings to fix literally everything. We got a peek behind the Bard's curtains and it left me with more questions than answers. I didn't love that sometimes magic, aka the Tellings, were used to fill gaps. Like Shae magically learning how to read pretty much instantly. There was a few situations that just didn't add up that just got vaguely explained to us almost like an afterthought with no straight line of getting there.

To me it was like the author got the formula for what makes a standard YA Dystopian/Fantasy and then didn't worry about adding any unique depth or flare to it. There was an interesting idea here, I just wish more time would have been spent really filling it out.

All things combined made for a story I couldn't find anything to really root for or find myself wanting to even know more about in the end.

I received an arc of this book from Wednesday Books via Netgalley and this is my honest review.

I love when a story grabs you right from the very beginning! Knight in Paper Armor did just that and didn't let go till the very last page. Even after, I think this one will stay with me for awhile. As much as I love reading as a form of escapism, especially in times like this where you feel the extra weight of world issues weighing heavily, I also read to feel. To be moved, whether to laughter, or tears, or suspense, etc. This book moved me. Not only was it a solid dystopian/fantasy novel it also had a lot of heart and it pulled from real societal issues both past and current that was masterfully weaved throughout this story. Sometimes it was hard to look at, some lines were hard to read, mostly because there was a realness in it and that had the sharpest sting. As bleak as it seemed at times, there was an unyielding undercurrent of hope and light, selflessness and voices that would not be silenced. It brought not only a great balance to the story, but also a great reminder to me as a reader. It's so easy to get bogged down in the seemingly endless onslaught of negativity, the pain and the suffering, sometimes you forget how much beauty and hope there is amidst it and how powerful those things can truly be.

Another thing that stood out to me, and gave me some Stephen King vibes, was how the author highlights the young. And like King, he pulls no punches with them either. But Conley also shines a light on the hope and brilliance of them. There's a strength in youth, a drive and an untempered sense of the world and right vs wrong there and Conley plays this up in the best ways.

“And what I mean is, well... achievement comes from failure. From trying, knowing we can’t succeed, and trying again.” He stirred his coffee. “So yes, I have hope in people. Because even though humanity is flawed, it never stops trying to be better. Every generation is one step closer than the last. There’s always a forward thrust..."

I too believe this of each generation. I see it in my own kid. In what she believes in, what she is passionate about and how she translates those passions into momentum. I see it in kids like Emma González and David Hogg too.

All in all Knight in Paper Armor was riveting dystopian/fantasy with a lot of heart. The mix of supernatural and realnesss was perfectly balanced and it will undoubtedly have you thinking throughout and afterwards. I truly look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

I received a copy of this book from the author and this is my honest review.

Historically POV switch retellings have been mostly misses for me but this one was a total hit! I loved getting Hades perspective on how things went down in A Touch of Darkness and even better it was great to see more of what some of the other Gods were up to that we had not previously seen in ATOD. More Hecate and Hermes is NEVER a bad thing imo and I really enjoyed the happenings with Aphrodite and Hephaestus as well. It was fun and surprisingly fresh and I can't wait for more!

This is not your typical ghost story! If you're looking for traditional thrills and chills this is not the story for that...but if you're looking for an interesting twist on a popular trope with multi-layered dimensions and characters then you're in for a real treat!

A Perfectly Fine House took the oddity of haunting and kinda turned it on its head. Imagine a world where ghosts were common place, just an integral part of everyday existence. What I loved most is that these authors really delve into what that would look like in a practical way, including issues like prejudice and how the whole idea of death itself changes. You get whole new industries constructed around this idea (both legal and illegal), elected officials representing the very different wants/needs of their respective spectral and non-spectral citizens, and a whole slew of problems that arise from so clearly knowing exactly what awaits you after death. You have some people that seem to live as if they'll get a chance to work on that bucket-list in the afterlife so no need to worry about making the most of life now. Or you can even see the flip side of that where people seem to shirk their responsibilities, like raising their own children, why not have ghost Nana do that and we'll get the grandkids in the afterlife.

On top of all this intriguing material you have this building issue of this anomaly of a place completely devoid of haunting whatsoever and that's only the beginning. Soon this anomaly is spreading and it is threatening the ghost community far and wide. The really engrossing thing to me is also what it means for the living. When you've lived as if you know you have forever what could a sudden uncertainty about that mean to you? The very foundation of all their lives and afterlives combined are being called to question and it makes for a riveting read!

I can truly say I've never read a ghost story anything like this and it was refreshing and fascinating in so many non-paranormal ways, it was quite the surprise.


I received a copy of this book from the author and this is my honest review.

This was a the perfect read to kick off October! We get witches, demon princes, curses and curiosities, all under a rich Sicilian backdrop. Bellissima oscurità!







This was a deliciously wicked fun read. It enchanted from the very first page and wouldn't let go until the very end. And what an ending that was! It will be torture to wait for the sequel.







I think an astute reader will see some of the twists coming but have no fear there's still enough excitement to keep you on your toes and everything else is charming enough that you won't mind having guessed a bit of it earlier on.







It took me a little bit to really warm up to Emilia fully but I quite enjoyed watching her become a force to be reckoned with. Wrath was interesting but I feel like we didn't get a good look at his motivations or feelings, he wore it all close to the vest. I'm hoping to see Emilia continue to grow and become fearsome in her own right and get a chance to form a deeper appreciation for Wrath.







This was a great setup to what I hope will be a grand series with much more to discover. While I wait I think it's time I start the Stalking Jack the Ripper series. I need more by this author right away!



I received an arc of this book from Jimmy Patterson via NetGalley and this is my honest review.

I've been waiting to get Delilah's story since the beginning of the Brimstone Inc series! The time has finally come and it did not disappoint. Loved the Christmas Carol twist, it was a fun way to get to know Delilah and Alasdair better while watching their connection strengthen. Also, kudos to Owen for managing to still bring the heat to a plot that forever makes you think of old dudes in nightgowns lol.





Like all the Brimstone Inc. books this was a quick spicy little tale and each new character introduction seems more interesting than the last. Which is incredible considering that bar is already set pretty darn high. I'm forever looking forward to the next addition!

I received an arc of this book from Entangled: Amara via Netgalley and this is my honest review.

I'm not going to lie, I struggled with this one. I adore JLA and her books, but this one took awhile for me to get into. I feel like the first 60% of this book was nearly all angst, the push and pull between Trinity and Zayne, and it was a bit too much for me. It honestly had me questioning if I just wasn't that into the both of them in general, which was disappointing considering I liked them just fine in the first book. The last 40% was stellar. The plot got more heavily involved and the angst came to a head and melted into the background and I was flying through the pages. The ending was insane and has me anxiously awaiting the next book. I have a good feeling about it. To be honest, I think if this would have been more condensed I would have enjoyed it much more.

This book made me feel ALL THE FEELS. I laughed out loud, I teared up, I swooned and I raged. Ana definitely made it into my top favorite heroines. She was feisty and fierce and compassionate and a complete riot. Famine was pretty good too, I enjoyed the snark, but Ana was a shining star. That ending had me SHOOK. I don't even know what to expect from Death's book. It's going to be explosive no doubt, and I CAN'T WAIT.

One thing I love about Darynda Jones books is they are always fun. This one was a relatively quick read. The story was interesting, it took a bit before the plot really took off but once it did I enjoyed it immensely. Looking forward to seeing where this story goes in the next book!