REVIEW: Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain #1)

Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain #1) by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romantic Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Mystery
Release Date: September 5th 2023
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Audible

Book Description:

Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.

ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer—naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain—and his entire nefarious empire—out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.

♥ ♥ ♥

"Don't let your boss quiver your insides, Evie."

With quotes like the above is it any wonder how in love I am with this book?

I know it may seem as if it took me far too long to read Assistant to the Villain, but the reality of it is, I've savored every single sentence of this book since the moment I opened the Amazon box it was in. I think I've been waiting for this book since before I knew it would be a book. I've followed Hannah's journey on TikTok, just like everyone since the beginning and so the anticipation I felt for this book was basically unmatched.

Not only did I have to read the physical copy I pre-ordered [ yay red edges! ] but I also needed to listen to the Audiobook version before being able to sit down and finally write my review. First - out of every book I've read this year, this may have been my absolute favorite. Not only was Evie absolutely precious, but the myriad of emotions Assistant to the Villain made me feel...I'm in awe.

From the short skits on TikTok, it was beyond clear that Maehrer was talented. But the way this story was woven together using fantasy elements as well realistic and relatable personal issues pulled me in and refused to release me until the very last page. And even then I was looking for more [ thank the gods there is going to be more! ]

Review: Dio In The Dark

                                                                   

Dio In The Dark by Rizwan Asad
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mythology, Urban Fantasy
Release Date: September 29, 2021
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

"Be young tonight, if you must. For tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow you will grow old, and the night will no longer be your lover."

The powers of the pantheon have faded. The gods live amongst the mortals, grasping for what little of their divinity remains.

When Zeus - King of the Gods - goes missing in modern-day Toronto, it is up to his estranged son, Dio, to find him.

And with rumors of The Darkness coming, Dio will have to race to find his father, and uncover the truth before it's too late!

♥ ♥ ♥

First and foremost how gorgeous is the cover of this book? Yes, I have a thing for book art, sue me.

Dio In The Dark is a modern day story about the Greek Gods and how they would be existing in a modern world. I've always had a crazy love for mythology of all kinds and in all inclinations. Rizwan does an incredible job of weaving together histories from the past with modern times and plays on what each God represents when depicting who they are in these modern times.

There's a great sense of humor in throughout the book and I'm not going to lie I don't think I'll get the image of Zeus dressed in tights as an actual superhero out of my head anytime soon. Just the fact that he was willing to go that far to kind of create himself to be seen as a hero in modern times is hilarious.

Review by Melissa: "Scar Tissue"

Scar Tissue by M.C. Domovitch
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: February 10, 2016
Buy Links: Amazon

Book Description:

When successful model Ciara Kelly wakes up in hospital, remembering nothing of the weeks she has been missing, her only clues are the ugly words carved into her skin. 

According to the police she was a victim of the Cutter, a serial killer who has already murdered three women. For her protection the police and her doctors give a press conference, announcing that because her amnesia is organically caused, her memory loss is permanent. 

But, whether her memory returns or not is anybody’s guess. Overnight, Ciara’s glamorous life is gone. Her scars have killed both her modelling career and her relationship with her rich boyfriend. 

With nothing to keep her in New York, she returns to her home town of Seattle, moves in with her sister and goes about building a new life. But when her sister lets it slip that Ciara’s memory is returning, the killer comes after her again. If Ciara is to stay alive, she must keep one step ahead of the Cutter.

♥ ♥ ♥

“Scar Tissue” by M.C. Domovitch was a suspenseful read. For me, it was a murder mystery that was actually a mystery.

This was a book that kept me guessing as I was reading it. It seemed like everyone could literally be a suspect for the crime that was committed against Ciera Kelly. Ciara is our main character and a former model. The book opens with Ciara running for her life after being kidnapped and tortured. 

Now, scared and traumatized, her whole world has changed. Ciara’s memory of what happened to her is gone, and she can’t remember who did it to her or what all exactly happened. She can no longer be a model, and instead moves in with her sister and starts to work at a morgue as a makeup artist for the dead.

Review: Kitty Hawk and the Hunt for Hemingway's Ghost (Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency #2)

Kitty Hawk and the Hunt for Hemingway's Ghost (Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency #2) by Iain Reading
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: September 10, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Kitty Hawk and the Hunt for Hemingway's Ghost is the exciting second installment in a series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. 

This second book in the series continues the adventures of Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot who has decided to follow in the footsteps of her hero Amelia Earhart and make an epic flight around the entire world.

After flying across North America Kitty's journey takes her down south to Florida where she plans to get a bit of rest and relaxation before continuing on with the rest of her long and grueling flight.

As Kitty explores the strange and magical water world of the Florida Keys her knack for getting herself into precarious situations sweeps her headlong into the adventure of a lifetime involving mysterious lights, ancient shipwrecks, razor-toothed barracudas and even a sighting of the great Ernest Hemingway himself.

This exhilarating story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept across the landscape and history of the Florida Keys all the way from Key West to the strange and remarkable world of Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas.


♥ ♥ ♥

Once in a while a book comes along that reminds me while I developed a love for reading at a young age. Kitty Hawk and the Hunt for Hemingway’s Ghost reminds me of the books - filled with adventure, treasure hunting, and mysteries - that kept me reading late into the night when I was younger.

Review by Melissa: "Floor 21"

 Floor 21 by Jason Luthor
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia
Release Date: June 2nd, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

As humanity lives out the remainder of its existence at the top of an isolated apartment tower, young Jackie dares to question Tower Authority and their ban on traveling into the tower's depths. Intelligent and unyielding, Jackie ventures into the shadows of the floors below. But will her strong will and refusal to be quiet—in a society whose greatest pride is hiding the past—bring understanding of how humanity became trapped in the tower she has always called home, or will it simply be her undoing?

♥ ♥ ♥

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I agreed to read and review Jason Luthor's "Floor 21". I was drawn in, as I usually am, by a dystopian young adult book, and I was hoping that I wouldn't be let down. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed the book and its premise more than I thought I would.

The Story takes place in a tower where only the top floors are inhabited, because the lower levels have been infested by this substance that they call "Creep". No one is sure how it got there or when, they just know to not ask a lot of questions and to follow the rules that were set by the Tower Authority. Of course, following the rules would make a bad and boring book, so "Floor 21" is what happens when one girl starts questioning their existence in the Tower and starts to look for answers.

What was cool about "Floor 21" was that it was different. The story was told in a first person narrative, as the characters recorded their story on voice recorders. I liked this idea, because it was a great way to show off the characters' unique voices in a way that is not commonly done.

The recordings, in my opinion, also added more suspense to what was happening. Since the characters are going through their own stories, they aren't able to speak knowingly on what else is going on, or why it's going on. Instead, the reader finds out more information along with the characters on the voice recorder, and everything has a stronger sense of immediacy.

 

I would recommend "Floor 21" to anyone who enjoys dystopian stories as much as I do. I read the whole book in about a day and a half (and that was even with me going out with friends and having a life for a change!), because I wanted to find answers. It seems like Luthor is setting up for another book to follow, and if that is true, I would love to continue reading and learning more about the Tower and the Creep.

♥ ♥ ♥

Author Bio:

Jason Luthor has spent a long life writing for sports outlets, media companies and universities. His earliest writing years came during his coverage of the San Antonio Spurs as an affiliate with the Spurs Report and its media partner, WOAI Radio. He would later enjoy a moderate relationship with Blizzard Entertainment, writing lore and stories for potential use in future games. At the academic level he has spent several years pursuing a PhD in American History at the University of Houston, with a special emphasis on Native American history.

His inspirations include some of the obvious; The Lord of the Rings and Chronciles of Narnia are some of the most cited fantasy series in history. However, his favorite reads include the Earthsea Cycle, the Chronicles of Prydain, as well as science fiction hits such as Starship Troopers and Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep?

Website ♥ Goodreads

Blog Tour: The Warrior Prophet (The Watcher Saga #3)

The Warrior Prophet (The Watcher Saga #3) by Lisa Voisin
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: April 13, 2016
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Mia Crawford is a prophet.

She can see angels. She also sees demons. Everywhere.

The angels are preparing for war to get her fallen angel boyfriend, Michael, back. A war that could take years.

Haunted by visions of Michael's soul being tortured, Mia can't rest until she knows he's safe.

To save him, she must make an impossible journey through Hell with the one person she prayed she'd never see again.

♥ ♥ ♥

I can’t even.

I don’t even know where to start with this one. I mean I suppose the beginning would be a good start, but my head is still reeling and I’m not sure I can wrap my head around it all. But one this I can say is wow. The ending to The Warrior Prophet was a surprise, but seriously more than I could have hoped for! I didn’t think the series would go there, but it makes sense. Clearly I don’t want to give too much away about the ending, but so good.

I liked Mia’s journey in this book and though I feel she did a teeny tiny backtrack on the maturation level, with the situation she was put in, I get it. And by the end of the book I think Mia was right where she needed to be. I really enjoyed Vosin’s take on Hell and the descriptions she used in this part of the story. Everything felt so vivid, so real.

Review: The Angel Killer (The Watcher Saga #2)

The Angel Killer (The Watcher Saga #2) by Lisa Voisin
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: January 5th, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Now that she’s found him again, all Mia Crawford wants is some downtime with her fallen angel boyfriend, Michael. But the call of duty keeps him away—from school and from her—with more demons to smite than ever.

When Michael is mortally wounded by a cursed sword, Mia must perform an ancient blood ritual to save him. But the spell exacts a price. 

Haunted by visions of war, torture, and despair, Mia discovers the world is in more danger than she ever imagined. Behind the scenes, an evil adversary pulls all the strings.

After redemption, there’s Hell to pay.

♥ ♥ ♥

*Loud squeeing noises*

It has been entirely too long since I let myself get whisked away into this series. I had forgotten just how strong my love for Mia Crawford was until I immersed myself into the second series of this book. And good god it did not disappoint. Just went you think things might settle down for Michael and Mia (not that we ever really thought it would settle into blissful happiness, but we can dream) all hell literally breaks loose.

While I absolutely love the relationship between Michael and Mia I think what I loved even more about The Angel Killer is how much Mia grew in this book. There was so much character development and guys, I’m a sucker for good character development. Give me some romance anytime, but believable, rational, well-written character development is so rare and Voisin hits the nail on the head with it in this book.

Review by Melissa: Kaitlin's Tale

Kaitlin's Tale by Christine Amsden
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: May 16th, 2016 (ebook), July 15th, 2016



Book Description:

Kaitlin Mayer is on the run from the father of her baby – a
vampire who wants her to join him in deadly eternity. Terrified for her young son, she seeks sanctuary with the Hunters Guild.

Yet they have their own plans for her son, and her hopes of
safety are soon shattered.

When she runs into Matthew Blair, an old nemesis with an
agenda of his own, she dares to hope for a new escape. But
Matthew is a telepath, and Kaitlin's past is full of dark secrets

she never intended to reveal.

*Companion to the Cassie Scot Series

♥ ♥ ♥

I'm really excited that Christine Amsden is traveling outside of her original Cassie Scot stories in favor of shedding some more light on characters who were previously only in the background. It's interesting to see the same conflicts and events going on through different perspectives, and Amsden is great at making sure everything weaves together nicely.

"Kaitlin's Tale" is actually Amsden's second time branching off from her original series. I had read the previous book, "Madison's Song", and enjoyed it, so i knew that "Kaitlin's Tale" was also going to be enjoyable for me. And thankfully I was correct. Like Amsden's other books, I found this one hard to put down and read the whole thing in one weekend.

Review by Debby: Guilty as Cinnamon (A Spice Shop Mystery #2)

Guilty as Cinnamon (A Spice Shop Mystery #2) by Leslie Budewitz
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: December 1, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Murder heats up Seattle’s Pike Place Market in the next Spice Shop mystery from the national bestselling author of Assault and Pepper.

Springtime in Seattle’s Pike Place Market means tasty foods and wide-eyed tourists, and Pepper’s Spice Shop is ready for the crowds. With flavorful combinations and a fresh approach, she’s sure to win over the public. 

Even better, she’s working with several local restaurants as their chief herb and spice supplier. Business is cooking, until one of Pepper’s potential clients, a young chef named Tamara Langston, is found dead, her life extinguished by the dangerously hot ghost chili—a spice Pepper carries in her shop.

Now stuck in the middle of a heated police investigation, Pepper must use all her senses to find out who wanted to keep Tamara’s new café from opening—before someone else gets burned…

♥ ♥ ♥

Guilty as Cinnamon, the second book in the Spice Shop Mysteries by Leslie Budewitz, is a spicy combination of setting, interesting characters, mouth-watering dishes, and mystery that leaves you hungry for more.

Review: The Bitter Season (Kovac and Liska #5)

The Bitter Season (Kovac and Liska #5) by Tami Hoag
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: January 12th
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

A murder from the past. A murder from the present. And a life that was never meant to be... As the dreary, bitter weather of late fall descends on Minneapolis, Detective Nikki Liska is restless. After moving to the cold case squad in order to spend more time with her sons, she misses the rush of pulling an all-nighter, the sense of urgency of hunting a murderer on the loose. Most of all she misses her old partner, Sam Kovac.

Sam is having an even harder time adjusting to Nikki's absence, saddled with a green new partner younger than pieces of Sam's wardrobe. Sam is distracted from his troubles by an especially brutal double homicide: a middle-aged husband and wife bludgeoned and hacked to death in their home with a ceremonial Japanese samurai sword. Nikki's case, the unsolved murder of a family man, community leader, and decorated sex crimes detective for the Minneapolis PD, is less of a distraction: Twenty years later, there is little hope for finding the killer who got away.

On the other end of the spectrum, Minneapolis resident Evi Burke has a life she only dreamed of as a kid in and out of foster homes: a beautiful home, a family, people who love her, a fulfilling job. Little does she know that a danger from her past is stalking her perfect present. A danger powerful enough to pull in both Kovac and Liska and destroy the perfect life she was never meant to have.

♥ ♥ ♥

Fans of the Liska and Kovac series won’t be disappointed with this latest installment. Once again, Ms. Hoag delivers a tightly written mystery with solid three-dimensional characters.

If you haven’t already discovered this series, this is a great place to start. Ms. Hoag delivers the story in a way that readers can enjoy this book without having read the previous ones in the series and not feel like they are missing something.

Review: Mirror World

 Mirror World by John Calicchia
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: August 27th, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon 

Book Description:

What would you do if you saw the future apocalypse of the world in a mirror? Would you try to save the world and those you love, or die trying?

Welcome to my life, this is the vision of the future I've been cursed to see.    – Cailyssa Larkin

When Cailyssa Larkin looks in a mirror she has an ominous feeling that someone is watching her. Stranger still, she has visions that foretell the future. While visiting her Uncle Spencer, Cailyssa gazes into a mirror and sees a dark future that only she can change. With the future of her own world hanging in the balance, Cailyssa bravely enters the portal to the Mirror World. Here, the Dark Lord controls all the mirrors and bends reflections so all creatures see evil within themselves. With her sister Terry, her mysterious best friend Daemon, and a host of weird and wonderful creatures, Cailyssa embarks on an epic quest to overcome the evil forces trying to destroy her world. She can only defeat the Dark Lord by finding her true self and discovering the family secret that has led her to Mirror World.

This book, written by a psychology professor, integrates famous psychological studies in the story. Readers will enjoy learning important life lessons through the psychological concepts illustrated in the book.
♥ ♥ ♥

Mirror World by John Calicchia is the story of a girl who is thrust into a magical world she never knew existed and is in charge of saving it from an evil Dark Lord who has come into power. His plan is not only to take over the Mirror World that Cailyssa just learned about, but he wants to branch out into our world as well.

This book had a lot of promise to it, but there were a few things that were holding it back. I wanted to really like this book- other worlds, angels, dragons, magic, a fight to save the world – but it still ended up falling a bit flat for me.

Review: The Bitter Season (Kovac and Liska #5)

The Bitter Season (Kovac and Liska #5) by Tami Hoag
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery, Suspense
Release Date: January 12, 2016
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

A murder from the past. A murder from the present. And a life that was never meant to be... As the dreary, bitter weather of late fall descends on Minneapolis, Detective Nikki Liska is restless. After moving to the cold case squad in order to spend more time with her sons, she misses the rush of pulling an all-nighter, the sense of urgency of hunting a murderer on the loose. Most of all she misses her old partner, Sam Kovac.

Sam is having an even harder time adjusting to Nikki's absence, saddled with a green new partner younger than pieces of Sam's wardrobe. Sam is distracted from his troubles by an especially brutal double homicide: a middle-aged husband and wife bludgeoned and hacked to death in their home with a ceremonial Japanese samurai sword. Nikki's case, the unsolved murder of a family man, community leader, and decorated sex crimes detective for the Minneapolis PD, is less of a distraction: Twenty years later, there is little hope for finding the killer who got away.

On the other end of the spectrum, Minneapolis resident Evi Burke has a life she only dreamed of as a kid in and out of foster homes: a beautiful home, a family, people who love her, a fulfilling job. Little does she know that a danger from her past is stalking her perfect present. A danger powerful enough to pull in both Kovac and Liska and destroy the perfect life she was never meant to have.

“Masterful…Authentic, dark and intense.” - Tess Gerritsen

♥ ♥ ♥

Fans of the Liska and Kovac series won’t be disappointed with this latest installment. Once again, Ms. Hoag delivers a tightly written mystery with solid three-dimensional characters.

Review: Peaches and Scream (Georgia Peach Mystery #1)

Peaches and Scream (Georgia Peach Mystery #1) by Susan Furlong
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: July 7, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

In the first Georgia Peach Mystery, when murder threatens her family’s orchard, Nola Harper is ready to pick out the killer and preserve the farm’s reputation…

To help run the family peach farm during her parents’ absence, Nola Harper returns to her childhood home of Cays Mill, Georgia, and soon discovers that things back at the farm aren’t exactly peachy. A poor harvest and rising costs are threatening to ruin the Harpers’ livelihood, and small-town gossip is spreading like blight thanks to Nola’s juicy reputation as a wild teenager way back when. But Nola really finds herself in the pits when she stumbles upon a local businessman murdered among the peach trees.

With suspicions and family tensions heating up faster than a cobbler in the oven, this sweet Georgia peach will have to prune through a list of murder suspects—before she too becomes ripe for the killer’s picking…

♥ ♥ ♥

I love it when I find a new series that delivers from the first page to the last.

This book gave me everything I want in a good book – strong characters, a small town that calls to me, and a mystery that keeps me guessing.

Review: Here They Lie (The Bloodstone Legacy #1)

Here They Lie (The Bloodstone Legacy #1) by D'Ann Burrow
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Southern Gothlic, Romance
Release Date: October 5, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Reese Everett’s aunt picked a bad time to die. Just weeks after a car accident left Reese’s mother unable to travel, her aunt’s house needs to be emptied and sold, leaving Reese as the only member of the family who can do the job. She typically wouldn’t balk at the opportunity to sift through her aunt’s collection of antiques, but when she arrives in Devil’s Vale, Georgia, she discovers the family house in a state of disrepair she won’t be able to handle alone.

Colton Waters is back in Devil’s Vale – whether he likes it or not. After he loses his acceptance to medical school with no explanation, he’s left with a single job offer…one that will return him to the hometown he’d hoped to escape. When an errand to help his sister ends in a meeting with Reese neither will easily forget, Colton takes a job as her temporary handyman.

The longer Reese stays in town, the more she realizes the condition of her aunt’s house isn’t the only thing she hadn’t expected when she made the trip to Devil’s Vale. Reese isn’t the only gifted member of the family – her aunt Kate has been practicing the family business…the business Reese has been sworn never to discuss.

After a ghostly visitor arrives one night, Reese and Colton learn Kate wasn’t the only one practicing the darker arts. They begin to uncover secrets that refuse to stay buried.

♥ ♥ ♥

“How do you stop something that started almost two hundred years ago?” – Reese ‘Here They Lie’

Something wicked this way comes…or was it already there to begin with? Here They Lie by D'Ann Burrow follows Reese Everett who’s made her way to Devil's Vale, Georgia to help settle her Aunt Kate’s estate. Originally her mother was supposed to handle things after her aunt’s death, but after a car accident Reese gets roped in to heading to Devil’s Vale all by herself leading to the discovery of a mystery and ties to a town and it’s people that she never knew existed.

Review: School of Deaths (The Scythe Wielder's Secret #1)

 

School of Deaths  by Christopher Mannino
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: May 2nd, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Thrust into a world of men, can a timid girl find bravery as the first female Death?

Thirteen-year-old Suzie Sarnio always believed the Grim Reaper was a fairy tale image of a skeleton with a scythe. Now, forced to enter the College of Deaths, she finds herself training to bring souls from the Living World to the Hereafter. The task is demanding enough, but as the only female in the all-male College, she quickly becomes a target. Attacked by both classmates and strangers, Suzie is alone in a world where even her teachers want her to fail.

Scythes hungry for souls, Deaths who subjugate a race of mysterious magicians, and echoes of an ancient war with Dragons.

As her year progresses, Suzie suspects her presence isn't an accident. She uncovers a plot to overthrow the World of Deaths. Now she must also discover the reason she's been brought there: the first female Death in a million years

♥ ♥ ♥

I was pretty excited to read "School of Deaths". It's a new take on the story of the Grim Reaper, which I thought was a pretty cool concept. The book is about a 13 year old girl named Suzie Sanrio who gets thrown into the all male world of being a Death. Deaths are what we think of when we think of the Grim Reaper, but there are actually a lot of them and before Suzie, they were always boys who were chosen.

Since Suzie is the first girl to go to the School of Deaths in living memory, she faces a lot of scrutiny and criticism. However, she doesn't let that stop her from unraveling some of the mysteries that she's stumbled upon in this new world. With the help of the few friends she's made, she uncovers more and more clues as to what is really happening around her.

Review: The Last of the Firedrakes (Avalonia Chronicles #1)

The Last of the Firedrakes (Avaolia Chronicles #1) by Farah Oomerbhoy
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: August 15, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥

Book Description:

16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad.

Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way. Thrust headlong into this new, magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy all she holds dear.

With the help of a young fae, a magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever.

♥ ♥ ♥

"The Last of the Firedrakes" by Farah Oomerbhoy was the start of a great premise for a story. It's a high fantasy young adult journey with easy to understand language, making it nice to read.

Although I did enjoy the start to Oomerbhoy's "Avalonia Chronicles" series, it took me awhile to read. There is over 400 pages, and it's written mostly in exposition where the protagonist is telling the reader what is going on in her head as well as around her. The story centers around 16-year-old Aurora, and is mostly told through her. I wish there was more dialogue and character interaction to help the story move along.

Review: The Mystery of Moutai (Back Bay Investigation #1)

The Mystery of Moutai (Back Bay Investigation #1) by G.X. Chen
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystey
Release Date: April 14, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

A teenager returns home from school to find a gruesome scene: the apartment he shares with his mother, Shao Mei, in Boston’s Chinatown has been ransacked and she is dead. There is a bottle of Moutai—the most exotic and expensive Chinese liquor—left at the scene and traces of rat poison in one of the two shot glasses on the kitchen counter. This was evidently a homicide, but who could possibly be the killer?

Ann Lee and Fang Chen, close friends of the victim, team up with the Boston police to solve this mystifying crime: why would anyone want to murder a harmless middle-aged woman, one who worked as an unassuming mailroom clerk, with no money, no connections, and presumably, no enemies?

Realizing that important clues behind the motive may be buried deep in the victim’s past, they travel to Beijing, where Shao Mei spent more than fifty years of her life. While there, surrounded by the antiquities of China’s rich and complex history, they stumble unwittingly into a cobweb of mystery and danger. Fearing for their lives but determined to press on, they end up unearthing a scandal more deceptive and far-reaching than either could have imagined.

♥ ♥ ♥

When I first started this book, I had reservations on whether I would like the writing style of this author. However, it didn’t take me long to get into this story and discover that I enjoyed G.X Chen’s way of writing this mystery. Feng Chen and Ann Lee are characters that I look forward to spending time with and getting to know better.

Review: Playing with Fire

Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

In a shadowy antiques shop in Rome, violinist Julia Ansdell happens upon a curious piece of music—the Incendio waltz—and is immediately entranced by its unusual composition. 

Full of passion, torment, and chilling beauty, and seemingly unknown to the world, the waltz, its mournful minor key, its feverish arpeggios, appear to dance with a strange life of their own. Julia is determined to master the complex work and make its melody heard.

Back home in Boston, from the moment Julia’s bow moves across the strings, drawing the waltz’s fiery notes into the air, something strange is stirred—and Julia’s world comes under threat. The music has a terrifying and inexplicable effect on her young daughter, who seems violently transformed. Convinced that the hypnotic strains of Incendio are weaving a malevolent spell, Julia sets out to discover the man and the meaning behind the score.

Her quest beckons Julia to the ancient city of Venice, where she uncovers a dark, decades-old secret involving a dangerously powerful family that will stop at nothing to keep Julia from bringing the truth to light.

♥ ♥ ♥

If you are a fan of Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli and Isles series, then this may not be the book for you. However, if you enjoy the writing style of this author and want something out of the box, then I suggest you check out this book.

Though technically a mystery with all the clues carefully filtered throughout the book, it certainly keeps you turning the pages to find out why things happened and what will happen next, but as a mystery reader I felt cheated at the resolution of the things that happened to Julia and her family.

Review: The Phoenix Born (A Dance o Dragons, Book 3)

The Phoenix Born by Kaitlyn Davis
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: November 17th, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

For the first time in a thousand years, the fire dragon has been awakened and Rhen is its
rider. But after destroying the armies that threatened the city of Rayfort, Rhen is shown a
vision in flames that changes everything. The shadow's phantom armies are coming and
the dragons are the only things that might stop them.

High in the castle at the top of the Gates, Jinji has learned something of her own. Janu,
her long lost twin, is alive. And just as the spirit shares her body, the shadow shares his.
In the blink of an eye, her quest for vengeance against the evil that killed her family has
changed to one of protection. Because she knows that if Rhen learns the truth he will do
what she cannot—end the shadow and end her brother in the process.

As the shadow grows more aggressive, Jinji and Rhen fight to find the rest of the dragon
riders. But with time running out, they are forced to face the impossible decision between
honor and love. Alliances are formed, promises are broken, and the fate of the world
hangs in the balance…

♥ ♥ ♥
"The Phoenix Born" is the last of Kaitlyn Davis' "A Dance of Dragons" series. This is a series that I've been reading and reviewing from the beginning, so finishing this book was a bit of a bittersweet experience for me. It was interesting to see the direction the story was going, but I'm also sad to see it draw to a close.

This third and final installment in the series was one that really had me hooked. With the previous two books, we were led to believe certain things, and "The Phoenix Born" takes those thoughts and flips them around. Davis makes the reader question the things we thought we knew were "right", and showed how some times things aren't always as they seem.

Something else that I liked about this book was that we were introduced to more dragon riders. The coolness of dragons themselves aside (but seriously, dragons are awesome), I enjoyed the idea of the riders. They're connected in this special and unique way that gives them a purpose, a destiny. There were also some moments where they got to lighten the mood by playing around together with their elemental dragons.

I really did enjoy reading this book. While The first in the series too me a bit to get into, now the story is able to start right away and keep moving. However, these are not stand alone novels, so if you're interested in reading one (which I do recommend), start from the beginning.

If you're looking for a new fantasy series to read that's a way easier and faster read than the "Song of Ice and Fire" series, this might be the series for you. There's still magic, and dragons, and battles, but the story isn't weighed down like Martin's is. Davis' "A Dance of Dragons" is definitely a series that I would recommend.

♥ ♥ ♥

Author Bio:

Bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name
Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie.

Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she
picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she's
not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found
indulging in some puppy videos, watching a little too much television, or spending time
with her family. If you have any questions for her--about her books, about scheduling an
event, or just in general--you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com

Twitter ♥ Facebook ♥ Website ♥ Goodreads

 

 

 

Light (Dream Casters, #1) Review

Light (Dream Casters, #1) by Adrienne Woods
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: May 29th, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥

Book Description:

Mr. Sandman, send me a dream, ta da da da…..Seventeen year old Chastity Blake knows the Sandman is just a silly children’s story parents tell their children to get them to sleep. At least she thought it was, until the day a mysterious, light golden sand appeared in her hands during a high school prank that went horribly wrong. A sand that has the power to send anyone it touches into a deep, sound sleep.

Fearing she had lost her mind, Chastity soon discovers the shocking truth of her heritage – she is a Dream Caster. Chastity was never supposed to be raised on the Domain, or what humans call Earth and she is forced to return to her true birth place, Revera – the world of Dreams.

However, in Revera there is no balance between good, the Light Casters, and darkness, the Shadow Casters, and Chastity is caught square in the middle. She soon learns that there is no place for anyone containing both the light and the darkness within them, and the shocking truth that if anyone in Revera ever discovered her shadow self, Chastity would be thrown into the Oblivion – the world of Nightmares.

Dreams are always more than they seem, and this time Chastity is going to discover just how different they can be.

♥ ♥ ♥

I'm going to start right off the bat and say that I loved the first book in Adrienne Woods' Dream Caster series, Light. You know those stories of the Sandman and how he sprinkles his magic sand in your eyes to make you fall asleep and dream? Well imagine if that was real, but instead of one Sandman, there's a world of Dream Casters who can use their sand for a lot more than dreams.

That's the world that Woods introduces us to in Light. The main character is Chastity Blake, who goes by Chas. Chas has grown up and only known of our world (or the "Domain" as Casters call it) and is thrust into Revera, the world the Dream Casters live in. It is here that she learns that she can also wield sand. However, things in Revera aren't what they used to be, and Chas is determined to fix it while also keeping a secret of her own.