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Book Review: Bride

Rating: 4 stars

A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis.

Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast-again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans she has been called upon to uphold an historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange. Again . . .

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was . . .

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she’s ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory . . . alone with the wolf.

As I’ve never read a book by Ali Hazelwood before, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Bride. However, I enjoyed reading this book immensely. I enjoyed learning about the world surrounding the characters in the story, especially learning about the dynamics between vampyres and werewolves. It was interesting to see how they would initially interact with each other. I also enjoyed this aspect of the story because I love reading fantasy. It’s one of my favorite genres to read because I enjoy getting to learn more about the world the characters live in and seeing stories told from the perspective of supernatural characters.    

I also enjoyed the overall plot surrounding Misery’s attempts at finding her missing best friend Serena. I found myself sympathizing with her as I wanted her to find her best friend and loved seeing her and Lowe work together to learn more about what was going on. What I also enjoyed about the plot was seeing the dynamics between Lowe and the other werewolves who were in his pack. It was interesting to see how werewolves function in this world, and I loved seeing Lowe explaining things to Misery so that she could understand what was going on.

If there was one aspect of  Bride that didn’t work as well for me, it was the relationship between Misery and Lowe. Werewolves and vampyres are described as being enemies in this book, yet I didn’t feel like Misery’s experience with the werewolves in Lowe’s pack was all that terrible. Even Lowe didn’t treat her all that terribly like I was expecting once they were married. So this book being described as enemies to lovers didn’t feel accurate to me because these two didn’t act like enemies to me at all. Also, while I enjoy Misery and Lowe’s characters, their romance in this book sometimes felt awkward to me. Not with every interaction, but anytime the two of them were being intimate with each other, it felt extremely awkward to read. That’s not to say I didn’t feel a connection between them or anything, but I felt like it was rushed with no time for either of them to truly get to know each other enough to get through the awkwardness that I sensed in their relationship.

Overall though, Bride was enjoyable to read. I enjoyed the story and found myself continuing to read to find out what happened next, enjoying the characters and the world they live in and learning more about the supernatural characters that made up this world. I just wish the story had fully delivered on the enemies-to-lovers premise and that the intimacy between Lowe and Misery wasn’t so awkward to read.  

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Book Review: Hades X Persephone Series (Books 1-4)

So technically, there’s a total of seven books written by this author in this series if you include the Hades Saga too. However, as I haven’t read those books yet, this is my review of the books in this series from Persephone’s perspective, which is called the Hades X Persephone Series. I decided to read this series starting with these books first because it made sense even if it means I’m not reading these two series together in what’s considered the proper reading order. I also out of the two was more interested in hearing Persephone’s side of the story over Hades as well, which is why I decided to read these books first before reading the Hades Saga, which I plan on reading too soon. So below is my review of the four books in the Hades X Persephone Series, starting with A Touch of Darkness.  

A Touch of Darkness (Hades X Persephone #1)

Rating: 4 stars

Persephone is the Goddess of Spring by title only. The truth is, since she was a little girl, flowers have shriveled at her touch. After moving to New Athens, she hopes to lead an unassuming life disguised as a mortal journalist.

Hades, God of the Dead, has built a gambling empire in the mortal world and his favorite bets are rumored to be impossible.

After a chance encounter with Hades, Persephone finds herself in a contract with the God of the Dead and the terms are impossible: Persephone must create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever.

The bet does more than expose Persephone’s failure as a goddess, however. As she struggles to sow the seeds of her freedom, love for the God of the Dead grows—and it’s forbidden.

What I enjoyed reading A Touch of Darkness was seeing the love story unfold between Hades and Persephone from Persephone’s perspective. I especially enjoyed this retelling of this mythology because it’s a more modern take on their story with Persephone looking to become a journalist and have a normal life. And I enjoyed that because it was interesting to see where things would go. 

Seeing everything unfolding from Persephone’s perspective and reading her thoughts on what’s happening is interesting because you can see her character development. When she first meets Hades, she already has preconceived thoughts about him and publishes a story about him going off what her mother taught her to believe. But as she gets more engrossed in Hades’s world and learns more about him, she realizes everything her mother Demeter told her about this God is wrong and starts to question everything Demeter has taught her to believe. I enjoyed seeing her character development in A Touch of Darkness because you see her learn from the choices she makes and realize that not everything is what it seems.

What I also enjoyed about reading this book was the characters. I enjoyed seeing Persephone’s new friendships with nonmortals such as Hermes and Hecate and seeing her interactions with her best friend Lexa and other mortals that she starts to befriend, like Sybil. I also enjoyed seeing her interactions with the dead souls in the Underworld and Hades’s dogs. I feel like in this book, her character is working on finding her place in this world after being kept hidden by Demeter for so long, and am happy to see it through her interactions with those she considers her friends.

What I also enjoyed about reading A Touch of Darkness was getting to read about what the Underworld is like from Persephone’s perspective. I enjoyed every time she went there because it felt like there was always something going on but also because it doesn’t seem like all that bad of a place to go once you die. It also has always sounded like an interesting place to me even before I started reading this series so maybe that could be why I was interested in reading what it was like there.     

If I have anything I don’t particularly like about A Touch of Darkness it would have to be the lack of plot in this book compared to the others in the series and how quickly Hades and Persephone’s romance develops in this book. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed seeing Persephone trying to fit in as a mortal and going to the Underworld to try and make life bloom there. But in comparison to the rest of the books in this series, there isn’t all that much that happens here. I still enjoyed it because it gave a good starting point for these characters and what’s going on in their lives. But in comparison to the rest of the books in the series, the plot here is lacking to me. I also wasn’t as fond of Hades and Persephone’s romance in this book because I was expecting their romance to develop slowly between the two of them, but it felt like they were instantly attracted to each other instead. While I don’t necessarily mind that whenever I read stories with romance in them, I just didn’t feel like it made sense here because of Persephone’s upbringing and everything she was told about Hades before she met him. Granted, I know she realizes her mother lied to her a lot, but I still didn’t think she would immediately develop a romance with Hades. I figured their romance would start differently than it does.

But as a whole, I enjoyed reading A Touch of Darkness and found it to be a good start to this series about Hades and Persephone. It was a combination of mythology and romance that I found endearing and was excited to continue reading the next book in the series, A Touch of Ruin to see what would happen next.

   A Touch of Ruin (Hades X Persephone #2)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Persephone’s relationship with Hades has gone public and the resulting media storm disrupts her normal life and threatens to expose her as the Goddess of Spring.

Hades, God of the Dead, is burdened by a hellish past that everyone’s eager to expose in an effort to warn Persephone away.

Things only get worse when a horrible tragedy leaves Persephone’s heart in ruin and Hades refusing to help. Desperate, she takes matters into her own hands, striking bargains with severe consequences.

Faced with a side of Hades she never knew and crushing loss, Persephone wonders if she can truly become Hades’ queen.

Reading A Touch of Ruin made me glad to continue reading this series as I felt like you got to see here Persephone faced with a lot. From her relationship with Hades being discovered and published in the mortal realm, to her looking to write about another one of the Gods to get justice for a friend, Persephone’s life disguised as a mortal takes quite a turn.

What I enjoyed with Persephone in this book is that I could relate to her character. She goes through a lot in A Touch of Ruin that I honestly felt like I could relate to as the loss she goes through is one I know all too well and wouldn’t wish on anyone. In this book, she felt more mortal than God with everything she struggled with, and I found myself feeling for her in everything that happened. Yes, she didn’t make some of the best choices, but I felt like I understood why she made them as she wanted to save her closest friend. And that’s something I found I couldn’t blame her for even though it ended up causing more harm than good in the end.

What I also enjoyed in this book was getting to meet Apollo. He starts here as not an enjoyable character due to the circumstances he’s introduced. But then once Persephone gets into a bargain with him, I found myself liking his character because he very easily could’ve not helped her after what she tried to do. Instead, though, I felt like we saw a side to him I wasn’t expecting, and it made me want to see how things would turn out with him and Persephone becoming friends.

What I also enjoyed reading A Touch of Ruin was seeing the obstacles Hades and Persephone had to deal with in their relationship. Most of these obstacles were due to the world knowing about their relationship and finding out that Hades was keeping things from Persephone. I felt that their relationship going through struggles here was needed though because I wanted to see what happened with their relationship whenever things got bad between the two of them. And I wasn’t at all disappointed as I felt like their relationship grew from the struggles they dealt with in this book.

If I had to choose anything with A Touch of Ruin I didn’t particularly enjoy it would have to be the plot surrounding Persephone’s secret admirer. It’s not because of who it ends up being, I just personally felt like she was already going through a lot in this book I didn’t feel like she needed something else to deal with along with everything else. I’m glad about the way the situation ends because I didn’t feel like she should have trauma to deal with too along with her grief but just wish this wasn’t included as a part of her story. I get why considering the character and making it align with the mythology, I just personally felt like Persephone went through enough with losing her closest mortal friend and didn’t need something else to deal with along with coping over that loss.

Overall though, I would say A Touch of Ruin is probably my favorite book in this series. Because I found what Persephone was going through relatable to me so I felt like I could relate to what was happening in this book more as I felt like I was seeing her have human moments and see her and Hades go through struggles in their relationship that resulted in only making them stronger.

A Touch of Malice (Hades X Persephone #3)

Rating: 4 stars

Persephone and Hades are engaged. In retaliation, Demeter summons a snowstorm that cripples New Greece, and refuses to lift the blizzard unless her daughter calls off her engagement. When the Olympians intervene, Persephone finds her future in the hands of ancient gods, and they are divided. Do they allow Persephone to marry Hades and go to war with Demeter or prohibit their union and take up arms against the God of the Dead? Nothing is certain but the promise of war.

I feel like I enjoyed A Touch of Malice because it’s the book that for me does a good job of explaining what will lead these characters into war. This book does a wonderful job of setting the story for what will happen in the last book in this series as you start to see as this book goes on Gods picking sides when it comes to Hades and Persephone’s relationship. I feel like seeing them pick sides here gave me a good indicator as to what would happen once the war started. I also enjoyed it because I finally was introduced to the other Olympians, and you get to see the dynamics between all of them in relation to Hades.

What I also enjoyed with this book is I felt like you got to see Persephone’s character develop. She begins to truly learn how to harness her magic but also learns how to handle herself when it comes to interacting with other Gods. I especially enjoyed seeing her relationships with both her mortal friends and the Gods she’s friends with. Seeing her friendships in this book was nice as I felt like with everything that happened in the last book, she needed to have some moments with those she cared about to take her mind off her grief and the trauma she endured.

If I had to choose anything with A Touch of Malice I didn’t enjoy it would have to be the ending. I feel like all the conflicts that occurred in this book that would lead these characters into war didn’t truly build up until the end of this book and it all felt extremely messy and disjointed. Especially the big fight that occurs between Persephone and Hades against the Olympians, which ended up not being that much of a fight at all. But what bothered me about it was that it felt like the Olympians attacked her for no reason other than feeling threatened by her magic now that she was married to Hades. It also bothered me because it wasn’t much of a fight either as I was expecting casualties or for the organization that was attacking Gods to show up and start hurting characters on either side of the fight. It also just didn’t make sense for it to occur to begin with as it didn’t lead to anything significant happening other than discovering which Gods were on Hades and Persephone’s side in the fight, which wasn’t all that surprising to me. I felt like this fight could’ve been taken out of the book completely with how little it added to the story to me and the ending would’ve been much better without it.

The rest of what happened at the end of A Touch of Malice concerning Theseus didn’t bother me quite as much because, with everything that happened, it made sense to me. As the leader of the organization that was attacking Gods, it made sense to me that we would see more of his character and that he would bring about the war that has been talked about since the beginning of this book. The only thing that bothered me was what Persephone ended up doing. I’m not going to say more in case anyone reading my review of this book reads these books other than I felt sad for her with everything that happened to her and Hades. But at the same time, it made me ready to see what would happen in the next book too.

Overall I enjoyed A Touch of Malice because it set up the story of what was to happen next concerning the war and enjoyed continuing to see Persephone’s character development through the use of her powers. While I didn’t enjoy the battle between the Gods at the end, seeing how Theseus’s character is involved in what’s been going on was an interesting twist that made me excited to read the last book in this series to see how this series concludes.

A Touch of Chaos (Hades X Persephone #4)

Rating: 3 stars

Persephone, Goddess of Spring, never guessed a chance encounter with Hades, God of the Underworld, would change her life forever—but he did.

A fight for humanity and battles between gods, it’s a world Persephone never thought she would see. To end the chaos, she must draw upon her darkness and embrace who she’s become—Goddess, Wife, Queen of the Underworld.

Once, Persephone made bargains to save those she loves, now she will go to war for them.

While I enjoyed reading A Touch of Chaos, there were a lot of loose ends with this book that made it not as enjoyable as the rest of the books in this series. I will say though that I did enjoy the pacing in this book because events transpired quickly in each chapter. From the first page to the last, a lot was going on. I felt like I was on edge while reading, waiting to see what would happen next.

What I especially enjoyed here was continuing to see Persephone’s development through her powers. I especially appreciated it when she used her abilities to defend the souls in her home from the threat Theseus unleashed on the Underworld and when she went to get Hades back. I loved seeing her come into her powers as a Goddess and embracing them to help those she cared about be safe. There was also a lot of character development for her in this book with how she dealt with the deaths of those she cared about too, which made sense considering the number of characters that end up dying by the time this book is finished.  

I also enjoyed the introduction of Dionysus and Ariadne into A Touch of Chaos. I especially enjoyed seeing their relationship with each other as you could see how much Dionysus cared about Ariadne when I made it to the chapters told from his perspective. I wasn’t sure what the importance of their characters was here originally until Ariadne helped Persephone save Hades in the maze and you found out about her sister and Theseus’s obsession with Ariadne.

I felt bad for Ariadne in this book because of her sister and how he treated her and what happened to her and her sister in this book because of Theseus. What Theseus did to Ariadne in this book made me hate him even more than when I started this book so much that I couldn’t wait for him to die. Especially since I had to read about it from his perspective. As a warning, what Theseus does to Ariadne is extremely traumatic and the author does have a content warning at the start of this book concerning the traumatic things that happen within this book’s pages. So if you’re reading this post and decide to give this series a read, please make sure to read the content warning so you’re prepared for what’s to come.  

There were so many things that happened in A Touch of Chaos that while interesting, resulted in this book having a lot of loose endings, which made this book not as much of an enjoyable read for me. For example, I didn’t truly understand why Dionysus went looking for Medusa. With everything else that was going on, finding her didn’t seem like it should’ve been a high priority in the story as once he finds her nothing happens with her character in this book. I also feel like we don’t get any closure concerning what happened with a lot of the characters in this book. Like now that Ariadne and Dionysus are reunited, what’s going to happen with their relationship, and how is Ariadne going to recover from the trauma she endured from Theseus? Another example has to do with the Gods that are now dead. What’s going to happen now with these Olympians dead? Who’s the God that’s going to keep things going after everything that’s happened?  

I also in general wanted more of an epilogue with the characters that made it to see how their lives were after everything that happened as what we got while it was enjoyable to read, wasn’t enough. I felt like there was so much about what happened that was never discussed as it felt like everything just returned to normal once the fighting was over. I also wanted to see what happened with Theseus now that he’s one of the souls in the Underworld as his death wasn’t nearly as satisfying to me as I first found it when I originally read it. I wanted to see justice enacted against him in the Underworld and wanted to find out what they decided as his punishment there.

What I also found disappointing with A Touch of Chaos was the fight scenes. I felt like all the fights save what happens in the maze were easily resolved. Even when it came time to take down Hades’s father, it happened way too easily, which made me feel like something else could potentially happen to him later on. I also feel like there should’ve been something that happened with Persephone due to her taking someone’s life before their thread was cut, but that’s never truly addressed here either.

Overall what I enjoyed about A Touch of Chaos was how fast-moving the story was, Persephone continues to grow in development with her abilities, and the introduction of Dionysus and Ariadne into the story. Nothing else only because there were too many loose ends and because none of the characters truly get a resolution to what happens to them after the events in this book. As a whole though, I truly enjoyed reading the Hades X Persephone Series. I felt like this version of their romance was enjoyable to read as it was a unique take on mythology and can see myself reading these books again in the future once I’ve gotten to read the Hades Saga. Maybe the next time I decide to read this series, I’ll follow the recommended reading order to see what reading the books in that order is like.

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Book Review: Wild Wolf (Darkmore Penitentiary #4)

Rating: 4 stars

Freedom never tasted so bitter.

A stolen love. A strangled curse. A heart of sin. And a fate touched in moonlight.

My men weave a tangled web around my soul, and I’ve formed a pack that will go to death and back for me.

The moon hangs low over my heart as the call of the endless sky draws me closer and I find myself lost in the abyss that was waiting for me out here.

Fate has left a bitter taste on my tongue, the haunting echoes of the past mocking me at every turn. But I’m not a pup anymore. And I won’t let another ten years pass without mending the rift in my heart.

Darkness draws near enough to devour me but I have forged a pack of wild creatures at my back and I won’t be pulled into the grip of despair.

I’ll find the stars in this endless night and force them to hear me howl.

I am Rosalie Oscura and I will claim my happy ending, even if I have to claw it from the hands of destiny itself.

This is the final installment in the Darkmore Penitentiary series.

This series is set in the world of Solaria five years after Zodiac Academy and ten years after Dark Fae and book one was previously published as Darkmore Penitentiary. There is some character crossover but all series can be read independent of each other without spoilers. The female lead will end up with more than one love interest.

I reread the previous books in this series before I read this last book, Wild Wolf since it had been a while since I had picked up the Darkmore Penitentiary series. And I’m glad I did as this book does a wonderful job of bringing you back into the world of its characters and the story told within its pages. Like with its predecessors, this book didn’t disappoint as it was a good way to end this series that I had come to enjoy.

What I enjoyed about reading Wild Wolf is that there was quite a bit of character development between all of the guys Rosalie cared about. I felt like they were all starting to get along once they were out of the prison, like they finally understood why Rosalie cared about each of them. I felt like I saw this through all of the guys working together to help Roary with what he was going through and then once again when they all fought together against the main antagonists. I especially enjoyed seeing Cain and Roary develop a good relationship with each other as the book went on because I wasn’t expecting it, so it was nice to see. I also enjoyed the connection between Sin Wilder and some of the characters from Zodiac Academy as it was a twist in his character that I wasn’t expecting but was happy to see as I felt like Sin deserved to find out where he came from and I’m glad that was included here.

I also enjoyed seeing the connection between Cain’s past and Zodiac Academy concerning the main antagonists involved. It made me feel like with this last book in the series, the authors were connecting all of these series together that are set in Solaria, and I enjoyed it immensely. I will say though that I was disappointed in how easily the antagonists are defeated here because I was expecting more of a fight than what ends up happening. But I am glad with how things turn out in this book.

What I also enjoyed with Wild Wolf was the story itself. I was curious to find out what would happen once they got out of prison and this book didn’t disappoint. Yes, what happens to Roary is terrible and I wish it didn’t have to happen after everything he had already been through in these books. But at the same time, I’m glad it did because it brought all of the characters together when I wasn’t sure how that was going to happen. I also felt like there were a lot of good moments in this book with these characters that made this book even more enjoyable for me to read and I was glad that I decided to finish reading this series.

If I had to choose anything with regards to Wild Wolf that I didn’t particularly enjoy it would have to be with how Hastings’ character is portrayed. I initially liked his character in this series but didn’t like that his character was in this book to provide comedic relief. Especially because I felt like his chapters weren’t necessary as they didn’t add anything to the plot of the story. I felt like he was just in this book as a distraction from what was going on and I feel like nothing he did help Rosalie and the rest of the characters. If anything, I feel bad for him in this series because he gets used by Rosalie while she’s in the prison and then once he leaves the prison, he is used again as a way to distract from what Rosalie and the rest of the characters are going through. Don’t get me wrong, I overall like his character. Just not the way he ends up portrayed in this book like he’s weak and can’t handle doing things on his own.

What I also didn’t enjoy with this book is what Roary goes through as I feel like saving him and helping him get what he’s lost takes over as the main plot of this book. Yes, I enjoyed it because his struggle here results in deeper character development for Cain, Sin, and Ethan. But at the same time, the focus ends up being on saving him with what’s going on versus stopping the antagonists from doing what they did to him to others. And I feel like it doesn’t end up mattering anyway because while he gets what he lost back, he also has something else that none of the other characters in this world have and I feel like it’s never explained what this truly means.

But as a whole, I enjoyed reading Wild Wolf. It was a good last book for this series, and it was nice to see all of the characters working together and to see them all get the happy ending they truly deserve. 

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Book Review: At Last Sight (Witch City #2)

Rating: 4 stars

At Last Sight, book two in the Witch City series, follows Imogen, a reluctant clairvoyant on the run from her past, and Cade, the stubborn detective determined to give her a future…

Imogen Warner has spent ten years running scared.

After a childhood in the spotlight, the clairvoyant left home at fifteen without looking back. In the decade since, she’s moved from place to place like a ghost, keeping her head down, her powers hidden, and her name out of the newspapers. But anonymity is no longer an option when she finds herself in Salem, Massachusetts.

Despite Imogen’s initial determination to hold everyone at arm’s length, she’s quickly caught up in the unique magic of the town — and its eccentric residents. She feels at home for the first time in… forever. At least, until an annoyingly persistent — and annoyingly handsome — local detective demands she use her unique abilities to help solve his latest case.

Cade Hightower never runs from a fight.

The decorated detective thrives on a challenge, whether it’s with the case files on his desk or the women in his bed. He’s instantly captivated by the beautiful new arrival in his town — the one with the witchy eyes and the mysterious past. The more he interacts with Imogen, the more he wants to peel back her layers one by one. (And, while he’s at it, peel off her clothes piece by piece.)

Too bad he’s got no time for either. Cade’s top priority is tracking down the young trick-or-treater who vanished seemingly into thin air on Halloween night. And he’s willing to use any tactic — even Imogen’s unconventional ones — to bring the child home before it’s too late.

Tensions — and tempers — run hot in this opposites-attract romance set in the infamously witchy city of Salem. At Last Sight is a total standalone romance of 140,000 words, balancing a fair bit of suspense with spicy scenes, spooky moments, and lots of laughs. (Note: while the story is a total standalone, it does contain some crossover characters and settings from book one, Bad Luck Charm.)

Like I enjoyed reading Bad Luck Charm last year, I enjoyed At Last Sight just as much. This second book in this series reminded me why I enjoyed reading these books so much, from the witty back-and-forth banter between Imogen and Cade to Imogen’s interactions with the residents in Salem. What made this book stand out from its predecessor was that as a reader, we could see the story told from the perspective of someone freshly arriving in Salem, Massachusetts. So when Imogen was explaining what this place was like, we were able to see the quirkiness and charm of this place vividly.

I also enjoyed Imogen as a character. Yes, she has quite the baggage which results in a lot of trauma that her character hasn’t fully healed from due to her always being on the run. But as the book goes on, you see the immense character development of her character as she starts to realize that Salem is where she wants to be, and she learns to trust the people of Salem when she usually struggles to trust anyone. I also found her to have quite a bit of personality through her interactions with Cade. When seeing these two characters together, I already knew there was something there as it was very apparent from the moment Cade came up to her car and offered his help. So I was excited to see how things would unfold between Imogen and Cade as I continued reading their story.

What I also enjoyed about reading At Last Sight was getting to see the same characters from Bad Luck Charm play a role in Imogen’s story. Which makes sense since Imogen got a job at Gwen’s shop. But it was still nice getting to see Gwen, Florence, Desmond, Sally, Agatha, and Graham again even though Imogen’s story seems to take place shortly after the events in the first book in this series. I enjoyed this too though as it feels like this book picks up where its predecessor left off but with different characters as main characters. I also loved how these characters welcomed Imogen into their lives even with her initially hesitating in opening up about her past. It was nice because it was obvious how much Imogen was struggling with wanting to make friends in Salem since she was initially planning to leave as soon as she could.

I especially loved the romance between Imogen and Cade and the other story that’s happening while their romance takes off. Like I said earlier, from the moment Cade helped Imogen with her car, I felt like I could see the connection between the two of them. As the story goes on, I find myself loving their relationship more and more because you can see how much they care about each other. I also loved the story here with regards to the missing boy that was happening while you get to see Imogen and Cade’s relationship develop. I enjoyed this aspect of the story because you get to see Imogen’s character develop as the characters in the story want her to use her gift and trust that she’ll be able to help save him. I feel like this helps Imogen realize she has a home in Salem, and she doesn’t have to run from her past anymore because she’s gained some friends in her life that will support her.

If there was anything with At Last Sight I didn’t particularly enjoy it would have to be how easily the conflicts in this book were resolved. The best example that comes to mind for me is Imogen’s past with her ex-boyfriend Adrian and her uncle. I felt like the aspects of Imogen’s past that she was running away from were just easily resolved in this book. A lot faster than I was expecting whenever Imogen starts talking about her past with the friends she’s made in Salem and Cade. It almost made it feel like her story was far from being told or like the trauma she was running away from was something that could be resolved with only a few words. This bothered me only because I felt like these aspects of her story should’ve been fleshed out a little more than they were.

As a whole though, At Last Sight was a wonderful read and I enjoyed it immensely. It was nice to see all of these characters again and to see Cade have his happy-ever-after with Imogen. Can’t wait to read the next book in the Witch City series, Worst Laid Plains whenever it comes out as I know I will enjoy it.   

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Book Review: Iron Flame and Onyx Storm (The Empyrean Books 2 and 3)

At the end of 2024, I read Fourth Wing, the first book in The Empyrean series. While I no longer like to read books in a series until it’s completed, I can’t get enough of the world in this series and found myself wanting to continue with these books anyway. I know after the two books I’ll be reviewing here there are going to be two more in this series, and I have accepted that I’ll have to wait until they are also released before I check them out. But for now, since I’ve finished reading these books, I would like to share my thoughts on Iron Flame and Onyx Storm, the second and third books in The Empyrean series.

Iron Flame (The Empyrean #2)

Rating: 4.5 stars

“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

As the second book in The Empyrean series, Iron Flame does a marvelous job of picking up where Fourth Wing left off. And just like with its predecessor, I found myself immediately hooked on the story and wanting to find out what happened next with Violet, Xaden, her squad, and their dragons. I felt like there was a lot of world-building in this book, but I was perfectly fine with it as I felt like I was learning more about the vast world all of these characters inhabit.

What I also enjoyed about the story here is that I felt like there were quite a bit of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. From finding out the truth about the real threat in their world to the introduction of new characters and bringing back certain characters, Iron Flame was a page-turner for me from beginning to end. I found myself continuing to read this book wanting to find out what happened next because for me I enjoyed the world and these characters and wanted to see where the story was going.

Iron Flame is full of so much action that I found myself heavily engaged in the story and the choices these characters make when the truth is revealed to them regarding the threat to their world. I also enjoyed seeing the character development of these characters as they navigate the different challenges they experience while at Basgiath and whenever they leave their school. I was especially happy to see that Violet’s friendship with Dain changes in this book once he finds out the truth of what’s going on. While the way he treated Violet in Fourth Wing irked me, I felt like he does a better job here realizing she’s more than capable of taking care of herself which made him a more likable character for me.  

Even the ending in Iron Flame was enjoyable to read for me. It was tough to read because of what happened and I was sad about the events that transpired too. But with the amount of twists and turns that happened in this book, I figured the ending would have some sort of twist I wasn’t expecting that would make me want to read the next book in the series. And it didn’t disappoint, even if aspects of it were sad to read.

If I had to choose anything with this book in The Empyrean series I didn’t enjoy it would have to be some of the new characters that were introduced and the problems in Xaden and Violet’s relationship that occurred here. The new characters I wasn’t particularly fond of here were Varrish, Sloane and Cat. Varrish was an interesting character to have as an antagonist in most of the book but I wasn’t particularly fond of him because all he did was do things to make Violet’s life at Basgiath difficult, but there really wasn’t all that much to his character that made the story interesting. As for Sloane and Cat, while I understood their reasons for not being fond of Violet here, I also felt like they were mostly unfounded too, and were the result of things that were out of her control. And even when these two characters get to a point in the story where they no longer dislike her, I find myself still not too fond of either of them.

I felt like the drama that happened in Violet and Xaden’s relationship in this book was completely unnecessary. I understood in the beginning Violet being upset with Xaden for keeping things from her that he should’ve told her. But at the same time, I also understood his perspective and why he felt like it was truly necessary. I also understand feeling a sense of jealousy when encountering someone from someone you love’s past. But I felt with the way Xaden acted towards his ex, there was truly no reason for Violet to be jealous here. So to me, I felt like there was a lot of drama between the two of them here that wasn’t at all necessary for their relationship that irked me.

However, despite these two aspects of the story, I really enjoyed reading Iron Flame. I felt like I was right back to where its predecessor left off and when it finished it made me all the more excited to read the next book in the series, Onyx Storm to see what happened next with this series I’ve been enjoying.

Onyx Storm (The Empyrean #3)

Rating: 3.5 stars

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming…and not everyone can survive its wrath.

I feel like in comparison to the rest of the books in this series, Onyx Storm was my least favorite. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed it, but in comparison to Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, it wasn’t as enjoyable a read for me.

What I enjoyed about Onyx Storm though was that I felt like I learned more about the world outside of Navarre. There were a lot of places that Violet and members of her squad went to in search of allies and I enjoyed learning about these different isles and what those who ruled over them were like. The amount of detail that went into creating such a vast world that has so many unique places some of which resulted in their group being unable to use their magic and communicate with their dragons or griffins is incredible. I felt like I was reading a story with a cast of characters on a quest because of what Violet and her group were in search of and I enjoyed that aspect of it.

I also enjoyed the relationship of the characters here better than I did in Iron Flame. With everything serious that was going on in this book, I felt like there was a lot of witty banter in this book in comparison to its predecessors which made some of the serious moments seem not quite as serious. There were a lot of moments when reading Onyx Storm where I found myself giggling at something that happened because of these moments in the story. The characters that annoyed me in Iron Flame didn’t annoy me as much in this book too, which helped. I especially enjoyed seeing the relationships between the dragon riders and griffin riders and how they all worked together in this book. I also enjoyed finding out more about the characters that had a second signet. I thought that was an interesting piece of information to include in the story and I was excited when I found out what Violet’s ended up being even though I felt like it ended up being an obvious signet for her to have.  

While I enjoyed seeing the dynamic of Violet and Xaden’s relationship in this book more, certain aspects of their relationship annoyed me. While I understood Xaden’s actions regarding their relationship, Violet was the one who annoyed me a lot with the way she acted about Xaden trying to keep himself in control. I also feel like with Violet, there wasn’t a lot of character development for her in Onyx Storm. Yes, I feel like she did a lot of badass things when it came to what they were doing on the islands to secure an army. But I also feel like at this point in the book, she wasn’t as strong as she could’ve been. I think I’m at the point where I feel like while she has a very powerful signet, she should have a grasp on how to use it by now in this series, but she still doesn’t. And it’s annoying to me because I feel like it’s going to continue causing more harm than good for her and those around her that she’s trying to protect.

Another aspect of Onyx Storm that I wasn’t particularly fond of was the overall plot. I understood why the things that were going on happened, but I felt like there was a lot of filler in this book too. Yes, I thought the islands that Violet and her group went to were interesting, but there were a lot of details that weren’t necessary as well. And while I enjoyed their journey, I also felt like it was kind of pointless too. Especially because it felt like a majority of it was for nothing due to the events that transpired as a result of it. I also felt like learning about the world outside of Navarre was interesting, there was also too much information for me to remember with all of the places they ended up traveling to.

I also found myself annoyed by it because of all the mystery surrounding Violet’s father regarding the information he left for her to find. I didn’t understand why he went to all this trouble to hide this information for only her out of the members of her family to find. I understand not keeping the knowledge he had somewhere leadership at Basigath could easily find it, but I felt like how he hid the information he had was too much. Especially because I felt like it didn’t contribute much to the story of what was going on and made me dislike her father even more than her mother.  

But if I had to choose anything with this book I disliked the most, it was the way the antagonist in this book is brought into the story and the ending. While I think Theophanie was an interesting antagonist to introduce into the story to show how their enemies have similar powers to them, I thought she would end up playing a bigger role in this series moving forward than she does. I felt like she was just introduced as this powerful character for Violet to take down to show how much Violet has grown throughout the series. But I feel like in a lot of their fight Violet struggled and very easily could’ve ended up killed herself. What I didn’t like about the ending was that there were multiple points of view from different characters that could’ve very easily happened throughout the book instead of at the end. Also felt like the ending left me with way more questions than answers as there’s a lot that’s mentioned but no real explanation for it. It also made me feel like everything that happens in this book was for nothing and that things are about to get bad for Violet and everyone else. It was my least favorite ending out of the books in this series so far.

As a whole, I enjoyed reading Onyx Storm but in comparison to the rest of the books in the series, it wasn’t my favorite as I felt like a lot of the plot was filler. And while I plan to continue reading the rest of the books in the series, I’m hoping they won’t be like this one for me.

As a whole, I’ve enjoyed reading both Iron Flame and Onyx Storm and am excited to continue reading the rest of The Empyrean series when the books come out to see what happens next now that I’ve finished reading both these books.               

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Book Review: Where He Can’t Find You

Rating: 4.5 stars

From USA Today bestselling horror/thriller author Darcy Coates comes the chilling legend of a monster no one can escape.

DON’T WALK ALONE, OR THE STITCHER WILL FIND YOU.

Abby Ward lives in a town haunted by disappearances. People vanish, and when they’re found, their bodies have been dismembered and sewn back together in unnatural ways. But is it the work of a human killer…or something far darker?

DON’T STAY OUT LATE, OR THE STITCHER WILL TAKE YOU.

She and her younger sister live by a strict set of rules designed to keep them safe―which is why it’s such a shock when Hope is taken. Desperate to get her back, Abby tells the police everything she knows, but they claim their hands are tied.

DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES, OR THE STITCHER WILL REMAKE YOU.

With every hour precious, Abby and her friends are caught in a desperate game of cat and mouse. They have to get Hope back. Quickly. Before too much of her is cut away. And before everything they care about is swallowed up by the darkness waiting in the tunnels beneath the home they thought they knew.

From beginning to end, Where He Can’t Find You was a thrilling read that I couldn’t put down as I wanted to find out what happened next to the characters within its pages. It tells a very creepy story that I could easily see haunting many people’s dreams as I myself got goosebumps from reading it.

The story told in this book is very chilling and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed reading this book because of the abnormal things that would happen when one of the people who lived in this town disappeared. Whenever someone was taken by the Sticher, there were always signs and as a reader you get to see them in the story. And I loved it because I felt like it added another layer to this book. The amount of detail the characters go into making sure they don’t become one of the people who goes missing by establishing rules for themselves with regards to the Sticher was also an interesting tidbit in this book to see. 

I also enjoyed that the setting of this story takes place in a small mining town as that adds even more elements to the story. I feel like this especially added another layer to the plot in Where He Can’t Find You because the main characters in the story along with all the other inhabitants already had a sense of who was involved with these disappearances. You could see it from the way the characters in the story act when it comes to him from them immediately putting distance between themselves and him whenever he’s nearby to people in the town leaving him offerings outside his home in the hopes that it will stop them from becoming one of the people who goes missing.

What I especially enjoyed about reading this book was the detail put into telling this story. For example, when talking about events that happened in this town in the past, usually they encompassed a chapter and were from the perspective of the person relaying the event. And I found those chapters particularly enjoyable for me to read because I felt like along with getting more information about the Sticher, I felt like I was learning a little more too about the character who was talking about what happened. It was another layer of the story being told here that I found I appreciated as it gave me more knowledge about the small town these characters live in and what all they’ve had to do to survive in this town.

If I had to choose anything with Where He Can’t Find You I didn’t particularly enjoy it would have to be lack of character development with these characters. I feel like from the beginning to the end of this book, Abby, Hope and their friends don’t really go through any development here. The events that happen in this story just happen to them and I feel like these events could’ve easily happened to anyone else in the town as none of these characters’ personalities changed or anything when reading. A perfect example of what I mean by this pertains to the new girl who moves into their town, Jen. She has absolutely nothing to do with the events going on in the story other than her and her father moving to this town. Yet I feel like she takes it upon herself to get involved with the group of characters in the story that we interact with even though she truly has no reason to. Especially because up until a certain point in the story, she believes the other characters in the story are just trying to scare her because of her being new in town. She doesn’t believe any of the things going on in the book that the people in town tell her are real but then ends up helping Abby and the rest of her friends with helping get Hope back.   

I also feel like there’s a lack of explanation with certain things that happen in the story too. Even with all of the details as a reader I get about the Sticher, I feel like there are some things that weren’t fully explained. The best example that comes to mind for me is Abby and Hope’s mom in the book. While reading Where He Can’t Find You, she acts really unusually in the very beginning of the book, and there’s no real explanation for this given to us. I know it more than likely has to do with the disappearance of her husband and the strange things going on in the town, but it never gets fully explained from what I recall. And then in the end of the book, there’s a bit about her that we get where she basically starts to act normal again after what transpires with her children. And that’s basically all we get when it comes to her character in the story, which bothers me as I felt like we would actually get more from her as to why she acts the way she does in the beginning of the book.

As a whole though, I enjoyed reading Where He Can’t Find You. It was the perfect creepy book for me to read as I enjoyed the storytelling within its pages and felt like the setting of a small mining town was the perfect backdrop for the events in the story that transpired with these characters. Highly recommend for those who enjoy spooky books and that describes what happens story wise very well as you will not be disappointed with this one.    

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Book Review: The Color of Revenge

Rating: 3 stars

Vengeance awaits in the follow-up to the epic, award-winning, New York Times bestselling Inkheart trilogy by internationally acclaimed author Cornelia Funke.

Five years have passed since the events of Inkdeath. At last, peace reigns in Ombra where Meggie, Mo, Dustfinger and all the other residents lead a happy, carefree life. But it has been a different story for Orpheus, who after fleeing to the north, has spent his days living a meager and deprived existence fueled only by his thirst for revenge against Dustfinger and all those who betrayed him.

Now Orpheus is willing to use any means necessary to take revenge. Even the darkest spell the ink world has to offer.

When Dustfinger’s deepest fears come true, he’ll have to figure out whether the words still obey him. Or is he the one who should be afraid of the pictures this time…

Don’t get me wrong, I overall enjoyed reading The Color of Revenge. However, in comparison to the books in the Inkheart trilogy, which are the predecessor to this book, I was severely disappointed in this book that takes place in that same world. But before I go into the reasons why I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the original trilogy let me talk about what I did enjoy here about The Color of Revenge.

What I enjoyed about The Color of Revenge was returning to the Inkworld again. I returned to a world I’ve loved since I was a young adult and was reunited with characters whose stories I thought had already been told. I didn’t even mind seeing Orpheus again even though he was one of my least favorite villains in the original trilogy. It made me miss the world these characters are in and made me want to read the Inkheart trilogy all over again.

Even though the execution of the main plot in this book ended up poorly executed, I loved the premise of the plot in this book. The idea of a villain initially being successful in getting revenge against those who they feel have wronged them in a unique way that’s described as impossible to stop. I loved the overall premise of what this book is supposed to be about and was interested in learning more about the grey book Meggie and several of the other main characters from the Inkworld end up trapped in and what Dustfinger and the Black Prince have to do to save everyone from Orpheus’s plot.

What I also enjoyed when reading The Color of Revenge was some of the new characters that were introduced in this book. In particular, the characters who helped Dustfinger and the Black Prince save the characters that were stuck in the grey book. I thought they were interesting characters and wanted to learn more about them and their powers. I forgot how much I enjoyed the magic of the Inkworld until reading this book brought me right back into their world and all the magic I enjoyed with it in the past.

However, there’s also a lot in this book I didn’t enjoy too. For starters, I was disappointed with how the plot in this story was executed. Don’t get me wrong, it was fascinating to see Orpheus get his revenge against those who wronged him and learn how he was able to do so. But I felt like there should’ve been more with it too. I think part of my issue here is that I expected this book to be just as long as the books in the Inkheart trilogy with a lot of detail regarding the Inkworld and I feel like this book just didn’t capture that for me like the original trilogy did. I was also disappointed because I was hoping we’d find out what all the main characters had been up to since the end of Inkdeath since the story here takes place five years after the events in that book. And we didn’t get that at all here.   

What I also didn’t enjoy about The Color of Revenge was the other names given to some of the characters in the story. Both Dustfinger and the Black Prince have other names that are used in this book that weren’t ever mentioned in the original trilogy. And I felt like Cornelia Funke used those names quite frequently in this book to where I would have to look them up in the back of the book to see which character was which. It was annoying to me because it didn’t make sense to give these characters these names when they didn’t have them in the Inkheart trilogy. I understand that this book is essentially about an adventure Dustfinger and the Black Prince go on while the other characters are stuck inside the grey book so wanted to add something more to the story. But if these were these characters’ names, they should’ve been in the Inkheart trilogy too.

What I also found disappointing when reading this book was how they got rid of Orpheus. There’s so much that happens because of him in the original trilogy along with this book that I was expecting a big showdown between him and all of the other characters, and they were going to do something against him to make it impossible for him to ever get revenge again. But what happens instead while it does in some ways feel right since he didn’t read himself into the Inkworld, to begin with so the chances of him coming back are pretty small, it also makes me feel uneasy too. I can’t help but feel like the story told is unfinished because of how lackluster this ending was to me, and I don’t like it because I never felt that way when I was reading the books in the Inkheart trilogy.

As a whole, while I did overall enjoy reading The Color of Revenge and getting to go back into the Inkworld once again, I felt like I was reading a book from a completely different series but with characters that I already know. I think I probably would’ve enjoyed this book better if I hadn’t read the original Inkheart trilogy before or if this book was labeled as being a part of that world but the start of another series as I feel like with the way this story ended Funke could very easily be thinking of doing another series in this world. I do recommend those who’ve read the original trilogy to give this book a read but to be prepared to have lower expectations if you’re expecting this one to be anything like the Inkheart trilogy as you’ll be disappointed like I was.     

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Book Review: Fourth Wing (The Empyrean #1)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders…

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

I was immediately hooked on Violet’s story from the first page of Fourth Wing. As someone who enjoys reading fantasy, especially fantasy books that have a strong female protagonist, I found that I enjoyed reading this book quite a bit. I enjoyed learning more about the college Violet attends with her ruthless classmates and learning more about the world of Navarre.

From the first page, I was captivated by the world Violet lives in. While I know it’s a world I personally wouldn’t want to be a part of, I enjoyed seeing the story told from her eyes and what her day-to-day life was like surviving in a world where everyone saw her as weak. I enjoyed learning more about her college, the different cadets and the signets they each developed once they bonded to their dragons, and everything else this world in Fourth Wing had to offer. It’s a very captivating world that as a reader I was easily able to get myself lost in.

What I also enjoyed about this book was the story itself. I enjoyed that the story centered around a protagonist like Violet who’s had to overcome so much to get to where she is and isn’t done overcoming obstacles. Violet is put through a lot in this book because of the number of other dragon riders who want to get rid of her, and who see her as the weakest one among them. I feel like she does a wonderful job repeatedly proving that she belongs here with them when she very easily could’ve given up. I also enjoyed that the story had a lot of fantasy elements to it, such as the dragon riders each developing a signet ability once they were connected with the dragon that chose them, the dragons themselves, and the fantasy within the world Violet and the other characters live in.

I also enjoyed seeing the different relationships between characters in Fourth Wing. Especially the relationship between Violet and Xaden, her friendship with Rhiannon and other members of her squadron, and the dynamic between Violet, Xaden, and their dragons. I felt like all of these different relationships had a great dynamic. And I enjoyed seeing how each of them separately was developing as the book went on.

If there was anything with Fourth Wing I didn’t like it was certain characters in the story and the way this book ends. The characters I’m talking about here are Jack and Dain. Disliking Jack in this book shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to those who’ve also read it because he’s one of the main people in Basgiath War College who wants Violet dead. But he’s also a threat to most of the other dragon riders in this book and I feel like is one of the main antagonists here up until a certain point in the story. I feel like he’s a threat to the other characters in the story and not just Violet because from the beginning he shows he has no hesitation in killing anyone at the college that stands in the way of him getting what he wants. Violet just happens to be who he wants to kill the most out of the characters in the book as he’s wanted her dead since the beginning. Dain on the other hand, is a character in the story I originally was hoping to like in Fourth Wing. Violet describes him as her best friend since childhood whom she’s had feelings for. But since the beginning of the book when he finds out that Violet is going to be attending Basgiath War College at her mom’s insistence, he is nothing but overprotective of her throughout this book. I understand he’s worried about her safety and cares about her, but it’s to the point where even when she proves she’s more than capable of taking care of herself here he’s still in an overprotective mode when it comes to her. To the point where it’s more of a detriment to her and it feels like he’s not being a supportive friend to her even when she’s shown what all she’s capable of. I feel like he basically does a shitty job of being a good friend in this book and understood completely when Violet had moments where she wasn’t on speaking terms with him. I’m hoping that as this series goes on their friendship ends up better than it was here because as of what I’ve read, he’s done a terrible job at being a good friend for her.

As for the ending in this book, I wouldn’t say I necessarily hated it though I was sad regarding certain things that happened. What I didn’t like about the ending is that there’s a lot that happens with it about Xaden and other characters and Violet becoming aware of creatures she thought weren’t real existing that doesn’t get fully explained. I feel like there’s a lot that happens in the end that needs a lot more explanation than what we’re given. I don’t necessarily see this completely as a bad thing since this is a book series so I’m sure the things that weren’t fully explained I’ll find out more about as the series goes on. I just don’t like the way it was done because there’s room for people to be confused about what happened.

As a whole though, Fourth Wing was such an enjoyable read for me. I enjoyed the world these characters are in even if it is not one I’d want to be in myself and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series Iron Flame to see what happens next to Violet, Xaden, and everyone else who’s played an important role in the story so far.            

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Book Review: The Resurrectionist

Rating: 4 stars

In the tradition of The Alienist and A Love Story, a decadently macabre, dark, and twisty gothic debut set in 19th century Scotland – when real-life serial killers Burke and Hare terrorized the streets of Edinburgh – as a young medical student is lured into the illicit underworld of body snatching. Historical fiction, true crime, and dark academia intertwine in a harrowing tale of murder, greed, and the grisly origins of modern medicine for readers of Lydia Kang, ML Rio, Sarah Perry, and C.E. McGill.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1828. Naïve but determined James Willoughby has abandoned his posh, sheltered life at Oxford to pursue a lifelong dream of studying surgery in Edinburgh. A shining beacon of medical discovery in the age of New Enlightenment, the city’s university offers everything James desires—except the chance to work on a human cadaver.

For that, he needs to join one of the private schools in Surgeon’s Square, at a cost he cannot afford. In desperation, he strikes a deal with Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon, a dashing young dissectionist with an artist’s eye for anatomy and a reckless passion for knowledge. Nye promises to help him gain the surgical experience he craves—but it doesn’t take long for James to realize he’s made a devil’s bargain . . .  Nye is a body snatcher. And James has unwittingly become his accomplice.

Intoxicated by Nye and his noble mission, James rapidly descends into the underground ranks of the Resurrectionists—the body snatchers infamous for stealing fresh corpses from churchyards to be used as anatomical specimens. Before he knows it, James is caught up in a life-or-death scheme as rival gangs of snatchers compete in a morbid race for power and prestige.

James and Nye soon find themselves in the crosshairs of a shady pair of unscrupulous opportunists known as Burke and Hare, who are dead set on cornering the market, no matter the cost. These unsavory characters will do anything to beat the competition for bodies. Even if it’s cold-blooded murder . . .

Exquisitely macabre and delightfully entertaining, The Resurrectionist combines fact and fiction in a rollicking tale of the risks and rewards of scientific pursuit, the passions of its boldest pioneers, and the anatomy of human desire.

I received a digital copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.

This book was an intriguingly interesting read to me. From beginning to end, I was captivated by the story told within this book’s pages, wanting to find out what was going to happen next to James and Nye. While I felt like I didn’t really know too much about either of them as I feel like this book’s focus is more on the events that transpire than character development, the story within The Resurrectionist was an enjoyable one for me.

What also helped draw me into the story here is the setting of this book. It takes place during a different time in Edinburgh when the world didn’t have the advancements in medicine and science that we have today. Back when there weren’t enough dead bodies to study in medical schools, they had to rely on body snatchers to bring fresh corpses to be used for scientific study. I felt like with The Resurrectionist, I was very easily swept into this time period with James as he talked about his experiences at his college and the private school he ended up attending. I felt like I was right along with James as he discovered the underbelly of life as a body snatcher and as the stakes in his life kept getting more and more dangerous. This book essentially drew me in through its descriptive storytelling when it comes to the world around James and his mates.

What I also enjoyed about The Resurrectionist along with the setting of the book is the story itself. The plot was fast-moving, with conflicts occurring every so often with James and his companion Nye. The story of James being in debt when he finally found somewhere he belonged and doing things most people would find morally questionable, to his life as a body snatcher, to the discovery of a group of people who are a threat to what James and Nye do, to their lives being in immediate danger when they become involved with Burke and Hare. It kept me on the edge, continuing to read to see what would happen next to James and Nye and how this story would conclude. Especially knowing what I do now that some of the characters in this historical fiction novel are based on real people and real killings that have taken place. Knowing that now intrigues me enough to want to learn more and see how events in this book connect with the true crimes committed by Burke and Hare.

Another piece of The Resurrectionist I enjoyed was seeing the relationship between James and Nye. Since there isn’t a lot of character development in this book, I was interested in their relationship because I wanted to see how it would develop. And while the direction it takes doesn’t surprise me, I wanted to see more of it unfold than what as a reader I get.

As a whole, I did enjoy reading this book. However, if there was anything with it I didn’t particularly like it would be lack of character development and information. I feel like this book does a marvelous job of describing the events that happened from James’ point of view. As a reader, I get a good sense of what the world he lives in is like and what his life is like as a body snatcher. But that’s it. I feel like there’s a lot that happens in the story with these characters but there’s a minimal amount of character development with them. I also feel like this book does a wonderful job of giving us the events that happen but feel like at times I wanted more information when something happened as a lot of the conflicts that occurred were resolved pretty quickly. I felt like there could’ve been more here in this story than what was given, but enjoyed what I read, nonetheless.The Resurrectionist is an enjoyable read that I highly recommend. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, true crime, medical crime, and anyone who likes a story that takes place near an academic institution. The Resurrectionist was published on December 24, 2024 for those interested in reading this book.

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