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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: Age of Vampires Series (Books 1-4)

For my reviews on the Age of Vampires series, I’ve decided to split it into two reviews. There’s a total of seven books in this series so I figured it made sense to start with the first four books in the series, then have my next review of the series encompass the last three books. So to get started, let me share my thoughts on the first book in the series called Eternal Reign.   

Eternal Reign (Age of Vampires #1)

Rating: 3.5 stars

The vampire prince has never claimed a human. Until now.

My whole life I’ve been nothing but a means to an end; livestock kept caged for the production of blood. I’ve stared through fences at the promise of freedom countless times, but the only way anyone escapes this hell is in the hands of a bloodsucker.

The annual testing is about to begin, and those who pass are never seen again. So fu*k that. My twin and I decided to risk it all. To run before the royals could claim us.

Turns out, that dream expired fast. Because when an original vampire decides to own you, there’s nowhere in this ruined world left to escape to.

I’m at his mercy now, trapped in his castle, destined to become his creature, and forced into a dangerous game of rivalry between the seductive vampire princes.

His beauty is a weapon I wasn’t prepared for, his cruelty a bane that strikes fear in the hearts of all, and his company a sin I’m going to spend my life repenting.

I need to get back to my sister, but she’s caught in a trap of her own, tangled up with the last slayer to walk this earth and following his path towards vengeance. She’s at his mercy too, the man with violence tattooed across his skin, death trailing his footsteps as he stalks his prey – who just so happen to be the royal vampires who hold me captive.

The gods are toying with us all, placing my twin and I on opposite sides of an ancient war. And in the end, I fear there won’t be any victors left standing.

So I’m going to play a game of my own, let my captor use me as his puppet until I find my moment to strike.

Let this hell-born ritual of lust, lies and blood begin.

***This is a dark, fantasy romance series by the authors of Zodiac Academy with all the enemies to lovers vibes – don’t go expecting a sweet vampire with sparkling skin and a tendency to watch you sleeping. These vampires are savage and bloodthirsty, and the slayer who hunts them will stab first and ask questions later. This war-torn fantasy world is a brutal bi*ch and only those 18+ have a chance at surviving the darkness lurking between these pages. There’s no well-meaning vampires snacking on Bambies instead of babies, and if they get their teeth into you, you’ll be damn lucky to escape with your life and panties intact. So grab hold of your slayer blade (wooden stakes have too many splinters) and get ready to defy the gods, because this is going to be one helluva ride***

While I enjoyed reading Eternal Reign, it wasn’t my favorite book to start off a series that I’ve read by these authors. But before I go into all of that, I’d like to start off talking about what I enjoyed with reading this book.

What I enjoyed about this book was the main protagonists, Callie and Montana. I enjoyed seeing the story told from these twin’s perspectives as everything they knew about the world they’re a part of begins turning on its head. For Callie this happened when she discovers that there are beings that can actually kill the vampires that’ve been holding humans captive for so long. And for Montana, this happens when she finds herself held captive in the clutches of the royal vampires and has to participate in a dangerous game of manipulation and seduction. I enjoyed seeing their perspectives as they are both on opposite sides of a war that started between two enemies long before their birth but are trying everything they can within their power to be reunited with each other. I also enjoyed meeting other characters in the story that as the reader I don’t get their perspective of but was very curious learning about as I read, Magnus and Erik. Both these guys play a central role in Callie and Montana’s lives in Eternal Reign and I’m interested to see how their lives continue to intersect.

I also enjoyed all of these characters in this book because I found the relationships between them interesting to read. Considering that Magnus and Erik are on opposite sides of a war, it was interesting seeing their relationship between the twin sisters both of whom are doing everything they can to be reunited with each other. I’m interested in seeing how these relationships develop as I continue reading this series as right now I don’t know how either relationship is truly going to work out yet.      

What I also enjoyed about this first book in the Age of Vampires series was learning more about the world all these characters are in. I found the way this world is dominated by vampires and how they treat humans alarming. It was interesting seeing humans as nothing more than livestock, but I didn’t enjoy it either as I felt like these vampires should be treating the humans who they take from better than they do. It’s an extremely dark world for humans that I never would want to be a part of, even with what the royal vampires do with the humans they choose. At the same time though, I found myself interested in wanting to learn more about it and found the history of this world interesting to learn about.

What I didn’t enjoy regarding this first book in the series was that I felt like it was slow moving for being the first book in a series. Don’t get me wrong, the overall premise of the story is interesting and I’m eager as I read these books to find out what happens next with these characters. But I felt like as a reader it started off pretty slow and didn’t pick up for me as much until close to the middle and end of the book. I also wanted to know more about how this world came to be too and while there was a little bit of background of that here, I wanted more than what was given.

Overall despite how slow-moving this book was for me with this series, I really enjoyed reading Eternal Reign and am excited to also share my thoughts regarding the next book in the series, Immortal Prince.

Immortal Prince (Age of Vampires #2)

Rating: 4 stars

The immortal prince must fall.

I’m on a quest to reach my sister, to claim her from the clutches of the vampires who seized my family and end the immortal life of the prince who claimed her.

But the path this dark slayer is taking me on is rife with danger, though the kind he weaves is fast becoming my favourite temptation.

Familiars watch us from the shadows, and one wrong move could see the vampires stalking us in the dark. But they aren’t my only concern anymore, because the gods of old are waking, and now one of them has their sights set on us.

No matter what fate throws our way, I will rescue my family, even if it costs me everything.

I fear this game will end in blood.

I’m so deeply involved in Erik Belvedere’s cunning plans, and the cost is rising by the hour. I’ll do anything I can to protect my family, but this ritual only ends one way.

A human bride for a vampire prince.

And the game is getting more deadly. Elite vampires are showing up dead in the city, and I’m sure I’ve seen the killer before…

If only I could act on logic, maybe this wouldn’t be so impossible. But I’m starting to crave the monster who holds me captive.

If I can’t break free of his allure, how will I ever save myself and those I love?

***This is a dark, fantasy romance series by the authors of Zodiac Academy with all the enemies to lovers vibes – don’t go expecting a sweet vampire with sparkling skin and a tendency to watch you sleeping. These vampires are savage and bloodthirsty, and the slayer who hunts them will stab first and ask questions later. This war-torn fantasy world is a brutal bi*ch and only those 18+ have a chance at surviving the darkness lurking between these pages. There’s no well-meaning vampires snacking on Bambies instead of babies, and if they get their teeth into you, you’ll be damn lucky to escape with your life and panties intact. So grab hold of your slayer blade (wooden stakes have too many splinters) and get ready to defy the gods, because this is going to be one helluva ride***

This book does a wonderful job picking up where Eternal Reign left off, and I enjoyed it more than its predecessor as I felt like I was given more story than I wanted. This book gave me the details I wanted regarding how vampires came to be in this world, and I enjoyed it. I also find it interesting the role Gods play in this world and finding out about the prophecy that sounds like it may be about the characters who I’m reading about. 

Immortal Prince gave me everything I was looking for, and I was excited to read it. Its pacing picked up immensely, giving light in providing the information regarding vampires I wanted from the beginning of this series. But also plot-wise with Callie working with Magnar to rescue her sister from the royals and learning about what being a slayer is and Montana’s relationship with Erik as she navigates the world of vampires. And I also enjoyed the start of the romance with these characters too as I felt like we saw more of these character’s personalities come out as the book progressed.

What really excited me about reading this book though was getting chapters from Erik and Magnar’s perspectives, the two guys on opposing sides. I enjoyed reading their chapters because they gave me the history of their kind and described to me what happened thousands of years ago before the events leading up to the books in this series. And I enjoyed that because I wanted to know how Erik became the vampire we see and how Magnar became a slayer destined to destroy their kind.

If I had to choose anything regarding Immortal Prince I didn’t particularly enjoy was the ending. While I found it interesting because of the big decision Callie ends up making, I also felt sad for her and Montana too for losing one of the people they care about the most. While it makes sense from a story perspective that his character isn’t going to play an important role in this series, I felt sad for them that they had to lose him when he played such a huge role in their lives. Also as someone who’s lost someone important to them, I felt like I could relate and was sad to see it happen even though I had a feeling it was going to. I did find it interesting though once Callie makes her choice how she is able to connect to her sister and how they are able to communicate to each other about what they’ve been going through since they were separated from each other.

I enjoyed this second book in the Age of Vampires series because it gave me everything I was looking for from Eternal Reign and made me excited to continue with reading the next book in the series, Infernal Creatures, to see what’s going to happen next.    

Infernal Creatures (Age of Vampires #3)

Rating: 4 stars

While Callie struggles with the binds of the slayer’s vow, Montana faces a wedding which will deliver her into the hands of the vampire royals forever.

As the murders escalate in New York City, it seems Montana is their next target. And as Callie races there to rescue her, she finds herself in the hands of the gods…

Can Callie make it to New York before all hope is lost? And will Montana be able to tear herself away from her fiancee before the wedding, even though she’s captivated by him?

This book does a wonderful job picking up where its predecessor, Immortal Prince, left off as Callie continues her search for her sister with the help of Magnar. I felt like while reading this story everything was really picking up for these characters and was excited to see what would happen next.

And boy, does this book not disappoint. Especially with seeing the relationships between the main characters continuing to develop and Callie beginning to see the consequences of her actions with regards to the choice she makes at the end of the previous book. It was enjoyable to see Callie’s character develop here as she comes into her own now that she’s taken the oath to become a slayer.  

I especially enjoyed seeing more of the Gods in this one and seeing how they interact with the slayers and vampires when it comes to the events that transpired here. I definitely wasn’t prepared for how the Gods in this series heavily involve themselves with the slayers and vampires, but it definitely makes this series interesting to me. While I don’t necessarily appreciate all of the decisions they make as it feels like they force choices on these characters, I’m excited to see how everyone in these books navigates everything that gets thrown their way as the series continues.

I continue to enjoy the romance in this series, even with the relationships slowly forming between the main characters and I was happy to see Julius and Magnar reunited. I continue to enjoy the relationships between Callie and Magnar and Montana and Erik even though this book does a wonderful job at throwing obstacles in these relationships. And I love continuing to read the backstory of the slayers and vampires from before the events in this series transpire as I feel like I’m continuing to get a better understanding of what happened up until this point. 

If I had to choose anything with Infernal Creatures I didn’t enjoy it would have to be the ending.

While it hooked me to continue reading this series to see what’s going to happen next, I wasn’t fond of it because of the way the God’s interfere with these character’s free will. I feel like they keep putting obstacles in everyone’s way that isn’t helpful for these characters and the choices they want to make for themselves. If anything, I am convinced that the villains in these books aren’t who we think. And with the way this book ends with these characters, I truly feel like I’ve hit the mark on that.

But even with the ending, I found this book an enjoyable read in the Age of Vampires series. Excited to read the next book to see what will happen next with these characters.  

Wrathful Mortals (Age of Vampires #4)

Rating: 3 stars

The gods play havoc with our souls.

I’m torn in two.

The mark of the gods has bound me to my mortal enemy, and not even the most desperate yearnings of my heart can break this tie. Between the slayer’s vow and the cruel tricks of Idun, my free will has been stolen from me. All I can hope for now, is that my sister and I can find a path to salvation, but it feels as though we’re walking a path to our ruin instead.

I made my choice, and there’s no turning back. The world has finally offered me the liberty I craved, so why does my heart keep begging me to return to the monster I left behind? I sense a danger brewing on the horizon, something coming this way that we can’t escape. And even as my thoughts settle on a faraway land where we can leave our hellish past behind for good, I fear it won’t be that easy.

The games of the gods have only just begun.

***This is a dark, fantasy romance series by the authors of Zodiac Academy with all the enemies to lovers vibes – don’t go expecting a sweet vampire with sparkling skin and a tendency to watch you sleeping. These vampires are savage and bloodthirsty, and the slayer who hunts them will stab first and ask questions later. This war-torn fantasy world is a brutal bi*ch and only those 18+ have a chance at surviving the darkness lurking between these pages. There’s no well-meaning vampires snacking on Bambies instead of babies, and if they get their teeth into you, you’ll be damn lucky to escape with your life and panties intact. So grab hold of your slayer blade (wooden stakes have too many splinters) and get ready to defy the gods, because this is going to be one helluva ride***

This one wasn’t my favorite of the books in this series that I’ve read so far. While I enjoyed seeing how the ending of Infernal Creatures impacted the direction of this book, I felt like it was very slow-moving compared to its predecessors.

As the reader, you see how the choices made in the previous book impacted on the events that take place here but that’s it. The plot itself here goes nowhere other than the characters escaping from the vampires to figure out their next move after what happened at the wedding. You also get to see a little bit of justice for Callie and Montana’s dad with regards to what happens with Wolfe, but that’s really it. Most of the development when it comes to the plot in Wrathful Mortals doesn’t take place until the end of the book, which is the part of this book in the series I enjoyed the most. 

The story here that I did enjoy was seeing how the bonds created at the wedding impacted the relationships between Montana and Erik and Callie and Magnar. I found that interesting because even with the bond Callie has, I enjoyed seeing her fighting it and also beginning to understand the vampires more. If anything, I felt like this book showed development between sisters Callie and Montana because of the events that happened in previous books, which I enjoyed seeing as Montana can open her sister’s eyes to the truth about the vampires she has come to know. If anything, what I enjoyed most when reading Wrathful Mortals was continuing to see all of the relationships in the story shift and change and am excited to see this continue in the rest of the books in this series.   

I also continued to enjoy reading the chapters from Erik and Magnar’s lives one thousand years ago. This is because you get to continue to understand more the choices both men make and how they impact their lives. It’s interesting because you get a better sense of both men and what was happening during that time that influenced the decisions they made.

But if I had to choose my favorite thing when reading this fourth book in the series, it would have to be the ending. I enjoyed the ending of this book because I felt like the buildup between the vampires and slayers finally came to a head and I also felt like more aspects of the story were finally revealed with regards to the prophecy that’s mentioned in this series. I especially enjoyed it when Callie discovers an item she owns can actually be used for them to hide themselves from the Gods, which ends up impacting a lot of things I wasn’t expecting, which I really liked seeing. I also feel like the ending just further confirmed my suspicions regarding the Gods and their role in the war of vampires verses slayers and all the choices they were making with regards to the sides the two Gods in this book were backing. If anything, the ending in this book in the series intrigued me enough to continue reading to see how the fight would go between these characters and is so far my favorite ending out of the books in this series that I’ve read so far.

As a whole, I enjoyed reading Wrathful Mortals because of the character development, the background story we continue to get regarding Magnar and Erik from a thousand years ago and the way this book ends. But at the same time, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the rest of the books in this series because it felt like the plot moved slower in comparison to the rest of the books in the series I’ve read so far. I feel like this book didn’t add all that much to the story other than giving us more character development of the main characters in the series. But still enjoyed it because of how much I enjoy these characters and wanting to find out what’s going to happen next.

As a whole, I’ve enjoyed reading these first four books in the Age of Vampires series. Yes, there are some books in the series I’ve enjoyed reading more than others but that’s to be expected when reading a book series with this many books and a variety of characters in the story. Can’t wait to continue with reading the rest of the books in this series and sharing my thoughts with you!

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my review of the first four books in the Age of Vampires series! If you enjoyed reading my review of these books in the series, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts in the comments below or check out another one of my blog posts.  

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Book Review: Restless Stars (Zodiac Academy #9)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Orphans. Changelings. Princesses. Queens.

We are all and nothing now, our fate weighed on the scales of the stars and counterbalanced by the forces that oppose us. The shadow of the false king spreads as thick as oil across the kingdom we were born to rule, and none remain untouched by its darkness. Our crowns lay within reach if only we can claim them. All souls are at risk now and when the final battle dawns, a new regime will rise. The time for the true reckoning is upon us and we have proven ourselves as savage as our father, as brutal as our mother, and as wild as the Elements which roar through our veins. We can only hope it is enough. When the last sword strikes the final death in this game of fate and fortune, only one side will be victorious. The Starfall Legion charges at first light. And our destiny rides upon our shoulders as we rush into the end. All hail the True Queens. May our rule last longer than this night.

This is a dark fantasy romance – don’t go expecting a sweet school for magic with friends around every corner. Fae fight for everything they own and Zodiac Academy is a cutthroat school for students aged 18+ where only the strongest prevail. There’s no Dumbledore here to save anyone’s ass and Lionel Acrux will give Voldemort a run for his money in the evil dictator category. So hold onto your stardust (broomsticks not required) and get ready for a bumpy ride.

As sad as I am that this series is now over, I couldn’t be any happier with the way this book turned out. I feel like the authors did a wonderful job in Restless Stars with tying all of the loose ends together, and giving these characters the ending they all deserve.

What I enjoyed about reading this last book in the series was seeing everything come together. I feel like this book gave me everything I needed with this being the last book in the Zodiac Academy series but in a way that made sense. This book also did a wonderful job at pulling at my emotions during certain moments in the story as I was reading just because of how much I was enjoying those moments and the way the characters were acting during them. Any moments in particular that involved the main cast of characters really had me in this book because it was wonderful seeing their love for each other in this book and seeing all of them together.

What I also loved about Restless Stars is seeing justice being served when it comes to Lionel. While at times I felt like this book dragged out too much for this moment to happen, when it finally did I was so happy and relieved because I feel like he got exactly what he deserved. Granted, how quickly it happened wasn’t my favorite, but I did love the end result from it, knowing he’s never going to know any peace because of the choices he made due to his greed for power. It wasn’t completely the end I was hoping for, but I was still happy with it because he was finally gone.

I also personally feel like out of the endings I’ve read in series by these authors, this one hands down is my favorite. All of the main characters get the happy ending they deserve, and it was nice to see it for them. It also felt realistic for these characters as I could very easily imagine it as I was reading it.

If I had to choose anything from Restless Stars I didn’t enjoy it was how much the plot dragged out in the story. While I did overall enjoy the story here, I feel like the middle of the book leading up to the final battle dragged on at times. I know there were some things that needed to happen before the climax of the story took place, but I feel like there were a lot of unnecessary chapters in this book that didn’t add anything to the story being told that made the plot drag for me. Yes, I enjoyed a lot of the sweeter moments when development in relationships took place, but there were some chapters that could’ve been left out because they didn’t add anything more to the story.

Overall though, I enjoyed reading the last book in the Zodiac Academy series, Restless Stars. While I’m sad to have finished a series I’ve enjoyed very much, I’ve already started doing a reread of Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac and will be doing a reread of this series as well which will make finishing this book not as sad to me. As a whole, I highly recommend reading this series for anyone who enjoys dark fantasy, paranormal romance with well-developed characters.   

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my review of Restless Stars! If you enjoyed my review of this book, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts in the comments below or check out another one of my blog posts.   

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Book Review: Bad Luck Charm (Witch City #1)

Rating: 4 stars

Gwendolyn Goode lives a charmed life.

As owner of an occult shop in downtown Salem, Massachusetts she’s accustomed to all things odd and otherworldly. But when a bloody animal sacrifice is left as a warning outside her place of business, the police seem to think Gwen might be the target of some truly evil-doers. Suddenly, her sunny existence is riddled with danger in the form of crazed pagans, rogue employees, and nefarious henchmen. And there’s only one man who can protect her until the storm passes…

Graham Graves has no time for witchy nonsense.

Not in his love life, and definitely not in his line of work. Despite the ever-present oddities of his hometown, the private investigator and acclaimed police consultant prides himself on staying objective in every case that comes across his desk. That all changes when Gwendolyn — a woman who gets under his skin like no other — finds herself in the crosshairs of dangerous criminals. Graham is determined to make her safe, even if her presence tests his steely resolve. But as their mutual dislike sizzles into unexpected attraction… he becomes even more determined to make her something else: his.

Bad Luck Charm is a total standalone romance of 450+ pages, featuring cameos from a fortune-telling parrot, a modern day pirate, and a coven of well-meaning octogenarians. With characters that leap off the page and plenty of spooky twists and turns to keep you guessing, fans of Johnson’s previous Boston Love Story series in particular will adore this blend of heat, humor, and suspense.

From beginning to end, Bad Luck Charm was a good first read for 2024 for me. It kept me wondering what was going to happen next as Gwen and Graham’s relationship continued to build up and Gwen found herself at the center of otherworldly trouble. I both enjoyed seeing the dynamic of her relationship with Graham and finding out what was going to happen next with the magical evil doers. I also felt like it was an easy-going cozy read, which made me continue to delve into it to see what would happen next.

What I enjoyed about Gwen’s relationship with Graham was learning more about how she first met him during her childhood and how her feelings for him developed into what they became in this book. I also loved seeing her develop as their story went on. When I first started reading this book, I was initially annoyed with how Gwen handled relationships. How she kept anyone who tried to get close to her (minus her closest friend in Bad Luck Charm, Florence) at arm’s length or would run away when it came to relationships with men becoming serious. It wasn’t until her character reveals more of her background regarding her upbringing with a mother who didn’t care too much about her that why her character was this way made sense. Yes, there were times when I found it extremely annoying as I felt like she let any argument she and Graham had ruin any good moments they had together. But once she finally let him into her life, I saw some progression from her, which I was glad for.   

What I also enjoyed about Bad Luck Charm was the magical elements to it that were there. From Gwen owning an occult store to all the spooky mysteries that start surrounding her life once the sacrificed animal is found outside her store, I found myself hooked and wanting to find out what would happen next. I also found it interesting what Gwen found out about her aunt with regards to these happenings and was disappointed that she didn’t do anymore digging into the information she learned. I enjoyed it because Gwen was the type of protagonist who looked into things when her life started taking off instead of leaving everything alone or for Graham to handle. While I didn’t particularly care for all the decisions she made, I understood what she was looking to do.

What I also liked about Bad Luck Charm was that it wasn’t just a book about magic. There was also some romance too, which I actually enjoyed a lot more than I was expecting. I don’t know if its because I liked seeing Gwen continue to develop or enjoyed seeing the chemistry between her and Graham, but I felt like it was what I needed. And it made me continue to read to find out what would happen next.        

I also enjoyed the other characters in the story aside from Gwen and Graham as well. I enjoyed seeing Gwen and Florence’s friendship as you could see how much Gwen really trusted her best friend. I also enjoyed Agatha, Sally, Desmond and Cade as well as characters because I enjoyed learning more about them and seeing their individual relationship with Gwen. With everything that happened, it was interesting having a variety of characters in this book that weren’t the main protagonists but that had a role in her life during the events in this book.   

What I didn’t enjoy about Bad Luck Charm was how predictable it could be at times. In particular, I found a lot of the overall plot in the story surrounding the happenings of Gwen’s life to be predictable. I wasn’t too surprised when it was revealed who was responsible for the animal sacrifices as I felt like it was hinted at during the story when Gwen was brought into questioning by Detective Cade Hightower for the second time. And I actually found myself sad about it because the person responsible for all of the bad things that were happening in Gwen’s life was someone in this book that I enjoyed as a character. So much that I was hoping someone else would end up being responsible even though I knew the chances of that were pretty slim.  

Overall though, this book was quite an enjoyable read for me and was sad when it ended. Good news though is that the author of Bad Luck Charm has another book that will be coming out this month that also takes place in the same world as this one called At Last Sight that follows the story of Detective Cade Hightower and a character that was introduced in the epilogue. So I’m hoping with this new book that even though it will no longer be following Gwen and Graham’s story, we’ll get to see how they’re doing through the characters this book will be focusing on as I enjoyed this book so much that I can’t wait to read this new story too.      

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Book Review: A Curse of Shadows and Ice

Rating: 3.5 stars

From USA Today Bestselling Author Catharina Maura comes a Beauty and the Beast retelling featuring a cursed emperor, a princess who possesses forbidden magic, and a marriage that could save them all.

Princess Arabella of Althea is left no choice when Felix Osiris, the Shadow Emperor, threatens to overthrow her country unless she agrees to marry him.

When she learns his empire is cursed and she’s destined to set them free, they come to an agreement: help him minimize the curse’s effect on his people, and he’ll let her go.

As Felix teaches Arabella how to control her forbidden and volatile magic, her feelings for him turn from hatred to passion… and she realizes that she must break the curse, or she’ll lose him forever.

Anyone who knows me very well knows Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairytales. So anytime I hear about a retelling of that tale, it piques my interest and I find myself wanting to read it to see what it’s like. A Curse of Shadows and Ice was an enjoyable and simple retelling of this classic where instead of Felix being cursed by an enchantress, his own mother curses him and his people.

What I enjoyed about this retelling is the storyline in this book. I feel like it follows the overall story of the fairytale but is also different enough to be a story of its own. What makes it unique from the fairytale is both of the main character’s ability to use magic. I especially enjoyed the way magic is incorporated in this book as the main elements and how we learn alongside Arabella whenever she comes into her abilities and realizes her powers aren’t something she should fear. I also enjoyed seeing her character go through a lot of development through her powers and her realizing that what she was raised to think made her cursed actually was more a gift when given the chance to actually master her powers.  

I also enjoyed with A Curse of Shadows and Ice how similar it is to Beauty and the Beast as well. But at the same time, there are still some differences within the similarities too. The similarities I read that I enjoyed seeing had to do with the curse itself. In particular, Felix’s home was enchanted to get those who inhabited it anything they needed even when they didn’t have that particular need at the time. Also how the curse impacted the inhabitants of those who lived in his kingdom and Felix himself. While I definitely felt for them, it was nice to see how much Felix cared about those who are a part of his kingdom and see him doing what he can to minimize the curse’s effects on them. What I enjoyed about seeing how the curse impacted Felix was how he wasn’t physically turned into a beast accept whenever he was away from his kingdom for too long. It was also interesting to see how using magic to protect themselves from the curses’ effects worked.

Another aspect to this retelling I enjoyed was the chapters being from the perspectives of both Felix and Arabella and seeing their relationship with each other develop. What I enjoyed about having these two points of view was getting the chance to understand both of these characters and seeing their perspectives on what was going on. I especially enjoyed the chapters from Felix’s point of view because I could see how much this curse weighed heavily on him and how badly he wanted to break it. What I also loved about these two perspectives is seeing how much both these characters started to slowly develop feelings for each other. I especially enjoyed that they both mutually agreed to give each other a chance instead of it being where they right away developed feelings for each other. Then once they decided to work with each other, I felt like things fell into place with them both realizing how much they really cared about the other person. I feel like a big part of it was Arabella realizing that everything she heard about Felix prior to their marriage wasn’t true and that there was more to him than she expected. And just seeing how their relationship throughout the book developed was wonderful.

If I had any criticisms for A Curse of Shadows and Ice it would be the pacing of the book and the ending. While I did enjoy reading this retelling, there were definitely times where the pacing of the book felt off. It started off intriguing me but there were also a lot of slow moments with the plot when there wasn’t a whole lot happening with the characters. Then it picked up again close to the end of the book when things with the curse started going wrong and Arabella had no choice but to leave. While I enjoyed what I was reading and didn’t mind it too much, it definitely made me at times feel like there needed to be more with the story that wasn’t there. I feel like this also goes hand in hand with the ending because it kind’ve felt predictable to me. I felt like I had a pretty good idea how the curse was going to be broken, but it felt almost too neat to me how it happened. And like there were some loose ends that weren’t tied up as well. I don’t know if its because I wanted more in the story with the ending than I received, such as finding out once the curse was broken how Arabella’s people in Althea reacted when told the truth about Felix the Shadow Emperor.

Despite these criticisms, however, I enjoyed reading A Curse of Shadows and Ice. It was an enjoyable retelling of Beauty and the Beast to me. I highly recommend it to anyone else who also enjoys retellings of that fairytale along with anyone who enjoys stories with elements of fantasy and romance.   

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Book Review: The Awakening (Zodiac Academy #1)

Rating: 3.5 stars

You have been selected to attend Zodiac Academy, where your star sign defines your destiny.

If you’re one of the Fae, elemental magic is in your blood. And apparently it’s in ours. As twins born in the month of Gemini, we’re a rare breed even in this academy of supernatural a-holes.

Changelings were outlawed hundreds of years ago but I guess our birth parents didn’t get the memo. Which means we’re totally unprepared for the ruthless world of Fae.

Air. Fire. Water. Earth.

No one has ever harnessed all four of them, until we arrived. And it hasn’t made us any friends so far.

As the rarest Elementals ever known, we’re already a threat to the four celestial heirs; the popular, vindictive bullies who happen to be some of the hottest guys we’ve ever seen. It doesn’t help that they’re the most dangerous beasts in the Academy. And probably on earth too.

Our fates are intertwined, but they want us gone. They’ve only got until the lunar eclipse to force us out and they’ll stop at nothing to succeed.

We never knew we had a birthright to live up to but now that we do, we intend to claim our throne.

We can’t expect any help from the faculty when it comes to defending ourselves. So if the dragon shifters want some target practice, the werewolves want someone to hunt or the vampires fancy a snack then we have to be ready. But we’ve been looking after each other for a long time and fighting back is in our blood.

Today’s horoscope: totally screwed.

The Awakening, the first book in the Zodiac Academy series, was a fantastic read from start to finish. It started off slow when I began but as the story went on, I found myself immensely interested in the world Tory and Darcy found themselves in. This book was a very fast-paced, interesting read as it went on. And I found myself feeling for Tory and Darcy so much as they went through a lot once they arrived at Zodiac Academy.

What I enjoyed about this first book in the Zodiac Academy series is the world the main characters are in. I enjoyed learning about the academy, about the four elements and seeing the students when they were in their Order showing off what they were. I found the magic within the pages of this book very intriguing, and I wanted to learn more about it. I enjoyed learning more about this school and those who attended it despite everything that happened within this book’s pages. Its an interesting school with a variety of characters with their own unique personalities and I felt myself drawn into the story being told about them.

I especially enjoyed seeing this book shift back and forth between Tory and Darcy’s point of view. As the main characters of the story seeing a world they didn’t grow up in, it was cool to see how in awe they were of the world they found themselves in and of the magic they found flowing within them. It was also great to read a story told from the perspective of a set of twins who you were able to easily tell apart due to their difference in personality and how they handled the situation they both found themselves in. You could also tell from their perspectives how close the both of them are to each other since growing up they had nobody to rely on but each other. And I really enjoyed seeing that, especially with how difficult the Heirs at the school made their lives once they arrived there.

Speaking of the Heirs, I found myself feeling both intrigued and disgusted by them throughout this book. I’m intrigued by them as they are interesting antagonists in this story, and I find myself wanting to learn more about them. I want to learn more about what they are and their upbringing as I feel like that would give me a good understanding of why they act the way they do throughout this series. At the same time, however, I’m also disgusted by them and their actions throughout The Awakening. I feel like all four of them are terrible people and I don’t feel like they deserve what they have. As I read this book, I found myself interested in learning more about them, but found myself excited to see Darcy and Tory make them pay for how terrible they acted towards them and anyone they deemed below them.

And that’s one of the things about this book I didn’t enjoy when reading it: seeing the amount of abuse and bullying Darcy and Tory underwent by the Heirs. Anytime I thought things couldn’t get worse for them, the Heirs proved me wrong at every turn. As a result, even though I enjoyed reading this book and am continuing to read the rest of the books in this series to see how it all plays out, I strongly warn anyone who can’t handle reading books that have abuse, violence, and assault  against reading this book and this series. While I know I can handle books with these topics as I’m fine reading stories that are dark and take on heavy subject matters, I know that’s not the case for everyone so want to at least warn anyone reading this who might be considering picking up The Awakening, the first book in the Zodiac Academy series.

I still recommend this book as I find those topics need to be discussed in books without flinching away from it but want to let those who might not want to read about them know so they don’t pick up this book and find it affecting their health. This book not having any sort of warning about this is another criticism I have regarding it as I feel like people who don’t feel comfortable reading about any sort of abuse need to know ahead of time before they start reading this book so they can prepare themselves before delving into the story. Nonetheless though, I enjoyed reading The Awakening and am looking forward to continuing this series to see if Darcy and Tory are able to get back at the Heirs for everything they’ve done to them and to see how it all plays out.          

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Book Review: Into the Wild (Warriors #1)

Rating: 4 stars

For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the forest according to the laws laid down by their warrior ancestors. But the ThunderClan cats are in grave danger, and the sinister ShadowClan grows stronger every day. Noble warriors are dying– and some deaths are more mysterious than others. In the midst of this turmoil appears an ordinary house cat named Rusty … who may turn out to be the bravest warrior of them all.

When I was a child, the Warrior series was apparently a series of books a lot of children enjoyed. However, I never heard about these books until I was an adult, and decided I’d give this series a try. When reading Into the Wild, I realized these books were something I’d enjoy.

Even though this series is supposed to be geared towards children, what I enjoyed about this first book was how it introduced me into the world of cats. As someone who likes cats and animals in general, I found the world of cats and how they interact with each other interesting. The dialogue between all the felines in this book was enjoyable to read as you can tell that you are reading a book about cats.

I also enjoyed reading Into the Wild because of how light of a read it was for me to get through. The characters and dialogue were simple to follow, and the story was enjoyable for me for this book to be considered a children’s book. I found the universe wild cats verses house cats inhabited interesting as the main character the story follows went from becoming a cat who was used to getting fed by humans to a cat who found himself wanting to see what was out in the wild and decided to join a clan of wild cats when he met several of their members. It was also interesting to see all the different names a wild cat was given once they joined the clan as each cat was given a name based on their physical appearance and their hierarchy in the clan. And learning about all of the different clans and where their territory is out in the wild was interesting to me too.

I also loved this book because I felt like I was able to escape into the world between its pages. It was a story that for me I enjoyed because I felt like I was with the warriors and wanted to see what was going to happen to the clan next. It was also just the right of fantasy for my imagination to run wild and continue turning the page.  

The only real issue I had with reading this first book in the Warriors series was the treatment of the main character by other members of ThunderClan for being what they called a kittypet. In these books, house cats are considered cats who don’t have the ability to become warriors because of being born as house cats instead of being born in a clan. So when the main character joins ThunderClan, many of their members don’t like him being in the clan and being trained to become a warrior because of where he was born, which is something beyond his control.

Despite this though, I enjoyed Into the Wild because Rusty/Firepaw doesn’t take what the other cats in the clan think to heart and he develops into a cat ThunderClan can be proud of to have as a member of their clan. I’m enjoying this series so much that I can’t wait to review the second book, Fire and Ice, which I’ve also already finished and am planning on writing a review of very soon.

Have any of you here read any of the books in this series before? If so, what was your experience with this series as a whole? Please leave a comment below because I’d like to hear your thoughts on a series I’ve just started reading that I can’t seem to put down.      

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Book Review: The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood #1)

The Hazel Wood Book Cover

Rating: 4 stars

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: Her mother is stolen away–by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother’s stories are set. Alice’s only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother’s tales began–and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

This book is one of many books I’ve read in my life that I was sad to put down. I enjoyed it so much that I didn’t want it to end. What I loved about The Hazel Wood was all the elements of fantasy embedded within, such as the dark/grim fairytales told within its pages and the world of the Hinterland where refugees and Stories resided together. I love how dark the fairytales mentioned are because real life isn’t always so pretty. So, for me, it was refreshing to read a book with fairytales that were grimmer than what they usually are. I also liked seeing the world of the Hinterland because you see all these different characters from different stories, but you also see real people in this world too. I found it really fascinating to read about.

What I also enjoyed when reading The Hazel Wood is how the author explained where Alice’s bad luck came from with regards to why the characters in the Hinterland world wanted her back there so badly and how this led to the events that happened within the book’s pages. I found it interesting to discover how Alice connects to this terribly grim world and to get a logical explanation as to why bad luck was following her and her mother everywhere they went as she was growing up. While I felt bad for Alice when she finds out the truth about who she really is, it also made sense to me because of the way things were happening in the story.

I also love this book because you can see the effect the magic of the written word can take through Alice’s grandmother Aletha when she writes her book about the Hinterland. The written word is so powerful that it bridges two worlds together. When she writes about a world that she herself went to, it allows characters from that world to get out. And as Alice explores this world, she learns what type of effect that had on the Hinterland as well as the world she grew up in.

But what I loved most with reading this book was how I felt like I was there in the book with all these characters. Most of the time I was reading this book, I felt like I could picture myself with Alice as she’s going on this journey to rescue her mother while simultaneously discovering the truth about her own story and what she needed to do to guarantee a happy ending for herself and her mother. While the Hinterland isn’t necessarily a world I’d personally want to live in, I found myself when reading longing to get a chance to see this world for myself and to learn more about the Stories in this world. If anything, I would want to be like the refugees in this book, exploring the world of the Hinterland before finding my way back home.

If I have any criticisms when it comes to this book, it would be that I didn’t want the story to end along with wishing there were more stories from the Hinterland that we could read about. I overall enjoyed reading The Hazel Wood and was sad to see this story end. I just wish we learned more about the Hinterland while Alice was stuck within that world. Luckily, there’s a sequel called The Night Country that came out this month, which I’m definitely planning on giving a read.

I recommend The Hazel Wood to all fantasy lovers like me, especially to people who want to read darker fairytales and find themselves immersed in a world unlike any I’ve read about before.

 

 

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Book Review: Smoke & Summons (Numina Trilogy #1)

Smoke & Summons Book Cover

Rating: 3.5 stars

As a human vessel for an ancient spirit, Sandis lives no ordinary life. At the command of her master, she can be transformed against her will into his weapon—a raging monster summoned to do his bidding. Unlike other vessels, Sandis can host extremely powerful spirits, but hosting such creatures can be fatal. To stay alive, she must run. And in a city fueled by smoke and corruption, she finds a surprising ally.

A cunning thief for hire, Rone owns a rare device that grants him immortality for one minute every day—a unique advantage that will come in handy in Sandis’s fight for freedom. But Sandis’s master knows how powerful she is. He’s determined to get her back, and he has the manpower to find her, wherever she runs.

Now, to outwit her pursuers, Sandis must put all her trust in Rone and his immortal device. For her master has summoned more than mere men to hunt her down…

I’m having a hard time deciding on what rating to give this story. I overall enjoyed reading it because I found the story and world-building interesting. The author does a wonderful job creating an immersive world to pull us into with a story and unique characters that you as a reader can get behind. I especially enjoyed reading from Sandis’s perspective and learning more about her abilities as she runs away from the man trying to capture and control her.

But at the same time, I personally sometimes found the story itself to move at a very slow pace. Not because I didn’t find the story interesting or wasn’t enjoying what I was reading. It just felt at times like the plot was moving too slow for me like I was always waiting for something to happen to Sandis and Rone. Even during the moments when they were just resting and had successfully managed to avoid capture.

What I enjoyed with regards to Smoke & Summons is the world our protagonists are in. I wouldn’t necessarily call it grim, but it’s not exactly what one would call one of the safest universes to be immersed in. Especially for someone like Sandis who had no choice in the matter in being able to control an ancient spirit. In their universe, her abilities are considered something to be feared. So, she’s not only on the run from the man who’s controlled her powers but the authorities in their world.

I also enjoyed reading about her powers. Especially since you as the reader discover that Sandis has started forming a connection with the ancient spirit she’s been a vessel for. I found learning about her abilities interesting because it’s a power I haven’t read too many stories about before. It’s also very interesting to read about too because her abilities with this ancient spirit aren’t like all the other vessels her master Kazen has control over. She has more control over summoning this spirit than any of the other vessels does and has a memory of what the spirit does whenever it takes over her body. None of the other characters in the story with her abilities have that type of control so I found that interesting to see.

What I enjoyed the most when reading Smoke & Summons was there was no forced romance between the two protagonists. Yes, it’s clear that they both have feelings for each other. However, Charlie N. Holmberg never forced romance into the story with Sandis and Rone. Most books of this genre always try to include romance into the story in some form or another. So, it was nice to see that not occur in this book.

But while I enjoyed this world and the overall storyline, the biggest criticism I have I already mentioned earlier, with regards to the pacing of the story. I found there were some moments when reading that the story just moved too slow. Most of this book I noticed involved Sandis and Rone on the run from Kazen and the numerous Numen and people he used to help catch them. There really wasn’t too much plot that moved the story forward involving Sandis discovering her connection with the ancient spirit that controlled her body. While I overall didn’t mind because when reading the story, you understand why that’s the case, it sometimes made the story drag on a little too much when you wanted to know more about Sandis and her abilities.

I overall enjoyed reading Smoke & Summons and am definitely planning on reading the next book in the trilogy Myths and Mortals. I just hope the next book improves in the pacing of the story so that this trilogy continues to interest me enough to want to read the next book to see what happens to our protagonists.

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