Monthly Features – December

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The Noise by Allison A.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Angela Blau has a degenerative bone disease, but she was never warned her mind could deteriorate as well. There’s no other explanation for the footsteps coming from the second floor—footsteps her husband, Jack, never hears. And then there are the ghosts who attack her at night, and the townspeople who dig through the dirt like rabid animals and peer through her windows.

Maybe the ghosts and the townspeople are in her head—it wouldn’t be the first time she’s let her mind wander—but the noise has to be real, and she’d go up there and prove it if the stairs weren’t so rotted that she’d fall right through, Jack says.

Things get worse when Arlo, a lonely old man who lives “somewhere down the street,” reveals a violent crime that occurred on the second floor. Against Jack’s warnings, Arlo indulges Angela’s growing obsession and pushes her to discover the true source of the noise, who exactly the townspeople are, and whether a traumatic incident that occurred four months ago, an incident Angela refuses to talk about, is to blame for all of it.

Summary: Overall, I loved this book. It was very well written and I would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a book that has elements of the paranormal, a psychological thriller, suspense, mystery, and romance.

See the full review here: The Noise
Purchase here

Hamartia by Raquel Rich

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Grace’s nine-year-old son, Jordan, is dying. First, the Metagenesis disease will tear his soul from his body, and then it will kill him. Desperate for a cure, Grace agrees to take part in an illegal clinical trial cloning souls. Supported by her best friend Kay, the two embark on the ultimate “Vegas Vacation” to the past in search of the right soul to clone, racing against time to save Jordan’s life. But someone is trying to stop them and when they discover why, Grace must make a choice: let her son die or kill her husband. If she kills her husband she triggers widespread Metagenesis, sealing the fate of the human race with a new plague.

Humanity is counting on Grace choosing to let her son die.

Summary: Overall, I loved the ideas in this book and really enjoyed it. It was so creatively done and well written; the ending especially. I can’t wait to read the next one and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

See the full review here: Hamartia
Purchase here

 

To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

Synopsis: Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy

Summary: Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was out of my usual interest zone but definitely refreshing and worth the read. If you aren’t sure what to read next, be sure to check it out!

See the full review here: To Kill A Kingdom
Purchase here

 

Review: The Wolf King by Lauren Palphreyman

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Synopsis:

When a princess is kidnapped by an alpha , war rages between the humans and the wolves. But soon, forbidden attraction starts to grow. . .

Princess Aurora longs to escape the castle and the marriage that has been arranged for her.

But on the night before her wedding, at a dog fight where captured werewolves are made to fight for sport, she spares the life of a young wolf. It puts her on the radar of the powerful alpha who was going to kill him. And it changes everything.

That night, when the alpha escapes, he kidnaps her and takes her to the rugged lands north of the border — where the once warring werewolf clans are beginning to unite. He thinks that she is the key to winning the war against the humans.

Only, as they spend time around one another, forbidden attraction starts to grow. And as Aurora learns that not all wolves are bad, the alpha discovers that she is in danger from both his enemies, and those he once considered friends.

With monsters on both sides, a bloodthirsty war between humans and wolves raging, and undeniable passion growing between them — will their story end in love? Or tragedy?

And will Aurora ever get home?

Does she even want to?

Favorite Lines:

“I am envious of the Northlands winds that rattle the window and howl against the stone walls. How good it would feel to unleash that rage with no thought to the consequences.”

My Opinion:

I saw this book on social media and decided to read it on a whim with low expectations because other werewolf books that I have read have always been kind of meh but I was pleasantly surprised with this book and ended up devouring it in one sitting.

As a warning, this is an NSFW book so consider yourselves warned. The story follows Aurora as she is taken from her human home and dropped into the wild world of (were)wolves. What starts as an escape from an arranged marriage transforms into her questioning everything she knows about the world she grew up in and where her allegiances lie.

I thought this book was well written, had an interesting and addictive plot, and left me wanting more. It flowed nicely and I found myself turning page after page needing more until I was at the end and realized I may have to wait another year for the next book. This book has strong ACOTAR vibes and I hope the potential love triangle comes to fruition with my ship coming out on top. Once question I do have is who decided werewolves are Scottish and their packs are clans? Who makes these decisions?

Summary:

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am excited to see where the author takes it next. If you like fiction, paranormal romances specific to werewolves, action, and some mystery then this book is for you. Happy reading!

The Wolf King

 

Review: Lunch Eater by Sean Mackaay

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Synopsis:

Brian is a public servant. He is his career and his career is him. He spends his days besieged by coworkers that he believes he is far better than.
The politicians put demands on his time and sanity that he wishes he could live without. Someone in the office is stealing lunches from the communal fridge.
As a mysterious virus sweeps across the world, sending people insane, Brian and his team work to protect the economy. Brian knows they can save the world and maybe they can, if only his team stops getting in his way.
Part workplace comedy, part cosmic horror, part reflection on the global pandemic, Lunch Eater will speak to anyone who has ever hated their job or just tried to get through the day.

Favorite lines:

“They don’t realise that the class warfare extends to those of us that went to university. No one really cares what university you studied at our what your degree is, it’s not like you use any of that knowledge in your work. They do care about what school you went to before university. That tells them your pedigree. That tells them your family and the environment you were raised in.”

“The 6.45am train into the city is haunted by the unaware. eye contact is unwelcome. Talking is verboten. No one notices anything of their fellow passengers. This is the way it is. This is the way it should be.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

The two phrases that come to mind when trying to describe this book are humorously dramatic and entertainingly chaotic. Both of which could also be used to describe my personality probably 75% of the time so me and this book got along just fine.

This is a satire about being a public servant but I would expand it beyond public service work to anyone who feels like they are on the “working for the man” grind. In my opinion, there is a generational shift in how work is viewed with younger generations valuing their work/life balance far more than those older than us who will eat, sleep, and breathe work if they can. This humorous story captures that notion in a mad, apocalyptical vision.

There were a few spelling/grammatical errors and the narrative shifts were a bit confusing at times causing me to go back in order to comprehend where the story was pivoting. Other than those minor nit-picky details, this was an interesting read.

Summary:

Overall, if you like satirical humor especially about the 9-5 work grind, then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Lunch Eater

 

Review: Highland Games by Evie Alexander

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Synopsis: 

Zoe’s always played it safe, just as her parents wanted. But when her great-uncle dies and leaves her a ramshackle cabin in the Scottish Highlands, she decides it’s time to change her life.

Upping sticks seems like a good idea in her cosy London flat, but the reality is very different. There’s no electricity or running water, the roof leaks and there’s no front door. If that wasn’t bad enough, she’s moved up in the depths of winter and her scorching hot neighbour wants her out.

Rory’s got a fifty thousand tonne problem. If he can’t make Kinloch castle profitable, he’s out of a job. He needs a clear head, but there’s someone living in the cabin he saw as his own and she’s turned his world upside down.

Rory needs Zoe out of Scotland, and out of his life. The trouble is, she has no intention of leaving.

Let the games begin…

Favorite Lines:

“She looked like a firework mid-explosion, every part of her shooting out, defying gravity and coherence.”

“She was always out of reach, slipping from him like smoke”

“A life half lived is a life not lived at all.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion so let’s get into it!

I was interested in reading this book because it would have been my first truly Scottish romance. I say it like that because as much as I love the Outlander TV show, I wasn’t able to get into the books. Believe it or not, they were too historically dense for me. And I am most definitely not counting the one off werewolf romances where the werewolf is always Scottish. Why is that? Anyways, I’m a sucker for romance and I thought the Scottish theme would add a bit of flavor – I wasn’t wrong.

The story follows Zoe as she finds herself  trading her life in the city to life in the Highlands after inheriting a cabin in Scotland. Arriving at the cabin, she quickly finds that it is in need of some major TLC considering there isn’t even a front door. It is also made plainly clear that her obviously hot next door neighbor wants nothing to do with her. As you delve deeper into the story, you’ll find all the cliché romantic drama themes here including two characters who butt heads before ultimately falling in love (is it a spoiler if we all know that is where it is heading?). I will warn you though that this is a slow burn.

I guess if I had to complain about something it would be the desire for less cabin renovation details and more romance but beggars can’t be choosers. If you read this book, you’ll be in for a campy but cute, British humor book with a refreshing writing style.

Summary: 

Overall, if you like slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romances full of cheeky humor and/or men in kilts, then this book may be for you. Happy reading!

Highland Games

 

Review: The Noise by Allison A.

~ likelystory18 ~ 1 Comment

Synopsis:

Angela Blau has a degenerative bone disease, but she was never warned her mind could deteriorate as well. There’s no other explanation for the footsteps coming from the second floor—footsteps her husband, Jack, never hears. And then there are the ghosts who attack her at night, and the townspeople who dig through the dirt like rabid animals and peer through her windows.

Maybe the ghosts and the townspeople are in her head—it wouldn’t be the first time she’s let her mind wander—but the noise has to be real, and she’d go up there and prove it if the stairs weren’t so rotted that she’d fall right through, Jack says.

Things get worse when Arlo, a lonely old man who lives “somewhere down the street,” reveals a violent crime that occurred on the second floor. Against Jack’s warnings, Arlo indulges Angela’s growing obsession and pushes her to discover the true source of the noise, who exactly the townspeople are, and whether a traumatic incident that occurred four months ago, an incident Angela refuses to talk about, is to blame for all of it.

Favorite Lines:

“Death is supposed to affect us, change us, make us see things differently. Don’t let anyone make you believe you need to ignore that.”

“But I used to tell them the same thing I tell myself: you don’t move on, you carry on, towards the reward of true love that will last an eternity. Everything else is just noise”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I will admit I was a bit hesitant about this book because it seemed like it would be really spooky and I wasn’t sure I was ready for that. As someone who has anxiety, which comes with paranoia, and also someone who hasn’t made up their mind about if they believe in ghosts and the supernatural, this book felt like it was going to feed my fears. 

Putting my fears aside, I devoured this book in one sitting. While this book was definitely spooky, the creepy ghosts were just a part of the equation and I found myself much more distracted by the suspense and mystery of what was happening to Angela. I was turning page after page trying to get answers to the burning questions that I had. The author did a great job keeping me at the edge of my seat and there was an awesome plot twist towards the end. Without giving any spoilers away, by the end of the book, I had tears streaming down my face; the author did an amazing job at evoking strong emotional reactions.

Summary:

Overall, I loved this book. It was very well written and I would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a book that has elements of the paranormal, a psychological thriller, suspense, mystery, and romance. Happy reading!

The Noise

 

Review: The Obsidian Dragon by Angel G.T.

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Synopsis:

Aribeth Mitchell is an ordinary student at Cambridge University, or so she thought. From the charming old villages, nestled in the Japanese Alps, to the mystical Egyptian Desert, Aribeth will have to deal with a world wrapped up in greed, wrath, lust and hypocrisy, where love is stained in blood and lies, and where evil also might have a beating heart. Mighty fights, mythical and mystical creatures and entwining loves await her in an adventure that will change her life forever.

“To thee, I give my all”

Favorite Lines:

“If you really believe, you can do it. Stand up and make it happen.”

“I wish I could bring you more bliss than sorrow.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I will start this review off by saying that this book was not what I expected. I admit that I am not entirely sure what I expected but what this ended up being was not it. The story follows Aribeth as she realizes that her strange dreams might not just be dreams and she is catapulted into a world that she never knew existed that is full of magic and mystery.

At the start, I thought this book was trying too hard to be a cliché romance. There was the mysterious, beautiful man and the attractive but quirky woman with love at first sight. However, readers are quickly thrown into a world with Japanese culture and mysterious magic. I thought the storyline was really unique and interesting I just wish the story had slowed down more to let us as readers actually digest what was happening. I felt like I was being thrown from scene to scene without a clear description of what was happening. This book could have easily been two or three books if the proper amount of detail had been utilized.

Ultimately, what had me really hooked was the attempted love triangle (this is not a spoiler). I stayed hoping for the romance with Ken to happen as I had decided that I liked him the best and I wish there had been more time spent on his character but this brings me back to emphasizing that while the plot was creative, it could have used some fluffing in the details.

Summary:

Overall, I found this story to be a creative and unique idea but I wish that more time had been spent developing the characters and the scenes rather than flashing from one point to the next so quickly. If you like action, mystery, romance, paranormal, and magic, then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

The Obsidian Dragon

 

Review: Hounds of Gaia by Sean M. Tirman

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Synopsis:

Foxhound doesn’t care about the gaps in her memory. Being a Contractor, a kind of spacefaring mercenary, keeps her occupied enough. Rather than dwelling, she rockets around the farthest reaches of the solar system, earning a steady paycheck hunting down ne’er-do-wells and enjoying a semblance of freedom most folks in the outer colonies can’t dream of.

So when she receives an urgent prisoner transfer request from a cult starship, she accepts the gig. She figures that transporting a bone marrow-eating serial killer from the cult’s colony back to Earth is just another well-paying job that’ll keep her mind off things. Upon discovering that the suspect in custody is an orphan girl—one that could pass for her much younger doppelgänger—she decides it’s time to get some answers.

But before she can piece together who the girl is, how their lives intertwine, and who orchestrated their implausible rendezvous, a group of violent prisoners aboard Foxhound’s starship breaks free. As the once-peaceful cultists take up arms in response, Foxhound teams up with her mechanized AI assistant and two of the cult’s wayward members to stop the barbaric escapees, elude the grasp of the cult’s radicalized leader, and protect and extract the mysterious, potentially dangerous girl.

Favorite Lines:

“We can’t change humanity but we can do our best to help as many in need as possible, especially those who cannot ask for it themselves.”

“Yet for all our goodness, all the wonderful things we created, it was not enough. Or perhaps a better way to put it was that it was too much. Our avarice, our greed, our wanton desires were killing the Earth, the only place we had to call home.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I will start this review off by saying that sci-fi is not a usual genre for me, at least when it comes to books. I am, however, a sucker for sci-fi movies/tv shows and I think this book could make a great TV show/movie with multiple points of view coming together but we will get to that in a moment.

The beginning took a bit to get used to because there were a lot of character introductions and point of view changes. I felt like the scenes were flashing from one to the next at a rapid pace and somehow, they carried both a lot of detail and not enough at the same time. This is what made me think it could translate to the big screen well – if you wanted to keep viewers at the edge of their seats, you could dangle the carrot and leave them wanting more of that piece of the puzzle. 

I actually really enjoyed the background story of Earth’s history and how civilization came to be beyond Earth’s atmosphere. It is almost exactly how I imagine the future of the human race explores the stars.

There is a lot of mystery around Foxhound and Leila with Tirman ending the book on a somewhat foreseeable cliffhanger but somehow, I still wanted more. Tirman did a great job of answering some questions but leaving you with more. I would love more background on Foxhound’s backstory and how they got to where they are. What were their origins? Who are the hounds in Hounds of Gaia? 

Summary:

Overall, this was a really creative story that left me wanting answers to several questions I have after being left on a cliffhanger. If you like sci-fi, mystery, action, and adventure then this book could be for you.

Hounds of Gaia

Review: The Essence of Magic by Michelle Ermens

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Synopsis:

Hunted by strange creatures,

Desperate to protect her family,

Will finding magic help her keep them safe?

Thera has always known that she’s different from her loving human family. However, that would mean that she’s one of the specials, beings of legends – but how could it be, when no human has seen them for hundreds of years?

A visit from a masked stranger who warns her of danger, and an attack on her village shatter the life that she knew. She’s forced to flee with her mother and younger siblings and has no other choice but to enter special territory – a very dangerous place for humans to be.

They find temporary shelter in the home of a special named Raven, but they need more than temporary shelter. She needs a way to keep her family truly safe, she needs to be strong enough to be the one to protect them. The only way to do that might be to find the Magic’s Source and get some magic of her own.

Will she dare to seek it out? And if she does, what kind of magic will she receive? And will it be enough to keep her family safe?

Favorite Lines:

“I can sit in a library and learn from books whenever I want, but right now, I want to learn more about life and who I want to be, and I feel I can do that a lot better if I go with you.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book  from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’m a sucker for fantasy stories and this book was no exception. Featuring a strong, brave main character with other lively, unique characters scattered throughout, Ermens did a good job bringing this story to life. There was also a major emphasis on family throughout the book which I think can get lost in other books but Ermens did a great job at holding true to the theme of family and the dynamics that take place in them.

This book had me hooked pretty early on; it doesn’t waste time introducing you to some action and mystery However, I will admit that this book wasn’t quite what I thought it was going to be, especially with more emphasis on character dynamics than I am used to but it was still an interesting story nonetheless. I also felt that the ending was a bit abrupt. The ending left room for more in the series but I felt like the scene was cut short mid-thought almost.

Summary:

Overall, if you like fantasy, magic, mystery, action, strong main characters, and family, then this book may be for  you. Happy reading!

The Essence of Magic

 

Monthly Features – November

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Blue by Sarah Jayne Carr

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Blue Brennan is a runner.
She runs from her problems.
She runs from love.
She runs from her past.
What Blue doesn’t anticipate is running toward her hometown of Steele Falls, Washington, especially after she’d vowed to never go back.

Adam Rockwell is a fighter.
He fights his demons.
He fights for validation.
He fights for his future.
What Adam doesn’t anticipate is fighting for Blue Brennan, especially when he vowed to never let love get in his way again.

Summary: Overall, I really liked this book and will definitely be revisiting it when I need something emotional. It is worth the read but it is on the depressing and sad side so stay away from it if you aren’t looking for a feels train. Happy reading, everyone!

See the full review here: Blue
Purchase here

 

Roar by Cora Carmack

Synopsis: In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.

Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora’s been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.

To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems. He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic. And the people selling it? They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.

Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage.

She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.

Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master.

Summary: This book was much better than I originally expected bringing a refreshing new story to life and I can’t wait for the rest of the series to come out.

See the full review here: Roar
Purchase here

Power by Geraldine Anello

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: From Best-selling author and Broadway conductor, Power is Geraldine Anello’s latest poetry book from her series Truth. The most inspiring poetry told over the course of just one week, this fast-paced collection of deep thought-provoking poems leads the reader on a journey to personal development.

Summary: Overall, if you like melancholy poems about love and love lost that show personal development and growth then this book is for you. Happy reading!

See the full review here: Power
Purchase here

Review: The Bookseller’s Apprentice by Frances Evelyn

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Synopsis:

Time to choose your last book
Emily Brewster is an angel. Ask anyone she reads to at the hospice. So when she’s arrested for murder, it should be easy to clear her name. The only problem is, she thinks she might be guilty.

But what if death isn’t The End?

Favorite Lines:

“Sleeping better made everything less desperate”

“If we’re to push past the boundaries of knowledge, we can hardly expect our quest to be risk-free.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I must admit, I found this book a bit hard to get into in the beginning. This is partly because I am not used to British literature and partly because I was thrown into a world with multiple characters that were introduced very early on and there are time jumps that took a bit to get used to all of which added up to me finding it difficult to get my footing at first but once I did, I found myself turning page after page to get the answers to my burning questions.

The story follows Emily, a woman who volunteers at hospice to read to patients in their final days until one day when she is arrested following a series of her patients dying. This sets us off on a path of mystery as we follow Emily through her journey to uncover the source of these deaths – leading her to discover that perhaps the source is herself.

Like I had mentioned above, once I found my grounding a bit more, I found this book to be really interesting. It was a refreshing plot with Evelyn doing a great job at storytelling and really focusing on the development of the story. Plus, I couldn’t resist a cat named Dumpling.

Summary: 

Overall, if you want a fictional, supernatural/magical, mysterious book with a fresh story that will keep you on your toes and that adds touches of history, then this book may be for you. Happy reading!

 

The Bookseller’s Apprentice