The Descent Series

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Book Review

The Descent Series

by S. M. Reine

A must-read for hunter-style tales, and kick@ss heroines

4.5 Stars

DESTINED TO BE A WEAPON. Elise Kavanagh is good at one thing: killing demons, angels, and gods. For years, she was the death that supernatural creatures feared. More myth than woman, she walked the Earth as the embodiment of vengeance.

DENYING HER DESTINY. Elise wants to retire with with the man who has long protected her body and mind. James Faulkner is a powerful witch, and the only one she trusts to protect her identity. Together, they go into hiding and try to become normal people…whatever that means.

DESTINY WON’T BE DENIED. It’s not easy to retire when you were born to be a killing machine. Old enemies still hold bitter grudges against Elise. The demon overlord of her new home isn’t happy to have the Godslayer hiding out in her territory. And there are still gods that need to be killed…

ONLY ONE WAY OUT. Elise must descend into the infernal to become the very thing she’s spent most of her life fighting: a powerful demon that feeds upon human flesh. A creature that might survive slaying God.

THE COMPLETE DESCENT SERIES
1. Death’s Hand
2. The Darkest Gate
3. Deadly Hearts (short story)
4. Dark Union
5. Damnation Marked
6. Death Scream (short story)
7. Dire Blood
8. Defying Fate
9. Dying Night (short story)
10. Paradise Damned

Elise is one of the most badass characters I have ever read. If you love kickass female leads, this is your series. Not only does the series go for seven books, but The Ascent Series further follows Elise’s journey. If you’re ready to get invested in a great adventure, these books are for you.

A bit sociopathic, I found Elise satisfying to read about. No frills. No nonsense. She just goes after it full-tilt. And after everything she’s been through, her attitude is wholly warranted, not to mention necessary for the world she’s involved in.

The secondary characters were all likable and believable as well. Get ready to have your heart torn and stomped (but n the best way, of course).

The pacing of the series was fantastic. Each book gives us just a little bit more about the broader picture, and when we find out whose side everyone is really on– well, just wait for it! While the origin of it all felt a bit trivial when it first comes up, in hindsight, it’s the ultimate story-starter. What else could have set this all in motion?

I’m an origin story lover, so Book 6: Defying Fate was my favorite. When the shoe drops about James’ history, the jaw will hit the floor, guaranteed.

Angels, and demons and God play significant character roles throughout, making this a niche genre not done as often as many others. Another reason to read this series. Get out of the box a bit! You won’t be disappointed!

Happy Reading 🙂
CMM

Comment with your current, or favorite reads. I tend to review only indie authors, but I read ALL books! Tell me what’s in your library.

 

Do We Like ‘Happily Ever After?’

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Working towards finishing up draft one of this new project, I’m caught by the fact that I haven’t decided on the ending. Very easily, I can give each character a fantastic end to a long journey, a place in their world that makes it all worth it, that makes their sufferings and losses culminate to finality in contentment.

But is that a good ending? I loved HUNGER GAMES because of the harsh edges Katniss‘ life left her with. I appreciated Tris‘ death because I believe ultimate sacrifice is necessary for the big changes. To give less cheapens the story and teaches a certain lackness in our real lives. It’s more real, more visceral for my heart to break than to simply smile, close the book, and move on. These stories left me numb, unable to put the book out of my head after the last page was turned. THAT is what makes something spectacular over great.

This was what was missing from Maas‘ THRONE OF GLASS series IMO. That everyone, especially as there were several characters to receive it, got their happy ending was cheap. Cassandra and Brannon reconciling was lame. Some things you can not take back, and the unsatisfied longing for something creates a more lasting impression than giving it.

But I feel public opinion sways more towards handing out this latter ending than the formers. While I don’t want my words swayed by popular opinion, I do want to make money from my work, which suggests leaning towards how the masses might more like something. This is pressure I’m unused to, and unsure how to handle. Pressure I try not to let leach into my brain, but find impossible to ignore one-hundred percent.

In this case, I’m sure I’ll end up writing both endings and leave it to my beta team to decide, or at least allow their opinions to weight my own.

What do you think? How much weight do the fans (or just a general public) get in manipulating the path of art? How do you deal with this in your own work, or how might you expect an artist to react?

Tell me your thoughts! Leave comments or email me directly. I’m so curious to hear how you handle this! 🙂 cindy_martens@ymail.com.

featured image painting by Sage Barnes; “Self Portrait #3”

So much love

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Thank you to all the readers gobbling up The Fool’s Path series this weekend: Kindle Unlimited subscribers, and downloaders alike.

There are still two more days to grab Stumbling and Falling Forward for free, and Crashing Down is only 99 cents today, and $1.99 Sunday.

Check out what people are saying:

Stumbling; book 1

Falling Forward; book 2

Crashing Down; book 3

Experience Dee’s adventure for yourself

Click pic to go to the Amazon buy page

Girls of Paper and Fire By Natasha Ngan

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Book Review

Girls of Paper and Fire By Natasha Ngan

YA. Sexual Abuse. Fantasy.

2 Stars

Great story idea that didn’t deliver.

In this richly developed fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most persecuted class of people in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards for an unknown fate still haunts her. Now, the guards are back and this time it’s Lei they’re after — the girl with the golden eyes whose rumored beauty has piqued the king’s interest.


Over weeks of training in the opulent but oppressive palace, Lei and eight other girls learns the skills and charm that befit a king’s consort. There, she does the unthinkable — she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens her world’s entire way of life. Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide how far she’s willing to go for justice and revenge.

Such a beautiful world. A lovely story. But too much fluff.

At first, reading Girls of Paper and Fire was beautiful. The rich descriptions of the setting put you right there. I felt like I was in a magical version of Memoirs of a Geisha. Then, I wondered where we were going and if we were ever going to get there.

The themes were slammed down your throat. We get it. Tell the story.

At around 60% I just wanted it to be over. And the last page? I rolled my eyes. I like a good cliche as well as the next, but there was just too much. Unfortunately, I just don’t care enough to find out what happens in the next book.


Give Wren her own story; the story of her life leading to the palace, and I’ll pick that up.

Happy Reading 🙂

Down Two Paths: Borderline Series Book 2

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Book Review

Down Two Paths: Borderline Series Book 2

By Taya Devere

5 Stars

Literary fiction. Women’s Fiction.

A fabulous continuation of Dee’s story! Can’t wait for the next installment

As the two paths push Dee deeper into her survival journey, one path threatens suffocation, the other exhaustion. Which offers a chance of salvation?
In Reality One, Dee goes to California. Her new beginning pushes aside the past—and the trauma she escaped. Life here is filled with challenges, though: choices between right and wrong, dealing with thorny personalities, and trying to hold on to the laughter and love of Dee’s new family.
In Reality Two, life in her home country lulls her into a feeling of safety as she embarks upon the most important task of her lifetime—taking care of her baby. Her new, unconventional family of four is the center of Dee’s being, but despite their immeasurable love for her and her child, she still questions whether they would all be better off without her.

Taya Devere’s style sucks you in until you are the character. It’s why I love these books so much. The volume and intensity of feeling invoked are unique and beyond what most reading experience is like. If only a quarter of this passion is evoked in my readers, I would be proud! Well done, Ms. Devere!

The only thing negative I have to say is: Why did the end come so fast!

If you loved book 1, there is no reason not to dive right into book 2. Dee’s hopes and dreams and achievements and failures, on both sides of the border, are real and relatable and turn the human condition into something warm and great and magical, even in the face of overwhelming adversity. Sometimes, it’s all in how you look at. Others, it just sucks, but how will we face that? Both Dee’s teach us something about this, and ultimately, about ourselves.

Happy Reading 🙂