Category Archives: Book Reviews

Kingdom of Shadow and Light

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Book Review

Kingdom of Shadow and Light

By: Karen Marie Moning

Dark Fantasy
4 Stars

From the moment MacKayla Lane arrived in Dublin to hunt her sister’s murderer, she’s had to fight one dangerous battle after the next: to survive, to secure power, to keep her city safe, to protect the people she loves.

The matter of who’s good and who’s evil can be decided by the answer to a single question: Whose side are you on?

Now, as High Queen of the Fae, Mac faces her greatest challenge yet: ruling the very race she was born to hunt and kill—a race that wants her dead yesterday, so they can put a pure-blooded Fae queen on the throne.

But challenges with her subjects are the least of her concerns when an ancient, deadly foe resurfaces, changing not only the rules of the game but the very game itself, initiating a catastrophic sequence of events that have devastating consequences and leave Mac questioning everything she’s ever learned and everyone she’s ever loved. Now begins an epic battle between Mortal and Fae, Seelie and Unseelie, would-be kings and would-be queens, with possession of the Unseelie King’s virtually unlimited power and the fate of humanity at stake.

From the exquisite, deadly gardens of the High Queen’s court, to long-forgotten truths found in the Sacred Grove of Creation, from the erotic bed of her enigmatic, powerful lover to the darkest, seductive reaches of the Unseelie kingdom, Mac’s final journey takes her places no human has been before, and only one human could possibly survive . . .

One who’s willing to sacrifice everything.

What a bittersweet read this was for me. The Fever books are a favorite of mine. I revisit them when I need to curl up and get away. Having them come to an end is both exciting and heartbreaking.

It was a good ending; everything tied up nicely (this is hard to review w/o spoilers. Just trust me). A stressful read, in the best way, I was gripped from the first page, my heart shredded in terror at what might befall these favorite characters. Easily 60% of the book flew by as I raced to see where Mac and Barrons and the rest of the gang would land. So many heart-wrenching stomach drops along the way.

While I was very pleased with this read, I thought a few points might have been fleshed out more. A more drawn-out tete-a-tete with the villain, for one. Still, it was a satisfying ending, just a little too fast for me. This is a common complaint from me, though. I always want more!

I do feel the need to go back and re-read the previous Mac book. Sometimes, I felt she was a little too impulsive, too reactionary. I think she grew out of that a bit from the last book, but maybe I remember it wrong…

If you haven’t read the Fever series and love Dark Fantasy, dark romance, brooding males, strong females, and modern magical cross-overs, this series is for you. And you don’t have to wait like I did for the next books to come out! All 11 are lined up and ready.

Happy Reading! 🙂

Book Review: The Ruin of Delicate Things

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Book Review

The Ruin of Delicate Things

By: Beverley Lee

Ghost Suspense/Horror Suspense
3.5 Stars

Barrington Hall is a place of secrets—something Dan Morgan has worked hard to forget. But when a heart-breaking loss brings him back to the place where he spent his childhood summers, Barrington Hall will do what it must to make him remember.

Faye Morgan blames her husband for the death of their teenage son. She doesn’t want to leave the place Toby called home. But after she catches a glimpse of a strange boy in the midnight woods and learns of his connection with Barrington Hall, her need to learn more pulls her further and further into a nightmare world filled with past atrocities and the burning flame of revenge.

A tale of grief and horror, The Ruin of Delicate Things explores how loss can leave a hole inside of us. A hole large enough for anything to crawl into.

Here’s one of those books I struggle to rate and review. I loved the setting of The Ruin of Delicate Things, by Beverley Lee. Ghosts and haunted houses and Fae mixed into a tale that had me dying to dig up the history; the cause. Questions of what was real and who was fighting for what side kept the suspense thick.

But there were a few things that kept catching me wrong. Things that shook me from the story. Things that when I try to put into words, make me wonder if I should have liked this book more than I did. Isn’t this one of the reasons art is hard to quantify? Because sometimes things just don’t resonate with some, while it does with others? Maybe that’s all this comes down to; that undefinable thing that sometimes makes things likable, or not. And I did like this book, I just wish it were better.

The ending is one that I normally am a fan of. A little ambiguity can be great. But here, I was left more unsatisfied than anything. Still, the last 20% of the book was difficult to put down. I’d say, if you like suspense and/or ghost stories, try this out.

Happy Reading 🙂

Update: I have never updated a review, but reading another book made me realize what I couldn’t put my finger on. Not only realize, but feel the need to explain.

Petulance. That was the problem. The main characters in The Ruin of Delicate Things while their struggle was very real and very dark, their attitudes were petulant. It made the narrative annoying rather than drawing sympathy from me.

Have you read Ruin, yet? What do you think?

Book review: Foundation

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Book Review

Foundation, Book 1 of The Foundation Trilogy

By: Isaac Asimov

Science Fiction
5 Stars

For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. Only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future—a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save humanity, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire—both scientists and scholars—and brings them to a bleak planet at the edge of the galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for future generations. He calls this sanctuary the Foundation.

But soon the fledgling Foundation finds itself at the mercy of corrupt warlords rising in the wake of the receding Empire. And mankind’s last best hope is faced with an agonizing choice: submit to the barbarians and live as slaves—or take a stand for freedom and risk total destruction.

As a lover of classic sci fi it seems inconceivable that this is my first read of Foundation, by: Isaac Asimov. It’s been on my list to read for decades, and there was always some nuance that got in the way of my finally reading it. Finally is here, and I’m so glad I got to it.

Waiting so long to read a book, especially a book that might fall to dating, had me a little nervous. Had style-of-writing changed so much over the years that I wouldn’t be able to appreciate a slower-paced story-telling? Had my love of quicker, more action reads ruined me for someone like Asimov?

Not to worry. I was instantly at home, pulled through page after page. This book is an award winner for real reasons. Sure, it’s a little male character heavy. Sure, there’s a few things technologically that might change if written today, but the story remains solid and relevant.

Lovers of science fiction, and more especially, those who love looking into human society and planning, might want to take a look at The Foundation Series. I’m looking forward to diving into the next book of the series.

Book Review: UnChipped: Kaarina

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Book Review

Kaarina; Unchipped Series #1

By: Taya Devere

Science Fiction, Dystopian

4 Stars

A civilization reliant on AR. Unchipped refugees forced outside its walls. Can a lone underdog save humanity from itself?
In the two years since the Great Affliction, the Happiness-Program has transformed a civilization on the brink of extinction into an organized, beautiful, and happy society. However, for the Unchipped–those whose chips can’t connect to the system–living a comfortable life remains out of reach.
Kaarina, one of the Unchipped, would give anything to live inside the walls of the city again. Haunted by her mother’s suicide and alone except for Bill, another Unchipped thousands of miles away whose thoughts are inexplicably linked to hers, Kaarina fights for survival, defending her beloved animals from the other savage Unchipped. But when her horse’s illness drives her into the city to find medicine, she becomes acquainted with a Chipped man who makes her question everything.
Now a new fix to the system promises her the chance to finally be normal… just as she begins to learn life in the perfectly augmented reality may not be all that she imagined.

This book reminded me of the classic Science Fiction that was one of my first great loves. I, Robot, Brave New World, Childhood’s End, and 1984 were a few that came to mind. Books that told fantastic stories with great societal questions. Books that used a straight-forward writing style, and characters almost naive in their interaction with their world.

Ms. Devere captures this well, telling a story less far-fetched than these other classics might have seemed in their time. While reading, I was also reminded of The Giver. The tight setting was different through the eyes of the main character than through the rest of the inhabitants, and the questions of what that differing sense meant for the greater population. A bit of a slow start fades away with the adjustment to writing style, especially when Kaarina’s plight becomes more severe than first explained.

I look forward to reading the rest in this serially published universe.

Happy Reading 🙂

Book Review: Twisted Ginni

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Book Review

Twisted Ginni

By: Nicola Rose

supernatural, dark fantasy, reverse harem
5 Stars

Some call me Djinn. Some call me Genie. Some call me Demon.
I only ever get to call them one thing — Master.
Only, this time, it’s not one master, it’s three.
Three beautifully haunted and damaged men, fleeing from the satanic cult that raised them. The apocalypse is coming, horsemen and all. If they don’t stop it, their bodies will become nothing more than meat-suits to Princes of Hell. Demons that are already seeping into their beings, battling for control.
Can I help them?
Well, that depends on how nicely they treat me. You see, I’m not a very good genie. I don’t like following orders, I’m partial to twisting up my owner’s emotions for kicks, and I’m running from my own apocalyptic fate — an eternity in purgatory for the crime of murdering a previous owner. Oops.
They’re about to learn that summoning me brings a whole lot of fresh hell with it. If any of us survive this mess, it’ll be a miracle.

By far, Ms. Rose’s best work to date!

A trio of the perfect blend of alpha-asshole, calm center, and beautifully-broken soul all wrapped in a fantastically crafted story. Ms. Rose makes us crave an understanding of the basest desires of these battered souls caught in their destiny, all while enjoying Ginni’s fun with it.

This is my favorite kind of romance; a little dark, a little twisted, and all story-driven. This book would have been great even without the troupe 🙂 I cared about the characters. I was intrigued about their pasts that led to each character’s present, and I especially felt the heartache throughout. Real, visceral reaction to the reader comes time after time in this delicious story.

A page-turner, I was caught from the first. Never was there a chance I could put this one down, reading right until the end. And what an end! Jaw-dropping, tear-falling surprise, followed by another and another, until you’re not sure if you can handle any more. Don’t worry, you’ll be happy you kept on. Trust me.

Happy Reading 🙂