Review : Long Live Evil (Time of Iron #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan 

Rating: 4⭐️

There’s an interesting trope that has developed that features main female characters who decide, for a variety of reasons, to become a villain. The details leading up to this process depending upon the narrative. Some of these stories are fantastic, some great, some okay, and a few meh in their execution, but the premise has always been interesting. This fits somewhere in the middle.

Long Live Evil (Time of Iron #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan is a really well executed story. The premise, while not completely original, is intriguing and her main character’s dilemma is both relatable and compelling. 

It opens the story with Rae, a young woman in a hospital bed, dying of cancer. With her is her younger sister who reads to her their favorite books, a popular fantasy series, Time of Iron. Rae’s cancer diagnosis has left her with little hope, a failing memory that’s left her unable to read, emotionally depressed and raging at her fate. And oftentimes angry at the very sister trying to support her and stay with her. 

At times this is a very difficult and dark story, for all its realistic scenes and raw emotions. 

Rae has created a natural mental and emotional tunnel vision for herself in order to deal cancer and all the treatments and everything that comes with it. Chemotherapy that’s no longer working, hair loss, body that looks and acts like a skeleton. And an absent mother who doesn’t seem to care. 

One we find out later that is working many jobs because of the extreme expenses of Rae’s cancer treatments and hospital bills, and the fact that the family is losing their home over this. But Rae can see nothing but the fact that she is dying. 

The point is made that Rae has skipped over the very important first part of the series and only really got into it when the Emperor arrives, a villain with a tragic story. He becomes her favorite character. 

Just before her death a mysterious woman arrives and offers Rae a bargain, a quest. She’s to enter into the fantasy realm of the series, becoming a character, completing a quest and then she can return home healed. 

Out of choices, she accepts and winds up as the female villain in the story. The one scheduled to die in the tower. 

It’s clever, often funny and well executed. Especially as it relates to how the cancer has impacted Rae’s outlook and life now affects her relationships with the characters within the fantasy world. 

I’ll give you a hint.  Not well. 

And that’s the thing here. While I absolutely understand Rae, the choices she makes, the reasons why she’s so stunted emotionally in certain situations, so unyielding, it makes her a character whose slow growth is also very frustrating to read about. I don’t agree with her choices or even like her for a majority of the story.

Other characters? Yes, absolutely solid creations and great characters you enjoyed spending time with. 

The author has quite a bit of interesting twists here. One is revealed immediately and I thought it was a great element.  And it’s logical, given the facts laid down by the author and plot lines. I wanted to know more about this aspect of the story. 

Another “reveal” was one I think is easily guessed at by a reader and leads to the haunting conclusion of the story. One that will be resolved in Book 2.  The elements here could be found earlier in so honestly so surprise. But it’s horrifying and poignant at the same time.

I do recommend reading Long Live Evil (Time of Iron #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan. Especially if you’re a fan of the fantasy female villain trope. 

Cover design by Ben Prior | LBBG Cover illustration by Syd Mills 

Map by Rebecka Champion (Lampblack Art)

Time of Iron (2 book series)

Long Live Evil #1)

All Hail Chaos #2

Buy link

 Book 1 of 2: Time of Iron 

Blurb 

This is a tale for everyone who’s ever fallen for the villain … 

When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favorite fantasy series.   

She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He’s impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she’s not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor’s tale.   

So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they’re doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor’s fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final page.

Includes a Excerpt from How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying copyright © 2024 by Django Wexler 

August 27, 2024

Language

‎English

Print length

464 pages

Book 1 of 2

Time of Iron

Review: Never Forsaken (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 5) by Michael T. Anderle 

Rating:  4.5⭐️

Terrific story with one of the best elements being the mission to reach and rescue Michael, the Patriarch, who’s been missing since the beginning of the series. 

Michael’s status and how he, a formerly strict, rigid ruler, is going to factor into a very changed world and future is just one of the great narrative challenges here.

Bethany Anne’s role and character is developing in tandem with her team’s, as she grows her mission and expands their bases and branches from military to scientific research and space innovation.

Sometimes, I’ll admit it’s hard to keep track of every new character beyond the initial Queen’s Guard, her found family and father. Then it begins to blur. 

Except for the villains of course. 

But the military hardware, the helicopters, the planes and all the other equipment/weapons are well defined and marvelously deployed here. Things go boom often.

Many, many battles, lots of fighting and tons of bloodshed and bodies. Heads and body parts do go flying. 

So, for me, it’s sort of funny to see a note from the author talking about the all the “cursing” here in the dialogue. IMO, if it’s the naughty words and not the constant bloodshed and death (however well deserved) that a reader takes issue with, maybe some sort of reflection might be needed.  Just saying. 

Anyway, I thought this story has some really terrific writing, great elements ( especially Michael in a box) and all the things factored into that thread. Plus do I love Ashur? Yes I do. Paul is another great favorite character. 

Heading quickly to more of this series. A real winner. 

Cover by Gene Mollica and Sasha Almazan

The Kurtherian Gambit (21 book series)

Death Becomes Her #1

Queen Bitch #2

Love Lost #3

Bite This #4

Never Forsaken #5

Under My Heel #6

Kneel Or Die #7

We Will Build #8

It’s Hell To Choose #9

Release The Dogs Of War #10

Sued For Peace #11

Buy link 

 Book 5 of 21: The Kurtherian Gambit 

Blurb 

Life is beyond dangerous when you are caught up in the ongoing war between Bethany Anne’s group and the Forsaken.

** AMAZON Top 100 Best Selling Author **

Both vampires and humans have been targeted, but if there is one thing those who work with Bethany Anne learn, it is that you are NEVER FORSAKEN.

This time, Bethany Anne is after Anton, who has something, or someone, Bethany Anne wants back.

Can she find out where he is and break in to save the Patriarch if he is still alive?

Or is it a trap? Will Anton, with his centuries of experience, have the final laugh at both of their expenses?

This time, Bethany Anne is up against one of Michael’s direct children, who is one of the most powerful vampires in existence.

Don’t miss the reunion.

Go up and click Read for Free or Buy Now and continue The Kurtherian Gambit.

Never Forsaken, The Kurtherian Gambit 05 follows the story after Bite This. If you haven’t read the preceding books YOU PRETTY MUCH HAVE TO. These are a series and many of the characters have been introduced in preceding volumes. 

—

NOTE: This book contains cursing. Perhaps humorous cursing, but cursing nevertheless. If this offends you, I don’t suggest reading this book.

LMBPN Publishing

Publication date

January 12, 2016

Edition

3rd

Language

‎English

Print length

264 pages

Book 5 of 21

The Kurtherian Gambit

Review: Bite This (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 4) by Michael T. Anderle 

Rating:  4.5⭐️

It’s time to take to the seas, start building a navy, a multi-paranormal species army and gamble on a AI that might be able to help you when the scientists working on it get it done.

But first there’s Anton to deal with, his evil zombies and plans for vampire domination. Plus the missing Michael. 

The author’s twists on how vampires and werewolves were created using alien nanotechnology is a fascinating element that’s going to be explored further as the series continues and we learn more about the origins of the spacecraft and its history. 

Another high octane winner of a story. 

Cover by Gene Mollica and Sasha Almazan

The Kurtherian Gambit (21 book series)

Death Becomes Her #1

Queen Bitch #2

Love Lost #3

Bite This #4

Never Forsaken #5

Under My Heel #6

Kneel Or Die #7

We Will Build #8

It’s Hell To Choose #9

Release The Dogs Of War #10

Sued For Peace #11

Buy link 

        Bite This (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 4)

    

Blurb 

Bethany Anne and crew are back! 

They need to grab a ship, figure out who is trying to dig into her businesses, get their hands around the potential for creating an A.I. and the ongoing mess with Anton and South America.

One of these days, she will get a break. Fortunately for us, it wasn’t today.

Got an attitude? That’s nice. Just don’t show it around Bethany Anne. When she slaps a face off, the whole head goes with it.

Bite This, The Kurtherian Gambit 04 follows the story after Love Lost. If you haven’t read the preceding books YOU PRETTY MUCH HAVE TO. These are a series and many of the characters have been introduced in preceding volumes.

Amazon Reviewer MistyDawn says: “I’m surprised. I thought when I read the first book in this series, that it couldn’t get better…. I was wrong. I read almost continuously, and for the past year and a half, I haven’t read a series (or even one) book that I’ve loved as much. With such loyal characters, friendship, and badassery… just don’t wait to start reading these. So just, just wow.”

**Please note, as mentioned in another review, there is flagrantly foul language in this novel. The main character does not have a problem with cussing, just uninspired cussing.

Review: Love Lost (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 3) by Michael T. Anderle 

Rating:  4.5⭐️

This book begins with a deep emotional loss for Bethany Anne. It’s not one that will register with the reader until a couple of books later with the same narrative impact when we meet his widow. 

But this murder sets in motion a series of events that has Bethany Anne further developing her team, enlarging her plans for revenge and preparing for the next phase of her journey.

It’s multiple stages, storylines and points of view and it all works. 

Thrilling and exciting!

Cover by Gene Mollica and Sasha Almazan

The Kurtherian Gambit (21 book series)

Death Becomes Her #1

Queen Bitch #2

Love Lost #3

Bite This #4

Never Forsaken #5

Under My Heel #6

Buy link 

 Book 3 of 21: The Kurtherian Gambit 

Blurb 


When one of Bethany Anne’s loved one gets caught in the crossfire between her and the Forsaken, she goes rabid in rage.

** AMAZON Top 100 Best Selling Author **

She doesn’t believe in seeking peace and harmony, but rather revenge and mayhem.

Continuing the story of Bethany Anne and TQB team, Love Lost picks up after Queen Bitch. She works to complete both her business and military team leads and we meet Stephen’s daughter Gabrielle as plans are made to exact revenge South of the Border.

You don’t touch one of Bethany Anne’s loved ones and get away with it, no matter how far away you live.

**Please note, as mentioned in another review, there is flagrantly foul language in this novel. The main character does not have a problem with cussing, just uninspired cussing.

—

NOTE: This book contains cursing. Perhaps humorous cursing, but cursing nevertheless. If this offends you, I don’t suggest reading this book.

LMBPN Publishing

Publication date

November 26, 2015

Edition

3rd

Language

‎English

Print length

238 pages

Book 3 of 21

The Kurtherian Gambit

Review: Shadowspell Academy: The Culling Trials (Book 1) by K. F. Breene and Shannon Mayer

Rating: 4⭐️

I’m pretty much done with certain tropes because I feel they’ve been overdone by authors recently in many genres. It’s the academy or trial settings or trials taking place in academia settings, throw in a romance, shifters , vampires and magic and you can probably find or name over 50 books that fit that category alone, maybe more if you consider series. 

But I adore Breene and while I am waiting for her next book (Magical Midlife series) to be released, I thought I’d give this one a try. 

The setup is compelling. A farm family that’s worn down by its losses of their mother and older brother, a broken father barely making it, with debts piling up and plenty of mouths to feed. 

We meet the oldest daughter, Wild, who’s really running the farm as her father is physically in a bad state and her siblings are much younger. Her mother is dead as is her oldest brother, Tommy, who left for an academy but was killed in a mysterious accident there.

Now that same academy is demanding that her younger brother attend and Wild is equally determined that they not lose any more children to a school they don’t know about. 

Of course, it’s never that simple. There’s plenty of secrets and things that have been hidden from her. 

I absolutely adore the character of Wild, a brave and intelligent young woman, determined to save her family from another loss.

The found family aspect of the academic life and group that’s formed isn’t anything new but still very interesting and entertaining. 

It’s the first book. She’s hiding her gender and lack of knowledge in a group of misfits. And the authors don’t seem to draw this out very far with a cliffhanger ending. 

It’s got a terrific main character, predictable elements and an entertaining plot. 

Recommended for those who love the authors and this type of storytelling. It’s a good read. 

Shadowspell Academy (6 book series)

The Culling Trials #1 through 3

Year of the Chameleon #4 through 6

Buy link 

 Book 1 of 6: Shadowspell Academy 

Blurb 

You Don’t Choose The Academy. The Academy Chooses You.

I had no idea how those words would change my life. Or how they’d changed my life already…

Until the day the most dangerous man I’ve ever met waltzed onto my farm and left us a death sentence.

In an invitation.

My younger brother has been chosen for the prestigious, secret magical school hidden within the folds of our mundane world. A place so dangerous, they don’t guarantee you’ll make it out alive.If he doesn’t go our entire family will be killed.

It’s the same invitation my older brother received three years ago—the same place he mysteriously died.

The academy has already killed one sibling. I’ll be damned if they take another.

 

Hijinks Ink Publishing

Publication date

April 9, 2019

Edition

1st

Language

‎English

Print length

238 pages

Book 1 of 6

Shadowspell Academy

Review:  Queen Bitch (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 2) by Michael T. Anderle 

Rating:  4.5⭐️

The fabulous bloody high action hijinks of Bethany Anne continue as she earns her title of Queen Bitch and starts to gather up a multi-species team around her. 

Need a helicopter? Check! Gorgeous mansion? Check! Smack down the werewolves and gain some allies? Check and check! 

Bethany Anne is rewriting the rules and those that have an issue with that are finding out how much trouble they might be in. 

Another high action story with new characters, added locations and new developments that just make this even better. 

Love it. 

Cover by Gene Mollica and Sasha Almazan

The Kurtherian Gambit (21 book series)

Death Becomes Her #1

Queen Bitch #2

Love Lost #3

Bite This #4

Never Forsaken #5

Under My Heel #6

Buy link 

        Queen Bitch (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 2)

    

Blurb 

America has been losing good men since their teams don’t have a Vampire to help them and Frank is hoping Bethany Anne can, and will, help.

Further, the American Pack Council is having internal problems with their own “young and dumb” Were’s who want to ignore Michael’s strictures.

With no one seeing Michael, the fear of the ‘Boogeyman’ is starting to recede.

That’s ok with Bethany Anne, it means she will personally deliver the message there is a new vampire in town.

Immediately following the story of Bethany Anne from ‘Death Becomes Her’, Queen Bitch rides a rollercoaster of action and a heavy dose of creative cussing. Bethany Anne starts to get a team in place to help her affect change.

Because, whether the UnknownWorld wants it or not, change is coming.

LMBPN Publishing

Publication date

November 12, 2015

Edition

3rd

Language

‎English

Print length

234 pages

Book 2 of 21

The Kurtherian Gambit

Review:  Death Becomes Her (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 1) by Michael T. Anderle 

Rating:  4.5⭐️

Well, this was unexpected. Picked this up when looking for another series and found an awesome series that I’m binging. 

Honestly, it’s the best, like discovering a new favorite bag of popcorn or chips for that late night snack. One you can’t stop eating when you’ve opened the bag.

Yes, I’m way past this book. 

This series is great for those who love action movies and paranormal stories. All that mixed in with military stuff, helicopters, things that go boom, vampires and werewolves and even science fiction space travel. And it’s awesome. 

No I don’t take any of this seriously but what fabulous fun. 

“Bethany Anne Reynolds is dying”

That’s the hook. She’s a very smart, beautiful and highly qualified woman in Intelligence. Her father? A general. 

Turns out all through the history of the USA, a very powerful “family” has been helping the country succeed in turn for a certain favor. Now it’s time for that favor to be paid back again. 

This is a really interesting take on vampires, their origins and how they reproduce. 

The first novel sets the stage, the characters and Bethany Anne’s first steps in taking the role that will define her character. And give her a team. 

The story is a quick read and it’s over before you know it. 

Luckily it’s a complete series and you can swiftly move on to the next one. Which I did.  And then the next. 

It absolutely wrecked my sleep and my dog’s I can tell you. 

It’s a bloody, high action, foul mouthed, blast! Loved every minute of it and Bethany Anne too! 

I need more snacks!

Highly recommended. 

Cover by Gene Mollica and Sasha Almazan

The Kurtherian Gambit (21 book series)

Death Becomes Her #1

Queen Bitch #2

Love Lost #3

Bite This #4

Buy link

        Death Becomes Her (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 1)

    

Blurb 

Bethany Anne Reynolds is dying. The monsters should be relieved she’s running out of time.

A vampire with secrets older than the legends offers her one way out: pain, power, and a place in a hidden war the government pretends doesn’t exist. Bethany Anne takes the deal with both hands and a loaded weapon. The transformation kills most who attempt it. She survives it—and wakes up with fangs, superhuman strength, and an alien consciousness living rent-free in her head.

Once she steps through the door, werewolves, black ops, alien tech, and bloodlines that rewrite the dark start crawling out of the shadows. These aren’t the vampires of legend. And Bethany Anne isn’t here to whimper, bargain, or behave. If the monsters want to run the world, they’ll have to get through the woman Death couldn’t keep—the one her enemies will learn to call the Queen Bitch.

Profane, violent, and funny as hell—the first shot in a sprawling urban fantasy / military sci-fi universe readers tear through in batches.

Scroll up and one-click to meet the Queen Bitch herself

LMBPN Publishing

Publication date

November 3, 2015

Edition

3rd

Language

‎English

Print length

248 pages

Book 1 of 21

The Kurtherian Gambit

Review:  The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson

Rating: 4.5⭐️

I don’t read much romance books lately but this one totally grabbed my attention, starting with the description. 

By the way, there’s a long list of trigger warnings by the author who put them at the beginning of the book and I’ve listed them below for you to read. This is a dark fantasy novel, FYI. 

Every part of me wants to say “In fair Verona there lived two families…”.  So close. 

Masterson’s world is narrowed down to two small completely walled-in towns, twenty miles away from each other. Separated by a grim woods and landscape. Those woods are filled with monsters, the Drained,  who attack the city walls with increasing frequency.

Each city/town is ruled by one family. The city of Lunameade is ruled by the Carrenwells, of which Harlow Carrenwell is the youngest of nine siblings in powerful political magical family. 

The other, Mountain Haven, is ruled by the Havenwood family.  Its surviving heir, after a Drained massacre nearly destroyed everything and everyone, is Henry Havenwood.  Now they’ve rebuilt.  And they have new goals.

When the story opens, Harlow is already a widow, having poisoned her husband, per her family’s request, and has been ordered to attend the family’s dinner. 

Each family member has its own personal power, but they act as a team unit, ordered by their father. For the “good” of the town. Harlow also has her own plans she’s been acting on. 

Of all her siblings, only one does she care about, her sister Aidia. The one who is almost her twin, and as we learn, is in a severely abusive DV relationship with her mayor husband. That no one is doing anything about in the family. 

Violence, stark physical horrific abuse is a constant thread here. And there is a real danger of mental abuse/non consensual abuse as well, as one of the powers is the ability to control people against their will. 

Harlow uses her poisonous powers against those who she sees as abusive, especially when she feels helpless to aid her sister. 

This narrative starts dark and then turns violently darker as Masterson introduces Henry with his competing abilities and agendas to Harlow, who has her own secret plans and aspirations. Two houses, a forced political marriage with so many hidden agendas. 

It’s instant hate, passion, murderous rages, and the start of the author’s taking Harlow and Henry on a journey through a complexity of storylines of about heinous abuse, abject pain, deep loss , despair and suffering. 

And yes, lots of blood and death.  And sex. With a wolf thrown in. If that feels random, it feels like it in the story too. 

There’s so much I feel is fantastic here and well done. The religious and magical system is entwined with the city’s history and culture in a powerful role.

The Seven Divine, their gods of Pleasure, Fortune, Stars & Darkness, Endings, Malice, Protection, and Strength, are the ones that provide the families and others with their magical powers.  How that’s achieved is a defining feature of the story, and an extremely dark element. If you look at the maps, and really you should, you will see that Blood Well in the middle of the city of Lunameade and realize things aren’t quite right there. Take a clue.

Still won’t prepare you for what’s coming.

And that’s the other thing, the author has some wonderful/shocking revelations towards the end of the book, twists that come out of nowhere. Perfect! One especially outstanding!

What keeps me from raising my rating is the lack of foundation for certain plot lines in the last quarter of the book, that mostly centered around Henry and his actions.

One is that I don’t believe that the author allowed her story enough time to explain the Drained history and recent events to develop it into the aspect that emerged. That needs further exploration. Trying hard for zero spoilers here. 

The other thing that bothers me is about Gaven. I won’t go into detail. I just thought it was handled in a way that was unnecessary in the story (for me at least) or underwhelming, especially for Harlow. 

My overall experience with this story is that it’s fantastic. I love the dark atmosphere, Harlow is a memorable character and the magical system is so well crafted that I wanted to explore it further.  The weaker, lesser known elements are the Havenwoods. They don’t have enough page time or orcas well defined. 

The stronger, best defined elements are the most heinous , the Carrenwells. We get to know them and see how they operate together. Usually for the worst. 

I recommend spending time with them both. But definitely read the trigger warnings first.

Cover: Charlotte Sloggers

 Case Cover: Alice Blake 

Maps: Shepengul . Great maps!

From the author:

THE POISON DAUGHTER deals with some difficult subjects including ableism, violence, murder, blood, references to sexual assault, poisoning, death, references to domestic violence, child abuse and neglect (historical), grief, depression, PTSD, brief suicide ideation (historical), primal play, voyeurism, and explicit consensual sex. I’ve attempted to treat all sensitive topics with the utmost care, but this content might still be challenging for some readers. Please take care of yourself.

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comThe Poison Daughter: Masterson, Sheila: 9781638935971

Blurb 

To err is human. To avenge is Divine.

Every person Harlow Carrenwell kisses dies immediately, and that’s the way she likes it. The poison-lipped youngest daughter of Lunameade’s magical founding family has used her power to annihilate their opposition.

Her first husband is in the ground. Her new betrothed is next.

But the merry widow has a secret. When she’s not acting as an assassin at her parents’ whims, she moonlights as a vigilante for abused women in their walled-off city.

Meet a man. Lure him in. Kill him with a kiss. Until one night Harlow kisses a mark and he doesn’t die.

Worse, her invincible partner in passion is her new betrothed, Henry Havenwood, and now he knows about her double life. Instead of selling her out and bringing the rival families to blows, he does something much more sinister—whisks her away to wed in his wild mountain fort.

Harlow doesn’t trust Henry, but the only way to protect her family and the city of Lunameade is to figure out what his family is planning.

Cursed with a husband she can’t kill and trapped in a fort miles of vampire-infested woods from home, Harlow’s survival requires her to do the impossible: Make the man who knows she’s a killer fall in love with her anyway.

The Poison Daughter is a standalone dark fantasy romance that combines the vigilante justice for abusive men of Promising Young Woman with a romantasy arranged marriage and a dash of vampires.

October 3, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

668 pages

Review:  Stir Crazy: Maya’s Blogs: Book 6 by Lara McKenzie 

Rating: 4⭐️

Stir Crazy is book 6 is Maya’s Blog, one of my all time favorite series. 

Lara McKenzie has taken her main character on a tremendous personal journey of self discovery and growth. She’s gone from someone who fled a strict religious home environment that was destroying her sense of self and wellbeing to finding a new place where she slowly became a woman who through a new life, barista job and found family of paranormals, who she is today.

Someone who has undergone an enormous transformation into a paranormal herself, found a mate in a battle demon, and now has a family, that includes a demon merchild, Sabine, and a ghost mantis shrimp, Genevieve. And a blog of millions of followers.

It’s been a great journey.And it’s not over yet. 

After Little Bean, the birth of her baby, the battle with the Project Purity people who threatened their lives, now comes the fallout. 

And how she, Scorpion (her husband and mate) , Sabine the baby, and the rest of the household are doing after the fighting is over and the ramifications is setting in.

Not well. Especially for Scorpion as Dax, his best friend and co-hort in the field, left for the Rift over his own actions. And nothing has been the same. Tension is high and effecting everyone around him.  Leaving Maya to try and figure things out.

I thought this was a good book but not the strongest one in the series. Several things I found works against it for me. 

Genevieve, the ghost mantis shrimp, is a unique character and voice. But here  McKenzie makes the decision to give Genevieve a larger audience and role in Maya’s blog. Which is the book’s format. So we get Maya’s perspective and her story about what she’s going through with trying to fix the torn dynamic between Scorpion and Dax. 

Then it’s switched to Genevieve and her new sidekick Myrtle the Turtle, and her new PI business she’s setting up. Then the cases she and Myrtle actually take. 

Then we start to see alternating blogs for Maya and Genevieve, which I found a less interesting and enjoyable format. Genevieve is fine in small doses but doesn’t work for me here in a larger capacity. Unlike Charlotte who got her own story, and it was outstanding. 

There’s a few things left open, like the sentient car who left Maya because she felt unappreciated/unheard. This was another element that I found underwhelming. It came out of nowhere.

Maya was quick to blame herself for not listening but the prior circumstances, a desperate battle, constant fighting and threats, a demolition of her home, none of which seemed to be taken into account by the car. Was no one else around her who could have intervened (friends/family) or even the car talking to someone about it? To say an intervention was needed? To a mother overwhelmed with her current circumstances? 

Seems like a bit unfair to me. That Maya is the only one able to hold everything together. New mom to a child whose very vocal cords can shatter buildings who’s starting preschool ? And a husband who is having trouble with his rage and frustration that he’s scaring people? And a ghost shrimp who wants to start a business and bring in a turtle? So let’s add an unhappy car to that. 

So yes, I found that Stir Crazy was good but not fantastic. I’ll be looking forward to seeing what happens next. 

Absolutely don’t miss out on Charlotte’s book Kiss My Ash, it’s incredible. 

I listed them all below.,

The series is highly recommended!

Maya’s Blogs (6 book series):

Espresso Yourself #1

Brew Diligence #2

Uncharted Grounds #3

Flat White Flag #4

Little Bean #5

Stir Crazy #6

Kiss My Ash: An Umbrafore Standalone Novel

Buy link 

 Book 6 of 6: Maya’s Blogs 

Blurb 

After Scorpion and Dax’s devastating fallout over Project Purity, Maya finds herself walking on eggshells around the shadow demon she loves. The bond between them is strained, and Ashvale Nocturn is feeling less like a sanctuary and more like a pressure cooker.

Meanwhile, Dax is carrying secrets, guilt, and enough emotional damage to destabilise the realms, while Genevieve launches Claw & Order into full investigative chaos with ghost shrimp professionalism and no ethical restraint.

Packed with brutal honesty, dark humor, and the messy reality of forgiveness, Stir Crazy is the sixth instalment in the Maya’s Blogs series about love, loyalty, rebuilding trust, and what happens when emotionally repressed warlords finally start talking.

May 29, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

327 pages

Book 6 of 6

Maya’s Blogs

Review: Nine Goblins: A Tale of Low Fantasy and High Mischief by T Kingfisher 

Rating: 4.5⭐️

I thought this was funny and engaging, if you can find a book about war, losses and the fallout. Maybe parts of it. It’s T Kingfisher so the story is completely a mix of all of these, the horror and the humor that can be found among the misery.

Starting with that amazing artwork on the cover,this tale of an army unit of nine goblins, who go missing in the middle of a battle is fantastic!

Every phase or paragraph sends a clear picture of the current situation and these beautifully detailed characters right into your mind and emotions.

Every single detail, every situation captures the rich range of detail and the seriousness of their lives and current situation.  It incredibly sad as the race of goblins has been pushed out of all their lands by humans until they exist at the edges, on the barest minimum needed.

Eventually they pushed back and it escalated into a war that involved other races. A war goblins themselves aren’t well suited for. And they’re losing.  

This grab bag of personalities of nine goblins, led by unexpectedly competent (for a goblin) Sergeant Nessilka , find themselves behind, far behind, the human enemy lines, and then must try to find their way back. 

So many great elements of this story. It’s the elf who they meet, the wizard (not the wizard you are expecting) who brings them into the situation, and more Elves along the way. And a war torn teddy bear who’s very necessary here for many reasons. And a genius goblin mechanic named Murray who’s looked down upon because his creations actually worked.

And the main characters of Sarge Nessilka and the elf animal rescuer Sings-To-Trees, who has none of the prejudices of his own race towards goblins or any other race for that matter.   With his interactions with the goblin troop and his own small group of injured animals, we get a glimpse of the tensions that exist between all the other species/races , the most important being over the loss of the land and how much of the land is being destroyed by humans. 

There’s trolls, and elf guards and some very dark scenes here, absolute carnage, that will continue to bring up the ramifications of war and its costs. 

 My only regret is that we leave the goblins too soon. It feels unresolved in some ways. We know that they will be going home. But nothing much has changed,just given a little bit of hope.

But that again is pure Kingfisher. 

Excellent and dark with a tiny bit of light at the end. 

Buy link

amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › fantasy › booksNine Goblins T Kingfisher – Amazon® Official Site – Fantasy Series Await

Blurb 

   

From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Nine Goblins, a tale of low fantasy and high mischief.

DELUXE EDITION―a gorgeous hardcover with endpapers illustrated by the author and a foil case stamp

No one knows exactly how the Goblin War began, but folks will tell you that goblins are stinking, slinking, filthy, sheep-stealing, henhouse-raiding, obnoxious, rude, and violent. Goblins would actually agree with all this, and might throw in “cowardly” and “lazy” too for good measure.

But goblins don’t go around killing people for fun, no matter what the propaganda posters say. And when a confrontation with an evil wizard lands a troop of nine goblins deep behind enemy lines, goblin sergeant Nessilka must figure out how to keep her hapless band together and get them home in one piece.

Unfortunately, between them and safety lies a forest full of elves, trolls, monsters, and that most terrifying of creatures…a human being.

Tordotcom

Publication date

January 20, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

160 page