Review: Shadowspell Academy : Year of the Chameleon Book 5 by Shannon Mayer

Rating: 4.75⭐️

We’re at the penultimate book, the real villain has been identified, and the scramble is on to stay alive, find a way to stop her and save Wild , her family and friends and the world magical order as it is.

And things aren’t looking so good. 

Shannon Mayer’s storylines are flowing into one another fluidly at this point, so this is picking up where the previous book ends. 

Helped by not just her own close knit group of paranormal friends, but the ghosts of her brother and mother, Wild is desperately looking for the magical instrument or instruction to help her defeat their enemies. 

 

The author has plenty of revelations about Wild, her family, as well as the history of the school to unlock as part of this highly suspenseful, action packed, and emotional storyline. 

Wally (a fantastic character who has had tremendous character development here), Johnson, and the rest of Wild’s crew get a lot of attention from the narrative as they are separated from Wild. Each striving for the same end before they reunite. 

It’s a great story, and the characters are so amazing with their own storylines and growth. 

Of course, as everyone heads towards the final battle, it ends in a cliffhanger. 

Fantastic work. Highly recommended. 

FYI. The academy has been pretty much left behind. 

Love it. 

Buy link 

        Shadowspell Academy: Year of the Chameleon

    

Blurb 

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

The Shadowkiller is back.

And he is hunting me down like a dog in the streets of New York City using every tool and ally he has—including people I once trusted.

I have never been so alone in my life, and yet if I turn to my friends that puts a target on their backs too. Which means I have to keep running.

So, I do what I know, and I set myself to finding the trail of breadcrumbs that will lead me to the one who is still pulling the strings.

Frost. A Chameleon just like me. Just like the Shadowkiller. Worse, she’s seeking out my friends to pick them off, one by one. To drain their lives in order to feed hers.

To stop her, I have to find her—a task easier said than done in a city this size.

What I don’t expect to find is a truth that this world and its secrets run far deeper, and far darker than I could have ever suspected.

But is any of that going to stop me?

Not a chance.

Hijinks Ink Publishing

Publication date

March 30, 2021

Language

‎English

Print length

314 pages

Book 5 of 6

Shadowspell Academy

Review: Drop of a Hat (Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow Book 6) by Sara Bourgeois 

Rating: 4.5⭐️

I love this so much. Where to start. 

Drop of a Hat sort of epitomizes why I love this author’s writing style so highly.  In 213 pages, Sara Bourgeois concisely delivers a story that is intriguing, quietly compelling, with elements that manage to be puzzling,horrifying, poignant, occasionally funny and sometimes exceedingly terrifying. And end up with a solid warm hearted note. 

All while leaving the characters where they belong , for now, and the reader satisfied but needing the next book. 

That’s when there’s multiple mysteries, only one of which is resolved, the villain’s story and resolution will likely keep you thinking, and the latest addition to the family, a zombie raccoon, is absolutely one of the most heartwarming aspects of the story! 

Not all but one! Then there’s Moira back from the dead. 

Such an incredible story. Ok off to reread it now. 

If this prolific writer isn’t on your radar, she should be. I’m reading two of her series now. Read the books in the order they are written. 

I’m highly impressed by this one and recommending it.

Love the author and series. Can’t wait to read the next book.

Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow (4 book series)

If the Hat Fits #1

Under The Hat #2

Hat Out of Spell #3

Hat Trick #4 

Bear Many Hats #5

Drop of a Hat #6 

Veil of Doom #7 – September 29,2026

Buy link

        Drop of a Hat (Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow Book 6)

    

Blurb 

Sometimes the dead don’t stay buried

Blythe Fairfield finally has her life together. A tea shop with her name on it. A talking cat who runs the place from the windowsill. A sheriff who just told her exactly what she means to him… right before her dead great-aunt knocked on the door.

But the real trouble starts when one of Cauldron Hollow’s oldest witches is found dead. The poison? Brewed from a recipe out of the Tallowmere family collection. The suspects? Start with the witch who just walked out of her own grave, and work your way down to the niece who took her in.

Blythe has solved murders before. This one is different. The victim had secrets. The suspects have more. Every clue she follows leads somewhere she doesn’t want to go. Every alibi has a hole in it, and one person who might be innocent refuses to account for herself.

Meanwhile, the witches of Cauldron Hollow are muttering about the old ways, the mundane authorities are circling a case they can’t be allowed to understand, and Blythe’s own familiar is taking sides… against her.

The clock is ticking. The town is watching. And the killer is closer than anyone thinks.

Turns out some hats never go out of style. They just come back.

July 13, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

213 pages

Review:  Shifting Allegiance (Shifter Lords Book 11) by S. E. Babin

Rating: 5⭐️

I’m not sure how each of these stories manages to get increasingly complex and more devastating by the book but with Shifting Allegiance, Shifter Lords Book 11, Moira’s journey takes a truly dark, intensely horrifying turn of events which ends with a terrifying cliffhanger. 

Babin has created for her Shifter Lords series a case of remarkable characters, including a group of women , goddesses, faes, vampire, otherworldly beings who have close ties to each other through family bonds or friendships that are now so tightly woven together that they are a force of nature and magic. Each woman comes with her own unique identity, often traumatized past and depths of character. The series may have begun with Evie’s journey but these same women have grown and developed over time and as events has changed them all. 

Now they circle and surround Moira as her evil witch mother returns to reclaim her daughter and seed her revenge against her own daughter who escaped from her mother and the tortured life she inflicted upon her. 

I’ve loved Moira from the beginning of the series. She’s been a great character, true friend, one who not only told Evie the truth about her relationship as the toxicity with Caelan was increasing but stayed true to support her. Even though her own issues. 

My heart breaks for Moira here over and over. Especially when Ethan’s past is revealed in the harshest, most tragic way.  And let’s not for Cerunnos’ and his own personal reasons for being in Moira’s life.

Layer upon layer, Babin builds a narrative that is dramatic, deeply rooted in family, trauma, love and devastation. There’s past child abuse mentioned as well as torture. Truly tragic and dark. 

But for all the characters who aren’t redeemable, Babin gives us those who are. Like the goddess Cliome, Evie’s mother, who started off the series in the role of villain and now is a permanent part of the inner circle that surrounds her daughter and friends. And, even Caelan, who I absolutely despised, has made a tremendous turnaround here. 

That’s why this is so incredible and the writing so fascinating and well executed. 

But now I have to wait, probably for another cliffhanger too. It’s just the way this series is rolling. 

And it will probably be one of my favorites. 

It’s one I highly recommend reading right now. 

Cover design by Covers by Christian

Shifter Lords (14 book series):

Shift of Heart #1

Shift of Morals #2

Power Shift #3

Shifting Winds #4

Shifting Resolve #5

Shift of Rule #6

Shift of the Wild #7 

Goddess Shifting #8

Final Shift #9 – finale to Evie’s story 

Moira’s story begins 

Shift Happens #10 

Shifting Allegiance #11 

Shift of Shadows #12 – Nov 17,2026

Karmic Shift #13 – Dec 15,2026

Shift of Fate #14 – March 2,2027

Buy link 

 Book 11 of 14: Shifter Lords 

Blurb 

Moira has spent years outrunning her past. Now it’s finally caught up with her.

What should have been a routine job with Soren goes disastrously wrong, forcing Moira to come face-to-face with the one person she never wanted to see again. As old wounds reopen and long-buried secrets claw their way to the surface, the vampire hybrid must confront the darkness she’s spent a lifetime trying to escape.

Then Ethan becomes the target of a devastating spell.

Overnight, every memory of the connection growing between them vanishes, leaving Moira as little more than a stranger in his eyes. Worse, the magic continues to spread, twisting Ethan’s thoughts and reshaping his reality one lie at a time.

Determined to save him, Moira hunts for the source of the dark magic before it consumes him completely. But the deeper she digs, the more she uncovers a conspiracy tied to her own past—one that threatens not only Ethan’s future, but her very existence.

With time running out and enemies closing in from every side, Moira faces an impossible choice: walk away and save herself, or sacrifice everything for the man who no longer remembers her.

Because some monsters can’t be outrun.

And some futures are worth dying for.

Oliver Heber Books

Publication date

July 7, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

246 pages

Book 11 of 14

Shifter Lords

Review:  Unpredictable Magic by Faith Hunter 

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Unpredictable Magic by Faith Hunter brings us back into the lives of witches Angelina and Evan Everhart-Trueblood, characters who were children in Faith Hunter’s fantastic Jane Yellowrock series. 

Aunt Jane, the Dark Queen, is a solid character and continuing presence in their lives now that both Angie and Evan are adults with pasts that haunt each of them.

For Angie, it’s an abusive marriage and a ex-vampire husband that has ramifications throughout this story. For Evan, it’s his past black ops service in the Vampire/Demon wars that’s giving him unrelenting nightmares of his battles then. For both of them, Everhart Investigations, a PI firm in Chattanooga, has been a way to reunite as siblings and to try to find a new path separate from their families and the Royal family. 

A case puts everything they’ve struggled for into jeopardy, including those they love. 

This story is just fabulous. Highly suspenseful, full of twists, and great storytelling. Some crossover characters from the Jane Yellowrock series occur as these two are tied tightly together with that other series. That’s just another great reason to read this.

But the characters, Angie and Evan, as well as those who they gather around them, exhibit their own growth and development here. 

It was interesting to see them as adults because my memories are of them as children. And they have gone through some traumatic experiences and events that we hear about through memories or scenes that past history is brought up. 

If I had a wish? It’s that Angie was more realistic about their  “freedom “ from her family and the Dark Queen. She goes on about losing her freedom while not mentioning once that her ties with her family and aunt are the ones that have saved her repeatedly. Over and over. And over. 

Were there times I wanted to say grow TFU? Why yes there was.  Maybe future stories will see that happen. I do look forward to those.

I’ve seen elsewhere that this is the first book in a Everhart Investigations series and I really hope that it’s true. 

This was a fabulous wild ride. The side characters are just incredible. Cousin Wacko? Love her. And their vampire bodyguard with his own complicated past. Amazing stuff!

Highly recommended!

Jane Yellowrock (15 book series)

Also related:

Soulwood (6 book series)

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comUnpredictable Magic: Hunter, Faith – Books

Blurb 

Witches Angelina and Evan Everhart-Trueblood take a case that spirals out of control until the whole city is at risk in this exciting new novel from New York Timesbestselling author Faith Hunter.

Angelina Everhart-Trueblood and her brother Evan run Everhart Investigations, a PI firm in Chattanooga that solves paranormal crimes committed by supernatural beings. When their new client wants help finding her friend, who supposedly disappeared during a reception at Angie’s aunt Jane’s winter residence, things get . . . complicated.

The client is not who she appears to be, and demons strike the city for the first time since the Witch War. On top of that, evidence is pointing toward the involvement of an overly ambitious vampire—who just happens to be Angie’s ex-husband.

As Angie and Evan team up with CPD, they will have to dig deep into their magical reserves—and rely on some friends in high places—to rid Chattanooga of the danger creeping into their city.

Ace

Publication date

July 14, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

556 pages

Review : Sex At A Funeral by K Sterling 

Rating: 3.75🌈

K Sterling writes such an amazing spectrum of stories, from urban Gaelic mythology based fantasy series grounded in the mid-Atlantic states to contemporary paranormal ghost mysteries set In Bisbee, Arizona and everything in between. 

That includes contemporary romances. 

Sex At A Funeral is K Sterling’s latest contemporary story, a book about three young friends, two of whom are siblings, torn apart by events and secrets started at a funeral. One of a succession of funerals that impacted their lives in surprising ways.

Skylar and Sarina Sutton and their best friend, Mason Cartwright. Together for most of their lives growing up. Until a disastrous happening at their Uncle’s funeral drives Skylar apart from his friends and family.  

It’s a very good idea to read K Sterling’s forward where the author talks her writing, explaining how close she is to the topic of autism and the character of Skylar. It’s explains why this character is so well written and has such depth throughout the book. 

Skylar is easily the best personality here. Sarina, his sister who chose a lavender marriage and motherhood over her brother and Mason, a closeted gay best friend who went with his parent’s career path and “saving” Sarina, are less well developed.

Sarina more so than Mason. He just comes off as selfish and immature. Especially when he asks Skylar to become his “side piece” so he can remain Mayor and stay Sarina ‘s husband.  Still keeping secrets.

I don’t think Sterling made the case that Mason was a healthy choice for Skylar at any point here.  That Skylar was seeing a therapist about him, and was trying to make the correct choices by staying away? That feels positive.  Not the way the book ends in order for everyone to have a forced HEA .

There’s many positive aspects of Sex At A Funeral by K Sterling , Skylar and his lesbian bestie in NYC? That’s the sequel we should be looking forward to. 

If you are a fan of the author, pick it up. 

Buy link

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Sex-At-Funeral-K-Sterling-ebook/dp/

Blurb 

Hooking up with his brother-in-law at a funeral isn’t the worst thing a Sutton has ever done.

Not by a long shot.

Skylar Sutton, a black sheep raised by WASP wolves, has avoided his hometown of Roseview, New York for most of his adult life. Autistic, caustic, and gay—the trifecta—Sky was shunned after a scandal.

Now, he’s been welcomed back after his debut novel became an international bestseller.

But Sky wants no part of the Roseview lifestyle and his nightmare family. Especially his sister, Sarina, and her husband, Mason Cartwright. Once upon a time, the three of them were inseparable. But a terrible secret shattered their friendship. Sky knows the picture-perfect life that Sarina and Mason have built is all a lie. Between the small-town gossip, his sister’s twisted marriage, and his adversarial relationship with his mother, Sky prefers to keep a distance.

A family tragedy is just about the only thing that will bring Sky back to Roseview. And, for reasons Sky would rather not unpack, he can’t resist his golden-retriever brother-in-law at family funerals.

Every encounter leaves Sky more confused and torn.

A lavender marriage, an unexpected pregnancy, scheming relatives, and heaps of family secrets. For Sky, home is where the heart breaks. But finally learning the truth—that he was never the problem and Mason isn’t a villain—might be worth the journey back.

Might.

Bawdy Books

Publication date

July 14, 2026

Accessibility

Learn more

Language

‎English

File size

1.8 MB

Screen Reader

Supported

Enhanced typesetting

Enabled

X-Ray

Not Enabled

Word Wise

Enabled

Print length

314 pages

Review: The Bull Rider and the Bookworm (Part of the Snow Creek Ranch Shared World) by V.L. Locey

Rating: 3.75🌈

The Bull Rider and the Bookworm by V.L. Locey is a lovely, very sweet contemporary cowboy romance. While it’s part of the Snow Creek Ranch series, it’s not necessary to have read any of these novels in order to understand and enjoy this book and characters. 

I enjoyed reading about the characters of bookstore owner, Aubrey Lancombe and broken bull rider Hoyt Knox. Each one was delightfully engaging and interesting in their own right. Aubrey, especially, was a character I wish I could have gotten to know more about. His background, which is so fascinating, and the two animal companions, a cat and rooster, who I loved. This author did both of them so well, making Roberto, the Rooster, and the cat, Ruggerio, feel authentic. 

Aubrey’s tiny cottage he’d just purchased , a grumpy handyman which we’d barely seen glimpses of and were getting to know, so many elements that we were intrigued by, and then the marvelous animals , they were all unfortunately forgotten somewhere later in the story. Disappeared. There was no room and that was both noteworthy and a shame. 

Because it switched to Hoyt’s issues, his abusive dad and younger brother. And in a book of 199 pages, there was hardly any mention of the resolution of the issues that drove him away, whatever happened between his brother in the past, or anything else notable. It’s unfortunately glossed over. And these are important issues like parental responsibility, abuse, violence against children, alcohol abuse and other serious crimes or mistreatments/mental health issues. 

Instead we’re superficially dealing with a sweet relationship and romantic partnership. Which is fine, but why load up on the other serious elements if they’re not going to be given the narrative exploration that they deserve. Just my opinion. Save that for a longer novel. 

There’s a nice bit about a horse and ends with a HEA sort of finish. 

Of course, in my head, I was thinking, who’s minding Aubrey’s store he just bought and opened. But again, that’s just me. 

So I like the story but it left me wondering about far too many things, questions about the characters and storylines to feel satisfying. 

Snow Creek Ranch (7 book series) by R.J. Scott and 6 other authors 

Cover by L.C. Chase

Buy link

 Part of: Snow Creek Ranch (7 books) 

Blurb 

Sometimes the wildest ride isn’t in the arena – it’s falling in love.

Bull rider Hoyt Knox has spent his life chasing applause, adrenaline, and the next eight-second ride. With his body starting to break down and sponsors pulling out, he finds himself facing a possible life change. Confused and hurting, he heads to Snow Creek Ranch to try his hand at something a little easier as he heals while trying to figure out what’s left for him besides a sore back and a fading spotlight.

Enter Aubrey Lancombe, a quiet, bookish man who’s just moved to Chance to escape the city life – and the loss of his beloved grandmother followed by a bad breakup – and finally open the bookstore of his dreams. Aubrey has always preferred words to people, quiet to chaos, and certainly has no time for cocky cowboys with something to prove.

When their worlds collide over a shared love of poetry they strike up a friendship that teeters on the edge of something else entirely. But Hoyt’s not out and Aubrey is scared to fall again. As his time at Snow Creek Ranch passes Hoyt must decide if he’s ready to hang up his spurs for good – or risk his heart on the bookworm who’s rewritten everything he thought he knew about love.

The Bull Rider and the Bookworm is a 58K opposites attract, age gap, gay MM contemporary western romance with a weary rodeo rider, a shy bookhound, a ranch that heals all manner of hurts, a gentleman rooster, a plethora of romantic poetry, and a shiny as a gold buckle happy ending.

Content Warning: This story has references to past sexual abuse, death of a parent, and suicidal thoughts. 

date

July 8, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

199 pages

Part of series

Snow Creek Ranch

Review: Bitten Shifter  (The Bitten Chronicles Book 1) by Brogan Thomas

Rating: 4⭐️

Bitten Shifter, the first book in Brogan Thomas’ Bitten Chronicles, has a woman in her late thirties walking away from her marriage and life after finding her husband in bed with her older sister. 

It’s the early scenes, where a shattered Lark Emerson realizes just how much of her life has been not only lost but also false to begin with. It is raw, her emotional state real and reflects a woman in shock. 

I was all in. Because Thomas not only made me believe in Lark, but her betrayal felt authentic and genuine. 

It’s wasn’t until she had a plan that the fact this was a paranormal story starts to show up. And take another twist.

Lark throughout this tale is my favorite character. Her growth, her struggles with her new life and surroundings, every event that she encounters, she meets as an adult. 

The Alpha? Not so much. I actually liked his best friend, Riker, far better than the MMC, who I thought was controlling, didn’t consider Lark’s opinions despite her wishes and continued forward with his own personal goals. Because, fated mates, whether she felt it or not.

The storylines were interesting. The Human Rights group and the Mage group were both intriguing enough to have more exploration here. Same goes for a certain vampire aspect of the story. The setup was there, just needed some more layering.

If you can guess, wasn’t a fan of the ending. I’m not sure how the author could have done it differently.  But for me, Lark started out so much stronger than she finished. 

 Others might have a better opinion. 

Cover design by Melony Paradise of Paradise Cover Design

The Bitten Chronicles (3 book series)

Bitten Shifter #1

Bitten Vampire #2

Bitten By Magic #3

Buy link

 Book 1 of 3: The Bitten Chronicles 

Blurb 

Betrayed, shattered, and transformed. Sick of everyone’s crap, can this snarky lone wolf find a place to belong—and maybe even love?

Lark Emerson vaguely remembers being happy. After catching her husband and her sister in the sack, the IT professional walks away from twenty-seven years of marriage and takes a job on the border of a shifter community. But when a rogue wolf pack storms her office, she’s captured and mauled.

Badly wounded, the forty-something limps home and is shocked when her injuries rapidly heal, her eyesight sharpens, and every sound becomes painfully clear. Taken to a facility to ease her transition from human to supernatural, she’s completely thrown when wolf magic reshapes her body into something no longer entirely human.

Struggling with instincts as fierce as the wolf inside her, can Lark learn to trust when the handsome packmaster comes calling?

Bitten Shifter is the enthralling first standalone book in The Bitten Chronicles urban fantasy series. If you love resilient heroines, slow-burn romance, and action-packed suspense, you’ll adore Brogan Thomas’s rollercoaster ride.

Buy Bitten Shifter and sink your teeth into a thrilling new adventure today!

Brogan Thomas Books

Publication date

February 27, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

370 pages

Book 1 of 3

The Bitten Chronicles

Review: The Kutherian Boxed Set 2: Kutherian Gambit 12-21+Kutherian Endgame Books By Michael Anderle

Rating:4⭐️

CONTENTS 

We Have Contact 

My Ride is a Bitch 

Don’t Cross this Line 

Never Submit 

Never Surrender 

Forever Defend 

Might Makes Right 

Ahead Full 

Capture Death 

Life Goes On 

Payback is a Bitch 

Books By Michael Anderle

The second boxed set, 11 books, are set after Bethany Anne and her group take flight through the gate to space and start their own adventures with aliens and their own galactic empire.

It’s space exploration and Buck Rogers action adventure with vampires, werewolves and AI companion spaceships.  Unlike the more innocent Buck Rogers and his arch nemesis. the Emperor Ming, Queen Bitch Bethany Anne and her troops often use their own powers and enormous weapons to attack their enemies in the hundreds or thousands. It’s a bloody but still often bloodless battles she wages in book after book with only one or two characters actually being lost. 

Bethany Anne and her friends and family are, for the most part, immortal, and the time frame of the series jumps forward decades then hundreds of years later, without significant changes in their lives or personalities. Without any real development or depth of growth in the relationships or dynamics here, it all becomes very one note action driven. 

For me, it lessens any real tension or connection and let me treat these characters and their storylines as a fun romp through space. Which I did 

Another thing that happens is the acquisition of more and more characters, especially as the original characters have families (we don’t know when it happens sometimes). Suddenly there’s grandchildren and adults who belong to, I don’t know, someone. And the cast is muddy with people who honestly we have no clue who they are. 

It’s bang, weapons, where’s the enemy, what’s Bethany Anne up to now sort of plot and high stakes energy. Fun space entertainment. 

I recommend it as such.  But don’t expect anything else from it.

Buy link

 Book 2 of 3: The Kurtherian Saga Boxed Sets 

Blurb 

When you least expect it, expect it.

Bethany Anne has been notified there is a spaceship inside the system…but they can’t find it. Is it Kurtherian, someone else?

The governments have to be told about aliens, which sparks a worldwide effort by Governments to find what TQB has…

Oh, and Eric wants to date Gabrielle but he wants her to know he can protect her if need be. But his idea on how? Well, let’s just say it might not be the best solution.

Continue the story with the last 10 books in The Kurtherian Gambit series and step off into the continuing series, The Kurtherian Endgame, with this massive boxed set.

Included in this boxed set:

  • WE HAVE CONTACT
  • My Ride is a Bitch
  • Don’t Cross This Line
  • Never Submit
  • Never Surrender
  • Forever Defend
  • Might Makes Right
  • Ahead Full
  • Capture Death
  • Life Goes On
  • Payback Is A Bitch (The Kurtherian Endgame #1)

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

Review: Shadowspell Academy : Year of the Chameleon Book 4 by Shannon Mayer

Rating: 4.75⭐️

Academy tropes aren’t really my favorite books but they’re hard to avoid as they’re so many out there. But Shadowspell Academy series written by by K. F. Breene and Shannon Mayer for the first mini-trilogy and now solely by Shannon Mayer for the final three stories, is an excellent read and why I’ll continue to pick up a great series. 

Yes, I’ve blown through the final trilogy and loved it.

Wild and her mixed crew of paranormals have been sorted into their “expected” Houses and now they are expected to spend their next years there, training with their own “magical” counterparts. 

But it doesn’t work out like that as events force everyone together in one place. A House of Wonder that seems to have it in for all of them, old and new enemies everywhere and Wild’s the target of her greatest enemy.

This is the start of a incredible journey, part horror story, outstanding paranormal adventure, that sees not only Wild but her small group of friends/family growing tighter, developing new powers and showing immense strength and resilience. 

Heartbreak, betrayal and high suspense. It’s all here. And it’s amazing. I love Wild so much. And everyone else in her group. 

Highly recommended! Fantastic work in every way by the author. 

Shadowspell Academy (6 book series)

The Culling Trials #1 through 3

Year of the Chameleon #4 through 6 written by Shannon Mayer

Buy link 

 Book 4 of 6: Shadowspell Academy 

Blurb 

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

“This book is Harry Potter meets the Hunger Games in a bold twist on a classic magical young adult adventure.”
Jaymin Eve, Bestselling Author of Supernatural Academy

I’ve made it through the Culling Trials, the test that proved my mettle against every possible challenge.

I assumed that meant things would settle down and I’d start truly learning.

MNo more danger.

No more death threats.

No more wondering who was out to get me.

Apparently, that was not to be.

I am what this supernatural world calls a Chameleon—a rarity even amongst all these monsters. And rare things are coveted and feared by the most powerful of all—The House Of Wonder.

It’s a good thing I have my crew at my back, because this Academy?

It’s about to get seriously ugly.

Which means this farm girl is ready to play by only one set of rules.

Her own.

Review:  Dragon Rogue (Riders of Jade and Fire Book 3) by Melanie Ansley

Rating: 4.75⭐️

Ever read one of those books that you just both wanted to scream at when you got to the end and still loved? Yes indeed. 

Welcome to Dragon Rogue, a book of storylines full of deception, betrayal, heartbreaking revelations and bloody violence that ends in a fight with shocking consequences. 

And it starts right off with violence. Jin and her jade dragon are sent off by the Empress, a shady character herself, to kill the Empress’s “evil enemy”, the blood-bonded traitor Mengkhis Lai, rider of a jade dragon himself. 

But things aren’t as simple as it seems. She’s fought him before and he’s let her live. And she’s been having fragmented dreams about her past and the Prince’s birth. It’s a labyrinthine narrative, full of false plots, intriguing stories about dragon natural history, and blood bonding. 

Even the ability to summon ghosts and what it means to the lifespan of the summoner, the author barely touches on the aspect of this element.  And it’s so fascinating and horrifying.

But all the tightly held secrets and connections that are being strung here, ones that feel more like chains than relationships, are the key. It’s well written, suspense filled, and realistic to the point of anxiety. 

Then comes that ending. Amazing. Now to wait until September. 

Fantastic series and great writing.

Highly recommended.

Cover Design: Get Covers

The Riders of Jade & Fire series: 

Night of the Black Dragon (prequel novella) 

Dragon Class #1

Dragon Flame #2

Dragon Rogue #3

Dragon Blood #4 – Sept 2026

Buy link 

        Dragon Rogue: A Clean YA Fantasy Adventure (Riders of Jade and Fire Book 3)

    

Blurb 

Some truths rewrite the past. Others rewrite your soul.

Jin was sent to kill a man while he dreamed.
Instead, she woke a nightmare.

As the empire’s most celebrated dragonrider, Jin thought her mission was simple: assassinate the blood-bonded traitor Mengkhis Lai before he could ever wake from his mage-induced sleep.

But events at the Well of Fire go terribly wrong. Buried with the man she was supposed to kill, Jin begins to question everything—especially when Mengkhis claims the empress meant for them both to die.

Escaping the Well is only the beginning. Injured and forced to publicly lie about killing Mengkhis, Jin must decide whether to trust the word of the man she was trained to destroy—or risk being silenced forever by the empire that made her a hero. When Jin is put into training with the Royal Veil, the empire’s secret police, Jin decides to uncover the truth behind the mission that nearly killed her, and put an end to Mengkhis once and for all.

But the deeper Jin goes, the more she suspects the empress’s motives. Jin uncovers plots, secrets, and a destiny far greater—and more dangerous—than she imagined.

Her enemies want her dead.
Her allies want absolute loyalty, even at the price of love.

And the one person who may hold the answers… is the one she must kill to earn her freedom.