How to Reap a Soul (And Fail Miserably) is the first book in the urban fantasy series, Soul Management Bureau by April Kelley.
Itās a fated mate romance between reaper and their soul mates, so itās instant love/instant sex romance with a plot thatās not always easy to follow because Kelley is trying hard to lay down all her histories and plotting for multiple characters, not just the main couple, and her world building into one story.
And itās not always effective because someone gets lost in the narrative. Some connection between her characters, some chemistry is left behind in the rush to get it all accomplished.
Itās interesting but Iām not sure Iām really engaged with this world or characters.
Try it out and see for yourself if Grym and Elliot Coyne work together for you.
Cover artist: Miblart
Soul Management Bureau
How to Reap a Soul and Fail Miserably #1
How to Reap a Soul (And Lose an Assistant) #2 – Dec 29,2026
Love was never on my to-do list, but now that I have it, Iāll let the world burn before I let anything happen to him.
Grym
Iāve reaped souls for three hundred years without a single mistake. Until Elliot Coyne. Iām supposed to ferry him into the afterlife, not bring him back to life and turn him immortal.
Now HR is threatening me, the world is acting like it might explode, and my reaper brothers are stress-snacking like itās Armageddon.
Even worse? My soul insists Elliot is my beloved. Reapers arenāt supposed to have those. Are they? Regardless, itās wildly inconvenient.
Elliot So I die, wake up immortal and able to walk between realms, not that I know what those actually are.
The guy responsible is an annoyingly hot reaper who apparently broke the universe just to keep me breathing.
Weāre suddenly stuck together, hunted by his supernatural bosses, and if we fall for each other it might tear reality apart.
Love isnāt supposed to end the world. Yet here we are.
This book was a recommendation so I picked it up to see what I would find. A Dragon Inside is a sweet, unsurprising fantasy novel that includes dragons, dragon riders, princesses and kingdoms in peril. But adds little to the already overwhelming world of books written about this genre.
Itās the first book in a series but wrapped up the first storyline and romance pretty well by the end of the novel. King realizes he has traitor close to him, his sister, the princess helps save the day, by rescuing the dragonrider. Who ends up with the princess.
King also looks to have a HEA too.
Thereās a weird magic aspect that unexpectedly occurs towards the end that doesnāt make sense and has no foundation whatsoever laid out for it.
Perhaps itās coming in the future books.
Some readers might excuse this by saying that the story is meant for YA but all writing, no matter what age the author is aiming for, should have depth in the characters, layers to the world building and intricacies of plot. None of which happens here.
The characters should be entirely believable or engaging enough for the reader to invest their time and emotions.
For me, I thought this was just a simple, sweet, and uncomplicated plot that didnāt ask much of the reader.
If thatās something that youāre looking for, hereās a book and series for you.
This author imo does not compare with KM Shea who was mentioned in the description. Not even close.
Cover art is by Turtle Trails Publishing. Interior art (part two) is by Legowo P. Interior art (after Chapter 31) is by Sidney Brady.
She is a princess. He is chained in the dungeon. They don’t trust each other, but they are Solvar’s only hope for escaping war.
Ellie
When I discovered that my brother imprisoned a dragon rider, I plunged head-first into a whirlwind of political drama, mysterious history, magic, and an alluring prisoner.
Now the secrets I uncovered keep growing deeper. I wanted to save my people from war, but that was only the beginning. My brother and our inheritance complicated everything, and I must find new ways to deal with rebellions, assassinations, and an attraction to an impossible prisoner.
Deryk
I expected to die, but everything changed when the fearless princess swept into my prison cell. Now I must choose between loyalty to my family and dragon or a dangerous trust to an unnerving princess.
Itās been a while since I read this series by G. A. Aiken aka Shelly Laurenston, a favorite author of mine, and I havenāt a clue why itās been so long. Maybe because I was binging the other series (Honey badgers) of hers and my book budget was just getting out of hand but anyway Iām back and thrilled to be here.
Once youāve immersed yourself in the world of the Dragon Kin, itās easy to slip right back into it. But you need to have read all the previous books first because none of these are standalone stories and build upon each other.
Rhona the Fearless, a great character among many strong women or female characters. In this case a dragon warrior who has been not only the one who has been the caretaker of her siblings, raising them in their warrior motherās absence but a renowned warrior herself, who left her real passion behind for duty and family.
I love her. Sheās a tremendous character and all her relationships are grounded in family and friendships, deeply rooted connections that the reader feels are vital to her and the story.
Vigholf the Abhorrent (I really love their names) turns out to be an interesting and unique match for her. One of the Northlands dragons, a Lightning, heās from the group weāve known before. They are a rough, tough lot thatās already connected to Queen Annwyn. And with each new story, we get intriguing new additions to the growing fabric of dragons and magical humans that is the Dragon Kin overall series arc mystery.
The two together, as they adventured off on their mission, was a great dynamic. It introduces more of Rhonaās family history and actual current situation. Her dad, the lava dragon blacksmith, the triplets who are amazing in their own ways, it just came together in a very satisfying highly emotional fantasy tale.
And sets up the next one nicely.
Highly recommend reading this entire series. Binge it if you can.
āThereās never a dull moment with these dragons. Fighting! Mayhem! Danger! . . . a fun readā from the New York Times bestselling author (Vampire Book Club).
I was raised for battle. And as the first daughter of a warrior family, Iāve earned my reputation the hard way. Yet now I fight alongside uncivilized male Northland dragons who think a female is only good for breeding and waiting back home in the cave. But itās the foolish and foolhardy who would try to stop me, Rhona the Fearless, from doing what I do bestādestroying the enemies of my kind.
So the smartest thing wily barbarian Vigholf the Abhorrent can do for me is stay out of my way as we risk all on a deadly mission in enemy territory. I donāt care if heās fascinated by me, even though he is as attractive as he is resourceful. Heās having far too much fun putting me in difficult situations and testing my sense of duty to the limit. And Iām going to enjoy challenging his insufferable confidence, outwitting his schemes, and making him surrender in the wildest ways . . .
Praise for the Dragon Kin Series
āAikenās patented mix of bloodthirsty action, crazy scenarios and hilarious dialogue have made this series a truly unique pleasure.āāRT Book Reviews (4Ā½ Stars)
āA chest thumping, mead-hall rocking, enemy slaying brawl of a good book.āāAll Things Urban Fantasy
Rating: 3.5š
This was a very hard book for me to rate because while I really delighted in this authorās world building and the diversity of the otherworldly creatures and elements of the story, the characters were the issues here.
One, Cinnamon āCinnā Saunders is a character who shows depths of personality and layers related to his background as the story develops. Cinnamon, definitely a doormat/enabler to a seriously addicted friend, is constantly surrendering his own future and safety to saving him again and again. How you view the authorās writing a character purposely so obtuse about another personās character will determine whether you connect with Cinn. Because heās constantly forgiving people for their awful actions against him.
That goes for the other main character, Julien, a son of a wealthy French businessman , who is now part of the hidden government institution in Switzerland that houses and teaches those with special magical abilities, āthe moteblessedā. Julien is the most problematic of characters for me. While both have tragic histories, the author uses Julienās to excuse selfish, egocentric, and frankly, oafish behavior. He has a goal that his other two friends, Elliot and Darcy, are aware of and are helping him to achieve. But itās extremely dangerous and potentially fatal.
How he achieves it, who he uses, even though his friends warn him against certain actions, doesnāt matter or matter much. Thatās a common refrain with Julien. He does what he wants. Others warn him of potential consequences. He thinks about it and does it anyway. And heās forgiven over and over. Because he has charisma. And a sad background.
Yet heās supposed to be a fantastic relatable main character and not a person with flags stuck all over his storyline. SMH
What is fantastic here is the system of magic, that āother dark world ā thatās so eerily similar to theirs but not. The fractured moon that hangs above a 1995 London writhing with sentient beings so dark and mysterious, and horrifying. The motes, another intriguing creation, makes this book. Sentient? Just donāt know.
If I continue with the duology, it will be due to the magical realm and the dark realm that pulls me forward. Not the human characters. So probably not.
Book cover design by @the.ravens.touch with artwork by Olga Panfilova
An action-packed MM romance duology featuring magic, mayhem, and two broken boys finding love.
Cinnamon āCinnā Saunders thought heād learnt to control his little ghost problem.
That is, until the moment he brings back a malevolent spirit from the shadowrealm, and quickly finds himself unjustly arrested for the murder of four people.
After breaking free of foster care and a stint in juvie, all Cinn wanted to do was keep his head down and work his way up to become a professional chef. Now heās forced to make a choice: life in jail, or allow a stranger to whisk him away to a mysterious institute in rural Switzerland with the promise of learning how to control his terrifying supernatural abilities.
Julien, the French charismatic charmer who is charged with warding over Cinn, also has a problem: the murder of his sister is still unsolved.
He needs help. Help that only Cinn can provide. Heāll do anything to get it, including making Cinn an offer that he canāt refuse. What Julien doesn’t expect out of the bargain is their undeniable connection, which only serves to complicate matters as they navigate uncharted territories together.
Between battling an uprising of deadly creatures that not only threaten the moteblessed community, but the entire planet, and fighting their ever-growing attraction, can this opposites-attract pair overcome their demons to save the world, and each other?
The Shadows Beyond is part 1 of an MM urban fantasy romance duology, and contains explicit content. Full content warnings can be found within the book and on the authorās website. The overarching plot continues into book 2, with the end of book 1 offering a āhappy-for-nowā for the main characters.
A Broken Blade, the first book in the completed The Halfling Saga by Melissa Blair, an indigenous writer from Canada, is a fascinating read.
Itās Blairās first published novel and itās a dark fantasy that features a bisexual woman protagonist, a Halfing, whoās as layered and realistic as I have read recently.
Starting from the very first paragraph, the reader is drawn into a dark narrative because Keera, the Kingās Blade or assassin is also a drunk who is losing her edge.
Sheās become a guilt ridden alcoholic, all the deaths of innocents sheās taken on the Kingās orders, most her own people, Halflings who only wanted freedom from slavery haunting her in a very specific way. Sheās self harming, a cutter.
Sheās also in charge of the Shades, a group of assassins of Halfling women, stolen as children and raised to become the monsters they are.
In a dying fantasy world of humans who hate the Fae and Halfings (those who have Fae blood), all of the Halfings physically are owned by the King.
Blair creates a realistic world where the poor are starving, lining the streets with their corpses while the King and his sadistic son live extremely well, shored up by his powerful assassins.
Until an enemy known as the Shadow strikes against the King, and he sends his Blade to find him.
This is a enemy to lovers dark fantasy with the main character having a strong tragic sapphic romantic backstory. The main male character isnāt as well written as she is, and that impacts their dynamics. Heās always a lesser character and while heās still a good one, this aspect of the story reduces the power of the relationship.
I found Keera a trapped and emotionally haunted character. Sheās constantly trying to escape her surroundings only to find that those around her havenāt been truthful.
Whether you as a reader find that is a betrayal to her or not is up to you.
Who and what she actually is remains part of the series mystery. It seems that it isnāt really revealed until the end.
As the series is finished, I did skim over the descriptions of the next stories (I know, bad me), and Keeraās journey is anguished, filled with deep tragedy, and relapse. Some people werenāt happy with the ending.
Was it dark? That would make sense because Keera actually said she should pay for the deaths of the innocent victims.
I donāt know. But as tough a read as this might be, Iāll probably continue reading. The main character is real and damaged by her choices. Iāll see her out.
Is this a series for you? Thereās trigger warnings plenty. SA, torture, self harm, violence, alcohol abuse, and other issues. So only you can make the decision.
Keera is a killer. As the King’s Blade, she is the most talented spy in the kingdom. And the kingās favored assassin. When a mysterious figure moves against the Crown, Keera is called upon to hunt down the so-called Shadow. She tracks her target into the magical lands of the Fae, but Faeland is not what it seems . . . and neither is the Shadow. Keera is shocked by what she learns, and can’t help but wonder who her enemy truly is: the King that destroyed her people or the Shadow that threatens the peace?
As she searches for answers, Keera is haunted by a promise she made long ago, one that will test her in every way. To keep her word, Keera must not only save herself, but an entire kingdom.
Fans of fast-paced high fantasy such as A Court of Thorns and Roses series, The Inadequate Heir, and From Blood and Ash author Jennifer L. Armentrout, will enjoy the fierce female characters, sapphic representation, and fantasy romance of A Broken Blade.
This is the second series Iāve read by Jessie Mihalik and I find Iām actually enjoying it better. The world building is excellent and well laid out, itās less Regency in space and more galactic exploration/ based, which suits me.
And while the āalien race ā isnāt all that alien, Mihalik has given a ātheoryā thatās accepted for the similarity of physicality of species.
This series takes place after a horrific galactic war between two species, humans and Valoffs. The main characters, Captain Octavia āTavy ā Zarola, Eli, and Kee are all thatās left of their special military team , now living aboard their spaceship.
As veterans, each carrying their own nightmares, PTSD, from the war, the characters are engaging and relatable as a found family unit. Especially with their burbu, the animal they rescued while deployed.
When their former enemy comes in need of their assistance for a mission, old memories return as well as new relationships that are forged.
The Valoffs arenāt as strong an element as a whole. We donāt get a cultural or historical background on them, so as a people they are hard to grasp. Individually, they are characters that grow as events happen and relationships develop.
The stories are strong, the characters greatly expand into new areas of growth and itās a fast paced series thatās entertaining and romantically a little spicy.
Tavy and Torranās story is filled with adventures and battles and great moments. I love it.
Octavia Zarola would do anything to keep her tiny, close-knit bounty hunting crew togetherāeven if it means accepting a job from Torran Fletcher, a ruthless former general and her sworn enemy. When Torran offers her enough credits to not only keep her crew afloat but also hire
someone to fix her ship, Tavi knows that she canāt refuseāno matter how much sheād like to.
With so much money on the line, Torran and his crew insist on joining the hunt. Tavi reluctantly agrees because while the handsome, stoic leader pushes all of her buttonsāfor both anger and desireāsheās endured worse, and the massive bonus payment heās promised for a completed job is reason enough to shut up and deal.
But when they uncover a deeper plot that threatens the delicate peace between humans and Valoffs, Tavi suspects that Torran has been using her as the impetus for a new war. With the fate of her crew balanced on a knifeās edge, Tavi must decide where her loyalties lieāwith the quiet Valoff whoās been lying to her, or with the human leaders who left her squad to die on the battlefield. And this time, sheās put her heart on the line.
After enjoying Hidden Storm, the first book in The Witch’s Bestiary by Evangeline Hunter, unfortunately, I found Midnight Storm suffering from second story syndrome.
It just doesnāt carry through on the potential from the original story. Many of the interesting elements, the Bestiary itself are relegated to just barest scenes and the fact that Alicia Stormwell is a powerful rescuer and ally of exotic species is an inconsistent aspect of this story.
The werewolf shifter she helped and is now her assistant, Kyle Matthews, is the most problematic character here. Heās still in search of his missing sister and wants Alicia to continue to help him find her. No issue here.
However, his behavior is extremely immature. For a grown adult. When they run into dead ends and Alicia, reasonably wants to enlist all the assistance they can get, police aid included, he objects. Whining, throwing tantrums.
As a reader, I both want to stop reading or put that character in a timeout. Heās that childish.
Only the author wants us to continue to connect with him and accept that this intelligent,highly powerful woman is attracted to this toddler? Just no.
And the storyline is further proof that the series has lost its original path when during the last section where the sister, just as irritating as her brother, has been located, itās among the very abused exotics Aliciaās life is focused around.
But thatās hardly mentioned except for a sentence at the end of the story.
It should be a huge deal but itās not. And even the sister doesnāt mention her role in their damage. Itās all about her.
Iām surprised I finished this. And Iām debating going forward. The only reason why I would is that wolf boy isnāt in the next book . A plus.
A brutal tournament, a missing sister, and a witch with nothing left to lose.
Iām Alicia Stormwell, a witch who spends her days rescuing fantastic creatures and my nights battling the dark underworld of magical animal trafficking. But nothing prepares me for the mess Iām about to walk into.
When my hunky werewolf friend, Kyle Matthews, asks for my help in finding his missing sister, Sabrina, Iām all in. Our search leads us to the Velvet Claw, a shadowy organization running a supernatural fight ring where lives are currency and losing isnāt an option.
As the tournament reaches its sinister climax, I must race against time and use every ounce of my magical skill to rescue Sabrina before the Velvet Claw gets its claws deeper into her life, Kyleās, and mine.
The Witch’s Bestiary includes:
Ā· Witches, Werewolves, and Vampires
Ā· Hidden magic and a magical underworld
A slow-burn / RH romance
Ā· Fantastic creatures
Ā· A badass female main character with snark and humor
The daughters of the House of High House von Hasenberg fall in the order of Hannah, Bianca, Ada, and youngest daughter Catarina. There are two brothers, the oldest brother and heir, Ferdinand, and Biancaās twin brother, Benedict.
All the siblings have roles here in Aurora Blazing, the second book in The Consortium Rebellion series. The main focus is on Bianca con Hasenberg, her traumatic experiences upon her wedding Gerald at the command of her father, and its recuperation afterwords. And her frenemy, Ian Bishop, the director of House von Hasenberg security.
Through Bianca, we learn, what a horror it is growing up under their fatherās absolute control and authority. While the reader has been given a hint of the abuse the siblings have suffered, here through a horrific memory recalled, we get the picture of a cold blooded man who sees only submission or brutal punishment for those who donāt obey. No feeling only fear.
Then once married, Bianca ended up suffering as a non consenting experimental subject to her own husbandās scientific experiments suffering greatly. Only after his death was she able to return home, permanently changed for life and hiding what heād done to her.
The revelations are shocking and constant here. The author is filling in family and characters backgrounds as well as world building with the major Houses.
And it comes with another heartbreaking crisis for the siblings. Ferdinand is missing.
Because of their upbringing, they are close to each other, knowing that they are their only source of support and love. Thatās beautifully written and illustrated in every aspect of their dynamic.
Bianca is a layered, well defined woman whoās still dealing with the trauma of her marriage and the damage done to her body and spirit. Sheās now carries unheard of abilities in her mind, ones only she knows about. But they come at a high physical cost which she must monitor and explain away.
Itās all folded into a high level suspense filled with, action packed story, one that carries emotional baggage and endless painful moments to fill a starship.
Thereās also a slow burn relationship between Bianca and Ian Bishop, where frisson, lack of trust and their own past makes them work against each other at every step.
While I enjoyed Polaris Rising, I feel that Aurora Blazing was the better book. More layers and character development.
A third sister has the next story. Thatās Catarina. Im headed there.
A definite winner and another recommendation!
Oh, and Aoife and Alexander ? Love them both and they are featured in Chaos Reigning!
To save her brother and protect her familyās future, a powerful princess must join forces with a dashing man from her past in this thrilling space adventure, the second novel in the Consortium Rebellion trilogy.
As the dutiful daughter of High House von Hasenberg, Bianca set aside her personal feelings and agreed to a political match arranged by her family, only to end up trapped in a loveless, miserable marriage. When her husband unexpectedly dies, Bianca vows never to wed again. Newly independent, she secretly uses her wealth and influence to save other women stuck in dire circumstances. Information is power and Bianca has a network of allies and spies that would be the envy of the āverseāif anyone knew about it.
When her familyās House is mysteriously attacked, Biancaās oldest brother, the heir to House von Hasenberg, disappears. Fearful for her brotherās life, the headstrong Bianca defies her father and leaves Earth to save him. Ian Bishop, the director of House von Hasenberg securityāand Biancaās first loveāis ordered to find and retrieve the rebellious woman.
Ian is the last man Bianca wants to see. To evade capture, she leads him on a merry chase across the universe. But when their paths finally collide, she knows she must persuade him to help her. Bianca will do anything to save her sibling, even if it means spending time alone on a small ship with the handsome, infuriating man who once broke her heart.
As the search takes them deep into rival House Rockhurst territory, Bianca must decide if she can trust Ian with the one piece of information that could destroy her completely . . .
Bound By Fate (Blind Fury Book 1) is a new series by Annabel Chase and the first book is a terrific one.
I absolutely love the premise of a paranormal retirement community, along with the attendant issues of its otherworldly residents in their ālater, much much later years ā of existence. Witches, vampires who have lived extremely long and rich lives and now live out their lives together. Some lively souls, enjoying their ancient lives while others exhibit significant signs of dementia.
Itās a familiar setting and group made fantastical in a complex and intimate story. One that will flow together with a weekly meeting of cardsharp players and fanatical cliques of pickleball teams. All beautifully written and believable.
Chase treats them with kindness, respect and compassion. These people are layered with degrees of history and poignancy of life at its for some.
The assistant head of their security team is an enigma, Maya August, an intriguing figure herself. Sheās in hiding on this retirement island off of Savannah,Georgia. Sheās been personally isolating herself from everyone. And that gives Chase ample room for her to develop Mayaās personality and reveal bits about her background as events happen.
And, wonderfully, Chase does this by bringing Maya into the community. She finally fully acknowledges her role as protector and part of them. We are enveloped by their presence as well as Mayaās ability to make her own choices for herself.
But thereās also mystery, murders, and outside forces of power here. One of those includes a person called Zale, someone who will figure into the series.
I love everything about this. The many characters, types of beings, the various mythology the author is introducing (sheās excellent at it), but above all, this realistic yet not retirement community of powerful paranormal beings. All who have issues we can identify with but on extraordinary levels.
I really canāt wait for the next story to arrive.
Btw, HOAās are still awful no matter what the setting. FYI.
Most people move to a magical retirement island for peace and quietāand pickleball.
Maya August moved there to disappear.
As the assistant director of security for Evermore Islandāa secret community where elderly paranormals fade into obscurityāMaya has built the perfect hiding place. Her days consist of magical mishaps, avoiding the clothing-optional tennis courts, and definitely not getting attached to the islandās strays (feline or otherwise).
Then her boss vanishes. A resident turns up dead. And Mayaās carefully constructed refuge begins to crumble.
She could handle a murder investigation. Sheās handled much, much worse. What she canāt handle is the HOA president forcing her back to the mainland after five years in self-imposed exile to meet Vale, the mysterious and powerful figure who’s claimed jurisdiction over her case.
But Maya isnāt interested in playing by his rules or anyone elseās.
Because if Maya canāt solve this case and keep her past buried, there are fates far worse than letting a killer walk free.
Perfect for fans of morally gray heroines, slow-burn tension, and retirement home chaos meets magical noir, Bound By Fate is the first book in the new Blind Fury-urban fantasy series.
What a fantastic piece of fantasy storytelling! This is one of my favorite series and Fabiano has become a autobuy based on the superiority of his work on this series.
Itās not often I find myself reading novels that I find just so satisfying on multiple levels that I can recommend to many ages of readers, but this author and series is one of them.
I mean how often do you hear someone say that a writer has made math, precision, economics, and the basics of trade absolutely gripping and part of a fascinating magical system and storyline? Fabiano does this time and again here and throughout the series.
Heās building systems and exploring new areas just like his characters, Marcus and Felix, have been building up in skills and abilities for their craft and innovation.
And as with new areas, new challenges and opportunities for growth and innovation.
Drama too. With Prince Adrian and his two bodyguards, a mysterious Kingdom and its ruler of a nearby country in need, and a political crisis that needs the help of our two Glyphwrights, this is a quietly mesmerizing tale.
I did think the ending resolution was either exactly right or too quick. Iām thinking about it still.
I do love how each book ends with every one returning home, watching as their beloved small town comes into view, knowing that each one they love will be waiting for them. And a new future will emerge.
Itās lovely and warmhearted. Exactly what we want for these characters weāve come to care for.
None of these stories are standalone books but build upon the one before.
I highly recommend reading them all. Excellent work and fantastic storytelling.
A highly recommended read. Just amazing work by the author.
Marcus thought infrastructure work was complicated. Then someone made it political.
The Northern Kingdoms ask for help with their failing ward networks. Prince Adrian volunteers Fairwind & Penwright for the job: redesign everything to work with local materials instead of expensive imports. Except the imports aren’t expensive by accident. Someone’s price-gouging essential supplies, and they don’t want competition.
Marcus’s merchant instincts see the pattern: economic sabotage wrapped in a supply chain monopoly. When Prince Adrian gets kidnapped, the technical work becomes the easy part.
One job. Two skill sets. And finally, a payout big enough to buy their own shop.
A cozy fantasy with LitRPG progression, economic intrigue, unexpected rescues, and the discovery that sometimes your merchant skills matter just as much as your magic.
Pour yourself something warm, settle into your favorite reading spot, and discover that sometimes fixing the magic is simpler than fixing the people.
Iād heard Jennifer Estepās novels and series recommended highly and decided that her Crown of Shards would be a good place to start exploring her writing. Itās more recent release than some other series. Itās a magical fantasy universe. Unlike her earlier contemporary action thriller series that began in 2010 where elements of that social era seep into narratives of the time.
I liked Kill The Queen. It has great drama, with the Queen, the Royal family and court being massacred at the start of the novel. No spoilers. Thatās part of the description.
The surviving royal family member, a former nondescript woman of no magical powers, Evie Blair, fled to the gladiator troop run by a old friend of the betrayed Queen. There she finds herself with a found family, training and the skills she needs to survive and revenge the massacre of her family.
Itās a terrific story with lots of action and interesting characters. The gladiator group is very believable and engaging. And their outfits are imaginative.
But it has its issues. The magical system isnāt really given much of a structure. Itās just āthereā. One person can shoot lightning sort of thing.
And the romance aspect is really flawed. Itās a instalove relationship but without any chemistry or foundation. Estep wants the reader to believe that Evie, whoās been through a traumatic childhood, then an even more devastating loss of family by massacre, then survival by gladiators now finds herself in love with someone she barely knows. She trusts no one really. But this?
Itās not credible and loses much of its appeal for strength of the character.
Sheās also supposed to be driven by a cold rage that dominates her personality, an aspect of her character we rarely see here.
I did find her and her journey entertaining reading but remained aware of the issues of the narrative. Something that doesnāt happen when Iām fully engaged in the storyline.
Iāll probably pick up the rest of the series eventually. For me, this was good but not great.
Btw, the description say Gladiator meets Game of Thrones which had me laughing. These over the top blurbs really need to stop with this type of thing. Just describe your story and leave it at that. Cause no. Itās not.
Gladiator meets Game of Thrones: a royal woman becomes a skilled warrior to destroy her murderous cousin, avenge her family, and save her kingdom in this first entry in a dazzling fantasy epic from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Elemental Assassin seriesāan enthralling tale that combines magic, murder, intrigue, adventure, and a hint of romance.
In a realm where oneās magical power determines oneās worth, Lady Everleighās lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.
But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.
Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her futureāor if she even has oneāEvie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.
But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evieās fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 