Category: Fantasy mystery thriller. Fantasy romance mystery

Review:  Green Gryphon (Mackenzie Green, #1) by J.S. Kennedy 

Rating:  4.5⭐️

Kennedy is another new to me author on my search for new writers of strong female characters and great stories.  

Green Gryphon is the first book in Kennedy’s Mackenzie Green series, a novel set 50 years after magic drastically reappeared in the world, resulting in the death of billions, loss of the then governments of countries and chaos. Cities crumbled, anything created of plastic or non natural materials dissolved, leaving destruction and disaster behind. And magical beings that formed from some of those who were left.

Several aspects of this book surprised me. Not the foundation whereby a reappearance of magic destroys the world’s technology as well as its current countries structures, that’s a well established concept. 

What caught me was the main character of MacKenzie Green and her small family. In a world of fantasy characters, dragons, gryphons, vampires, werewolves, and other mythical beings that this magical shift created, the book adds another element with her. 

This is actually a darker story than I expected. Far from the sort of light tone that we get from the book’s blurb.

It’s far better than that. 

It’s got a tinge of horror, that riding the edge of terrifying science fiction mixed with a fantasy vibe that makes this a fascinating and exciting story.

Plus dragon shifters and found family. 

However, I’m thinking this novel should have trigger warnings as there’s plenty of bodies, bloodshed, and in the future stories, torture. 

Mackenzie is a plant mage who’s hiding plenty of secrets. Those are slowly revealed towards the end of this book. 

The world building is slowly coming together, as the author gives us the new structure as it pertains to this city and how humans and the otherworldly beings are governed. And the newly formed purity rights group that has formed within certain communities. 

It’s highly suspenseful, action packed, and full of character driven storytelling.

I’m so invested in this character and series. Also thrilled it’s a complete one so I can binge through.

Another winner and recommendation. 

Cover art by : Original Book Cover Design

Mackenzie Green Series: complete 

Catch and Release – A prequel novella 

Green Gryphon #1

Green Mage #2

Green Shadow #3

Green Vampire #4

Green Dragon #5

Buy link

        Green Gryphon: Mackenzie Green Book 1 (Mackenzie Green Series)

    

Blurb 

The Dragon Protector asking Mackenzie for a favor—Maybe the sky truly has fallen…

Mackenzie works for Catch and Release, a bounty-hunting guild, and she loves her job.

She goes after the usual suspects: Rogue vampires, feral shifters, and crazed mages. Nightmare stuff.

The last thing she ever imagined was Lucan, an infuriating and high-ranking dragon shifter, hiring her to find a child kidnapped from his Tribe.

Even though her magical talents lean more towards bodyguarding and hunting dangerous beings, condemning a kid to death isn’t who she is.

But as Mackenzie gets deeper into her hunt, she uncovers deadly secrets surrounding the child, the kidnapper, and Lucan himself…

One thing’s for sure; when the going gets tough, Mackenzie gets dangerous!

  • Publication date: June 16, 2021
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 309 pages
  • Book 1 of 5: Mackenzie Green Series

Review:  Dead End (Crossroads Queen Book 9) by Annabel Chase

Rating: 5⭐️

We’ve come to the conclusion of Crossroads Queen. What a remarkable finale.

From fighting her way out of the clutches of The Corporation to final freeing Kane from Lucifer, not to mention tying up all the multiple storylines from the 8 books and journeys she’s had to make to get here, well what a great show it’s been.

Chase brings back so many fascinating side characters that were part of important mythological stories and now play impactful roles in Lorelei’s final journey to her own HEA and a happy family life.  I loved seeing these beings again and in their own new situations. It put a finale ending to their journeys as well for the readers too. 

If I was sorry that ghosts Ray and Nana found a new situation for each of them, well, it made perfect sense and for an emotionally mature ending. 

I absolutely love the characters and this series. Beautifully written, the mythology, the imagery and the storylines were all extremely well developed and executed. 

I’ll miss it while adventuring onto other Chase stories. 

Highly recommended!

Great cover art and design. 

Cover by Trif Designs, which has changed to reflect the fact that the word has gotten out that Lorelei Clay is a demigod. So great touch with that head halo/crown addition. Love the castle in the background. 

Crossroads Queen – series complete :

Dead to the World #1

Dead of Night #2

Dead Last #3

Dead Wrong #4

Dead Weight #5

Play Dead #6

Dead Heat #7

Half Dead #8

Dead End #9 – series finale 

Buy link

        Dead End (Crossroads Queen Book 9)

    

Blurb 

Queen of the Crossroads Lorelei Clay has the fight of her life ahead of her in this final, must-read installment of the bestselling urban fantasy series.

Lorelei never believed she would have a place to call home. She’d grown accustomed to hiding, to putting up walls and avoiding interaction with the world around her.

Until Fairhaven.

Lorelei has grown to love the small town with its multirealm crossroads and the residents who welcomed her with open arms, as well as those who were slow to warm up. She’s fallen in love with a demon prince, and befriended ghosts, a cursed vampire, the werewolf pack, and the Assassins Guild. She’s overcome her grudge against witches, and brought the local police into the fold. Now those residents are under threat, and Lorelei is the only one who can save them.

But first she has to save herself.

The stakes have never been higher. If she fails, she’ll have played a pivotal role in destroying the very place she swore to protect. 

Good thing Lorelei is no stranger to sacrifice. Whatever the price, she’s ready and willing to pay it.

Don’t miss Dead End, the ninth and final book in the Crossroads Queen cozy urban fantasyseries.

If you’re in the mood for feel-good vibes, found family, a power couple, and small town charm, then this COMPLETE SERIES is for you!

  • Publisher: Red Palm Press LLC
  • Accessibility: Learn more
  • Publication date: April 17, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 290 pages

Review:  Heart of Chaos (Chaosborn Book 1) by Madeleine Eliot

Rating: 4.75✨⭐️

As a reader who discovered dragons and dragonriders by way of Anne McCaffrey’s magical Dragonriders of Pern series, I’ve been on a never ending journey to find more stories to fall in love with.  New authors who have just as much imaginative pull and creative depth as those tales of Pern, those dragons , their Weyrs , and of course, Lessa, the young woman who became the first dragonrider I fell in love with. 

Let’s be honest, dragons will always rock!

Nothing can capture me , on every level, like a beautifully imagined dragon. Or dragon shifter. Or the duo-spirit dragon shifter that Madeleine Eliot has created for her Chaosborn series. Stunning work. 

I fell hard for this series in one book. 

 Thankfully, there’s no academy or school format here. There’s a rescue of a young woman who has the ability to bond with a dragon. 

But then how the dragons bond differs wildly from the other books from there. 

It’s mystery upon mystery. The dragons are powerfully portrayed, as are the Drage they bond with.   There is a darkness that is hidden and a threat to both dragons and earthly realm. That’s just begun to be explored. 

In fact much of this is history foundation being laid down, a lot of it based on Norse mythology which is fascinating. 

And even more moving and emotional, it’s Elsa’s life from abused indentured slave to bonded Drage. That’s a thrilling story and it’s one I will absolutely reread every so often. Especially before the next novel comes out. 

Very imaginative, extremely engaging characters and fascinating stories. 

A wonderful find and winner. 

Cover clipart by Viktoriia Ihnatovets @ArtCreationsDesign 

Map design by Lindsey Staton

Chaosborn trilogy:

Heart of Chaos #1

Soul of Fire #2 – Dec 12,2025

Buy link 

        Heart of Chaos (Chaosborn Book 1)

    

Blurb 

To master Chaos, she must first survive it.

Eisa’s life is one of pain and cruelty. Living in servitude, she grapples daily with an illness for which there is no cure and abuse at the hands of the man who has owned her since she was a child.

When Arik, the silver-eyed second-in-command of the king’s dragon-bonded warriors, makes her a deal she can’t refuse, Eisa finds herself hurtling toward a destiny she never would have chosen.

Desperate to free her loved ones, Eisa agrees to travel to the desolate wasteland in the south, to bond a dragon to her soul, and to become one of the legendary Drage.

As long as the Chaos doesn’t kill her first.

Heart of Chaos is the first book in the Chaosborn trilogy, an adult romantasy filled with dragon shifters, Norse lore, and spicy romance.

  • Publication date: May 1, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 399 pages
  • Book 1 of 2: Chaosborn

Review:  The Haunted Hotel 2: The Legend of Lovers Hollow (Crawshanks Guide to Mischievous Spectres & Spirits) by Vawn Cassidy

Rating: 4🌈

The Legend of Lovers Hollow is a funny, ghostly tale, a veritable mansion full of characters that are entertaining, intriguing, hilarious, occasionally heartbreaking, especially if they are a young sad ghost, and offer a number of interesting relationship dynamics.

Ellis Sparks is trying his best to expand the haunted hotel’s entertainment for its guests and that now includes a play about the tragic triad of lovers from the mansion’s history, The Legend of Lovers Hollow . Only it’s bringing with it unexpected peril along with challenges in the performances. 

The new guests themselves are an intriguing rowdy bunch, from a group of well-known ghost hunters to a anime artist and several married couples and a throuple. The Haunted House has never seemed busier or under more stress. 

Morgan especially is struggling with his own issues and the hotel’s finances. This , alongside the problems of a lonely little ghost, feel the most grounded and relatable emotionally. In a very strange and otherwise paranormal world setting, amongst ghosts having their own issues, Morgan and sad little Artie make their own circle of connection and bond that made this story for me. 

But the grandfather and his sarongs? Hilarious. And we get several great surprises in the visitors here. 

My only wish was for a more definitive ending. It seems to just stop without any real resolution to the issues here. 

The Haunted Hotel 2: The Legend of Lovers Hollow is a highly recommended and enjoyable paranormal romp! Poignant, hilarious and fully entertaining. 

Great series. 

Cover design by Natasha Snow @NatashaSnowDesigns

Crawshanks Guide to Mischievous Spectres & Spirits:

The Haunted Hotel (Crawshanks Guide to Mischievous Spectres & Spirits Book 1)

The Haunted Hotel 2: The Legend of Lovers Hollow 

Buy link

        The Haunted Hotel 2: The Legend of Lovers Hollow (Crawshanks Guide to Mischievous Spectres & Spirits)

    

Blurb 

Welcome back to the Ashton-Drake Manor House Hotel!

Ellis Sparks is beyond thrilled. Not only has he discovered that ghosts are real, but the hotel he’s lived in since he was a teenager is filled with them. Okay, so the first annual murder mystery event may have gone slightly awry, and the hotel is still under threat of foreclosure.

Oh, and the whole place is being investigated by the Bureau of Domestic Hauntings. Turns out there’s a lot of bureaucracy in the afterlife!

But life is good. Ellis is in love and now that he’s newly promoted to hotel manager, he’s even more determined to save his beloved home, starting with a brand-new event! A historical re-enactment of a local urban legend and a ghost-hunting Valentines weekend are sure to bring in more business and help save the hotel.

There’s just one problem.

The Legend of Lovers Hollow is real, and three potentially murderous ghosts are on a rampage through a hotel filled with amateur ghost hunters. Now, accompanied by their motley crew of quirky staff and ghostly sidekicks, Ellis and his superhot silver fox of a boyfriend must figure out how to put the furious spiritual triad back to sleep before all hell lets loose and the hotel guests get more than a frightfully good stay..

  • Publisher: Underside Press
  • Accessibility: Learn more
  • Publication date: May 21, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 265 pages

Review:  The Past in the Present (Beyond the Veil Book 9) by KM Avery

Rating: 5🌈

The Past in the Present (Beyond the Veil Book 9) by KM Avery is an outstanding piece of work by Avery in a series full of great novels.  

The Past in the Present, Beyond the Veil book 9, finishes Seth and Elliot’s journey and inter-series trilogy. 

Seth Mays and Elliot Crane have slowly made themselves into a couple, with Seth just now moving into Elliot’s home on the reservation and Seth working on his firefighter credentials in Shawano, Wisconsin.

Then a shattering phone call from a Sheriff’s Office in Staunton, Virginia , involving his estranged parents, saying his mother has been murdered , and his father is missing, presumably dead.  Noah, Seth’s young brother has been held for questioning in connection with the deaths. The nightmare of Seth’s past is back and he’s got to go back to a place where he promised himself and Noah  he would never have to return. Home. 

The Past in the Present is a haunting, complex, and deeply moving story. It’s dark, layered with the characters past, horrific damaged history, fully immersed in their current tumultuous lives and relationships, and folded into the twisted ways the Arcanavirus settled into certain parts of the country and communities. 

It brings Seth and Elliott’s relationship into a more intimate and complete sense of balance between them, letting Elliott see firsthand what Seth (as well Noah) traumatic adolescent upbringing was like and what they endured before they escaped their father and family. It’s a horror story at times and the author’s note of trigger warnings at the beginning should be read. 

This is also an excellent labyrinthine mystery about the current murder investigation, Seth’s family, wills, and an extreme religious sect. This aspect of The Past in the Present brings in our favorite elf agent, Val Hart (Elliot’s best friend) and his new FBI boss, Tiger shifter, Raj, who will figure in the next series group. 

It’s both a psychological mystery and action horror thriller. A well thought out story of two individuals who have overcome their differences and fears to become a true couple and have a stronger relationship. And it’s one man’s story to work through his personal demons and struggles with self worth and find peace in himself and his own new life. 

I can’t imagine a better story or journey for Seth than the one Avery had written here. It’s just that exceptional. 

Each story often sends me back to reread a certain moment in the series that made me realize how amazing the characters and each element is. 

And now to wait on Rayn’s voice. Highly recommended. 

Series couples to date (not standalone):

Ward’s story (1-3): 

The Ghost in the Hall 

The Boy in the Locked Room 

The Skeleton Under the Stairs. 

Hart’s story (4-6): 

The Dog in the Alley 

The Bones in the Yard 

The Elf Beside Himself 

Seth’s story (7-9): 

The Turning of the Tables 

The Badger in his Burrow 

The Past in the Present 

Rayn’s Story (10 +) (coming 2025-2026) 

Buy Link

        The Past in the Present (Beyond the Veil Book 9)

    

Blurb 

Everything was finally going well. I had a job I liked, a man I loved, and a future we were building together.

And then the past came back to haunt me—and now I have to go back to the house in Appalachia where my parents had made my childhood a living hell. Where Noah and I had been broken, over and over, as the people who were supposed to love and protect us tried to turn us into something we weren’t and would never be.

It was a place I’d never wanted to go again.

But I now I have to. Because the parents I never meant to speak to again are dead, and Noah’s fingerprints were found all over the kitchen.

I didn’t know why Noah went back, what had happened to my parents, or whether my psyche was going to make it through a trip back to middle-of-nowhere rural Virginia. Or my relationship. I’d finally managed to convince Elliot to give me a chance, and he was about to find out about a lot of skeletons in a very deep, very dark closet.

I could only hope that he’d be willing to help me bury the bones.

Book 3 in Seth’s Story

  • Publication date: June 27, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 370 pages
  • Book 9 of 9: Beyond the Veil

Review:  Magic & Marriage (Starry Hollow Witches Book 15) by Annabel Chase 

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Reality tv comes to Starry Hollow and it doesn’t go well. Naturally.

The paranormal version of The Bachelorette’s show, Natural Selection, arrives in Starry Hollow and immediately becomes a nightmare.

Especially as Ember’s hired by the contestant’s grandmother to sabotage the contest. The story turns into a mirror of family images, tightly wrapped expectations, and ridiculously rigid boundaries. 

Again it’s also the lovely side characters and moments that make the story, the small important reflections and conversations that allow Ember to become more self aware and able to make better choices. 

Great storytelling and characters. 

Such cute covers that change ever subtly. 

Starry Hollow Witches series:

Box set 1-10:

Magic & Murder, Book 1

Magic & Mystery, Book 2

Magic & Mischief, Book 3

Magic & Mayhem, Book 4

Magic & Mercy, Book 5

Magic & Madness, Book 6

Magic & Malice, Book 7

Magic & Mythos, Book 8

Magic & Mishaps, Book 9

Magic & Maladies, Book 10

—-

Magic & Misdeeds (Book 11)

Magic & Monsters (Book 12)

Magic & Misfits (Book 13)

Magic & Misfortune (Book 14)

Magic & Marriage (Book 15)

Magic & Midnight (Book 16)

Magic & Mirrors (Book 17)

Magic & Mistletoe (Book 18)

Magic & Mutiny (Book 19) – finale 

Buy link

        Magic & Marriage (Starry Hollow Witches Book 15)

    

Blurb 

Welcome to Starry Hollow where spells were made to be broken.

When a television show called Natural Selection decides to film in Starry Hollow, the whole town is abuzz. The paranormal version of The Bachelor is the talk of the nation and the ideal vehicle to show off the town’s charm. Everyone is excited—except the chosen bachelor’s grandmother. The wily old woman doesn’t want him to marry any of those gold-digging floozies and hires Ember to join as a bachelorette and disrupt the competition. Ember’s uneasy about the job—and her unease only grows when one of the bachelorettes ends up dead. 

With a television show capturing every move, Sheriff Nash has his work cut out for him, but luckily he has Ember on the inside.

Can Ember and the sheriff find the killer before another bachelorette is eliminated—permanently?

Magic & Marriage is the 15th book in the Starry Hollow Witches humorous paranormal cozy mystery series.

  • Publisher: Red Palm Press LLC
  • Accessibility: Learn more
  • Publication date: February 3, 2022
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 234 pages

Review:  Magic & Monsters (Starry Hollow Witches Book 12) by Annabel Chase 

Rating: 4.5🪄✨⭐️

Another excellent book, another unusual mystery and murder investigation!  

This murder investigation finds Ember assigned to cover the reemergence of retired Creature Hunter Winston York who comes to Starry Hollow to discover an elusive creature who’s there to lay her egg and then disappear into the ocean.

Things immediately turn dark when York is found murdered and his fame hunters are all in town seeking the same creature. 

There’s plenty of storylines here to dive into, from the creature herself and the nature vs exploitation angle, to Ember’s self confidence and the Ivy Rose history/magic aspect of the series that’s getting ever stronger and darker. 

Plus the romantic element of Ember’s life is getting more interesting, and coming under a more realistic scrutiny than previously dealt with by Ember. 

All done with great dialogue, full on action and lots of magical moments. 

Fabulous series and storytelling.

A highly recommended book and series to be read in the order they are written in. 

Starry Hollow Witches series:

Box set 1-10:

Magic & Murder, Book 1

Magic & Mystery, Book 2

Magic & Mischief, Book 3

Magic & Mayhem, Book 4

Magic & Mercy, Book 5

Magic & Madness, Book 6

Magic & Malice, Book 7

Magic & Mythos, Book 8

Magic & Mishaps, Book 9

Magic & Maladies, Book 10

—-

Magic & Misdeeds (Book 11)

Magic & Monsters (Book 12)

Magic & Misfits (Book 13)

Magic & Misfortune (Book 14)

Magic & Marriage (Book 15)

Magic & Midnight (Book 16)

Magic & Mirrors (Book 17)

Magic & Mistletoe (Book 18)

Magic & Mutiny (Book 19) – finale 

Buy link:

        Magic & Monsters (Starry Hollow Witches Book 12)

    

Blurb 

Welcome to Starry Hollow, where spells were made to be broken.

Starry Hollow is abuzz when the famously reclusive Creature Hunter, Winston York, emerges from retirement after a rare sighting of an endangered magical creature and Ember Rose is assigned to cover the story. Florian and Aster are thrilled with this development because a new documentary by York would mean an influx of tourists to the magical seaside town. Excitement quickly turns to horror, however, when York dies during filming. What seems like an unfortunate accident starts to look more like murder to intrepid reporter Ember.

Can Ember solve the crime before the killer renders her extinct?

Magic & Monsters is the twelfth book in the Starry Hollow Witches paranormal cozy mystery series.

  • Publisher: Red Palm Press LLC
  • Accessibility: Learn more
  • Publication date: June 2, 2020
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 204 pages

Review:  Duskbound (Esprithean Trilogy Book 2) by Grenwich & Lennox

Rating: 3.5⭐️

Duskbound was a good book but frustrating to read as the potential for a great piece of fantasy adventure was there but never quite reached by the authors. 

The positive elements I found in Riftbourne were discarded or replaced by new characters and a less energetic version of the character from book one. 

The scrappy, independent character of Fia, passionate, determined and guarded, able to think for herself became a new kind of character here. One who instantly, in many “as told to” scenarios, discards the previous main character, falls into a deep love for a less well written character of Aether, in a short time period, and evolves into another personality.

Even with over 500 pages, this character development doesn’t seem to have a believable or realistic foundation or storyline. No in comparison with the first book. 

The magical system and its own powers explanations are the best aspects of the book.  Hinted at in Riftbourne, this story continues with the shadow realm and magical elements that are present throughout Fia’s character’s arc. 

This book again ends up on a cliffhanger note but, honestly, if you’re a well rounded fantasy or mystery reader, you can anticipate where it’s headed. 

I will finish this trilogy just to discover that Fia will get another main character in book three.  You never know. The relationship here with Aether absolutely has me disconnected from the plot. 

If you are a fan of the authors or engaged by the series arc, I’m recommending you continue reading. I will because I’m curious. 

Cover art and Map by Parker Lennox

Esprithean Trilogy:

Riftbourne #1

Duskbound #2

Buy link

        Duskbound (Esprithean Trilogy Book 2)

    

Blurb 

Fia Riftborne thought joining the Sidhe Guard was the hardest choice she’d ever make.

She was wrong.

Taken prisoner by the very shadows she was sworn to fight, Fia uncovers a devastating truth. The wraiths who brought destruction to the Isle’s western border aren’t monsters at all, but a race of people from a dying realm called the Kálfar, and they believe Fia’s growing powers are tied to their survival.

As war looms on two fronts, Fia must navigate a world of shadow magic and political upheaval. A disgraced Kálfar lord builds an army in the south while tensions within Sídhe reach a breaking point. And the Void that gave Fia her power is calling—but answering it means betraying everyone she left behind.

The Guard. Her friends. Laryk.

In a war where nothing is as it seems, choosing the wrong side could cost her everything, including the brooding commander whose darkness seems to recognize her own.

  • Publication date: March 4, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 596 pages

Review:  Direbound: A Dark Romantasy (The Wolves of Ruin Book 1) by Sable Sorensen

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Direbound is the debut fantasy novel by Sable Sorensen, a pen name of two co-authors and friends creating their first fantasy/paranormal series. 

Direbound is, for the most part, a very successful romance fantasy thriller. Direbounds narrative is full of giant dire wolves, a horrific physically demanding mountain trial the main characters have to undergo. And for those that survive? They become part of a terrifying murderous academy of bonded pairs ,in a story that includes an enemies to lovers potential love story, missing children, and terror everywhere. 

There are many elements I found absolutely fascinating, things that held my attention and kept me riveted to this world and ongoing drama. 

I found I was totally involved in the main character of Meryn Cooper, alley cat street fighter of the Eastern Quarter who turns to the army when a family tragedy strikes.  Her unexpected journey into a new path than the one she envisioned for herself. She’s tough, well rounded, and credible in every aspect of her journey.  Well, except one. 

Her character, that of the twins, Isabel and Venna, one of the sisters is hearing impaired being a factor and the use of sign language in their stories, and the Rawbonded brutality of this story is a very well written aspect of Direbound. 

Another important aspect of the story is the bonding between the wolves and their human bondmates. It’s unlike other stories, it’s far more complex, pack like and brutal than other similar tales. The raw energy, high emotional intelligence of the wolves and constant tension and conflict between them is a great way to keep the reader engaged and guessing here. 

Survival isn’t guaranteed, and some of the characters are more relatable than others. 

There’s plenty of mystery and chaos and drama mixed in with the murderous conflicts and bonding events. 

The relationships between characters make and break the story for me. Yes to all the wolf/human dynamics. And those relationships between the humans fighting for survival and final bond rights. Those are believable. 

But outside of those? It’s that boyfriend aspect that drags everything down. 

Things that absolutely irritates me as a reader? A nickname of endearment like Kitten. One it’s has a displaced terminology aspect associated with it for the type of the locations and world foundation the author is creating here. However, more importantly, its usage indicates a different issue for the character, one I believe is telegraphed too soon.  See boyfriend that bothers me above. That entire element just isn’t as well written. 

But the story is a gripping tale and it keeps me invested in its journey. Especially when the ending is so dramatically shocking. 

That’s a great way to end. 

Now quickly let’s talk about why I think this book deserves a better reading. The PR should let it stand on its own merits. 

What this isn’t is what the PR releases desperately wants it to be “Fourth Wing meets The Hunger Games in dark action-packed fantasy series!” No, and I wish every heavy handed PR group would stop this kind of release approach. It does a disservice to the authors, readers and actually the book by not letting them see it on its own without a preconceived notion.

Direbound: A Dark Romantasy (The Wolves of Ruin Book 1) by Sable Sorensen is a terrific debut novel. It has some fantastic elements that make it stand out on its own right as a paranormal/fantasy thriller. This includes that great wolf bond aspect of the book. 

And a woman character that is strong and well developed in Meryn Cooper. 

I’m definitely recommending this book and looking forward to reading more in the series. 

Cover design by Ivy at Beautiful Covers

Map © 2025 by Andrés Aguirre Jurado

The Wolves of Ruin trilogy :

Direbound #1

Furybound #2 – July 30,2025

Direbound 3 – November 25,2025

Buy link

        Direbound: A Dark Romantasy (The Wolves of Ruin Book 1)

    

Blurb 

Only the worthy survive the Bonding Trials. She’ll risk her life—and her heart—to be one of them…

Meryn Cooper has never dreamed of being one of the Bonded, the King’s elite warriors who form mental links with massive, vicious direwolves. She’s made peace with her life scraping by in poverty in the shadows of the castle. But then her younger sister Saela is kidnapped, stolen across the border by the immortal monsters her country has spent centuries fighting.

And Meryn’s world falls apart.

Desperate to cross the front and save her sister, Meryn enlists in the army—only to discover that there are Bonding Trials this year, where all soldiers are forced to risk their lives in an attempt to connect with a direwolf. It’s too late to turn back; Meryn is thrown into the deadly competition against her will.

Now, she’ll need to survive the next four months of training at the castle if she wants a chance of finding Saela. Everything here is a test, from the brutal classes where one mistake means death, to the glittering court parties where every smile hides a knife.

To make things worse, Meryn is bound to a feral direwolf who refuses to communicate. The other trainees would love to spill her common blood. And her gorgeous instructor, Stark Therion, is as malicious as the wolves himself.

Everyone is out to get her—everyone but the dangerously handsome crown prince, Killian Valtiere. But if she loses her heart to him, she may also lose her life.

And the castle is hiding dark secrets…

— Direbound: A Dark Romantasy (The Wolves of Ruin Book 1) by Sable Sorensen

Direbound is set in a dark fantasy world and contains dark subject matter and adult romance. Content warnings for this book include gruesome, explicit on-page violence; self harm; mental health issues including anxiety, depression and psychosis; domestic abuse; parental death; and explicit sexual content including elements of dubcon.

Review:  Magical Midlife Mom Boxed Set: Books 1-4 by DM Fike

Rating: 4⭐️

Magical Midlife Mom series is a low heat, high action urban fantasy series that has the first four novels available in a box set for a great binge read.  Which, of course, I did, after having given book 1 a try. 

A middle aged single mom of a teenage girl, living in the Pacific Northwest, is just trying to get by. Melissa Hartley has worked her way up to become the respected office manager of a IT company, her daughter is doing well in high school, and she owns her own home, small as it is.  Then everything changes. 

The author, DM Fike, has a great ear for mother/daughter dynamics as well as the ability to create that same energy in a relatable, engaging dialogue that feels realistic. 

Listening to Melissa and her daughter, Regan,banter and argue, whether it’s about school or the magic that’s happening in their lives, it’s exactly what you’d expect from that relationship. 

Even if in parts I absolutely was frustrated by the choices that Melissa made or how she, as a character, wasn’t ruthless enough, I had to think about if it was the writer or the actions. And I believe it’s the character’s actions, in which makes Melissa real enough but a puts me a little disconnected from her because I’m getting frustrated with her and her character “flaws”. 

The otherworldly characters are good but because they’re less well known, they don’t have the same level of character development that Melissa, Regan, their friends and Melissa’s mother have. All those characters? Feel drive by their emotions and life choices. 

Very little of the fantasy world does with the exception of the sirens does. 

So the Magical Midlife Mom series has 5 books out with what I believe is the finale novel due out shortly, Mom Seals Her Fate.

If you’re looking for a fast paced, humorous, low heat fantasy series, this is one to check out. The main characters are out of the typical fantasy series, the feel believable in their mother/daughter dynamic and their journey together is one to cheer  for. 

A definite recommendation!

Love the covers. 

Cover design by: Avalon Labs LLC”

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comMagical Midlife Mom (6 book series) Kindle Edition

Blurb 

What would a single mom do to protect her only daughter from a hidden world of dangerous, magical fae? 

I love my smart, kind, and funny daughter. We may not have much, but we get along without any of the normal teenage drama.

Or at least we did, until my daughter got curious about her biological father.

Now our world is falling apart. A handsome client threatens my employment. A monstrous black wolf shows up on our doorstep. A mysterious masked woman begins stalking us.

And that’s not mentioning the fae.

I didn’t expect to have a midlife crisis involving magic, but it doesn’t matter. I may be just a single mom, but I’ll do anything to protect my daughter.

Even if it kills me.

Join Melissa Hartley as she goes on a magical journey only a mother could take. For readers of Paranormal Women’s Fiction who like strong female protagonists, witty banter, and a hint of romance. 

The Magical Midlife Mom Boxed Set contains the following 4 books:

Mom of the Chosen One, Book 1

Mom on a Quest, Book 2

Mom in Shining Armor, Book 3

Mom’s Last Stand, Book 4

Books not included in the set:

Mom’s Worst Nightmare #5-new release

Mom Seals Her Fate #6 – Aug 14,2025

  • Publisher: Avalon Labs LLC (April 15, 2025)
  • Publication date: April 15, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 1224 pages