The Gate of the Feral Gods, Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 4, by Matt Dinniman is a big read in many respects. It’s long, it’s one where the characters face their largest challenge s, where the main characters start to become more complex and separated by powers and their individual abilities and goals.
And Carl’s hidden agenda is framed out in great detail as well as the powers that are involved within and without the game who are involved in their own plots.
It’s a great book. Involved and sets up at the end a sad and interesting story/confrontational scene to come.
Amazing work by the author in every aspect.
Cover Illustration by Luciano Fleitas Cover and Interior Design by Toby Dinniman
You failed a quest less than five minutes after you received it. Now that’s talent.
A floating fortress occupied by warrior gnomes. A castle made of sand. A derelict submarine guarded by malfunctioning machines. A haunted crypt surrounded by lethal traps.
It was supposed to be easy. One bubble. Four castles. Fifteen days. Capture each one, and the stairwell is unlocked.
Here’s the thing. It’s never easy. Carl and his team can’t go it alone. Not this time. They must rely on the help of the low-level, I-can’t-believe-these-idiots-are-still-alive crawlers trapped in the bubble with them. But can they be trusted?
Welcome, Crawler. Welcome to the fifth floor of the dungeon.
Deborah Wilde writes such wonderful books and great unusual main female characters that once I found her it’s been hard not to just binge her entire catalog.
Elements that Wilde includes into her storylines and universes as well as character designs are those of Jewish history, culture, and religious traditions. From the names of the characters to their stories and even the agencies they serve, what it is to be a Jewish person is part of their identity and this book.
And her stories are mostly urban fantasy. So how she continues to fold Jewish mythology, history and religious beliefs and traditions into her urban fantasy worlds and series is smooth, unique, and fascinating.
Aviva Fleischer is an agent for the Maccabees, a government agency that regulates and deals with otherworldly events and beings. This includes having a team of diverse individuals, including vampires.
What’s not so inclusive is anyone or being that’s identified as a demon. Or part demon. Which is what Aviva is hiding, she’s part demon. And the daughter of a high ranking official in the Maccabee organization.
Wilde excellently crafts both an alternative world where vampires and humans now exist, although not exactly in harmony. Otherworldly realms can be visited but it’s a dangerous place to go if you’re a human, and there’s hidden secrets and agendas everywhere waiting to be revealed.
Aviva is a complicated character, with mother issues. An ex-boyfriend who’s come into play again and a murder mystery that’s as complicated as she is.
Just a fabulous story and it lays the groundwork for the next story to come.
She’s just a demon, standing in front of a vampire, trying not to punch him.
Aviva Fleischer hides a dangerous secret. She’s carefully concealing her infernal heritage, a.k.a. Cherry Bomb. Maybe it’s weird naming her demon side and referring to her in the third person, but guys do the same with their junk, and unlike most of them, Avi isn’t deluded about Cherry’s prowess.
Avi’s been working her ass off, climbing the ranks of a supernatural policing organization to enact change and empower those like her forced to hide their true nature. Sure, she’s bent the rules now and then, but her arrest record speaks for itself. Her promotion is in the bag.
Instead, the director strikes a deal with Avi: spy on the operative sent in to work a rash of bizarre murders and prove she can be a team player, or kiss that new rank goodbye.
No problem.
Okay, maybe just one.
Her co-leader, Ezra Cardoso, is a charming, ruthless vampire with his own agenda, whom she fantasizes about: mostly staking him then vacuuming up his remains.
But when the killer sets Aviva’s team firmly in their sights, she’ll have to decide whether to keep playing by the rules or show everyone exactly what she—and Cherry Bomb—are capable of…
Featuring a smart, funny heroine and a banter-fueled vampire romance, this wickedly addictive urban fantasy will keep you reading way past bedtime.
Luxuries of Lust is the third of the Passing Through Cafe series by Nik Knight, set in the Hells universe and Passing Through Cafe where we’ve gotten to know its many different species of paranormal beings that own the cafe and are the ones that work together as a weird little found family.
Nik Knight has always done an excellent job of crafting characters that, other than Oliver and Jude who are human, feel, look and come across as otherworldly. There’s an actual dictionary of terms and list of species at the end of a reader gets confused.
Rusty and Gem have been headed towards each other for a couple of books now. And I’ve looked forward to seeing how they get together.
There’s aspects of the book that I just really thought about as deeply emotionally and engaging. Moments where Rusty takes Gem to see the desert and the places where he and his mother once lived. Those scenes are stirring and very touching.
Equally, when Gem, who’s background gets filled in here, take Rusty home to see his family. It’s funny, warmhearted, and a time of acceptance for Rusty that he’s not had in his life.
We get to revisit several important storylines from previous books, a traumatic experience for Gem that sets off memories for Rusty.
I enjoyed reading this, think Gem and Rusty are among the most unique couples I’ve read. It maybe felt a bit overly long towards the end, especially the story bit about Tony and their relationship. But it’s still a very enjoyable book and this universe is fascinating in concept and characters.
Highly sexual and fun. Grab it up if you’re interested in the author and trope.
When it came to love, Rusty had resigned himself to never being enough, and Gem knew he would always be too much. Turns out, they were both wrong.
As a Pyclon from Lust, Rusty learned early the cruel rules of the Pentagram. Happiness is for the privileged. Hope for the weak. And absolutely nothing comes free. So he accepts a life of happy enough, of good enough, of just… enough. Anything more is impossible for someone like him.
That is, until he meets Gemae Akyllo.
With a brain that never rests and an ass that won’t quit, Gem is objectively a lot. His physical size is rivaled only by that of his personality—neither of which he will ever apologize for—but there’s a cost. He’s fun for a night, chosen first for a good time, but come morning, his bed is cold and empty. Always wanted, but never kept.
That is, until he meets Rusty Róisyn.
Rusty never wanted love, and Gem doesn’t need it. But together, they find it all the same.
Join Gem and Rusty and the rest of the eccentric staff of the Passing Through Cafe in Nik Knight’s rom-com, urban fantasy series, full of found family, absurd antics, healing hope, and a love that takes their hearts by storm.
— Luxuries of Lust: Passing Through Cafe #3 by Nik Knight
Paternal Instincts is the finale story in Nicki James Valor and Doyle series, the one that sees the married couple waiting on the birth of their baby, the next step in their journey together as a family.
Incorporating a mystery about a missing child into their final chapter was a great way to work through Quaid’s traumatic issues with his past before he becomes a father. He must deal with his own emotional pain, his history that he sees reflected in Sparrow, the sister who is being neglected by everyone around her, and the desperate hunt to find Crow.
Meanwhile, Az is left to deal with his own emotional reactions to this case, his husband’s absence and their more immediate situation of a baby that’s coming.
James has built a complicated story on several levels, that of the missing child’s life and that of Quaid and Aslan’s. It’s a gripping tale and puts a great ending to this couple. Although they are appearing in the sequel series, one I really love.
It’s not perfect. For me, the overuse of the word sneer, sneered or any form of sneer just took me out of the story. I began to start counting how many times I saw it until I realized I wouldn’t get through the book that way. I had to let it go.
Valor and Doyle is a series I enjoyed, especially the books in the beginning of the series. This ties up many characters nicely and leaves everyone in great shape. That’s a satisfying ending.
At the heart of a missing child case, Quaid and Aslan learn the true nature of fatherhood.
With their baby due any day, Quaid ends up tangled in a case on the last day of work before his parental leave begins. Between eerie ransom notes and family secrets, unanswered questions pile up, twisting the case into something Quaid has never seen.
Someone is lying. Someone knows more than they’re saying.
With the help of supportive friends and colleagues, Quaid and Aslan are determined to solve the case before it’s too late. When their surrogate goes into labor, Quaid struggles to let go and walk away.
A boy has vanished.
A life is in danger.
Can they find the missing child before their baby makes their way into the world?
Honestly, Lord is a huge letdown after the fabulous Lady. And that’s totally due to the character of Emmeline’s clueless brother, Duncan Luck.
Of the three siblings who are the focus of this series, Duncan was always going to be the most problematic. So I was hopeful that Todd was going to be able to make him a more balanced and empathetic character here instead of a self absorbed, socially naive, and yes, cowardly person. However, brilliant he might be.
I cannot count how many times this story was almost a DNF for me.
Several things kept me going.
Firstly, the interesting format Todd had chosen for this trilogy. The timeline for three books, Lady (Emmeline), Lord (Duncan), and Bastard (Silas Emmason), have them occurring simultaneously, just seeing the same events from different perspectives. As well as filling in the missing details and information from when each character is absent from the other’s storyline.
And this factor works against Duncan in every aspect. Every horror Emmeline endures, all the fear and despair, the pain and humiliation at their father’s hand, we see that Duncan ignores it, ignores her, hiding behind his experiments. Or refusing to acknowledge that he has been behaving in a manner which seems cowardly and naive. He’s basically a grown man who either refuses to act or when he chooses, doesn’t consider the consequences to others. For 85 percent of the story.
No, however badly Todd seems to want to excuse or explain his actions, Duncan isn’t a character I could care about or invest in. Mostly I thought him a dangerous fool. Well written, but not one I would ever connect with.
The story was interesting from just the different standpoint and to see Silas’ interactions here with Duncan . And, of course, to see Emmy set Duncan straight again on his deplorable outlook and behavior.
Next to Emmy, Silas is the most interesting. And I’m onto his story which wraps up their trilogy.
This is an alternate timeline in Victorian England. Magic has just started to appear, Prince Albert never dies, Disraeli stays in office longer. And Victoria never retires because she never falls into grief and mourning, but remains a strong monarch. More is learned about the world political landscape and unrest here. Another important aspect of this story.
Lady/Emmy remains the absolute gem of this series. Lord/Duncan is the charcoal. Both are needed.
I adore the covers. Each and every one. Detailed to fit the character.
Mr. Duncan Luck has always preferred the clarity of science to the chaos of human expectations.
Crippled as a teenager, he has endured years of his father’s disdain, deemed unworthy of both respect and the family title. When his father reveals a bastard heir who could replace him and forces his sister into a wretched engagement, Duncan’s carefully ordered world begins to unravel.
An accident in his laboratory changes everything. Instead of death, Duncan awakens to something far stranger: magic. The discovery shakes him to his core, offering a new field of study more exhilarating than science—and perhaps, a chance to prove himself. Dragging his reluctant new brother along, Duncan seeks training under the formidable and mysterious Miss Antoinette Carlton. While magic captivates him, Duncan’s efforts to impress his father lead him to develop enchanted looms to revolutionize their family’s mill.
Just as success and his father’s respect feel within reach, tragedy strikes, leaving Duncan broken in body and spirit. With his dreams in tatters and his self-worth shattered, he must confront his failures and decide who he wants to become. Accepting a dubious and possibly dangerous offer from Miss Carlton, Duncan resolves to use his mind and magic to forge a path uniquely his own.
In a society that values strength and dominance, can a man of intellect and magic find his place—and his worth—before it’s too late?
This remarkable emotional short story has the power to absolutely break your heart and then knit it back together again. Lost: a Christmas novella is a science fiction tale of a retiring space soldier rejected by his earth based family because of the wars damage turned him cyborg. And the diverse found family that gave him and them a potential future.
It’s sheer serendipity that I found this story shortly after finishing this author, Jenny Schwartz ‘s fantastic book, Stars Die, the first in her new Caldryn Parliament science fiction series.
A short poignant holiday read, its emotional context is rooted in past events and even more importantly, in our own connections with people, veterans within our communities and families. It’s real and lastly, gives the characters and readers a sense of hope for a better future.
I honestly don’t know how I missed this author before but she’s now finally on my list of writers to read. She should be on yours too.
Stuck on Central Transit Station, Sergeant Ryan Dabrowski receives a Dear John letter from his family. The home he fought to protect doesn’t want him. He’s left too much of his body out among the stars. The aug-doctors patched him up better than new, but cyborg freaks aren’t welcome on Earth.
“Don’t ruin your sister’s life.”
But what about Rye’s life?
***
Lost is a short Christmas novella about found family, new beginnings, and believing that anything is possible. Merry Christmas! Happy Wishing Tree!
Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher reads like a the type of fairy tale that you would expect from the a grimmer or perhaps Grimm era of fantasy fiction. Dark, magical, full of secrets and royal kingdoms gone awry.
There’s a terrible prince, several sister princesses whose awful fate has been sealed by their small Kingdom’s geography, and their younger sister who finally decides on a journey of revenge.
Kingfisher’s incredible tale brings us bone dogs, fairy godmothers, ghosts and a journey full of unexpected adventures, overwhelming odds, and , at the end , love in a number of different forms.
I don’t think I’ve read anything by T. Kingfisher before but now I’m on a mission to discover everything this author has written. The imagery and beauty of this book, the fantastic characters and unsettling but gripping story just thrilled me as a reader.
Dark, magical, fabulous.
No real romance but ends on the promise of a potential romance in the future for the main character of Marra.
Winner of the Hugo award for Best novel of 2022 (a fact I wasn’t aware of before I read it) , this book absolutely deserved it.
An NPR Best Sci Fi, Fantasy, & Speculative Fiction Book of 2022
A Goodreads Best Fantasy Choice Award Nominee
From Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes an original and subversive fantasy adventure.
*The very special hardcover edition features a gold foil stamp on the casing and custom endpapers illustrated by the author.*
This isn’t the kind of fairy tale where the princess marries a prince.
It’s the one where she kills him.
Marra ― a shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter ― is relieved not to be married off for the sake of her parents’ throne. Her older sister wasn’t so fortunate though, and her royal husband is as abusive as he is powerful. From the safety of the convent, Marra wonders who will come to her sister’s rescue and put a stop to this. But after years of watching their families and kingdoms pretend all is well, Marra realizes if any hero is coming, it will have to be Marra herself.
If Marra can complete three impossible tasks, a witch will grant her the tools she needs. But, as is the way in stories of princes and the impossible, these tasks are only the beginning of Marra’s strange and enchanting journey to save her sister and topple a throne.
Yes, Magic Burns (Kate Daniels Book 2) by Ilona Andrews is exactly what I was looking for when I saw llona Andrews recommended (a wife/husband writing duo) as a author I should check out for great female characters. Andrews has created a vividly wild universe of familiar,crumbling destroyed landscapes, whether skyscrapers or city high lines. Setting’s believable and terrifying, that between them, the incredible characters, compelling stories and a world constantly being explored and warped by the magic of recently historic world events, then you’ve got a series that hard to put down.
Kate Daniels is a merc in a changed world, one where the world pendulum between mech and magic has swung catastrophically out of control, causing universal destruction, where magic is causing cities to crumble, eliminating all but the occasional uses of electricity when the magic fluctuates. Cars out, horses and mules in, trodding the highways and overpasses, faepowered lanterns lighting buildings. It’s a strange, complicated world. And it’s one that’s expanding into other areas and places of mythology and power as new events and storylines emerge.
This storyline gives us a great introduction to her character, glimpses into her past life and powers. It’s the beginnings of important relationships and her journey into a more complex and involved life.
I’m burning through this series, each of these stories is extremely well developed and engaging.
It’s a huge winner for me and one I’m really excited to recommend.
Cover art by Juliana Kolesova
Cover design by Jason Gill
Kate Daniels (10 book – complete series):
Magic Bites #1
Magic Burns #2
Magic Strikes #3
Magic Bleeds #4
Magic Slays #5
Magic Rises #6
Magic Breaks #7
Magic Shifts #8
Magic Binds #9
Magic Triumphs #10
The World of Kate Daniels
gunmetal magic
“A Questionable Client” was previously published in the anthology Dark and Stormy Knights.”
Ilona Andrews invites you to experience the first novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series featuring the intriguing fantasy world of mercenary Kate Daniels…
Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way our of her league—but she wouldn’t want it any other way…
This edition includes in-depth information about the world of Kate Daniels with descriptions of its characters and factions. Explore Kate’s Atlanta like never before with a quiz to find your place there and with answers to frequently asked questions. And don’t miss the prequel story “A Questionable Client” as well as scenes of events in Magic Bites from Curran’s point of view.
The Cat Lady Chronicles returns with a fabulously funny and well written book, The Dark Hiss of Magic by Helen Harper.
I fell in love with the fascinating character of Kit McCafferty, retired assassin, now trying to remain low key as a jumper-wearing older neighborhood cat lady, albeit one hiding a very unique trait. She’s a rare cat sith.
The first mystery novel introduced her character, the paranormal town of Coldstream she lives in, and its many characters and supernatural communities that coexist within its boundaries.
But it’s Kit herself that’s so compelling and complex. Kit and her group of cats, that supply a sense of family, comfort, and advise her when mysteries come into her life. From She Without an Ear to He Who Crunches Bird Bones, to He Who Wanders Wide and the others, it’s a feline cast that’s endlessly entertaining and intriguing. Yes, they name themselves.
There’s others too. Thane, a werewolf, with a new demon kitten and neighbor Dave, who I haven’t figured out yet.
Harper keeps us guessing about mainstay characters. Their roles, true identities, and whatever they are really important to Kit in the over arc storyline. And as the various murders and mysteries occur, the investigations roll along, and everyone gets involved, the narrative continues to build into this amazing adventure.
It’s got great dialogue, wild moments, fight sequences, and loads of engaging cats and unusual personalities. And magic.
I wanted the next book immediately. And because I so thoroughly enjoyed this one, will reread it again soon.
Beautifully executed storytelling? Check. Fantastic female main character? Check! Great world building and mystery? Check and check.
Another great book and winner of a series. Check it out now.
There will be no pussy-footing around. Not when Kit McCafferty is involved.
When Kit rescues a wealthy witch from the treacherous, monster-filled waters of the River Tweed, she reckons she’s completed her fair share of good deeds for the day. But when a second anonymous body is pulled from the same river, Kit is dragged into a mystery as murky as the water itself. The corpse has no identification, no personal possessions and no one who cares.
Kit is determined to change that.
At least Thane Barrow, the copper-haired werewolf who sees the world in a similar way to Kit, is happy to also get involved. Together, they navigate Coldstream’s magical streets and mysterious secrets, determined to uncover the truth about John Doe.
Alas, it soon becomes clear that his death was no accident. Kit finds herself investigating a complex crime with more than one victim. She will have her claws full if she’s going to get to the bottom of what’s happened.
One thing is for certain – when death threatens, Kit McCafferty doesn’t back down. She pounces.
While exploring other series with strong FMC’s, a reviewer suggested author Patricia Briggs. Specifically her Mercy Thompson series about a Native American skin shifter, auto mechanic Mercy Thompson.
Mercy Thompson series has so many well developed elements and characters. Set in the tri-Cities area of Washington state, Briggs gives the reader the real feel for the geography as well as the various types of societal levels found within the region. From trailers to gated mansions, it’s written about realistically and descriptively well executed.
Narratively, Briggs gives this same focus to her characters and backgrounds, starting with Mercy Thompson. A auto mechanic who deal primarily with certain types of cars and engines, she’s got a one-woman shop, and as a skin-walker who can change into a coyote, her status, without a pack, within the local paranormal community is a shaky one.
I was quick to invest in the story and the depths of character and hidden community dynamics . Mercy and her skin walker powers, which I believe more will be revealed in the coming stories, is extremely well written and exciting.
So is her changing relationships with the local werewolf pack and its Alpha, Adam Hauptman.
There’s a mystery, several murders to solve, and while this book seems to end as everything is resolved, there’s another mystery coming.
So after reading an excellent book, with a fascinating strong female protagonist, with a highly unusual story, why do I not feel the need to scramble for the next novel in the series? Especially in one where there’s 14 available?
It has to do with how one character, a hugely sympathetic young man, was treated within the story. Basically he’s a throwaway element. And yes, that’s absolutely the author’s right.
But his role here, the reactions to him , the characters and yes, the readers, seem to be at two different levels. How he ended, the characters reacted to his storyline differs greatly from how he impacted on how I felt about him.
Or perhaps how I perceived his character’s role in the story would be, going forward. That’s on me.
But this entire aspect of Moon Called felt so cold emotionally that even with a well written book, I felt disconnected from the rest of the universe and characters at the end.
It’s doubtful that I will go into it further. Might change my mind. But for now. I’m leaving it here.
if this sounds as intriguing as it’s actually written, check it out. It’s a very popular series.
Moon Called is the novel that introduced Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson to the world and launched a #1 bestselling phenomenon…
Mercy Thompson is a shapeshifter, and while she was raised by werewolves, she can never be one of them, especially after the pack ran her off for having a forbidden love affair. So she’s turned her talent for fixing cars into a business and now runs a one-woman mechanic shop in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State.
But Mercy’s two worlds are colliding. A half-starved teenage boy arrives at her shop looking for work, only to reveal that he’s a newly changed werewolf—on the run and desperately trying to control his animal instincts. Mercy asks her neighbor Adam Hauptman, the Alpha of the local werewolf pack, for assistance.
But Mercy’s act of kindness has unexpected consequences that leave her no choice but to seek help from those she once considered family—the werewolves who abandoned her…
“In the increasingly crowded field of kick-ass supernatural heroines, Mercy stands out as one of the best.”—Locus
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 