Tag: A MelanieM Review

Review:  Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers Book 1) by Rachel Aaron

Rating: 4.5

After finishing Rachel Aaron’s DFZ series, I had to return to see how it all started. Before the DFZ was sentient, when dragons were outlawed, and the Lady of the Lake , the Algonquin herself was a highly manipulative, deadly spirit and Detroit was rising up again from all her destruction and under her authority. 

This is another wild, strange and fabulous ride.   Told in five instead of three books. 

It’s centered in Detroit, the non-sentient DFZ, and its focus is the powerful and numerous Heartstriker dragon family, in particular its youngest and smallest dragon, Julius.  Julius, a constant source of disappointment and anger to his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has been sealed into his human form and sent off to the DFZ to prove himself a true dragon or else. 

Julius the Good Dragon, which isn’t a compliment to dragons, is such an engaging character. The only one of his many siblings who is an anomaly in his personality, doesn’t want to hurt anyone, just loves gaming and people. 

Marci, a mage from Las Vegas, ends up in the DFZ after fleeing from some sort of terrible situation that leaves her without a home. 

These two are incredibly great characters and together they are the beginnings of a fabulous series arc and the basis for I’m betting the magical creatures and world building of the DFZ. 

Another hugely important character is Bob, the Heartstriker seer and Julius’s oldest brother.  We meet more siblings , each letter according to the clutch they hatched (?) in.  Bob being one but not the only oldest remaining child of Bethesda.  She’s not a good mother or parent FYI. 

I love Aaron as an author, the magical system is beautifully conceived, and it’s expanding to fit  this ever growing imaginative new universe.  Not even the established spirits themselves know what’s happening, or what the world is capable of doing.  Truly a gonzo magical fantasy.

But it’s also a very powerful story of empathy, emotional empowerment, and quiet bravery. Whether it’s on a human or dragon’s level. 

Julius deciding to be himself or Marci’s grief, or other characters stepping forward to help others. 

So many aspects of Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers Book 1) by Rachel Aaron to love and appreciate, storylines and characters, relationships and themes. 

This author is a must read and these connected series as well. Highly recommended. 

Love the covers .  

Cover Illustration by Anna Steinbauer, Cover Design by Rachel Aaron.

Heartstrikers :

Nice Dragons Finish Last 

One Good Dragon Deserves Another No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished 

A Dragon of a Different Color 

Last Dragon Standing 

Buy link

        Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers Book 1)

    

Blurb 

The start of the series that won back-to-back RT Magazine Reviewers’ Choice Awards!

As the smallest dragon in the Heartstriker clan, Julius survives by a simple code: keep quiet, don’t cause trouble, and stay out of the way of bigger dragons. But this meek behavior doesn’t fly in a family of ambitious magical predators, and his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has finally reached the end of her patience.

Now, sealed in his human form and banished to the DFZ–a vertical metropolis built on the ruins of Old Detroit–Julius has one month to prove he can be a ruthless dragon or kiss his true shape goodbye forever. But in a city of modern mages and vengeful spirits where dragons are considered monsters to be exterminated, he’s going to need some serious help to survive this test.

He only hopes humans are more trustworthy than dragons…

Winner of the 2015 Audie Audio Book Award in Fantasy!

  • Publisher: Aaron/Bach (July 13, 2014)
  • Publication date: July 13, 2014
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 287 pages

Complete series 

Series Information from the author:

All of my series set in the Detroit Free Zone were written as self-contained stories. You don’t have to have read any previous DFZ books to enjoy the newer ones. But for those who want to see the world grow, here’s a list of all the DFZ books in chronological order. 

Heartstrikers :

Nice Dragons Finish Last 

One Good Dragon Deserves Another No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished 

A Dragon of a Different Color 

Last Dragon Standing 

The DFZ Trilogy (This series) Minimum Wage Magic 

Part-Time Gods 

Night Shift Dragons 

DFZ Changeling Trilogy 

By a Silver Thread 

With a Golden Sword 

To the Bloody End

Review:  The Wolf King: A Fantasy Romance by Lauren Palphreyman

Rating: 4⭐️

I was looking for something to read that wasn’t fae or trial themed so that fantastic cover for The Wolf King: A Fantasy Romance by Lauren Palphreyman pulled me right in.  New author and apparently a new series or duology, terrific!

And yes, I had an absolutely amazing time reading this book.  I feel that Lauren Palphreyman really captured the Highlands of Scotland, the wilds and beauty of the region through scenes and descriptions so well. And then to intertwine the Clans of Scotland with werewolves or Shifter packs and include mythology and kingdom wars, it’s a very compelling story.  And the political landscape isn’t just about the shaky Wolf clans but their history with the human kingdom as its own wars are being played out. 

On this background, the author is writing a larger story about a woman, Princess Aurora, who’s kidnapped by an Alpha and taken to the Highlands. 

Aurora, or Rory as she is called is a delightful character, one of tremendous strength and perseverance. She’s a woman who can emotionally and mentally evolve from a tightly controlled princess into a woman who decides her journey is transformative instead of that of one of being a victim. 

 On the male characters side, Callum is the main protagonist and romantic lead but instead I found the morally ambiguous Blake to be the far more interesting character.  Callum was forever “running” off to somewhere important to the narrative leaving Rory behind for the moment and events to come.  

Blake’s background and character, however, manipulative and dubious, is just that much more intriguing than that of Callum, imo. And there’s the Wolf King, Patrick, who is a non-entity here. He’s got one purpose, as an antagonist for the main characters and then he’s done until the next book. 

The world building could be better explained or developed. It’s an alternate universe. But what’s the time frame? A 17th century type of story. Not sure. There’s a difference between a author who vividly describes a location , whether it’s a natural setting or parts of a castle, and an actual world building with cultural elements, religious traditions, political traditions and history. And so far the latter is missing here. 

The relationship between Rory and Callum is more of one of self discovery. I really didn’t buy the idea that Rory loved Callum, honestly, he’s just too much a Golden Retriever in wolf’s clothing.  He’s the boy next door you date but then leave when you go to college. 

The book ends on a really interesting note. And sets up the multiple conflicts and storylines for each character. For me , it’s still all about Blake. 

I can’t wait to see what happens next. 

A definite recommendation . 

Love the cover.

Cover Design by: Damonza

The Wolf King series:

The Wolf King #1

The Night Prince #2 – March 31,2025

Buy link: 

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comThe Wolf King: A Fantasy Romance – Books

Blurb 

When a princess is kidnapped by an alpha, war rages between the humans and the wolves. But soon, forbidden attraction starts to grow. . .

Princess Aurora longs to escape the castle and the marriage that has been arranged for her.

But on the night before her wedding, at a dog fight where captured werewolves are made to fight for sport, she spares the life of a young wolf. It puts her on the radar of the powerful alpha who was going to kill him. And it changes everything.

That night, when the alpha escapes, he kidnaps her and takes her to the rugged lands north of the border — where the once warring werewolf clans are beginning to unite. He thinks that she is the key to winning the war against the humans.

Only, as they spend time around one another, forbidden attraction starts to grow. And as Aurora learns that not all wolves are bad, the alpha discovers that she is in danger from both his enemies, and those he once considered friends.

With monsters on both sides, a bloodthirsty war between humans and wolves raging, and undeniable passion growing between them — will their story end in love? Or tragedy?

And will Aurora ever get home?

Does she even want to?

An adult fantasy romance for fans of romantasy, werewolves, forbidden romance, and enemies to lovers

Content Warning: Contains strong language and sexual situations.

  • Publisher: Lauren Palphreyman (September 14, 2023)
  • Publication date: September 14, 2023
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 468 pages

Review:  Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos, #1) by Nisha J. Tuli 

Rating: 3⭐️

There’s a whole trope of romance fantasy books that’s falls into the academy/trials category where a character, most likely a FMC, has to undergo a certain amount of training (in an academic setting) and experience a set amount of traumatic , often potentially deadly, trials in order to meet their goal. 

Survival, becoming a ruler, save someone, including yourself. Or the world are the typical end game examples. Or perhaps all of those.  Gods are usually involved, lately the Greek pantheon, and the Fae are huge here. Huge!

So it takes an extraordinary or a very special well constructed or conceived story to rise up from the those that are already out there with the same type of theme and characters. 

This isn’t the story, unfortunately. 

It’s a nice one but the characters and world building is lacking substance. It’s initially three siblings, Lor, Willow and Tristan, the older brother in a death prison where she’s been since basically a toddler ( I just read another similar story), and it’s been years of trauma and struggles to survive. 

Past and present mentions of SA, violence, and other physical attacks are part of their lives. 

But why they are there, the Fae Kingdom it’s in, and any world building is pretty non-existent.  And Lor and family members aren’t that believable as very young women and men who are starving to death, fighting for their lives under conditions that should have done them in years prior. Her brother is downright jaunty. 

There’s a side accompanying story about a Fae prince who hates his father, the King. Why? We don’t know . But there’s a secret. And he needs to go figure it out.

Lor ends up , in an around about way, being a competitor in a contest to win the Sun King’s heart and a crown. It doesn’t make sense as it happens , other women are cardboard creatures at best, and the contest is wildly uneven.

The problem is with the characters, Lor especially. Is she someone who could have survived the prison experience she’s been through, has that personality and survival chops here or is she a naive young girl who’s somehow going to believe everything that told her, saving lives of those who trying desperately to kill her, etc. Lor’s personality seems as changeable as a throw of the dice.  She’s just not a character worthy of investing in. 

It’s more, huh, so that happens. Ok. Turn page.  Where did that element go?

I’m still trying to decide if I’m going to get the next book.  Probably not.  As I’ve got several other series I’ve read that are terrific and have second books to read in the same trope. 

Read it because you like the author or are a fan of the trope. 

Artefacts of Ouranos:

Trial of the Sun Queen #1 (KU)

Rule of the Aurora King #2 (KU)

Fate of the Sun King #3

Tale of the Heart Queen #4

Completed series-2 are available on KU

Buy link

        Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos)

    

Blurb

Ten women. A deadly contest. Only one can win the Sun King’s heart.

Lor has endured twelve long years of torment under the Aurora King’s rule. Her only desire is to escape and pay him back for every moment of misery she’s endured.

When a surprise release finds her in the hands of the rival Sun King, Lor is thrust into the spotlight as she competes against nine other Tributes for the role of queen. If she wins his heart, she’ll earn her freedom and finally get her revenge.

But Lor doesn’t belong in the Sun Queen Trials. Not only does she not understand why she was freed, she isn’t a citizen of the Sun King’s court. The other Tributes resent her presence and will stop at nothing to ensure Lor is removed from the competition, permanently.

Now Lor must win, because if she loses, she dies. Or worse, she’ll be returned to the evil—and now vengeful—Aurora King.

My notes: the initial blurb compares this to Fourth Wing and other popular fantasy novels. No. Not even close. 

Review:  Avalon Tower (Fey Spy Academy, #1) by C.N. Crawford and Alex Rivers

Rating: 3.75⭐️

Back in the universe of academy training , trials, the Fae and saving the world.  But this time the twist is the Tales of the Knights of the Round Table, King Arthur, Lady of the Lake, and every one of the hugely magical characters who are part of that mythology. Yes, Merlin too. 

But all updated to current times with interesting interpretations and weaving of modern history and the author’s dystopian narrative.  Again, Fae bad and mad at humanity. And the magical system is still being developed here. 

Nia is kidnapped while on vacation in Europe and taken to Avalon Academy to become a spy against the Fae. That’s a very bare minimum outline. 

She, naturally, has strict training to undergo, much of her classmates are against her, and there are dangerous trials to pass for her to say that she’s graduated and a spy.  Plus a ex boyfriend to contend with. 

Elements I thought made the story stronger were Nia’s asthma, a contributing factor to her personality and less than stellar physical condition.  Her mother is alcoholic whose dependence upon Nia makes any separation, even a hard won vacation, one of emotional distress and anxiety. This is a very well written aspect of the book and her character, and it’s used perfectly. 

The magical powers and systems are slowly developed, brought along or revealed as Nia’s own character changes and grows during her time in the Academy and her missions there. 

This ends in a cliffhanger, two to be exact.  Both made me want to continue further into the series and Nia’s journey. 

A definite recommendation for fantasy lovers and those who read this trope.  Last book to be released this Spring. 

Fey Spy Academy (3 book series)

Avalon Tower #1

Vale of Dreams #2

Lady of the Lake #3 – April 18, 2025

Buy link 

        Avalon Tower: A Fantasy Romance (Fey Spy Academy Book 1)

    

Blurb 

Avalon Academy rules: spy on your enemies, resist temptation, and try not to die in the process.

As a bookseller, Nia saved up for years for her dream vacation—drinking champagne on a beach with her favorite books. But her dream turns into a nightmare when she’s kidnapped by a muscular, tattooed jerk of a fey named Raphael.

Yes, kidnapped.

It turns out Nia has a magic power, and Raphael demands that she train at Camelot’s elite academy for spies. Raphael is hellbent on revenge against an evil Fey king, certain that Nia’s powers can help. But Nia is in way over her head–asthmatic and out of shape. She’ll be lucky to get out of there alive.

Still, there’s no escape when Raphael is watching her every move. He’s lethal, dangerous, and hot as hell. When they’re sent on a dangerous missions together, he becomes harder to resist. Touching him is playing with fire. Is she ready to get burned?

  • Publisher: (March 22, 2024)
  • Publication date: March 22, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 454 pages

Review: Puck Love (The Elmwood Stories #6) by Lane Hayes

Rating: 4.5🌈

It’s fitting that Lane Hayes brings her heartwarming series, The Elmwood Stories, to a close with one of the boys who we met in the earlier books.  

Now grown and playing in the NHL, Jake Milligan is one of the boys we met from the first Elmwood junior hockey camp, and along with Denny Mellon, who’s been a character we’ve watched as their parents got their own romances in the early books. 

So it’s perfect that the series finale will have Jake’s own story and we get to see many other familiar faces in this book as Jake’s enemies to lovers story unfolds. 

The “enemy” is hockey arch rival Mason Trinsky, a trash talking, exuberant player who has made their  rivalry a media firestorm to Jake’s chagrin.

Elmwood’s Junior Hockey Camp is now a huge success, with famous players participating as coaches and that’s how both Trinsky and Jake end up as partners for a camp weekend.

It’s a terrific story that Lane manages to bring together elements of bi awakening, Trinky’s family members with special needs as well as his mother’s history of addiction and recovery. That balances so well with the fears and need for control of Jake’s upbringing.  

But we get juicy, sexy scenes of discovery, great characters, hockey, adorable kids in Eddie, Nathan, Ella and Charlotte.  Truly a fabulous heartwarming story of love , family and finding your forever home. 

Elmwood and its magical, small town places hold a special place in my heart. I know that I’ll be revisiting it and it’s love stories. 

Lane is going to bring us a new series based in the neighboring town, Wood Hollow, and hopefully we will see some crossovers in characters.  Vermont’s fictional Four Forest area has so much to offer and more towns to explore.

A highly recommended and heartwarming sendoff of a fantastic series. I love it. Read them in order and fall in love with this town and its people. 

The Elmwood Stories:

You, Again #1

Next Season #2

Holiday Crush #3

Thin Ice  #4

Hot Shot #5

Puck Love #6

Buy link

        Puck Love: MM Small Town/Hockey Romance (The Elmwood Stories Book 6)

    

Blurb 

Two rivals, one secret, and a shot at forever… 

Jake

Favorite things and peeps: hockey, family, friends.

Least favorite person in the entire history of the universe: Mason Trinsky.

I have my reasons, but since you’re curious, Trinsky is a showboat and a loudmouth. Sure, he’s a great athlete. Good for him. I accept that we have mutual friends, and I grudgingly accept that he’ll be a coach at w this summer—however, I plan to keep my distance.

Of course, some wise guy pairs us up for a camping expedition, and everything that can go wrong does go wrong.

Guess who I’m stuck with?

Trinsky

Favorite things and peeps: hockey, surfing, and my kid brother

Least favorite person in the entire history of the universe: Jake Milligan

Look, I might be in the minority, but if you ask me, Jake is a nitpicking diva who wants everything his way. I hope my NHL team crushes his, and this summer, I want my campers to out-prank his. Childish? Nah, it’s all in good fun.

Until it starts to feel…complicated. I shouldn’t care if he’s happy, should I? I don’t want to be Jake’s friend. I don’t want to have feelings for him at all.

The only thing that matters is hockey. It’s all about the puck. Not love.

Or is it?

Puck Love is an MM bisexual, small-town romance featuring hockey’s hottest rivals, a hiking trip gone wrong, and a shot at forever…

  • Publication date: March 21, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 280 pages

Review: Grave Situation by Louise Masters 

Rating: 3.75🌈

Grave Situation by Louise Masters is a story that was so emotionally moving at times that it had me sobbing in parts and yet, left me wondering why I wasn’t completely satisfied by how the story was finished.   Nicely written, had humor, pathos, dragons, with a diverse cast of characters but with a book of this length and thought that’s gone into the storytelling, there’s something along the lines that is also missing. 

The twins Talon, the mage, and Tia, the dragonrider sister, are wonderful . The his class and the character of Talon, especially,are vividly illustrated , easily becoming people we care about.  As too are the found family that Talon starts to gather together along the way on the journey he’s sent on. 

Each one is well crafted , easily recognizable and relatable. There’s a non-binary one. The big hearted gorgeous but not bright one, the naive young one, etc. But because they are so well done, they become winners in their own right. 

But there’s noticeable flaws that’s frustrating. Example, Masters tells us what a powerful mage Talon is but the magic , unless it’s telepathic, isn’t really there in any scenarios to prove that. Dangling a person upside down a couple of times isn’t really enough. 

And we get dragons , without a substantial foundational knowledge about them, and then later on when its becomes a major narrative element, we realize that for the most of the book there is no background information for our characters.  In a novel that’s 577 pages. 

That’s an aspect of the story that’s seen elsewhere.  Religion plays a huge role here but we’ve no idea what it is about. What, other than the name, that makes it so important or fun or interesting or whatever. It’s a “waves hand “ something religion. 

There’s no substance to the governments, kingdoms, religions, or even magic. 

But there’s zombies and a mission and a gang of found family to save the world. And dragons. 

Grace Situation is a serialized story that began on her Patron page and for me, it has that feel. 

It’s fun. Definitely entertaining and moving in parts but it doesn’t come across as a well defined and deeply developed world. Nor does that end feel very satisfying. Good but not great.

I’ll still recommend it but it’s not a book I read straight through as I did others of the same style and length. 

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comGrave Situation – Kindle edition by Masters, Louisa. Romance …

Blurb 

He’s not the hero they deserve, but he’s the hero they’ve got. 

No, seriously. Talon wants to know what he did to deserve this. What would make a sentient rock decide that he of all people should be the one to save the world from zombies? That’s right. Zombies. Because apparently a higher power decided that teaching magic to teenagers wasn’t enough of a challenge.

With a ridiculously attractive healer (who may or may not hate him), his sister (who he miiiight have a forbidden telepathic link with), a sentient god-like rock (that can only communicate via yes/no vibes), a disdainful dragon, and a rude matchmaking horse by his side, he just might be able to save the world.

Or die trying.

Meet Talon Silverbright. He’ll save the world, but only because a rock said he has to.

  • Publication date: March 20, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 577 pages

Review:  Don’t Come For My Night Stalker: MM Military Suspense (Tags Of Honor: Black Squadron Book 2) by Annabella Stone

Rating: 4.75🌈

Don’t Come For My Night Stalker is the second book in Annabella Stone’s excellent Black Squadron duology.  A political intrigue , intense combat and suspense filled story that focuses on a long standing unspoken love between elite op Grady Montreux, and Claudio Stancanpiano, Black Squadron’s commander. 

Stones series ’ series and books, which are heavily intertwined with each other as they are part of this overall agency and oversight task force, have the same locations and repeat characters/couples.  It’s a densely populated and complex military universe where the protocols and procedures are rigid and complicated.

Stone gets this and layers it beautifully into her characters and their storylines. 

It’s a soldier’s story. Complete with nightmares, PTSD, trauma and fears of committing due to the fact that the job makes any future tenuous. So a realistic based storyline for two soldiers who have been in many campaigns and are still fighting, but in yet another capacity. 

A international arms and drug dealer who has been an ongoing major villain in other stories appears here.  Another key element of Stone’s’ series and ability to maintain a high energy and realistic flow in the universe. 

The scenes between Claudio and Grady are moving and intense, especially due to the circumstances. I love the communication between them that finally allows them to see a future or at least a HFN as a couple together.  That’s believable. 

As, frustrating as it is, so is the ending.  Claudio and Grady’s relationship story had wrapped up but an even larger story and plot is just beginning. 

Stone’s books are extremely well written, extraordinarily detailed, with explosive action sequences and suspense filled moments.  Loved it and waiting for the next!

Cover Design By: Golden Czermak Cover Image By: James Critchley Cover Model: Carlo di Carlo

Tags Of Honor: Black Squadron:

Don’t Come For My Operator #1

Don’t Come For My Night Stalker #2

See all connected series below. 

Buy link

        Don’t Come For My Night Stalker: MM Military Suspense (Tags Of Honor: Black Squadron Book 2)

    

Blurb 

War forged him:

Former Italian Special Forces Commander Claudio Stancanpiano has spent his life on the battlefield, where love is a luxury and attachments are a weakness. As the leader of one of the world’s most elite covert Task Forces, he’s used to making impossible choices—ones that leave no room for second chances. But when his Squadron’s latest mission goes sideways, and the man he nearly lost is the only thing grounding him, Claudio is forced to face the truth he’s been running from for years.

Love found them:

Former Night Stalker Grady Montreux has always lived in the shadows—flying into the deadliest war zones, slipping past enemy lines, doing whatever it takes to bring his team home. But after a near-fatal mission, one thing is clear: the only fight that truly matters is the one for the man he refuses to lose.

When the battle stops, love me more

Bound by war, scarred by the past, and tangled in a love they can’t escape, Claudio and Grady finally surrender—to desire, to trust, and to the future they never thought they could have. But love is its own kind of battlefield, and staying together will take more courage than any war they’ve fought before because this time, neither of them is walking away.

A high-stakes, slow-burn military romance packed with heart-stopping action, raw emotion, and the kind of love that refuses to be denied.

  • Publisher: Embers Romance LLC (March 20, 2025)
  • Publication date: March 20, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 332 pages

Full list of Crossover Series of Connected characters/couples and Agencies in the same universe in order:

🔹DELTA FORCE: TEAM PANTHER Jonah’s Compass 

Tied Up In Steele 

Malik’s Redemption 

Micah’s Promise 

Christmas-Panther Style 

Grif’s Salvation 

Jason’s Justice 

🔹TAGS OF HONOR: RED SQUADRON 

Zenko 

Noble 

Don’t Let Go 

Drax 

Roman  

Saxon 

Rees

🔹DELTA FORCE TEAM LYNX Salvation’s Sinner 

Redemption’s Rebel 

Temptation’s Tango 

🔹THE GHOST PROTECTORS 

To Love A Ghost 

To Claim A Ghost 

To Tame A Ghost 

🔹Tags Of Honor: Black Squadron:

Don’t Come For My Operator #1

Don’t Come For My Night Stalker #2

🔹SHORT STORIES 

They Won’t Ask If We Don’t Tell (Delta Force Team Panther)

Review: The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni

Rating: 4.5⭐️

The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni is a gripping fantasy novel, the first book in a trilogy of the same name by Lynette Noni.  She’s another new established author for me and I’m so excited to have found her and this series.

It’s equally great reading for adults like me who love fantasy with well developed characters and plots with unseen twists but could be read by young adults readers in the top range as well.  The reason for this comes from the fact that the storyline is firmly rooted in a death prison, one that’s remarkably well defined and detailed. 

The magical use comes slowly although the types of magic and how it’s been developed and divided throughout the kingdom historically is revealed early through internal storytelling by the characters. 

So the story is concentrated on the character of Kiva Meridan, first traumatically as a 7 year old on the day her family was shattered and she, along with her father, was sent to the infamous death prison, Zalindov. 

There are similarities that can be drawn between Zalindov and the German concentration camps of WWII, crematories, prisoners having numbers carved into them for identification purposes. Zalindov is a death sentence, it doesn’t matter why age you are, or why you are there.  While I don’t believe that Noni is overly graphic about the horrors of the prison, there’s enough scenes that contain disturbing details or content of deaths and other violent acts that if this is problematic for you, be aware. 

The Prison Healer jumps in time from that horrific day to present, and Kiva has survived, endured 10 years as a prisoner and a healer here. It’s been every bit a monumental struggle for her as you could expect.  One might, as a reader, find it difficult to connect with Kiva at times, due to her locked down mentality and the reduced sense of self that the prison life has left of her at 17 years.  She’s surviving, barely. 

Then the arrival of several prisoners and a sweeping deadly illness change the status quo of the prison life. 

Kiva is beautifully rendered, shutdown, hope sputtering out, you forget how young she is, as she quietly walks through the prison halls, hiding, looking out for the younger boy Tripp , trying to heal those who are in the infirmary. Being despised by all.  It’s scary, heartbreaking, and filled with fear and suspense. 

With the introduction of the dying Rebel Queen into the prison and the infirmary, the thrilling story begins to take shape on an ever larger scale. 

There’s not a romance, she’s young, and she doesn’t want to let anyone close, or to lose anyone else. 

There’s 3 incredible trial and an inventive use of space by the author to enhance her narrative. Also at the end , a fabulous twist that will send you running right into the next book to see where Kiva’s story goes!

Maps are fantastic. And I love the cover. 

Map art © 2021 by Francesca Baerald Cover illustration, design, and lettering by Jim Tierney

The Prison Healer series (completed):

The Prison Healer #1

The Gilded Gage #2

The Blood Traitor #3

Buy link

The Prison Healer (The Prison Healer, 1)$9.59Amazon.comFree returnsStore rating 4.5/5

Blurb 

Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan has spent the last ten years fighting for survival in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, working as the prison healer.

When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals.

Then a coded message from Kiva’s family arrives, containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.” Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.

But no one has ever survived.

With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.

From bestselling author Lynette Noni comes a dark, thrilling fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, and Sabaa Tahir.

Publisher. Penguin Random House Australia (March 13, 2023)

Language: English 

Pages: 448

Review:  Night Shift Dragons  (DFZ Book 3) by Rachel Aarons

Rating: 4.75⭐️

Rachel Aarons does her complex characters splendid in the finale story, Night Shift Dragons  (DFZ Book 3) by Rachel Aarons. 

One of the most compelling themes in the series has been the father/daughter relationship between Opal Yong-ae and her father, Yong, the Dragon of Korea. 

Btw, that’s them on the cover. Fabulous. 

Once a loving dynamic when she was very young, as she grew up, the relationship became a constant struggle for independence and freedom, to be seen as a individual, not as a Dragon’s gem, literally her name. The narrative, at first sees this dynamic from Opal’s perspective, changing over gradually to that of the ancient dragon’s view of his daughter. 

Night Shift Dragons is all about the young and old growing into their relationships, developing their personalities and abilities in the process.  This is a highly emotional story that still action packed , full of magically imaginative moments. Scary ones. 

 Whether they’re a young powerful shaman like Opal learning to control her abilities, the ancient dragon Yong finally recognizing he’s repeating patterns from his despised father and changing, to astonishingly a young god like DFZ who wants to be a different type of city if her people will let her , this book is full of the storylines and elements that bring us with all of them through their harrowing journey and the wildly different paths each takes to get to the ending. 

I love how maniacal this city feels in its very being. A place Timothy Leary or an acid trip would envision and maybe still not be wild enough. Then make it sentient but dependent upon the will and desire of those in it. Amazing.

All the side characters are equally incredible. Nik , Opal’s mom, White Snake, the Dragon of Detroit. On and on. 

There are parts where it was a bit dense but there’s so much to the city and magical systems that I get it. 

But as someone new to this universe and author, what an amazing world and fantastic series. 

I’m going back to pick up the first series. 

Highly recommended! Love the covers!

Cover Illustration by Tia Rambaran, Cover Design by Rachel Aaron

The DFZ Trilogy (2nd of 3 series)

Minimum Wage Magic 

Part-Time Gods 

Night Shift Dragons 

Buy link

        Night Shift Dragons (DFZ Book 3)

    

Blurb 

They say family always sticks together, but when the whole world—humans, dragons, and gods—wants your dad dead, “filial responsibility” takes on a whole new meaning.

My name is Opal Yong-ae, and I’m in way over my head. I thought getting rid of my dad’s bad luck curse would put things back to normal. Instead, I’m stuck playing caretaker to the Great Dragon of Korea. That wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t such a jerk, or if every dragon on the planet wasn’t out to kill him, or if he were my only problem.

Turns out, things can always get worse in the DFZ. When a rival spirit attacks my god/boss to turn the famously safety-optional city into a literal death arena with Nik as his bloody champion, I’m thrust onto the front lines and way out of my comfort zone. When gods fight, mortals don’t usually survive, but I’m not alone this time. Even proud old dragons can learn new tricks, and with everything I love falling to pieces, the father I’ve always run from might just be the only force in the universe stubborn enough to pull us back together.

The final book in the DFZ trilogy featuring dysfunctional dragon families, magic gone haywire, and a city on the brink of apocalypse. Again.

  • Publisher: Aaron/Bach (May 5, 2020)
  • Publication date: May 5, 2020
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 460 pages

Review:  A Forgotten Mistake (Deadly Mistakes #2) by Alice Winters 

Rating: 4.75🌈

The past comes rushing back for Homicide Det Liam Paige, the murderous psychopath who’s one delicious side of this two POV narrative in A Forgotten Mistake, the second story in the Deadly Mistakes series from Alice Winters. 

The other voice belongs to cat loving Detective Gabriel Hyde, partner , voice of reason and stability, as well as the beloved of the hilariously acerbic Liam. 

Winters uses the cases and investigations here to further the inter-departmental relationships Liam is reluctantly building with various team members he’s established barriers with previously and to reaffirm his commitment to the other romantic relationship he’s made with Gabriel.   It’s a layered story, shockingly emotional and compellingly told. 

Many details about Liam’s past life become hugely relevant to the cases and storylines here, impacting the investigations but Liam’s mental and emotional state. And that of Gabriel’s.

While there’s deeply disturbing and shocking elements in the scenes and storylines, there’s an equal amount of genuine hilarious moments. Gabriel,his cat,Lucille Pawl helps , in spectacular fashion, a new family member get added. 

A Forgotten Mistake (Deadly Mistakes #2) by Alice Winters is a fantastic book.  The author creates a compelling narrative that allows for the characters to explore their relationships and deepen their friendships, or in Liam’s case, actually start to develop some.  Their characters show genuine growth through dramatic, tragic moments but we still have the comedy to lighten the load.

Highly recommended. A must read for lovers of this trope, author and amazing series. 

Deadly Mistakes:

  • A Simple Mistake #1
  • A Forgotten Mistake #2 

Buy link

        A Forgotten Mistake (Deadly Mistakes Book 2)

    

Blurb 

Liam

Despite winning Gabriel’s heart, my trials are not yet over when I’m stuck competing with Gabriel’s cat for his affection (why is she only evil when he’s not looking?), dealing with coworkers trying to befriend me (I should have blackmailed more of them), and worst of all… meeting Gabriel’s parents (whose affection I will win with lavish presents).

Oh, and hunting down another killer. Though that’s the easy part.

But when a crime scene brings me face-to-face with someone from my past, I realize I might have to fight to keep my secrets hidden from those who would tear me away from Gabriel forever.

Gabriel

Tackling Liam’s foster sister to the ground outside of a crime scene is the last thing I expected to do. It’s clear she needs help, and Liam might be the only person who can assist her. People are turning up dead, but if we fail to find the connection between them before it’s too late, innocent people might end up taking the fall or piquing the serial killer’s interest.

Thankfully, Liam’s no stranger to challenges as he draws me further into his secretive world where the vilest of humanity reside around every corner. He’s opening my eyes and making me fall even deeper in love with every breath as I realize that his darkness isn’t driving me away but pulling me even closer.

This man who is willing to burn the world down for me doesn’t realize just how far I’d go for him.

  • Publication date: March 18, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 395 pages