Tag: complete series

Review: Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles Book 1) by Ilona Andrews 

Rating: 4.5 ✨

Here’s another fantastic magical science fiction series from the married authors (Ilona and Andrew Gordon) known as Ilona Andrews. They have quickly become my favorite authors and a must read, with my bookshelf full of great books and series of theirs.

The Innkeeper Chronicles is a complete series,a true delight of worlds and characters.  It starts with Clean Sweep, a sentient inn in a small town in Texas where The Innkeeper, a actual galactic title associated with the house and its current owner is still getting herself established with her own Inn and her clients.

Dina Demille is the daughter of Innkeepers, her parents and their famous Inn mysteriously disappeared without a trace while Dina was in college and her siblings were away from home,far far away from home on other worlds.  After years of searching and no clues, Dina has followed in their footsteps and become an Innkeeper herself. 

Dina Demille is such a fabulously written character. She really stands out from the other characters in this genre of strong female characters in that she has her own unique history and challenges that she’s been working with.  She’s incredibly strong, quietly intelligent and able to be flexible with multiple personalities and situations while still being a relatable person. Full of emotions, a width and depth of experience that is only slowly revealed, Dina is a whole new level of main female character energy!

She’s also got a very strange monster tiny dog that is her companion, a sentient Inn that’s home and more, and a current client who’s a lifetime resident and galactic criminal. And a favorite character!

We get to know the backgrounds and histories for Dina and those around her through the drama that descends on the town. Monsters are killing the townspeople’s pets. 

It’s a fantastic storyline, we meet many important characters such as alpha werewolves and vampire royals. All beautifully crafted and supplied with a great history and dramatic backstory to tell.

This particular storyline is wrapped up completely and in a very satisfying way. But leaves the ending open for more adventures and further development for the three main characters and the group that is forming. 

Honestly, it’s enormously difficult to hold myself back from binging this all the way through like I did with the fabulous Kate Daniels series. 

Highly recommended!

Art by Doris Mantair 

Innkeeper Chronicles:

Clean Sweep #1

Sweep in Peace #2

One Fell Sweep #3

Sweep of the Blade #4

Sweep with Me #5

Sweep of the Heart #6

Buy link

        Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles)

    

Blurb 

This is a short novel, about 60,000 words.

On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is…different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, “normal” is a bit of a stretch for Dina.

And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night…Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything.

  • Publisher: NYLA
  • Publication date: December 2, 2013
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 250 pages
  • Book 1 of 6: Innkeeper Chronicles

Review: Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Elf (The Unconventional Heroes Book 1) by L. G. Estrella

Rating: 4✨

This was a well written and imaginative fantasy story.  The first in a new series , The Unconventional Heroes by L. G. Estrella, Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Elf at first glance sounds more like a bar joke than a plot of a story.

But that’s exactly what it is. The beginning of a formation of the group of Unconventional Heroes, starting with an infamous Necromancer and his very young, very capable intern, who have decided that the life they are living needs a total change. But to do that they need the approval of their Kingdom’s council.

Luckily, a war approaches. And a special army of highly skilled criminals is required by the Kingdom. Pardons, getting to keep their own castles and goodies if they work together for the Kingdom? A definite plus. 

 

This novel launches the series so we meet Timmy, the world renowned infamous Necromancer and his scarily powerful but adorable preteen intern, Katie, and her squad of Ninja rats. Then it’s the intriguing bureaucrat, Gerald, with amazing bureaucratic skills and powers who go on a quest to get the very terrifying elf witch Avraniel (and enemy of Timmy) to join them. And kill a dragon along the way. 

At only 81 pages, this has the feel of a much larger and wider range story. The characters and world is well written and the challenges as well as battles are exciting and vividly detailed. 

This series is a great read. One I’m excited to share and recommend.  High adventure! Fun, and great storytelling. A complete series. 

Love the covers, simple and eye catching. 

Cover by L. G. Estrella.

The Unconventional Heroes Series (5 book series)

Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Elf #1

Two Necromancers, an Army of Golems, and a Demon Lord #2

Two Necromancers, a Dragon, and a Vampire #3

Two Necromancers, a Dwarf Kingdom, and a Sky City #4

Two Necromancers, a Fortress, and a Titan #5 

Buy link:

        Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Elf (The Unconventional Heroes Series Book 1)

    

Blurb 

Two necromancers, a bureaucrat, and an elf – it sounds like the start of a bad joke, only the joke is on Timmy.

Timothy Walter Bolton – better known as Timmy – has spent most of his life as a necromancer. When he isn’t terrorising his enemies, he’s plotting inside his castle, which is built on top of lightless chasms filled with nameless horrors and beings of a generally malevolent and megalomaniacal nature. But after one of his latest creations, a zombie hydra-dragon-bear, tries to eat him, he decides that maybe it’s time to find a new, less dangerous, career.

But that’s easier said than done. He’s a wanted criminal with no shortage of powerful (and crazy) enemies, and he has a bone or two to pick with the Everton Council of Mages.

Hope arrives in the form of a new law. War is coming to Everton, and the Council is desperate. In exchange for providing some help, Timmy might just earn that pardon he’s been looking for. Of course, just because it’s possible to earn a pardon doesn’t mean that it’s going to be easy.

To earn his pardon, Timmy is going to have to take down some of Everton’s most dangerous enemies and put together a quirky group of unconventional heroes, most of whom want nothing more than to mangle him and/or the Council in as vicious a way as possible. It’s a good thing that he’s got some help: an obnoxious ten-year-old apprentice who thinks that pink glasses are appropriate for a budding necromancer and a bumbling bureaucrat who may or may not make it through their first real fight without puking his guts up.

Wonderful.

Still, Timmy’s never been one to back down from a challenge even if their first recruit is basically the elf version of the bogeyman.

Review: Double-Sided Magic (Legacy Book 1) by McKenzie Hunter 

Rating:3.5⭐️

“I am Levy Michaels. Once my kind were the hunters—now we are the hunted.”

This book has several things going for it. It’s a complete paranormal thriller series with a strong female main character. Its author, McKenzie Hunter, is a new writer to me, and its urban fantasy themes are ones I’ve always enjoyed. 

That said, I find that this story is enjoyable but not as engaging as some of the other similar series I find absolutely addictive. 

I’m actually past this novel in the series , and found that the storylines and characters situations are initially very interesting but soon become repetitive.

Levy Michaels is a Legacy, a being of pure magic and from a species that is reviled by the world.  All due to the Cleanse, a unimaginable heinous magical act that saw a majority of the world’s paranormal population killed just because a majority of the Legacy decided to ensure that they were the only species worthy of magic.  

 

What was left banded together to hunt down the Legacy, rendering them extinct. Only they weren’t.

That’s a good premise. And the basis for the main character. She’s been hunted her whole life for something she didn’t do.   

And she’s employed in an  well imagined antique acquisitions shop run by a fabulous fae owner, Kalen,  and friend.  As well as has a great human roommate , Savannah, who is obsessed with yoga and healthy food habits. Also a great element and character. 

Where things are less smoothly paced and written happen when she’s implicated in a murder crime and becomes involved with Gareth, the cave lion shifter leader of the Supernatural Guild.  Their relationship isn’t so much a sexy, romantic hot chemistry but rather one that reads as perplexing and strangely unlikely.  Hes immediately hot, then cold, then hot, then threatening. Put that on repeat. She’s finding him unbelievably attractive, but finds out shocking things, doesn’t like him. Repeat. 

That constant will continue through the next book. 

The exact same thing will happen with another character, Connor. The same actions, same conversations , are held chapter after chapter. The events change but the conversation stay the same. 

The most important personal growth can be found happening in the secondary characters , who I wish we could have more of. Savannah, her roommate, and Kalen, her fae boss and friend. Love them. And perhaps even Lucas, the Vampire Head of all vampires in the city. 

There’s nothing in the narrative that is a surprise but it’s entertaining.  I’ll be finishing the series, especially since each book is so short. They are quick reads. 

Entertainment for readers who enjoy urban fantasy and complete series. 

Cover Artist: Yocla Designs

Legacy Series (4 book series)

Double-Sided Magic #1

Obsidian Magic #2

Renegade Magic #3

Rogue Magic #4 – finale 

Buy link

 Book 1 of 4: Legacy Series 

Blurb 

I am Levy Michaels. Once my kind were the hunters—now we are the hunted. 

Humans are aware of the existence of supernaturals but I have to stay hidden because of the type of magic I possess. I’m a Legacy. It sounds like the title should come with reverence, a trust fund, or at the very least a cool backstory—instead it comes with a death sentence.

I have to hide in plain sight and pretend to be just human. I’m pretty good at it.

I live a simple and somewhat normal life, and I work in antique acquisitions. Everything’s going fine until a dangerous and enchanted dagger that was once in my possession is stolen. I didn’t think things could get any worse until I woke up next to a dead shifter, fae, and mage, without any memory of the past twenty-four hours.

Considered guilty of murder by most of the magical community and humans, I must work with Gareth, the sexy and dangerous leader of the Supernatural Guild. If he’s as good as rumored, it’s only a matter of time until he discovers the truth about me—then being found guilty of murder is the least of my worries.

Series Complete. This series is perfect for readers looking for edge-of-your-seat action, mystery with unexpected twists, a witty, kick-butt heroine.

  • Publisher: Sky Publishing
  • Publication date: November 5, 2016
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 230 pages
  • Book 1 of 4: Legacy Series

Review:  Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1) by Ilona Andrews

Rating: 4.5⭐️

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.”

Buy link

        Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1)

    

Blurb 

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.

  • Publisher: Ace
  • Publication date: March 29, 2009
  • Edition: 1st
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 353 pages
  • ISBN-13: 978-1101041970
  • Book 1 of 10: Kate Daniels

Review:  Moon Called (Mercy Thompson, Book 1) by Patricia Briggs

Rating: 4.25⭐️

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. 

Cover art by Daniel Dos Santos 

Cover design by Judith Lagerman 

Map by Michael Enzweiler

Mercy Thompson (14 book series)

Moon Called #1

Blood Bound #2

Iron Kissed #3

Bone Crossed #4

Silver Bourne #5

River Marked #6

Frost Burned #7

Night Broken #8

Fire Touched #9

Silence Fallen #10

Storm Cursed #11

Smoke Bitten #12

Soul Taken #13

Winter Lost #14

Buy link 

        Moon Called (Mercy Thompson, Book 1)

    

blurb 

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

  • Publisher: Ace
  • Accessibility: Learn more
  • Publication date: January 31, 2006
  • Edition: 1st
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 295 pages
  • ISBN-13: 978-1101208434
  • Book 1 of 14: Mercy Thompson

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: Three Dog Knight (Midnight Empire: The Tower Book 2) by Annabel Chase

Rating: 4⭐️

I really enjoy this author and her characters and series in Midnight Empire: The Tower are getting more interesting with each book. 

Three Dog Night’s best elements are involved in its main mystery and investigation, that of what’s making the local werewolf population go out of control.

It’s both a werewolf Alpha that seeks out Knights of Boudicca, specifically London Hayes, to solve the mystery. And that means bringing, unfortunately, the vampire royalty into this in the form of Prince Callan. 

Chase has this investigation go incredibly complicated, takes the odd couple on the road, across territorial borders, which gives the author a chance to expand her universe and explore additional possibilities for other paranormal creatures and magical powers. 

London herself emotionally doesn’t evolve that much but everything else around her is changing and it ends in a bit of a cliffhanger.  Not unexpected as this story has some wonderful twists and surprises to it. 

Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series. 

Cover design by Trif

Books in the Midnight Empire: The Tower series include: 

Wild Knight 

Three Dog Knight 

Deadly Knight 

One Knight Stand

Buy link

        Three Dog Knight (Midnight Empire: The Tower Book 2)

    

Blurb 

I survived a job for royal vampires with my life and identity intact. That means I can return to my normal life as a knight, right?

Wrong.

When a group of werewolves goes berserk in our local pub, there’s a new threat in the city and the local pack hires me to find out what it is. 

Unfortunately that decision draws the attention of a certain vampire prince who likes to keep tabs on the most powerful pack in the city. Just when I thought I was free of the Demon of House Duncan, we’re embarking on a road trip together to investigate.

And what we discover changes everything—as well as each other.

Three Dog Knight is the second book in the Midnight Empire: The Tower series. Don’t miss this supernatural joy ride that features a kick-butt heroine, a powerful hero with a deadly past, and a quirky cast of characters.

Review:  Protection of the Pack: An Urban Fantasy Novel by Heather G. Harris

Rating: 3.25⭐️

I picked up this series and another because the authors are co-authoring an urban fantasy series that I’m absolutely in love with, and I thought I’d explore what each writer was doing separately. 

At least, if this (and Jilleen Dolbeare’s Splintered Magic novel) are any indication, they are far stronger together than apart. 

Heather G. Harris’ Protection of the Pack has some interesting ideas and promising elements but it’s derailed by its main female character , a surprise here, and a world building where its lack might be due to its many related series and overlapping characters, none of which are well explained in the story. It’s assumed that the reader has the foundation knowledge of this universe to understand the under explored elements. 

But it’s mostly on the shoulders of a poorly conceived main female character that is unable to carry the weight of the story and a romantic relationship that had little to no chemistry between them that’s the issue here.

I’ll try to make it brief. 

Lucy is was a regular person until her serial killer incubus boyfriend made her his next victim and put her into the ICU in the hospital. A quick bite from her werewolf bestie and she’s a werewolf and , in a plot from another story, a reluctant Alpha of an unhappy little pack.   That’s the facts. 

But Lucy? She’s another SMH character. Instead of trying to learn how to lead, focus on pack dynamics, etc. That girl’s gonna party. And whine about her problems. 

There’s a good element of the werewolf or just wolf being a separate entity within her, complete with its own personality and goals. Esme, the wolf inside has hidden knowledge and history of pack rules and otherworldly creatures from the advice she offers to Lucy. Not that Lucy is willing to listen all that much.

Lucy is frankly written as an annoying person. That boyfriend is a serial killer, has basically killed her, murdered multiple women. Her stance? She feels sorry for him. 

What is the author doing? Consistently, Lucy is running off, not informing anyone where she’s going, putting herself, the shaky pack leadership, and the pack itself in danger.  Honestly, she’s a gorgeous twit. 

Greg Manners, former dragon brethren, is an overlapping character from another series. His story is scribbled in briefly so maybe his background is described in another series. But his lack of one makes him very one dimensional here, especially as he’s seen as the main romantic character for Lucy.  No chemistry and no real sense of connection. 

That’s the issue here with the other characters. They seem to be carryover from other books and it’s assumed we know what their relationships and stories are.  New readers will feel completely lost as very little information is given out about any of them. 

This isn’t to say there’s not some intriguing plot lines or great characters. There are.  Bob the gargoyle and his group. The Griffin assassin (from another series) is fascinating, if only for his stance on morality. 

But the fact that the main characters are not the strongest characters in the series or are not as well crafted as to be able to keep me invested in her story is a big problem here. 

It’s continues to be in book 2, but I’ll address that in my review later. 

I’m actually very surprised that I didn’t like the story more. That Lucy wasn’t as good a character or as well constructed as I expected from having read the other co-authored series.

I’ve read book two and it’s more of the same.  Honestly I’m debating on whether I should read all the books. 

Cover Design by Christian Bentulan.

The Other Wolf Series – now complete!

Protection of the Pack, Book 1

Guardians of the Pack, Book 2

Saviour of the Pack, Book 3

Awakening of the Pack, Book 4

Resurgence of the Pack, Book 5

Ascension of the Pack, Book 6

Buy link

        Protection of the Pack: An Urban Fantasy Novel (The Other Wolf Series Book 1)

    

Blurb

***Series Complete!***

I have a wolf in my head. Her name is Esme, and she likes killing things.

I’m Lucy, a regular accountant turned alpha werewolf. A tryst with the wrong incubus ripped me from my ordinary life and sent me tumbling into a magical realm that I’d never even dreamed existed.

I was just adjusting to pack life when I was asked to mercy-kill the current alpha. I’m not a total bitch so I did what he asked, but it’s left me as alpha of a pack I don’t know, full of werewolves who resent that I still live and breathe while their old alpha doesn’t. If I’m to survive in this dog-eat-dog realm, I’m going to have to win my new pack over – and fast.

I’m still trying to find my way in this violent new world when my third in command, Mark, is brutally murdered right under my damn nose. To regain control of the pack, I need to find the killer and bring him to vigilante justice. Luckily, my wolf, Esme, is more than happy to get her paws dirty.

When the werewolf council show up to question me, things get a little dicey. Thank goodness I have the deadly Greg Manners, former dragon brethren and general ass-kicker, to back me up. Now I just need to unravel who’d want to kill Mark – and there’s a really long list of suspects because he was shadier than an oak tree.

I’m hip-deep in suspects, and I need to move swiftly – before the killer strikes again…

Burn through this fun, fast-paced, laugh-out-loud mix of urban fantasy and mystery.

This is the first book in the Other Wolf series. Don’t miss this internationally best-selling series if you like humour, heart, a strong heroine and a slow burn fade-to-black romance.

Written in British English.

  • Publisher: Hellhound Press Limited (September 9, 2022)
  • Publication date: September 9, 2022
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 387 pages 

The Other Wolf Series – now complete!

Protection of the Pack, Book 1

Guardians of the Pack, Book 2

Saviour of the Pack, Book 3

Awakening of the Pack, Book 4

Resurgence of the Pack, Book 5

Ascension of the Pack, Book 6

Don’t miss all the books set in the Other Realm!

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: Minimum Wage Magic (DFZ Book 1) by Rachel Aaron

Rating:  4.5⭐️🌈

This book had me at the title!Minimum Wage Magic (DFZ Book 1) by Rachel Aaron drew me in by that great title, then the interesting cover, and the story behind both. 

Plus the fact that I got to discover a new author and ever expanding universe to dive into! Rachel Aaron has been developing this magical trippy world through 3 connected series, of which the DFZ trilogy is the second one. 

DFZ, or the Detroit Free Zone is a both a sentient goddess and place, one that is constantly rearranging itself according to the DFZ’s whims and ideas.  It’s a no holds barred zone of all out love of competition and commerce, anything goes until the DFZ says no, which doesn’t often happen.  I really am going to read that first series, because fabulous.

But there’s enough magical systems foundation and world history laid down here for a new reader to understand the storylines and characters. 

Aaron’s world building is excellent and so imaginative. Interwoven with magical elements and technology, it’s a place of mystery and endless opportunities for creativity and crime. New architecture and depths of depravity.  And it’s sentient. That’s the city of Detroit. 

Its 2115 and debt ridden mage Opal Yong-ae is doing her job as a Cleaner, think someone who has come to clean out all the apartments/houses for those who haven’t paid or been evicted. She owns what’s inside, trash or treasure, whatever. It’s a toss up because she bid on it unknowingly what’s inside. 

Yup, she may have magic but she’s an Official Subcontractor for Detroit Free Zone Habitation Management.

I’m so in.

Of course, the place she’s working on , in a nasty location, takes a turn for the worst. 

This is such a captivating story. Opal’s own narrative, her mysterious family, the debt she’s carrying, the freedom she craves so desperately, all these elements are carefully assembled and revealed throughout the story as events happen. 

Opal is a tremendously appealing personality, one we relate to, as she meets each new character, ends up in another humbling or challenging situation, we are right there with her. 

Nik, another Cleaner with his own mysterious history behind him, becomes someone who can grow and develop into a partner equally powerful and intriguing.  

It’s hard to describe anything here without knowingly giving away main spoilers for the characters and book that are too delightful and should be read.

Delightful, scary, frustrating and definitely a way to send me running straight to the next book.

And back to the original series. 

I just adore the characters, especially Opal and need to see more of the DFZ and all the spirits and Demi-gods that dwell there. 

Fascinating, imaginative stuff. More please!

Highly recommended! 

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:

        Minimum Wage Magic (DFZ Book 1)

    

Blurb 

Return to the DFZ with a new standalone series full of dragons, mages, and the deadly perils of freelance employment, now complete at three books!

Making a living is hard. Making a living in a lawless city where gods are real, dragons are traffic hazards, and buildings move on their own can feel downright impossible.

Good thing freelance mage Opal Yong-ae has never let little things like impossibility stop her. She’s found a way to put her overpriced magical art history degree to use as a Cleaner: a contract municipal employee who empties out abandoned apartments and resells the unusual treasures she finds inside for a profit. It’s not a pretty job, or a safe one–there’s a reason she wears bite-proof gloves–but when you’re neck-deep in debt to a very magical, very nasty individual, you can’t be picky about where the money comes from.

But even Opal’s low standards are put to the test when the only thing of value in her latest apartment is the body of the previous tenant. Dealing with the dead isn’t technically part of her job, but this mage died hiding a secret that could be worth a lot of money, and Opal’s the only one who knows. With debts she can’t pay due at the end of the week, this could be the big break she’s been waiting for, but in a city of runaway magic where getting in over your head generally means losing it, the cost of chasing this opportunity might be more than Opal can survive.

  • Publisher: Aaron/Bach (November 9, 2018)
  • Publication date: November 9, 2018
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 341 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