Bonds of the Forsaken brings the Forbidden Flight fantasy series to a satisfying conclusion.
H. G. Chambers takes Kiva, and Noor, her bonded kiraeen , and Kahalil, a sage, on a thrilling adventure to save her people and Medina Basin from the Red God.
Already so many from Medina Basin have perished. Kiva taking for herself the burden of their loss, rightly or wrongly, because of the last battle. Layered on top of which is the devastating death of Noor’s mate and her fiancé’s kiraeen bondmate. With deeply cutting emotional consequences.
To find the necessary power and magic to defeat the Red God, Kiva must fly through lands to find people she’s never seen before to accomplish her goals and return home safely in time.
It’s an emotionally charged and satisfying journey. Kiva’s full of anger and grief and realistic fears about herself and her own personal struggles here and abilities to achieve her goals. Chambers crafts new and exciting landscapes and cultures for Kiva and Noor to experience, in every way possible. Ones that will challenge them and their bond in surprising ways and their own will to survive.
The final result and battles are epic. The resolution for Kiva and Noor and Medina Basin one that’s feels realistic for all sides, grounded in the events, the growth and development of the individuals.
And Chambers leaves it open ended enough so that he can revisit it and see where Kiva and Noor’s journey’s takes them.
As I said, highly satisfactory. And a series I definitely recommend reading for all ages.
A city under siege. A god’s wrath. One woman’s fight to save everything she loves.
Madina Basin is under relentless attack from the sharun sand-warrior demons. Determined to stop them once and for all, Kiva leads a daring offensive—only to discover the true power behind the sharun is far more dangerous than she ever imagined.
Now, her only hope to save her people is an ancient artifact with the power to challenge a god. To claim it, she must embark on an epic journey across shifting deserts, perilous forests, and towering mountains. But the weight of her past threatens to destroy her from within, and if she can’t overcome her anger, guilt, and grief, it may consume her first.
Can Kiva conquer her inner demons and secure the artifact in time, or will she return home to find everyone she loves lost forever?
The Bone Charm brings the beautifully written paranormal mystery series , The Haunted Ranch Mysteries by Sara Bourgeois to a heartwarming, richly satisfying conclusion.
Through 8 books, nine of you count the prequel, Claire’s development starting from a woman who has fled failures in her life back in Chicago, fired from her job and dumped by her fiancé to arrive in a small town in Arizona and a ranch left to her by a aunt.
Slowly she’s accepted that the dusty, weird town of Perdido Springs and her desert life out on Whispering Saguaro Ranch is where she belongs. The ranch becomes an animal sanctuary in odd scenarios, each a memorable character themselves and, the ranch is inhabited by ghosts, fully realized and completely a part of Claire’s life and the series.
Each book has a murder mystery, the casualty one that leaves a wound upon the community in multiple ways. Physically and emotionally and metaphysically damaging the magic that surrounds the desert and town.
That happens here.
The townspeople, like Buddy Kern feel incredibly real, as part of the landscape that the author describes so realistically and with such great detail. They’re believable in their crustiness and weariness from the everyday realities of ranch life in the heat of the desert.
And don’t get me started on how much I love Oso the livestock guardian dog lost in his grief while still watching his flock.
The thoughtful investigation, the way the case was resolved, both of them, because there was several aspects to this particular murder mystery that needed to be finalized.
And Sara Bourgeois brought Clair’s journey to a close with her role being tied to her land and town in a way that makes sense. She’s grown and become grounded, by her ranch, the animals, the land itself. And her magic has evolved as she has.
The end acknowledges her journey, her growth, and her future there. It’s all tied up together beautifully. And I’ve feel so thrilled and happy for this series to end like this.
One of my favorites. Highly recommended. As is the author.
Claire Caldwell’s life at Whispering Saguaro Ranch is never quiet. Between escape-artist goats, a rooster with a personal grudge against her wedding ring, and a spirit fox who disappears every night on business of his own, she’s learned to expect trouble in feathers, fur, or both.
Then Socorro Vega, the elderly herb seller from the farmers market, is found dead on a desert trail.
The county blames the heat. Claire might have believed them if she hadn’t gone to rescue Socorro’s goats and her grieving Great Pyrenees, Oso. One touch of a carved bone charm in Socorro’s kitchen shows Claire what really happened. A dark room. Hands pressed over an old woman’s face. A desperate voice begging her to sign a piece of paper.
Plenty of people wanted what Socorro owned. Her forty acres include one of the last live springs in a drying valley. Her handmade charms are worth a fortune to the right collector. Even her closest relative has debts he can’t outrun. Unfortunately, the sheriff has already closed the case, and visions from a dead woman’s necklace aren’t evidence.
While Claire and her friends search for something they can prove, Perdido Springs begins coming apart in ways no one can explain. Animals panic without cause. Lights wander through the cemetery. Ghostly cowboys flee into the desert. Socorro wasn’t simply gathering herbs all those years. She was tending a hidden boundary around the town, and her murder left part of it wide open.
Finding Socorro’s killer is only the beginning. If Claire can’t finish the work Socorro died protecting, whatever is pressing against that broken boundary may soon find its way through.
Shannon Mayer brings the Shadowspell Academy series and the Year of the Chameleon mini trilogy to a thrilling conclusion here in the sixth and final story.
Wild, Gregory, Wally, Johnson and the rest of her crew have 3 days to stop Frost or all is lost. It’s a terrifying race to find the all the keys and figure out how the magical pieces work together to become the ultimate weapon to defeat a enemy whose powers are growing.
The author’s manages to gather all her characters, the main circle of friends as well as the older characters, ghosts and outliers together, as well as their past shared histories , in this magical powerful confrontation with evil.
And it takes Wild back to her beginnings and returns the series to its own roots. A really great narrative touch.
The ending was harrowing, heartbreaking in scenes and emotionally charged. How it finally felt after the battle was over? Drained and right.
It would have gotten a higher rating but there’s still too much left unfinished. Characters who are important but have no resolution. Same goes for Wild’s siblings and father.
For a “academy/trials” trope, outside of the first book, the school and any type of academic work is not addressed here. The very idea of an academy going forward with Wild and crew and their schooling would have to be a continuing part of the series.
What would come after The Year of the Chameleon?
Anyway, this was excellent. Absolutely exciting, highly suspenseful, thrilling storytelling. I’ll definitely be recommending it for lovers of this genre and paranormal fiction.
A real pleasure to share.
Shadowspell Academy (6 book series)
The Culling Trials #1 through 3
Year of the Chameleon #4 through 6 written by Shannon Mayer
You Don’t Choose the Academy. The Academy Chooses You.
Broken, bruised, and battered beyond anything else, I’ve survived what I shouldn’t have.
But my day isn’t done yet. We finally have the key to stopping Frost—literally. Even if we don’t know how to use it.
One last time my friends and I have to scour not only the city but the supernatural world to find the pieces of this final puzzle—and we have three days to do it.
One final showdown brings us back to where it all began, and I face off against the woman who killed my brother. Who hunted my mother down. Who broke my uncle’s spirit.
Mack’s Horribly Hellacious Ghost Town is the finale story in the Mack’s Marvelous Manifestations paranormal series by A. J. Sherwood and it’s a really good read.
I’m sorry to see this series and set of characters go, especially since Sherwood actually introduces some new and engaging characters here in the finale novel. Maybe, as the author writes in the notes, they might speak to her sometime in the future.
Brandon and Mack , new apprentice Gwyn who’s part of the story, and all the Paranormal Activity Division, FBI friends they’ve worked, all engage in two big spooky battles in Black Rock, Arizona, a mining ghost town.
“a coal mining town in Arizona—or a former coal mining town, I should say—that’s haunted as hell.”*
I’ll come back to this.
Lachlan and Seiji, chaos magician and fabulous new character as well as new romantic/paranormal partner for Lochlan, were a wonderful surprise couple. They got a small amount of narrative time and a chapter’s perspective here. Honestly they were both a lovely team and a frustrating element of the story because they were great together and then it ends. So why do it at all?
Mack and Brandon are ready to get married and settle down, a running thread here. This is the case just before they get married and are into their next adventure.
The town in Arizona, Black Rock, which is an actual copper mining town, here is a ghost town full of ghosts and things that go bump into the night. Tons of them. And the Mayor has asked for help.
There’s also a haunted coal mine outside of town with something down deep in the deserted mine shafts to deal with as well. That’s the second issue. The town’s ghosts and the thing in the mine.
Added to that is a young girl, a medium, Gywn, who needs saving from her family and the dark ghosts attacking her.
So there’s a lot of storytelling and elements that the narrative needs to handle. Which it does by bringing back multiple characters from books to help Mack and Brandon deal with the situation. And Gywn’s, who turns out to be a great delight here. She needs to be factored into Lachlan and Seiji stories.
The actual battles seemed to be more Seiji’s than anyone else’s, fierce as they were, with Lachlan and Dor’s fighting too.
Mack and Brandon took care of the rest of the ghosts, surprisingly easy as this is their story.
The locations of the mines and areas of interest, Clifton, an actual great historical copper mining town in Arizona , about 3.5 hours east of Phoenix. Check it out! The real historical coal mining sites were northeastern parts of the state in Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservation lands, like the Kayenta Mine.
There’s more than one Black Mesa too. That’s directly east of Phoenix.
So in the story and town it’s a bit different than what you might expect to see historically correct sites.
But it’s a finale book, they’re headed off to get married, which they quickly do in the epilogue. Short and sweet.
I was disappointed not to see the characters who were in the story not to be mentioned in the wedding section but it’s so hurried that hardly anyone is.
This book starts out great but is rushed towards the end. Still a wonderful series.
Apprentices, and two ghost towns, and almost-demons oh…no.
Mack doesn’t mind the apprentice part of this job; in fact, finding Gwyn is delightful, though he hates she grew up in such a haunted town with parents who don’t believe she’s a Medium.
Mack really hates the old mining ghost town is locked down with weird energy and none of the ghosts can see them, which makes passing them difficult.
Mack especially hates that in Black Rock there’s an almost-demon ghost inciting other ghosts to cause a mob, how is that allowed to be a thing?!
Who you gonna call for help when you’re the experts? Mack wants to know for a friend. (Him. He’s the friend.)
Tags:
Mack has found hell on earth, this was not on his bucket list, Accidental apprentice acquisition, Lachlan is back!, ghost gangs, chaos magician, Seiji is a new bonk bro, wedding, almost demons lurking, too much water and limestone for a medium’s peace of mind, uncharted haunted mines make Lachlan’s day, Eli is her usual scary self, Mack goes Wild West, Brandon can see ghosts here, that’s not a good thing, Brandon gets to have an apprentice too and can’t be happier, ghost pranks, Mack has picked too many battles, he’s putting some back, Ghost-hunting squad–assemble!
Tropes: MM Romance, Multicultural Romance, Ghost Town, Ghost Medium, Age Gap, Apprentices, Wedding, HEA
This is the fifth and final book in the series following a plot crossover with the Jon’s Mysteries Series. While it would be best to read the books listed in the below order, you can read Mack’s Horribly Hellacious Ghost Town without having read “Book 4” with minimal confusion. To read in series order, Book 1 – Brandon’s Very Merry Haunted Christmas, Book 2 – Mack’s Perfectly Ghastly Homecoming, Book 3 – Mack’s Rousing Ghoulish Highland Adventure, Book 4 – Jon & Mack’s Terrifying Tree Troubles, and Book 5 – This title.
Masquerade finishes out the urban fantasy trilogy of Knight and Daywalker by Sam Burns and I have to admit it’s a little underwhelming.
Both Smokescreen and Façade were excellent. The plots were very well executed and the characters were engaging and the growing relationships between Flynn Knight and his day walker vampire boyfriend, Davin Byrne, just were so well done. And that goes for the intriguing side characters like the scary void kitten Twist and the paranormal siblings who run the confectionery shop. Love them.
But this story feels rushed. As though Burns had so many elements and unfinished storylines that had big implications that were never really explored but had to go into this book anyway. Some were lovely while introducing new characters.
But most of all the storylines were just too one layered. There was no substance to them.
I suppose that’s because there’s no page time for many main series plots to be developed and executed at the last book, often in the very last chapters. So it feels underwhelming and certainly rushed into an ending where the villain gets his comeuppance, the characters their happy ending but the reader isn’t exactly satisfied.
Spoilers. Don’t read further if you don’t want to know.
The villain is revealed, as is his longtime nefarious plan that heinously threatens to destroy all dragons and a terrible magical machine. None of these are given much as far as depth of in storyline knowledge or exploration of any other laid out foundation. It’s more here they are or someone says they exist. It’s very superficial.
The “dramatic rescue” as well as the preceding arrival of Flynn’s father, missing for decades, again given short shrift narratively speaking. The father is used basically to give Flynn’s mother a HEA, but we know nothing about him or his captivity. He appeared and it’s happy family once again.
The rescue and fight isn’t much fun. No one lives up to any expectations of power or possible magical growth. Even Twist falls short. And worse, when the cells , full of traumatized broken dragons, plus others who’s got wounds to be healed, instead of dealing directly with their injuries, Flynn’s dithering about in his head with “stuff “, for pages. Which makes me lose interest and patience.
Burns has made a big deal of Flynn being neurodivergent, but , imo, this is the worst decision to make narratively in the scene. The dragons and others are suffering and Flynn’s not paying attention to what’s happening instead of getting things done right away. It’s Davin to the rescue instead.
I believe had this been stretched out to four books instead of cramming everything together into a trilogy, things might have been better handled. Or maybe not.
But as is, Masquerade as a finale and a story is too rushed and underdeveloped. Which is unfortunate because this had so much potential to be outstanding.
Flynn is just out here trying to live his #bestlife. He’s feeding his cat, running his business, and dating his boyfriend . . . well, trying to date his boyfriend. Every time things start to get intimate, something seems to interrupt them, no matter where they are or how many cell phones they turn off.
When the interruption is Flynn’s cousin, having been attacked and drained of energy, Flynn realizes that the monster who’s been killing dragons isn’t just a distant thing, but a clear and present threat.
But can a man who’s always let other people fight his battles handle his own this time?
Masquerade is the final book in the Knight & Daywalker series, starring one scatterbrained detective, a spoiled kitten, a frustrated daywalking boyfriend who just wants a nice quiet dinner, the world’s most overprotective mother, and whole cast of other friends Flynn has made along the way, including a surprise or two.
Bring the Heat is the finale of the series, bringing most but not all of the major plot lines to a conclusion.
And the issue is that there’s far too much drama and too many elements to pull off for one book for that to feel completely satisfying.
I absolutely love books 7 and 8, which featured the sisters of the Riders of the Steppe, Elina Shestakova and Kachka Shestakova. Each have their own unique story and voice that still resonates with me. I mean I woke up at night giggling madly thinking about them. Still do.
Then comes this book which tries to capture the relationship development between Aiden and Brannie but that’s overshadowed by a multitude of plots that Aiken is trying to create and then resolve by the end.
Think of a juggler with a number of different balls in the air, each vying for the attention of the audience. Each is important for the act’s success but you can’t concentrate on each individual piece too long because the next is taking its place.
That’s what happens here.
The reader can’t concentrate or connect with any scene or character because just as we get started, Aiken switches to another location, characters and drama. Something totally different is going on, removed from what we were just reading about.
The final battles to win against the Eyeless God and his priests has started. But this book is all over the place. An enormous cast of characters, on all sides and we get their POV’s, so multiple perspectives.
Changes in realms, locations, new kingdoms.
Keita the Viper is off on a covert rescue/assassination mission with Brannie and Aiden and a few of the Mi-runach who are sort of goofy, Queen Annwyl is missing ( huge section here in a new different location), then we’re back with scary Dagmar and her weird family, then the Abomination trio making plans for battle with the Dragon Queen, then Katcha and her crew. And the one-eyed King Gaius, and more. So many more.
I will admit to flipping through a couple of pages because I couldn’t figure out who some of these people were.
The final battle was predictable enough but still satisfying. And there was, as I said, still lots of loose ends about the children, that should the author ever want to revisit this universe she could easily pick up their stories.
My favorite books might just be those about the Riders of the Steppe. A fierce matriarchal sisterhood. Maybe that’s a series we should have. Amazing characters and stories.
And for now, it’s at an end. What a wild fabulous ride!
Highly recommended the series which should be read in the order it is written.
I, Aidan the Divine, am, well divine. My name was given to me by the Dragon Queen herself! I’m a delight! Cheerful. Charming. And a mighty warrior who is extremely handsome with a very large and well-hidden hoard of gold. I am also royal born, despite the fact that most in my family are horrendous beings that don’t deserve to live. And yet, Branwen the Awful—a low-born, no less—either tells me to shut up or, worse, ignores me completely.
SHE SAYS . . .
I’ll admit, I ignore Aidan the Divine because it annoys him. A lot. But, we have so much to do right now, I can’t worry about why he keeps looking at me like he’s thinking about kissing me. We have our nations to save and no time for such bloody foolishness . . . no matter how good Aidan looks or how long his spiked tail is. Because before this war destroys everything we love, we’ll have to face our enemies together. But if we make it out alive, who knows what the future will hold . . .
Although it’s not specifically mentioned, Virtual Games brings The Digital Detective Mystery Series to a happy ending where all the characters have moved forward in their lives, growing up in some ways and developing new relationships and friendships, finding new powers and potential partners.
And it happens in a very surprising way. With Vampire Games and visits from characters from an another Matthews series, the Green Witch. Those who have read this series will love this crossover element. I haven’t and it will likely send me there to see what it is about.
But the story here has more than enough to keep a reader engaged. Several plots, an interesting murder mystery included that brings back part of Skye’s past and an old college painful memory.
Matthews balances the needs of Skye and Seb’s relationship to move forward along with those of the other characters, as well as the individual characters whose personalities and powers continue to be developed by the events and storyline.
It’s a dynamic narrative, one that’s so powerful and jammed with interesting elements and characters that it leaves room for additional drama and stories even though it’s a satisfying finale as well. We want more but are happy with this too.
Perhaps Matthews will pick up this universe with the sister, Zephyra’s story. That would make sense and for great storytelling.
Very entertaining and engaging. I even liked Bob finally!
The Digital Detective Mystery Series (5 book series):
Skye Sanders, tech mage extraordinaire, is on the trail of a hit-and-run—only to discover it’s tangled up with the infamous Vampire Games.
Her boyfriend Seb’s invitation to “help from the sidelines” quickly becomes a front-row seat to sabotage. The Games test skill, strength, and cunning. Physical gauntlets, brain-bending riddles, and the occasional death-defying stunt are fair play.
With rival teams closing in and tensions simmering hotter than Sydney in January, Skye must unravel a sabotage trail before it claims its next victim. But in a contest where every competitor guards secrets like treasure and alliances shift faster than a server crash, even her sharpest code might not be enough to keep everyone alive—least of all Seb, who’s squarely in the crosshairs.
The stakes are literal. And losing? Not an option.
If you enjoy urban-fantasy mysteries with magic, humour, and a clever heroine—think books by Patricia Briggs, Hailey Edwards, Heather G. Harris, Annette Marie, or Kim Harrison—Virtual Games should be right up your alley.
Deadly Arrogance is the series finale that brings the journey of Necromancer Erasmus Boone to an exciting and happy conclusion.
I’ve been absolutely thrilled by this fantasy/paranormal universe of May’s since the first Perfect Pixie novel, a series which introduced necromancer Erasmus Boone.
So it’s fitting that many of those characters play roles here in Boone and Franklin’s battle against a terrifying enemy. It’s emotional and wonderful to see each one, settled into their own lives and relationships, as they come together to fight and support their friends and own communities.
And May, who has created throughly villainous characters in the past, has exceeded herself here in crafting shadow bourne Tenzen Huxley, a seemingly unbeatable and immortal being. Huxley is an ominous figure whose role is one that’s always in the game, even when absent from the current situation. The enormous threat he brings to the couple and those around them is a real concern, no matter what else they are dealing with.
They are mentally, emotionally and spiritually under pressure and attack all the time and the reader, who’s intimately connected with them, feels that same overwhelming stress and suspense.
On top of Huxley’s magical threat to everyone, there’s a multiple murder investigation that requires the attention of both Franklin and Boone. It’s highly unusual, incredibly rare in its sheer scope of detail and complexity.
I won’t elaborate further because there’s many twists here that spin beautifully within the plot. The story is highly suspenseful, compelling emotionally, and has some truly heartbreaking scenes.
And yes, it does end happily with everyone in attendance. I absolutely love it.
And there’s a new connected series on the horizon. Thrilled about that too!
Check out all the books below if you’re new to this universe. Read them in the order they are written. Enjoy them! Highly recommended!
Cover design by cheriefox.
Perfect Pixie Series
Perfectly Imperfect Pixie
Perfectly Perfect Pixie: Peaches’s Story
Perfectly Charmed Pixie: Parsnip’s Story
Perfectly Perplexing Zombie: Wendall’s Story
Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie: Phlox’s Story—finale
Perfectly Petite Shorts: Short Stories from the Perfect Pixie Series M/M
Necromancer Tales Series: Spin-Off from the Perfect Pixie Series
Deadly Lineage: Necromancer Tales Book I
Deadly Deception: Necromancer Tales Book II
Deadly Avarice: Necromancer Tales Book III
Deadly Arrogance: Necromancer Tales Book IV—End
Warlock Nikodemus Holland’s Book—Coming Spring 2026
Necromancer Erasmus Boone’s life is on hold—every shadow suspect, every trip outside his warded home a gamble. Afraid of bringing more attention to already wary necromancers, Erasmus has stopped hunting for his own kind. Unwilling to place an even larger target on his back, Erasmus has even delayed his own wedding.
Human homicide detective Franklin O’Hare wants nothing more than to be there for the necromancer he loves. Unfortunately, he’s neck-deep in not one but two separate multiple-body dump scenes. With little more than skeletal remains to go on, Franklin’s days are consumed with work, and his sleepless nights are spent wishing he had more time for his fiancé.
Waiting and wondering when Tenzen Huxley will make his move is physically exhausting and emotionally draining. Information regarding shadow borne is slim and little more than hearsay, and what is known is horrifying.
Will Erasmus and Franklin be ready when Tenzen finally makes his move? Is there truly any way to be prepared for the hell a shadow borne can unleash? Despite the support of powerful friends and family, Erasmus and Franklin desperately need to find a shadow borne’s weakness.
Sometimes, weakness comes from within, not without, and often, arrogance is the deadliest flaw of all.
Deadly Arrogance is the fourth book in the Necromancer Tales series and should be read in order. This series is a spin-off of the Perfect Pixie series and takes place in the same world but can be read as a stand-alone series. Deadly Arrogance is a m/m romantic fantasy mystery with an unusually sane necromancer just trying to make a living, a humble human detective attempting to keep his necromancer fiancé alive, an arrogant but redeemably overprotective warlock father, a questionably moral all-powerful djinn who may just get her scuttlebutt wish, a welcome Mississippi spring, and an ancient being who desires more power than any creature should wield and has decided a certain necromancer is key to satisfying that greed.
Little Bean brings Maya’s Blog to a close, with tears, drama and, yes, more growth and more hopeful happiness in the future for her and her growing family and friends.
Maya’s undergone so many dramatic changes from the broken abused human who started a blog she wasn’t sure anyone would want to read to a paranormal being herself with readers in the millions from many realms (it’s listed at the top of every chapter). She’s documented her journey, her fears and the challenges, every milestone and every step backwards. Her successes and her failures.
And each one has been one that’s had resonated with me, deeply, with this remarkable character that the author has framed out in this great blog format.
There’s side stories about women who are victims of domestic violence and abuse. And the organization that offers them and their children more than just food and shelter.
It’s about recovery, healing, and the ability to accept help to move forward when needed. It’s emotional magic and it’s honestly so hard to put into words, what it means to read this series and reach the end.
I’m not ready. Truly I’m not.
So I’ll leave you with this small piece at the end.
From Maya to her readers as she writes as she thinks about what comes next, just one tiny bit.
“You’re allowed to take up space. You’re allowed to want more than survival.
You’re allowed to fall apart and rebuild yourself into something new.
You’re allowed to be scared and brave at the same time.”
I can’t even get past the rest without going back and starting over. With tissues.
Given the current state of our world, especially for women, this character and series hits hard. An emotional gut punch, book by book.
Laughing, crying, recovery, loss, and renewed strength to move forward.
It’s a series I never expected when I first started reading. New author and format. But it’s one that’s stuck with me and it’s been a great read and source of comfort.
Now I’m passing it along to you. It a special kind of treasure, something to share with the next person who you think might be want a special voice in their lives.
The cover has a tag, An Umbrafore novel, which might possibly promise more novels to come in this chaotic universe. I can always hope.
Cover Illustration Main image by Manuka Madushan, Digital Illustrator.
Maya Draven thought marrying a shadow demon warlord was the craziest thing she’d ever do. She was wrong.
As she faces escalating attacks from hate groups, Maya discovers that having a hybrid baby doesn’t make her vulnerable—it makes her dangerous.
And Maya is about to face her biggest challenges yet.
This is the explosive conclusion to Maya’s journey from anxious barista to fierce mother, where she proves that sometimes the best response to people trying to silence you is to speak even louder.
Ride Or Die wraps up this fantastic series with mythical battles, high stakes, epic magical revelations, and an absolutely satisfying ending for all the characters.
The Body Shop series has followed Frankie and her adopted siblings, the Mary’s as they call themselves after the official ‘house of horror’ they were forced to live as children, they’ve come through perilous events and horrific experiences that’s seen them come out more powerful individually and as a found family.
From one where Frankie was the one who provided and held everything together to a family that worked together as a unit for a common purpose. The character development and plotting was even, strong and often compelling. And Edwards didn’t leave any character behind in bringing relationships and old friendships forward as things went further into new developments.
Kierce sacrificed himself for Frankie and now she’s going to save him. It’s time for revelations, god comeuppances, and the final showdown. And some real surprises.
Dis Pater is shown to be even worse than thought to be. But the biggest bad is a well crafted evil, multi dimensional villain who’s horrific in his clarity of vision.
It’s reasonable and believable and makes this credible that’s there’s a cost of defeating him. It wouldn’t have made sense otherwise. Or been in keeping with the types of magical powers and abilities that were used by all of the characters here.
In the end, we get a sense of how the characters are in their lives and how they feel going forward. It’s contentment and happiness. And that makes The Body Shop a well written, highly compelling and satisfying series, one I’m happy to recommend.
Kierce sacrificed himself to save Frankie, and now it’s her turn to rescue him. Whether he wants her to or not. That means venturing into Abaddon, the land of the dead, and hoping she can locate him within its shadowed depths before Dis Pater notices his favorite toy is missing. But Dis Pater isn’t the only deity she has to fear.
Frankie’s father has learned of her journey down to his domain, and he won’t take no for an answer when he welcomes her into his home. As if one MIA parent materializing wasn’t bad enough, her mother arrives with her own emotional baggage in hand. Forget the perils of traversing the underworld. Navigating this family reunion just might be what kills her.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 