Category: book review

  • Review: Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse #1) by James S.A. Corey

    I purchased this ebook when the first season of the television adaptation aired, but didn’t get around to reading it until a recent vacation. I’ve seen three seasons of the show so far, so that will obviously color my interpretation of the book (such as visualizing actors as their characters and such). My husband and I…

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  • Review: An Acceptable Time (Time Quintet #5) by Madeleine L’Engle

    For the final installment of my 2018 Resolution Project over at Speculative Chic, I reviewed An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L’Engle. Unfortunately, this series did not end with a bang for me. You can read the full review here, and check out an excerpt below: This series, which gave us everything from aliens to angels to…

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  • Review: “Remnant” (Caldwell & Feximal/Whyborne & Griffin Mystery) by K.J. Charles& Jordan L. Hawk

    This short story is available as a free download from K.J. Charles’ website. It is best read after Stormhaven (Whyborne & Griffin #3) by Jordan L. Hawk and the full collection of The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by K.J. Charles because it contains significant spoilers for both.

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  • Review: Stormhaven (Whyborne & Griffin #3) by Jordan L. Hawk

    The horrors of this book are once again an homage to those created by Lovecraft himself, and I continue to find absurd joy in heroes that would have completely pissed him off. At this point, I am thoroughly enamored by both Whyborne and Griffin, and Hawk continues to impress with their excellent character development.

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  • Review: Threshold (Whyborne & Griffin #2) by Jordan L. Hawk

    This book was an excellent follow-up to the first in the series, proving that Hawk is now comfortable with their world and their characters. We leave behind the Lovecraftian city of Widdershins for a company town in the Appalachian mountains, haunted by creatures who are both horrifying and unique.

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  • Review: Widdershins (Whyborne & Griffin #1) by Jordan L. Hawk

    I picked up the first book in this series because I’d heard good things about it from readers who also enjoyed the stories in K.J. Charles’ Charm of Magpies world. They were spot-on in their recommendation, and I’ll also throw in my hat that fans of either series will enjoy the other.

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  • Review: Into the Sounds (Taine McKenna Adventures #2) by Lee Murray

    Disclaimer: I consider the author a friend; however, I purchased the electronic version of this novel for full price. After reading the first book in this series, I kind of thought I knew what I was getting into. It’s really awesome that I was completely wrong. On the surface, lots of things are similar to…

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  • Review: The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by K.J. Charles

    This intertwining collection of “short stories” are a blast to read, and I love the idea of a Holmes and Watson style pairing working together in the occult realm. This is definitely a case where the author’s notes at the end enhance the coolness of what I just read, and shows how the author’s research…

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  • Review: Into the Mist (Taine McKenna Adventures #1) by Lee Murray

    Disclaimer: I consider the author a friend; however, I purchased an electronic copy of this novel for full price. For those of you who are averse to the horror genre, I’m happy to report that this novel is instead a thrilling action-adventure. There are some gory bits, but it’s not gratuitous, and the moments that…

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  • Review: Love Around the Corner by Sally Malcolm

    Disclaimer: I received an electronic version of this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review. I have a soft spot for contemporary romance stories that have evolved with the times. So many relationships begin with the partners meeting online these days (my own included) that more traditional “meet-cutes” almost start to feel…

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  • Review: “A Queer Trade” and Rag and Bone (A Charm of Magpies World) by K.J. Charles

    This connected short story and novel take place in the world of A Charm of Magpies. A reader will get the most of these stories after reading the initial trilogy and Jackdaw.

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  • Review: Ragnarok Unwound by Kristin Jacques

    Disclaimer: I received an advanced electronic copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This novel starts with a bang and hooks you right from the start. Despite what the title implies, this is a story about more than just Norse mythology. It’s a world where every pantheon of gods…

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  • Review: Jackdaw (A Charm of Magpies World) by K.J. Charles

    I thoroughly enjoy this historical fantasy world, and I’m so glad that it extends beyond the initial trilogy. Part of what I loved most about this book in particular was seeing this world through new eyes, by a person who is neither magic nor cushioned by wealth and privilege.

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  • Review: Between the Lines by Sally Malcolm

    Disclaimer: I received an advanced electronic copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. This book is set in the same world (and town) as the author’s previous book, Perfect Day. It is not necessary to have read that book first, but it puts certain events into perspective. Otherwise, Theo and…

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  • Reviews: “Interlude with Tattoos,” “The Smuggler and the Warlord,” and “Feast of Stephen” (A Charm of Magpies short stories) by K.J. Charles

    The following short stories are part of the Charm of Magpies series, an historical fantasy-romance world by K.J. Charles. They are best read as companions to the main trilogy.

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  • Review: Flight of Magpies (A Charm of Magpies #3) by K.J. Charles

    I found this series right before the previous publishing company it was being published with folded. I was devastated, because it meant waiting months until I could finish the trilogy. Luckily, it was absolutely worth the wait. The conclusion to this trilogy brought together much of the story and plot elements from the previous books,…

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  • Review: The Omega Objection (San Andreas Shifters #2) by G.L. Carriger

    I pre-ordered this book, and immediately tore through it as soon as I had a free evening. I do not regret either of these decisions. Returning to the wacky werewolf pack of San Francisco was a delight, especially with the new focus on characters Isaac and Tank. 

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  • Reviews: “Song for a Viking” and “Wanted, an Author” by K.J. Charles

    The following stories are available for free on the author’s website and cannot be read as stand-alones. They are lovely follow-ups to the novels referenced in the reviews.

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  • Review: Wanted, a Gentleman by K.J. Charles

    Happy 500th blog post to me! Thanks for hanging out with me. I was initially unsure whether I wanted to read this book, despite my previous enjoyment of all of the author’s works. However, a quiet evening at home when I knew I was falling ill demanded comfort reading, and this book was the perfect…

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  • Reviews: “A Confidential Problem” and “A Private Miscellany” (Society of Gentlemen short stories) by K.J. Charles

    The two following reviews are of content freely available on the author’s website as supplemental material to the Society of Gentlemen series. Neither can be read as stand-alone, but are best enjoyed following a read of the full series.

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