Tag: reading
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Review: The Horse Mistress: Book 2 (Eburosi Chronicles #2) by R.A. Steffan
The epic fantasy world of Eburosi deepens, along with the relationship between Carivel, Senovo, and Andoc, in this second installment of The Horse Mistress. Many of the quibbles I had about the first book are addressed here, such as external conflicts that stand in the way of their relationship and more…
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Review: A Duke by Default (Reluctant Royals #2) by Alyssa Cole
Saying that I didn’t like this book as much as the previous in the series does a disservice to this book, because I still enjoyed it thoroughly. This is completely subjective reasoning on my part, because I did not connect with this heroine as much. She’s a rich trust fund…
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Review: The Horse Mistress: Book 1 (Eburosi Chronicles #1) by R.A. Steffan
The downside to growing as a reader is realizing how much epic fantasy is problematic in terms of representation. Therefore, I thoroughly enjoyed discovering this series, which features queer characters, including a gender-fluid character. Carivel is a delight to read, and her relationship(s) with Andoc and Senovo are just the…
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Review: A Princess in Theory (Reluctant Royals #1) by Alyssa Cole
I picked up the first book in this series because a later installment features a woman in a wheelchair on the cover, and I am all about supporting representation in books. The fact that this book has two characters of color on the cover, which is a rarity for a…
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Review: Maelstrom (Whyborne & Griffin #7) by Jordan L. Hawk
Family has been a running theme in this series, and things come to a head in this installment of the Whyborne & Griffin books. Whyborne’s father has had a major shift in attitude, which causes Whyborne to be suspicious of the man’s motives. In the grander scheme of things, Whyborne’s…
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Review: Babylon’s Ashes (The Expanse #6) by James S.A. Corey
We’ve reached the point in this series where it’s okay for the authors to throw a bunch of points of view at the reader. By now, the world-building is solid and the political landscape is pretty clear. The downside to this is that the only POVs I really want are…
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Review: Any Old Diamonds (Lilywhite Boys #1) by K.J. Charles
K.J. Charles has officially become one of “those authors,” in which I purchase the book on release day and stay up way too late finishing it on a work night. And I have zero regrets about it. This particular book references the concept of the Victorian-era melodrama multiple times. Then,…
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Review: Elle by Night (Dommes by Night #2) by Rachell Nichole
Disclaimer: The author is a friend of mine; however, I purchased this ebook for full price. The premise of this book immediately hooked me. Two dominants sparring with each other, even by telephone? Yes, please. However, Jo and Spencer immediately proved themselves to be amazing and three-dimensional characters. That 3D…
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Review: Hoarfrost (Whyborne & Griffin #6) by Jordan L. Hawk
Something different about this book is immediate from the first page — scenes from Griffin’s point of view! This made me nervous at first, but Hawk obviously has a great handle on his character. Switching between two first-person POVs is never difficult, because Griffin’s voice is so distinctive from Whyborne’s.…
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Review: The Warlord Wants Forever (Immortals After Dark #1) by Kresley Cole
I started this series on the recommendation of a friend who is a romance author, and I devoured this sexy novella in a single evening. I had certain preconceptions about the two main characters based on the back-cover text, which were smashed immediately. The heroine Myst, especially, was not what…
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Book Excerpt & Giveaway: Into the Ashes (Taine McKenna Adventures #3) by Lee Murray
Last month I posted a spoiler-free review of the latest installment of Lee Murray’s thriller series, the Taine McKenna Adventures. In Into the Ashes, Taine faces his biggest foe yet: the active volcanic isles of New Zealand itself. Check out an excerpt from the book below, then follow the link to…
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2019 Resolution Project: Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) by Ilona Andrews
My 2019 Resolution Project over at my other blog, Speculative Chic, is to read the entire Kate Daniels urban fantasy series by Ilona Andrews, finishing up with a first read of the final book in the series. I’ve read the first book, Magic Bites, before, but never officially reviewed it. You…
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Review: Nemesis Games (The Expanse #5) by James S.A. Corey
It’s a little crazy that this is the first book that gives us point-of-view scenes from all four members of the Rocinante crew: Holden, Naomi, Alex, and Amos. On the downside, this is because for much of the book none of them are together! While I hated to see the “family”…
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Review: Bloodline (Whyborne & Griffin #5) by Jordan L. Hawk
The Lovecraftian influence in this series goes deeper once again, featuring mythical monsters hinted at in previous installments. The larger world of sorcery also opens up, and along with Whyborne, we find out there is more to learn than just spells in an old book.
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Review: “And Now For Something Completely Different” (Chronicles of St. Mary’s Short Story) by Jodi Taylor
I love when stories are exactly what they say on the tin, but when the St. Mary’s crew is involved, you know it’s still going to outrageous. The Christmas story for 2018 features very little Christmas and a lot of planetary-hopping shenanigans. As someone who follows the current research into…
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Review: “A Questionable Client” (Kate Daniels #0.5) by Ilona Andrews
This short story takes place prior to any of the novels in the Kate Daniels urban fantasy series. However, reading this story after reading at least the first novel, Magic Bites, works best. “A Questionable Client” tells the story of how Kate first meets one of her informational contacts, a shape-shifter…
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Review: Escaping Mortality (Escape #3) by Sara Dobie Bauer
Disclaimer: I received an ebook in exchange for an honest review. The cliffhanger at the end of book 2 in this trilogy, Escaping Solitude, left me frantic. Luckily, this installment picks up mere moments from where the previous left off and continues the story without missing a beat. This trilogy of…
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Review: Cibola Burn (The Expanse #4) by James S.A. Corey
After the whirlwind of the previous book in this series, this book should have felt like a time to breath. Unfortunately, I think the authors took things a bit too far in the other direction. They teased us with a Bobbie-centered prologue, and then things started to drag. On top…
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Review: Into the Ashes (Taine McKenna Adventures #3) by Lee Murray
Disclaimer: I received an ebook in exchange for an honest review. The third installment of the Taine McKenna adventures follows the format of the two previous books without becoming formulaic or predictable. It’s an action-packed adventure featuring human and supernatural dangers, full of both familiar faces and new characters I…