Queen of Corvids ( Raven Crawford 3 ) by J.C McKenzie

Hello to all,

  A New week stuck at home and looks like there will be many more to come but at least i got some good books to pass the time so i will share my opinion on some with you starting with teh 3rd book in the Raven Crawford series by JC McKenzie.

Happy Reading and courage to all!

Publisher: JCM Publications

Publication: 2020

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: strong
Public: 18+

Source: earc
 

Description from goodreads :

 Truth can be ugly and part-time waitress, casual PI investigator, and half-fae shifter, Raven Crawford, can’t deny she owes the Lord of War a favour. If she defaults on her debt, she relinquishes all her power to a man who doesn’t know the meaning of mercy. And she thought her bank loans were bad.

With her new role in the Underworld contending with her debt to a dictator, a budding romance with the Lord of Shadows, and her need to pay the bills, Raven is in serious need of balance. But the moment the dark fae walked into her diner months ago, she’s been off-balance.

It’s time for Raven to pull up her big girl socks and prove to everyone she’s no longer the burnt-out waitress with a nifty parlour trick.

She’s the Queen of Corvids

My opinion:

          Great book! Really all went up in this instalment more action, more fights, more fun , more violence ( then dark fae are violent) and more steam! It's just wonderfully written to have us hooked right at the beginning.

Raven is trying to adjust to her new position of Queen of Corvids while staying alive and pay her debt to Bane...but she still has a lot to learn despite having Cole as an advisor as well as a lover....I loved to see her think about her relationship with Cole because it's true it went fast but she does reflect on it and dig deeper. Also Rouke show a new side of himself which is wonderful and funny

It's a non stop action with enemies in Mortal realm and others among the fae but not only. we also discover a new side  " Roller" thankfully more neutral because Raven has really a lot on her plate and she doesn't realise all her abilities yet.

This is a funny,  full of action, story but it make sense when read in order more as we can see the evolution of the characters  i was eager to learn more about the universe and this book offered us that  with an excellent intrigue

Raven is courageous, loyal and she has a good heart.  The only thing that bothered me a little is that i had the feeling one group got it too easy....i understand the why with Raven personality but still i wasn't happy about that  otherwise it's simply perfect.

to recommend

Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and i voluntary reviewed this book

Devil in the Details ( Ivy Granger 3.75)

Hello to all,

                          today i'm sharing with you my opinion on a novella in the Ivy Granger series and honestly after reading this i just want more.

Happy Reading!

Genre: Paranormal , urban fantasy
Editor: Sacred Oaks Press
Langage:mild
Sex: none
Violence: mild
How i got this book: earc


 Description: This is a novella from the univers of Ivy Granger  first released as part of an anthology.

Summary: Be careful what you wish for...

Ivy Granger, psychic detective and unlikely protector of Harborsmouth, must uncover the source of her beloved demon child's illness before it's too late.

Devil in the Details is a delightful new urban fantasy short story set in the award-winning Ivy Granger Psychic Detective series by E.J. Stevens. Longtime fans and first-time readers will enjoy this tantalizing glimpse into the world of Ivy Granger, featuring Ivy, Sparky, Jinx, and Forneus.

Originally published in The Final Summons anthology.


My opinion: I absolutely love it.  Yes it's a bit too short but it's so good, we can see how deeply loving and loyal Ivy is to her family no matter how said family was built together. The title couldn't fit better either it's just perfect.

This novella was also great to see how the characters have evolved and how some relationship grew...

to recommend to all lover of the series for sure for a short but great reading time that will leave you smiling.


Score : 5/5

Nevermore ( Raven Crawford 2) by J.C. McKenzie

Hello to all,

                   Since i got very sick end of 2019 and early this year i'm late to review some books and fo that i'm sorry i will try to get up to date fast as some really deserve the spotlight.
Today i'm sharing with you my opinion on Nevermore second book in the Raven Crawford series by J.C.McKenzie...book 1 surprised me by it's originality this one keep the quality and just makes you want to discover more.


Happy Reading!

Publisher: JCM Publications

Publication: 2019

ASIN:  B07ZDGY88J

Genre: urban fantasy

Violence: mild
Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Description from goodreads :

  Rundown waitress, part-time private investigator, and half-fae shifter, Raven Crawford, always gets the opposite of what she wants most. She works two jobs but can’t pay the bills. Her confrontation with Queen Lloth has unexpected and unfortunate consequences, and her love life is a hot mess.

With failure and disappointment honed to painful perfection, Raven’s life is riddled with complications, including her troublesome attraction to the lethal Lord of Shadows. When her latest case leads to a group hell-bent on destruction, she must decide who to trust. Will she choose wisely, or will she fail once again and become the next casualty in a war between the Mortal Realm and the Underworld

My opinion:

          A very good urban fantasy story ,  it could perhaps be read even if you haven't gotten book 1 first but i really recommend you to read in order to see how the characters evolve and  to get a better immersion in this universe which get a little darker with each book.

It's a great mix of shifters, fae, mythology figures etc but of course also some humans not all of them with good intentions. This time Raven discover slowly the consequences of what she did in book 1 while the god of war gives her more tasks to achieve....Poor Raven has several missions colliding and she must learn her new powers faster than she could imagine.

The action is fast, there are some humour but also a lot of tension, we discover more about what is happening in the human realms and we get a cliffhanger that keep us on edge for book 3

If you want a great urban fantasy series a little dark with lot of supernatural creatures some very original, this is the perfect series for you but to read in order.

Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and i voluntary reviewed this book

Blood Rite ( Ivy Granger 6) by E.J. Stevens

Hello to all,

               Nearly dying or having deep injury if it wasn't for the additionnal step you suddenly took can be nerve shaking and sure make you see things differently....not that reading a book with zombie had any link to what happened but i sure felt sympathy for a few of them ( only a few) so without more delay here is my opinion on the latest book by  EJ Stevens: Blood rite 6th book in the Ivy Granger series.


Happy Reading!

Publisher: Sacred Oaks Press

Publication: 2019

ISBN:  0989488799

Genre: dark urban fantasy

Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: allusion
Public: 18+

Description from goodreads :

  Ivy Granger takes on a simple grave robbing case, but in Harborsmouth nothing is ever simple when dealing with the dead.

Grave robbing is Harborsmouth's second best-kept secret. The first is the existence of supernatural creatures that live alongside the city's humans. In fact, the dirtiest little secret of all might be the truth behind most of those empty graves.

Most supernaturals eke out a pretty mundane existence. Nobody wants a return to the Burning Times. Well, nobody sane.

The creature that was stealing the more odoriferous of Harborsmouth's citizens from their graves had to be crazy. Sir Gaius, ruler of the local vamps, owned the harvesting rights to every corpse buried within the city limits. No one touched the vampire master of the city's property without permission and lived to scream about it--until now.

Warning: This book features necromancy, grave robbing, an abandoned amusement park, and zombie clowns.

Blood Rite is the sixth novel in the award-winning Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens. The world of Ivy Granger, including the Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective series and the Hunters' Guild series, is filled with bloodsucking vampires, psychotic faeries, and snarky, kick-butt heroines

My opinion:

          Really good but very dark. This series is becoming darker and darker without loosing its little touches of humour or romance which is a very good point. That being said i sure didn't expect it to be so dark either yes it include grave robbing and zombies but  it's deeper than that. The ambiance , what we fear to expect it's really creepy.

As always Ivy does lead the investigation but even herself feels that there is a lot more to this case , she can pinpoint it but she knows and it leave us with an feeling of business unfinished and worse to come. Villain is taken care of but is it the real bad one?

It's hard to explain  i really liked this story as we get to see how each character improves (for example Forneus and Ivy) the rhythm is fast but not too fast so we are not lost, even if i missed book 5 i had enough info to understand what was happening  but while it's not really a cliffhanger  i didn't get a feeling of closure at the last page more a foreboding one which kind of frustrated me. I do want the next book soon!!

I do recommend this book if you love zombies and dark ambience but i can't recommend you enough to read this book in the series order to get a better understanding and it's so worth it too.

Score:  4/5

Dark Arts and a Daiquiri ( The Guild Codex: Spellbound 2) by Annette Marie

Hello to all

i do have several soon to be released book to share with you but i decided to start with the second book in a series i've become more than fan of; i needed the humour.

Enjoy!

Publisher: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.

Publication: 2018

ISBN:  1988153255

Genre: urban fantasy, magic , paranormal

Violence: mild
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 16+

Description from goodreads :

  When I found myself facing down the scariest black-magic felon in the city, practically daring him to abduct me, I had to wonder exactly how I ended up here.

It all started when I accidentally landed a job as a bartender—but not at a bar. At a guild, populated by mages, sorcerers, alchemists, witches, and psychics. Good thing this lame-o human is adaptable, right?

Then my favorite guild members—three sexy, powerful, and intermittently charming mages—asked for my help. Did they want access to my encyclopedic knowledge of cocktails? Oh no. They wanted to wrap me up in a pretty ribbon and plunk me in the crosshairs of a murderous rogue to lure him out of hiding.

So that's what we did. And that's why I'm here. About to be kidnapped. Oh, and our grand plan for safely capturing said murderous rogue? Yeah, that completely fell apart about two minutes ago.

Why did I agree to this again?
--
Note: The three mages are definitely sexy, but this series isn't a reverse harem. It's 100% fun, sassy, fast-paced urban fantasy.

My opinion:

          I couldn't resist jumping into this book as soon as i finished the first one since it was so  good and i'm really happy to say that the quality is as good if not better in this one! Tori has a lot to do on her own this time and it helps her to understand more what she is currently living. Yes she has a traumatic past but she is now able to fight for herself  and for those she loves.

To help a young runaway, she doesn't hesitate to put herself in danger  and it doesn't really go how she expected things to go. I loved the Ghost  in a sense he is perfect for Tori, loyal and protective but living dangerously  like Tori who can't keep her mouth shut^^;;  and she does take risks for what she believes in....which allow her to make unexpected allies as well as put her life on the line.

I loved to see different kind of fae and  some moments were really hilarious. This story is full of action and gives us more information about the universe as well which was wonderful . We focus more on Tori and the Ghost but we do see the guys and members of the guild as well .

It also promise a lot of fun in the future instalments when we think of a orb or of some escaped villains so i'm itching to start book 3 as soon as possible!

Really a great urban fantasy not to be missed

Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and i voluntary reviewed this book

Skin Deep ( Laura Blackstone 1) by Mark Del Franco

Happy New Year!!!!    

I wish you all the best for 2019!!

End of 2018 was hard on me so i'm kind of glad to start a new year and hope for the best!

At least on the reading part it seems promising with the first book i picked from my pile " Skin Deep" by Mark Del Marco which was a new author  for me. I won't say it was an easy read so i'm glad i read it on my day off^^ but i would definitively want more now that i have a better insight on the complex world the author created.

So let's start this year with the first book in the Laura Blackstone serie: "Skin Deep"


Happy reading!!!

Publisher: Ace

Publication: 2009

ISBN:  0441017436

Genre: Urban fantasy, mystery, paranormal suspense
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 18+

Source: bought

Description from goodreads :

  A THRILLING NEW URBAN FANTASY SERIES FROM THE AUTHOR OF UNFALLEN DEAD AND UNQUIET DREAMS.

She'll need to keep up appearances—if she wants to stay alive...

Being an undercover agent has its occupational hazards, but Laura Blackstone makes it look easy. As a spy for a fey intelligence agency, she uses her magical abilities to create disguises that are skin deep glamours that must never be compromised. But when Laura's worlds collide she'll have more to worry about than retiring an identity; she may just lose her life.

My opinion:

          Hard beginning for sure as we get introduced to many characters right at the beginning, some being the same one in fact, so this can lead to some confusion

However, the more you read the more you get immersed as the mystery and intrigue are really well woven and you can't stop reading to discover what lies behind all the events.

The rhythm is perfect , there are dark moments but perfectly balanced with the touch of humour and little bit of flirting from Sinclair , Saffin is a secondary character we come to really love and Terryn is one i want to learn more about ( like how he met Cress for example). We learn a lot about several kinds of fae.

It's definitively a series i want to continue reading but one that must be read at moment when interruptions are not likely to happen.

Score:  5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and i voluntary reviewed this book

Frenchman Street (The Sentinel of New Orleans book 6) by Suzanne Johnson

Hello to all,

 it's by a sunny sunday that i have the great pleasure to announce you that  yes the final book of the Sentinel of New Orleans arc is out!!
There isn't a thing i hate more than having a series unfinished so we can be really grateful that the author decided to publish it to offer us a little closure ...yes we waited but it was more than worth it as the series get the story of the same quality or one even better as it dserves it.

So i won't be much longer but first a little note: if you haven't started the series yet or if you are missing some books just keep you eyes on the author blog some great opportunities will blossom extra soon. ( check that here)

Now...the story, happy reading!!

Publisher: Suzanne Johnson

Publication: 2018

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal, shifters, romance, fae
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 16+

Description from goodreads :

 The uneasy truce between the preternatural species of New Orleans has shattered, with wizards and elves, shifters and vampires—not to mention the historical undead—struggling for ultimate control of the city, including the humans who still think they’re atop the food chain.

They aren’t, however—and the Summer Prince of Faerie wants them to know it.

Stuck in the middle? One unemployed wizard sentinel. For DJ Jaco, war makes for strange bedfellows as she finally embraces her wizard-elven heritage and strikes a deal with the devil so she and her ragtag band of allies can return to defend her hometown. After all, when the undead French pirate Jean Lafitte is working in the mayor’s tourism department, things could go horribly wrong.

War is coming to New Orleans just in time for Mardi Gras, with the elves and wizards lined up on opposite sides, the shifters with a new leader, the vampires promising loyalty to the highest bidder, and the soul of the Crescent City resting on the outcome of the civil war going on in Faerie between the rival princes of summer and winter.

Mardi Gras Day is approaching fast, the faeries have infiltrated almost every parade, and the line between friends and enemies grows thin as DJ tries to stave off open warfare on the St. Charles Avenue parade route.

Laissez les bons temps rouler…but be careful, or the good times might roll too close for comfort. 

My opinion:

          Fabulous, a rollercoaster for emotions as once the story picks up there isn't a slow moment left there will be tears, there will be touching moment, there will be some humorous one and some very angsty ones. We are immersed in an adventure that doesn't allow us a reprieve we must know what will happen and we better not get interrupted for nothing ^^;;

We sure waited to get  the end of Dj adventures in this arc  but it was so, so well worth it... a real page turner with old characters we meet again with pleasure  like some fae hunters ( love faulkner) new one  like Gruff a so cute and funny corgi but so much more and i don't want to spoil too much . But get some tissues near you will need them and the little Corgi isn't the only one who will win you over i'm sure like Pen who can make you swoon or laugh depending on his menu.

Really this was a great read, we get to see how the events impacted the characters and how some got more mature and some not. There are twists to keep us on edge and this story couldn't be a better way to end this arc ( because yes i certainly hope to see more of the gang but rest assured there isn't a cliffhanger or questions unanswered ( at least not any that can't wait a full novella^^)

So yes it's better to have read the series to enjoy this one fully  and i can't recommend you this series strong enough but that being said it should be possible to read this one like that as we get enough info about the background to understand most of what happen but you if have teh opportunity to start by book 1 don't hesitate it just get better and better.

Score:  5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and i voluntary reviewed this book

Magic Waking ( Legends Reborn book1) by Eva Chase

Hello to all!


        Today , i'm sharing with you an early review of Magic Waking. This one i had mixed feeling about but it's too good not to shared so  perhaps one of you will love it right at the beginning, in any case i'm more than tempted to continue the series.

 Happy reading

Publisher: Ink Spark Press

Publication: 2017

Genre: paranormal, fantasy, romance, fae
Violence: mild
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 16+

Source: earc

Description from goodreads :

  Die, reincarnate, repeat. It's been a long fifteen hundred years...

Reborn wizard Emma Hale has three goals in life, or rather lives: Track down the present incarnation of the legendary King Arthur, fend off the shadow creatures that hound him for as long as she can, and break the spell that binds their souls in this morbid cycle.

If only she had a better idea how she'd cast that spell in the first place. And if only Arthur’s current host wasn't so cocky yet distractingly good-looking. Because Emma is falling even harder for the man she can't have.

When a fae mercenary with power to rival Emma's puts her king in his sights, Emma burns through all her tricks just to stay one step ahead. Now her only chance is to find some way to destroy the mercenary before he and his army of dark forces destroy Arthur.

No human Emma's ever known has managed to kill a fae. But if she can't, and quickly, this death might be their last.

Looking for a story full of sarcastic wizardry, cruel fae, and a star-crossed love centuries in the making? Scroll up and grab this Arthurian-flavored urban fantasy today!

My opinion:

           This could be very promising. I loved the plot idea , Arthur reincarnated, and the world building.  The rhythm is fast and  we are immediately in the centre of what is happening. It's really good and to give us more insight of what happened to put them in the present troubles we travel among Merlin and Arthur memories at the same time they rediscover them.

Emma is very dedicated, after so many centuries of failure it's amazing that she doesn't plan to give up....also a bit sad she doesn't learn from her mistake either. The fact she is determined to do it alone is frustrating even if we can partly understand it.  She is attracted to Darton  because in reality he is Arthur  and she will do anything to protect him . Trying at first to do it in secret wasn't the most subtle way though.

Darton is intrigued by Emma and not happy with his life but he doesn't really understand why as he is always the last of the two to remember their past lives. Even without knowing it though he is still the same: determined, loyal, protective.

We see and learn a bit about the fae in this first book but i really warmed to Sunki , she is young but more open minded and curious than some others.

Darton 's friends Keevan and Izzy i loved them a lot less.... they want to protect him and doesn't understand or trust Emma that i can understand but sometimes they reaction were really too stupid for me.

In fact, the only thing i didn't like was  Merlin and Arthur relation.....at first i enjoyed it seeing how they met , what they did etc but the fact it started to hint they were more than friendship feeling between them broke the magic. I mean why couldn't two boy be best friend trust each other above everything else without them being or becoming gay. Why should Merlin had love feeling for Arthur at the time: friendship, admiration , respect all that i could easily envision.. love definitively a NO. The fact he often reincarnate in a female form help but i mean the love feeling could have started at those time  no need to say it was there before....that's the only detail that really bothered me in this book but it did bothers me a lot.

If that point isn't a matter for you then it's a perfectly good retelling of Arthur legend.

Score:  3,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and i voluntary reviewed this book.

Violet Chaser ( Episodes 1-6) by Erica Reeder

Hello to all,

 I'm sorry to have disappeared for a few days but as perhaps know i'm taking care of my ailing mother and that's time consuming...when you had the fact i caught a bad virus and that after 3weeks i still haven't won you can imagine how little free time i had. To be honest you could probably have gotten this review a few days ago ...i had written it....but with the strong  fever i clicked on delete instead of save^^;;; yes i was that bad. I'm a bit better now though so time to attempt getting back on track and it's with please that i introduce you to Violet Chaser written by Erica Reeder

Happy reading!

Publisher: Erica Reeder

Genre: urban fantasy, fae
Violence: strong
Language: mild
sex: strong
Public: 18+

Source: ecopy received in exchange for an honest review
 

Description from goodreads :

 Not everyone wants to grow up to be a faerie princess.

Me in particular. Of course, the bad news is I actually am one. Or at least I used to be. As soon as I realized I was better at throwing punches than kissing babies, I split. I ran so far I thought that life would never find me. And it didn’t until a faerie was murdered in New York City. The last thing I want is to be dragged back into that hell, but if I don’t find answers about who is killing faeries, my entire race could be in jeopardy.

Then just when I think things can’t get any worse, I meet the one man who could ruin everything. He’s delicious, intense, and has these blue eyes that make me forget my name. Oh, did I mention he’s a vampire? Yeah, as far as faeries go, it doesn’t get more deadly than vampires. So why can’t I seem to stay away from him?

I’m Cy Vanguard. Bounty Hunter. Faerie Princess. Call me what you want. But if you’re the one who murdered that faerie, you better hope you’re running when I find you.

My opinion:

          It's my first attempt at this author writing and i really loved it so i hope it won't be the last...Cy is a faery but an unconventional one, she has no wings ( that part has become common as a way to protect themselves from the vampires), she is independent and she doesn't mind using her power in a fight......oh faeries can fight , they are taught  martial art but using their natural power for that is forbidden.

For all these reasons and to flew her mother Cy is living in our world being a bounty hunter, she must hide her true nature but she has friends and she is quite happy until she find an older fae  lost in our world and she step in to help him meaning coming back to faery land and from there all go wrong.

Discovering that more faeries are in the real world against faery law and that some are killed she is charged to find the culprit....

While on that search she meets Sven in a bar and the attraction is immediate... the only problem is that he is part of her natural ennemies and she can't resist him but the ennemies are not always those we are taught would be.

Really i loved the story, we can see the bad side of fae ( really  they make me more afraid than vampire because from vampire you expect it but fearies even with their own....a nightmare) and the action is fast paced, i was surprised that it took so long to Cy to realize what Sven was though. Kittie is really a character i want to see more of as well as it brings humour as well . I love how loyal Cy is even when in mortal danger she think of others and with her upbringing that 's something  she has become by herself alone.

The only detail that didn't make this book perfect was that it was first released as a serial and it cut the story and reading too often but thankfully the author decided that next book wouldn't be in a serial form so it should only get better

Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: Source: a copy in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Find more about the author Erica Reeder on her Website

you can get this book on amazon easily but also on smashwords here

Do you enjoy serials or do you prefer complete novels?

Dr. Wolf Shockwave ( The Fae Rift series 1) by Cheree Alsop

Hello to all!!

            After a wonderful and sunny sunday we are back in grey and humid days like summer has difficulty to settle down this year. Anyway today i'm sharing a book that i fully enjoyed and that i wanted to share with you as soon as possible....."Dr Wolf: Shockwave".
Book 2 was just release so i hope i will get to read it soon as well.

I won't delay any longer so...ENJOY!

Publisher: Cheree Alsop

Publication: 2016

ISBN13: 9781310244742

Genre: urban fantasy

Violence: mild
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 16+

Source: won( Thank Natalie from Book Lover's Life)

Short description from goodreads :

 When the divide between the fae world and the human world is torn apart, Aleric Bayne is thrown into the ensuing chaos. Hurt and disoriented, the werewolf finds himself in a hospital emergency room. When other fae creatures begin to show up, Aleric sneaks them into the D wing of the hospital. With no one else able to treat their unusual conditions, Aleric steps into the role of Dr. Wolf. He has one goal in mind, to help the fae and close the Rift. But Dr. Wolf has walls around the memories of his own broken past that threaten to unravel the world he is holding together by a thread.

My opinion:

          Love it!!! really it was fabulous, i was interested after checking the blurb but this story has surpassed all my expectations ( even if they were high) .

Suddenly, Fae are appearing in our world but for most of them it's not by their own volition so they are here lost and afraid and sometimes hurt...that's what happened to Aleric a werewolf who wake up in a hospital confused about how he got there and where it is exactly....however as soon as he heard the cries of another fae he jumps into action mode and do his best to help her...finding himself acting as a doctor even if he has a lot to learn himself he is moved by the need of his fellows companions and becomes their protector.

he is hurt and as confused as they can be but he acts and i really loved that about him how he could be so honest and caring.

Fae politics are put aside for a moment in this strange world for them so werewolf, fairy and vampire band together to transform the wing of the hospital so that they can become theirs with the help of the few humans knowing the truth... Dr Worthen and Lauren, the nurse, ( and gregory) are confronted to strange patients and suddenly they understand that they can hurt them even more by trying to help so when a patient suddenly act like a doctor and seems to know what is happening they decide to entrust him with the new discovered fae even if they are sometimes dubious and sometimes afraid they want most of all heal all their patient..

I loved to see them  true to their vow and how resourceful they could be because of course not every human is friendly .

There is a lot of action and some suspense but i loved to learn more about Blays universe and to see Aleric discovering bits of info about how to treat fae from other ones...each individual is helping in a way sharing his knowledge when they would probably have ignored each other while in their world. i loved to see the diversity. Dartan is really interesting as well.

there is a a small cliffhanger for sure but to be honest i loved this one so much that i really want to read the next ,cliffhanger or not, i want to see why the rift exactly, the past of Aleric and how he will adjust. A story to discover  for all urban fantasy lovers.

Score:  5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Blood Bound ( Gallows 1) by Sharon Stevenson

Hello to all,


I know i should have picked a sequel for today review but i had a book received for free that sounded too tempting so i had to give it a try even if it was a new author to me... i will read two sequels after i guess^^

Anyway, today i'm introducing you to a dark YA Urban fantasy....the next books are already released so better to start with book 1 ( because it's not a series you could read out of order for sure) Blood Bound by Sharon Stevenson

Happy Reading

Publisher: Sharon Stevenson

Publication: 2012

Genre: urban fantasy , YA, vampire
Violence: very strong
Language: mild
sex: none
Public: 18+

Source: free book
 

Short description from goodreads :

 19-year-old twin demon trackers Shaun and Sarah Gallows are used to running into trouble - mostly the kind with fangs - but while Sarah embraces her powers to their fullest extent, trusting her instincts implicitly, Shaun distances himself from his abilities and can do little more than despair at his sister’s reckless nature and idly back her up.

When they come across 17-year-old Melissa Carling, a demon tracker who’s been torturing innocent super-naturals, they know they have to stop her. Sarah is desperate to punish Melissa for what she’s been doing but Shaun’s instant attraction to the girl points to a soul-mate bond stronger than anything he’s ever had to fight before…

My opinion:

          Interesting first instalment but not enough background info....that was my feeling at the beginning of the book and sadly it stayed well after the last page. I liked the characters but i don't really understand the universe...Shaun and Sarah are demon trackers that was aid and repeated yes and we learn that it gives them some special powers oki....looks like there is some kind of organisation as well and their family is an important one....but why, how? who decided what creature are "good" or evil and right at the beginning we learn that Shaun was gravely hurt ( lost an eye) but not when or how...why he never accepted his power and wants a normal life? how was he raised?

I think some of these answers were needed to make this book even better and i do hope we will get them in the next one so that we really can understand Shaun and Sarah Better because at some time they are very, VERY confusing.

That being said the story is promising, there area lot of violence, some graphic, some no but the suspense and investigation give it a form of balance...some secondary characters are intriguing ( Elle) some are moving ( Katie), Ray is touching.....Dev i don't like him at all.. i don't want to reveal too much but there is another one you will probably hate if you are like me^^

Between Shaun and Sarah i really prefer Shaun, he is suffering but trying his best to adjust...Sarah is too single minded and while she wants to help her reckless attitude cause more damage than help.

So you like dark urban fantasy (with vampire, fae and others creatures) you could give this one a try knowing you will have a lot of unanswered questions, for my part i want to see what happen next before i decide for good where to shelve this book.

Score:  3/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenge:

Ghost Light ( Ivy Granger 2) by EJ Stevens

Hello to all!!!

                        I'm late to post a review this week but it wasn't because i didn't want to i simply had no time at all for me. Wednesday was my birthday and i didn't even got a few minutes to read or nap or even unwrap gift(s) that gives you an idea of how busy this week was.
Honestly if it wasn't for some blogger friends that took the time to write me or send me a little something it would have been a day like any other, nothing special so thank you once again to everyone who thought of me!


What did i decide to give you my opinion on today?  I wanted to focus on two challenges the take control of TBR pile and the read sequel one for that reason and because i enjoyed book 1 i jumped into Ivy Granger book 2....if i had to start again i would do things differently. First, i would like the novella taking place after book 1 and before book 2 " Blood and Mistletoe" ( worse is that i do have it on hand -_-) then i would have left months between reading both books to avoid being bothered by too many repetition.
It's one of the reason i don't reread a book soon, i can wait years without difficulties because if i read it when it's still too fresh in mind it annoys me to no end as it's too repetitive so i tend to skip pages etc. Well better to wait longer and savor the story.

So let see that in more detail with my opinion on Ghost Light by E J. Stevens.

Happy reading

Publisher: Sacred Oaks Press

Publication: 2013

ISBN:  0984247599

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal
Violence: mild
Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Source: won

Description from goodreads :

 Ivy Granger, psychic detective, thought she'd seen it all...until now.

With a vengeful lamia that only she can see on the city streets, reports of specters walking Harborsmouth cemeteries, and an angry mob of faerie clients at her office door, it's bound to be a long night. Add in an offense against the faerie courts and a few foolish bargains and one thing is clear—Ivy Granger is in some seriously deep trouble.

Ivy Granger is back, gathering clues in the darkest shadows of downtown Harborsmouth. With the lives of multiple clients on the line, she's in a race against time. Ivy finally has a lead to the whereabouts of the one person who can help her control her wisp abilities, but will she put the needs of her clients above her own?

If Ivy doesn't find a solution soon, she could wind up a ghost herself.

GHOST LIGHT is the second novel in the bestselling Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens.

My opinion:

          For this series i'm thinking that i will appreciate more if i don't read the books back to back, don't take me wrong the main story line, the universe and the separate investigation are good or perhaps even better than that but i have a problem with repetition.

In this book, the author made the story accessible even for those who haven't read the beginning yet  for that reason, i'm guessing, a lot of repetitions were used..not exactly repetition in this book but several whole passage were copied from book 1 either to introduce the universe or explaining the reasoning of Ivy...for me it cut my interest in the book at several occasion as simply it was still too fresh in my mind from book 1...after 2 thirds of the story though those "repetitions" disappear and i was again completely immersed and enjoying the story a lot. However, for those who have read the first instalment "Shadow Sight" first , i think you would do well to read the novella "Blood and Mistletoe" as well before starting this one. Now i haven't read it yet even if own it so i can't be sure it will fill the blank but for example Ivy speak a lot about Jenna and how she helped and trained her etc and that isn't explained in book  1. I'm hoping reading the novella will fill the blank and clear the confusion i felt sometimes.

That being said when the investigation really starts it's really an interesting one and we can see how the path Ivy is taking will be difficult. We learn more about her father and she is starting to remember her past with him better as well , she also dares to look into it. I really appreciated how she was maturing and trying to protect her friends and her lover ( that part was quite sweet)...now it ends with a cliffhanger not hard but still it angered me a little. So this is a good series i plan to continue but not in the near future either.

Score: 3,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

Do you have some series you prefer not to read back to back?

Chimes At Midnight ( october Daye 7) by Seanan McGuire

hello to all,

                      It's well time that i post my review for this week but depites my best effort so far  i'm not really managing my time easily . It's one of my resolutions for 2016 so too early to give up as well^^

Still today, in the deep of the night, i'm sharing with you my opinion of an instalment in one of my favourites series since i've decided to read a little more in the sequels part of my TBR pile.


Happy reading!

Publisher: Daw

Publication: 2013

ISBN:  0756408148

Genre: urban fantasy,fae
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 18+

Source: bought
 

Short description from goodreads :

 Things are starting to look up for October "Toby" Daye. She's training her squire, doing her job, and has finally allowed herself to grow closer to the local King of Cats. It seems like her life may finally be settling down...at least until dead changelings start appearing in the alleys of San Francisco, killed by an overdose of goblin fruit.

Toby's efforts to take the problem to the Queen of the Mists are met with harsh reprisals, leaving her under sentence of exile from her home and everyone she loves. Now Toby must find a way to reverse the Queens decree, get the goblin fruit off the streets--and, oh, yes, save her own life, since more than a few of her problems have once again followed her home. And then there's the question of the Queen herself, who seems increasingly unlikely to have a valid claim to the throne....

To find the answers, October and her friends will have to travel from the legendary Library of Stars into the hidden depths of the Kingdom of the Mists--and they'll have to do it fast, because time is running out. In faerie, some fates are worse than death.


October Daye is about to find out what they are.

My opinion:

          If you are looking for a urban fantasy series about Fae, this is the one i would recommend without a doubt. Chimes at Midnight is book 7 and  Seanan Mcguire still captes my attention from the first page to the last one  it’s full of action with a big dosis of humour and so, so many fae species.

I love to learn about new ones in each book  - i’m fond of Cu sidhe now ; )  - and how they interact with each others even if i hate most of the nobles politics at the same time...fae can be so cruel

I’m really fond of Toby as she did mature a lot from book 1 ( getting trickier at the same time but with a Cait sidhe at her side that’s quite normal i guess^^). She is so fiercely loyal and wanting things to be fair.....but also getting in the worse situations possible...

Tybalt is here and so protective as well as Danny ( he alone would make you change your mind on trolls forever), we do get to see a lot of the Luiadeg as well which is always a moment a savor.

This time, wanting to protect Changeling, and Faerie in general, from a deadly drug, Toby manages to get exiled by the Queen (such a b*****)....since it would mean also big consequences for her friends she is determined to change the situation even if it means going against the monarch... and at the same time she is discovering how numerous her allies are and how glad she is for them.

 I don’t want to reveal too much as the mysteries slowly revealed are part of what makes these books so captivating but  i can tell you that once again i’m anxious for the next book as well as fearing it . You see Toby tend to do a lot of things that can have consequences in the long run and once again she jumped head first in a binding that could be so, so disastrous that i really want to discover what will be asked  while a little afraid of what will happen... that’s the magic of this author... in each book you get answers ( big one this time^^) and at teh same time more questions nearly driving you insane ^^

So definitively  great instalment and soon  i will read the next book ( or see if a short story doresn’t take place between this book and the next as i don’t want to miss anything)

Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

Did you decide to formulate some resolutions/goals for 2016?Which Ones?