Review Coming Soon....

 

Book Review: "The Last Templar" by Boyd and Beth Morrison

The thrilling new historical adventure from New York Times bestselling author Boyd Morrison and expert medievalist Beth Morrison. Fox and Willa find themselves on a dangerous quest for the treasure of the Templar Knights.

A Perilous Quest. A Deadly Legacy.

Italy, 1351. English knight Gerard Fox and the resourceful Willa have come through a death-defying journey across war-torn Europe. Now looking towards their future together, they must first find a way to reconcile with their difficult pasts.

In a small village between Florence and Siena, Fox and Willa are caught up in a deadly ambush. After rescuing the enigmatic woman who is the target of the attack, they take refuge in her opulent villa and learn her heartbreaking story – a tale of loss, deception... and a burning desire for freedom.

Soon, Fox and Willa are involved in a perilous quest to save her family's legacy... and to do so, they will have to solve a mystery that points the way to the fabled lost treasure of the Knights Templar. - from Netgalley.com

I received this eARC through Netgalley.com and am providing an unbiased opinion.

This continues the travels of Fox and Willa from the first novel. From the description above, you see they get involved in an attack that finds them fleeing with a woman they believe being attacked. Their "duty" they feel to help those in need surely would not fit in modern society, one could think. With their assistance, this Lady reveals a 40 year secret regarding the possible location of the riches held by the Templar bank, and the proof of a traitor that helped bring about the fall of the Templars.

There is quite a bit of traveling around Italy, and being an American, I don't know much of the country, or its rich history. The Morrisons have brought modern day architectural monuments, and recorded fact history to bring a detailed setting(s) that fictionally took place over 600 years ago. They have done a wonderful job creating not only an informative environment, with detailed description for imagining, but have kept the reader's attention (read: mine) with the adventure of the 'chase for gold'. Overall the book reminded me of a well-researched Clive Cussler novel, which is not a bad thing! Will eb watching for more possibly to come....?

 

Book Review: "Dreams of Arcadia" by Brian Porter

A captivating story of self discovery and long-buried family secrets.

Nate Holub, a veterinarian with two teenage daughters, takes a job in his father’s hometown, wondering if a city boy has what it takes to be a country vet. As he struggles to adapt, Nate reconnects with his family and discovers that his father’s accidental death thirty years earlier was much more complicated than he realized.

Nate probes the past, afraid of what he might find. He encounters a resentful cousin, a wary town patriarch, a reclusive uncle and his long-sequestered daughter, a beguiling hidden garden, a mysterious illness, and a war widow who shows him that love is still possible. He is drawn to the Holub family farm, where he seeks refuge in nature and tries desperately to reach Viola, his inscrutable grandmother. The farm is a place that haunts his memory, a place where dark family secrets dwell. - from Booksirens.com

I received this eARC through Booksirens.com and am providing an unbiased review.

This was a well-written story of a family tied to the land, and a loss that has been secreted for many years. The writing style was so understandable and gave such detail to the descriptions of not only people, but places. I really felt drawn into the story, and though there needs to be a final stop somewhere, I wish there was more for Porter to share with us. This was a unique look into what many would consider a regular American family over the past 50 or so years.

 

Book Review: "Black River Orchard" by Chuck Wendig

 

A small town is transformed by dark magic when seven strange trees begin bearing magical apples in this new masterpiece of horror from the bestselling author of Wanderers and The Book of Accidents.

It’s autumn in the town of Harrow, but something besides the season is changing there.

Because in that town there is an orchard, and in that orchard, seven most unusual trees. And from those trees grows a new sort of apple: strange, beautiful, with skin so red it’s nearly black.

Take a bite of one of these apples, and you will desire only to devour another. And another. You will become stronger. More vital. More yourself, you will believe. But then your appetite for the apples and their peculiar gifts will keep growing—and become darker.

This is what happens when the townsfolk discover the secret of the orchard. Soon it seems that everyone is consumed by an obsession with the magic of the apples . . . and what’s the harm, if it is making them all happier, more confident, more powerful?

Even if something else is buried in the orchard besides the seeds of these extraordinary trees: a bloody history whose roots reach back to the very origins of the town.

But now the leaves are falling. The days grow darker. It’s harvest time, and the town will soon reap what it has sown. -from Netgalley.com

I received this eARC through Netgalley.com and am providing an unbiased review.

Only Wendig can take the love of apples on such a dark route that one will think twice before eating another one. This is the 'apple of all stories' and so superbly written. Each time I have read one of Wendig's novels, his writing seems to get better and better, though it is not bad at all in any of his books. This was definitely a good read of a genre I enjoy, and would recommend for any older reader.

Book Review: "Tides of Magic" by Andi R. Christopher

 Meet Charley Deacon. She’s failing out of uni, being near the sea makes her inexplicably ill, and now her sister has gone missing in suspicious circumstances. Her only hope of finding her may lie with an impossibly old woman who lives – you’ve guessed it – by the sea.

Welcome to Inver Aora, a tiny settlement on the coast of New Zealand’s South Island. It has a holiday park, a woman who may or may not be a witch, and not a lot else. Most people can’t find their way here, but the locals find it hard to leave. If there’s anything weird going on, they’re not in the habit of talking about it.

Charley might be the least likely person to show up in Inver Aora, but it also might just be the place she discovers new powers, her own purpose, and some people that make her want to stick around. - from Booksirens.com

This eARC was provided by Booksirens.com and I am giving an unbiased review.

As one can see from the picture of the book cover, this is a first book in a new series. From the book blurb, we find out a little about our main character, and what event(s) she will be facing. And from that point on, I was somewhat disappointed. Charley obviously has some issues if she is failing out of school. Add to that we find out she has some form of ADD/ADHD and I am not a practitioner to know the signs, but our scatter-brained, OCD main character just loses my attention. There is something about the sea that just bothers Charley, bad enough to cause nausea, but we find out that is where her power evidently lies (in some form). 

Several things about the story bothered me. It seemed to jump between events - like the author was trying to make the reader feel like they had ADD like the character, and so read the story like the character acted it. I don't know. But there wasn't much for character building going on either. Every character was.. well, just "was", with no major explanation, and no introduction except when they were needed to fulfill a portion of the story. The story is based in NZ, a place I have never been nor studied, so I do not know if this is common among story-telling there. Either way, I loved the idea behind the story, and will probably watch for a second story to see if the writing style or storyline has improved. Was a pretty quick read since it seemed to lack some content.

Book Review: "Legally Burned" by Jane Biteme

 

After nailing the biggest case of her career, Sloan Reynolds should be sipping some well-deserved smoked bourbon by the fireplace, right?

Yeah, right…

With love troubles, legal troubles, and every other freaking thing under the sun troubles, Sloan can’t seem to find a moment to catch her breath.

Add a few dead bodies, betrayal, the usual suspects, paranormal misbehavior, and a dash of internal organizational corruption, and you have the perfect supernatural concoction. And yeah, we’re not talking about a mixed drink.

With few friends, and even fewer places to turn for backup, Sloan must top her own best performance in short order.

Is she willing to pay a heavy price for the power needed to accomplish the impossible?

Join Sloan Reynolds on her second adventure in the Paranormal Justice for All series, and get lost in a world of legal ambiguity, witches, vampires, monsters, and the unapologetically supernatural.- from Netgalley.com

This eARC was provided by Netgalley.com and I am giving an unbiased review.

When I came across this book on Netgalley.com, I paused. The cover art was nice, title catchy, story plot interesting -and the author name...hilarious! I couldn't believe someone would (and could) publish under such a pseudonym. I had to find out more about this author, as I see from the story info that this is a second book. I found her website, and knew I just had to request and read this book (regardless it being a second in a series).

I read it as a stand-alone, and though there were some references to earlier events (I assume from book one) they were easily explained in short, so that this story could move on. I liked seeing a female character that shows determination, and a 'take no names' type attitude. So many I read about nowadays seem to be timid, 'oh did I do that' types, that just doesn't fit the model of character I would expect. As the main character being an AUSA, I thought the story idea was brilliant, and showed enough knowledge of that field of work it was believable to actually have a legal department to prosecute and hold accountable the vampires, and more, that exist.

I did feel a little lost at first with the use of veeri and vedma for vampires and witches, but after awhile was easily acclimated to it. I feel the author has created a nice world and environment that her characters easily were written into. The storyline was completely believable, and I look forward to a few more books in this series.

Book Review: "Cult Classic" by Stephen Blackmoore

 

The ninth book of this dark urban fantasy series follows necromancer Eric Carter through a world of vengeful gods and goddesses, mysterious murders, and restless ghosts.

Eric Carter has a lot on his plate.

He's hunting the Oracle of Las Vegas, a literal talking head that manipulates the future to make its prophecies come true. But it has a new trick. It can change the past, too.

Now Jazz Age Los Angeles is invading the present. Long gone buildings suddenly restored, decommissioned Red Car trains appearing on paved over tracks, miles of the city changing back to orange groves.

Throw in a hundred-year-old doomsday cult, time magic, and a terrifyingly powerful spell to raise the dead and it makes for a busy week. Carter knows the Oracle is behind it all but he can't figure out how. Or why.

But he better figure it out soon or he, the city, and everyone he knows might be wiped from existence.

Cult Classic is noir urban fantasy at its finest, with a cutting voice, sharp wit, and a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. - from Netgalley.com

This eARC was provided from Netgalley.com and I am giving an unbiased review.

As stated above in the plot synopsis, this is the ninth book in the Eric Carter series. And for a bit of a spoiler, it is the final one as well, per the author in a tweet from Twitter, unless someone "pays me a lot of money". This saddens me quite a bit, as I have gotten to truly love this series, and was hoping for more, or maybe some other sort of world tie-in.

Our man of Death, Eric Carter is back, and as usual, the least-loved necromancer has his hands full. Between a poly-type relationship that is a work in progress, time flipping things around from a hundred years ago, and just trying to survive, Eric is hunting down the Oracle, a being he helped create in his younger, 'dumber' days. The story is full of the usual snark we expect from this character, and the usual 'I'm figuring out what I can do along the way' attitude. Having been a God, dead (literally), and brought back to life in your grandfather's body, can sure make for an interesting life.

As I stated before, I am pretty sad this is the last book. That being said, I think Blackmoore did a wonderful job wrapping up some little bits that have been floating out there, in regards to certain events. I'm not going to truly spoil them, but there is information about his Grandfather, and his Sister. If you have read the series, you'll probably know what I referring to. As usual, the author has done a wonderful job of creating and maintaining a possibility of what the southwestern US could be (mainly LA and Las Vegas) after a necromancer has had a few battles. His use of snark and sarcasm were spot on, and I just loved how the main character has changed since the first book, into someone that can actually care not only about what happens to them, but about others, whether he knows them or not.

Book Review: "The Salt-Black Tree" by Lilith Saintcrow

 What happens when you find a way to save your loved one… but the price might not be worth it—the stunning conclusion to New York Times bestseller Lilith Saintcrow’s The Dead God’s Heart

Nat Drozdova has crossed half the continent in search of the stolen Dead God’s Heart, the only thing powerful enough to trade for her beautiful, voracious, dying mother’s life. Yet now she knows the secret of her own birth—and that she’s been lied to all her young life.

The road to the Heart ends at the Salt-Black Tree, but to find it Nat must pay a deadly price. Pursued by mouthless shadows hungry for the blood of new divinity as well as the razor-wielding god of thieves, Nat is on her own. Her journey leads through a wilderness of gods old and new, across a country as restless as its mortal inhabitants, and it’s too late to back out now.

Blood may not always prevail. Magic might not always work. And the young Drozdova is faced with an impossible choice: Save her mother’s very existence…

…or accept the consequences of her own. - from Netgalley.com 

This eARC was provided by Netgalley.com and I am providing an unbiased review.

I was so happy when I was given the chance to read this book! This is the kind of fantasy story I love to read, especially when we are dealing with divinities of all sorts, and just how one could imagine them getting along with one another. This centers more around the Baba Yaga and seasonal aspects more than other 'gods' but still brings a somewhat humorous interaction amongst the characters. I have enjoyed Saintcrow's previous books, and though this one seems to wrap up the story of Nat (one could hope for future tales?) I would look forward to more from this author.

Book Review: "The Traitor" by Anthony Ryan

 

In this “gritty, heart-pounding” (John Gwynne) conclusion to the New York Times bestselling fantasy trilogy, The Covenant of Steel, Alwyn must make a difficult decide between his heart and his morals as he prepares for his final battle.

It’s been a long journey for Alwyn Scribe. Born a bastard and raised an outlaw, he’s now a knight and the most trusted advisor to Lady Evadine Courlain. Together they’ve won countless battles and helped to bring order to a fractured kingdom.    Yet Evadine is not the woman Alwyn once knew. As puritanical fury increasingly replaces her benevolent faith, Alwyn begins to question what her true motives really are.    As the kingdom braces itself for one final battle, Alwyn’s conscience fights its own war with his heart. Now, more than ever, he must decide whose side he’s really on. - from NetGalley.com

This eARC was given to me from NetGalley.com and I am providing an unbiased review.

It is hard for me to even say what I think about this book, let alone the whole trilogy. Following the life of Alwyn has been an experience, one that I would gladly embark on again. How Ryan makes the reader see inside the mind of the MC and understand his values of ethics and morals was so well done. Each book has been a 'growing together' with the MC, as he advances in roles of his life.  I do feel that the ending was left kind of open. I am hoping that it will lead to another series possibly...?