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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Hidden Power (Academy of Elemental Magic, #1) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
I got this as a freebie a few months ago as I hunted for books to finish my Paranormal Roman & Urban Fantasy A-Z challenge on Goodreads.
This starts with Avaline doing her job as a lifeguard at the lake when she is attacked with magic by two assailants who know her name. She wakes up a month later to learn she, too, has magic. A dangerous magic. She has two choices and decides to stay at the school to learn how to control her vox magic.
I can't decide whether I liked this or not.
Everything was happening so quickly in it. She meets the guys, she lusts after them, she sleeps with one of them very quickly. She gets to lessons and on her second try ever she manages to make fire. I just expected things to take time...for her to initially struggle considering she didn't even know she had magic until a day or two ago.
I struggled to connect with the characters and wasn't really convinced by their relationships. I didn't feel any real sort of chemistry going on between any of them. Once again, I feel like this bit was rushed. I get lust but... I wasn't a fan of how the author wrote the romance parts.
This story had a lot of promise but we don't really learn much of anything. Ava learns about magic in lessons but we don't get to hear it. To me it feels like a bit of paper that's been scrunched into a ball and then flattened causing creases and ripples that means some details in the story have been glossed over. It could do with expanding a little with more details on certain aspects.
At this point I don't believe I'll be reading more of this series.
This starts with Avaline doing her job as a lifeguard at the lake when she is attacked with magic by two assailants who know her name. She wakes up a month later to learn she, too, has magic. A dangerous magic. She has two choices and decides to stay at the school to learn how to control her vox magic.
I can't decide whether I liked this or not.
Everything was happening so quickly in it. She meets the guys, she lusts after them, she sleeps with one of them very quickly. She gets to lessons and on her second try ever she manages to make fire. I just expected things to take time...for her to initially struggle considering she didn't even know she had magic until a day or two ago.
I struggled to connect with the characters and wasn't really convinced by their relationships. I didn't feel any real sort of chemistry going on between any of them. Once again, I feel like this bit was rushed. I get lust but... I wasn't a fan of how the author wrote the romance parts.
This story had a lot of promise but we don't really learn much of anything. Ava learns about magic in lessons but we don't get to hear it. To me it feels like a bit of paper that's been scrunched into a ball and then flattened causing creases and ripples that means some details in the story have been glossed over. It could do with expanding a little with more details on certain aspects.
At this point I don't believe I'll be reading more of this series.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Born of Hatred (The Hellequin Chronicles #2) in Books
Dec 5, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
201
Kindle
Born of Hatred ( The Hellequin chronicles book 2)
By Steve McHugh
There was a time when Nathan Garrett was feared. When the mention of his name was enough to stop his enemies in their tracks. That time has long since passed.
When Nathan's friend asks for help investigating a pattern of horrific crimes, he reluctantly agrees. But his investigation leads to a serial killer who is something more, or less, than human, a creature of pure malevolence and hatred.
There are some things that even a 1600-year-old sorcerer hesitates to challenge. But when evil targets those Nathan cares about, his enemies will discover exactly who Nathan used to be. And why they will learn to fear him once more.
Born of Hatred is an action-packed, Urban Fantasy set in modern-day England with historical flashbacks to late nineteenth century Montana. It's the second book of the Hellequin Chronicles, following the widely praised Crimes Against Magic, which introduced sorcerer Nathan Garrett. I did t think I could enjoy the second as much as the first, I was so wrong!
Loved it!! Written by a Brit the character is English it’s set in England and what’s not to love about Nate!! I love the bloke he’s powerful and funny! This one be brings Hades and Persephone In to the picture and I absolutely love all Hades parts in books! The werewolf pack are brilliant, Tommy and Kasey are great I even warmed to Olivia!! Shame about the romance not working out but a mere mortal isn’t enough for our Nate! The big bad was really chilling along with his ghouls and the barren! We are one step closer to finding the assholes in Avalon. Brilliant read! Ooo and yes the Hellequin is back!!!
Kindle
Born of Hatred ( The Hellequin chronicles book 2)
By Steve McHugh
There was a time when Nathan Garrett was feared. When the mention of his name was enough to stop his enemies in their tracks. That time has long since passed.
When Nathan's friend asks for help investigating a pattern of horrific crimes, he reluctantly agrees. But his investigation leads to a serial killer who is something more, or less, than human, a creature of pure malevolence and hatred.
There are some things that even a 1600-year-old sorcerer hesitates to challenge. But when evil targets those Nathan cares about, his enemies will discover exactly who Nathan used to be. And why they will learn to fear him once more.
Born of Hatred is an action-packed, Urban Fantasy set in modern-day England with historical flashbacks to late nineteenth century Montana. It's the second book of the Hellequin Chronicles, following the widely praised Crimes Against Magic, which introduced sorcerer Nathan Garrett. I did t think I could enjoy the second as much as the first, I was so wrong!
Loved it!! Written by a Brit the character is English it’s set in England and what’s not to love about Nate!! I love the bloke he’s powerful and funny! This one be brings Hades and Persephone In to the picture and I absolutely love all Hades parts in books! The werewolf pack are brilliant, Tommy and Kasey are great I even warmed to Olivia!! Shame about the romance not working out but a mere mortal isn’t enough for our Nate! The big bad was really chilling along with his ghouls and the barren! We are one step closer to finding the assholes in Avalon. Brilliant read! Ooo and yes the Hellequin is back!!!
The Demon Lord of California (Infinity 8 #1)
7.0
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Earth, 1900. Calico Winghorse has no choice but to flee to the plane of existence called Earth....
LGBTQ+ Urban Fantasy Paranormal
The Voinico's Daughter (The Vanator Vampire Hunters #1)
8.0
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Watch out vampires! There's a new girl in town! Nicoleta has never taken a life before, but she...
Urban Fantasy Paranormal Horror
Heart of Outcasts
10.0
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Change is coming to the Autumn County werewolves, and someone would kill to keep it from...
MM Urban Fantasy Romance
Merissa (12401 KP) rated Stuck with my Frenemy (The Karma Collectors #1) in Books
Jun 23, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)
STUCK WITH MY FRENEMY is the first book in The Karma Collectors series and if you are looking for an opposites book, then this is your winner.
Ebony is the daughter of the Morrigan, and Cherry is the daughter of Aphrodite. One is full of rainbows, the other loves black. I'll leave it to you to figure out which is which. For some as yet unknown reason, Cherry and Ebony are sent to Earth as Karma's Collectors, and their first job is to give karma to the two thieves who stole Thor's Hammer. Of course, nothing is simple, so throw in a couple of fated mates plus Loki, and you're left with a whole ball of fun.
As Maya Daniels is one of the co-authors, you can expect the pacing to be extremely fast. I think the whole book takes place over a couple of days. The characters, you will either love or hate. I know it's probably meant to be this way but I really hate Cherry! Like, seriously!!! People talk about nails on a chalkboard, well, Cherry had me like chewing on a cotton wool ball! My jaw was so tense with every scene she was in and my palms were covered in nail marks.
If humorous urban fantasy is your thing, then I can definitely recommend this book. I'm sure the series is going to be full of fun and frolics, but I'm just not sure I'm up for all that colour! I think I may just retreat into my pit of doom and gloom and be happy there.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 23, 2021
Ebony is the daughter of the Morrigan, and Cherry is the daughter of Aphrodite. One is full of rainbows, the other loves black. I'll leave it to you to figure out which is which. For some as yet unknown reason, Cherry and Ebony are sent to Earth as Karma's Collectors, and their first job is to give karma to the two thieves who stole Thor's Hammer. Of course, nothing is simple, so throw in a couple of fated mates plus Loki, and you're left with a whole ball of fun.
As Maya Daniels is one of the co-authors, you can expect the pacing to be extremely fast. I think the whole book takes place over a couple of days. The characters, you will either love or hate. I know it's probably meant to be this way but I really hate Cherry! Like, seriously!!! People talk about nails on a chalkboard, well, Cherry had me like chewing on a cotton wool ball! My jaw was so tense with every scene she was in and my palms were covered in nail marks.
If humorous urban fantasy is your thing, then I can definitely recommend this book. I'm sure the series is going to be full of fun and frolics, but I'm just not sure I'm up for all that colour! I think I may just retreat into my pit of doom and gloom and be happy there.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 23, 2021
Charmed & Dangerous
10.0
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Magic takes many forms. From malignant hexes to love charms gone amok, you’ll find a vast array of...
Urban Fantasy Paranormal MM Romance
Hazel (1853 KP) rated A City Dreaming in Books
Dec 14, 2018
My rating: 2.5
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
“The city never sleeps, but it’s always dreaming.” And, by dreaming, Daniel Polansky clearly means nightmares. <i>A City Dreaming</i> is, for the lack of a better term, an urban fantasy novel. Embracing elements of dystopia and steampunk universes, it is difficult to determine the time period in which it is set. What can be established is that, wherever you are in the world, you are never far away from a monster.
<i>A City Dreaming</i> revolves around a semi-anonymous character known as M. M appears to be some form of magician who wishes he could spend his days listlessly staring into the bottom of his beer glass. Yet with misbehaving creatures and warring goddess living in the city of New York, peace is a rare phenomenon in M’s life. From demons to murders and mind-boggling situations, there is never a dull moment.
Each chapter of <i>A City Dreaming</i> is, in some way, an individual story. Apart from the occasional recurring character, no scenario is ever continued after the chapter concludes. This is initially a cause for confusion. With no clear direction or purpose, it is hard to remain engaged with the author’s imagination.
Readers familiar with contemporary fantasy writers, such as Neil Gaiman, may understand Polansky’s vision – think <i>Neverwhere</i> and <i>American Gods</i> combined, but weirder. M spends the majority of his time either inebriated or on drugs, and, to be frank, it would not be surprising to learn the author was on drugs at the time of writing. Imagine Neil Gaiman on drugs; that is how bizarre this book is.
Despite his penchant for recreational drugs, M is an intelligent character that can humorously talk himself out of impossible situations. However it is often a hopeless ordeal to fathom the process of his intoxicated mind. As a result, <i>A City Dreaming</i> loses its thrill and excitement.
As this is the first Daniel Polansky novel that I have read, I do not know whether this is his usual style of writing or whether it was an attempt at something new. What I did observe was the intelligence hidden behind the excess of expletives and lewd content. Polansky writes with certain aptitude, almost as if he has swallowed a thesaurus.
Fans of Neil Gaiman and Brandon Sanderson may enjoy <i>A City Dreaming</i> more than new readers, since they will already be familiar with the style of bemusing narration. <i>A City Dreaming</i> does not live up to the definition of a novel, however as short, connecting stories it provides the intended entertainment. Almost certainly, this book will be received with mixed reviews; nonetheless it will undoubtedly eventually find its fan base.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
“The city never sleeps, but it’s always dreaming.” And, by dreaming, Daniel Polansky clearly means nightmares. <i>A City Dreaming</i> is, for the lack of a better term, an urban fantasy novel. Embracing elements of dystopia and steampunk universes, it is difficult to determine the time period in which it is set. What can be established is that, wherever you are in the world, you are never far away from a monster.
<i>A City Dreaming</i> revolves around a semi-anonymous character known as M. M appears to be some form of magician who wishes he could spend his days listlessly staring into the bottom of his beer glass. Yet with misbehaving creatures and warring goddess living in the city of New York, peace is a rare phenomenon in M’s life. From demons to murders and mind-boggling situations, there is never a dull moment.
Each chapter of <i>A City Dreaming</i> is, in some way, an individual story. Apart from the occasional recurring character, no scenario is ever continued after the chapter concludes. This is initially a cause for confusion. With no clear direction or purpose, it is hard to remain engaged with the author’s imagination.
Readers familiar with contemporary fantasy writers, such as Neil Gaiman, may understand Polansky’s vision – think <i>Neverwhere</i> and <i>American Gods</i> combined, but weirder. M spends the majority of his time either inebriated or on drugs, and, to be frank, it would not be surprising to learn the author was on drugs at the time of writing. Imagine Neil Gaiman on drugs; that is how bizarre this book is.
Despite his penchant for recreational drugs, M is an intelligent character that can humorously talk himself out of impossible situations. However it is often a hopeless ordeal to fathom the process of his intoxicated mind. As a result, <i>A City Dreaming</i> loses its thrill and excitement.
As this is the first Daniel Polansky novel that I have read, I do not know whether this is his usual style of writing or whether it was an attempt at something new. What I did observe was the intelligence hidden behind the excess of expletives and lewd content. Polansky writes with certain aptitude, almost as if he has swallowed a thesaurus.
Fans of Neil Gaiman and Brandon Sanderson may enjoy <i>A City Dreaming</i> more than new readers, since they will already be familiar with the style of bemusing narration. <i>A City Dreaming</i> does not live up to the definition of a novel, however as short, connecting stories it provides the intended entertainment. Almost certainly, this book will be received with mixed reviews; nonetheless it will undoubtedly eventually find its fan base.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Black Heart Loa in Books
Sep 8, 2017
A rolicking fun ride through Louisiana
Black Heart Loa is actually the second in Phoenix’s Hoodoo series, the first being Black Dust Mambo. Even without reading the first one, Black Heart Loa is easy to follow, and the events of Black Dust Mambo are easily understood, without really having them rehashed to the reader. Part of that, I expect, is because Black Heart Loa is dealing with the fallout of the events of Black Dust Mambo, so things get explained in a natural progression in the book.
BHL was a rolicking fun ride through the swamps of Louisiana. I can’t speak for the accuracy of how the hoodoo belief system is represented, but most religious beliefs in urban fantasy get a vigorous twisting from the author, as miracles and magic become real in the fictional world. So I’m not terribly worried about the accuracy, as long as they’re not portrayed solely in a good or bad light. And in BHL there are both good and bad practitioners of hoodoo, illustrating the point that it’s not the religion that is inherently good or bad, but the person practicing it. So that moral quandary aside, I really, REALLY enjoyed this book. Kallie is a fun, ass-kicking, smart-talking protagonist, though I found myself wanting to know more about her best friend, a mambo-in-training.
I especially want to know more about a character who was introduced late in the book, but the ending of the book implies more books to come, and more focus on the character I’m intrigued by, so I’ll have to see if I can dig up more of this series. Amazon says this book is 2 of 2 in the series, but it was published in 2011 and I don't see any more in the series, which is sad. Goodreads mentions a third book, Black Moon Mojo, but I can't find any news about a release date.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
BHL was a rolicking fun ride through the swamps of Louisiana. I can’t speak for the accuracy of how the hoodoo belief system is represented, but most religious beliefs in urban fantasy get a vigorous twisting from the author, as miracles and magic become real in the fictional world. So I’m not terribly worried about the accuracy, as long as they’re not portrayed solely in a good or bad light. And in BHL there are both good and bad practitioners of hoodoo, illustrating the point that it’s not the religion that is inherently good or bad, but the person practicing it. So that moral quandary aside, I really, REALLY enjoyed this book. Kallie is a fun, ass-kicking, smart-talking protagonist, though I found myself wanting to know more about her best friend, a mambo-in-training.
I especially want to know more about a character who was introduced late in the book, but the ending of the book implies more books to come, and more focus on the character I’m intrigued by, so I’ll have to see if I can dig up more of this series. Amazon says this book is 2 of 2 in the series, but it was published in 2011 and I don't see any more in the series, which is sad. Goodreads mentions a third book, Black Moon Mojo, but I can't find any news about a release date.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
ClareR (5789 KP) rated Blood Shadow (Blood Never Lies 1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
The start of an exciting new series!!
This is the beginning of a new series from Dianna Hardy, which has it's roots in The Eye of The Storm series. You don't need to have read the series to read this book though, although you will be able to understand why the main character, Jennifer Warren, acts in the way that she does.
Five years after Jennifer has put her werewolf past behind her, she is settled in to a new life with a job, house and a boyfriend. She receives anonymous notes from time to time that warn her of things that will happen and people that she should steer clear of. There is a Supermoon coming, and she has been warned that something big is going to happen. Her past seems to be catching up with her.
Jennifer is a much more likeable character in this book than she was in the EOTS series. She is vulnerable, shy and genuinely seems to care about her boyfriend. Her flashbacks and dreams are disturbing for her (and may be disturbing for the reader to, to be honest), and we see just how devastating an effect her past has had on her.
I liked the way that certain myths were incorporated in to the story (I can't say which, it'll give the game away!!) and the backstories of other characters were very interesting.
All in all, this was a gripping story, and if it hadn't been for the fact that I had to go to work, I would have finished it in one sitting.
This is a good book for those who enjoy Urban Fantasy with a bit of romance (not as much in this story as in her previous series, though). I'm looking forward to any more that the author writes in this series - there were a few loose ends that are crying out to be followed up!
Many thanks to the author for early access to her book to review (and an honest review as well!!)
Five years after Jennifer has put her werewolf past behind her, she is settled in to a new life with a job, house and a boyfriend. She receives anonymous notes from time to time that warn her of things that will happen and people that she should steer clear of. There is a Supermoon coming, and she has been warned that something big is going to happen. Her past seems to be catching up with her.
Jennifer is a much more likeable character in this book than she was in the EOTS series. She is vulnerable, shy and genuinely seems to care about her boyfriend. Her flashbacks and dreams are disturbing for her (and may be disturbing for the reader to, to be honest), and we see just how devastating an effect her past has had on her.
I liked the way that certain myths were incorporated in to the story (I can't say which, it'll give the game away!!) and the backstories of other characters were very interesting.
All in all, this was a gripping story, and if it hadn't been for the fact that I had to go to work, I would have finished it in one sitting.
This is a good book for those who enjoy Urban Fantasy with a bit of romance (not as much in this story as in her previous series, though). I'm looking forward to any more that the author writes in this series - there were a few loose ends that are crying out to be followed up!
Many thanks to the author for early access to her book to review (and an honest review as well!!)