Search
Search results
Merissa (11805 KP) rated Shadowed (Hollow City Coven #2) in Books
Apr 19, 2023
The second book in the Hollow City Coven series continues where Book 1 left off. Gillian and Shayne are together, sort of, as they travel to try and find more information about Tenebris. Gillian has a starting point, but the Midnight Market is not for the faint of heart.
With an FF kiss, and some steamy action from Gillian and Shayne, this book continues to be hot and steamy. However, this instalment is also mysterious and suspenseful. It also comes complete with an ending that leaves you wanting the next book in this series immediately.
For everything that you do, there is a price to pay. Is Gillian's price for going to the Midnight Market going to be too high? I certainly hope not but I am looking forward to Book 3 to find out. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 4, 2015
With an FF kiss, and some steamy action from Gillian and Shayne, this book continues to be hot and steamy. However, this instalment is also mysterious and suspenseful. It also comes complete with an ending that leaves you wanting the next book in this series immediately.
For everything that you do, there is a price to pay. Is Gillian's price for going to the Midnight Market going to be too high? I certainly hope not but I am looking forward to Book 3 to find out. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 4, 2015
Merissa (11805 KP) rated What Remains (Southern Spirits #6) in Books
Apr 19, 2023
What Remains is like a book 2 for Laine and Sev, and whilst I really like them, I personally would have loved to have heard more about the others as well. The spirits of McKinton go missing, all at the same time, and it coincidentally at the same time as a Wiccan Coven visits and Sev gets a phone call from his sort-of estranged sister.
Whilst the story itself is just as hot and entertaining as the others, I would have liked more about why the ghosts disappeared when they did, and why. Where did they go and did they have a choice to come back or not? I did like how all of the other couples got a mention, albeit a quick one.
Showing nice growth to the series and the characters, this is a good addition to the Southern Spirits.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 9, 2015
Whilst the story itself is just as hot and entertaining as the others, I would have liked more about why the ghosts disappeared when they did, and why. Where did they go and did they have a choice to come back or not? I did like how all of the other couples got a mention, albeit a quick one.
Showing nice growth to the series and the characters, this is a good addition to the Southern Spirits.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 9, 2015
David McK (3251 KP) rated Lords and Ladies (Discworld, #14; Witches #4) in Books
Oct 30, 2022
As a character, Granny Weatherwax first appeared in the third Discworld novel Equal Rites, which was about, well, Equal Rights for both sexes. She then re-appeared (and beacem the unofficial head of her coven) in both Wyrd Sisters (where the broad outline of the plot bears a striking resemblance to certain Scottish play) and Witches Abroad (fairytales as you've never heard them before!). This is thus the fourth Discworld novel to include her as a main character, this time taking its inspiration from another Shakespeare play: A Midsummers night dream.
In this, and unlike the Elves of most comtemporary literature (Elves = good), the Elvish race are a foe to be reckoned with! This quote from about half-way through sums it up:
'Elves are wonderful. They provoke wonder.
Elves are marvellous. They cause marvels.
Elves are fantastic. They creat fantasies.
Elves are glamorous. They project glamour.
Elves are enchanting. They weave enchantment.
Elves are terrific. They beget terror.
The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake ...
No-one ever said Elves are nice.
Elves are bad.'
In this, and unlike the Elves of most comtemporary literature (Elves = good), the Elvish race are a foe to be reckoned with! This quote from about half-way through sums it up:
'Elves are wonderful. They provoke wonder.
Elves are marvellous. They cause marvels.
Elves are fantastic. They creat fantasies.
Elves are glamorous. They project glamour.
Elves are enchanting. They weave enchantment.
Elves are terrific. They beget terror.
The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake ...
No-one ever said Elves are nice.
Elves are bad.'
David McK (3251 KP) rated Maskerade (Discworld, #18; Witches #5) in Books
Mar 28, 2021 (Updated Aug 19, 2023)
!!!!!
If I was forced to pick, I would have to say that - speaking personally - I think Terry Pratchett was at the height of his powers in the mid-to-late 90s, before the Discworld books started becoming overly serious.
So, around the time of the likes of 'Lords and Ladies, 'Small Gods', and this one, in other words.
(and I've just realised that 2/3rds of those books quoted concern The Witches Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax)
In this one, and following Magrat marriage to King Verence, the Witches find themselves down to a duo instead of a trio, and - since you can't have a coven of two ("When shall we ... two ... meet again ....") - are in need of a replacement (well, so Nanny Ogg thinks).
Said replacement is the first appearance of Agnes Nitt who, unfortunately (from their perspective) has moved to the city of Ankh-Morpork and joined the Opera.
Cue Pratchett's take on 'The Phantom of the Opera' (which, when I first read this, I'd never actually seen) ...
So, around the time of the likes of 'Lords and Ladies, 'Small Gods', and this one, in other words.
(and I've just realised that 2/3rds of those books quoted concern The Witches Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax)
In this one, and following Magrat marriage to King Verence, the Witches find themselves down to a duo instead of a trio, and - since you can't have a coven of two ("When shall we ... two ... meet again ....") - are in need of a replacement (well, so Nanny Ogg thinks).
Said replacement is the first appearance of Agnes Nitt who, unfortunately (from their perspective) has moved to the city of Ankh-Morpork and joined the Opera.
Cue Pratchett's take on 'The Phantom of the Opera' (which, when I first read this, I'd never actually seen) ...
Merissa (11805 KP) rated Reborn (Hollow City Coven #6) in Books
May 23, 2023
Gillian and Shayne have made it out of Tenebris, only to find Mathias under attack. Apparently, he has been for the whole amount of time that they were in Tenebris. Help arrives in the form of a coven master and a friend. Things are not as they seem to be though, and Gillian, Shayne, and Mathias are drawn deeper into intrigue that they have no control over. They need to do something but are unsure of what.
This is an explosive and twisted ending to this series, which has been full of turns the whole way through. There is so much more to this than just hot sex, although, trust me, that is more than good too. 😉
The perfect ending to a fantastic series, each novella is the perfect length for a quick and steamy read, full of enjoyment and adventure. Definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
Feb 24, 2016
This is an explosive and twisted ending to this series, which has been full of turns the whole way through. There is so much more to this than just hot sex, although, trust me, that is more than good too. 😉
The perfect ending to a fantastic series, each novella is the perfect length for a quick and steamy read, full of enjoyment and adventure. Definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
Feb 24, 2016
Merissa (11805 KP) rated Elemental Magick (The Donovan Coven #1) in Books
Nov 27, 2019
Elemental Magick is the first book in The Donovan Coven series. We start off with the Grimoire itself as it tries to ensure it becomes Aaron's. There is instant attraction between Malakai and Aaron, quickly followed by proclamations of love and being soul mates. If you don't like insta-love, trust me, you probably won't like this book.
The story itself is fast-paced, quickly moving from one scene to another without a real chance to get to know each character. It flows nicely though, so as long as you're prepared to go with the flow and not dive too deep, you'll be fine. As you might expect, Aaron is a whiz at magic, even though he's a newbie. And at least one of his friends is a latent witch too.
This was a brilliant book, full of action both in and out of the sheets. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series.
* 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!
The story itself is fast-paced, quickly moving from one scene to another without a real chance to get to know each character. It flows nicely though, so as long as you're prepared to go with the flow and not dive too deep, you'll be fine. As you might expect, Aaron is a whiz at magic, even though he's a newbie. And at least one of his friends is a latent witch too.
This was a brilliant book, full of action both in and out of the sheets. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series.
* 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!
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Demons of Bourbon Street (Jade Calhoun #3) in Books
Jul 9, 2021
of 250
Kindle
Demons of Bourbon Street ( Jade Calhoun book 3)
By Deanna Chase
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
New Orleans coven leader, Jade Calhoun, is embarking on a hellish mission. Literally. A week ago her ex sacrificed himself to Hell in order to save Jade's mother. While he suffers, Jade will stop at nothing to bring him home...even if it means working with Lailah, an angel she's never trusted.
But the stakes are raised when Jade discovers her boyfriend, Kane, is marked by a demon. The very same one who tried seducing him right before Jade's eyes. Now Kane's life is on the line, and consequently, Jade's soul is compromised. She'll need all the help she can get, including Lailah's, as she fights her way through Hell to save her ex and Kane - and her entire existence.
This was my favourite so far! It was fast paced lots of action and a few surprises. I really enjoyed it. Jade finally has her mum back and her friend rescued let’s hope she can stay out of hell for a while.
Kindle
Demons of Bourbon Street ( Jade Calhoun book 3)
By Deanna Chase
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
New Orleans coven leader, Jade Calhoun, is embarking on a hellish mission. Literally. A week ago her ex sacrificed himself to Hell in order to save Jade's mother. While he suffers, Jade will stop at nothing to bring him home...even if it means working with Lailah, an angel she's never trusted.
But the stakes are raised when Jade discovers her boyfriend, Kane, is marked by a demon. The very same one who tried seducing him right before Jade's eyes. Now Kane's life is on the line, and consequently, Jade's soul is compromised. She'll need all the help she can get, including Lailah's, as she fights her way through Hell to save her ex and Kane - and her entire existence.
This was my favourite so far! It was fast paced lots of action and a few surprises. I really enjoyed it. Jade finally has her mum back and her friend rescued let’s hope she can stay out of hell for a while.
ClareR (5603 KP) rated The Shadow Cabinet in Books
Oct 17, 2023
Firstly, I need to say how much I loved this.
Secondly, HMRC is a mess! The High Priestess is dead and her successor isn’t who anyone thinks she is, Theo’s powers seem to be dwindling, Leonie’s brother has disappeared and she needs to rescue him from Public enemy #1, and Elle’s marital problems take a rather drastic turn. Oh, and there are rather a lot of Witch-finders - and they are most definitely NOT good news. These men are Incels on steroids.
Everyone gets a say, with even a non-witch Prime Minister and his cronies getting a look in, and we learn about Luke’s backstory.
There’s a lot packed in to this story, but I didn’t feel as though any of it was rushed. Leonie’s trip to a long lost coven was fascinating and a bit traumatic (again, there’s a fair bit of trauma in this!)
But the main character in this (and I’m not going to say who it is!) is the real tour de force.
And the ending!!!!
I WILL be reading the third book, absolutely no question! I will be needing to find out how they will all deal with the small Lucifer problem…
Secondly, HMRC is a mess! The High Priestess is dead and her successor isn’t who anyone thinks she is, Theo’s powers seem to be dwindling, Leonie’s brother has disappeared and she needs to rescue him from Public enemy #1, and Elle’s marital problems take a rather drastic turn. Oh, and there are rather a lot of Witch-finders - and they are most definitely NOT good news. These men are Incels on steroids.
Everyone gets a say, with even a non-witch Prime Minister and his cronies getting a look in, and we learn about Luke’s backstory.
There’s a lot packed in to this story, but I didn’t feel as though any of it was rushed. Leonie’s trip to a long lost coven was fascinating and a bit traumatic (again, there’s a fair bit of trauma in this!)
But the main character in this (and I’m not going to say who it is!) is the real tour de force.
And the ending!!!!
I WILL be reading the third book, absolutely no question! I will be needing to find out how they will all deal with the small Lucifer problem…
KittyMiku (138 KP) rated Witch's Bell in Books
May 23, 2019
This was a free book on Amazon and the reviews make you wonder if you should even pick it up, but I still did and I have never been happier. I did find some of the complaints to be true to word, but I did enjoy the book way too much to just say it wasn't worth the read. However, we will be discussing Ebony Bell and her adventures and what Bell may have been done to make it better. Let's dive in.
So first of all, I fell in love with the idea behind this book and apparently the series. With characters like Nathan Wall and Ebony Bell, I couldn't help but be intrigued on whatever relationships was forming between them. I think this book was pretty well thought out considering it cold have left the scenes bare making it hard to visualize where the characters were and what was exactly going on. However, I did think there could have been a little less rambling about different things, though I feel it may be foreshadowing for other books. I feel that even though Ebony was pretty fleshed out, that there could have been a little more on the other characters we find ourselves following a bit. For example, Avery's mother is described by her looks and a bit of how she acted when Ebony was a child, but as a member of the Coven, I wanted a little more. Like how did she become apart of the Coven who were supposedly the strongest witches around as well as the oldest? It left a few questions popping to mind and hope they will be answered in the future. Nathan was another character I felt could have been fleshed out a bit more and not really semi revealed at the end. It left a lot to be desired, but again could just be information that makes you want to read on.
I loved, and I mean LOVED, how when Ebony had her magic blocked from her, the way she saw things changed a bit. Do not get me wrong, her outfits made me giggle, but seeing her actually notice the small things even though she didn't have to and hadn't noticed before, was kind of nice. You were able to see her actually begin to appreciate things she hadn't before. I always love seeing characters grow as a person. Ebony had learned to really appreciate what she was seeing as well as what she had. To see her struggle had brought some delight and I found myself a little mad at how she would forget the most important thing she had thought about until it was almost too late. I did find that the use of other characters did help make what was going on around her seem a little more dire.
I found the love interest between Ebony and Nathan to be a bit subtle, which was kind of nice since it left a lot of room for something to blossom a wonderful romance. I do like how Nate gets under Ebony's skin and no matter how hard she tries rattle him he is unfazed. This made them polar opposites, which made me smile a bit, Though I would have loved to see more between them in the form of witty banter and teasing. but what I was given, I didn't think it was all that bad, just could have been more.
Overall, I would rate this book 4 stars out of 5 stars. There could have been more given and even explained something better while not rambling on things that made you begin to question a character's mental state. I loved the story line and hope that as the books move forward we can figure it all out about our mysterious Detective Nathan Wall, the Coven and whoever is behind trying to rewrite Ebony Bell's story.
So first of all, I fell in love with the idea behind this book and apparently the series. With characters like Nathan Wall and Ebony Bell, I couldn't help but be intrigued on whatever relationships was forming between them. I think this book was pretty well thought out considering it cold have left the scenes bare making it hard to visualize where the characters were and what was exactly going on. However, I did think there could have been a little less rambling about different things, though I feel it may be foreshadowing for other books. I feel that even though Ebony was pretty fleshed out, that there could have been a little more on the other characters we find ourselves following a bit. For example, Avery's mother is described by her looks and a bit of how she acted when Ebony was a child, but as a member of the Coven, I wanted a little more. Like how did she become apart of the Coven who were supposedly the strongest witches around as well as the oldest? It left a few questions popping to mind and hope they will be answered in the future. Nathan was another character I felt could have been fleshed out a bit more and not really semi revealed at the end. It left a lot to be desired, but again could just be information that makes you want to read on.
I loved, and I mean LOVED, how when Ebony had her magic blocked from her, the way she saw things changed a bit. Do not get me wrong, her outfits made me giggle, but seeing her actually notice the small things even though she didn't have to and hadn't noticed before, was kind of nice. You were able to see her actually begin to appreciate things she hadn't before. I always love seeing characters grow as a person. Ebony had learned to really appreciate what she was seeing as well as what she had. To see her struggle had brought some delight and I found myself a little mad at how she would forget the most important thing she had thought about until it was almost too late. I did find that the use of other characters did help make what was going on around her seem a little more dire.
I found the love interest between Ebony and Nathan to be a bit subtle, which was kind of nice since it left a lot of room for something to blossom a wonderful romance. I do like how Nate gets under Ebony's skin and no matter how hard she tries rattle him he is unfazed. This made them polar opposites, which made me smile a bit, Though I would have loved to see more between them in the form of witty banter and teasing. but what I was given, I didn't think it was all that bad, just could have been more.
Overall, I would rate this book 4 stars out of 5 stars. There could have been more given and even explained something better while not rambling on things that made you begin to question a character's mental state. I loved the story line and hope that as the books move forward we can figure it all out about our mysterious Detective Nathan Wall, the Coven and whoever is behind trying to rewrite Ebony Bell's story.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft in Books
Dec 22, 2018
Toil & Trouble was a much-hyped anthology of YA stories, and I think it lived up to that hype. I really enjoyed almost every story in this book - only one or two of them were less than awesome. And they still weren't bad! Anthologies like this keep introducing me to yet more authors that I want to read, and just keep growing my TBR list! Some of the authors in this book I was familiar with; while I hadn't read her work yet, I met Zoraida Córdova at the Baltimore Book Festival, and she was amazing. I'm familiar with Brandy Colbert's work, and have not yet read Anna-Marie McLemore but desperately want to, and her story in this work (Love Spell) only increases that need.
I read this book just before Halloween, and it was a perfect choice. I'm not a fan of actual horror novels, which seem to be what everyone else is reading this time of year. Give me my strong witchy women! The stories in this book are all young women - teens to early adulthood - learning to rely on themselves. They embrace what family traditions mean to them, or break free of them entirely if they're the wrong path. They break social taboos and fall in love where they will. They FIGHT for what they want.
I think my favorite story in this book involved a woman whose powers had been bound by her coven until she was old enough to use them wisely, but had to watch her father die in an accident when she could have healed him if she'd had access to her magic. She went to an ancient place of power in the mountains and broke the binding, horrifying her coven. The story is actually about her defying them further in refusing her destined soul mate for the girl she's been in love with since she was a child, and Fate's punishment for that. The two girls fighting for each other and for their own magic was amazing. (The Heart in Her Hands, Tess Sharpe.) Unfortunately it doesn't look like it's part of a larger story, I was hoping for more in that world!
As far as I can tell, only one of the stories is part of something larger - I'm pretty sure Zoraida Córdova's story is part of her Brooklyn Brujas world. Other than that, they all appear to be standalones, which is a little sad as I'd like to see more of many of these worlds!
Toil & Trouble is an outstanding anthology of magical women, and I loved it.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
I read this book just before Halloween, and it was a perfect choice. I'm not a fan of actual horror novels, which seem to be what everyone else is reading this time of year. Give me my strong witchy women! The stories in this book are all young women - teens to early adulthood - learning to rely on themselves. They embrace what family traditions mean to them, or break free of them entirely if they're the wrong path. They break social taboos and fall in love where they will. They FIGHT for what they want.
I think my favorite story in this book involved a woman whose powers had been bound by her coven until she was old enough to use them wisely, but had to watch her father die in an accident when she could have healed him if she'd had access to her magic. She went to an ancient place of power in the mountains and broke the binding, horrifying her coven. The story is actually about her defying them further in refusing her destined soul mate for the girl she's been in love with since she was a child, and Fate's punishment for that. The two girls fighting for each other and for their own magic was amazing. (The Heart in Her Hands, Tess Sharpe.) Unfortunately it doesn't look like it's part of a larger story, I was hoping for more in that world!
As far as I can tell, only one of the stories is part of something larger - I'm pretty sure Zoraida Córdova's story is part of her Brooklyn Brujas world. Other than that, they all appear to be standalones, which is a little sad as I'd like to see more of many of these worlds!
Toil & Trouble is an outstanding anthology of magical women, and I loved it.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com