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Debbiereadsbook (1788 KP) rated A Whisper of Claws (Steel Vanguard #1) in Books
Apr 18, 2026
I'm sorry I couldn't love it!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
My review of this book will be short, and I'm sorry about that!
I . . . struggled . . . I think is the best word.. . .with this book. I've no idea why, because I loved Ms Roberts Hawks books, and I love pretty much anything with dragons, so I can only assume it was a me thing, rather than a book thing.
I liked that Luka and Izabel both had a say, as did their dragon half. I really liked that way the plot twisted, and the threat came from an unexpected source.
I loved the way that others in the group were given enough hints for their books (or at least that was the way my mind went!)
It's steamy and full of danger, intrigue, and yes, dragons. Even if Luka was at odds with his for most of the book, but the boy does redeem himself!
I enjoyed it, I finished it, and I will try to follow what and who comes next, because while Izabel and Luka get a HEA, there is much unfinished.
3 very VERY good stars (again, a ME thing!)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
My review of this book will be short, and I'm sorry about that!
I . . . struggled . . . I think is the best word.. . .with this book. I've no idea why, because I loved Ms Roberts Hawks books, and I love pretty much anything with dragons, so I can only assume it was a me thing, rather than a book thing.
I liked that Luka and Izabel both had a say, as did their dragon half. I really liked that way the plot twisted, and the threat came from an unexpected source.
I loved the way that others in the group were given enough hints for their books (or at least that was the way my mind went!)
It's steamy and full of danger, intrigue, and yes, dragons. Even if Luka was at odds with his for most of the book, but the boy does redeem himself!
I enjoyed it, I finished it, and I will try to follow what and who comes next, because while Izabel and Luka get a HEA, there is much unfinished.
3 very VERY good stars (again, a ME thing!)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Merissa (14100 KP) rated Intrusion (Reflections #4) in Books
Apr 4, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This book takes a snapshot look at Jess after the ending of Splintered. We already know that her memories have been taken away from her and this book gives you an insight into how it will affect a person and their friends and family as they try to figure out just who they are. Add into that the whole wolf hierarchy as well as it's going to get complicated. Things are made even more difficult as Alec has lost a lot of the goodwill from the pack following the finale of Splintered.
This is a short story so please don't expect the depth and intrigue of the others but it still shows just how difficult things are. One of the things that I liked about this is that it's from Jess' point of view. As the most submissive, she is one of the least heard from out of the pack so I loved that this was about her.
If you are following the Reflections series (and if you're not, then why not?!) then this is definitely not one to miss out.
August 6, 2016
This book takes a snapshot look at Jess after the ending of Splintered. We already know that her memories have been taken away from her and this book gives you an insight into how it will affect a person and their friends and family as they try to figure out just who they are. Add into that the whole wolf hierarchy as well as it's going to get complicated. Things are made even more difficult as Alec has lost a lot of the goodwill from the pack following the finale of Splintered.
This is a short story so please don't expect the depth and intrigue of the others but it still shows just how difficult things are. One of the things that I liked about this is that it's from Jess' point of view. As the most submissive, she is one of the least heard from out of the pack so I loved that this was about her.
If you are following the Reflections series (and if you're not, then why not?!) then this is definitely not one to miss out.
August 6, 2016
The Yanks Are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army
Book
Two armies. One flag. No honor. The most shocking day in American history. Former political...
Historical Fiction
Apollo's Raven (Curse of Clansmen and Kings #1)
6.0
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A Celtic warrior princess is torn between her forbidden love for the enemy and duty to her people. ...
Historical Fantasy
Murder on Union Square
8.0
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Book
When a murder hits close to home, Frank finds himself in an unusual position--the prime suspect in...
Merissa (14100 KP) rated Defiance (Rebellion #2) in Books
Jun 25, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)
DEFIANCE is the second book in the Rebellion series, and I really hope it's not the last! This world is fascinating, with twists that took me completely by surprise and definitely left me wanting more.
So, we start where Escape finished, with Cole and Logan returning to the Pack and their lives being made incredibly difficult. Cole and Logan have it as easy as they thought they would, with no time to be together without risking everything.
The intrigue, Pack politics, you name it, in this book are simply outstanding! I was gripped by every new development and new questions of just who I could trust. The action is different to the first book but no less intense.
I have no idea how many books Ms Jacobs has planned for this series, but I hope for many! An enthralling read that absolutely kept my attention. A great addition to the series that left me wanting more. Highly recommended by me.
** 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 25, 2021
So, we start where Escape finished, with Cole and Logan returning to the Pack and their lives being made incredibly difficult. Cole and Logan have it as easy as they thought they would, with no time to be together without risking everything.
The intrigue, Pack politics, you name it, in this book are simply outstanding! I was gripped by every new development and new questions of just who I could trust. The action is different to the first book but no less intense.
I have no idea how many books Ms Jacobs has planned for this series, but I hope for many! An enthralling read that absolutely kept my attention. A great addition to the series that left me wanting more. Highly recommended by me.
** 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 25, 2021
The Blood Chain (Indulgence #3)
10.0
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Erin Kellison's Indulgence World is on fire with heart-stopping romance, perilous adventure, and...
Fantasy Romance
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2611 KP) rated Crown of Chaos in Books
Jun 11, 2026
Is War on the Horizon?
The war council is finally happening, and Jax is happy to be able to present the evidence of the treason that has been happening in the realm. But even before the council gets started, Jax learns of betrayal among those she thought were allies. The first session ends with no progress, but things only get worse when a fire and a murder complicate things. Can Jax figure out what is happening? Or is she in over her head?
The last few books have been building to this one (so don’t start here), and I was on board from the start. The political intrigue and the murder mystery work well together, for a book I couldn’t put down until we reach the page turning climax. We don’t see all of the regulars, although we do get some updates on them. I am hoping that one storyline I haven’t been enjoying is heading toward a climax based on what happens here. And I’m finding Jax a bit arrogant; I’m curious to see where that goes in future books. And I will be picking up the next soon. Fans of the series will be just as hooked as I was.
The last few books have been building to this one (so don’t start here), and I was on board from the start. The political intrigue and the murder mystery work well together, for a book I couldn’t put down until we reach the page turning climax. We don’t see all of the regulars, although we do get some updates on them. I am hoping that one storyline I haven’t been enjoying is heading toward a climax based on what happens here. And I’m finding Jax a bit arrogant; I’m curious to see where that goes in future books. And I will be picking up the next soon. Fans of the series will be just as hooked as I was.
Cassie Osbourne (6 KP) rated Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1) in Books
Nov 9, 2018
Prim and proper Enne Salta is looking forward to her graduation from finishing school when her adoptive mother goes missing in New Reynes, otherwise known as the City of Sin. In an effort to find her, she must rely on the help and street smarts of gambler Levi Glaisyer. I think that it is safe to say that the blurb of this book caught me by the nose and I couldn't wait to read it so moving into a new house where there was no internet to distract me seemed as good an opportunity as any.
This book starts pretty slowly, or rather it tries to be interesting while still explaining the quite complex world and history since the Great Street War (which we actually know very little about) as well as introducing all the different characters and their blood talents and split talents. Even writing that sentence has made my head spin a little, and I've read the book! However, at about page 200 or 250 it really starts to pick up. Suddenly all the information and repetition (more on that later) starts to fall into place, and the plot and characters get SO much more interesting. Until that point though, it's all a bit meh.
With the exception of Chez, I have to say that I loved all the characters. I liked Levi pretty much from his first chapter, the villains were very cool, manipulative and all round imposing even without being in the book that much and all the rest of the characters got better as the book progressed (most notably Enne who becomes a complete badass). There's even a sequel, so perhaps Chez will grow on me after all. I would just like to add here that I love Jac and I want to have his babies.
The atmosphere, for the most part, was very meh. A lot of it was kind of bland and non-descript, which is not really something that you'd expect from a place called 'the City of Sin'. That being said, when Foody really goes for it on the atmosphere, she gets it pretty well spot on! The atmosphere during the second fight with Chez, the basement in the House of Shadows and pretty much any scene with Torren are all winners. It's just a shame that it wasn't that way for the whole book because Foody has proved that she can do it really well.
The writing style was good on the whole, but there were definitely two things that irritated me with it. I mentioned earlier that the first 200 pages have a lot of repetition, but it goes beyond merely parroting things that we already know. Sometimes whole sections of text are repeated from other chapters which I would be completely behind if it was used to offer a different perspective, but it wasn't. Reading these bits just felt like they had been copied and pasted, so it became redundant and annoying. The other problem which became hugely distracting (and which I have seen other people commenting about) is the use of 'muck' or 'mucking' instead of actual swearing. This is a young adult book with drugs and prostitutes in it and where words like 'piss' and 'ass' are used pretty commonly so when 'muck' appears (often said by a Street Lord), the reader can't help but groan. The sort of swearing and sort of not just really doesn't work. Pick a camp and stick to it!
As with the intrigue of the book, the plot got much better as it went along, with new twists and turns and plot points added to it along the way. Unlike the intrigue though, the plot was good from the beginning.
The logic was pretty good most of the time, but there were some notable moments (all heavily for the plot) that I just did not buy. This also kind of ties in with the whole 'muck' thing as well. It just takes you right out of the world.
All in all, I did enjoy this book, and I have to say that my biggest disappointment is that I have to wait another year for the sequel to come out.
Characters: 8/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
Writing Style: 7/10
Plot: 8.5/10
Intrigue: 7.5/10
Logic: 7.5/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
This book starts pretty slowly, or rather it tries to be interesting while still explaining the quite complex world and history since the Great Street War (which we actually know very little about) as well as introducing all the different characters and their blood talents and split talents. Even writing that sentence has made my head spin a little, and I've read the book! However, at about page 200 or 250 it really starts to pick up. Suddenly all the information and repetition (more on that later) starts to fall into place, and the plot and characters get SO much more interesting. Until that point though, it's all a bit meh.
With the exception of Chez, I have to say that I loved all the characters. I liked Levi pretty much from his first chapter, the villains were very cool, manipulative and all round imposing even without being in the book that much and all the rest of the characters got better as the book progressed (most notably Enne who becomes a complete badass). There's even a sequel, so perhaps Chez will grow on me after all. I would just like to add here that I love Jac and I want to have his babies.
The atmosphere, for the most part, was very meh. A lot of it was kind of bland and non-descript, which is not really something that you'd expect from a place called 'the City of Sin'. That being said, when Foody really goes for it on the atmosphere, she gets it pretty well spot on! The atmosphere during the second fight with Chez, the basement in the House of Shadows and pretty much any scene with Torren are all winners. It's just a shame that it wasn't that way for the whole book because Foody has proved that she can do it really well.
The writing style was good on the whole, but there were definitely two things that irritated me with it. I mentioned earlier that the first 200 pages have a lot of repetition, but it goes beyond merely parroting things that we already know. Sometimes whole sections of text are repeated from other chapters which I would be completely behind if it was used to offer a different perspective, but it wasn't. Reading these bits just felt like they had been copied and pasted, so it became redundant and annoying. The other problem which became hugely distracting (and which I have seen other people commenting about) is the use of 'muck' or 'mucking' instead of actual swearing. This is a young adult book with drugs and prostitutes in it and where words like 'piss' and 'ass' are used pretty commonly so when 'muck' appears (often said by a Street Lord), the reader can't help but groan. The sort of swearing and sort of not just really doesn't work. Pick a camp and stick to it!
As with the intrigue of the book, the plot got much better as it went along, with new twists and turns and plot points added to it along the way. Unlike the intrigue though, the plot was good from the beginning.
The logic was pretty good most of the time, but there were some notable moments (all heavily for the plot) that I just did not buy. This also kind of ties in with the whole 'muck' thing as well. It just takes you right out of the world.
All in all, I did enjoy this book, and I have to say that my biggest disappointment is that I have to wait another year for the sequel to come out.
Characters: 8/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
Writing Style: 7/10
Plot: 8.5/10
Intrigue: 7.5/10
Logic: 7.5/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
My Cafe: Recipes & Stories
Games and Entertainment
2.0
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"My Cafe: Recipes & Stories has been recognized as one of the best games of 2016 by the App Store."...