Kingdom of Faewood Written by Krista Street Narrated by Kasi Hallowell

Ellowen is a fae with a unique power, she can travel through the veil and ask the shadowy creatures that live there to locate others that cannot seem to be found, or for other knowledge and information that the seeker does not have any other way to discover. These beings can let her know if those sought are alive or dead. And if she is powerful enough, with full control over her abilities she might even be able to control these creatures. It is a dangerous power, one that has caused her to be bound to a guardian until she reaches adulthood. This guardian has control of the collar which controls her ability to use her birthright powers. The promise being that once she has achieved a certain age, the supernatural courts will determine if she remains a danger to others. If not, she will then be freed, returning full control over the use of her abilities to her.

But after being kidnapped by a dangerous criminal known as the Dark Raider, Ellowen learns a number of truths that her guardian had neglected to tell her. The Dark Raider promises that if she will perform a calling for him, that he will find a way to help her gain true freedom from her guardian. It seems a simple enough task, and a reasonable trade, But there is much that neither of them know, and they have a long way to travel.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story and enjoyed it. I often listen to audiobooks when working in my garden or exercising. This one was listed in the description as a spicy romance story, and though there were a few spots that could be considered mildly spicy, compared to other stories I have reviewed, the spiciness was what I would consider rather mild. I did enjoy the story, though. And have even begun listening to book two in this series, (and so far I am  enjoying that one as well). The narration in this audiobook was well done. The different character voices were distinct and it was easy to determine which character was speaking at any given time in the story.

I enjoyed the plot of this tale. Ellowen is not a shrinking violet, even when she has been kidnapped. I enjoyed the range of emotions that she and the others around her experienced. We get to see her grow as she learns more about not only her own life and powers, as well as the truth that has been deliberately kept from her over the years.

I think that anyone who enjoys books about various types of fae, magic, unique abilities, mysterious secrets, and fantasy novels in general would likely enjoy this book, whether you are listening to the audiobook version (as I did) or are reading the novel itself.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Twelve Months by Jim Butcher

Wizard Harry Dresden and his allies managed to win the battle that saved the world, though much of Chicago was destroyed in the process. The woman that Harry loved was killed, leaving him heartbroken. Yet, it was still up to him and his friends to defend the people of Chicago from those who would take advantage of the chaos and destruction around them. Mab has arranged his betrothal as her Winter Knight to Lara Raith, a Vampire of the White Court in order to forge an alliance. While it is not something either Harry or Lara truly wants, this alliance is necessary if they want to be able to help the people of Chicago rebuild and survive. Ghouls and others have come, brought by all the death and destruction. And alone, even Harry isn’t enough to save everyone important to him. But in order for this to work, he needs to find a way to overcome his personal heartbreak and pain. The question seems to be, can he manage to overcome the current challenges in front of him? Or will he succumb to the despair that he has been struggling with?

I enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, this story is about Harry’s healing from what seems an insurmountable amount of pain, both physical and emotional. He wants to keep helping his friends, family, and his city, while at the same time, a significant part of him just wants to give in to his despair and pain. He has quite a bit to overcome, and new challenges and problems keep arising that require his attention. But he also has friends who are there to help him, family who care about him, and his new fiancee and her people are there to help too. And more than anything else, he has a daughter who needs him. So he has quite a few reasons to find his way back to the man he once was.

The story itself is at times quite negative and painful. But that is the character’s state of mind at the beginning of the book when he feels he has lost pretty much everything he cares about, yet he must still find a way to not give in to despair. And as the story progresses, we can begin to see him finding his way back from the brink, slowly finding reasons to continue to fight for the good in the world, and to see that there are those who still love him and who are there to help him, if he will let them. And while yes, he hurts and likely will for quite some time, we can see that he is beginning to heal and to both find and see the good things that still exist around him. And that is why I enjoyed reading this book. Because no matter how dark the world may seem at the moment, it won’t always be that way.

When I began reading it, I was, myself, feeling in a somewhat dark place. The world around me has quite a few problems right now, and I was worried that a story with a main character who was in so much pain would make me feel worse. But as the story progressed and he began to heal, it helped me to also see that there is still good in the world. And that as we work to help those around us, things can and will become better for everyone. This book, to me, is saying that no matter how bad things may seem right now, that if you want things to get better and are willing to put in the work to make it happen, that the world around us can improve. It won’t happen overnight, and it will very likely take a lot of time and effort, but nothing is impossible.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

New Moon Rising by Chelsea Burton Dunn

Vee, Shane and Patrick are in the process of moving into their new home. It has been a very chaotic move, and before they even have a chance to get unpacked, another crisis arises, leaving Vee once again without her mate and a hole where she should be able to feel him, Thomas and Tommy are also gone in the same manner, Duflanc is still after Vee, his vampire nest having devolved into chaos without him keeping the younger vampires controlled, and another Werewolf pack is attempting to take control of Shane’s territory. And that’s only the quick summary of what is happening. There’s a whole lot more than that going on in this book as well.

I received a review copy of this book, and I honestly could not put it down until I’d finished it. This story had me hooked from the beginning all the way through to the end, and I am going to be watching and waiting for my chance to read the next book in this series as well. This book is an emotional one, and had me nearly in tears more than once. The characters all stand out, not just because they are strong, but because they feel real. You can easily picture the characters and guess at how they will react to the events that are happening around them.I was sympathizing, cheering, and sitting on the edge of my seat with the events happening in this book. I really enjoyed it. (I am trying not to give anything away, because that would lessen the effect for you as you read it, so you’ll just have to grab a copy for yourself if you want to find out what I’m talking about.) 

If you haven’t already read the previous books in this series, I do recommend beginning with book 1. While you can piece together what has happened along the way if you start at a different point, I really believe that you’ll enjoy the whole series much more if you begin at the beginning. You’ll also feel much more invested in the characters and events happening in this book if you’ve read the previous ones. (This is the fourth book in this series, and the characters have definitely grown and developed quite a bit since the first book.)

If you enjoy books involving Werewolves, Vampires, Witches, Fae, Waters, and other paranormal creatures,l then I think you’ll enjoy this book. And if you’ve been reading the previous books in this series, I think you’ll love this book. I know I did.

Amazon Associates Statement

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

“The Ever Mage” by Angelina J. Steffort

This book picks up where the Last one left off. Sanja is alone in the Crow Palace, a prisoner in the dungeon after making a deal with the Crow King, Taking Clio's place as his promised bride has managed to save the lives of her mate, King Recienne (aka Rogue), as well as his sister, Clio, and her mate, Tori, though it has left her to suffer and eventually be killed. It is well known that few Crow Brides manage to survive for more than a year, and most last far less than that. This book starts out with your heart aching for all of them, and it grows from there.

I can’t tell you how often this book had my heart aching for the characters and multiple times had me nearly in tears. Yes, there are happy moments as well, but this book definitely takes you through the entire range of human (and fae) emotions, both the happy ones and the dark ones. Honestly, it was the perfect conclusion to an enthralling series. I absolutely loved it.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat much of the time. Sometimes in a hopeful way, and other times despairing that the characters that I have come to love will be able to find their happy ending, as much as I was praying that they would. (And I can't tell you if they do or not, as that will spoil the ending for you, and you really will want to experience it for yourself.) There are certainly a lot of twists and turns, as well as unexpected happenings along the way, even though looking back, there were hints of what was coming from the very beginning of the series.

And in case you are wondering, yes, I feel this book well deserves a 5-star review. If you haven’t read the previous books in this series, I strongly recommend going back & reading them first as you will have missed so much that if you don’t, this book might not make as much sense to you.. I do need to warn you that there are some sexual scenes in the book. (How can there not be when you are dealing with newly-mated fairies?) But while somewhat intense, are not so overly graphic as to warrant concern save for very young readers. (If you are old enough for some of the darker themes in this series, then you are likely old enough for the sex scenes, especially if you have read the previous books.) I also need to warn you that there are some scenes involving torture as well.

I received a review copy of this book and would recommend this one to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy novels that take you on an emotional rollercoaster, if you enjoy stories involving magic and romance, trust and betrayal, and if you have been reading the previous books in the series, then you really don’t want to miss this one. It’s that good. I honestly didn’t want to put it down to sleep at night. It was definitely the perfect ending to this series.

This book may also be available through:

https://books2read.com/u/mg5YN0

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

"Flames Like Darkness" by Belle Manuel and Angelina J. Steffort

Calla has been raised to take over ruling for her father one day. She hopes that she can make life better for everyone, both human and fae, and not just for the rich and powerful. But there are those who feel differently and don’t want such changes. And after an incident in which it is discovered by a few that Calla possesses faerie magic, things begin to happen quickly, and it appears that only the half-fae man who had mistakenly kidnapped her rather than his intended target may be able to keep her safe from other assassins.

I received a review copy of this book. And found it to be an interesting story. Griffin doesn't know much about where he came from, and had to learn how to control his power on his own. Now he has saved the life of the princess, and it looks like he may be the only one able to help her in more ways than one.

I enjoyed reading this book. While Griffin isn't always the most appealing of characters, it is easy to understand why he behaves as he does. He has been deeply hurt more than once in his life and fears letting others in again. Calla, on.the other hand, is a good deal more trusting and seems to see people for who they can be, and not necessarily who they are. And yet somehow, these two nearly opposites seem to work well together, despite neither seeming to actually want to admit how they feel, both about themselves and each other. One is fire and light, and the other darkness and shadows. And yet, together they seem to work, if they can learn to trust.

I felt this was an interesting story, and really want to see where it will go in the next book. Be warned though, this book ends on a cliffhanger, so if like me you read it before the next book has been released, you'll have a bit of a wait to find out what happens. (I don't know about you, but I will definitely be waiting and watching for book two.)

If you enjoy fantasy novels that deal with fae and human relations, as well as including some subjects that exist in our world, (such as love, jealousy, poverty, and racial hatred), then take a look at this book. These themes aren't always obvious, but they are there nonetheless. And in my opinion, they make this book that much more appealing.

This book may also be available through:

https://books2read.com/u/m0oyOM

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

"Moon Bound" by Chelsea Burton Dunn

Vee is a locksmith. She would say that her abilities as an empath are more trouble than they're worth and that she just wants to live a normal everyday life, at least as much as possible. But ever since helping out by keeping a teenage girl who happened to be a Werewolf about to experience her first change keep from transforming in public, staying under the radar of other preternaturals is just not possible anymore... especially not with the growing attraction between herself and the local pack leader. And staying unnoticed becomes completely impossible when it becomes clear that someone, or something, is hunting Vee. But the why is unknown.

I read an Advance Review copy of this book. Like several others I have read recently, it is the second book in a series of which I have not yet read book one. But trust me, after reading this one, I plan on finding a copy of that book to read and review. In other words, I really enjoyed it.

Like anyone, the characters in this book had their own flaws, and it shows that just because someone can sense what another is feeling, it doesn't tell them why they feel it or even what might have caused that feeling. I enjoyed reading about the various Weres, Witches, and Watchers. And even without having read book one, it was still very clear how each group was different than the others, as well as the fact that there are other types of preternaturals in the world 

I enjoyed reading this book, and I do intend to hunt down book one. I am also looking forward to reading book three in this series.

If you like magic, otherworldly beings, Werewolves, or any other type of paranormal creature stories, then I think you will enjoy this series as well.

This book may also be found from the following locations:

https://books2read.com/bymoonlight02

"The Goodnight Kiss" by Jennifet L. Hart/Gwen Rivers

Nic is a 16 yr old girl with a dark secret. She considers herself a serial killer who hunts predators… men or women who are rapists or otherwise violently abusive against the innocent. In essence, she hunts the hunters. And when they think they've caught her, she kills them with her "goodnight kiss". She doesn't know why she has this power, but whenever she uses it her victims die without a trace of any sort of poison in their system.

This was book one of the Unseelie Court Series. I enjoyed reading this book. It was very full of information on various Norse deities and legends without feeling like the reader was being taught about them. I enjoyed reading all the legendary creatures as well as the humans in the story. I always enjoy stories about mythology and legends and this book was full of them. I will definitely be reading more books in this series.

The only question I have actually involves the author. When I read this book on my kindle, it was listed as written by Jennifer L. Hart. But when I looked for it on the Amazon website, the book had a different cover and was listed as having been written by Gwen Rivers. But from the description and character names, It appears to be the same book. 

I don't know the reason behind the different author names and the different cover, but it is clearly the same book. And though my copy lists Jennifer L Hart as the author, when searching by that author name, I could no longer find it. I could only find the version with the book as listed by Gwen Rivers.

This book is also available through the following retailers:

https://books2read.com/u/mdjyvy

"Blood Bound" written by Patricia Briggs, narrated by Lorelei King

Mercy Thompson owes the vampire Stephan a favor. He requests that she accompany him in her coyote form and wearing a harness while pretending to be his pet, on what was supposed to be a simple assignment to meet with a new vampire in the territory and find out why he hadn't followed Hive protocols by notifying the local vampire queen of his visit. Unfortunately, it turns out to be anything but a simple mission and things definitely go about as wrong as is possible.

A demon-ridden sorcerer turned newly made vampire in town is bad enough, but add in a heat wave & werewolves barely able to maintain control, causes Mercy to have to team up with the vampires in an attempt to hunt him down and kill the sorcerer. A hard enough task for anyone under the best of circumstances. And currently, things are about as far from normal as they can get.

I listened to this as an audiobook rather than reading the printed version and enjoyed it just as much as the previous book in the series. The story held my interest through to the end and the narrator did just as fantastic of a job as she did for book one. I enjoyed listening to it and look forward to the chance to read (or listen to) book three in this series.

I believe that anyone who enjoyed the previous book will not be disappointed with this one. And I believe whether you choose to read it or listen to it isn't important. It's just as good in either format.

"Moon Called" written by Patricia Briggs, read by Lorelei King

Mercy Thompson, a coyote shifter (or skinwalker) who was raised by werewolves works as a mechanic (in her own garage) and lives next door to the local werewolf alpha. As expected, her life is anything but normal, and when a young, newly made werewolf shows up at her garage looking for work, she goes against common sense and tries to help him, without knowing what the young man is running from. Before long, things go very wrong, and turn out to be much more complicated than anyone expected.

I listened to the audiobook version of this one rather than reading the printed book. The narrator did an excellent job of keeping the voices of the characters distinct from each other. The story was entertaining and I enjoyed listening to the book as it unfolded, the twists and turns along the way holding my attention throughout. 

This was a book that I believe I would have enjoyed reading easily as much as I enjoyed listening to. It is the first book in a series, and if you're looking for a good story involving vampires, werewolves, and other fae creatures, then I believe you should enjoy this one. I’d say it’s worth giving it a try.

"Peace Talks" by Jim Butcher

After a few years away from this popular series, Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden is finally back!  It's no secret that this has been a favorite series of mine for quite a while, and the first thing I can say is that this book doesn't disappoint.

As the title suggests, the main plot of this book involves peace talks involving all the supernatural nations who had previously signed the Accords and will also include the Formor at this gathering. This alone is a big event, but add in the fact that there are members of the White Council who want to hold a vote about possibly rescinding Harry's status as a full wizard and that's only the beginning of the trouble that he will have to face this time around.

In this book, we get to see almost every character from the supernatural world that we have gotten to know in the previous Dresden novels, plus a few new ones. There is so much going on in this tale that it kept me spinning with each new problem encountered. (And trust me, as usual Dresden has to deal with more than just a few of them at once, all without ruining the upcoming peace talks.)

If you like a story with a complicated enough plot to keep you guessing at things, Harry Dresden stories, or paranormal interactions among a variety of beings, this book will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat and reading later into the night than you'd intended. I highly  recommend giving this whole series a try.  Be warned though, that the ending of this book leads you immediately into the next one in the series. So if you're like me, expect to need to run right out & buy that one too.

"Cinders & Fangs: A Shifter Retelling of Cinderella: The Joining Book 1" by J. Conrad

When Elin was young, her mother was taken from her by a large beast that walked upright like a man. Elin was protected by a wolf who took both Elin and her injured father into a wolf den and nursed them back to health. However whenever he spoke of the incident, he claimed there was no such beast. He kept saying that Elin’s mother had been taken by highwaymen and was likely dead.

When she was a teenager, Elin’s father married a woman by the name of Gwyneth who had two daughters of her own. It wasn’t long before Elin realized that Gwyneth had an evil visage that her father never saw. At the wedding, Elin met a woman she had never previously seen who claimed to be her grandmother. It was hard to trust a stranger who wouldn’t tell her much, but Eiriana also seemed the only person who understood Elin’s dislike of the woman her father was marrying. There seemed to be much more going on than anyone was telling her. But what were they hiding from her and why?

I thought this was an interesting retelling of the Cinderella story. It contained all of the expected parts of the story but with a few very unique twists. I enjoyed reading it and am looking forward to the sequel. The book could have benefitted from another round of editing before publication as it did have a number of typos. Overall though, I am glad I read it. I think that those who enjoy twists on familiar fairy tales will enjoy reading this book as well.