Review: Shadowblack - Sebastien de Castell

A Shadowblack plague is taking hold . . . The second book in the page-turning SPELLSLINGER fantasy series.

It's a few months since Kellen left the Jan'Tep people. Now aged sixteen, Kellen is an outlaw, relying on his wits to keep him alive in the land of the Seven Sands. He misses home, he misses family and more than anything, he misses Nephenia, who he once loved.

Then he meets Seneira, a blindfolded girl who isn't blind, and who carries a secret that's all too familiar to Kellen. Kellen and Ferius resolve to help - but the stakes are far higher than they realise. A Shadowblack plague is taking hold - and Kellen can't help but suspect his own people may be behind it.

Spellslinger Series:
Spellslinger
The Dowager Magus (Free short story)
Shadowblack
Charmcaster
Soulbinder
Queenslayer (May 2019)
Crownbreaker (October 2019)

Visit Sebastien de Castell's website for more information

Review:
Shadowblack picks up Kellen's story several months after the end of Spellslinger, now an outcast amongst his own people, Kellen is currently travelling through the Seven Sands with his mentor the Argosi Ferius, and Reichis, his violent squirrel-cat sidekick. Life isn't easy as an outlaw and the group are living by their wits trying to stay ahead of the Jan'Tep mages who have been sent after them but life gets even more complicated when they come across another Argosi and her charge. Seneria isn't a member of the Jan'Tep but she has been afflicted with the same mysterious Shadowblack illness as Kellen, it looks like a plague has broken out in the Seven Sands and both Kellen and Ferius feel duty bound to investigate it.

I was a little surprised at the direction that this book took, I think I was expecting to see more of the Jan'Tep and a confrontation with Kellen's family but I actually really enjoyed getting to explore a bit more of this world and having the chance to meet other characters who aren't mages. Seneria was an great character but it was Dexan, a fellow Spellslinger like Kellen, and Rosie, another Argosi, who I was most interesting. I've been wanting to know more about the Argosi way of life and we did start to get answers to some of my many questions here, Ferius is as closemouthed and guarded in her answers as ever but Rosie is a little more willing to explain herself. It was really interesting to see how both Argosi interpreted their roles so differently and were on completely different paths despite having very similar beliefs. Dexan was one of those characters who always looks out for themselves but he definitely made life interesting so I hope we'll get to see more of him.

Of course Reichis continues to steal the show for me, he's just such a funny character and I love how he always thinks violence is the answer. His constant threats to eat people's eyeballs always have me laughing and I really do think that every book should have its own murderous squirrel-cat to lighten the mood! Shadowblack has raised the stakes for the series, we're starting to uncover more about what is going on in the wider world and now it's up to Kellen to decide what he is willing to do about it. He has several options available to him at the end of this story and I think the decision he makes says a lot about the kind of man he's turning into. I'm already enjoying this series a lot and I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Source: Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
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Review: Hour of Darkness - Lara Adrian

New York Times bestselling author Lara Adrian returns with a pulse-pounding new novel in the thrilling Hunter Legacy series of vampire romances set in the darkly seductive Midnight Breed paranormal story world.

Born and raised as an assassin in the notorious Hunter program, Breed vampire Cain has since put his specialized skills to use as a mercenary willing to clean up any problem for a price. Or so he thought. After a job in Las Vegas strains even his dubious code of honor, Cain pulls up stakes and lands in Miami for a much-needed break. All he wants is time away to clear his head and regroup, but then a beautiful young woman is nearly killed in front of his eyes and the ruthless former Hunter becomes the only thing standing between her and a sniper’s bullet.

Marina Moretskova is no stranger to dangerous men. As the niece of a Russian organized crime boss, she’s grown up around killers and criminals. But her uncle wants out now, and he’s enlisted Marina’s help in buying his freedom by delivering valuable intel to a secret contact in exchange for protection. Not even Marina’s bodyguards are aware of her mission, so when an attempt on her life is averted by a handsome, steely-eyed vampire, as grateful as she is for Cain’s intervention, the last thing she needs is the shrewd Breed male nosing around for answers. Cain’s cold, haunted gaze and merciless abilities attest to his brutal nature, yet the rough, solitary Hunter stirs a powerful longing in Marina—a darkly seductive hunger she can neither afford nor resist. With a target on her back and covert enemies closing in from all sides, trust is a risk that can prove deadly . . . and the safest shelter she may find is in the arms of the most lethal man she’ll ever know.

The Midnight Breed Series:
A Touch of Midnight (Novella included in The Midnight Breed Series Companion, now also available separately)
Kiss of Midnight
Kiss of Crimson
Midnight Awakening
Midnight Rising
Veil of Midnight
Ashes of Midnight
Shades of Midnight
Taken by Midnight
Deeper than Midnight
A Taste of Midnight (Novella)
Darker After Midnight
The Midnight Breed Series Companion
Edge of Dawn
Marked by Midnight (Novella)
Crave the Night
Tempted by Midnight (Novella)
Bound to Darkness
Stroke of Midnight (Novella)
Defy the Dawn
Midnight Untamed (Novella)
Midnight Unbound (Novella)
Midnight Unleashed (Novella)
Claimed in Shadows
Break the Day

Hunter Legacy Series:
(A series of standalone romances set in the Midnight Breed world)
Born of Darkness
Hour of Darkness
Edge of Darkness

Visit Lara Adrian's website for more information about the Midnight Breed series you will find excerpts from each of the books. Lara can also be found on Facebook & Twitter where she posts regular updates or you can join other fans to chat about the books over at the LAMB (Lara Adrian Midnight Breed) Forum

Review:
Hour of Darkness is the second book in Lara Adrian's Hunter Legacy series but these books have all specifically been written to work as standalone stories so you can read them in any order. If you did read Born of Darkness then you'll recognise Caine as the Breed Hunter who was working in the casino and who had made more than a few questionable choices before he came through and helped Asher and Naomi in the end. He's the only character we've met previously though and through him we get to meet a whole new group of Gen One Breed males who survived the Hunter program.

Caine has been living in Miami since leaving Las Vegas trying to decide what direction he wants his life to take now, he's not happy with the things he did for money recently and is trying to clear his head. He gets pulled into Marina's orbit when she is nearly assassinated right in front of him. Caine can't just sit back and watch her die but when he realises she's a Breedmate he knows he has to help her find safety.

Marina's uncle is part of the Russian mafia but she has finally convinced him to change his ways and leave the criminal underworld behind him. She has travelled to America to bring valuable information to his contact and help buy their freedom. Unfortunately for her someone seems determined to stop her mission, and they don't care if murdering her is the only way to do it. Caine is the only person she can trust to help keep her safe but she's determined to do what she came to do and meet with her uncle's contact.

I'm really enjoying the Hunter Legacy series, so far it's been great getting to meet some of the Hunters who were raised in a lab by a madman and I loved meeting Caine and the brothers who he is closest to. There is a small group of them who created a home and a family and although Caine has kept himself apart from them for the last few years they welcomed him back with open arms and made space for Marina in their little family. It kind of reminded me of the very early days of the Midnight Breed series when most of the members of the Order hadn't paired off yet and I'm really hoping that all of these characters are going to get books soon! The romance was just what I look for in a Lara Adrian book, Caine was tough as nails on the outside with a warm gooey centre, Marina was strong, confident and knew exactly what she wanted, they had brilliant chemistry from the beginning but their romance took time to develop and there was plenty of action too. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Source: I received an ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
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Review: A Blade So Black - L.L. McKinney

The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she's trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland with magic weapons and hardcore fighting skills. Yet even warriors have curfew.

Life in real-world Atlanta isn't always so simple, as Alice juggles an overprotective mom, a high-maintenance best friend, and school. But when Alice's handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she's ever gone before. And she'll need to use everything she's learned in both worlds to keep from losing her head . . . literally.

The Nightmare-Verse Series:
A Blade So Black
A Dream So Dark

Visit L.L. McKinney's website for more information

Review:
As a huge Alice in Wonderland fan the second I heard A Blade so Black is a retelling where it was actually Buffy who fell down the rabbit hole I was all in for this book and I'm so happy to say that it lived up to my high expectations.

Alice is a fantastic character, she's smart and hard working and she knows how to kick butt. She may not always make the right choices but she goes with her gut and she'll fight to the death for the people cares about. Ever since she was attacked by a creature straight out of our nightmares she has been training with her mentor Addison Hatta learning how to protect humanity from the creatures of Wonderland. It's not easy juggling school and homework with being a warrior, especially when her overprotective mother wants to know where she is every second of the day, but she does her best to balance all the balls she's juggling.

I think one of the things I loved most about this story was that Alice's mother was in the picture and constantly nagging her about missing curfew or sneaking out at night. So many YA books have absent parents who don't seem to have a clue what their kids are up to so it was nice to see the opposite here. I actually felt really sorry for Alice's mother and if I had a kid like Alice they would drive me insane constantly disappearing on me but at the same time it wasn't easy for Alice to keep such huge secrets from her mother either. I'm hoping in the next book (there's got to be a next one right?!) that she'll let her mum in on what's going on, I think she's going to have to if she wants to explain her latest absence. This story is full of fantastical elements but is also really grounded in the real world which I liked.

A Blade so Black has just enough elements of the original story to excite Alice in Wonderland fans but not so many that it's boring to read, I thought L.L. McKinney hit the balance perfectly there and I really enjoyed the way she made so many nods to the original but took characters we already know and love and still managed to make them her own. Hatta and Maddi were particular favourites (although I wish Maddi had spoken in riddles for the entire story!) but I also loved the Tweedle twins and many others too. There's plenty of action, lots of diverse and wonderful characters and great world building so I'm definitely hoping to see more of these characters in the future. The way it ended there just has to be a sequel & if there is it's definitely going to be at the top of my wish list!

Source: Received from Titan Books in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
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Blog Tour: A Blade so Black - L.L. McKinney (Guest Post: Mad Hatters Tea Party)

I'm really excited to be taking part in the blog tour to celebrate the release of L.L. McKinney's debut novel A Blade so Black today. I've wanted to read this book ever since I saw it described on twitter as "an Alice in Wonderland retelling but what would have happened if Buffy had fallen down the rabbit hole". Trust me it's even more amazing than it sounds, make sure you check back later today and you'll be able to read my full review then!

In the meantime I want to tell you all about the book and I have a fantastic guest post from L.L. McKinney to share with you.

The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she's trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland with magic weapons and hardcore fighting skills. Yet even warriors have curfew.

Life in real-world Atlanta isn't always so simple, as Alice juggles an overprotective mom, a high-maintenance best friend, and school. But when Alice's handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she's ever gone before. And she'll need to use everything she's learned in both worlds to keep from losing her head . . . literally.

Visit L.L. McKinney's website for more information


Now please give a very warm welcome to L.L. McKinney who is here to tell us all about the guests she would invite to her Mad Hatters Tea Party!

Mad Hatters Tea Party by L.L. McKinney

A Mad Hatters Tea Party: if you could invite any fictional characters to dinner who would they be (and why) and what would you serve them?

Wow. That’s…a hard question. There are so many characters I would love to invite! I’m gonna pick five, because that seems like a safe number. Here they are, in no particular order.

I’d pick Camellia Beauregard from Dhonielle Clayton’s THE BELLES. She probably knows more about what goes into hosting a tea party than I do so I’d be able to ask her for help. I’d like things to have a hint of the traditional, because it seems like it would be a bit of fancy fun! Hopefully Camellia would be able to bring some teacup animals and maybe give us a few beauty touchups. Small things, longer lashes, arched brows, nothing over the top. For her, I’d have all the sweets. Cakes, candies, every sugared delight imaginable.

I’d pick Louis from Anne Rice’s INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE. I know that the fan favorite is Lestat, and while I do love me some Brat Prince, Louis was the character I adored most in the stories and who I enjoyed reading about whenever he was on the page. To this day I’m salty he wasn’t in the movie Queen of the Damned, but I’m also relieved because that…that was a mess. Except Aaliyah, she was flawless. Since Louis is a vampire, I’m fairly certain it’s obvious what he’d be served.

I’d pick Puck from the Gargoyles television series. Nothing here said they had to be strictly book characters. Puck is my favorite from that show. He’s fun and funny, just delightful. He’d no doubt keep all of the guests entertained, or annoyed, and that would keep me entertained. That’s the important part. Plus it’s always nice to have a legit magic trick on standby. You never know what you’re gonna get with Puck, and that keeps things exciting. As for what I’d serve him? No clue. I’m sure he could conjure up whatever he liked, or trick someone into fetching it for him.

I’d pick Storm from X-Men because…I mean…it’s Ororo. She’s the queen. The goddess. The literal force of nature. I’m sure she’d have all sorts of wisdom to impart, as well as ALL the tea from the team and what nonsense everyone is getting up to. Honestly, I’d just want to sit in the same room as her, breath the same air as her. Plus, no matter what time, she’d make sure the weather was perfect. I’m not sure what Ororo’s favorites are, but she’s more than welcome to the sweets lain out, and I’d make sure to try and get some savory things on the menu, some stuff with spice. For some reason, she strikes me as a woman who likes a bit of kick.

Last, but not least, I’d pick Spider-Man. I’m a huge fan. Always have been. He’s my favorite hero ever. And Peter Parker always seems to be down on his luck, so I’m sure he’d appreciate a free meal. He’s funny as hell and always working and trying so hard. I’d like to give him a full plate, a big hug, and some positive vibes. As far as serving him, I don’t think he’s picky, so what we’ve already got would be fine I think.

That’s it! That’s my tea party. Turn up!

********************

Thanks for a fabulous guest post Elle, I always find it so difficult to think of guests to invite to fantasy parties but you've made some wonderful choices there so I'm sure it would be an afternoon to remember!

Don't forget to check back later today to read my review of A Blade so Black and in the meantime you can visit the other blog tour hosts below:

Teaser: Shadow and Ice - Gena Showalter

Shadow & Ice: Gods of War, Book 1

By Gena Showalter, Coming October 23rd 2018

Gena Showalter, the New York Times bestselling author who brought you the Lords of the Underworld, introduces a scorching new paranormal romance series… Gods of War.

Knox of Iviland has spent his life competing in the All Wars, where vicious warriors with supernatural powers fight to the death to claim new realms. One winner takes everything—and all losers die. Enslaved as a child for his ability to control shadows, the most ruthless champion in history will stop at nothing to kill his king. But first he must win the battle for Earth. When a fearsome weapon imprisons every combatant in ice, centuries pass without progress…until she walks in.

Vale London craves a fun arctic getaway with her foster sister before settling down to open a bakery. Street-tough but vulnerable, she is unprepared to find ancient gods escaping a frozen cave—merciless beings who target her when she inadvertently enters their war.

Though Vale is now his enemy, Knox is consumed with lust and a fierce need to protect her. But only one combatant can prove victorious, and he will have to choose: live for freedom, or die for love.

Preorder Now:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2FgfZDm

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Kobo: http://bit.ly/2MpkgqX

Review: Lost in Bliss - Lexi Blake

Laura Niles walked out the door and never looked back. As she left Washington, DC, her career was in ruins and her love life decimated. Her desperate flight eventually led her to Bliss, Colorado, where she managed to find a new home and a little peace. That will have to be enough because Laura cannot imagine finding happiness without the men she left behind.

For five years, Rafe Kincaid and Cameron Briggs have searched for the only woman they ever loved. When she disappeared, everything became crystal clear. For one night, everything had been perfect and instead of embracing what they had found, they let it all slip away. They had let worries about their FBI careers and what others might think destroy the most precious gift they had ever been given. Now they have finally tracked her down, and they want answers.

Laura is shocked when her former loves show up in her new home. When the full force of the FBI arrives with them, Laura knows that the quirky little town is in for a rough ride. The killer that ruined her life has been watching and waiting for the opportunity to strike again. For Rafe, Cam, and Laura it’s time for second chances — to stop a monster, and to reclaim everything they lost.

Nights in Bliss Series:
(Originally published under the pen name Sophie Oak)
Three to Ride
Two to Love
One to Keep
Lost in Bliss
Found in Bliss
Pure Bliss
Chasing Bliss
Once Upon a Time in Bliss
Back in Bliss
Sirens in Bliss (Crossover with the Texas Sirens Series)

Texas Sirens Series:
(Originally published under the pen name Sophie Oak)
Small Town Siren
Siren in the City
Siren Enslaved
Siren Beloved
Siren in Waiting
Siren in Bloom
Siren Unleashed
Sirens in Bliss (Crossover with the Nights in Bliss Series)
Siren Reborn

Visit Lexi Blake's website for more information

Review:
Laura worked for the FBI as a profiler but after her job put her in the crosshairs of a serial killer and nearly cost her her life she fled from DC and has never looked back. Now happily settled in Bliss she is doing her best to move on with her life but she's never been able to forget the men she left behind. Rafe and Cameron were FBI partners who worked alongside Laura and were both desperately in love with her. They felt like they failed her and blamed themselves for everything she went through but even though she left five years ago they haven't given up on finding her. Cam left the FBI so that he could focus on the search for Laura while Rafe remained with the FBI to continue trying to track down the serial killer who targeted her. Finally Cam has a lead on Laura's location but in trying to get their woman back have they just put her back in the crosshairs of a killer with unfinished business?

I always love getting the chance to go back to Bliss and catch up with all the quirky characters who live there, it just seems like such a fun place to live and I really enjoy how supportive the whole town is. The people who live there may be a weird bunch but they look out for their own and nobody judges anyone for their lifestyle choices so it's a really inclusive place. Laura has settled into the town well, she's made good friends and she's happy with her life there but she's never forgotten Rafe and Cam or felt ready to move on in a new relationship.

I normally love the menage relationships in this series but I have to admit I struggled with this one in the beginning mainly because Rafe and Cam didn't really seem keen on the idea themselves. It was more something they seemed willing to go along with because they both loved Laura and she couldn't choose between them but for a lot of the story they didn't seem too happy about that. I think that's mainly because their friendship has suffered so much since Laura left, they both blamed themselves (and to a certain extent each other) for what happened to Laura and it had put a wedge between them. It took a while but eventually they were both able to admit that they had missed each other and not just Laura so although there was zero romantic interest between them they did have a strong, more brotherly, kind of love. Once they decided to work together it became a lot easier to get invested in their relationship and I could easily see why Laura didn't want to pick one over the other.

As with all the books in this series there is also a hint of danger as it appears yet another serial killer may be at work in Bliss. I was pretty convinced I knew who the killer was, in fact I thought Lexi Blake had made it too easy to guess, but I should have known better because it turns out I was completely wrong. It was fun to catch up with previous couples and I really enjoyed getting to know Wolf (Leo's brother) better. I definitely think we're going to get his book soon and it's one I'm definitely looking forward to.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

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Blog Tour: Lost in Bliss - Lexi Blake

LOST IN BLISS

Nights in Bliss, Colorado Book 4

By Lexi Blake writing as Sophie Oak

Coming September 25, 2018

Laura Niles walked out the door and never looked back. As she left Washington, DC, her career was in ruins and her love life decimated. Her desperate flight eventually led her to Bliss, Colorado, where she managed to find a new home and a little peace. That will have to be enough because Laura cannot imagine finding happiness without the men she left behind.

For five years, Rafe Kincaid and Cameron Briggs have searched for the only woman they ever loved. When she disappeared, everything became crystal clear. For one night, everything had been perfect and instead of embracing what they had found, they let it all slip away. They had let worries about their FBI careers and what others might think destroy the most precious gift they had ever been given. Now they have finally tracked her down, and they want answers.

Laura is shocked when her former loves show up in her new home. When the full force of the FBI arrives with them, Laura knows that the quirky little town is in for a rough ride. The killer that ruined her life has been watching and waiting for the opportunity to strike again. For Rafe, Cam, and Laura it’s time for second chances — to stop a monster, and to reclaim everything they lost.

AVAILABLE NOW

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay | Smashwords | Print

EXCERPT

Rafe didn’t miss the way Laura’s body went still, her muscles stiffening where a moment before she’d been laughing with her friends. She changed the second she became aware of them. It wasn’t the greeting he would prefer. Back when they were friends, when she would see him coming, her whole body would go soft and a welcoming smile would transform her face from something professional to an intimate visage, one only meant for someone close to her. He’d taken great pride in the fact that he’d only ever seen that look on her face for one other person.

“Hello, bella.”

She frowned at him. Even with her lips turned down, she was stunning. She looked only slightly out of place in her yellow heels. The rest of her outfit was charmingly Western. She had on a full cotton skirt, a yellow tank top, and a light denim jacket. It wasn’t far off from what many of the other women were wearing, yet Laura made it seem elegant. Everything she did had an air of grace to it, even when she was bitching at him.

“I thought I asked you to stop calling me that.”

He wasn’t going to let her push him. He gave her what he hoped was an easy smile. “And I asked you to stop calling me asshole. I doubt you’ve done that. Dance with me.”

Her eyes widened, a look of horror crossing her face. “No.”

“Come on, baby. Don’t say no.” Cam crowded her, but she held her ground. Those heels were planted firmly in the grass beneath her. “I can’t dance with you until you dance with him. I lost the coin flip.”

“Oh, that’s romantic.” Her hands found her hips, and those gorgeously full lips pursed. “Every woman in the world wants to be won by the flip of a coin.”

“We didn’t have time to play cards,” Rafe admitted. He was well aware that people were listening in. Oh, they were pretending to be doing other things, but they leaned over and then talked behind their hands. The citizens of Bliss seemed to be enjoying the drama. Damn, he couldn’t get used to it. In DC, no one paid a bit of attention to what was going on around them. He tried to ignore it. “We weren’t sure how else to handle it, bella. You have to teach us.”

Her lips rose in a sarcastic grin. “See, that’s easy. Let me teach you how to handle a situation like this. You both turn around and walk out the way you came in. You get in your car and drive to Alamosa and get on a plane back to DC.”

Cam sighed. “That’s not going to happen.”

Cam ran a hand up her arm, and Rafe was satisfied with the way she shivered. She still responded to Cam. Would she respond to him? He reached out and took her hand, studying it. Her hand was small in his, her skin fair against his olive tone. Her nails weren’t as long as she used to keep them, but they were still manicured and painted a pretty pink. “Come on and dance with me. We came all this way. We’ve looked for so long. Can’t you spare a moment of your time? I promise to behave.”

He wouldn’t behave. He had every intention of reminding her of the chemistry they’d had, but he wasn’t going to announce it.

“Fine.” She pushed off of the picnic table she’d been leaning against. “One dance and that’s all.”

“With both of us,” Cam added quickly, pushing the advantage. “It’s only fair. Otherwise, we’ll both dance with you here and now.”

There it was. Rafe’s heart soared. Her eyes had flared momentarily, and it wasn’t with disgust. When they had checked into the odd motel at the edge of town, they had decided it would be best to come at her together. She’d been turned on by sex with both of them. They needed to remind her of what they had to offer.

About Lexi Blake:

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn't until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Review: To Kill a Kingdom - Alexandra Christo

Dark and romantic YA fantasy for fans of Sarah J Maas - about the siren with a taste for royal blood and the prince who has sworn to destroy her.

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all.

With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most - a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian's heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavoury hobby - it's his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she's more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good.

But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind's greatest enemy?

Visit Alexandra Christo's website for more information

Review:
To Kill a Kingdom was a really enjoyable dark retelling of The Little Mermaid and an impressive debut from Alexandra Christo. Lira is a siren princess, daughter of the Sea Queen she has earned the nickname Prince's Bane because she has killed so many princes and stolen their hearts. She's fierce and bloodthirsty and our introduction to her was one of my favourite opening lines in a book ever:

I have a heart for every year I’ve been alive. There are seventeen hidden in the sand of my bedroom. Every so often, I claw through the shingle, just to check they’re still there. Buried deep and bloody.

Lira's life is turned upside down when she accidentally saves the life of Prince Elian rather than killing him and her mother punishes her by turning her human. Elian isn't your average prince, in fact he is a pirate who has made it his mission in life to rid the world of sirens and who particularly wants to kill the Prince's Bane. He has another great introduction:

Technically, I’m a murderer, but I like to think that’s one of my better qualities.

I already knew only 3 chapters in that I was going to love this story! I really enjoyed the world that Alexandra Christo has created and I loved the depth she gave her characters. Both Lira and Elian have done things that they aren't proud of, Elian with the goal of protecting his people and Lira because she has been damaged by her mother's cruelty. These are two characters who should be on the opposite sides of the ongoing war between their species but they both want to find a way to bring peace and save the people they care about.

I love seeing characters grow and change and we get a lot of that in To Kill a Kingdom, we also get a lot of action and some really fun battles with all kinds of sea creatures. Theres even a hint of romance but I appreciated that it didn't overtake the rest of the story and it was very much a slow build as the characters got to know each other. I really enjoyed this story and I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye on this author in the future, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Vengeance in Death - J.D. Robb

The smell grew riper, thicker. She began to breath through her teeth. She'd smelled violent death too many times to mistake it.

When New York homicide lieutenant Eve Dallas makes the gruesome discovery of a mutilated and dismembered body, the hunt is on to find an evil sadist hell-bent on destruction.

The murderer is close at hand, haunting Eve with cryptic riddles about his next crime - riddles that always leave her with too little, too late.

But when the next butchered body is found, murder gets personal. Eve may be newly married but the honeymoon is well and truly over. New husband Roarke's ugly past is catching up with him, and his secret is the last vital clue in the search for a vengeful killer.

In Death Series:
Naked in Death
Glory in Death
Immortal in Death
Rapture in Death
Ceremony in Death
Vengeance in Death
Holiday in Death
Midnight in Death (Novella)
Conspiracy in Death
Loyalty in Death
Witness in Death
Judgement in Death
Betrayal in Death
Interlude in Death (Novella)
Seduction in Death
Reunion in Death
Purity in Death
Portrait in Death
Imitation in Death
Big Jack (Available in the Remember When Anthology or separately)
Divided in Death
Visions in Death
Survivor in Death
Origin in Death
Memory in Death
Haunted in Death (Novella)
Born in Death
Innocent in Death
Creation in Death
Eternity in Death (Novella)
Strangers in Death
Salvation in Death
Ritual in Death (Novella)
Promises in Death
Kindred in Death
Missing in Death (Novella)
Fantasy in Death
Indulgence in Death
Possession in Death (Novella)
Treachery in Death
New York to Dallas
Chaos in Death (Novella)
Celebrity in Death
Delusion in Death
Calculated in Death
Thankless in Death
Taken in Death (Novella available in the Mirror, Mirror anthology or separately)
Concealed in Death
Festive in Death
Obsession in Death
Devoted in Death
Wonderment in Death (Novella)
Brotherhood in Death
Apprentice in Death
Echoes in Death
Secrets in Death
Dark in Death
Leverage in Death
Connections in Death
Vendetta in Death
Golden in Death

Visit J.D. Robb's website for more information.

Review:
This series just keeps getting better and better, in Vengeance in Death Eve is faced with a particularly sadistic and brutal killer and it's even more personal than ever when he is going after targets from Roarke's past. Eve has always valued the law more than anything else in her life so it's really interesting to see her in a position where she is uncovering more of the unsavoury side of Roarke's history and she has to decide whether she loves him enough to look past the things he did as a younger man.

I always love learning more about Roarke's background, we've known for a long time that he crossed lines in the past and he will happily cross them again in the future if that's what it takes to protect the people he cares for. Eve is so by the book that that side of him should make her uncomfortable but at the same time she has experienced the worst kind of evil and I think she takes comfort in the fact that whatever Roarke has done it's always been done for a reason. It does irritate me that he's still keeping so many secrets but I'm enjoying seeing them both slowly open up about their backgrounds and it's not like Eve has always been an open book either. Their relationship is definitely only getting stronger over time.

I really enjoyed the addition of McNab's character and hope he's going to be a new cast regular, he's a lot of fun and the banter between him and Peabody was hilarious. I think there's a bit of a spark there but we'll have to wait and see if it turns into something or not. It was also fun to see Summerset in the hot seat when it looks like he could be the murderer, I've never liked the way he treats Eve so it was good to see him sweat knowing that she's the one person who stands a chance at proving his innocence. I hope we'll see him start to be a little nicer to her now but I'm not holding my breath on that one.

I realised recently that even if I read one In Death book a month it's still going to take me about 4 years to catch up with this series (and that's not even counting the extra novellas and short stories available!) but I love these characters so much that I'm going to make a concerted effort to do just that. I'm not very good at binging books one after the other or I could catch up faster but I think one a month is more realistic. We'll see how long I can actually keep it up for but keep your fingers crossed for me!

Source: Purchased

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Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Picture Book - Kim Smith

What's that strange sound coming from inside the closet? Buffy, Xander, and Willow are determined to find out! The campy, cult-classic '90s TV show is now a charming picture book for fans who are still a little too young for slaying. Join little Buffy and her friends as they investigate the mysterious noise, consult Giles, the school librarian, and encounter all your favorite Buffyverse monsters. This sweet, silly, and not-so-scary book makes a perfect bedtime story, and is ideal for parents introducing the next generation to Buffy and fans looking to experience it in a whole new way. With eye-catching illustrations by Kim Smith, this newest addition to the POP Classics series is a must-have for the shelves of Buffy fans everywhere.

Pop Classics Series:
(Picture books based on popular TV Shows and Movies)
Home Alone: Classic Illustrated Storybook
The X-Files: Earth Children are Weird
E.T. The Extraterrestrial: Classic Illustrated Storybook
Back to the Future
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Picture Book

Visit illustrator Kim Smith's website for more information

Review:
I'm a huge Buffy fan and have watched the series several times over the years so of course when I was offered a copy of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer Picture Book I couldn't resist. This really is the cutest little picture book and it's a great way to introduce another new generation to a series so many adults already love.

The story doesn't stick strictly to cannon which is absolutely fine in my opinion, it wouldn't exactly be child friendly if it did now would it! What it does is take us back in time to meet a young eight year old Buffy who is afraid of the dark, we get to see younger versions of Willow and Xander too and even Giles puts in an appearance which should thrill fans of the series.

I'm not going to say much more so I'll just end this review with a couple of pictures but I'm sure Buffy fans will love this and I can't wait to read it to my nephew when he's just a tiny bit older!

Source: Received from Quirk Books in exchange for an honest review

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Review: The Dowager Magus - Sebastien de Castell

Set during the events of the first Spellslinger book, Mer’essan, a Dowager Magus of the Jan’Tep finds her contemplations interrupted by a mysterious stranger who brings unexpected danger into Mer’essan’s life.

This is a free short story that can be read on Sebastien de Castell's website

Spellslinger Series:
Spellslinger
The Dowager Magus (Free short story)
Shadowblack
Charmcaster
Soulbinder
Queenslayer (May 2019)
Crownbreaker (October 2019)

Visit Sebastien de Castell's website for more information

Review:
I really enjoyed this little short story showing the first meeting between the Dowager Magus Mer’essan and the wanderer Ferius of the Argosi.

I'm not going to say much about it but you can get this and other short stories for free by signing up to Sebastien de Castell's newsletter here: https://decastell.com/secrets/

Source: Read for free on the author's website

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Review: Spellslinger - Sebastien de Castell

MAGIC IS A CON GAME.

Kellen is moments away from facing his first mage's duel and the start of four trials that will make him a spellcaster. There's just one problem: his magic is gone.

As his sixteenth birthday approaches, Kellen falls back on his cunning in a bid to avoid total disgrace. But when a daring stranger arrives in town, she challenges Kellen to take a different path.

Ferius Parfax is one of the mysterious Argosi - a traveller who lives by her wits and the three decks of cards she carries. She's difficult and unpredictable, but she may be Kellen's only hope...

The first in a rich and compelling fantasy series bursting with tricks, traps and a devious talking squirrel cat.

Spellslinger Series:
Spellslinger
The Dowager Magus (Free short story)
Shadowblack
Charmcaster
Soulbinder
Queenslayer (May 2019)
Crownbreaker (October 2019)

Visit Sebastien de Castell's website for more information

Review:
Kellan comes from a people with two very different types of citizen, you either pass your magic trials before your sixteenth birthday and become Jan'Tep (a mage) or you fail and become Sha'Tep (basically second class citizens whose only duty is to serve the mages). Kellan comes from a powerful family so there should be no question about whether he'll pass or not, there's just one small problem though, his magic is gone. If Kellan can't find a way to get it back his life will be a misery but when Ferius, a mysterious traveller, passes through his village she makes him question everything and offers him the chance at a different kind of life.

There is a lot to love about Spellslinger, the story was fast paced and had me totally hooked from very early on. It was very easy to connect to Kellan and it felt like I was going though the trials right alongside him, I hurt for him when he failed and I wanted to climb into the book to defend him when he was bullied by other kids his age for his practically nonexistent magic. There was a lot of humour in the story but there were some really dark things too. It was hard to like any of the Jan'Tep and Kellan's parents crossed lines that were incredibly painful to read about so I'd happily set them on fire and watch them burn.

It was only the humour that Ferius brought to the story and the addition of Reichis, the talking squirrel cat, that kept this from being a bit too dark for me but they were such fun characters to read about and I was so invested in Kellan's story that I couldn't put the book down. I have very high hopes for this series and can't wait to see where Kellan's journey takes him next.

Source: Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: The Amber Spyglass - Philip Pullman

Will is the bearer of the knife. Now, accompanied by angels, his task is to deliver that powerful, dangerous weapon to Lord Asriel - by the command of his dying father.

But how can he go looking for Lord Asriel when Lyra is gone? Only with her help can he fathom the myriad plots and and intrigues that beset him.

The two great powers of the many worlds are lining up for war, and Will must find Lyra, for together they are on their way to battle, an inevitable journey that will even take them to the world of the dead...

His Dark Materials:
Once Upon a Time in the North (Novella)
The Collectors (Short Story)
Northern Lights (Released as The Golden Compass in the US)
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass
Lyra's Oxford (Novella)

The Book of Dust:
(Companion series to His Dark Materials)
La Belle Sauvage

Visit Philip Pullman's website for more information

Review:
I've pretty much given up trying to write sensible reviews for this series, I've loved the books for such a long time and read them so many times over the years that it's just impossible to be objective about them. I guess the fact my 18 year old paperbacks are so loved and well read probably says it all for me though really.

Lyra and Will go on such an incredible journey throughout this series and in The Amber Spyglass the fate of not just our world but many, many more is in jeopardy. Their friendship and the adventures they share are just so much fun to read about and I'm always sad to reach the end of one of these books. One of the things I love the most is the huge variety of side characters we've met along the way. None of the characters in this series are completely what they seem and I love how even the characters we've hated since the very beginning actually do good occasionally too. Not enough to redeem them for sure but definitely enough to make them seem like real people who have made a lot of horrible mistakes along the way.

We get quite a few different points of view in this book and one of my favourites was that of Mary. She probably ends up in the most surprising place and the creatures she meets while she is there are absolutely fascinating. I love everything about the mulefa and have never come across anything quite like them before.

Although the ending tied the story together nicely it was also more than a little heartbreaking. Lyra and Will have to make some incredibly difficult choices and it pains me to think of what they go through in order to save the worlds. I'm hoping that we might get to see beyond that point in the new spin of trilogy though so I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens in The Book of Dust.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Courted by her Cougar - Felicity Heaton

Madness is sweeping through Cougar Creek, and Flint wants no part of it. The fever has two of his brothers in love already, and Flint is damned if he’s giving up the bachelor life to tie himself to one female, but when a perimeter sweep has him running into an exotic and enthralling beauty who rouses his instincts as a cougar shifter and a male, the hunt is on.

All Yasmin is interested in is making sure her friend, Ivy, is safe, but the alluring black-haired man with a wicked smile she meets on the path to the creek has her thinking about other things. When an incident at Cougar Creek leads to her revealing a secret, and Flint’s persistence pushes her to a rash decision, her entire world is in danger of being turned upside down.

With the gathering in full swing, and males determined to prove their worth to Yasmin, Flint discovers he’s not immune to the madness sweeping through the creek, because he’ll do whatever it takes to claim victory and win Yasmin’s heart… no matter how dangerous it is.

Cougar Creek Mates Series:
(Set in the same world as Vampire Erotic Theatre & Eternal Mates series but can be read completely separately)
Claimed by her Cougar
Captured by her Cougar
Courted by her Cougar
Craved by her Cougar

Vampire Erotic Theatre Series:
Covet
Crave
Seduce
Enslave
Bewitch
Unleash

Eternal Mates Series:
(This series is set in the same world as the Vampire Erotic Theatre series but can be read completely separately)
Kissed by a Dark Prince
Claimed by a Demon King
Tempted by a Rogue Prince
Hunted by a Jaguar
Craved by an Alpha
Bitten by a Hellcat
Taken by a Dragon
Marked by an Assassin
Possessed by a Dark Warrior
Awakened by a Demoness
Haunted by the King of Death
Tuned by a Tiger
Tamed by a Tiger
Treasured by a Tiger
Unchained by a Forbidden Love
Avenged by an Angel
Seduced by a Demon King

Black Ridge Bears Series:

(Set in the same world as Vampire Erotic Theatre, Eternal Mates & Cougar Creek Mates series but can be read completely separately)

Stolen by Her Bear

Visit Felicity Heaton's website for more information

Review:
Flint is the youngest of the cougar brothers and he's haunted by the fact that he was too young to fight when their pride was attacked and his parents were killed. He blames himself for not being able to help protect them so he throws his energy into protecting the pride during their gatherings with his brothers. He is bemused by the mating frenzy that seems to have taken over his brothers and determined not to get caught with a mate himself because he has no intention of settling down enough to risk his heart.

Yasmine has come to Cougar Creek searching for her best friend Ivy, she's very protective of her friend and wants to make sure she is happy and safe. The last thing Flint needs is another human around the place but Yasmine isn't as easy to get rid of as he expected and it turns out her medical knowledge could be helpful if she is willing to teach Ivy and the brothers more skills to look after their people. Of course keeping the fact that they are immortal cougar shifters hidden from another human isn't going to be easy but it turns out Yasmine has a few secrets of her own that she doesn't want exposed too.

Courted by her Cougar is the third book in this series but I think the stories all standalone if you're not up to date. I'm enjoying getting to know each of the brothers and I really liked both Flint and Yasmine but I have to confess I'm not a huge fan of the cougar culture that we saw in this book. Some of the males can be pretty brutal to each other when they're trying to prove themselves and claim a mate and I found that a bit off-putting even though it wasn't Flint or any of the main characters who were actually causing trouble. I loved that Yasmine wasn't what she seemed and that she stood up for what she believed in and wasn't going to let anyone tell her how to live her life. She seemed to understand Flint really well and I think they'll be good together.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

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