Thursday, March 14, 2024

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

Title: A Fate Inked in Blood
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Saga of the Unfated # 1
Hardcover, 432 pages 
Publication: February 27, 2024
Source: Personal Library
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Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.

Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.

Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve been looking forward to A Fate Inked in Blood since I first heard Jensen was writing it. I read her Bridge Kingdom duology and enjoyed it, so I had high hopes for this brand-new series. I had never read a Viking novel before but had always been intrigued by Norse history and mythology.

A Fate Inked in Blood started off strong as readers were introduced to Freya, who is blessed with the blood of the goddess Hlin and is surrounded by a prophecy that makes her one of the most dangerous and sought-after women in all of the kingdoms. And that’s exactly what happens in the story. We see different men vying for control over Freya’s fate, going as far as destroying lives and villages to get to her.

 At first, I kind of admired Freya’s strength and determination to perhaps change her fate or at least gain a modicum of control over her life. Everything she did was in the hopes of protecting the people she loved. That is an admirable trait, but not when the people she loves treat her poorly or use her to their own advantage. I went from admiring her to despising her. She knew people were using her, was told directly to her face, and yet she kept putting them before herself. By the end of the book, I absolutely hated Freya and could care less about what happened to her. SPOILERS INCOMING.

At the end of the novel, she was so angry that Bjorn was lying to protect her that she was willing to return to the POS Snorri, whom she knew from the beginning was willing to sacrifice everything and everyone, family included, in the hopes of becoming King of Skaland. She knew he saw her as a means to an end, a piece of property to control, someone less than human; despite it all, she was willing to choose the bigger evil of the two. It made no sense. Freya’s actions are mostly led by her angry emotions rather than logic, which is why she did what she did in the story and why everyone feared her.

 I had such high expectations for this novel and am surprised by all the rave reviews. I’m certainly in the minority. Freya is an unlikable and immature heroine who made stupid choices, one after the other. The ending left a lot of unanswered questions, and while I want to know what happens next, I’m not sure I’ll be picking up the sequel.




Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Where the Dark Stand Still by A.B. Poranek

Title:
 Where the Dark Stands Still
Author: A.B Poranek
Genre: Fantasy
Series: N/A
Hardcover 336 pages 
Publication: February 27, 2024
Source: I received a review copy in exchange for a honest review.
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Raised in a small village near the spirit-wood, Liska Radost knows that Magic is monstrous, and its practitioners, monsters. After Liska unleashes her own powers with devastating consequences, she is caught by the demon warden of the wood – the Leszy – who offers her a bargain: one year of servitude in exchange for a wish.

Whisked away to his crumbling manor, Liska soon discovers the sinister roots of their bargain. And if she wants to survive the year and return home, she must unravel her host’s spool of secrets and face the ghosts of his past.

Those who enter the wood do not always return…

MY THOUGHTS

I picked up Where the Dark Stands Still because it was billed as a combination of Howl’s Moving Castle and Beauty and the Beast. While I've never read Howl’s Moving Castle, I've heard nothing but rave reviews about it, and Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite classic stories. The comparison and parallels to Beauty and the Beast were easy to see. Our main heroine, Liska, sets off in search of a magical flower to rid herself of her magic, but instead, she bargains away a year of her life as a servant to the wood demon, hoping he will remove her power. Anyone familiar with the classic would not be surprised to discover that after spending time with one another, Liska and The Leszy eventually grew closer and closer only to develop feelings for one another.

However, I had a hard time getting into Where the Dark Stands Still. The plot itself was very slow, with long periods of nothing much happening. Even when Liska helps The Leszy on his duties as the warden of the woods, I didn't find myself invested or caring about what was going on or what was happening to the characters. I'm more accustomed to novels with more action, and I didn't think the stakes were high enough here. Despite the surprising ending, I still didn't find myself caring about the outcome. The synopsis promised a romantic fantasy, but Liska and The Leszy lacked chemistry, which made me more and more detached from the story.

I had such high expectations, but unfortunately, the story was a complete letdown. I do not recommend this book at all, and I wish I could get back the time I spent reading it, as it took almost two weeks to slog through.







Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Bride by Ali Hazelwood


Title: Bride
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Series: N/A
Paperback, 398 pages 
Publication: February 6, 2024
Source: Personal library 
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Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again...

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.

MY THOUGHTS

I have never read an Ali Hazelwood novel; her books never sounded like my thing, nor am I big on contemporary romances. But as a paranormal fantasy reader, I knew I had to read Bride. Bride had two of my favorite tropes: marriage of convenience and fated mates, with a Were Alpha and a Vampyre Princess Equivalent at its center. I was intrigued!

 Within the first few chapters, I was immediately engrossed with the story and characters. Misery, the FMC, was quirky, and I absolutely loved her dry sense of humor, especially when she was interacting with Lowe’s little sister Ana; the two were a hoot. It was interesting to see Misery’s life before and after marriage, despite the setting being primarily within the pack territory. The hierarchy and different Vampyre and Were dynamics were easy to follow and understand. I also appreciated how each character played a pivotal role in the story; every single character was very well-developed and fleshed out.

 Was Bride the best paranormal urban fantasy out there? Absolutely not, but it was fun and entertaining. I think this is a great introduction for those not familiar with the sub-genre or who are new to reading paranormal urban fantasy. I thought the story and characters were great, and with how the book ended, I would happily pick up the sequel. All in all, a solid read with a light mystery and romance that I enjoyed.




Thursday, February 29, 2024

Crown of Roses by Hillary Raymer

Title:
 Crown of Roses
Author: Hillary Raymer
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Faeven Saga# 1
Paperback 398 pages 
Publication: October 18, 2022
Source: Personal library 
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Cursed with the blood of her enemy, Maeve will stop at nothing to prove she’s worthy of her mother’s crown. Her opportunity finally arrives when the Scathing, a dark fae magic, afflicts her kingdom and leaves a trail of death and decay in its wake. The only way to stop the Scathing is to retrieve the soul of the goddess Danua from within the fae realm. Maeve’s mother sends her off with one condition…return with the soul, or don’t return at all.

But Faeven is nothing like the fairytales she’s read; it’s full of ancient secrets and wild magic. Determined to save her kingdom, Maeve has no choice but to rely upon Rowan, the one faerie she shouldn’t trust. But as her feelings for Rowan transcend from hardened resentment to blind passion, a more sinister threat lies in wait, one ready to destroy the fae and human worlds. Maeve must find a way to defeat it, or lose both realms to the rising darkness forever.

MY THOUGHTS

Author Hillary Raymer has a book coming out next month in a new standalone series, and while the book sounded right up my alley, I wanted to check out her back series first. To my surprise, I found the first book, Crown of Roses, already downloaded on my Kindle, thanks to Stuff Your Kindle Day! I was immediately sucked into the story within the first chapter. If you enjoy stories about faeries, princesses, courtly intrigue, and adventure, then this might also be for you. However, as the book progressed and the journey into Faeven began, everything started to drag a bit and became convoluted.

At the beginning, I thought Maeve was a pretty good character. I liked that she said exactly what was on her mind, but the more I read, the more her demeanor bordered on being immature and childish. Some of her actions were questionable as well. Despite being twenty-two or twenty-four, she should have been more self-aware. Within twenty-four hours of being in Faeven, she broke the most important rules in dealing with faeries, which was making deals. She didn’t just agree to one unknown favor in exchange for information, but three!

I also didn’t like how she kept throwing herself at Rowan, especially when he had a big sign that said “Don’t trust me,” and yet acted surprised when she got betrayed. The oddest thing was that Rowan wasn’t even the love interest! Yet Maeve kept pursuing him for three-quarters of the book. Also, I found it extremely disturbing  Rowan was sent to retrieve Maeve. He found her when she was five-years-old but never finished his mission because he got captured. But...Ew, just ew. I was spoiled as to who the main love interest was early on, which turned out to be the Summer King, Tiernan. Their interactions throughout the book were very bipolar, hot and cold, but by the end of the book, Tiernan was willing to go to war for Maeve? It didn’t make sense and gave me The Cruel Prince vibe… a book I hated with all my soul.

The plot with the missing Princess, Carman and Cas was so convoluted that it gave me soap opera vibes. Even when Maeve found out the truth, I could picture her standing in the dungeon cell very monotone and unfeeling. You’d think finding out your best friend and everyone you knew betrayed you would be more shocking. But as a reader I didn’t feel one ounce of emotion. And in my opinion, that’s not good. When we read a story, we want to experience all the five sense plus feel a connection with the characters; sadly, in that most crucial scene I felt absolutely nothing. Perhaps a little disbelief at how cheesy and terrible it all sounded.

I really hope book two turns it around. Normally, I wouldn’t bother continuing with the series, but due to an impulsive purchase of the entire series, I am determined to read the thing. I'll be taking this as a lesson to seriously be intentional with what I read and purchase.





Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Unnatural Magic by Stacia Stark

Title:
 Unnatural Magic
Author: Stacia Stark
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Bargins with Beast # 1 
Paperback 386 pages 
Publication: September 23, 2022
Source: Personal library 
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If there’s one thing I loathe, it’s being told what to do.

I was kept ignorant and sheltered my whole life. Now that I’m free, I’ll never be coddled again. Even if the smoking hot werewolf king thinks coddling is perfectly acceptable. Because something’s hunting humans in my city. Something that kills like a werewolf, but displays those kills publicly–as if taunting the authorities. Thanks to my spiffy new agreement with the police, it’s my job to figure out just what that something is. But whoever is hunting the good citizens of Durham is also taunting me.

When my investigation takes me to the local werewolf pack–and the overprotective male in charge–I know I’m in trouble. Can I solve these murders without losing my freedom... or my life? Or will the creature make me regret ever thinking I was strong enough to be out in the world alone?

MY THOUGHTS

After finishing Stacia Stark’s Deals with Demon series some time ago, I found myself thinking often of the Deals with Demons universe. I was thrilled to discover that the author had launched a spin-off series, Bargains with Beasts, focusing on Danica’s sister, Evie. In Unnatural Magic, we journey alongside Evie as she grapples with her newfound power, hunts down villains, and contends with the HFE group. While the original series revolved around demons, Evie’s story delves deeper into the territory of werewolves.

Evie shares many traits with Danica—stubbornness, independence—but she carries additional burdens stemming from her discovery of being part of a genetic experiment and her coven's betrayal. Yet, it was annoying how often Evie compared herself to Danica or strives to differentiate herself from her sister. One can't have it both ways. Furthermore, I found the chemistry between Evie and Nathaniel forced; despite being told they're fated mates, it never felt authentic. While neither Evie nor Nathaniel particularly resonate with me, I found the side characters and the wolves' perspective intriguing.

In contrast to the Deals with Demon series, I found Unnatural Magic to be an okay read. It was a struggle to get through, although my interest finally peaked towards the end. Despite my reservations, I intend to continue with the next and final Evie installment, especially to delve into Kayla’s story. For the full experience, I highly recommend starting with the Deals with Demon series to fully appreciate the world-building, then circling back to explore the Bargains with Beast series.



 

Tuesday, February 06, 2024

Crave by Tracy Wolff

Title: Crave
Author: Tracy Wolff
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy
Series: Crave # 1
Hardcover, 571 pages 
Publication: April 7, 2020 by Entangle Teen
Source: Personal library 
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My whole world changed when I stepped inside the academy. Nothing is right about this place or the other students in it. Here I am, a mere mortal among gods…or monsters. I still can’t decide which of these warring factions I belong to, if I belong at all. I only know the one thing that unites them is their hatred of me.

Then there’s Jaxon Vega. A vampire with deadly secrets who hasn’t felt anything for a hundred years. But there’s something about him that calls to me, something broken in him that somehow fits with what’s broken in me.

Which could spell death for us all.

Because Jaxon walled himself off for a reason. And now someone wants to wake a sleeping monster, and I’m wondering if I was brought here intentionally—as the bait.

MY THOUGHTS

Crave has been on my to-be-read list for years, and I finally got around to picking it up. Lately, I've been on a vampire kick. This Young Adult series has often been compared to Twilight. Even though it's been years since I read Twilight, the parallels are evident – a human girl falling for a notorious vampire, but not just any vampire, a prince!

However, the book turned out to be very juvenile and silly. In my opinion, it's even worse than Twilight. The writing style made it clear that an adult was attempting to emulate a teen's voice, and the forced attempts at using trendy lingo came off as more cringe than cool. I'm surprised I managed to finish the book because the main heroine was throwing around phrases like “This is crazy AF” and “He’s sexy AF” – do teens even talk like that? LOL, or am I just really old?

While the character development and writing were decent, the world-building and concept offered nothing new. I never found myself invested in the characters, Grace and Jaxon, unlike the connection readers had with Bella and Edward. The first two-thirds of the book felt like candy – visually appealing but lacking substance. It wasn’t until the last few chapters that things became interesting. I'm a bit curious about what happens next, but unless the sequel introduces a substantial plot, I doubt I'll explore other books in this lengthy series. Essentially, Crave was a plot-less book; not much happened, and there wasn’t a real mystery, at least not until it was too late.

All in all, Crave was a somewhat disappointing read. If you're in the mood for more YA vampire series, I'd recommend exploring older series released between 2005 and 2018. Those were the stories worth delving into!



 

 

Friday, February 02, 2024

Wings so Wicked by Emily Blackwood

Title: Wings so Wicked
Author: Emily Blackwood
Genre: N/A, Fantasy
Series: Golden City # 1
Paperback, 380 pages 
Publication: January 12, 2024 by
Source: Personal library 
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Huntyr has fought for survival her entire life. Raised under Lord, the master of assassins in Midgrave, she has spent over twenty years learning to kill the blood-hungry, depraved vampyres that lurk in the darkness. Huntyr is the most lethal fae in the kingdom, which is why Lord chooses her to complete the next mission.

Huntyr must survive Moira Seminary and make it into The Golden City—the mysterious elite society of the few remaining angels and the magic fae who live in luxury with no crime, no poverty, and certainly no vampyres.

Only when she arrives at the academy, she’s forced to room with Wolf—the terrifying fallen angel who happens to know her assassin identity.

Determined to keep her head down in Moira, Huntyr tries her best to ignore Wolf. Over time, though, he not only becomes the only person she can lean on, but the one who might keep her alive through the life-threatening tests to get into The Golden City.

MY THOUGHTS

I was so excited for Wings so Wicked – it seemed right up my alley. I mean, who doesn't love a good story of opposites attracting? In this novel, we follow a Vampire Assassin and a Vampire who must set aside their differences and collaborate to gain entry into the elusive Golden City. Only a chosen few get the chance to prove their skills at Moira Seminary, a school for the gifted, and the stakes are high – it's either the Golden City or death.

Wings so Wicked started off promising. I appreciated that the action kicked in early, thrusting our main protagonist, Huntyr, into Moira where she faced grueling training and obstacles. Unfortunately, the initial excitement didn't last, and the book went downhill. The scenes became incredibly choppy and jarring, lacking smooth transitions between scenes and dialogues. Another significant issue was with the characters – the interactions and dialogues fell flat. I didn’t connect with Huntyr or Wolf, and even their interactions felt forced. It was insta-love, but not the good kind. Despite being familiar with the alpha male and stubborn female trope, this was an absolute no for me. Wolf came off as more controlling than protective, and Huntyr's tough exterior seemed inconsistent with her projection of insecurities onto others. When everything inevitably crashed and burned, she turned more self-deprecating. It was annoying.

 As I reached the end of the novel, my interest dwindled, and I found myself not caring about the fate of the characters. I contemplated giving up, but I was already too deep into the book, and reaching the end felt like a relief. Personally, I cannot recommend this book and consider it a time-waster. If you're seeking a vampire-themed story with challenges, I suggest exploring The Serpent and the Wings of Night. I'm genuinely perplexed by the positive reviews and high ratings. Well, to each their own.