Once Broken Faith by Seanan McGuire

Title: Once Broken Faith
Author: Seanan McGuire
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: October Daye # 10

Mass Market Paperback, 420 Pages
Publication: September 6, 2016 by Daw

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Politics have never been October “Toby” Daye’s strong suit. When she traveled to the Kingdom of Silences to prevent them from going to war with her home, the Kingdom of the Mists, she wasn’t expecting to return with a cure for elf-shot and a whole new set of political headaches.

Now the events she unwittingly set in motion could change the balance of modern Faerie forever, and she has been ordered to appear before a historic convocation of monarchs, hosted by Queen Windermere in the Mists and overseen by the High King and Queen themselves.

Naturally, things have barely gotten underway when the first dead body shows up. As the only changeling in attendance, Toby is already the target of suspicion and hostility. Now she needs to find a killer before they can strike again—and with the doors locked to keep the guilty from escaping, no one is safe.

As danger draws ever closer to her allies and the people she loves best, Toby will have to race against time to prevent the total political destabilization of the West Coast and to get the convocation back on track…and if she fails, the cure for elf-shot may be buried forever, along with the victims she was too slow to save.

Because there are worse fates than sleeping for a hundred years.

Having read the last book, A Red-Rose Chain fairly recently and not enjoying it as much as I hoped I was worried that I was going to encounter the same issues in Once Broken Faith. Thankfully I did not! Once Broken Faith was a much better improvement since the last two books and got me excited again; and reminded me why I loved this series in the first place. In the last book, Walter discovered the cure for Elf-Shot while in The Kingdom of Silences and now in Once Broken Faith all the Kings and Queens as well as the High King and Queen of the Westland are congregating in Queen Arden’s knowe to discuss whether Elf-Shot should be distributed. But of course a conclave of notabilities is the perfect place to wreck havoc and a King is murdered. And Toby, Hero of the Realm is once again tasked with finding the killer.

We all know the World of Faerie is vast, with many locations yet to be discovered. McGuire however expanded much more in Once Broken Faith as Knowes and their Kings and Queens make a first time appearance and others from little demesnes; there were approximately five or six new kingdoms introduced. There were certainly a lot of new characters and it got overwhelming in the beginning but by the middle of the book I was able to discerned who was who and from which Kingdom they hailed. Old familiar characters also had plenty of page time such as The Luidaeg, Tybalt, Quentin and Walter (who I’m starting to really adore!). While I loved seeing new and old characters I was especially happy to learn more about King Aethlin and Queen Maida, Quentin’s parents. Who would’ve thought that Maida used to be just like Toby? And for people with the most powers, they were nothing like their pureblood peers which was refreshing. Aethlin and Maida were understanding, kind and as down-to-earth as it gets when it comes to aristocracy. I hope we’ll get to see their home soon, perhaps during the wedding!

I’ve been with this series since the beginning and things you can always expect with each installment is danger, blood (a lot of it) and Toby an inch from death or actually dying. Each book is a compact whodunit mystery which is expected because let’s not forget she was a private investigator before she became a hero of the realms. I really enjoyed Once Broken Faith it made me laugh and cry throughout the entire book and I felt invested and engrossed in the plot unlike previous book. It was everything you’d get from reading this series overall and despite the last book…the book/series in generally have been getting better and better over time.

However I have two issues in regards to the series (which I stated in the last review). The first is the redundancy of recapping the same things over and over. Whether it was Toby stating information or McGuire summarizing…the same thing kept getting rehashed three or four times. For example whenever Sylvester made an appearance, Toby would whine how she wasn’t ready to forgive Sylvester for lying to her about Simon and how hurt she was. Yes, we get it and didn’t needed to be reminded when it was mentioned a couple pages before. It was pretty annoying. My second issue was literally around the 75% mark of the book Toby was dying or about to die. Something life-threatening would occur and Toby would lose consciousness only to wake up in the next chapter after being saved. This HAPPENED EXACTLY in the previous book. In A Red-Rose Chain, Toby gets Elf-Shot, scene said she blacks out/looses consciousness only to be saved by Walter. In Once Broken Faith, Toby gets pulled out of the tower window, falls and looses consciousness only to be saved by Jin. I am sure if I went back to all the previous book and checked around the 75% mark I would find the same modus operandi. I mean com’on, this is getting ridiculously old, predictable and tiresome. McGuire should change things up a bit instead of following the same exact format over and over.

With that said, I would give the book overall 4 stars because I still enjoyed it and the ending 2 stars because of the unoriginal almost-deaths and too convenient ending...for once I'd actually prefer a cliffhanger ending than this. 

Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews

Title: Magic Triumphs
Author: Ilona Andrews 
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Kate Daniels # 10

Hardcover, 352 Pages
Publication: August 28, 2018 by Ace

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Kate has come a long way from her origins as a loner taking care of paranormal problems in post-Shift Atlanta. She's made friends and enemies. She's found love and started a family with Curran Lennart, the former Beast Lord. But her magic is too strong for the power players of the world to let her be.

Kate and her father, Roland, currently have an uneasy truce, but when he starts testing her defenses again, she knows that sooner or later, a confrontation is inevitable. The Witch Oracle has begun seeing visions of blood, fire, and human bones. And when a mysterious box is delivered to Kate's doorstep, a threat of war from the ancient enemy who nearly destroyed her family, she knows their time is up.

Kate Daniels sees no other choice but to combine forces with the unlikeliest of allies. She knows betrayal is inevitable. She knows she may not survive the coming battle. But she has to try.

For her child.

For Atlanta.

For the world.

I remember quite clearly when I first discovered the Kate Daniels series, it was the summer of 2009. I barely discovered Urban Fantasy then. But Ilona Andrews awoken and cemented my love for the genre and I’ve been a faithful reader of theirs and the genre ever since. I’ll be honest, like most of Andrews’ fans, ever since Andrews announced two years ago that the Kate Daniel’s series was coming to an end at book ten I was extremely sad. I wasn’t ready then nor was I ready now. But of course Andrews know what’s best and if it only takes ten books to tell Kate’s story then readers are just going to have to have faith that it will end as they hope and of course, Kate deserves a happy ending.

Magic Triumphs was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. This book gave me all the feels! I was grinning and laughing out loud so much. The tender moments made me immensely happy and had me crying…you always hear the term of your heart feeling so full; that’s exactly how I felt for the majority of the book. Andrews delivered on all front from the usual high quality world building, the beautiful personal scenes between characters, witty banter, incredible action scenes, to interesting mythology and a whole lot of heart. I loved every moment of Magic Triumphs.

Everything Kate has done is leading up to this point as she faces her father and an opponent she has never encountered before. Familiar characters we’ve met over the course of the series and new allies are all coming together for the final showdown to save Atlanta. Kate has always been a kick-ass characters, there isn’t anything she wouldn’t do for the people she loves. But readers will see another side to Kate; and motherhood has never looked so good…or cool! While this book was already pretty damn near perfect, the introduction of Kate’s son Conlan was one of the biggest highlight of the book for me. The kid stole every scene he was in! I don’t want to go into too much details about anything but a lot of questions readers have will get answered and while this is the end of the series for Kate and Curran; it’s not the end to the characters/world as Andrews left the an open ending for a lot of possibilities and spin-offs.

Magic Triumphs was the perfect ending to a perfect series. It’s been a hell of a ride and I am so grateful to the authors for bringing Kate and Co into my life and letting me join them on their crazy awesome journey (even if it's fictional). I’ve said this before and it bears repeating, but this series is a must read for all Urban Fantasy/Fantasy fan. The Kate Daniels series is the epitome, best of the best of what Urban Fantasy has to offer. If you haven’t by chance read this series yet, please remedy that quickly by starting at the beginning with Magic Bites. If you’ve been a long time reader of the series make sure you read Iron and Magic (The Iron Covenant #1), Hugh’s book before you start Magic Triumphs it’s imperative if you want the entire story/background (Huge plays a big role in the battle). This has been such a bittersweet ending to a beloved series but it also is a new beginning for other characters to share their own story. I’m so ready and can’t wait to see what new adventures awaits us with Andrews at the helm. 

Irontown Blues by John Varley

Title: Irontown Blues
Author: John Varley
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Eight Worlds # 4

Paperback, 304 Pages
Publication: August 28, 2018 by Ace

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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A new noir science fiction novel from a master of science fiction set in the Eight Worlds series about a detective on the hunt for biohackers who have created a dangerous new disease.

Christopher Bach was a policeman in one of the largest Lunar cities when the A.I. Lunar Central Computer had a breakdown, known as the Big Glitch, but it turned out to be a larger war than anyone expected. When order was restored, Chris's life could never be the same. Now he functions as a private detective assisted by his genetically altered dog Sherlock as he does his best to emulate the tough guys in the noir books and movies that he loves.

When he takes the case of a woman involuntarily afflicted with an engineered virus, he is on the hunt to track the bio hackers down to the infamous district of Irontown.

I wasn’t aware that Irontown Blues was part of a series that started back in the 70’s and 90’s. However, it can be read as a standalone as there is a new character narrating. The book follows P.I Bach and his trusty companion Sherlock, a genetically altered bloodhound as they investigate a potential disease outbreak leading to the notorious zone of Irontown, a place filled with criminals and the unsavory sorts.

I thought the synopsis sounded interesting: a private detective, dangerous diseases and a corrupted city all sounded right up my alley. But unfortunately it fell short of my expectations. Let me start with what I liked. Irontown Blues had this old style noir sci-fi we don’t see in most sci-fi today, which I appreciated. The overall writing was also well done. But that’s pretty much it. I thought the plot was weak and a bit silly. The gist is Bach is chasing a person that is manufacturing type of diseases (found on old earth). Just the overall topic was a little too weird for me, and I normally can handle weird. The first half of the book went into detail how some folks on Lunar were obsessed with certain disgusting smells like; sweat socks, rotting food and vaginal yeast infection. Yeah, no. And how some people would purposely get diseases like psoriasis (because you can’t let alone get sick nowadays)...it was just topics I didn’t want to read about.

Another issues I had was the narration. The book is not only narrated by Bach but there were some chapters where Bach’s bloodhound, Sherlock was narrating. I didn’t like or care for Sherlock’s chapters. Sherlock’s chapters were boring and the writing stilted, which I get because it’s from a canine’s perspective. There was a reason why Varley incorporated Sherlock’s POV. But like I said I didn’t like reading his chapters. Anyone seen the Pixar's UP? Well Sherlock’s chapters reminded of me of the dog Doug in that movie. Some people may find it funny and entertaining or annoying. I’m with the later. I also felt that Sherlock’s chapters were filled with nothing but info-dumping, a big turnoff in any book.

I honestly would have not picked up Irontown Blues if I knew it was part of a series. I’m not the type to start a series mid-book either. While this book wasn’t for me I’m sure longtime Varley/Eight Worlds fans will be excited to learn that he written another novel in the Eight Worlds series and more likely find enjoyment in reading Irontown Blues after so many years between the last novel.

Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older

Title: Shadowshaper
Author: Daniel José Older 
Genre: Urban Fantasy, YA
Series: Shadowshaper # 1

Paperback, 297 Pages by Scholastic Inc.

Source: Personal library.

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Sierra Santiago was looking forward to a fun summer of making art, hanging out with her friends, and skating around Brooklyn. But then a weird zombie guy crashes the first party of the season. Sierra's near-comatose abuelo begins to say "No importa" over and over. And when the graffiti murals in Bed-Stuy start to weep.... Well, something stranger than the usual New York mayhem is going on.

Sierra soon discovers a supernatural order called the Shadowshapers, who connect with spirits via paintings, music, and stories. Her grandfather once shared the order's secrets with an anthropologist, Dr. Jonathan Wick, who turned the Caribbean magic to his own foul ends. Now Wick wants to become the ultimate Shadowshaper by killing all the others, one by one. With the help of her friends and the hot graffiti artist Robbie, Sierra must dodge Wick's supernatural creations, harness her own Shadowshaping abilities, and save her family's past, present, and future.

I’m a big fan of Older’s Bone Street Rumba Series, an Adult Urban Fantasy which takes place in New York and deals with spirits/ghosts just like Shadowshaper. I think Older is a talented writer and he certainly has an amazing online present as well; so I figured I was bound to love his Young Adult series since his personality and style is evident in his writing: bold, real, honest and with the right amount of humor.

Shadowshaper deals with ancestry and magic. Our main heroine comes from a family of Shadowshapers who are able to embed all forms of art with spirits and control them. For example, Sierra can paint or draw an image with a piece of chalk and transfer spirits she attracts into the art and compel them to do her bidding if she wishes. Spirits tend to have more power in that type of art form.The concept of Shadowshaper is very unique and I haven’t read any book like it. But there’s just something about the book that didn’t fully grab my attention. The plot was simplistic, which is fine but I never felt invested in the the story or the characters. Sierra and her friends seemed cool and kids i'd find in my own neighborhood but at the same time they felt very two-dimensional. The plot, world building and character development all could've been fleshed out better. The book is fairly short and full of action scenes (which I love) but I still felt very ‘meh’ about everything…I think it might be because the stakes weren’t high enough and Wick, was a pretty awful and nonthreatening villain.

Overall Shadowshaper is a decent and quick read but I was expecting more. I neither loved it or disliked it. I’d still recommend this book though, for those looking for a new spin on ghosts/spirits. 

Vox by Christina Dalcher

Title: Vox
Author: Christina Dalcher 
Genre: Dystopian, Medical Thriller, SF
Series: N/A

Hardcover, 336 Pages
Publication: August 21, 2018 by Berkley

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Set in an America where half the population has been silenced, VOX is the harrowing, unforgettable story of what one woman will do to protect herself and her daughter.

On the day the government decrees that women are no longer allowed more than 100 words daily, Dr. Jean McClellan is in denial--this can't happen here. Not in America. Not to her.

This is just the beginning.

Soon women can no longer hold jobs. Girls are no longer taught to read or write. Females no longer have a voice. Before, the average person spoke sixteen thousand words a day, but now women only have one hundred to make themselves heard.

But this is not the end.

For herself, her daughter, and every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice.

Aphasia is without a doubt a terrifying and heartbreaking communication disorder. I’d know because my father had a stroke four years ago and I remember that first month when he had a combination of Aphasia and temporary Amnesia (blood vessel ruptured in the brain). He didn’t remember anything let alone his children’s names and when the PT/Doctors tried to get him to read certain words, all you could hear were grunts and moans. It was one of the worst moments of my life. 

When I was first pitched Vox, I honestly didn’t read/look too much into the synopsis. All I remembered was the tag-line: What would you do if you were limited to only 100 words a day? The tag-line immediately caught my attention and I wanted to know more. I’m always up for a good Dystopian. But Vox isn’t just a regular Dystopian about the oppression of women. It’s a cautionary tale about how life as we know it can change before we even realize it, slowly creeping in until it’s too late and everyone becomes enslaved by their own ignorance and obliviousness; and taking certain things for granted and in Vox that’s our speech, language, ability to communicate…our voice. I loved that Dalcher incorporated the real disorder of Aphasia and made it the foundation of her story. I don’t think it’s a well known disorder and glad it’s being highlighted. I mean, I never knew about it until my dad was diagnosis with it. So with that said, with Aphasia as the foundation of the novel, I can relate there but Dalcher also brings up a lot of other issues which I think women can relate to in some way or another. 

Many reviewers said Vox was just a Dystopian, a mere Science Fiction novel that’s pretty far-fetched. I disagree. Some of the political, gender, cultural, religious, and racial climates found in Vox can be seen to some extent in our current reality. And everything that was portrayed/happened to the women in Vox can actually happen. Many reviewers stated that: No it would never get that bad. Never come to that. It’s not realistic…or something similar along those lines. Funny because that’s exactly what Jean thought too. Everything that Jean and the other women were subjected to was undeniably scary, abhorrent, immoral, unethical...and totally plausible! This is the type of Dystopian I don’t normally want to read about, are too hard to read and at the same should be read. Because it's so realistic. Possible.

I thought the concept was brilliant and unlike many others that read Vox; I enjoyed the medical terminology, science aspect of the novel. It was fascinating. Dalcher’s writing flowed perfectly and the combination of the short chapters and fast-paced story made for an engaging read. I read it all in one sitting! The only downside to Vox was the character development, or the lack of it. The only character that was somewhat developed was Jean, an exception because she was the main character and it’s a first person narrative. Lorenzo, Lin, Patrick, Morgan and the secondary characters weren’t fully realized in my opinion thus making it hard to connect to anyone. I also wasn't a big fan of Jean herself. She's strong and a fighter but she's also a cheater. That's not a quality I like in any character/person. And yes, characters among world building is extremely important in any book I read. However, I still give Dalcher much props for writing this book and having whatever little character development she had because she wrote this book in two month. Yes, two months you guys! That’s pretty awesome and amazing.

I won’t lie, it was very hard reading Vox. There were so many time when I stopped reading during a passage because I was shocked, angry and left speechless. They did not just do that. They/He did not just say that. That did not just happened. Those were  some my thoughts as I read. Let’s just say Dalcher isn’t afraid of writing the hard stuff and went where most wouldn’t. While Vox is a frightening and plausible possibility at what could be, and as much as it made me angry and had me questioning a lot of things (I don’t want my personal beliefs to interfere, so I won’t go into details)…but I think that’s part of the reason why it’s so important that everyone reads this. Men and Women. Because this book will certainly make you think, a lot. All I can say is read it, you won’t regret it!

A Red-Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire

Title: A Red-Rose Chain
Author: Seanan McGuire
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: October Daye # 9

Mass Market Paperback, 358 Pages
Publication: September 1, 2015 by Daw

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Things are looking up.

For the first time in what feels like years, October “Toby” Daye has been able to pause long enough to take a breath and look at her life—and she likes what she sees. She has friends. She has allies. She has a squire to train and a King of Cats to love, and maybe, just maybe, she can let her guard down for a change.

Or not. When Queen Windermere’s seneschal is elf-shot and thrown into an enchanted sleep by agents from the neighboring Kingdom of Silences, Toby finds herself in a role she never expected to play: that of a diplomat. She must travel to Portland, Oregon, to convince King Rhys of Silences not to go to war against the Mists. But nothing is that simple, and what October finds in Silences is worse than she would ever have imagined.

How far will Toby go when lives are on the line, and when allies both old and new are threatened by a force she had never expected to face again? How much is October willing to give up, and how much is she willing to change? In Faerie, what’s past is never really gone.

It’s just waiting for an opportunity to pounce.

A Red-Rose Chain is the ninth installment in the long running October Daye Series. The October Daye series is one of my all-time favorite Urban Fantasy series with the likes of Kate Daniels and Mercy Thompson. October is no stranger to danger because she always finds herself in the middle of it whether intentionally or not. In this latest addition, October is sent to the Kingdom of Silence to broker a peace treaty with their king. But instead of peace talk, the false king and queen are determined to incite a war. And as usual it’s up to Toby and her friends to save the day.

I enjoyed A Red-Rose Chain for the most part but I couldn’t help but feel like this was just a filler book. There wasn’t much happening plot-wise. This is the beginning of a new arc in the series but there was no progression to the story or the characters. It was cool seeing a different area of Faerie but that’s about it. The plot felt recycled and uneventful. I also thought the ending was anticlimactic and resolved way too quickly. Once again Toby easily sacrifices herself for the greater good but of course is saved/cured immediately. A little too convenient if I must say. Many reviewers mentioned the overkill in recaps and I definitely agree. I don’t think every single little thing needed an explanation.

This wasn’t the best or strongest book in the series but overall still good. I’m just excited that Toby and Tybalt are going to get married. With that said I hope the wedding is somewhere in the next two books. Or maybe we'd get to see Quentin's home. 

Stars Uncharted by S.K. Dunstall

Title: Stars Uncharted
Author: S.K. Dunstall
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: N/A

Paperback, 416 Pages
Publication: August 14, 2018 by Ace
Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Three people who are not who they claim to be:

Nika Rik Terri, body modder extraordinaire, has devoted her life to redesigning people's bodies right down to the molecular level. Give her a living body and a genemod machine, and she will turn out a work of art.

Josune Arriola is crew on the famous explorer ship the Hassim, whose memory banks contain records of unexplored worlds worth a fortune. But Josune and the rest of the crew are united in their single-minded pursuit of the most famous lost planet of all.

Hammond Roystan, the captain of the rival explorer ship, The Road, has many secrets. Some believe one of them is the key to finding the lost world.

Josune's captain sends her to infiltrate Roystan's ship, promising to follow. But when the Hassim exits nullspace close to Roystan's ship, it's out of control, the crew are dead, and unknown Company operatives are trying to take over. Narrowly escaping and wounded, Roystan and Josune come to Nika for treatment--and with problems of her own, she flees with them after the next Company attack.

Now they're in a race to find the lost world...and stay alive long enough to claim the biggest prize in the galaxy.

I’ve been trying to branch out on what I read, to read more Science Fiction instead of my usual Urban Fantasy/Fantasy. And for the most part, all the SF I’ve read so far this year has been great. And Stars Uncharted was no exception. Misfits in space? Sold! Stars Uncharted is written by two sisters and follows two incredible female leads: Nika, a renown body modder and Josune, an engineer. The book alternatives between the two ladies as they try to escape The Corporation.

The thing that always make me hesitate picking up a Sci-Fi novel is the world-build and jargon. They’re usually so complex that, at times, a reader can get lost and overwhelmed with all the technobabble. But I didn’t have any issue with Stars Uncharted. Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of information to digest but it was written in a way that was easy to understand and process. Nika and Josune lived in a world where anyone with enough credit/money can change their appearance or identity after a few hours in a machine. How cool and scary is that? And The Corporation, comprising of 27 companies rule everything with an iron fist. Their word law. One particular company, The Eaglehawk Corporation is after Nika because she holds the code to an invaluable, one-of-a-kind genemod capable of body swapping. While Josune may have a lead/knowledge of a way to find precious minerals that has been lost for over 80 years. Two different women on the run, only to have their path cross aboard, The Road, a cargo ship.

As I’ve mentioned time and time again I’m not a fan of multiple point-of-views, but Dunstall made it work and I found myself enjoying both Nika and Josune’s narrative. They’re smart, savvy and scrappy as heck. They do whatever it takes to stay alive and found rules more of a guideline than actual law. There were many times when the other characters would use the term “certifiably crazy” in describing Nika and Josune and I couldn’t agree more. Nika and Josune are rounded out with an eclectic crew consisting of the mysterious captain Roystan, chef extraordinaire Jacques, Carlos the engineer and Snow, a young modder obsessed with Nika Rik Terri. The characters were all well developed and unique, and often lighten more of the serious and dire scenes with their banter. I especially enjoyed Snow and Nika’s interaction and Snow’s obliviousness to who his traveling companion was.

Stars Uncharted was a fun action-packed adventure that captured me from page one. This space-opera was just complex enough to be enjoyable without going overboard with meticulous details. But what makes this book truly wonderful were the characters, who are all very diverse but worked great together as a team. The ending tied up nicely but I hope Dunstall plans to write more in this world, as there’s still so much to explore! And in the meantime, I plan to check out their back-list! I highly recommend Stars Uncharted, for Sci-Fi fan and those who want to read Sci-Fi but haven’t taken the plunge yet; this book would be a great place to start!

Wild Hunger by Chloe Neill

Title: Wild Hunger
Author: Chloe Neill
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Heirs of Chicagoland # 1

Trade Paperback, 352 Pages
Publication: August 14, 2018 by Berkley Books

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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In the first thrilling installment of Chloe Neill's spinoff to the New York Times bestselling Chicagoland Vampires series, a new vampire will find out just how deep blood ties run.
As the only vampire child ever born, some believed Elisa Sullivan had all the luck. But the magic that helped bring her into the world left her with a dark secret. Shifter Connor Keene, the only son of North American Central Pack Apex Gabriel Keene, is the only one she trusts with it. But she's a vampire and the daughter of a Master and a Sentinel, and he's prince of the Pack and its future king.

When the assassination of an ambassador brings old feuds to the fore again, Elisa and Connor must choose between love and family, between honor and obligation, before Chicago disappears forever.

A full disclosure, I didn’t finish the Chicagoland Vampires series. I stopped at Drink Deep. The last two novels I read weren’t doing anything for me and I felt like the love and spark I found in the first three books were long gone. And I was hoping to find that spark again in Wild Hunger, the spin-off series. Which I’m happy to report I did! True to its series name, Wild Hunger follows the heirs of the original characters of the Chicagoland Vampire series twenty years into the future, specifically Ethan and Merit’s daughter Elisa Sullivan.

I will admit there was some trepidation going into Wild Hunger, worried that we were getting a replica of the Chicagoland Vampire series. Yes, we’re in the same world and all but Elisa isn’t anything like Merit. Merit came into the supernatural world against her will and learned to love it as to Elisa was born into it and didn’t have a choice about anything…what she was and where she came from. So it was quite refreshing to see how mature and independent Elisa was; carving a new path for herself and starting anew in Paris going to school and volunteering her time by serving the house of Maison Dumas. Elisa has the best qualities of both her parent and none of their vexing quirks (Ethan and his strict rules and Merit’s childish antics). It was a welcomed change. And how appropriate that her BFF is none other than Mallory Carmichael’s daughter Lulu, whom is also not like her mother except she's petite and snarky.

As I said I never finished the Chicagoland Vampires series, so I wouldn’t know if Neill ever explored the shifters indepth. But I definitely loved seeing more of the shifters in Wild Hunger. And for Gabriel’s son, Connor Keene to be the love interest was just the perfect bonus. I always loved the shifters (Twice Bitten was my fave!) and found Connor an excellent male lead (never fancied Ethan as the lead in the CV series). I loved the whole friends to lover angle, even if they drove each other crazy as children. It also had the star-cross/Romeo and Juliet vibe (except their families aren’t immortal enemies and not all shifters have love for the vampires). I enjoyed seeing Elisa and Connor’s budding romance and can’t wait to see what’s in store for them; especially with Gabriel’s ominous warning in the epilogue.

Wild Hunger exceeded my expectation and I found myself enjoying everything about this new series starter. I like the new generation characters and am looking forward to seeing more of Elisa and Conner. Fans of the original series will be happy to see key characters making an appearance. All in all, a fantastic start. 

Everywhere You Want to Be by Christina June

Title: Everywhere You Want to Be
Author: Christina June
Genre: Contemporary
Series: N/A

Trade Paperback, 284 Pages
Publication: May 1, 2018 by Blink

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher/Saichek Publicity in exchange for a honest review.

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Matilda Castillo has always done what she was told, but when she gets injured senior years, she watches her dreams of becoming a contemporary dancer slip away. So when Tilly gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend the summer with a New York dance troupe, nothing can stop her from saying yes--not her mother, not her fears of the big city, and not the commitment she made to Georgetown. Tilly's mother allows her to go on two conditions: one, Tilly will regularly visit her abuela in New Jersey, and two, after the summer, she'll give up dancing and go off to college.

Armed with her red vintage sunglasses and her pros and cons lists, Tilly strikes out, determined to turn a summer job into a career. Along the way she meets new friends ... and new enemies. Tilly isn't the only one desperate to dance, and fellow troupe member Sabrina Wolfrik intends to succeed at any cost. But despite dodging sabotage and blackmail attempts from Sabrina, Tilly can't help but fall in love with the city, especially since Paolo, a handsome musician from her past, is also calling New York home for the summer.

As the weeks wind down and the competition with Sabrina heats up, Tilly's future is on the line. She must decide whether to follow her mother's path to Georgetown or leap into the unknown to pursue her own dreams.

Everywhere You Want to Be is a story of coming of age and self discovery. Tilly is expected to attend college come fall per her mother’s wishes but Tilly is stuck at a crossroad; debating if college is the right path or joining a dance troupe, her one and only passion. And she only has summer in New York to figure everything out. Follow her dreams or her mother’s.  

This book is said to be a modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, I could see some similarities but in my opinion it’s very, very loosely based. And honestly if it wasn’t part of the tag-line; I’d probably would of never made the connection. With that said I enjoyed June’s sophomore novel. She did a wonderful job capturing New York, I personally never been there but I can imagine it is just as she described. As for the character, Tilly was a pragmatic, kind and understanding heroine. In all profession, there is always someone who is willing to sabotage another to get to the top or to be noticed but Tilly was alway true to herself and did what she thought was right after being targeted relentlessly by another dancer in her class.

Another great thing about Everywhere You Want to Be is the strong and supportive female cast that surrounds Tilly from her Mother, Stepsister, Grandmother to Sage the dance director and roommate Charlotte. I absolutely loved that and it reinforces what type of person Tilly was or who she wanted to be. Tilly had a little quirk, she stress bakes as a type of release late at night. One scene I remember clearly was Tilly in the kitchen baking and then her stepsister Tatum and roommate came out to bake with her. They didn’t want to feel like she had to do anything alone; whether it was baking or what to do with her conflicted feelings about Sabrina, the other dancer. That scene perfectly describes this book: full of heart.

Overall an enjoyable, quick and light read about a young girl following her dreams and falling in love in the magical city that’s New York. Unlike most YA that are a bit too much drama borderline soap-opera, Everywhere You Want to Be found all the right balance for a realistic story of self, family and friends. 

Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews

Title: Iron and Magic
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Iron Covenant #1, Kate Daniels #9.5

Trade Paperback, 380 Pages
Publication: June 26, 2018 by Nancy Yost Literary Agency

Source: Personal Library

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No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy…But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work.

Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast.

Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify.

Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies?

As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.” Hugh and Elara may do both. 

Iron and Magic is the first book in The Iron Covenant Series and takes place between Book 9 and 10 in the Kate Daniel series. If you read the Kate Daniel series then you know who Hugh d’Ambray is, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs and Warlord of the Builder of Towers. He is the epitome of what it means to be maleficent and villainous. Like many of Andrews fan, I was skeptical of how they were going to redeem Hugh, it seemed impossible…but yet Andrews did it! They made Hugh, I dare say, likeable? Who would of thought?

Hugh was rescued from the streets at a very young age by Voron and Roland and from that moment on he knew nothing of pain or suffering...he had anything and everything he wanted. He was almost like a god among men until Roland abandoned Hugh. Roland was Hugh’s purpose for being and living and he didn’t know who he was without Roland. Thus began his descent into despair and darkness, drowning himself with booze to escape the real world. When someone hits rock bottom, there isn’t anywhere to go but up and that is exactly what Hugh did. Readers will watch Hugh grow and change over the course of the book. I loved seeing Hugh’s transformation to be a better person. There was a scene in the book where it literally hit Hugh that he was evil by the reaction of the people from nearby settlements that heard of him. He is loved and worshiped by his own Iron Dogs and Elara’s people eventually saw him as a protector but to have people recoil from him and fear to have their children around him was a rude awakening. There were a lot of changes for Hugh externally and internally, and it was great to see how far his character has come.

But it isn’t to say that Huge isn’t still a jerk…he is. And he has met his match in Elara Harper. She’s literally a girl version of Hugh! Elara who is known as The White Warlock is an enigma and very powerful. Elara’s people love her but everyone else is afraid of her and I am excited to learn more about her power and history. Hugh and Elara ends up getting married, a mere business agreement and from the moment they met they were determined to make eachother’s life a living hell. It was hilarious. No one does snark and witty dialogue like Andrews, and everything you love about their other series can be found in Iron and Magic; amazing character, world and mythology.

Hugh’s book started as an April’s Fool joke, but I am so glad that Andrews decided to turn it into a novel. Iron and Magic was brilliant and a great series opener and addition to the Kate Daniels series. Iron and Magic can be read as a standalone but any Kate Daniels fan out there, this must be read before the final book, Magic Triumphs which releases this month. I’m already looking forward to reading the next Iron Covenant book!