Oath Sworn by K.N. Banet

Title: Oath Sworn

Author: K.N. Banet

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Jacky Leon # 1

356 pages, Paperback

Publication: July 15, 2019

Source: Kindle Unlimited

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I’ve never been the type to find trouble. Owning a bar takes work and that was all I wanted. Serving cold beers and paying my taxes. Those were the responsibilities I wanted for the rest of my life.

I didn’t ask to be a werecat. I didn’t ask for the responsibility to uphold an ancient treaty. I didn’t ask to get pulled into the middle of a werewolf pack’s coup.

But Carey Everson, the very human daughter of a werewolf Alpha, needs me. Her father’s enemies are on her heels and I’m her last defense. And I’ll be that defense until my final breath, even if it means challenging the very Laws that govern the supernatural. I gave her my word.

My name is Jacky Leon and nothing is going to stop me from honoring my word.

MY THOUGHTS

I’m always on the lookout for a great urban fantasy series, but I honestly haven’t found one that truly hit for me since the early 2000s, think 2006–2010. So it’s probably no surprise that I’m in a fantasy Facebook group, and it was there that someone recommended the Jacky Leon series. They compared it to Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews and Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs, my two all-time favorite series. Those are huge shoes to fill, in my opinion. I’ve seen plenty of urban fantasy series compared to them before, but none have ever actually come close. Until now. Whoever recommended this series, may you be blessed by the book fairy. The Jacky Leon series has everything I love to read about and everything I adore about the urban fantasy genre.

Like all urban fantasy, magic and the supernatural exist alongside our modern, real world. In Oath Sworn, we’re introduced to Jacky Leon, a bar owner in Texas who also happens to be a rare and special supernatural, a werecat. While the world is populated with werewolves, vampires, and fae, I loved that our main heroine isn’t your typical lion or jaguar shifter, but something far more unique: a prehistoric saber-toothed werecat. Werecats are rare in urban fantasy, with only one well-known series coming to mind, so discovering them here was a huge win for me.

The worldbuilding is easy to follow and refreshingly straightforward. Banet does an excellent job of laying the foundation for both the characters and the world, weaving in history and background without ever bogging the story down with info-dumping. At the same time, the plot is engaging and compelling, keeping me glued from the very first page all the way to the end.

One of the biggest and most delightful surprises was discovering that Jacky is thirty-six. Finding a heroine in her mid-thirties is incredibly rare, and it made her feel instantly realistic and relatable. Jacky is an amazing protagonist; far from perfect, but mature, independent, fiercely loyal, and an all-around badass with a big heart. That’s not to say she won’t fight dirty or do whatever needs to be done, because she absolutely will and she’s unapologetic about it. It’s so refreshing to read about a self-aware, confident woman who knows who she is and what she stands for. Honestly, this kind of character feels sorely missing in today’s fantasy.

I also absolutely loved the supporting cast. Every character feels well-written and fully fleshed out. Hasan and his family are fascinating, and I can’t wait to learn more about him and his children. Heath, Carey, and Landon are a breath of fresh air, and I really enjoyed the family dynamics. I’m especially excited to see how these relationships develop as the series continues.

Oath Sworn was the perfect way to start the new year, and I can already tell this series is going to be a new favorite. The Jacky Leon series has everything I love about urban fantasy: a strong, capable protagonist, a fantastic magic system, compelling supernatural politics, and at its heart, a story about family, friendship, and the bonds we choose. I can’t wait to start the next book. I’m honestly shocked that I’m only discovering this series now. It deserves so much more attention and love. If you love urban fantasy as much as I do, I highly, highly recommend picking up Oath Sworn. You won’t be disappointed.

Mate by Ali Hazelwood

Title: Mate

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Bride # 2

457 pages, Paperback

Publication: October 7, 2025

Source: Personal Library

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Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less, and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human-Were hybrid was supposed to heal a centuries-long rift between species. Instead, it made her a target, prey to the ruthless political machinations between Weres, Vampyres, and Humans. With her enemies closing in on her, she has only one option left—if he’ll have her.

As Alpha of the Northwest pack, Koen Alexander commands obedience. His authority is so absolute, only a fool would threaten his mate. It doesn’t matter if Serena doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, nothing will stop him from keeping her safe.

But power-hungry Vampyres and Weres are not the only threats chasing Serena. Sooner or later, her past is bound to catch up with her—and Koen might be the only thing standing between her and total annihilation…

MY THOUGHTS

I read and enjoyed Bride last year and was excited when I heard there would be a sequel featuring none other than Misery’s BFF, Serena. However, since its release, the reviews have been a mixed bag, and I felt some trepidation about starting it. Still, I prefer to form my own opinions and don’t really listen to or care too much about what other readers think (at least not enough to sway whether I’ll read a book or not).

The dry humor I enjoyed with Misery is alive and well in the second book, with Serena, Koen, and Misery, of course. That said, I wasn’t immediately sold on Serena as the female lead the way I expected to be. I don’t recall how much page time she had in the first book, but I didn’t remember her being so immature and childish. The dry humor didn’t work in her favor, and I didn’t find her particularly endearing. As I continued reading, I also noticed that Hazelwood’s characters tend to be written in very similar ways, I didn’t feel like anyone truly stood out. Don’t get me wrong, it was an okay novel, and I did enjoy some scenes. However, on top of the mediocre characterization, the plot itself was also ridiculous.

For example, for a good third of the book, Serena believes she’s going to die and actively prepares for it, only to find out she isn’t dying at all but is actually in heat. Serena is so horny, she thinks she's dying...cue major eye-roll. That is one of the dumbest plot points I’ve ever read. Then there was the religious cult and her painfully obvious, predictable connection to it.

Koen, the love interest, gave me major ick. I didn’t understand why the author used immature, made-up words for him; it wasn’t funny or cute. I was honestly close to DNF-ing over the word “jizzmuffin.” Gag. I also didn’t like how he was mean to Serena and repeatedly told her he wasn’t interested, while consistently doing the exact opposite. Yes, I understand they’re mates. Yes, I understand the covenant pack rule. I still didn’t like it. Serena wasn’t much better: she spends most of the book convinced she’s dying, constantly reminding herself and Koen that they can never work and listing all the reasons why. Then, once they both decide to flip the bird to the rules and have a week-long screw-fest, they suddenly love each other and would die for one another. Yadda yadda yadda. It was hot-and-cold, unrealistic, and hard to believe, especially considering they’d only really known each other for a couple of weeks.

Oh, and speaking of “dying”; as weres, you’d think they’d be able to smell the difference if someone were truly on the verge of death. That’s literally been scientifically studied and proven in animals…just not in this book, apparently. That inconsistency annoyed me to no end.

As I said, Mate was a decent read, but I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as Bride, though, to be honest, my memory of Bride is now a bit fuzzy. For a book like Mate, it was awfully way too long. It had no business being as long as it was. I think this is the end of the road for me with Hazelwood’s books. I didn’t like the writing this time around, nor the characters or the plot. There were some good scenes and a few funny moments, but overall, it was a disappointing read.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and thePhilosopher's Stone

Author: J.K. Rowling

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Harry Potter # 1

223 pages, Hardcover 

Publication: June 26, 1997

Source: Personal Library

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Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

MY THOUGHTS

Harry Potter was published when I was still in middle school. Back then, I wasn’t the avid reader I am today, and reading didn’t interest me nearly as much. I did try to read it, though, I think my homeroom teacher actually read a chapter aloud to the class each day. Fast forward to November 2001, when the first movie was released in theaters worldwide. That’s when I finally became interested and eventually grew to love the films. Despite the books having been published for years and the movies long finished, I never read the series. I decided it was finally time, long overdue, especially since I’ve been reading fanfiction nonstop for the past year.

For the most part, the movie was very faithful to the book. As I read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, I could easily see the film playing in my mind. Even though I already knew the story and how everything ends, I still enjoyed reading it. The book was quite short, under 250 pages and went by quickly. I can see why so many readers loved it when it first came out; it truly is magical, and in 1997 there really wasn’t anything else quite like it. I can’t wait to read book two!

Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh

Title: Archangel's Kiss

Author: Nalini Singh

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Guild Hunter # 2

323 pages, Paperback

Publication: February 1, 2010

Source: Personal Library

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Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find herself changed—an angel with wings the colors of midnight and dawn—but her fragile body needs time to heal before she can take flight. Her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, is used to being in control—even when it comes to the woman he considers his own. But Elena has never done well with authority…

They’ve barely begun to understand each other when Raphael receives an invitation to a ball from the archangel Lijuan. To refuse would be a sign of fatal weakness, so Raphael must ready Elena for the flight to Beijing—and to the nightmare that awaits them there. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan holds a power that lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena…

MY THOUGHTS

Archangel’s Kiss picks up exactly where Angels' Blood ended. Elena, the guild hunter, has been reborn as an angel and is just waking up from her coma. She now has to rebuild her strength and learn what it means to be immortal. As word of Elena’s condition spreads among angelkind, one of the Cadre members, Lijuan, throws a ball in her honor. Except someone seems determined to make sure Elena never makes it there, and everyone suspects Lijuan is behind the attacks.

One of my biggest issues with the first book was Raphael. I thought he was cringe in Angels' Blood, but he’s even worse in this one. Most of the book is just Elena and Raphael being extremely cringey together. All they do is think and talk about sex and of course, actually do the deed… nonstop. Elena acted like an animal in heat, which was gross, and then I had to sit through Raphael repeatedly telling her he couldn’t have sex with her yet because what he wanted to do to her would be too rough and might break or kill her. It made me want to barf every time it came up. To make things worse, Elena has nightmares about her family being attacked, and the only thing that soothes her is, you guessed it, sex.

There was barely any plot. The first 78% of the book was all of that, with maybe 1% of Elena training to fight and fly, and another 1% spent hunting a killer. The numbers might be exaggerated, but that’s genuinely how it felt.

The story and any semblance of a plot don’t actually show up until after the 80% mark, when Raphael and Elena arrive in Beijing for the ball. I did enjoy seeing the key players and getting page time with characters we only heard about before, like Jason, Nazarach, and Neha. The best part of the book was probably the final scenes and Illium, he’s funny without even trying.

I really tried to give this series a chance and hoped I would enjoy the second book more, but sadly, I didn’t. This book was mostly smut with no plot, and I need actual substance in my reading. With that said, I will not be continuing the series.

Jade City by Fonda Lee

Title: Jade City

Author: Fonda Lee

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: The Green Bone Saga # 1

529 pages, Paperback

Publication: November 17, 2017

Source: Libby Library

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The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.

The Green Bone clans of honorable jade-wearing warriors once protected the island from foreign invasion--but nowadays, in a bustling post-war metropolis full of fast cars and foreign money, Green Bone families like the Kauls are primarily involved in commerce, construction, and the everyday upkeep of the districts under their protection.

When the simmering tension between the Kauls and their greatest rivals erupts into open violence in the streets, the outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones and the future of Kekon itself.

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve had Jade City on my TBR for years. The premise always intrigued me; an urban setting with gangs and magical jade… interesting, right?

The beginning started off strong with a memorable scene where a couple of teenagers try to steal jade from a Green Bone member. As expected, it goes awry, which leads to the Kaul family realizing someone is encroaching on their turf. To be quite honest, the magic system felt too vague, too simple, or just confusing to fully grasp at the start, at least for me. From what I gathered, only certain bloodlines are able to wield magical jade, which grants them enhanced strength. But even after finishing the book, I’m still not entirely sure what their magical abilities actually were. They all fought with blades or guns, so it felt a bit muddled. I guess I expected something more overtly magical. And if you’re not from the right bloodline, jade makes you sick and can eventually kill you. Each syndicate scouts for those with the right lineage to build their ranks.

Most of the characters felt bland; no one truly stood out or made a lasting impression. I never connected with any of them, and for most of the book, I felt pretty impassive toward their struggles. The only character who briefly grabbed my attention was Shae, the sole prominent female and the reluctant Kaul family member. I thought the writing itself was well done, but the story just didn’t hold my interest. There were a few standout scenes, but they were far between, and the pacing dragged in the gaps. Two moments were clearly meant to be major turning points, but they ended up feeling anticlimactic, especially the final fight.

Jade City was a decent read, but I don’t think I’ll be rushing to pick up the second book anytime soon, if at all.

Red City by Marie Lu

Title: Red City

Author: Marie Lu

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: The New Alchemists # 1

420 pages, Hardcover

Publication: October 14, 2025

Source: Libby Library

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Alchemy is the hidden art of transformation. An exclusive power wielded by crime syndicates that market it to the world’s elites in the form of sand, a drug that enhances those who take it into a more perfect version of themselves: more beautiful, more charismatic, simply more.

Among the gleaming skyscrapers and rolling foothills of Angel City, alchemy is controlled by two rival syndicates. For years, Grand Central and Lumines have been balanced on a razor’s edge between polite negotiation and outright violence. But when two childhood friends step into that delicate equation, the city―and the paths of their lives―will be irrevocably transformed.

The daughter of a poor single mother, Sam would do anything to claw her way into the ranks of Grand Central in search of a better life. Plucked away from his family as a boy to become a Lumines apprentice, Ari is one of the syndicates' brightest rising stars. Once, they might have loved each other. But as the two alchemists face off across opposite sides of an ever-escalating conflict, ambition becomes power, loyalty becomes lies, and no transformation may be perfect enough for them both to survive the coming war.

MY THOUGHTS

I read Lu’s Legend series back in the day when the dystopian genre was big and booming, so I was surprised and excited to hear that she had finally published an adult novel. Red City felt like a long time coming. The concept of crime syndicates mixed with alchemy intrigued me enough to pick this one up.

The opening chapters introduce us to a young Sam and Ari during their school years, from junior high through high school graduation. It’s during this period that they become involved with opposing syndicates: Sam joins Grand Central and Ari joins Lumines. From there, the story jumps ahead five years, and the two don’t cross paths again until a major syndicate event.

It took me a little while to settle into the story. I appreciated the background, but some of the childhood scenes felt unnecessarily long and drawn out. I found myself wondering if a flashback structure might have been more effective than concentrating their entire childhood arc in one chunk of the book. However, once the narrative shifts to the present day (five years later) the pace picks up quickly. By then, Sam and Ari are fully established in their respective syndicates and have made names for themselves in the criminal underground with fitting code names.

The worldbuilding was straightforward and easy to follow, but the magic system took longer to grasp, especially regarding its hierarchy and abilities. Sam’s powers, enhanced by a drug called Sand, make her hard to notice or remember, almost like invisibility, and allow her to transmute organic matter into inorganic material. Ari’s bioalchemy lets him influence molecular structures within the body. Every alchemist can transmute weapons from organic or inorganic sources; turning water into acid, pulling a blade from a brick wall, and so on but I still found certain parts of the system confusing in terms of how and why these abilities work.

Despite the lengthy section dedicated to Sam and Ari’s childhood and the story centering around them as adults I didn’t connect with them as strongly as I expected. I was more drawn to the side characters, especially Sam’s mother, Connie, and Diamond’s son, Will. Given how the book ends, I’m curious to see if Will appears again in future books. Their backstories felt more compelling and tragic, and they helped me understand their motivations in a way the main characters didn’t quite achieve.

Overall, Red City is a solid start to a new series. The book held my attention for most of the journey, and the fight sequences were excellent. I’ll definitely be checking out the next installment.

Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Title: Night Broken

Author: Patricia Briggs

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Mercy Thompson # 8

320 Pages, Hardcover

Publication: March 4, 2014

Source: Libby Library

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An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from a stalker. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need—and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right.

Soon her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the furthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back, and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get him, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy.

Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s stalker is more than a bad man—in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart.

MY THOUGHTS

In Night Broken, Mercy’s standing within the Pack is still fragile as everyone continues dealing with the fallout from the previous book’s events. To make matters worse, Adam’s ex-wife seeks shelter in their home while fleeing an abusive man and there’s a serial killer on the loose in the Tri-Cities.

I enjoyed Night Broken much more than I expected. I loved meeting all the new characters, especially ones we had heard about before but had never actually seen on the page, such as Christy and a Gray Lord. There were also some unexpected appearances, including more of Coyote and the introduction of a supposedly lost sibling, which was a pleasant surprise. Mercy and the Pack’s interactions with this newcomer added a fun and interesting dynamic to the story; it was probably one of my favorite parts.

The plot was great, and I loved how Briggs tied two seemingly unrelated subplots into one cohesive storyline. Clever! I also appreciated the ongoing development in Mercy and Adam’s relationship. With Adam’s ex moving in, Mercy could have reacted very differently, but her maturity really stood out. Readers also learn alongside Mercy as she discovers more about her evolving abilities. She has certainly come a long way since the first book, when we believed she was just a simple shapeshifting mechanic.

I can’t wait to continue with the next books in the series. I’ve loved the Urban Fantasy genre ever since discovering it in the early 2000s. If you enjoy books with rich world-building, strong character development, and intriguing elements of Native folklore, I highly recommend checking out the Mercy Thompson series.