Tag: Urban Fantasy

Serena’s Review: “Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night”

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Book: “Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night” by Kresley Cole

Publishing Info: Gallery Books, June 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: finished copy from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed—until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.

His slow, hot touch is irresistible…

Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It’s rumored that no one can tempt Bowen’s hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

No deed is too wicked for her seduction…

If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul—or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?

Review: It’s been a while since I’ve checked out a paranormal romance read on this blog, so I was excited to see that Kresley Cole’s “Immortals After Dark” series was getting a new look and republished. I’ve had the first one down on my TBR list for a while (but honestly, those OG covers threw me off every time). After looking into it, the series seems like the sort where the world is connected, but each book follows a new couple. So I felt comfortable picking up the series with this, the third book, that was releasing in June. Let’s dive in!

This was a bit of a mixed bag right from the start. And I really do mean “right from the start.” The first chapter left me very confused about how I was feeling about the book. We jump right into the action (great!) and I really enjoyed some of the early grumpy/sunshine banter that we got from our two main characters. On the other hand, within a page or two (I kid you not!), these two were already getting hot and heavy. We went from zero to 60 in no time flat! What’s more, after shooting out of the gate at a gallop, after the first chapter, the book screeches to a stop, separating our characters and adding a bunch of backstory and other characters. Now, all of this backstory and the extra characters themselves weren’t bad by any means (indeed, much of the backstory for the MMC was incredibly important), but it did leave the pacing in a strange place and me floundering to settle myself in this world.

As the book continued, I was better able to piece things together. I can confirm that it was approachable as a stand-alone book, but also that there were numerous references to characters and portions of this world that I likely would have better understood had I started with the first book.

This also read as rather dated with its approach to the love story. We have a large age gap (not something that I typically quibble with), fated mates, and a lot of internal conflict driving the love story. All of these tropes are quite delicate to handle well, in my opinion, and this book walked right up to the line on a few of them. Particularly with the way the werewolves and their need to “claim” their mate was handled. There was the tiniest bit of “ick” to the entire thing, with how compulsive it all felt. This in particular was a bit that made the book feel a bit dated, as it was the sort of thing you often found in older romance book but that is more carefully handled nowadays.

This carried over a bit to the dynamics between the FMC and the MMC. Again, I don’t have an issue with age gaps on their own, but this one felt a bit egregious, especially when paired with the grumpy/sunshine trope and the fact that Mari was “fated” for Bowen. None of these things were bad on their own, but there was something about the way they all layered on top of one another to make me not fully able to invest in their love story.

All of this said, I very much enjoyed the world and society of this series. There was a ton of creativity to be found in the ways these various different creatures interacted with one another and shared a world. I’m definitely interested in checking out another book in this series, just to see more of this world and experience the dynamics between two other characters. (I’m going to avoid the first book, however, as a cursory look at it highlighted the fact that the whole “claiming” thing is perhaps even worse there). However, if you enjoy paranormal romances, I can definitely see the appeal in this series and I’m excited to see if another book/couple might be a better fit for me!

Rating 7: I didn’t feel like a few of the romantic tropes worked well together, but the world itself was super interesting, and I’ll likely check out the next book!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night” can be found on these Goodreads lists: So you love a Bad Boy or Tortured Hero and Best Highland/Scotland Romance Novels.

Serena’s Review: “The God and the Gwisin”

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Book: “The God and the Gwisin” by Sophie Kim

Publishing Info: Del Rey, June 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Seokga the No-Longer-Fallen is looking for his love. Since he lost Hani and was reinstated as a god, nothing has felt right – and he’s been desperately searching for her reincarnated form ever since.

But when the red thread of fate leads Seokga to a cruise down the river of the dead, the woman he finds isn’t Hani . . . she’s Yoo Kisa, and she has no memory of him whatsoever – with seemingly no interest in regaining it either.

But when the Heavenly Emperor of Okhwang is murdered, Seokga and Kisa must solve the crime before the cruise ends. And as the mystery draws them closer, they will have to decide what they truly mean to each other.

There’s something bigger at play aboard the ship, something that holds the key to their fated connection – and the very fate of the world.

Previously Reviewed: “The God and the Gumiho”

Review: I mostly enjoyed “The God and the Gumiho” when I read it last year. Yes, I felt it was aggressively quirky at times, but even without connecting fully to the characters, the story was fast and engaging. It also ended in a unique way, with the author making a rather brave choice with her couple. That being the case, I wanted to see where she’d take the story from there! And I’m glad I checked it out, as I enjoyed this one more than the first.

As I mentioned in my review of the first books, one of my major struggling points came down to connecting to the the main characters. Here, however, both characters have changed in big ways. In the case of our FMC, she’s literally a different person now, having died and been reincarnated (then died again and is now a ghost in this book). This was all for the better for me, as I much preferred this more reserved, scholarly style character that we follow here. Kisa finds herself in a truly bizarre situation, learning she is the reincarnation of a woman that was the soulmate of a fallen god. I also enjoyed Seokga more in this book. His is a quieter but more determined journey in this story, with less of what I felt was fairly stilted “grumpiness” from the first book.

I also enjoyed the cast of characters for the most part. Yes, there were times where some of the humor still didn’t quite land for me. But at this point, I think that’s purely a “me thing” where this just isn’t quite my style of comedy, as I know it works for a lot of other readers. Granted, I know that in general I’m fairly picky about what comedy I enjoy.

I struggled the most with the mystery element of the story. I read a lot of mysteries, however, so to me, the culprit was incredibly obvious from the very start of this portion of the story. That said, it wasn’t poorly paced or anything, and even guessing the ultimate reveal early, I still was able to enjoy the story being told.

I also enjoyed the love story itself. I feel like there were a lot of potential pitfalls in trying to write a romance between characters in this situation (Is Kisa the same person as Hani? Is she “obligated” to feel the same way about Seokga? How much of her feelings are then her own?). But the book does a good job exploring the philosophy behind it all (again, this is an aspect of the story where the change in personality from Hani to Kisa really improved things for me!). There was also a refreshingly restrained hand at the “angst wheel” which prevented the book from falling into any pits of melodrama.

Overall, I thought this was a very fun sequel. In many ways, it surpassed my expectations and I definitely enjoyed it more than the first. That said, fans of the first book I’m sure will gobble this one up too!

Rating 8: With a new take on its main characters, this sequel improved on the first and was a fun read all around!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The God and the Gwisin” can be found on this Goodreads list: 2025 Adult Fantasy/Sci-fi/Speculative Releases by BIPOC Authors

Serena’s Review: “Winter Lost”

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Book: “Winter Lost” by Patricia Briggs

Publishing Info: Ace, June 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: Edelweiss+

Where Can You Get this Book: Amazon | IndieBound | WorldCat

Book Description: In the supernatural realms, there are creatures who belong to winter. I am not one of them. But like the coyote I can become at will, I am adaptable.

My name is Mercy Thompson Hauptman, and my mate, Adam, is the werewolf who leads the Columbia Basin Pack, the pack charged with keeping the people who live and work in the Tri-Cities of Washington State safe. It’s a hard job, and it doesn’t leave much room for side quests. Which is why when I needed to travel to Montana to help my brother, I intended to go by myself.

But I’m not alone anymore.

Together, Adam and I find ourselves trapped with strangers in a lodge in the heart of the wilderness, in the teeth of a storm of legendary power, only to discover my brother’s issues are a tiny part of a problem much bigger than we could have imagined. Arcane and ancient magics are at work that could, unless we are very careful, bring about the end of the world. . .

Previously Reviewed: “Moon Called,” “Blood Bound,” “Iron Kissed,” “Bone Crossed,” “Silver Borne,” “River Marked,” “Frost Burned,”and “Night Broken” , “Fire Touched” , “Silence Fallen”,  “Storm Cursed”, “Smoke Bitten” and “Soul Taken”

Review: Man, every time I put together a review for the next Mercy Thompson book, I look at that “previously reviewed” section and am kind of blown away by just how many books I’ve read in this series! There have been highs and lows, though I’ve been happy with the last several books. Let’s see where this one falls on the spectrum!

So, to answer that question right off the bat: this was a fairly middling entry into the series. It wasn’t my favorite, but it was by no means my least favorite either. To start with the good, however, I was happy to see that this book focused strongly on Mercy and Adam. Their relationship is really the main factor for my continued interest in this series, so I was overjoyed when I realized the plot was maneuvering them into a situation where they would be largely alone. Or, at the very least, away from all of the greater cast of characters we’re familiar with. Don’t get me wrong, I like a lot of these side characters. But more and more, as the cast has increased, so much of each book becomes devoted to catching up with them all that our main characters seem to fall to the side. So here, with Mercy and Adam off on a mission into rural Montana where they are immediately stranded in a massive blizzard? *chef’s kiss* And, as usual, both of these characters are excellent in their own right, and I enjoyed getting to spend so much time with just them.

For the most part, I also liked the primary mystery at the heart of the story. There were some interesting new uses of magic and a new group of magical beings, essentially. There were some interesting tie-ins to mythology and folklore throughout. I was particularly interested in following the repercussions from the events of the previous book with the damage that was done to Mercy and her magic. And, while it was a bit convoluted, I did think this aspect of the story was managed well.

And that convolution was one of the problems I had with the book. Thinking back to review this book, I felt that it was both overly complicated and also, at the same time, very little seemed to happen. Much of the plot, especially in the final quarter of the book was simply explaining how everything got to be where it was, who manipulated the situation how, etc. But as far as actual actions, there was little to be found. We had maybe one or two action scenes, and then much of the rest of it was a variety of scenes with characters meeting new characters and compiling facts. And then in the very last few chapters, the characters essentially sit around and explain how it all worked, and that’s the climax of the book.

Also, while Mercy had the majority of chapters, with Adam coming in second, as would be expected with a plot that so heavily focused on these two, there were also random chapters from various other characters sprinkled throughout. And almost all of these were very strange. There was nothing wrong with any of these chapters, necessarily, but they all very much read like the sort of “bonus content” that you’d see added on to the end of a special edition of the book. In that, none of them were necessary to the plot of this book, all of them were from characters who were largely disconnected from the story, and they each focused on themes and interactions that, while amusing on their own, served no larger point in the overall plot. They were like brief, little snippets into random side characters’ lives. I honestly began wondering if the author wrote out the book, realized it was incredibly short, and then simply padded it with these random-feeling chapters. It was odd. And like I said, I’d have no problem reading these chapters as bonus content, as some of them were solidly entertaining on their own basis, but they also served no purpose to this story and, at times, only broke up the plotting and pacing of the main narrative.

So there you go. I liked the heavy focus on Mercy and Adam, particularly Mercy’s ongoing struggles after the events of the last book. But the plot itself is very thin and it felt like the author was forced to pad things out with random chapters and interactions that felt largely irrelevant. Long time fans of the series will want to check it out for the progression of our main characters’ storyline, but on its own merits, this one was a bit weaker than others.

Rating 7: While I loved the heavy focus on Mercy and Adam and their relationship, the actual plot and mystery of this story was on the weaker side.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Winter Lost ” can be found on this Goodreads list: Musical Instrument on the Cover.

Blog Tour & Joint Review: “Bride”

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Book: “Bride” by Ali Hazelwood

Publishing Info: Berkley, February 2023

Where Did We Get This Book: eARC from blog tour!

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: 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.

Serena’s Thoughts

I was super excited when I saw this book pop up! Not only am I always on the look out for the next (finally!) great urban fantasy story, but I was intrigued to see Ali Hazelwood venturing into paranormal romance after releasing several contemporary romances over the last few years. I’ve read a few of them and really enjoyed them, but, still, contemporary books are never my real preference. So this was a best of both worlds situation!

And, overall, I found myself really pleased with this one! Frankly, at this point it’s just a relief to read a book that is told from only one perspective (I feel like recently all I’ve read are books with 2, 3, or more POVs). And on top of that, Misery is a fantastic leading character. She has a strong voice, both sympathetic and hilarious, and an interesting character arc. Her story explored the abuses that can be served on children by parents, as well as the prejudices that can rule groups of people. I also enjoyed that her motivation throughout this book was centered around her love and devotion to her best friend/adopted sister. Yes, the romance is the main relationship, but as far as Misery’s decisions, they were largely focused on this female friendship. It was a great balance to the love story and really rounded out the text; too often I feel that romances rely so heavily on their central romance that the characters don’t feel like people who have had any other relationships in their lives. Here, Misery is not only falling in love, but she’s also missing her friend and trying to understand her shifting relationship with her brother.

But, of course, this is a romance, and I really loved that as well! I feel like it would have been very easy for Lowe’s character to go very wrong. Indeed, there were several times where the character walked right up to the edge of a trope and I was halfway through an eye roll before Hazelwood neatly sidestepped the entire issue. I also really liked the brief little passages at the headings of the chapters that gave us glimpses into Lowe’s mindset. Honestly, more authors should do this! It gave us some insights into the other romantic partner, but saved us from what would have been a redundant second perspective.

Kate laughed at me for this next part, but somehow, even as a reader of urban fantasy/paranormal romances/fan fiction, I’d missed out on a certain, um, aspect of werewolf romances stories that apparently does pop up fairly often. That said, I’m super curious to see how readers deal with this aspect of the book! Hazelwood is an author who has previously appealed to largely normie readers, and this…is not normie! All of that to say, this book is definitely on the spicy side, so readers should take that into account when they pick it up!

Overall, I really enjoyed this! There were a few moments towards the end that did fall into a few romance pitfalls, which knocked it down from a 10, but it was still a highly enjoyable read!

Kate’s Thoughts

At this point I have read all of Ali Hazelwood’s romance novels, and have been a huge fan of hers since I got “The Love Hypothesis” on NetGalley based on the cover alone. I really love her characters, I love her banter, and I love how she can bring in some fun science-y topics to her contemporary romance (or at the very least geeky; “Check and Mate” wasn’t really science-y as I don’t consider chess STEM). But I, like Serena, was VERY intrigued by the idea of her taking on a paranormal romance! I’ve not read many of those in my life (though I have read a LOT of “Buffy” fanfic), so the idea of her doing it was out there. But I also trusted her to do something with it that I would like, and yep, she didn’t disappoint. “Bride” was just as enjoyable as her other books. Sub genre jumps come naturally to her I guess!

I’m probably going to kind of echo a lot of what Serena said, so to avoid just a repeat of her thoughts I will try and focus on some other aspects of this book that I noticed. For one, as someone who does love some interesting and expansive monster lore in my horror and dark fantasy reads, I very much enjoyed the social structure and world building Hazelwood had for the Vampyres and the Weres in this book. The long feuding factions held together by tentative but fragile tolerance is a tried and true trope, but I thought it was very clever to throw in how alliances with humans can so easily throw wrenches into these complicated relationships, and how corruption in leadership can make things that much worse. Having Misery and Lowe be somewhat reluctant bridge builders through a marriage, with their own places in their societies being tenuous and somewhat challenged, made for higher stakes than a mere forced proximity romance.

And like Serena I really liked Misery as a main character. She is definitely funny and scrappy, but she is also someone who has NEVER felt like she fits in outside of her relationship with her surrogate sister, due to never really being raised with vampyres but also not being human. It’s a great way to tap into the ‘not like other girls’ trope while actually making it feel genuine and totally understandable in this specific instance, and seeing her try to adjust to yet another group where she doesn’t really belong makes for an interesting growth arc for her. Making connections to others obviously doesn’t come easy, so having her connect with Lowe, and his younger sister Ana, led to some very lovely moments of a protagonist finding connection when she thought she could only have it with one person. And that made the slow burn romance between her and Lowe that much more satisfying for my reading experience.

“Bride” is another great romance from Ali Hazelwood! She is really showing her prowess as a chameleon in the romance genre, and I love to see it and hope she keeps on surprising me!

Serena’s Rating 9: Hazelwood does it again, this time mastering the paranormal romance genre as easily as she did contemporary! She makes it look easy!

Kate’s Rating 9: A charming romance, some well done vampire and werewolf lore, and some slow burn steamy goodness makes for a very fun and enjoyable new romance from Ali Hazelwood!

Reader’s Advisory

“Bride” is on this Goodreads list: Upcoming Romantasy Releases 2024

Serena’s Review: “Ebony Gate”

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Book: “Ebony Gate” by Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle

Publishing Info: Tor, July 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org |Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Emiko Soong belongs to one of the eight premier magical families of the world. But Emiko never needed any magic. Because she is the Blade of the Soong Clan. Or was. Until she’s drenched in blood in the middle of a market in China, surrounded by bodies and the scent of blood and human waste as a lethal perfume.

The Butcher of Beijing now lives a quiet life in San Francisco, importing antiques. But when a shinigami, a god of death itself, calls in a family blood debt, Emiko must recover the Ebony Gate that holds back the hungry ghosts of the Yomi underworld. Or forfeit her soul as the anchor.

What’s a retired assassin to do but save the City by the Bay from an army of the dead?

Review: I’ll be honest, I had no idea this was a modern day, urban fantasy novel until the moment I started reading it! I mean, it does mention San Francisco right there in the summary, so I really have no excuse. I think I just focused on the first paragraph and the overall feel of the cover art style. But I was definitely pleased when I did get it all straight in my head! I’m always on the look out for a good urban fantasy series, and this one definitely had a lot of unique ideas being presented right off that set it out to a good start.

While this book wasn’t the perfect fit I was hoping for, there was a lot to like, starting with the aspects that make it unique from other urban fantasy and paranormal novels. For one thing, I really enjoyed the use of San Francisco and China Town as the main location for the story. The location felt fresh and vibrant, and I loved how Chinese culture was woven throughout this aspect of the story. I particularly enjoyed how the various magical families had their own territories and would compete for power and wealth. This book has been marketed as a “female John Wick” story, and you could definitely see how this comparison could be made with this secretive, often violent, society operating within the borders of what we think is regular life.

There were also a lot of interesting magical elements to be found. In particular, the gates themselves and how access and use of them are managed. I also liked the choice to have Emiko herself not being a magic user, instead having to rely on her fighting abilities to make her way through this world. This was especially interesting for her having come from a supremely powerful magical family, and how this lack of magic has defined her life and choices. However, this did lead to times where I found myself becoming more interested in Emiko’s mother’s story than Emiko’s own.

And that speaks a bit to where the story started to come apart for me. Emiko is a pretty straight-forward urban fantasy heroine. I’m not sure quite why this is, but there is a bit of a standard to be found in urban fantasy and paranormal fiction where the leading character isn’t necessarily super complex with loads of depth or personality. And the same can be said about Emiko. Was she the worst? No. But was she particularly compelling on her own? Also, no. Much of the book is spent with her fixating on her own lack of magical abilities and her resistance to falling back into a life of killing (a resistance that is obviously futile as is seen within the first few chapters even). I kept hoping we would get a bit more from her, and it just didn’t come.

But my main struggle came with the style of writing itself. It’s a very straight-forward, “telling” sort of writing. In many ways, again, it does fit with the style of writing often found in urban fantasy/paranormal fiction. But here, I really did find some of it wanting. There was a very repetitive use of language and sentence structure that immediately hit me. Within the first few pages, there was a paragraph where the word “thug” was used to describe a group of people three times. On my kindle, this one word was literally stacked upon itself in three lines. Not only is this an unforgivable lack in creative vocabulary, but it speaks to the overly straight-forward approach to style and substance that the same word needed to be used three times in such quick succession to describe a scene and its action. From there, it really was hard to not be continuously distracted by the weak points of the writing itself. There were filler words dropped in everywhere, and an overall lack of any unique style or expression. Readers who really enjoy urban fantasy and paranormal fiction may be less bothered by this than I am, however, as there is a standard set in this subgenre for a fairly straight forward, “telling” sort of writing.

While I did struggle with this book, I am intrigued by the overall concept and world. Emiko also seems like a great character that can grow a lot in future books, even if all we got here was the very basic foundation for who she is. I will likely continue this series, just to see where it’s all going, and hopefully some of the writing wrinkles will smooth over in future books, as well.

Rating 7: A vibrant new urban fantasy world, if only held back by some weaknesses in the writing and a lack of overall depth to the main character.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Ebony Gate” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but it should be on Urban Fantasy Books.

Serena’s Review: “Angels’ Blood”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Angels’ Blood” by Nalini Singh

Publishing Info: Berkley Sensation, March 2009

Where Did I Get this Book: from the library!

Where Can You Get this Book: Amazon | IndieBound | WorldCat

Book Description: Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she’s the best—but she doesn’t know if she’s good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear—failure is not an option…even if the task is impossible.

Because this time, it’s not a wayward vamp she has to track. It’s an archangel gone bad.

The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other…and pull her to the razor’s edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn’t destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break…

Review: A new book, a new chance to find a decent urban fantasy series to follow, as many of my previous go-to’s have ended. Also per the usual, what a terrible, terrible cover. I don’t get it. Do the publishers want to produce books that have the sorts of covers that make readers embarrassed to be seen reading the book in public? Honestly, it just seems like a losing strategy all around. If it’s a money thing, I can’t imagine that a simple, plain cover with a basic decal (say angel wings, for a book like this) would cost much more. And voila! A book that you can read in the airport without getting side-eyed (not that I approve of judging of others’ books, but in all honesty, we know it happens). Anyways, on with the review.

Elena has created for herself a straight-forward life. While tragedy and horror lie in her past, she’s determined that her future should be one where her skills as a vampire hunter are put to good use and she can return to the quiet, comfortable, solitary apartment that is her home. But when her most recent job comes down from one of the most powerful beings in the city, perhaps even the world, the archangel Raphael, she sees only disorder and danger ahead. Now, she’s not only working for an archangel, but she’s been put on the path of tracking down another rogue archangel, one so powerful that he could level entire cities.

First off, I want to warn any potential readers who may pick up this book after reading this review, this is definitely one of those urban fantasies that falls solidly within the “paranormal romance” genre as well. This may be right up some readers’ alleys, but for others who are looking for a strict urban fantasy, this one definitely contains some pretty graphic romantic scenes and such. So, if that’s your thing, great! But if you want a more traditional urban fantasy, this might not be it.

That said, as an urban fantasy story, I do think it’s pretty good! One of the things I always look for in urban fantasy is a unique take on the paranormal elements. Often these types of book include similar fantasy elements and beings. You see a lot of vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters, angels (more recently), witches, etc. That being the case, it can be a challenge for an author to make their take on these classic creatures stand out. And I think Singh really excels at this. Here, she’s created a very interesting mythos that ties the angels and vampires together in a unique way. Not only does this differentiate these two paranormal species from others of the same sort seen on the page, but it creates a unique dynamic and internal society between the two.

Likewise, Elena’s hunter abilities are unique from other characters like her. She’s both very powerful in certain ways, but very human and limited in others. Of course, the make it or break it element of books like this often comes down to the main character, and I really liked what Elena had to offer. She was determined and brave, but she was also realistic about the impossible situations she often found herself in. Her bravery was not foolish, but more of the sort where she understands that putting on a tough face will likely not change the outcome, but it’s the only thing to be done to maintain her sense of self and self-respect. It was a very interesting internal dynamic, and an important one in the face of a romantic interest who was a very slow learner when it came to respecting his partner’s abilities.

Like many paranormal romances, I do think the romance faltered at times. I understand the supposed appeal of the supremely powerful, alpha hero. But Raphael did have scenes where I felt like this aspect of his character went too far and left me with a bad taste in my mouth. We do see him express regret for some of these choices later, so I was able to finish the book without entirely writing him off. But, again, this is an important thing to note for readers who are picking up this book and may have different levels of tolerance for some of this “dominance” stuff.

Overall, I think the world-building was incredibly interesting, and Elena was a very sympathetic leading lady. The author also chose an interesting path where she hinted at a lot of events that occurred in Elena and Raphael’s pasts, but didn’t reveal that much in this first book. All of that together, and I thin I’ll continue reading the series. My interest has definitely been piqued!

Rating 8: A solid urban fantasy/paranormal romance with a unique take on angels and vampires.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Angels’ Blood” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Best ADULT Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Paranormal Romance and Kick Ass Female Heroines in Paranormal Genre.

Serena’s Review: “Soul Taken”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Soul Taken” by Patricia Briggs

Publishing Info: Ace, August 2022

Where Did I Get this Book: Edelweiss+

Where Can You Get this Book: Amazon | IndieBound | WorldCat

Book Description: The vampire Wulfe is missing. Since he’s deadly, possibly insane, and his current idea of “fun” is stalking Mercy, some may see it as no great loss. But when he disappears, the Tri-Cities pack is blamed. The mistress of the vampire seethe informs Mercy that the pack must produce Wulfe to prove their innocence, or the loose alliance between the local vampires and werewolves is over.

So Mercy goes out to find her stalker—and discovers more than just Wulfe have disappeared. Someone is taking people from locked rooms, from the aisles of stores, and even from crowded parties. And these are not just ordinary people but supernatural beings. Until Wulfe vanished, all of them were powerless loners, many of whom quietly moved to the Tri-Cities in the hope that the safety promised by Mercy and Adam’s pack would extend to them as well.

Who is taking them? As Mercy investigates, she learns of the legend of the Harvester, who travels by less-trodden paths and reaps the souls that are ripe with a great black scythe. . . .

Previously Reviewed: “Moon Called,” “Blood Bound,” “Iron Kissed,” “Bone Crossed,” “Silver Borne,” “River Marked,” “Frost Burned,”and “Night Broken” , “Fire Touched” , “Silence Fallen”,  “Storm Cursed” and “Smoke Bitten”

Review: I’m always happy when I see another “Mercy Thomson” book coming my way. I’ve always preferred this series to the “Alpha and Omega” companion series, and it’s been running on a high note for the last few books. Plus, I’m really getting pretty desperate about my urban fantasy situation. I’ve tried out a few things here and there, but how many of those reviews have you seen on this blog? Yeah…I think that says it all. Anyways, on to my tried and true!

Something is going on with the vampires. A sentence no one wants to hear, especially not Mercy and her pack of werewolves who are responsible for the lives of everyone in the Tri City area. The powerful and eccentric vampire, Wulfe, is missing and his mistress is also behaving strangely, tasking Mercy to find her lost vampire. At the same time, an urban legend of a powerful, dangerous weapon wielded by a being called the Harvester is beginning to sound like a bit more than a myth. On top of that, secrets in the pack are coming to a head. All just in another day for Mercy Thompson!

I really liked this entry into the Mercy Thompson series. For one thing, I was glad to see that we, again, experienced the book through Mercy’s eyes, with only a few the interruptions of chapters from Adam’s perspective. While there wasn’t a lot of character growth for either main character or changes in their relationship, this is hardly surprising considering we’re on, what, the 13th book? There was a bit of discussion around the continuing challenges of the secondary, beast form that Adam has been cursed with. I liked some of the exploration around this form being an extension of long-repressed PTSD from his time as a soldier before he became a werewolf.

For Mercy’s part, we see her continue to grapple with her understanding of her mentor/quasi-father figure, Zee, a powerful Fae being. The mystery of this book dives deeply into Zee’s own past, and we see Mercy again have to confront the darker sides of her friends. As she spends most of her time surrounded by “monsters,” this type of grappling with finding the good in beings who, in some form or another, routinely deal with death, has always been a compelling part of the story.

Beyond Zee’s story, we also get more background into Bran and his family. I was still left wanting a bit more here, but it’s always interesting when we can add layers on top of this complicated character and his sprawling history as the leader of the werewolves. Mostly, however, the book focused in on the history of the vampires we know well: Marsilia, Stephen, and, most especially, Wulfe. There was a lot of great history to be found here, and I really liked how their story was tied into the other mystery of the Harvester and how that had become an urban legend in the first place.

For everyone who enjoys this series, this was definitely a solid entry. It doesn’t advance Mercy’s own story in any significant ways, but it also continues the tradition of finding clever ways to use her shifter affinity with death magic to solve otherwise impossible situations. We also got a good amount of information about the vampires and their twisted histories and relationships. Fans of the series will likely be very happy with this one.

Rating 8: A clever use of Mercy’s magic, a nice addition to the lore of this world, and a fun story all around!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Soul Taken” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Most Anticipated PNR 2022 and Trickster Gods.

Kate’s Review: “The Witch Haven”

Book: “The Witch Haven” by Sasha Peyton Smith

Publishing Info: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, August 2021

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

Book Description: The Last Magician meets The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy in this thrilling and atmospheric historical fantasy following a young woman who discovers she has magical powers and is thrust into a battle between witches and wizards.

In 1911 New York City, seventeen-year-old Frances Hallowell spends her days as a seamstress, mourning the mysterious death of her brother months prior. Everything changes when she’s attacked and a man ends up dead at her feet—her scissors in his neck, and she can’t explain how they got there.Before she can be condemned as a murderess, two cape-wearing nurses arrive to inform her she is deathly ill and ordered to report to Haxahaven Sanitarium. But Frances finds Haxahaven isn’t a sanitarium at all: it’s a school for witches. Within Haxahaven’s glittering walls, Frances finds the sisterhood she craves, but the headmistress warns Frances that magic is dangerous. Frances has no interest in the small, safe magic of her school, and is instead enchanted by Finn, a boy with magic himself who appears in her dreams and tells her he can teach her all she’s been craving to learn, lessons that may bring her closer to discovering what truly happened to her brother.

Frances’s newfound power attracts the attention of the leader of an ancient order who yearns for magical control of Manhattan. And who will stop at nothing to have Frances by his side. Frances must ultimately choose what matters more, justice for her murdered brother and her growing feelings for Finn, or the safety of her city and fellow witches. What price would she pay for power, and what if the truth is more terrible than she ever imagined?

Review: I am now at that age where if someone asks me what I want for my birthday or the holidays, more often than not I think ‘ah crap’. Given that one of my biggest hobbies is reading, one might think that books are always an option, but more often than not I just use the library, especially since I work for one. But I keep a few in mind, especially for my husband, so this past November when he asked for birthday ideas I told him “The Witch Haven” by Sasha Peyton Smith. I’d seen it bumping around my social media feeds on and off, and on top of that it is not only a mysterious boarding school story, it also has witches! And you know me, I’m always down for some teenage coven shenanigans!

(source)

I should definitely say right away that “The Witch Haven” is more of a YA Urban Historical Fantasy, a genre that isn’t usually my wheelhouse, especially on the blog. But I figured that witches, being one of my faves, was fair-ish game, and while the genre tropes constrained it a bit (for me at least), overall I enjoyed this book. Firstly, I really enjoyed the time and place. We find ourselves in 1911, and in New York City, so the time period is one that I’m not as familiar with books wise. This post Gilded Age, solidly Progressive Era timeframe makes for interesting themes and historical footnotes, and I felt that Smith used these to her advantage. We both address the constraints of women during this time, be it the factory work that many had to endure (and yes, there are references to the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire), the Suffrage Movement, and the way that men, even in magical settings, are constantly trying to hold them back and take their power. Sometimes literally. Frances, our protagonist, is whisked away to Haxahaven School because her powers manifested after she was attacked by her boss at the shop she works at as a seamstress, and the mythology of Haxahaven and the way witches are seen and function in historical New York City is unique and entertaining.

I also appreciated that Smith doesn’t look back at every element of this time period as rosy when it comes to progressive ideas, nor does she paint Haxahaven School as a super positive and supportive ‘yasss queen’ institution (though the friendships that Frances makes there are VERY positive and show a supportive and feminist group of women). This is most revealing when it comes to Frances’s roommate and close friend Lena. The girls who attend Haxahaven are plucked from their lives and taken to the school to learn how to control their magic and to become witches who can harness their powers, even if that means sometimes stifling them. For Lena, however, it is not an empowering place, as she is Indigenous, and longs to return to her family and her community. I liked that Smith had Lena in this story for a couple of reasons. The first is that it shows that the feminism of this time period was reserved for white women only, and that women like Lena were ignored or abused because of their race. It also was a way to address the Boarding Schools for Indigenous children in this country during this time period (as Lena was taken from a boarding school to attend Haxahaven), and how it was a tenant of genocide that our government was committing against Natives. I can’t speak to whether Smith did her due diligence when it comes to telling Lena’s story, but I liked that the broader themes of this story were told.

But there were some stumbles along the way in “The Witch Haven”. For one, the pacing feels a little off. It has a lot of fast paced plotting at the beginning, but we get a little bogged down as Frances and her friends make connections with Finn, a young man who is a magic student at a male institution. It ramps up again once we get to the last third of the book, but it slogs a bit as Frances interacts with Finn in hopes of learning some of his magic to find out what happened to her murdered brother William. I think that part of the problem is that I didn’t really care for Frances as a character, so therefore her story and her journey didn’t keep me as interested when we needed that exposition. I think my biggest issue with her is that she is purely defined by her brother’s death and wanting to solve what happened, with little other interesting character traits. I also found her decisions to be unclear, like why she is so suspicious of the people she is living with and learning with, but more than happy to trust Finn and the people he is allied with without any questions. It just felt like her character development was less for her and more to progress the plot.

All that said, the ending is a bit open ended, and my interest was piqued enough by it that should Smith write a sequel I would probably pick it up, just to see what happens next. “The Witch Haven” didn’t quite live up to my hopes, but it was fine for what it was.

Rating 6: Though the pacing is a little off at times and the main character a bit grating, overall “The Witch Haven” has a fun setting that lets witches shine, albeit with complexities of the time period.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Witch Haven” is included on the Goodreads lists “ATY 2022: Academia or Teacher Impacted”, and “Popsugar 2022 #16: A Book About Witches”.

Find “The Witch Haven” at your library using WorldCat, or at a local independent bookstore using IndieBound!

Serena’s Review: “Sin & Chocolate”

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Book: “Sin & Chocolate” by K.F. Breene

Publishing Info: Hazy Dawn Press, Inc, October 2018

Where Did I Get this Book: from the library!

Where Can You Get this Book: Amazon | IndieBound | WorldCat

Book Description: Some people are ordained for greatness…

Those people usually have a lot of drama in their life. Drama I happily do without. I live in a forgotten corner of nowhere for a reason: there is safety in anonymity. I have enough problems just trying to get by.

But when Kieran, a sinfully sexy demigod at the pinnacle of power, crashes into my life, suddenly my whole world is turned upside down.

He’s harboring a deadly secret, one that could destroy all he holds dear. He thinks I’m the key to his salvation, and he wants me to help him claim vengeance.

He also wants me with a passion that burns my body from the inside out.

To ignore him is impossible, but to give in to my desires, even for a night, would thrust me into danger I might not survive.

Can I resist the temptation?

Review: So, I started reading this book under a bit of a false pretense. Mostly, that I thought it fell fairly purely under the subgenre “urban fantasy.” I typically only have a few urban fantasy series that I follow, and now that a few of them have ended and few other have become disappointments, I was hankering for a new series. And this title appeared on a few lists, so I thought, let’s give it a shot! And it’s not bad, by any means. But I’d definitely have went in with different expectations if I had seen this cover when I picked it up (or, frankly, read the description above):

Yeaaaah, definitely looks more like a romance novel cover than an urban fantasy cover!

Existing between worlds, that is between the magical and the “normal” world, is both the most dangerous place to be but also one of the few places where one can fully disappear. This is where Lexie exists, trying to keep her head down and provide for her two wards, each with their own unique needs. But her quiet existence is rudely interrupted by Kieran, a powerful magical being who very much does not exist in the shadows. And in Lexie he sees someone much more powerful than she claims or suspects.

I think my confusion about this book is also kind of fair. A lot of romance “series” are books linked by a shared world/group of people but focus on different main characters and couples in each. Urban fantasy, on the other hand, usually follows one or two main characters over the course of a series, similar to other fantasy genres. So, while this one does have the romance novel cover and a lot of the romance novel plot/language, it also fits into the urban fantasy genre.

For one thing, this book is clearly the first book in a series and as such spends much of its time developing the world in which Lexie and Kieran exist. There were a lot of interesting elements involved in this world where magic and magical beings have been living out in the open for quite a while. We see the political nature of it, with various groups coming down as either supportive or discriminatory towards magical beings. There’s also the pull and push of the power players on both sides of the magical and nonmagical line. And with this struggle comes the cracks that the vulnerable fall into. Through Lexie’s eyes, we see how both the magical and nonmagical communities have let down those who they don’t see as important. It’s a narrative that is very easy to take out of the fantasy genre and apply to the world around us.

That said, this focus on world-building, while interesting enough on its own, also very much slows down the pace of the story. That was probably my biggest problem with the book: the pace. I struggled to maintain interest, even within a book that was introducing what should be exciting new fantasy elements every which way. But for some reason, the plot itself felt plodding. There were witty conversations, but much of it felt like it wasn’t really leading to anything or illuminating anything new about the characters themselves.

I felt like I knew who these characters were the moment I met them, and that was also a bit disappointing. Lexie was ok, but I also feel like I’ve read variations of her a million times before and I, personally, can’t relate to some of her fixations with shopping and other things. Not that those are not worthy hobbies or interests, they’re just not really my thing so I couldn’t really invest in some of her fixations there. And Kieran was your typical arrogant, powerful hero who also has a heart of gold towards the woman he briefly meets and immediately becomes intrigued with.

In the end, this was just ok. It didn’t blow me away, but it was also solid enough for what it was trying to do. I do think that if I had had it in mind as more heavily focused on the romance side of things before I started I would have at least been in the right mindset. However, I’m still left looking for another urban fantasy series to get started on!

Rating 7: This book walks a strange line between romance novel and urban fantasy but doesn’t quite fit in either category.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Sin & Chocolate” is on these Goodreads lists: Under the Radar Page-Turners and NEW ADULT fantasy & paranormal romance.

Serena’s Review: “Jade Legacy”

Book: “Jade Legacy” by Fonda Lee

Publishing Info: Orbit, November 2021

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Book Description: Jade, the mysterious and magical substance once exclusive to the Green Bone warriors of Kekon, is now known and coveted throughout the world. Everyone wants access to the supernatural abilities it provides, from traditional forces such as governments, mercenaries, and criminal kingpins, to modern players, including doctors, athletes, and movie studios. As the struggle over the control of jade grows ever larger and more deadly, the Kaul family, and the ancient ways of the Kekonese Green Bones, will never be the same.

The Kauls have been battered by war and tragedy. They are plagued by resentments and old wounds as their adversaries are on the ascent and their country is riven by dangerous factions and foreign interference that could destroy the Green Bone way of life altogether. As a new generation arises, the clan’s growing empire is in danger of coming apart.

The clan must discern allies from enemies, set aside aside bloody rivalries, and make terrible sacrifices… but even the unbreakable bonds of blood and loyalty may not be enough to ensure the survival of the Green Bone clans and the nation they are sworn to protect.

Previously Reviewed: “Jade City” and “Jade War”

Review: This has been one of the biggest break-out, surprise fantasy trilogies I’ve read in a while. I went in with pretty much zero expectations and have come out having read something so unique and so precisely written that I struggle to find apt comparisons. With my expectations sky high, I was both really excited to start this final chapter and incredibly nervous. The end really makes the entire thing, and what a tragedy would that be for it to crash?

What had been distinct and local to Kekon has blown up the outside world: Jade and it’s incredible powers to enhance human abilities. Not only does this type of powerful substance shift political powers and economies, but the tradition and regulation that grew up around it on Kekon is shaken by exposure to outside forces. The Green Bone way of life teeters on a perilous balance, and the Kaul family feels the threat to their clan and way of life. The walls are closing in and soon they may be forced to make a terrible choice to ensure their continued existence.

It has become increasingly clear as this trilogy has continued that it is largely a political fantasy. Arguably, the first book has more of an action-feeling and is largely concentrated on smaller, more individual stories, thus making it feel like a more straight-forward urban fantasy story. But the second book blows the scope outwards, landing several of our characters in other countries. On top of that, we begin to see Jade trickling out into this greater world. But here, in the last book, all of that comes fully into its own. All of the pieces that were laid down into the foundation of the political struggles ahead come to fruition, and the story fully embraces the larger, political clashes as the focal point of the story. Depending on your enjoyment of political fantasy, this will either be a boon or a bit of a let-down. I feel like it has built steadily in the first two books, and as I enjoy political fantasy, I was more than down to read a book that really delved into the complicated political maneuverings required in this new world order that involves Jade.

This switch in focus is even more apparent given the story’s generational approach. While the first books focused on smaller chunks of time and a fairly steady cast of characters, here the story jumps in huge leaps and bounds. Readers are left to either keep up or fall behind. I typically don’t enjoy stories that involve huge jumps in time. And while I think it worked here (indeed, I’m not sure how the same story could have been told without using this device), I will say that I did miss the closer character work that I had seen in the first two books. I’m a very character-driven reader, however, so this is definitely a subjective perspective.

The ending is everything the trilogy deserves. I think it may also be a bit divisive. There are a lot of twists and turns within the story, with it rarely going the direction I had anticipated. And the ending is no different. I think it ties everything up perfectly, but throughout the story, Lee doesn’t shy away from getting her hands dirty with the realities of the world she has created. I, for one, found this book to be a surprising, yet pitch perfect, end to a fantastic urban fantasy trilogy.

Rating 8: Magnificent. With this incredible conclusion to the Green Bone Saga, Lee has vaulted herself into the realms of the likes of N.K. Jemisin and other award-winning fantasy authors of the day.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Jade Legacy” is on these Goodreads lists: Best Asian Diaspora Sci-fi and Fantasy Books and Best Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy Trilogies.

Find “Jade Legacy” at your library using WorldCat, or at a local independent bookstore using IndieBound!