#Review - Wardbreaker by J.A. Cipriano #Fantasy

Series: The Lillim Callina Chronicles # 1
Format: Kindle, 145 pages
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Source: Amazon
Genre: Urban Fantasy

A city full of vampires. A dark ritual. A runaway determined to stay hidden.

Lillim Callina was still trying to figure out how to live like a normal girl when the vampires attacked. Now, this former demon hunter must decide if staying hidden is more important than saving her new home from the largest vampire infestation she has ever seen.

The only problem is, if she stops the vampires, the people hunting her just may find her, and they aren't too fond of deserters.

Wardbreaker is the first prequel in The Lillim Callina Chronicles, an urban fantasy series and takes place approximately one year before Kill it with Magic. Lillim Callina is a member of the Dioscuri. She ran away from her home to Earth. Lillim has been trained to be the best of the best, a demon hunter with the abilities to do magic. Her job is to fight monsters and keep people safe. Upon arriving on Earth, she meets Jean Luc who claims he's a monster hunter licensed by Dirge Meilan, an Earth Born Dioscuri who gave him a writ that is magically bound to the owner. 

Dioscuri are the boogeyman of the supernatural world. Unfortunately, a civil war has caused a divide and many Dioscuri are no longer keeping cities on Earth safe leading to people like Jean Luc to pick up the pieces. Jean Luc is special, he is gifted and there is nothing that means more to him than keeping his town safe form the vampire gangs roaming the streets a causing all hell to break loose. He even knows what Lillim is and enlists her special talents to help him. It seems his city is overrun by vampires and he needs help removing them before they spread to other areas. 

Charging into a vampire nest with Luc they encounter ancient vampires who want Luc and are willing to let Lillim leave if she lets them get away with their plan. Ariel, the Owl and leader of the vampires expect that Lillim would take a deal to let her finish what she started. Little did she know that Lillim doesn't just give up that easy. Will they survive this battle? Lillim is a bad-ass who fights with a pair of magical Egyptian swords and magic. She may have spent her whole childhood training to protect the humans, slay the monsters but she won't just sit by the save herself when innocents are in danger. 

If you've never tried urban fantasy before, dip your toe in with this one! This short book is at the very beginning of an action packed series involving magic, werewolves, vampires, and more. The story pulls you in and keeps you there, and you want more when it ends.

Amazon

#Review - Karma Girl by Jennifer Estep #Fantasy #Romance

Series: The Bigtime Series # 1
Format: Kindle, 368 pages
Release Date: May 1, 2007
Publisher:  ‎ Berkley Trade;
Source: Amazon
Genre: Fantasy / Romance

Bigtime, New York, is not big enough for both Carmen Cole and the superheroes and ubervillains who stalk its streets. An intrepid reporter, Carmen's dedicated her life to unmasking the spandexwearers, all because her fiance? turned out to be a superhero, and a cheating one at that-sleeping with none other than his nubile nemesis. Exposing the true identities of the nation's caped crusaders and their archenemies has catapulted Carmen from her sleepy southern hometown to the front pages of the country's biggest newspaper, "The Expos?." Hobnobbing with millionaires and famished fashionistas is all in a day's work for a woman on the trail of the Fearless Five and Terrible Triad. But when Carmen gets the scoop of her career, her life comes crashing down around her. And even Bigtime's sexiest superhero, Striker, may not be able to save her.

Karma Girl, by author Jennifer Estep, is the first installment in the authors Bigtime series. As the story opens, Carmen Cole is living in Beginnings, Tennessee where she works for the Bugle Newspaper as an investigative reporter. It's also her wedding day, and her supposed husband to be is nowhere to be found. Soon thereafter, Carmen finds Matt with her best friend. Matt, it turns out, is the superhero known as Machinator, while Karen is the Ubervillain known as Crush.

Embarrassed that her fiancee and best friend screwed her, literally, Carmen goes on a mission to unmask every single superhero and villain that she can. 6 months later, Carmen has uncovered a trail of identities dozens superheroes and villains. 3 years later, Carmen has moved to Bigtime, New York where her investigations into superheroes and villains has not only made her famous, but her trail of broken identities leads to the death of a superhero named Tornado which leads to Carmen's career taking a sudden nose dive off a cliff.

To make matters worse, Carmen gets sucked back in by Malefica, the leader of The Terrible Triad. Malefica wants Carmen to unmask the members of the Fearless Five, the main group of superheroes in Bigtime or Carmen will meet an untimely demise. The Fearless Five include Striker, Fiera, Mr. Sage, and Hermit. Carmen has a knack for solving puzzles and it really makes her good at unmasking the superheroes. So Carmen decides to use her time figuring out who Striker, the leader of the Fearless Five is in order to find out who Malefica really is. 

Little does she know that she will soon find that the man behind the mask is more than what she has made him out to be and sparks will fly which leads to a surprising ending which readers will love.  If you have read the Elemental Assassin series, the writing is still Estep and there are fun characters that Estep known for delivering but there's a touch more romance. In fact, I dare say that the romance a bit on the heavy side of things, unlike the Elemental Assassin series. 

Amazon 

#Review - Murder at Haven's Rock by Kelley Armstrong #Mystery #Suspense

Series: Haven's Rock (#1)
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Release Date: February 21, 2023
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Mystery / Suspense

Haven’s Rock, Yukon. Population: 0

Deep in the Yukon wilderness, a town is being built. A place for people to disappear, a fresh start from a life on the run. Haven’s Rock isn’t the first town of this kind, something detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, know first-hand. They met in the original town of Rockton. But greed and deception led the couple to financing a new refuge for those in need. This time around, they get to decide which applicants are approved for residency.

There’s only one rule in Haven’s Rock: stay out of the forest. When two of the town's construction crew members break it and go missing, Casey and Eric are called in ahead of schedule to track them down. When a body is discovered, well-hidden with evidence of foul play, Casey and Eric must find out what happened to the dead woman, and locate those still missing. The longer Casey and Eric don’t know what happened, the more danger everyone is in.

Murder at Haven's Rock, by author Kelley Armstrong, is the first novel is the author's Haven's Rock series, which is a spin-off from the authors Rockton series. The story is once again set in the Yukon wilderness. Key characters are: Casey Duncan, Eric Dalton, Will Anders, Storm, Yolanda, and April. Here is a 411 summary of what you can expect. Haven's Rock was Casey's idea and dream. It is supposed to be a sanctuary for those who are in desperate need of safety and security, and not under the control of a cabal of wealthy people protecting wealthy people who committed crimes. 

Thanks to Emilie, Casey, and April's inheritance, Haven's Rock is slowly coming to fruition. Unfortunately, Casey and Eric get one of the worst welcomes they could imagine. Two workers are missing; an architect named Penny, and an engineer named Bruno. Haven's Rock has one and only one rule; DON'T WANDER INTO THE FOREST! Haven's Rock is far from opening, but the workers are busy trying to meet Yolanda's deadline so that they can all receive a bonus. Then Casey and Eric stumble across a body of an unknown woman who is not a member of the crew. 

Then, they come across a miner who is secretly trying to make a claim in an area that likely has gold. In Canada, there are rules to follow, and said miner had other ideas. To make matters even more interesting, Haven's Rock has a curious neighbor named Lilith, as well as her wolf Nero. I guarantee we will see Lilith again. Following a similar storyline as the previous story, Casey has to begin with interviewing the 30 member team who is working to put the town together. Anyone of them could be a murderer. 

One could honestly say that the newest cast members to watch are Yolanda, Kendra and Gunnar and I won't explain why because they all have some interesting characteristics. Each of them has their own personal reasons for being here, and whether they continue in the next book in this series is to be revealed later. If you enjoyed Rockton and wanted it to continue then you will certainly enjoy this new town of Haven's Rock. The mystery was good, had some twists and turns, and did keep me guessing and engaged.

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

#Review - The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz #Thrillers / #Suspense

Series: Orphan X (#8)
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Release Date: February 14, 2023
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Thrillers / Suspense

Evan Smoak returns in The Last Orphan, the latest New York Times bestselling Orphan X thriller--when everything changes and everything is at risk.

As a child, Evan Smoak was plucked out of a group home, raised and trained as an off-the-books assassin for the government as part of the Orphan program. When he broke with the program and went deep underground, he left with a lot of secrets in his head that the government would do anything to make sure never got out.

When he remade himself as The Nowhere Man, dedicated to helping the most desperate in their times of trouble, Evan found himself slowly back on the government's radar. Having eliminated most of the Orphans in the program, the government will stop at nothing to eliminate the threat they see in Evan. But Orphan X has always been several steps ahead of his pursuers.

Until he makes one little mistake...

Now the President has him in her control and offers Evan a deal - eliminate a rich, powerful man she says is too dangerous to live and, in turn, she'll let Evan survive. But when Evan left the Program he swore to only use his skills against those who really deserve it. Now he has to decide what's more important - his principles or his life.

The Last Orphan, by Gregg Hurwitz, is the 8th installment in the authors Orphan X series. After flying to Iceland to get a rare drink of vodka that is only served on the icy mountains, The Nowhere Man, aka Orphan X, former government assassin, is on his way to visit Mia Hall who has been in a coma for the past 2 months. But Secret Service Special Agent Naomi Templeton, and the US President Victoria Donahue-Cane have other ideas. Other ideas thanks to Evan violating the terms of his secret pardon.

Evan has been called an unsanctioned assassin by many, including Victoria who was installed, not elected. But Evan never once thought about leaking the details of the fabled Orphan Program which Victoria believes has ended, and Evan is the last of his kind. His motto is, it's amazing what you can accomplish if you truly believe that the world doesn't owe you anything. That's especially telling for the new millennials who believe they are entitled to everything free and don't have to work for everything.

So, after being captured, and treated like a terrorist, Evan is given an opportunity. If he ends he life of Luke Devine, who has his finger on some really high ranking and important people, including Senators who are holding up Victoria's agenda, he will be pardoned and can retire in peace. Evan has a code to only kill if the person really deserves such a fate, so he investigates this man and finds a great deal of corruption that requires him to use his fighting skills.  

With a little help from 16-year-old Joey Morales, the infamous teen hacker, as well as Tommy Slojack, his armorer, Evan once again has to dig deep into the murders of two innocents. One a boy named Johnny Seabrook, and a girl named Angela Bufford. Thanks to the unrelenting posting of his younger sister, Ruby, Evan must call in a favor from the one person that you never figured would be a great addition to Evan's team: Candy McClure aka Orphan V. Candy is a hoot. 

She's funny, she's dangerous, and she may have ended up on the bad side of Evan, but by now, the two are pretty spectacular when the work together. So, Evan, and Candy have to take on Luke's past, as well as the hired guns who are supposed to protect him. Even though Evan has taken on some really bad, bad, people over the course of this series, he still has his 10 commandments thanks to his mentor that he has never forgotten. 

He still has a moral compass which he uses to make a choice of whether or not he's going to be intimidated by Jill Biden aka Victoria, or allow Elon Musk, aka Luke Devine, to live and do what he can to stop the President's trillion dollar Bill from being used to pad millionaire's pockets and ensure her probably election to 4 more years of running the country. There is a fourth character who Evan is now adding to his team and that's Aragon, the former smuggler who is going straight. Aragon is a cool character who pretty much helps Evan on a minutes notice.

On a personal issue, I adore Joey and Evan together. He's like the uncle she's been hoping for after a miserable childhood that saw her drummed out of the Orphan program. Add Tommy to the story and you have a bit of levity and comedy as well. Again, Tommy has been around for a very long time, and he's always got some sort of moment that gets to the heart of what's happening to Evan. So, thanks to Joey, and Tommy, and yes, Candy, this situation goes from an S3 (Shit Show Supreme) to something else entirely that leaves you wondering what happens next?

On a side note, Joey has been doing a side project for Evan. That side project is likely to be the reason for the open ending of this story. I look forward to seeing what happens next to this motley crew. 

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

#Review - Wrath & Mercy by Jessica Rubinkowski #YA #Fantasy

Series: The Bright & the Pale # 2
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Release Date: March 22, 2022
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Epic

This second book in Russian folklore–based YA fantasy duology The Bright & the Pale follows Valeria as she works to truly free her people from the Czar and the Bright God—at whatever the cost.

Surviving the ill-fated expedition to Knnot, Valeria, Alik, and the others have found refuge in Valeria’s village. With her family at long last released from the curse that trapped them in ice for a decade, Valeria should find comfort in their reunion. But everything has changed—including herself. For now, Valeria is the Pale God’s chosen champion. And she is ready for revenge on the Czar.

With the power gifted to her by the Pale God, she will do whatever it takes to liberate her people. Even if that means stealing the Czar’s son away from the safety of the Winter Palace. As Alik watches Valeria struggle to maintain control over the god she holds captive, he begs her to sever the connection. For it is clear the Pale God plans a revenge of his own.

The inevitable is coming—one final battle. And Valeria must be ready to sacrifice everything—even her love for Alik—to win. 

Wrath & Mercy is the second and final installment in author Jessica Rubinkowski's The Bright & The Pale duology. 17-year-old Valeria lost her whole family 10 years ago when a dark magical hold on Knnot Mountain unleashed over her village of Ludminka. Even though everyone else was trapped in an unbreakable sheet of ice, Val was able to walk away unscathed, escape for her white hair, and was taken in and raised by Luiza and the Thieves Guild. 

For 10 years, Valeria hid who she was from the Czar Ladislaw, finding a home in the Assassin Guild under the watchful eyes of Luiza who has had an agenda of her own. After her best friend Alik was used against her in a black mail scheme that send Val, Alik and other on an expedition to Knnot, Valeria made a bargain with the Pale God Kosci to become his champion. A champion that comes with the ability to wake up Ludminka and free her family. 

So, as the story begins, Val, Chinua, Serafima, and Alik now have to focus on the other imprisoned Zladonians trapped by the Czar. With her parents and brothers at long last released from the curse that trapped them in ice for a decade, Valeria should find comfort in their reunion. But everything has changed, including Val herself. Valeria is the Pale God’s chosen champion but what she really wants is revenge on the Czar. Val also knows that she need allies if she is going to be tear down the throne, and rid the country from the cruelness of the Czar.

With the power gifted to her by the Pale God, she will do whatever it takes to liberate her people. Even if that means stealing the Czar's son away from the safety of the Winter Palace. But Val soon discovers that she has abilities and powers that rival the Bright God Zoltay. As Alik watches Valeria struggle to maintain control over the god she holds captive, he begs her to sever the connection. For it is clear the Pale God plans a revenge of his own. Stranger is that Val slowly finds that she not afraid of allowing Bataar get close to her, which puts this on the brink of being a love triangle.  

While Val explores the dark side of humanity and gets pushed more and more by Kosci, it is Arik who remains focused on saving Val before she loses herself forever. Will Valeria be able to save her people with the Pale God’s power and save herself too? Or will the power of the Pale God overwhelm her and the centuries long battle between the Bright God and the Pale God continue? I have no disagreements with how the book wraps up. There is plenty of action, and fighting, and it's not like everything happens over the course of a few days.

Russian culture isn’t often explored in teen fantasies, and the author has created a world like no other. Set in a rich, vivid world where a group of people are unjustly persecuted for a magical evil curse bringing despair and poverty to the entire empire, this story features several Slavic elements, including the idea of cosmic duality, polytheism, and a history of brother gods.

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

#Review - The Secret of the Lost Pearls by Darcie Wilde #Regency #Historical #Mystery

Series: Rosalind Thorne Mysteries
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
Release Date: December 27, 2022
Publisher: Kensington
Source: Publisher
Genre: Romance / Historical / Regency / Mystery

This captivating Regency-era mystery inspired by the novels of Jane Austen is perfect for fans of Andrea Penrose, Lauren Willig, and Deanna Raybourn, as readers venture beyond the glittering ballrooms and elegant parties of Regency London to the dark side of the city and its unexpected dangers.

Rosalind Thorne may not have a grand fortune of her own, but she possesses virtues almost as prized by the haut ton: discretion, and a web of connections that enable her to discover just about anything about anyone. Known as a “most useful woman,” Rosalind helps society ladies in need—for a modest fee, of course—and her client roster is steadily increasing.

Mrs. Gerald Douglas, née Bethany Hodgeson, presents Rosalind with a particularly delicate predicament. A valuable pearl necklace has gone missing, and Bethany’s husband believes the thief is Nora, Bethany’s disgraced sister. Nora made a scandalous elopement at age sixteen and returned three years later, telling the family that her husband was dead.

But as Rosalind begins her investigations, under cover of helping the daughters of the house prepare for their first London season, she realizes that the family harbors even more secrets than scandals. The intrigue swirling around the Douglases includes fraud, forgery, blackmail, and soon, murder. And it will fall to Rosalind, aided by charming Bow Street officer Adam Harkness, to untangle the shocking truth and discover who is a thief—and who is a killer.

 

The Secret of the Lost Pearls is the 6th installment in author Darcie Wilde's serious one source is calling Rosalind Thorne Mysteries, while another is calling it the Useful Woman Mystery series. Take your pick. This story is set in the Regency era circa 1920. Timeline wise, it has been a month since King George III died, and the country is in mourning until the new King can be coronated. Series protagonist Rosalind Thorne is a lady of quality in reduced circumstances who makes her living as a “useful woman” – one who helps wealthy women with their personal problems. 

 

Charming and resourceful, she is a woman  adept at helping ladies of the ton navigate the darker corners of Regency England—without revealing Society’s most shocking secrets. This series is catnip for readers who love Regency mysteries by authors such as Andrea Penrose, Alyssa Maxwell, Deanna Raybourne, and Lauren Willig. Also appeals to readers who love Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and Conan Doyle, as well as their and the modern sequels, and those who want to explore the historical setting as well as the lives of the characters. 

 

Mrs. Gerald Douglas, née Bethany Hodgeson, presents Rosalind with a particularly delicate predicament. A valuable pearl necklace has gone missing, and Bethany’s husband believes the thief is Nora, Bethany’s disgraced sister. Nora made a scandalous elopement at age sixteen and returned three years later, telling the family that her husband, a Man named Cantrell, was dead. But as Rosalind begins her investigations, under cover of helping the daughters of the house prepare for their first London season, she realizes that the family harbors even more secrets than scandals. 

 

The intrigue swirling around the Douglases includes fraud, forgery, blackmail, and soon, murder. The family is a mess with a father who seems to be occupied elsewhere, a mother who is controlling, three sisters who all have secrets, and a wife who is trying to keep her family from falling apart. Rosalind, aided by charming Bow Street officer Adam Harkness, as well as lady's maid Amelia McGowan, to untangle the shocking truth and discover who is a thief—and who is a killer. At times, this story does have narratives from various characters including Adam who is apparently Rosalind's love interest in this story. Adam hasn't exactly been given levity when it comes to making mistakes that apparently happened in another story.

 

Rosalind Thorne is an excellent main character with wit, intelligence, and a heart of gold with a feistiness that makes her solve the crime. Societal problems and murder/mystery are included with questionable relations, family, and possible theft. She has her finger on the pulse of the London society, and has made some important contacts and friends along the way. Some of those friends play key roles in determining the outcome of this story. I would say that this is a standalone, but I am not one to recommend going back and trying reading the books in order as they were released.

 

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

#Review - Riven by Mindee Arnett #YA #Fantasy

Series: Unknown
Format: Hardcover, 448 pages
Release Date: January 10, 2023
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

From acclaimed fantasy author Mindee Arnett comes an epic, adventurous story of a young mercenary magic user trying to escape the oppressive island of Riven—and a young noblewoman trying to change it forever.

Mars Darksvane wants out. Out from under the thumb of Una, the crime boss who pulled him off the streets as a child and trained him as an assassin; out from the island country of Riven, where magic, in the form of a dangerous material called Ice, allows the rich to live in luxury and keeps the poor in thrall. Mars is a secret adept—a person born with the ability to channel the magic that flows beneath Riven—and while his power gives him abilities useful to an assassin, it also makes him a target. And when his last mission ends in tragedy, Mars finally decides it's time to escape to the mainland. No magic, no history, a new life on his own.

But Una has other ideas. If Mars wants his freedom, he's going to have to perform a final job: protecting Fura Torvald—the heiress of the rich and powerful Torvald kith, and the daughter of the last man Mars was sent to kill—and stealing from her a mysterious object known only as the Primer.

Mars has no interest in Fura or whatever the Primer is, nor in Riven's corrupt and oppressive politics; he just wants to do his job and get out. But as Mars comes to know more about Fura, the Primer, and the true nature of the power in Riven, he realizes that he will soon have to take a side in a fight he has avoided his entire life. Which side, however, he does not yet know.

 

From acclaimed fantasy author Mindee Arnett comes an epic, adventurous story of a young mercenary magic user trying to escape the oppressive island of Riven—and a young noblewoman trying to change it forever. The author has constructed the world of Riven from touchstones in Nordic and Icelandic culture, giving the land, architecture, technology, and mythological aspects of the world their own flair and flavor.

Mars Darksvane wants out. Out from under the thumb of Una, the crime boss who pulled him off the streets as a child and trained him as an assassin; out from the island country of Riven, where magic, in the form of a dangerous material called Ice, allows the rich to live in luxury and keeps the poor in thrall. Mars is a secret adept—a person born with the ability to channel the magic that flows beneath Riven—and while his power gives him abilities useful to an assassin, it also makes him a target. 

10 months ago, after a mission went sideways, Mars tried to walk away from Uma. He began saving money as a fish monger in order to escape. But Una has an ampoule of Mars blood which binds him to her until she decides he can leave. She knows where he is at all times. So, if Mars wants his freedom, he's going to have to perform a final job: protecting Fura Torvald—the heiress of the rich and powerful Torvald kith, and the daughter of the last man Mars was sent to kill—and stealing from her a mysterious object known only as the Primer. 

Mars has no interest in Fura or whatever the Primer is, nor in Riven's corrupt and oppressive politics; he just wants to do his job and get out. But as Mars comes to know more about Fura, the Primer, and the true nature of the power in Riven, as well as her friend Katrin, he realizes that he will soon have to take a side in a fight he has avoided his entire life. Which side, however, he does not yet know. All he does now that if he can help Fura with her mission, he can finally get away from Riven, and especially Uma.

There are times, I admit, that I don't like a duality of narratives, but in this case, I think the story would have benefited from having certain storylines filled by Fura and or Katrin who seem to have a strong depth of their own outside of what readers see through Mars narration. Props to the author for the strong world building. Magic is dependent on Ice, a toxic resource that needs to be mined. The structure of the society, the environment, the abuse of the adepts (those who can do magic) really tell a great story. 

However, I would also be remiss by not saying the prologue had no bearing on the overall story. It was just there to apparently tell readers how Riven is slowly dying. Also, the ending really is open ended to the point where I believe that a sequel would be pertinent to see what happens next.  

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Kobo