WindsongAuthor: Caitlin Ricci Title: Windsong Series: None Genre: Paranormal Pairing: M/M Rating: Three Petals On the Author's website: http://www.caitlinricci.com/short-stories.html Summary: At seventeen, Jamie was cursed to always have his inner thoughts exposed as a tattoo across his neck for all the world to see. He lost his home, his family, and his relationship with his best friend when the tattoo outed him. More than a decade later, he's a successful porn star who loves his life and never once thought about returning to the horse farm he grew up on. But his boss wants to do a shoot with him where he grew up, and Jamie can't say no. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Despite being cursed by a tattoo that tells the world everything Jamie is thinking, Jamie has made a very successful life for himself as a porn star. Then his boss decides to do a photo shoot at a horse ranch, except the ranch is the home Jamie was thrown out of at seventeen for being gay. I do admit I hesitated before choosing this book to review because of how much I didn't enjoy a previous story I had read by this author. However, I've had good luck lately with authors showing wonderful improvement in their writing ability, so I decided to give this book a chance too. My luck did hold because Ricci's writing improved. I very hesitantly gave this story an extra petal because of it. The awkward, choppy, and poorly fleshed out writing style from before has begun to smooth out in this book and I commend Ricci for the hard work. I think the magic in this book exemplifies what Ricci still needs to work on the most. I was expecting something interesting what with the magical tattoo on Jamie's neck, but it didn't deliver. The explanation of how Jamie got the tattoo was rushed and offhand, as if the one thing that horribly altered Jamie's life was an afterthought to him. Readers saw none of the struggle Jamie had to go through because of it. Instead we're given the aftermath when Jamie's apparently forgotten all about the tattoo except when the tattoo's existence can be trotted out to provide Jamie with a memory of past drama. Something that pivotal should have been much more central to the entire story. Additionally, none of the magic in the world is ever explained. Jamie runs into a fae at some point as a seventeen year old and the fae curses him. Readers are left wondering whether fae are a common occurrence in the world. Since Jamie never seems surprised by the magic I'm wondering if magic is common as well, but as there's no other instance in the entire story of magic usage I can't say that for certain. I think this book would have been better served without the magic entirely. Maggie's Recommendation: This book did show a lot of improvement in Ricci's writing abilities, however the story still felt short. It needed more explanation and more depth to every single aspect. The story would also have been better served without any magic in it. I therefore cannot recommend it.
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Frostbite Author: Alexandria Bellefleur Title: Frostbite Series: None Genre: High Fantasy Pairing: M/M Rating: Two Petals On the Author's Website: https://ambellefleur.tumblr.com/ Summary: After his sister touches a lethal Frost Flower and succumbs to Frozen Sickness, Rainor seeks out the mysterious Dragon, who purportedly holds the only cure for the fatal disease. In gratitude for saving his sister's life, Rainor agrees to bring him fresh bread twice a week—despite the man's insistence he wants for nothing. As Rainor makes his deliveries, the two slowly become friends, and Rainor finds in the Dragon all the things he never found in his little village. But on his way to make his latest delivery, the unthinkable happens, and Rainor fears that if he asks for the cure he needs to live, he'll lose the man he's coming to love... Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Rainor loves his sister, so when she asked to be taken to see the frozen lake and play like the kids who aren't sick, he agrees. Except, he forgets to warn her about the deadly flowers that kill with a touch. The cure requires traveling up the dangerous mountain and meeting an even more dangerous man, except what Rainor finds up the mountain isn't at all what he expected. Overall I liked this story. It was a cute fairy tale-style book and it held my interest to the end. However, I had two very serious issues with the story. The first was the writing style. The way the book was written was entirely with telling instead of showing. The author says Rainor felt nervous instead of writing Rainor's heart was pounding. I do understand that fairy tales are often written in this style, which is why I only took off one petal in my rating for it, but after a while the style can get very boring. If I'm being told what to feel, rather than feeling it along with the characters, I can't get pulled into the story properly. The second issue I had with this story was the overall lack of depth. The barest minimum of information was given to provide context to the story in just about every aspect. The world building didn't exist outside of the cave, for example Rainor's house and village are never given any proper description. The backstory that led to the deadly flowers didn't allow for a larger picture of the world either, simply providing only the information needed to understand what had happened. I needed to know if magic and magical creatures were common in the world to appreciate how dangerous and deadly the flowers were, but that wasn't provided either. Also, the love story needed a touch more to it for that to feel believable. Maggie's Recommendation: I liked the story overall, but I had some serious issues with the telling instead of showing writing style and the lack of depth in the story. I do recommend this book, but I do so hesitantly. Pete and the Werewolf Author: Cassandra Pierce Title: Pete and the Werewolf Series: None Genre: Paranormal Pairing: M/M Rating: Three Petals On the Author's website: No author website available Summary:Finding himself at loose ends in life, Pete Maddock returns to the seaside town of Hope Harbor to look after his ailing grandfather, Elliot. He finds work at the Riptide Café, a gathering place for fishermen and sailors from various parts of the world and with wild, but entertaining stories to tell. One day, a new guy arrives in town: Vladimir Bereshenko. He's sexy, intriguing, and best of all, interested in Pete. The only problem is that Vladimir clearly is keeping secrets. When a series of strange wolf attacks begin to plague the town, Pete wonders exactly how deadly those secrets might be. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Pete is living an ordinary life working as a waiter in a small town while taking care of his aging grandfather. Then Vladimir walks into Pete's life. He's instantly smitten, but when strange things start happening around town and Vladimir also starts acting strange, Pete can't help wondering just what he invited into his bed and his life. This was definitely a good read. The idea of werewolves and their watchers was an interesting one and I enjoyed the way it played out in this story. (I can't go into too much detail without giving away the plot.) I also really liked the characterizations: Pete just trying to figure his life out, Vladimir also trying to figure out life, but in such a different way, and then Pete's grandfather, whose changing dynamics were so interesting. While I did like all of that, the problem I had with the story was everything happened too quickly. The entire book felt rushed. There was very little build-up of Pete and Vladimir's relationship, not enough time given to explain the supernatural aspects of the story, and the ending happened so abruptly it felt like it all came out of left field. If Pierce had taken a little more time to let the story flow at a better pace, this book could have been marvelous. Maggie's Review: The world-building and characterization aspects to this story were very interesting to read, but I felt the plot was very rushed. This story had all the potential to be marvelous, however without a good flow it struggled for me. I do recommend it because overall I did enjoy reading. Wytch & Prinze Author: Kassandra Lea Title: Wytch & Prinze Series: None Genre: Paranormal Pairing: M/M Rating: Two Petals On the Author's Website: http://leakassie.blogspot.com/ Summary: Medium Jacob Wytch lives in the forest with his fluffy dog Gruff and his ghostly fairy godmother Amelie. When he gets a call from his friend Renwick Prinze, he panics. Jacob has been pining for Renwick longer than he cares to admit. Instead of admitting, however, he listens to Amelie and begins to sabotage Renwick's beds in hopes of inviting his dashing friend to sleep with him. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Jacob is excited because his best friend and crush, Renwick, is coming to visit. He's nervous too, because this time for certain he'll be able to tell Renwick his feelings. Except, nerves get the better of him, so instead of telling Renwick he starts a game of Princess and the Pea to potentially disastrous results. I thought the story was short and sweet with just the right amount of relationship building to make the romance believable. The tie-in with the Princess in the Pea had me giggling as Jacob continues to sabotage where Renwick is sleeping. While the plot was completely predictable, I did enjoy reading it. However, this story suffered from a severe lack of editing. I don't mean spelling and grammar. (I'm assuming the spelling and grammar issues will be fixed for the actual release, as I was only reading an arc, so those didn't effect my rating here.) There were a number of continuity issues that the author and editor should have fixed. For example: one moment the dog is reacting to his name, eager for attention, but within thirty seconds the dog is so heavily asleep he's snoring. Or how Renwick is first introduced with the last name Charming and it's only at the very end of the book that we're informed it's actually Prinze. And how Jacob states that he decided to call Amelie his fairy godmother, but later it's stated that she was the one who told him she was his fairy godmother. Those are the three big issues that stood out to me, but there were more. I also didn't like how Jacob's powers were never explained. He talks to ghosts, but how and why he got that ability was never provided. That would have given his characterization a bit more depth, as the story was definitely lacking in that, as well as provided some world building, which was also totally absent from this story. Maggie's Recommendation: This story was short and sweet and I did enjoy reading it, but it suffered from severe continuity issues. It also lacked depth in the characterizations and needed a lot more world building. If you're looking for something that will give you a giggle and might make you smile, but won't provide much else, I recommend this story to you. Briar's Book Author: Tamora Pierce Title: Briar's Book Series: Circle of Magic 4 Genre: High Fantasy Pairing: None Rating: Three Petals On the Author's Website: http://www.tamora-pierce.net/books/briars-book/ Summary: Four elements of power, four mages-in-training learning to control them. In Book 4 of the Circle of Magic Quartet, former "street rat" Briar leads a comfortable life at Winding Circle Temple, learning plant magic from his teacher Rosethorn. But street kids are still his friends, and when one of them gets sick, she turns to Briar for help. As the mysterious illness spreads, Sandry, Daja, and Tris join Briar and their teachers to fight the epidemic. But just as the situation improves, the unthinkable happens. Will Briar be able to save what he loves most? Maggie's Review:
After enduring a terrible earthquake and a pirate attack, the city of Emelan is starting to get back on its feet. Then a plague hits and as people start dying Briar, Sandry, Daja, and Tris know that they have to do everything in their power to combat the epidemic before it's too late. This was definitely the best book in this four-part series. I could see how much Pierce has grown as an author during the writing of each book. While the plot was still predictable and lacking in depth, there was so much more put into it. Add the emotional weight Pierce learned and the exceptional characterizations and world building, and you get the culmination of Briar's Book. There are two aspects to this story that I found particularly compelling. When Briar and Rosethorn are stuck in quarantine and Rosethorn literally begins to wilt from lack of sunlight and plants, Briar does everything he can to make her feel better. The emotions he and Rosethorn have made me want to cry on their behalf. The second was the amount of detail that went into creating a cure for the disease. The various mixtures of powders and oils that went into trying to combat the illness was something I had never before read in a fantasy novel. I admit that I don't really understand how the keys work and how some powders and oils could combat a plague, but it worked from a fantasy-world perspective and I really enjoyed reading it. Maggie's Recommendation: Pierce has learned to add details to her plot and weave emotions into the pages. That, combined with her amazing characterizations and world-building made for the best book of the Circle of Magic quartet. I definitely recommend this book and this series. Through the Door Author: Ana Reese Title: Through the Door Series: Serving Royalty 1 Genre: High Fantasy Pairing: M/M Rating: Two Petals On the Author's Website: No Website Summary: When his family suddenly finds themselves in debt, Jonas is forced by his mother to take up work in the royal palace, despite the fact he could be arrested if caught. Worse, Jonas is hired to be a palace whore. Terrified, but desperate, Jonas determines to make the best of the situation until his family's problems are resolved. But he never expected to catch the eye of the crown prince, or the hostile and conniving minstrel perpetually at the prince's side. Maggie's Review:
To help his family escape a crushing dept, Jonas becomes a servant in the castle. He expects to be cleaning, but instead becomes a pleasure servant. Jonas does his best to stay out of trouble, but when he attracts the eye of the prince, he knows everything just got considerably more difficult. I am at an impasse as to how to write this review. On one hand, there were glimmers of brilliance hidden in the book and those glimmers made me very interested in reading more. On the other hand, the writing style was weak to the point of being almost completely unreadable. The glimmers were all in the world building in the story. Yes, it's a little ridiculous to have such an intricate method of tricking servants into becoming prostitutes and the entire concept of the wing where those servants are terribly abused wasn't one I enjoyed. However, there were interesting political schemes occurring inside the castle between the major players in the realm and the hints I got of that larger issue were very interesting. The writing style made it very difficult to read the book. It was telling instead of showing to a degree that even the characters themselves didn't seem to know how to describe something they were holding in their hands. Jonas' innocence and naivety offset some of this since he simply doesn't know how to describe what he is enduring, but there needed to be a bit more for me, as a reader, to be able to follow. I also have to say that the way this story ends really doesn't work at all. It barely feels like the first chapter has finished when the story itself comes to an end. This isn't just a serious cliffhanger, it feels like the story is unfinished. There isn't a contained plot within this one book that might continue into the next book in the series; we've literally only been provided the introduction to the characters, the world, and the plot when the book ends. The author would have been better served if they had waited until chapter two and the rest of the story was also completed and released them all together in one complete book. Maggie's Recommendation: I can't recommend this book, but I really, really want to. I liked what I read because of the glimmers of potential, however the poor writing style and the extremely choppy ending made the book difficult to enjoy and even more difficult to recommend. TwilightAuthor: Megan Derr Title: Twilight Series: Dance with the Devil 7 Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Pairing: M/M, Poly Rating: Five Petals On the Author's Website: http://maderr.com/?page_id=31 Summary: More than seventy years have passed since Neirin du Lac was banished from the dragon clans he called home. Though he misses them, he and his dragon Troyes have built a happy life with his lover Barra, and their friends Devlin and Midnight. It is a not a life he would ever trade, not even for a chance to return to the clans. Then the very last person he ever expected to see again comes begging for help: Prince Avalon Pendragon, ruler of the clans, a man Neirin once called friend, once wished to call lover. When Avalon tells him why he needs Neirin's help, it's not a request he can refuse, nor can his friends refuse to help him. But the people bold enough to steal from the clans are not to be trifled with, and in the midst of fighting for their lives Neirin also finds himself caught between the man he loves now and the man he never truly left behind... Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Neirin was banished from his home and clan for helping Devlin and Midnight (from the book Midnight). He found happiness with his dragon and his lover, Barra, but always knew he had left someone behind because of his banishment. Then Avalon, that someone, appears, begging Neirin to help recover a stolen dragon. Except, loving Avalon means losing Barra, and Neirin isn't certain that is something he could ever do. However, not leaving Barra means losing Avalon. Making a choice between them might just destroy them all. This is the book I've been waiting for in this series! The previous books, while certainly good, were missing something. This story was missing nothing. It evokes the style of the first book in the series, Dance with the Devil, by being split into separate sections. Twilight also brings the plot from Dance with the Devil full circle, tying the series together in a way that I really enjoyed (I won't go it into here so I don't spoil it for you). Plus, it pulled all the best parts from Midnight, the direct prequel, and provided more depth to the characters. When I go back to reread Dance with the Devil and Midnight--which will probably be as soon as I finish writing this--I will do so with considerably more understanding of the stories as a whole. That the seventh book in the series could provide this much depth is truly amazing. I have to say that my review for Shield of the Dragon, book six in the series, wasn't necessarily positive. I thought it couldn't stand on it's own in the series like the rest of the books do and that much of the plot only served as a placeholder to introduce Twilight. I still think that's true, however I am also going to reread Shield of the Dragon and I have a very strong feeling that a subsequent review might be better. This is wholly because reading Twilight first, and therefore being able to understand the many instances of foreshadowing and explanation in Shield of the Dragon, might instead make it possible to focus on the rest of the plot in Shield of the Dragon, which was quite good. I like that Twilight allows me to go back and do that and I have a feeling that every time I reread this series from now on I will read Twilight before Shield of the Dragon. Maggie's Recommendation: As always, I recommend any book in this series. They're always an engaging read and Twilight greatly helped to bring depth and connection to the series as a whole. I do suggest reading Twilight before Shield of the Dragon as much more of the plot in Shield of the Dragon will make sense that way. |
Magnolia's Reviews
Maggie reviews paranormal and fantasy novels and novellas. She also interviews authors and hosts giveaways. Archives
April 2018
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