The Painted Crown Author: Megan Derr Title: The Painted Crown Series: Unbreakable Soldiers 2 Genre: High Fantasy Pairing: M/M, Ace, Bi Rating: Four Petals On the Author's Website: http://maderr.com/?page_id=31 Summary: Prince Istari has spent his life reviled: his parents wish he had never been born, the royal court of Belemere avoids him for fear of angering the king, and everyone else is kept away by his notorious reputation as a deadly sharpshooter. Now a hostage of peace in Tallideth, he is subjected to their hatred as well—even that of Regent Vellem, who once considered him a comrade in arms. Unexpected solace comes in the form of Lord Teverem, a sad, quiet lord who assumed the title when his brother was killed in the explosion for which Istari's father is to blame. He is kind and sweet and a sorely needed bright spot in Istari's life—until Istari meets his family and learns of a dangerous family secret with unexpected ties to Istari's past, a secret that could drag Tallideth and Belemere right back into war... Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Prince Istari grew up in a household that didn't want him. Both his birth father and adoptive father shunned him and his mother wasn't exactly loving. Then Istari was sent as a hostage to ensure peace between his home country and Tallideth, the country that won the recent war, and is shunned there as well. He doesn't think anything good will ever happen in his life until he meets Lord Teverem and Lord Teverem's adorable children with the terrible secret. I thought Prince Istari was perfectly written. I could feel his pain from his injuries and his hurt from feeling so alone. His growth from a lifetime of pain to a man with a purpose was amazing to read. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with the children where Istari was painting. They were adorable together and made the book really soar. However, the plot outside of Istari's growth was weak. The rest of the plot was based on the children, one of whom may or may not be the heir to another country. The politics and kidnapping attempts that ensue were interesting, and I liked how it helped enhance Istari's growth, but for some reason it didn't feel fully fleshed out. Maggie's Recommendation: I really liked Istari's characterization. His growth from being very depressed to having a purpose in life was perfectly written. The rest of the plot was weak in comparison, but overall I did enjoy reading this book and I do recommend it.
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Magic Binds Author: Ilona Andrews Title: Magic Binds Series: Kate Daniels 9 Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Pairing: M/F, M/M Rating: Four Petals On the Author's Website: http://www.ilona-andrews.com/book/magic-binds/ Summary: Kate and the former Beast Lord Curran Lennart are finally making their relationship official. But there are some steep obstacles standing in the way of their walk to the altar... Kate’s father, Roland, has kidnapped the demigod Saiman and is slowly bleeding him dry in his never-ending bid for power. A Witch Oracle has predicted that if Kate marries the man she loves, Atlanta will burn and she will lose him forever. And the only person Kate can ask for help is long dead. The odds are impossible. The future is grim. But Kate Daniels has never been one to play by the rules... Maggie's Review:
Kate's relationship with Curran has been a tumultuous one throughout the series and their wedding has been a long time coming. The foreshadowing before this book about the wedding has been intense and this book continues the drama. Kate's father is causing problems, of course, but there's also the issue of finding a priest to marry them, getting a dress, killing any monsters that might interrupt the ceremony, and sending out invitations to the rest of the monsters. I have liked this series from the first book and everything good about this series was included here. The characterizations were on point, with Kate and Curran pulling me in to every bit of the stress of the planning and the joy of marriage. The world is amazingly complex with details that span from larger issues like the resurgence of magic to smaller issues like how to drive when magic is up versus when it's not. The depth of all of that together always amazes me and this book didn't disappoint. The wedding as a plot was cute and often funny, but it wasn't quite as dynamic as I'm used to. There were twists and turns aplenty and definitely drama, but I felt like there wasn't as much as in previous books. That's why I only gave this story four petals when the brilliance of the series as a whole definitely deserves five. Maggie's Recommendation: This series is absolutely one of my favorites and I've been looking forward to the wedding for a while now. Magic Binds doesn't disappoint, but I thought it wasn't quite as dynamic as previous books in the series. I do recommend it and I definitely recommend the series, I was just hoping for a little more in this book. The Engineered Throne Author: Megan Derr Title: The Engineered Throne Series: Unbreakable Soldiers 1 Genre: High Fantasy Pairing: M/M Rating: Four Petals On the Author's Website: http://maderr.com/?page_id=31 Summary: Lord Vellem is desperate to escape. His father hides from his problems in alcohol, his mother hides from her misery in drugs, and his brother fled to the relative safety of the royal palace. Vellem found solace in the Royal Army Corp of Engineers, but true escape from a life of violence remains out of reach. Then his brother provides him with an unexpected chance: marriage to a prince of their country's oldest enemy to help bring about peace once and for all. The marriage promises Vellem not just a fresh start in a new land, but a challenge to his famed skills in building roads and bridges. But before he can settle into his new life, tragedy strikes, and Vellem isn't certain he's up to rebuilding the ruin left in its wake. Maggie's Review:
Vellem is all set to marry the prince of his country's oldest enemy. The marriage will ensure peace between their two nations and Vellem is also looking forward to getting away from his hellish home life. Then the assassination attempts start and Vellem quickly learns that there's more at stake than just marriage. The best part of this book is the world building. It feels like it's a historical book--there isn't electricity and conveyance is all via horses--yet it also has a bit of a science vibe with the engineering. It's a very interesting balance that makes this book feel unique no matter how many times I reread it. I also really enjoyed the characterizations of the main characters. Vellem, for example, is headstrong, but in such a way that I can't help believing in his will. He wants to help--with the peace deal, with his new country, and with solving all the problems that crop up along the way--and I can't help cheering him on as he does it. Some of the other side-characters are less defined, which is why I couldn't give this story five petals. As I'm writing this, I'm trying to remember some of the other character's names in this book and I keep coming up with characters from Derr's Tale's of the High Court series instead. I've read both stories multiple times, but for some reason this one isn't as memorable. Maggie's Recommendation: I really liked reading and rereading The Engineered Throne. The world building and the characterizations of the main characters were excellent. I did have some trouble remembering some of the side-characters, but overall I definitely recommend this book.
Liv Rancourt and Irene Preston stopped by my blog today to answer some questions about their upcoming short story, Bonfire, and the Hours of the Night series they are co-authoring. They are also hosting a giveaway, so check out the interview and make sure to scroll to the bottom for information on how to enter.
Liv and Irene, thank you so much for stopping by Magnolia Reviews. I read (and reviewed) Vespers and quickly became really intrigued with your Hours of the Night series. How did you come up with such an interesting idea of a religious vampire in the bayou fighting demons?
LR: Thanks so much for having us and for the fun interview questions! So, how did we come up with the whole vampire/monk in the bayou? Well, at first Thaddeus lived somewhere down near Mount Rainier. I had a list of vampire story ideas, and when Irene and I decided to work together, I let her pick one. She chose reclusive gay vampire monk living in isolated location (old growth forest) accidentally hires young male assistant – think Beauty and the Beast. And when she emailed me the first scene, she said something like, “Oh, by the way, I moved them to Louisiana.” (lol!) The rest just sort of evolved from there. IP: Hey! I'm almost positive you said I could pick the setting… no? Oh well. It turned out okay, right? I will admit to sadistically dumping us all in the middle of the swamp just because I wanted to see what you would do when you read the first chapter. LR: Which is actually kind of funny, because I’ve never been in the swamp, so I was forever having the characters climb nonexistent hills or stumble over nonexistent stones.
The next book in the series is Bonfire. (Which I reviewed.) No spoilers, but what can readers expect from this holiday short?
LR: Our goal for Bonfire was to focus more on the relationship between Thaddeus and Sarasija. Nohea gets a mention or two, but until she and Thad work out what happened to Angelique, she’s making herself scarce. As far as our guys go, it’s hard to show the warm fuzzies when there are demons popping out of the woodwork, you know? While there is a mystery in Bonfire, along with plenty of mysterious-lights-in-the-swamp spookiness, there’s not nearly as much mayhem as there was in Vespers. There’s time to learn some of the less-dramatic but equally important stuff, like the one dish Thaddeus can cook or their favorite television show. How were you able to learn so much about Christianity and Hinduism? Was it difficult to convey the religious aspects of the story to properly support your characters? LR: Irene did the heavy lifting for that one. See, I’m a cradle Catholic and grew up singing in Church choirs. I’ve studied Gregorian chant, and worked for about ten years as a cantor, planning the music for the Saturday evening Mass. Because of that, the Catholic stuff came easy. To get Sara right, Irene did an awesome job of studying Hindu tradition. She also worked with a beta reader who practices Hindu, who helped immensely in sorting out which gods would be appropriate for Sara’s altar at the end of Vespers. IP: Uh (cringes). To be honest, I’m super lazy and figured I could phone in the Hindu thing by making Sara agnostic. I did a little light reading (actually, it was very interesting and I quite enjoyed it), then happily made Sara a typically American college kid. That method bit me in the ass at the end of Vespers when…Sara suddenly started practicing. Have I mentioned I have no control of my characters? I really was intimidated by writing this character at first. I don’t have any close experience with Hinduism that I could draw on and worried I would get obvious things wrong. I was even more intimidated when Sara decided to set up an altar. I was lucky one of my regular critique partners was able to hook me up with a Hindu reader to run things past. He was invaluable in giving me some perspective and, as Liv mentioned, hooking me up with some gods. For most of the book though, they say write what you know, don’t they? Well, I’m not Hindu, but I was raised Southern Baptist in North Louisiana (anyone living south of Alexandria would call me a Yankee). Catholicism was as foreign and mysterious to me as Hinduism. (I admit it, I was fascinated by it and when away at camp always chose to attend the Catholic service). Anyway, that’s where a lot of Sara’s “outsider” views of Christianity come from. Similarly, Sara’s agnosticism reflects my own evolving religious beliefs. The difference is, Sara is confronted with proof of a supernatural world. He wasn’t given a lot of downtime in Vespers to process the new knowledge in terms of his own faith. I do wonder if he might start to question how all the pieces fit down the road… You’ve posted a picture of an alligator in a Santa hat as part of your promotion for Bonfire. Does that happen in the book? (Please say yes!) LR: Hee! Well…sort of? There’s definitely a tradition of alligator holiday decorations in the bayou – think Santa’s sleigh pulled by eight tiny alligators, among other things. While I wish I could say yes, absolutely, that image is in Bonfire, about the closest we come is a light-up alligator on the porch at Pinky’s. IP: I love that Santa-gator, too. If you search Google images for Cajun Christmas, you’re bound to find eight tiny gators pulling Père Noël in his pirogue. I searched Google and found this set of lights. It definitely fits with the theme of the story!
What's next for the Hours of the Night series after Bonfire?
LR: About the time Bonfire published, we’ll be diving into the Hours of the Night Book 2. We figure Thad and Sara defeated the Big Bad in Vespers, but Weyer’s Praestigiis Daemonum is still out there somewhere. If it falls into the wrong hands, all hell really might break loose… Tell us about any additional projects you’re working on, either individually or together. LR: I’ve always got a couple things going. Most recently, I’ve been fiddling with another paranormal that started life with the working title of Sad Vampire. It’s going to be a series of novellas, similar to Jordan Castillo Price’s Channeling Morpheus or Jordan L. Hawk’s Spectr series. I wanted something that I could take in smaller chunks, to work on between Hours of the Night projects. Oh, and it’s not called Sad Vampire anymore. J IP: Ummm. I always say I’m working on some things, and in truth I have several characters in my head who would love a story. But for now I’m focusing on Hours of the Night. Everything else I have going is contemporary, and I’m really loving playing in an alternate world for a while. What is one question you always wanted to be asked in an interview? IP: Oh, gosh. Most of the interview questions are more interesting than anything I would come up with. I probably have a better idea of what I hope no one asks. I have the bones of a fantasy novel under the bed that I poke at every now and then when I’m bored. I have no idea how to pronounce the name of one of the main characters. There are probably things like that in every book I’ve written. I live in terror that I’ll be found out in all my ignorance. Answer it? Did I side-step this gracefully enough? Haha, yes! What are some of the challenges and rewards from working as a team to write a book? LR: I think there’s a huge benefit to seeing the characters through someone else’s eyes. Irene will work in things that I haven’t thought of – and vice versa – which makes the story richer. It’s also really cool to have a built-in beta reader, to help clean things up before anyone else sees the manuscript. The writing is a lot of fun. The biggest challenges we’ve had to work through have come during the editing phase. There are times when we won’t agree on a character’s motivation, or we’ll realize we agree on the end result, but have completely different ideas about how we got there. Writing can be intensely personal, and it takes a certain amount of trust – and good communication skills – to work through some of the awkward phases. In the end, though, the story benefits. Vespers and Bonfire easily rank as the best writing I’ve done, and it’s pretty much Irene’s fault. J IP: Liv’s awesome to work with. Let’s be honest, I can’t plot my way out of a paper bag. Any interesting twists in the story come straight from Liv. I also find having a character I don’t have complete control over fascinating. I write Thaddeus from Sara’s point of view, and Liv writes Sara from Thad’s point of view. Both of them tend to take off on not-pre-plotted tangents sometimes. Both of us have sent pages back with disclaimers of I might have done.. A Thing. Between the two of us, the characters evolve in ways they might not have on their own. I love it! Where can readers find you on the Internet? Where to find Irene IrenePreston.com Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Mailing List | Goodreads Where to find Liv LivRancourt.com Facebook | Twitter | Mailing List | Goodreads Liv and Irene, thank you so much for stopping by today! Bonfire came out on November 15, 2016. It is available for purchase at all major retailers including: Amazon | ARe | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | More Stores Thank you for having us!!
Bonfire came out on November 15, 2016. Here's a summary and some useful links to go buy it.
Silent night, holy hell. Thaddeus and Sarasija are spending the holidays on the bayou, and while the vampire's idea of Christmas cheer doesn't quite match his assistant's, they're working on a compromise. Before they can get the tree trimmed, they're interrupted by the appearance of the feu follet. The ghostly lights appear in the swamp at random and lead even the locals astray. When the townsfolk link the phenomenon to the return of their most reclusive neighbor, suspicion falls on Thaddeus. These lights aren't bringing glad tidings, and if Thad and Sara can't find their source, the feu follet might herald a holiday tragedy for the whole town. This holiday novella can be enjoyed alone or as book 1.5 of the Hours of the Night Series. Bonfire takes place the December after the events in Vespers. Amazon | ARe | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | More Stores If the summary didn't convince you of how awesome this book was, here's an excerpt: Pinky’s was surprisingly busy for a winter night. A lot of their business came from people who had vacation camps along the Amite. According to Bren, the winter months were slow. It was Friday night, though. The bar, at least, looked hopping with local customers. Sara noticed several faces he had seen in the store before, and Chase sat at the end of the bar nursing a drink. When Bren finally broke away and came to the table, Sara gave her his order and waved her off. “Take care of your other customers. Come talk to me when you get a minute.” “Might not get a chance. We’ve got a band tonight. I can probably get a few words in if you want to come up to the bar. Otherwise, text me after we close.” After she left, Sara turned back to his companion. They had never dined out together, he realized. He had always assumed dining in public would be awkward when only one person could eat. Sitting across from him, Thad looked totally relaxed. Not awkward at all. “Christmas tree shopping and dinner.” Sara grinned across the table. “Thank you, Thaddeus. It’s a proper date.” A tinge of pink flitted across Thad’s cheekbones, a sign he was both embarrassed and pleased. Sara decided he had been wrong. Getting Thad out in public was totally worth delaying their tree plans for a few hours. Maybe they could even stay for some of the music. He looked into Thad’s beautiful, stormy-gray eyes and felt his heart expand. He was just an ordinary guy. How had he wound up sitting across from the cutest vampire in the world? Thad’s blush deepened a little, and Sara wished he dared touch his hand on the table. Back in Seattle with any of his past boyfriends, he wouldn’t have hesitated. Thaddeus would be uncomfortable with the gesture, though, just as he had been uncomfortable when Sara had pressed too close to him at the Christmas tree lot. He searched around for some conversation instead. He didn’t want to think about the lights right now. He wanted to appreciate this moment with Thaddeus. “Did you really never have a Christmas tree?” It seemed odd. Christmas was a Christian holiday after all. “I didn’t think Christmas trees were a modern invention. Were your parents really strict or…” He trailed off as the most obvious explanation occurred to him. “Oh, jeez. I’m sorry. Were you too poor?” Thad didn’t look disturbed, though. “We were not rich,” he said. “I suppose we might have had a tree. My grandparents in New Orleans had one every year. But many of our neighbors here in the country could not have afforded one. My mother would not allow us the indulgence when the other children would be without.” “Oh. That’s…” Was it nice? He didn’t know. Except for a few weeks between graduation and when he had started work for Thaddeus, he had never been poor. The comparison was hardly valid. Would the other children have envied them the tree? Or would they have enjoyed seeing it? “Did you ever want one?” “I cannot remember. The tradition was not as strong as it is now. I don’t think I gave it much thought. I was more concerned if I would find a hard candy with the orange in my stocking on Christmas morning.” A candy? Sara started to make a mental note to add Godiva to his Christmas list, then realized Thaddeus couldn’t eat it and was twice as horrified. “Stop whatever you are thinking. I was not deprived as a child.” Thaddeus sounded amused. “But you’re Catholic.” “And?” “It’s a Christian holiday, I thought you would do all kinds of celebrations.” “We went to Mass,” Thad said. “We celebrated the birth of Our Lord. And on Christmas morning, we each received a present in honor of his birth.” Sara thought of the mounds of presents under the Mishra tree every year. His family had definitely not done Mass, but if it was important to Thad… “Mass?” “I miss the majesty of ‘Adeste Fidelis’— ‘Oh Come All Ye Faithful,’ cher, at the opening of the Mass. That is my Christmas tradition, or it was.” “When is that?” Sara asked. “Is it something you do out here? Or do we go to the monastery? Do I need special clothes? Do I need to memorize a chant or something?” He broke off as Thad’s last words penetrated. “What do you mean was? We can still do it, right?” Thad stared at him across the table, face impassive but eyes bleeding emotion. “We can go if you wish. The monks will not turn us away, or even the parish priest, but we will not be offered communion. Now they invite me, but they do not invite me in.” “Even on Christmas?” The monks used Thad as their weapon and commanded his obedience at every turn, and they couldn’t offer him this small comfort? Before he could work up an argument, Thad changed the subject. “And is your family not Hindu?” he asked. “How is it that you celebrate a Christian holiday?” “Oh. That was Dad’s idea,” Sara said. “He was atheist.” Thad’s brow furrowed. “Well, but he and my mom were immigrants, you know? Dad wanted us kids to fit in, and Christmas is such a big holiday. So he said we didn’t have to be Christian to do Santa, we just had to be American. He loved decorating every year, and we threw this big Christmas party for everyone we knew…” He trailed off. “Last Christmas was the first time Dad wasn’t around to put up the lights. Dev and I did it, but…” Suddenly, he felt like tears, right there in Pinky’s. “I am glad we got the tree,” Thad said. “And you must put up whatever decorations you wish.” “Thank you, Thaddeus.” He tried to smile. Amazon | ARe | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | More Stores Add to GoodReads Read More on IrenePreston.com Read More on LivRancourt.com
As promised, here's the giveaway!
Strange Magic Author: James A. Hunter Title: Strange Magic Series: A Yancy Lazarus Novel 1 Genre: Paranormal Pairing: None Rating: Four Petals On the Author's Website: https://jamesahunter.wordpress.com/my-books/strange-magic/ Summary: Yancy Lazarus is having a bad day: there’s a bullet lodged in his butt cheek, his face looks like the site of a demolition derby, and he’s been saran-wrapped to a banquet table. He never should have answered the phone. Stupid bleeding heart—helping others in his circles is a good way to get dead. Just ask the gang members ripped to pieces by some kind of demonic nightmare in LA. As a favor to a friend, Yancy agrees to take a little looksee into the massacre and boom, he’s stuck in a turf war between two rival gangs, which both think he’s pinch-hitting for the other side. Oh, and there’s also a secretive dark mage with some mean ol’ magical chops and a small army of hyena-faced, body-snatching baddies. It might be time to seriously reconsider some of his life choices. Yancy is a bluesman, a rambler, a gambler, but not much more. Sure, he can do a little magic—maybe even more than just a little magic—but he knows enough to keep his head down and stay clear of freaky-deaky hoodoo like this business in LA. Somehow though, he’s been set up to take a real bad fall—the kind of very permanent fall that leaves a guy with a toe tag. Unless, of course, he can find out who is responsible for the gangland murders, make peace in the midst of the gang feud, and take out said dark mage before he hexes Yancy into an early retirement. Easy right? Stupid. Bleeding. Heart. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Yancy Lazarus is a magic user of some repute, but he's also adrift in the world. Something in his past--the story doesn't go into detail here, although I suspect it might in a future book--made him feel like he had to leave his wife and kids behind. Now he's homeless, so when his friend calls for help with some strange murders Yancy heads his way. Except, the murders are only the beginning of the terrible fight that is brewing. I can't decide if I enjoyed the characterizations of the world building more. Both were so well done. Yancy is the best characterization in the book. He's very sarcastic, but you can feel his heart in every sharp word. He has so much depth, from his love of the blues to the pain he feels from missing his family, and I believed in him. The rest of the characters in the story were equally dynamic and each brought something different to the story that helped round it out perfectly. The world itself was also interesting. Magic exists, but most people aren't aware of it. There are different kinds of magic, all of which are tied to different belief systems or ability types. Hunter even had different dimensions that creatures could be summoned from. The amount of detail was amazing. My only complaint is I never learned how Yancy was introduced to the world of magic and how he started using magic himself, although I suspect that might be the plot of a future book. Maggie's Recommendation: I really enjoyed reading this story and immediately started reading the next one in the series. The characterizations and world building really gave the story the depth it needed. I absolutely recommend this story. Bonfire Authors: Irene Preston and Liv Rancourt Title: Bonfire Series: Hours of the Night 1.5 Genre: Paranormal Pairing: M/M Rating: Four Petals On the Authors Websites: http://www.irenepreston.com/blog/hours-of-the-night/ http://livrancourt.com/ Summary: Silent night, holy hell. Thaddeus and Sarasija are spending the holidays on the bayou, and while the vampire's idea of Christmas cheer doesn't quite match his assistant's, they're working on a compromise. Before they can get the tree trimmed, they're interrupted by the appearance of the feu follet. The ghostly lights appear in the swamp at random and lead even the locals astray. When the townsfolk link the phenomenon to the return of their most reclusive neighbor, suspicion falls on Thaddeus. These lights aren't bringing glad tidings, and if Thad and Sara can't find their source, the feu follet might herald a holiday tragedy for the whole town. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC via the author in exchange for an honest review. I felt this story was absolutely necessary to the series. Thad and Sara come from such different backgrounds. Thad is an ex-monk turned vampire living in the bayou with only the gators and his vespers for company. At night he fights demons in order to save his soul. Sara is from a Hindu/atheist background hired to be Thad's assistant, and he has some sort of magical powers of his own. Bonfire begins with the holiday season just starting and Sara's enthusiasm for Christmas is clear from page one. He's buying gifts, lights, and ornaments left and right. Thad doesn't know what to make of it: trees and lights are completely different to the religious chants he usually spends the holidays with. Of course, having Sara with him is totally different too and finding the balance between religious obligations and love is one of the more difficult things they both have to figure out. The first book in the series, Vespers, ended without that crucial part of their relationship formalized. Watching as they both delve deeper into who they are individually and as a couple was amazingly fun to read. The characterization of Sara in Vespers was my favorite part and that's no different in Bonfire. Sara has so many layers and each one is very interesting to learn. He's Hindu, but that doesn't define him. All of his Christmas preparations threw me for a few chapters; I couldn't figure out how Christmas fell within Sara's own religious beliefs. Just as that was really starting to bother me, it's revealed that Sara is atheist and celebrates the spirit of American Christmas, which made so much sense. I would like to learn more about his powers and how Hinduism effects that, but for a short story what was covered for Sara was really interesting. I also really enjoyed Thad's characterization. He's starting to become more than just the stereotypes of a religious vampire. His emotions grew and evolved throughout the story and each one made me like and identify with him more. His growth as he tried to balance who is is and who he loves was the best part of the book. This review is already too long, but let me say quickly that I really enjoyed the plot too. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series after reading Bonfire. Maggie's Recommendation: Bonfire picks up from where Vespers left off. This is a short story, but it builds new facets and gives more depth to the relationship between Sara and Thad, which I really enjoyed. I also liked the plot a lot too. I definitely recommend this book. The House of the Scarred Backs Author: B.A. Huntley Title: The House of the Scarred Backs Series: Part of the Roughhouse Raiders Collection Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Pairing: M/M Rating: Two Petals On the Author's Website: Author does not appear to have a website. Summary: The House of the Scarred Backs has held their territory for six generations. Few dare to challenge them, and those few foolish swiftly regret it—assuming they survive the mistake. Alkeides is a proud Brother, happy and honoured to do whatever is asked of him to look after the Scarred Backs. When he is called upon to track down a possible traitor and murderer in their midst—a vile shifter who may have infiltrated their ranks—Alkeides doesn't hesitate. But a simple hunt for a traitor has unexpected consequences, leaving Alkeides wondering who he really is and what he really wants. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Alkeides is part of a motorcycle gang that controls the 97, a road that cuts through the desert. His life is harsh, with set rules of how to behave and how to keep the club's rules. War is brewing between his club and one of the neighboring ones. Shape shifters are also acting up and Alkeides is tasked with figuring out why before the war becomes a massacre. For the first ten pages of this book I was completely lost. I had absolutely no idea what was going on. There was no context given to explain why the world was so strange, or how a motorcycle club had come to rule a large territory. There needed to be some definitions for the terms used and some descriptions to explain the difference between the motorcycle clubs. The first ten pages of a forty page book is a significant amount to be confused for, and while the final thirty pages weren't missing as much detail they weren't considerably better. I still gave this story two petals because of the characterizations. I felt Alkedies' fear over his friend's well-being and his anguish over the war. I didn't understand why he was feeling those emotions, since I didn't understand the plot of the book, but those emotions and the characterizations as a whole were the only part of the book that worked. Maggie's Recommendation: Much of this book was completely lost in translation. I had no idea what was going on because there wasn't nearly enough description to give me any idea what the plot entailed. The characterizations were good, but it wasn't enough to redeem this book and I therefore cannot recommend it. Raven's Call Author: Matthew Angelo Title: Raven's Call Series: Part of the Roughhouse Raiders Collection Genre: Paranormal Pairing: M/M, Genderqueer Rating: One Petal On the Author's Website: http://www.matthewangeloauthor.com/?book=ravens-call Summary: Late one night, cruising through the streets of New York City, Ren hears a cry for help—in his mind. Investigating the cry, Ren finds an Esper under attack by the very motorcycle gang hunting Ren. Despite the risk, Ren risks everything to save the Esper and manages to get them both away. But doing so has brought the full weight of the motorcycle gang down on them, and it's going to take a lot more than their combined magic if they hope to escape once and for all and see if they could be more than strangers united by strife. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Ren is out riding his bike late one night when he hears a mental call for help. He finds an Esper named Zane being attacked by a gang looking to steal Zane's magic. They're able to get away, but the chase that results might still kill them no matter how hard they try. There was so much wrong with this book. First, the writing style felt very immature. There wasn't a single contraction in the entire story, which made it feel overly formal and equally awkward. People riding motorcycles in the middle of New York City just don't talk like that. The weird language made it incredibly difficult to read the book as it kept throwing me out of the story. The story was also utterly lacking in any detail or description. There wasn't anything written to give a full setting. The only reason I knew it was set in NYC was because of a mention of the Statue of Liberty. I couldn't tell you what either of the main characters look like aside from the fact that one was Japanese and the other a very beautiful person that just happens to be genderfluid. Nothing in the story was really given any depth at all because there wasn't any description to provide needed support to the plot and the characters. Next were the terrible characterizations. Ren starts out as a bad punk riding his bike at high speeds through the city, but he suddenly becomes the perfect savior after hearing Zane's voice in his head. Then, Ren literally boils a man's blood to kill him using his magical power over fire, yet twenty minutes later accidentally sets a building on fire and doesn't have the control to put it out. Of Zane, all we learn is xe's scared out of xis mind and that xe's cursed. After less than an hour together, Ren and Zane declare their endless love for each other. It was a little ridiculous, to be honest. Then the bad guys weren't given any real depth either, which made the plot completely unbelievable on top of the rest. I'm honestly surprised I was actually able to finish reading this story. Maggie's Recommendation: This story bordered on utterly ridiculous. From the overly formal language to the lacking description and terrible characterizations, I was honestly surprised I was able to finish reading it. I cannot recommend this story at all. Death Mask Author: Lexi Ander Title: Death Mask Series: Black Harbinger MC 1 Genre: Paranormal Pairing: M/M Rating: Five Petals On the Author's Website: http://www.lexiander.com/index.html Summary: Grim Misery, the President of the Black Harbinger Motorcycle Club, discovers a wounded warlock and four werepups aboard the club's LSD shipment. And the news kept getting better and better. Not only is the warlock sitting on the edge of death, he's illegally bonded to the werepups, which could trigger a war with the werewolves—and he turns out to be Misery's estranged husband. Years ago, Griffin turned Misery away to be with another warlock by the name of Marcheso Aldo. Misery left everything behind, even his family, but couldn't shake the heartbreak Griffin caused. With Griffin thrust back into Misery's life, he discovers things aren't as they seem... and everything is about to get much, much worse. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Misery is the leader of a motorcycle club that collects the misfits and outsiders of the paranormal world. As a misfit himself, Misery is well liked by his brothers and has earned the respect of the rest of the community. That is, until a warlock is found severely injured in the back of a drug shipment, illegally bound to four infant werewolves. That the warlock turns out to be Griffin, a man Misery once loved, doesn't matter when the problems Griffin brought to Misery's doorstep might destroy the club and maybe the entire world. I had a lot of trouble putting this book down, which is the main reason I gave it five petals. I enjoyed reading it that much. The best part was definitely the characterizations. Misery had so much depth: his backstory was tragic, but he had overcome that and built himself a new life with a new family. I felt his pain and his fears and worried with him for Griffin and the club when things started to get dicey. Griffin's point of view was also interesting and completely distinct from Misery's. Every character was unique, which worked well with the overall book. I also thought the plot was well composed. Each section was clearly carefully thought out so it flowed from one scene to the next without hiccup. Admittedly, I thought there was something missing at first. The plot came across a little introductory for what I originally thought was a stand-alone book. You have no idea how happy I was to see that it was actually the first book of a series, which I'm thinking is why some things felt a little abrupt at the end. There's more great things to come for this series and I'm really looking forward to it. Maggie's Recommendation: I enjoyed reading this story so much I had trouble putting it down. The characterizations and the plot were perfect and the second I realized this was going to be part of a series the bits that felt a little abrupt at the end started to make sense. I definitely recommend this book. HellbeastsAuthor: Katya Harris Title: Hellbeasts Series: Part of a Collection Genre: Paranormal Pairing: M/M, Bi Rating: Three Petals On the Author's Website: Author does not appear to have a website. Summary: When restlessness drives Shadow out of his MC's clubhouse and into the night, the last thing he expected was to find a half-dead werewolf. Shadow has never been known for his altruism, but he takes the wounded man back to his motorcycle club, the Hellbeasts. Rand doesn't know who attacked him, but suspects at least one person from his own pack is involved. But even that might not be as bad as waking up in the midst of a group of misfit weres who don't seem to like him. Especially Shadow, the man charged with taking care of Rand, as compelling to Rand as he is frightening. But before he and Shadow can work out what exactly they are and want to be to each other, Rand's attackers show up to finish the job. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Shadow is part of a motorcycle club of misfits. The members are from different types of were-animals, which is almost unheard of. They have to maintain a delicate balance in order to keep all the members of their club working together, so when Shadow brings back a half-dead werewolf he finds in the desert no one is happy. Rand, the half-dead werewolf, doesn't know who attacked him or why, but he quickly learns that fitting in with the club might just be impossible. I liked the world Harris created for this story. The were animals live in packs within their specific were-species, but the misfits and outcasts need somewhere to go. That's where the club comes in. I know the idea of packs of like-minded instead of like-specied people working together isn't unique, but it worked as the set-up for this story. What I didn't enjoy was the complete lack of emotional depth. Shadow sees Rand and it's insta-love. They have sex almost immediately. Yet, there isn't any build-up or exploration of feelings. Also, Rand knows that someone from his pack betrayed him and left him in the desert to die, but he barely has a twinge of anger or appears to feel upset over getting beaten at all. There needed to be considerably more emotional weight to this story for me to really enjoy reading it. Maggie's Recommendation: I thought the world building in this story, while not unique, was well done, however the story lacked any emotional depth. That lack really hurt my enjoyment of the story. I do recommend this book, however I do so with reservation. |
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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