Cursed With Claws Author: Asta Idonea Title: Cursed With Claws Series: Part of LT3's For the Hoard Collection Genre: High Fantasy Pairing: M/M Rating: Two Petals On the Author's Website: http://www.nickijmarkus.com/p/mm-novelsnovellas.html Summary: A dragon dwells atop the mountain that overlooks Ode's village. Every year the surrounding villages gather to make an offering to keep the beast at bay: chests of gold and a human sacrifice. When the wise men choose his beloved sister, Malle, as the latest sacrifice, Ode immediately offers to take her place. But instead of a dragon on the mountain ledge, he meets a mysterious young man. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. When Ode's sister is chosen as that year's sacrifice for the dragon, Ode knows he has to take her place. He finds the dragon in question quickly, but instead of dying he is able to live with the dragon until he realizes the terrible curse the dragon is under. Cursed With Claws is essentially a Beauty and the Beast retelling, which means I have read this plot before. What's always interesting about a retelling is the unique spin the author gives to the characters or the setting, but I have also read stories about a cursed dragon on a mountaintop and the hero sacrificing himself for another. Basically, there wasn't anything new or exciting in this story. It was well written for the most part and I enjoyed it, but it read more like fanfiction than original fiction. The book also suffered from differing prose. At points the narrative was overly flowery in order to sound historical, but Idonea appeared to forget that convention at points and the language style changed. I also know that for historical accuracy the women in the book needed to be helpless waifs in desperate need of a husband to care for them, but Idonea pushed that idea a bit too much for me. And then there was the ending which happened so quickly and so easily that I had trouble pinpointing what happened. Overall, I was disappointed in this book, but I still enjoyed reading it. Maggie's Recommendation: For a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, this wasn't terrible, but it wasn't the least bit original. I also had difficulties with some of the narrative and the ending was rough. However, overall I did enjoy reading it, so I will still recommend it.
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Cry Wolf Author: Patricia Briggs Title: Cry Wolf Series: Alpha and Omega 1 Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Pairing: M/F Rating: Four Petals On the Author's Website: http://hurog.com/books/ Summary: Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack... and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she'd learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer—and son—of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life. Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna's inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf—a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack. Maggie's Review:
Anna is trying to settle down in her new home, but all the different and strange people surrounding her aren't making that easy. Then something starts attacking people in the nearby mountains and her mate, Charles, is called to investigate. Anna goes with him to help, and to escape the newness until she feels more settled, but she soon realizes the dark magic they're up against might kill them all before she has the chance. A word of advice for anyone new to this series: go read the short story prequel Alpha and Omega first. It will make understanding the beginning of this book as well as the characterizations a lot easier. Briggs does a good job in this book of trying to remind readers of what happened in the prequel, but it's not perfect. I would also suggest reading the first few books of Briggs' Mercy Thompson series (I don't remember which book exactly Cry Wolf picks up during). With that out of the way, I want to start with how glad I am that Briggs decided to create this series. I believe Anna and Charles were originally only supposed to have the one story, but the prequel was so well liked by readers and by Briggs this series came into being. I really enjoyed reading Anna and Charles interacting and seeing their relationship really start to grow. At the start of the book they've been awkwardly thrown together by their wolves and their human halves figuring out what their wolf halves decided is very well written. The plot as a whole with the romance balancing with fighting the bad guy was engaging and very interesting. I figured out a lot of what was going on well ahead of time, but that didn't hurt how much I enjoyed reading this story. Maggie's Recommendation: I recommend this book and the entire series. This book had a really interesting plot and I enjoyed the building romance between Anna and Charles, however I found the ending to be a bit predictable. You do need to have read all the prequels to fully understand this book, but it's still a good read regardless. Velvet Claw Author: L.J. Hamlin Title: Velvet Claw Series: None Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Pairing: M/M Rating: Two Petals On the Author's Website: http://www.ljhamlin.com/ljs-books/ Summary: Evan Kidd journeys to a small town to solve the mystery of what's making children sick—but only cat people are allowed in the town without permission, and Evan's permission is granted on the condition he be constantly escorted by a guard. Rene is assigned to be Evan's guard, and he doesn't like humans, and he especially doesn't like doctors. But Rene is also lonely, and despite his best efforts, hating Evan is not as easy he'd assumed it would be. Maggie's Rating:
I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Evan is a doctor that specializes in solving health mysteries, but when he's called in to investigate an illness sickening cat children he knows he has to tread carefully. Rene, who hates humans, is assigned as his guard, but hating Evan isn't nearly as easy as Rene had thought. Instead, he's distracted by the budding relationship growing between them, which might just get them both killed. I wanted so badly to like this story. The premise of cat people from Atlantis and the political balance of how they're treated in the modern world was so interesting. Yet, like most of the story, that premise was never given enough detail or depth to properly ground the story. Every single aspect of this book started out as a great idea, but was never actually finished properly. The best example of this is the relationship between Evan and Rene. It's basically insta-love with very little building attraction between them before they suddenly fall into bed together. The author mentioned the word 'mate' offhand one or two times, but kept dismissing it instead of going into more detail. While it wouldn't have solved the insta-love, it would have provided a reason that they had been instantly attracted and thereby given the relationship a touch more realism. An entire book of almost getting the full depth and explanation left me frustrated and an unhappy with it at the end. Maggie's Recommendation: I really liked the premise of cat people from Atlantis having to interact in the modern world, but nothing in the book was fully realized. Leaving out that last bit of necessary depth made this book frustrating to read and that is why I do not recommend it. HauntedAuthors: Irene Preston and Liv Rancourt Title: Haunted Series: Hours of the Night 2.5 Genre: Paranormal Pairing: M/M Rating: Three Petals On the Authors' Websites: IrenePreston.com LivRancourt.com Summary: Noel Chandler had a good reason for leaving the L.A.P.D. for New Orleans, but when he walks into a burned out Garden District mansion, he discovers there are some things he can’t outrun. The spooks can find him anywhere. As the resident historian for the cable show Haunts and Hoaxes, Professor Adam Morales keeps an open mind about the supernatural. Or that’s what he tells himself, until he meets a man who puts that principle to the test. Noel’s smart, sexy, and has killer cop instincts. One glance from his bedroom eyes has Adam ready to believe anything. But is Noel haunted, crazy, or just another hoax? Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC via the author in exchange for an honest review. Noel is pretty sure he isn't crazy, except crazy is the only explanation he can come up with for the strange things he's been experiencing. Then he meets Adam and he's suddenly not sure whether he's the crazy one after all, except the feelings he quickly develops for Adam mean so much more than figuring out the magic involved in their lives. I liked this short snapshot into some of the people that have been indirectly effected by the events in the previous stories in the series. Adam as the neighbor that called in the fire was an interesting character mostly because of his disbelief in magic. Noel is equally well written. I liked his cop sensibilities combined with his dose of reality that he couldn't continue the work he loved with the issues he was having. Their characterizations and their interactions with each other were the best part of this book. I am definitely hoping there are future books featuring this duo. I wasn't as enamored with the overall plot outside of the romance. The book starts with a message to readers stating that you do not have to have read the other books in the series to understand this one, but that just isn't true. The entire plot hinges on the fire that occurred in Nocturne, but no explanation is ever provided in this book about why that fire is important. Noel is getting magical flashbacks of it and he and Adam meet because of it. A graveyard scene pulled from Hours of the Night is also what brings them together. The fire and the graveyard are part of the big mystery Adam and Noel are actively trying to solve, yet that mystery is never brought to a satisfying conclusion. Readers will have no idea why the plot is at all important unless they have read the previous books. Yes, their romantic plot goes well, but it really felt like a major plot hole to not have any answers to the magical side of this book. Maggie's Recommendation: I am definitely enjoying reading this series and that is why I recommend every book, including this one. I liked the characterizations and the romantic plot was well written, however the dramatic, magic-oriented plot was left unsolved, which left the book feeling unfinished. ShiverAuthor: Christi Snow Title: Shiver Series: Texas Paranormals 2 Genre: Paranormal Pairing: M/M Rating: Two Petals On the Author's Website: http://christi-snow.blogspot.com/p/when-mission-ends-series.html Summary: A year ago Corey Abbott’s life entered the realm of the bizarre when he discovered the things that go bump in the night are real. But working for the local vampire council didn’t prepare him for were-deer shifters. Nine months ago Dare Buckley’s herd abandoned him. Now, he’s slowly going mad from Lyme disease...something that doesn’t hurt normal deer, but for were-deer is fatal. On one snowy, sleet-filled night, the two collided...literally. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Corey's driving home from work when the biggest deer he's ever seen jumps in front of his truck. He hits the deer and is pretty sure he killed it, so he decides to bring it home for the meat. Except, when he gets home there's a man in place of the deer; a man Corey is having trouble taking his eyes off of. Of course, that attraction might just get them both killed. Dubious consent appears to be a running theme for this series. Normally I would have a big issue with that, however Snow does a good job of showing that the lack of consent goes both ways. The mating urge overtook both Corey and Dare and the graphic sex that ensued was neither of their faults. Still, it was definitely right on the edge of making me very uncomfortable. What really disappointed me in this book was the lack of detail. I get that it was set up as a short holiday story, but the reader is only given hints of vampires, fae, deer shifters, and an entire magical community somewhere out there. Corey is new to the community and his trying to figure out his place in it is central to his character, and yet all of that was completely glossed over. Instead, the reader is treated to yet another round of graphic sex. I don't mind sex when it's well written, but it didn't actually add all that much of substance to this story. If you take out all the sex scenes, you're left with maybe ten pages of actual plot, and that just wasn't enough to carry the book. Maggie's Review: The dubious consent in this story was actually explained fairly well, so it didn't bother me as much as it ordinarily would have, but the lack of detail everywhere else in the story did bother me. That is why I can't recommend this book. Ritual Ink Author: Holly Evans Title: Ritual Ink Series: Ink Born 4 Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Pairing: M/M Rating: Three Petals On the Author's Website: https://chaosfoxwriting.wordpress.com/ink-born/ Summary: I’ve spent most of my life trying to hide what I am to keep those close to me safe. I failed. The ceremonials made their move. Now I need to ask myself… how far am I willing to go to save the people I love? Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC via the author in exchange for an honest review. Dacian's in trouble. The love of his life and one of his best friends has been kidnapped and he's being blackmailed by the captors. They want tattoos from him in return for his friend's safety, but the underworld scheming goes so far beyond a simple kidnapping and Dacian knows that getting even himself out safely is going to be difficult. I have decided the best way to read this series is to ignore the fact that it's a series. If I read it more as a group of chapters in Dacian's story released together in one book, a lot of the issues I'm having with this series fade away. There's no connection to the previous book, no reminder of what Dacian went through, or even any description of what Dacian or his friends look like. There's no need to repeat everything that happened in the previous books, but a quick summary of what happened, who the major players are, and even why Dacian's in Prague would have helped this story immensely. Not all readers are going to reread the first three books in the series before picking this one up, so a reminder of what occurred before to jog their memory and to set readers back into the timeline of the story would have been extremely helpful. That said, I still enjoyed this story. The world building, as always, was amazing with very interesting magic and unique culture woven into every moment of this story. I was a little disappointed that some of the friends Dacian has made in previous books didn't show up to help here (like the blood mage) and I thought Dacian's mood swings were a little annoying and out of character, but the overall plot of how to save his friends while keeping the balance in the city was well done. Maggie's Recommendation: I do recommend this book and this series, but because of the lack of description from one book to another I recommend you read them all at once. The world building and plot were still the best part of the story, which I did enjoy reading. Port in a Storm Author: K.L. Noone Title: Port in a Storm Series: None Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Pairing: M/M Rating: Two Petals On the Publisher's Website: https://lessthanthreepress.com/books... Summary: Colin is not having the best time lately, being a runaway shifter with a less than stellar reputation, hiding beneath a car in the pouring rain hoping to evade the angry warlock looking for him. David's had a long day; being the local white witch and healer is a worthwhile occupation, but it's rarely an easy one. When he spies a stray kitten under his car, he figures he'll be able to rescue at least one living thing that night... Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Colin's on the run from a bad warlock that had been keeping him captive in order to use him for his magic. He finally managed to escape, but after soaking in the rain and mud Colin can't help hoping for refuge. Instead he finds David, who seems nice, but then Colin realizes David's a witch and his escape might have just landed him in an even worse situation. This story unfortunately never quite came together. There was a ton of potential, what with the interesting magic of shifters essentially being magical batteries that warlocks and witches can tap. I even liked the distinction between the good and bad types of magic. However, there wasn't enough depth provided for all of that potential to go anywhere. Seeing a wider view of the world and the magic would have allowed me to better understand what made David a white witch and how he was so different from the bad guy. Additionally, Colin's running from an evil that is only introduced in his own thoughts, so the reader never gets a personal feel for the bad guy in the book. That means I never quite understood why I should be rooting for Colin's success. Even the budding relationship with David was never given enough time to really grow. It was basically insta-love without any useful conventions like mating to help explain it away. Maggie's Recommendation: This story lacked depth that would have provided a better foundation for the author to build the plot, the characterization, and even the world building. Because of that lack, the story never quite came together and that is why I can't recommend it. Love on the Run Author: Katharine Kerr Title: Love on the Run Series: Nola O'Grady 4 Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Pairing: M/F Rating: Three Petals On the Author's Website: http://deverry.com/?page_id=51 Summary: Nola O’Grady is sick and tired of psychic squid-images following her everywhere, waving their tentacles and generally making nuisances of themselves. She and her partner, Ari Nathan, have a dangerous job on their hands, hunting down two criminals who have escaped into another level of the multiverse, the San Francisco of Terra Six. Terrorists have turned parts of that city into a deathtrap—religious fanatics, yes, but from what religion? Nola suspects that the Peacock Angel Chaos cult lies behind the bombings and mass murders. As she gathers evidence, she finds herself face-to-face with part of her own personal past that she’d prefer to bury forever. And by the way, just who is it that keeps trying to kill her? Maggie's Review:
Nola continues her fight to stop the criminals working to destabilize her world and some of the parallel worlds, but the cost to her and to her family begins to escalate. Getting trapped on another world is a real and growing possibility as the paths between the worlds begin to destabilize, and Nola quickly realizes the cost just might be death. This was the weakest story in the series. I did still enjoy the creativity of the different worlds and the magic that allowed Nola and company to travel, but in this story it started to feel heavy. So many different civilizations, many of which barely differed from our own, and yet those slight differences made each one unique. Just coming up with that much detail is amazing for an author, but as a reader I found myself having trouble keeping it all straight. I also found myself not liking Nola in this story. Her playing hard to get with Ari was getting old, but she also acted in ways that felt very out of character. It was almost as if her traveling to another worlds changed her personality, which according to the book isn't true. Maggie's Recommendation: While I still enjoyed the intricacy of the setting and the overall creativity of the book, it started to feel heavy in this story. I also had issues with Nola's personality, but I still liked this book so I will recommend it. Empty Vessels Author: Meredith Katz Title: Empty Vessels Series: None Genre: Paranormal Pairing: Poly (M/M/M), Bi Rating: Four Petals On the Author's Website: https://meredithakatz.wordpress.com/books/ Summary: In the aftermath of a terrible accident, Keith is left with anxiety and depression. He's also left with psychic powers, a ghost following him around, and the unwanted knowledge that not everyone in the world is human—some are something other. In the midst of all this turmoil, it's the ghost, Lucas, who becomes his closest friend. But when Keith starts having prophetic dreams about horrible monsters hunting Others down, he can't remain uninvolved anymore. Against his better judgment, and with Lucas's support, Keith begins to pursue the truth of what's really out there, what sorts of people they are, and what his own role could be in this strange new world of spirits and monsters. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Keith has had a difficult time lately. His life was saved in a car accident, but he's now haunted by Lucas and suddenly has magical powers. It's been difficult to cope and most people around him think he's crazy, but he is coping. At least, until a dream about terrible monsters attacking the supernatural community embroils him in the fight to stop said monsters. This book was a page turner. I had to keep reading to know what was going to happen next until suddenly the book ended. I was very disappointed to learn this book wasn't going to be part of a series because the magic, the characterizations, and the romantic relationship were all so interesting that I couldn't help wanting more. Katz managed to balance a human with magical powers, a ghost, and a stag all interacting together. This included their various quirks like the stag being vegetarian, the ghost not being able to sleep, and Keith having to deal with college tests. It all came together really nicely in a way that was completely believable. I do admit that the villain of the story could have used a touch more depth, but aside from that I had no complaints. Maggie's Recommendation: I had trouble putting this book down, so of course I have to recommend it. The plot, characterizations, and romantic relationship were all crafted into a beautiful story that kept my interest until the end. Shatterglass Author: Tamora Pierce Title: Shatterglass Series: The Circle Opens 4 Genre: High Fantasy Pairing: None Rating: Five Petals On the Author's Website: http://www.tamora-pierce.net/books/shatterglass/ Summary: Kethlun Warder was a gifted glassmaker until his world was shattered in a freak accident. Now his remaining glass magic is mixed with lightning, and Tris must teach him to control it (if she can teach him to control his temper first). But there's more at stake than Keth's education. With his strange magic, he creates glass balls that reflect the immediate past and expose the work of a murderer. If he can harness his power properly, he'll be able to see the crimes as they take place. Keth and Tris race against time, and the local authorities, to identify a killer who's living in plain sight. Maggie's Review:
Tris, like her siblings, is out traveling the world with her mentor. She's exploring the glass making district of a new city when a strange spell catches her eye. The spell leads her to Kethlum, a glass maker having a little trouble not blowing things up, and suddenly she has a student. Except, her student's penchant for destruction is the least worrying thing going on in the city and Tris just got embroiled in it. I admit that Tris has always been the kid I identify most with in this series, which is likely why I like her story the best. She's got so many different facets to her personality and to her magic that she's always felt much more real than her siblings did in the first few books. Now, in this book where she is the star, I was rewarded with even more depth to her character. I love rereading this story because of that. However, what really awed me about this book was the world building, which has always been Pierce's strongest ability. There's so much stuffed into the pages of this one book, including an entirely new culture Tris is trying to figure out where caste and luck of birth mean so much more than merit. The policing system combined with the religious beliefs were so interesting and detailed it honestly felt real. All Pierce needs to do is write Tris' next story and I will be a very happy reader. Maggie's Recommendation: I recommend this entire series, but definitely this book in particular. Tris' character and the world building have so much depth and detail that it's a wonderful read no matter how many times I pick it up. |
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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