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brooksie03051's reviews
453 reviews
Invoking the Blood by Kalista Neith
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A dark fantasy romance that takes slow burn seriously. This book dances around the relationship of the MMC and FMC while the side story is trying to figure out where the FMC belongs in this world. She is tied to a vampire prince with a split personality. One who takes control and is more level headed while the other who is the devil on his shoulder and difficult to keep tame. Although he is quick tempered and wicked, his monstrous side is 100% devoted to her and gives her the attention she has always craved.
The Beasts We Bury by D.L. Taylor
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The Beasts We Bury by D.L. Taylor
Pub Date Feb 04, 2025
A thief and an heir make an unlikely pair in this dark YA fantasy where right and wrong blur as a war brews and the fate of many hang in the balance. Mancella is heir to the throne but has an aversion to violence. She has great powers over animals and as she ages, her powers grow stronger. As heir to her father's realm, she is expected to lead the realm and her father cares about one thing. Power, control, and conquer. He cruelly raised her to strengthen her powers to control the animals but to do that, she must destroy them and absorb them into her magic. Once there, she can use them in battle. Over the years the animals she fights get more dangerous and although she has been doing this unwillingly forced by her father the Prime, it doesn't get easier. He has a grand plan; she is the key to his success and will also become his second.
Silver is a thief who will do just about anything to survive. When he is offered a job by a stranger who seems to know his way around the palace and requires his skills of stealing that pays well and will help secure a safe new home for him and his friends that he couldn't refuse. He did what he was told, stealing items as asked with little knowledge of why the items were needed. For these items, he not only needed access to the palace but also to specific areas where the king held them and do it without getting caught. To do that, he befriends Mance to accomplish his tasks, but as time goes on he realizes that she is nothing like he assumed and finds it harder to lie and take advantage of her. When things get closer to the completed task he must decide to continue the path and break her trust or go back on his deal due to his growing feelings for this powerful girl that surprises him with her kind heart.
Book one in this duology starts slow as you get to know the characters and this world but it isn't overly complicated. It is dark in regards to how the FMC is treated and what she is forced to do to strengthen her magic abilities which she does not do willingly. The romance is a slow-burn YA appropriate and not explicit however the way her magic is formed may be bothersome to people who are sensitive to animals. The magic was interesting and different than what I typically see and the ending of this book leads you to believe that the FMC will be up for a big challenge that makes her face her internal demons head-on. It will be interesting to see how that plays out so I look forward to reading book 2.
I received the Unabridged Audiobook through Netgalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.
Audiobook length 11 Hours, 36 Minutes Narrated by Brenda Scott Wlazlo; Jake Chronister
Or 368 pages, Hardcover
A thief and an heir make an unlikely pair in this dark YA fantasy where right and wrong blur as a war brews and the fate of many hang in the balance. Mancella is heir to the throne but has an aversion to violence. She has great powers over animals and as she ages, her powers grow stronger. As heir to her father's realm, she is expected to lead the realm and her father cares about one thing. Power, control, and conquer. He cruelly raised her to strengthen her powers to control the animals but to do that, she must destroy them and absorb them into her magic. Once there, she can use them in battle. Over the years the animals she fights get more dangerous and although she has been doing this unwillingly forced by her father the Prime, it doesn't get easier. He has a grand plan; she is the key to his success and will also become his second.
Silver is a thief who will do just about anything to survive. When he is offered a job by a stranger who seems to know his way around the palace and requires his skills of stealing that pays well and will help secure a safe new home for him and his friends that he couldn't refuse. He did what he was told, stealing items as asked with little knowledge of why the items were needed. For these items, he not only needed access to the palace but also to specific areas where the king held them and do it without getting caught. To do that, he befriends Mance to accomplish his tasks, but as time goes on he realizes that she is nothing like he assumed and finds it harder to lie and take advantage of her. When things get closer to the completed task he must decide to continue the path and break her trust or go back on his deal due to his growing feelings for this powerful girl that surprises him with her kind heart.
Book one in this duology starts slow as you get to know the characters and this world but it isn't overly complicated. It is dark in regards to how the FMC is treated and what she is forced to do to strengthen her magic abilities which she does not do willingly. The romance is a slow-burn YA appropriate and not explicit however the way her magic is formed may be bothersome to people who are sensitive to animals. The magic was interesting and different than what I typically see and the ending of this book leads you to believe that the FMC will be up for a big challenge that makes her face her internal demons head-on. It will be interesting to see how that plays out so I look forward to reading book 2.
I received the Unabridged Audiobook through Netgalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.
Audiobook length 11 Hours, 36 Minutes Narrated by Brenda Scott Wlazlo; Jake Chronister
Or 368 pages, Hardcover
A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall
Pub Date: Feb. 4th, 2025
DURATION 9 Hours, 48 Minutes Macmillan Audio
Genres: Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Adult, Suspense
Getting engaged after a very fast courtship and meeting the future in-laws should be great until it isn't. When your husband to be comes from an elite ridiculously rich and powerful family, they don't just let anyone join, and Connor's family has a reputation to uphold. They also may have a few skeletons in the closet, but so does Theodora.
They arrive at his family's very isolated winter retreat where they spend every Christmas. No close neighbors, no cell service, and snow storms can trap them there for days. Piece of cake right? Although it seems someone had been sending her anonymous messages saying "Stay away from Connor Dalton." before they arrived it seemed the family was not pleased that he was bringing her to spend the holidays with the family.
Theo ignored the threatening messages on her phone, but at the lodge, she noticed footprints in the snow outside the cabin window and more messages that were clearly from someone at the property. Which family member has it out for her when they don't even know her? Someone in his family does not want her to become part of the family. She also has a sense of deja vu about this place, yet she is certain she has never been here and grew up across the country with her adoptive parents. When she gets a tour around the grounds she notices one of the cabins that none of the family use and she notices there is a familiar-looking dragonfly on the building. It looks similar to the one she has tattooed on herself. When the family is tight-lipped over the empty cabin and what happened to Connor's father, she decides to check out the cabin and finds something that should not be there. A photo of her as a child with Connor's father on this land. She doesn't remember much of her childhood since she was adopted at a very young age and therapy wasn't helpful to get her to remember what happened to her birth parents. All she knows is she was adopted by two strict and religious people who were difficult to live with and to this day she has a recurrent nightmare that seems to be linked to her childhood before she was adopted.
She has a traumatic past, one that she has yet to tell her future husband. Now that this place is sparking strange memories, it seems like she will need to talk to Connor to try and figure out what is going on and save her relationship because his family is making it very difficult for her to feel wanted in the family. The Daltons have a reputation to uphold, and they also have secrets they don't want outsiders to find out. Theo continues to get threatening messages and the more she pokes around, the more danger she seems to be getting into. The Daltons are rich, and powerful and will do anything to cover their tracks. Her poking around the past may not just cost her relationship, it could cost her life.
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio ARC of this book prior to its release in exchange for an honest review. This book was fast-paced, had the mystery and suspense I love in thriller books, and had a surprising final reveal of what actually happened when the FMC was a little girl. I highly recommend this for mystery thriller lovers. It was a good time.
DURATION 9 Hours, 48 Minutes Macmillan Audio
Genres: Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Adult, Suspense
Getting engaged after a very fast courtship and meeting the future in-laws should be great until it isn't. When your husband to be comes from an elite ridiculously rich and powerful family, they don't just let anyone join, and Connor's family has a reputation to uphold. They also may have a few skeletons in the closet, but so does Theodora.
They arrive at his family's very isolated winter retreat where they spend every Christmas. No close neighbors, no cell service, and snow storms can trap them there for days. Piece of cake right? Although it seems someone had been sending her anonymous messages saying "Stay away from Connor Dalton." before they arrived it seemed the family was not pleased that he was bringing her to spend the holidays with the family.
Theo ignored the threatening messages on her phone, but at the lodge, she noticed footprints in the snow outside the cabin window and more messages that were clearly from someone at the property. Which family member has it out for her when they don't even know her? Someone in his family does not want her to become part of the family. She also has a sense of deja vu about this place, yet she is certain she has never been here and grew up across the country with her adoptive parents. When she gets a tour around the grounds she notices one of the cabins that none of the family use and she notices there is a familiar-looking dragonfly on the building. It looks similar to the one she has tattooed on herself. When the family is tight-lipped over the empty cabin and what happened to Connor's father, she decides to check out the cabin and finds something that should not be there. A photo of her as a child with Connor's father on this land. She doesn't remember much of her childhood since she was adopted at a very young age and therapy wasn't helpful to get her to remember what happened to her birth parents. All she knows is she was adopted by two strict and religious people who were difficult to live with and to this day she has a recurrent nightmare that seems to be linked to her childhood before she was adopted.
She has a traumatic past, one that she has yet to tell her future husband. Now that this place is sparking strange memories, it seems like she will need to talk to Connor to try and figure out what is going on and save her relationship because his family is making it very difficult for her to feel wanted in the family. The Daltons have a reputation to uphold, and they also have secrets they don't want outsiders to find out. Theo continues to get threatening messages and the more she pokes around, the more danger she seems to be getting into. The Daltons are rich, and powerful and will do anything to cover their tracks. Her poking around the past may not just cost her relationship, it could cost her life.
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio ARC of this book prior to its release in exchange for an honest review. This book was fast-paced, had the mystery and suspense I love in thriller books, and had a surprising final reveal of what actually happened when the FMC was a little girl. I highly recommend this for mystery thriller lovers. It was a good time.
A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L. Armentrout
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A Light in the Flame Book 2 continues with Sera and Nyktos, but just as their relationship started to grow into more, the secret of being groomed since birth, the reason she was trained in combat and what her true purpose of becoming the Consort to The Primal of Death was revealed. It resulted in everyone in Nyktos' court, including himself not trusting her. Although her feelings changed about him, and his people, the fragile new relationship was tarnished when she admitted all of that to them. They still needed to continue with coronation since Sera still held the powers from Nyktos' father and they needed to figure out how to transfer that power to Nyktos so he could take back the title that was rightfully his that King Kolis had stolen and became a false Primal King of Life to rule all. Due to the common issue they all are faced with, they make an agreement to go forward with the plans in order to dethrone the false King and release Sera from the power attached to her through her bloodline. The power that rightfully belonged to Nyktos
News has spread throughout the kingdoms of a new power and all the Primals and Gods want to know where it came from. The king also denied the coronation between his nephew and Sera until they go to his court when they are summoned. They must obey him when he summons them to Court or suffer serious consequences, but she continues to gain more power and closer to the end of her culling which they believe will kill her. This is causing her power to grow stronger and it is harder for her to resist its pull when it is called to heal. They had hoped to make the corrination official in order to remove the light inside her before she ascends but now there are many obstacles in their way.
Sera wasn't the only one who had a huge secret. Nyktos does as well and her feelings come to an explosive head when Sera realizes how strongly she feels about Nyktos after witnessing something not meant for her eyes. The God she used to call Ash to her Liessa, now Seraphena the Primal of Death to her Seraphena the consort hid something serious not only from her but most of his court and it shatters her heart causing grief so strong, her power ignites into something dangerous and her life and everyone else was at risk.
This book reveals more secrets, death, and destruction. Sera's time is almost here if the prophecy is correct, and in all the scenarios they try to consider, all will end in her death. She already knew that was to be the outcome of her short life and accepted it, but she will not accept any more people getting hurt along the way who are tied to her.
Make sure to have the next book handy because this one has quite a big cliffhanger. I tried to keep this somewhat spoiler-free to avoid ruining major things in the story in case someone likes to read reviews of ongoing series. I don't always write reviews for each book in a series, either.
I don't fear as much going further into the story to book 3 - A Fire in the Flesh, since I know a bit of the future already and this is the setup for that timeline in the future. I remember a few people from this timeline pop in and or are mentioned in the Blood and Ash series, but I don't know how many people will die along the way. Once both series are complete (there is another book coming June 2025 for the Blood and Ash series #6 - The Primal of Blood and Bone) I will read VISIONS OF FLESH AND BLOOD: a Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire Compendium that is a comprehensive companion guide for background, history, reader-favorite information, art, and reference materials, combined with original short stories and scenes from some of the popular characters in the books. I don't want to look at it beforehand and spoil information. I made that mistake looking up a name in the SJM Throne of Glass Series and accidentally saw info on characters that I had not read yet which spoiled it for me.
News has spread throughout the kingdoms of a new power and all the Primals and Gods want to know where it came from. The king also denied the coronation between his nephew and Sera until they go to his court when they are summoned. They must obey him when he summons them to Court or suffer serious consequences, but she continues to gain more power and closer to the end of her culling which they believe will kill her. This is causing her power to grow stronger and it is harder for her to resist its pull when it is called to heal. They had hoped to make the corrination official in order to remove the light inside her before she ascends but now there are many obstacles in their way.
Sera wasn't the only one who had a huge secret. Nyktos does as well and her feelings come to an explosive head when Sera realizes how strongly she feels about Nyktos after witnessing something not meant for her eyes. The God she used to call Ash to her Liessa, now Seraphena the Primal of Death to her Seraphena the consort hid something serious not only from her but most of his court and it shatters her heart causing grief so strong, her power ignites into something dangerous and her life and everyone else was at risk.
This book reveals more secrets, death, and destruction. Sera's time is almost here if the prophecy is correct, and in all the scenarios they try to consider, all will end in her death. She already knew that was to be the outcome of her short life and accepted it, but she will not accept any more people getting hurt along the way who are tied to her.
Make sure to have the next book handy because this one has quite a big cliffhanger. I tried to keep this somewhat spoiler-free to avoid ruining major things in the story in case someone likes to read reviews of ongoing series. I don't always write reviews for each book in a series, either.
I don't fear as much going further into the story to book 3 - A Fire in the Flesh, since I know a bit of the future already and this is the setup for that timeline in the future. I remember a few people from this timeline pop in and or are mentioned in the Blood and Ash series, but I don't know how many people will die along the way. Once both series are complete (there is another book coming June 2025 for the Blood and Ash series #6 - The Primal of Blood and Bone) I will read VISIONS OF FLESH AND BLOOD: a Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire Compendium that is a comprehensive companion guide for background, history, reader-favorite information, art, and reference materials, combined with original short stories and scenes from some of the popular characters in the books. I don't want to look at it beforehand and spoil information. I made that mistake looking up a name in the SJM Throne of Glass Series and accidentally saw info on characters that I had not read yet which spoiled it for me.
A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This ongoing series is the prequel to the From Blood and Ash ongoing series. Apparently, there is a suggested reading order, however, I was unaware of that and read all the currently published From Blood and Ash books before reading this one.
The proposed reading order I found would be:
1. From Blood and Ash
2. A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
3. The Crown of Gilded Bones
4. A Shadow in the Ember
5. The War of Two Queens
6. A Light in the Flame
7. A Soul of Ash and Blood
8. A Fire in the Flesh
9. Born of Blood and Ash
Then there is VISIONS OF FLESH AND BLOOD: a Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire Compendium that is a comprehensive companion guide for background, history, reader-favorite information, art, and reference materials. Combined with original short stories and scenes from some of the popular characters in the books. Do not read this book until you have read the others if you want to avoid spoilers. I am waiting for both of the series to be complete until I look at that book.
If you want to read this series to be in the dark as Poppy aka Penellaphe was in From Blood to Ash, read that series first and then start the prequel Flesh and Fire books. Otherwise, you will already know who she is and what the other characters are which would make for a somewhat boring read. Now that I think of it, I am glad I read the From Blood and Ash series first. I am not a fan of spoilers and like to be surprised.
That is my hot take on the matter. Now, down to business with this prequel...
Seraphena Mierel’s future has never been hers. She is a princess, before her birth her future has been planned. Since her birth, she is known as "The Maiden" and her life has been promised to uphold the desperate deal her ancestor struck to save his people. To give the first daughter of the king to the Primal of Death as his Consort. Her life was to never know love, affection, and kindness, from not only her family but also her people. Hidden like a dirty secret and always covered with few who even knew who she was and what she looked like. Sera grew up knowing who and what she was to her kingdom. The Princess Chosen, Consort to The Primal of Death, a Weapon, and an Assassin. Failure is not an option. Her duty has been drilled into her every day of her life. Make the primal of death fall in love with her, make her his weakness, and when he least expects it, kill him. In doing so, it was supposed to stop the rot in the realm. Regardless if she succeeds in killing him or not, her life will be over. If she fails to kill him, he will end her life. If she can kill him, the gods will strike her down soon after.
She must not fail this task and her kingdom has been rotting since her birth. What she and the royals in her family did not expect when presented to The Primal of Death was his immediate rejection. He left as quickly as he arrived, dismissing Sera stating he had no use for a consort. After he arrived and made the statement, he left and never returned. As relieved as she was to be released from the duty that she has always known, the rejection also falls on her and the slow demise of the lands continues. Her step-brother the prince is sure to remind her of that fact daily since she was rejected years ago. Although she no longer has to hide herself now that the Primal of Death made his choice clear, she still was expected to keep her identity hidden and not be treated as the princess that she was. She continued to train in self-defense and battle and tried to help anyone who was in need.
An unexpected meeting with a god has her mind whirling. In his presence, she is drawn to him and can't seem to keep her sharp tongue to herself. Surely speaking back to and insulting a god would end in her death, but this god, introduced as Ash, seemed amused by her boldness. Never has he met a human so bold and without fear regardless of their situation. They happen to run into each other often as if drawn to each other. She doesn't listen to his warnings to stay out of trouble, her instinct to help all who needed it was strong and it was beyond her control to stop. Ash had stepped in to stop her from making foolish mistakes that would ultimately end her short life on numerous occasions. He shouldn't care if she lived or died, but he cannot help but intervene. Before they exchanged names, he referred to her kindly as Leissa. A name she has never heard before. A name that sounded intimate and loving.
Sera - "What does Liessa mean?"
Ash - "It has different meanings to different people. But all of them mean something beautiful and powerful."
One thing that very few knew about Sera, even less than those who knew her true face and station in the royal family was the power she held to heal. Humans have no power, not like the gods, not like the Primals. It was a power that would bring attention to the gods and not in a good way. A fear drilled into her that it is forbidden to take a soul from the Primal of Death and bring them back to health or back to life from death. It is forbidden to interfere with life balance, but when she could not say no to save someone who was dear to her family, it was like a beacon to the gods and put a target on her back. She kept that secret from her new god acquaintance Ash, and she finds that he is more than she realized. Her story goes even further than anyone imagined and the fates could not intervene.
"From the desperation of golden crowns and born of mortal flesh, a great primal power rises as the heir of the lands and seas. To the skys and all the realms. A shadow in the ember, a light in the flame, to become a fire in the flesh. When the stars fall from the night, the great mountains crumble into the seas and old bones raise their swords beside the gods. The false one will be stripped from glory until two born of the same misdeeds, born of the same great and primal power in the mortal realm. A first daughter, with blood full of fire fated for the once promised king, and the second daughter with blood full of the ash and ice, the other half of the future king, together they will remake the realms they usher in the end."
This is an enemies-to-lovers story with a slow-burn and spice. An FMC that is a fearless and deadly weapon to a not so ruthless MMC Golden Retriever Primal unless you hurt someone he cares about. This is the story of how Sera and Ash meet, and the beginning of it all. Her life's purpose and what her relationship with Ash was foretold as well as the future that their lives are intertwined. She was not meant to live long in this realm, but her fate unexpectedly changes and the future of her life may have a different outcome than what the prophecy originally determined.
It will be interesting to see how their story unfolds and ultimately jump-starts Penellaphe's life in the future in the From Blood and Ash series. This is a long series that paves the way to the ending of a centuries-old prophecy that changes as choices are made along the way.
The proposed reading order I found would be:
1. From Blood and Ash
2. A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
3. The Crown of Gilded Bones
4. A Shadow in the Ember
5. The War of Two Queens
6. A Light in the Flame
7. A Soul of Ash and Blood
8. A Fire in the Flesh
9. Born of Blood and Ash
Then there is VISIONS OF FLESH AND BLOOD: a Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire Compendium that is a comprehensive companion guide for background, history, reader-favorite information, art, and reference materials. Combined with original short stories and scenes from some of the popular characters in the books. Do not read this book until you have read the others if you want to avoid spoilers. I am waiting for both of the series to be complete until I look at that book.
If you want to read this series to be in the dark as Poppy aka Penellaphe was in From Blood to Ash, read that series first and then start the prequel Flesh and Fire books. Otherwise, you will already know who she is and what the other characters are which would make for a somewhat boring read. Now that I think of it, I am glad I read the From Blood and Ash series first. I am not a fan of spoilers and like to be surprised.
That is my hot take on the matter. Now, down to business with this prequel...
Seraphena Mierel’s future has never been hers. She is a princess, before her birth her future has been planned. Since her birth, she is known as "The Maiden" and her life has been promised to uphold the desperate deal her ancestor struck to save his people. To give the first daughter of the king to the Primal of Death as his Consort. Her life was to never know love, affection, and kindness, from not only her family but also her people. Hidden like a dirty secret and always covered with few who even knew who she was and what she looked like. Sera grew up knowing who and what she was to her kingdom. The Princess Chosen, Consort to The Primal of Death, a Weapon, and an Assassin. Failure is not an option. Her duty has been drilled into her every day of her life. Make the primal of death fall in love with her, make her his weakness, and when he least expects it, kill him. In doing so, it was supposed to stop the rot in the realm. Regardless if she succeeds in killing him or not, her life will be over. If she fails to kill him, he will end her life. If she can kill him, the gods will strike her down soon after.
She must not fail this task and her kingdom has been rotting since her birth. What she and the royals in her family did not expect when presented to The Primal of Death was his immediate rejection. He left as quickly as he arrived, dismissing Sera stating he had no use for a consort. After he arrived and made the statement, he left and never returned. As relieved as she was to be released from the duty that she has always known, the rejection also falls on her and the slow demise of the lands continues. Her step-brother the prince is sure to remind her of that fact daily since she was rejected years ago. Although she no longer has to hide herself now that the Primal of Death made his choice clear, she still was expected to keep her identity hidden and not be treated as the princess that she was. She continued to train in self-defense and battle and tried to help anyone who was in need.
An unexpected meeting with a god has her mind whirling. In his presence, she is drawn to him and can't seem to keep her sharp tongue to herself. Surely speaking back to and insulting a god would end in her death, but this god, introduced as Ash, seemed amused by her boldness. Never has he met a human so bold and without fear regardless of their situation. They happen to run into each other often as if drawn to each other. She doesn't listen to his warnings to stay out of trouble, her instinct to help all who needed it was strong and it was beyond her control to stop. Ash had stepped in to stop her from making foolish mistakes that would ultimately end her short life on numerous occasions. He shouldn't care if she lived or died, but he cannot help but intervene. Before they exchanged names, he referred to her kindly as Leissa. A name she has never heard before. A name that sounded intimate and loving.
Sera - "What does Liessa mean?"
Ash - "It has different meanings to different people. But all of them mean something beautiful and powerful."
One thing that very few knew about Sera, even less than those who knew her true face and station in the royal family was the power she held to heal. Humans have no power, not like the gods, not like the Primals. It was a power that would bring attention to the gods and not in a good way. A fear drilled into her that it is forbidden to take a soul from the Primal of Death and bring them back to health or back to life from death. It is forbidden to interfere with life balance, but when she could not say no to save someone who was dear to her family, it was like a beacon to the gods and put a target on her back. She kept that secret from her new god acquaintance Ash, and she finds that he is more than she realized. Her story goes even further than anyone imagined and the fates could not intervene.
"From the desperation of golden crowns and born of mortal flesh, a great primal power rises as the heir of the lands and seas. To the skys and all the realms. A shadow in the ember, a light in the flame, to become a fire in the flesh. When the stars fall from the night, the great mountains crumble into the seas and old bones raise their swords beside the gods. The false one will be stripped from glory until two born of the same misdeeds, born of the same great and primal power in the mortal realm. A first daughter, with blood full of fire fated for the once promised king, and the second daughter with blood full of the ash and ice, the other half of the future king, together they will remake the realms they usher in the end."
This is an enemies-to-lovers story with a slow-burn and spice. An FMC that is a fearless and deadly weapon to a not so ruthless MMC Golden Retriever Primal unless you hurt someone he cares about. This is the story of how Sera and Ash meet, and the beginning of it all. Her life's purpose and what her relationship with Ash was foretold as well as the future that their lives are intertwined. She was not meant to live long in this realm, but her fate unexpectedly changes and the future of her life may have a different outcome than what the prophecy originally determined.
It will be interesting to see how their story unfolds and ultimately jump-starts Penellaphe's life in the future in the From Blood and Ash series. This is a long series that paves the way to the ending of a centuries-old prophecy that changes as choices are made along the way.
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
Unexpected twists happen in this mystery thriller that is clever and hidden well.
Grady Green is an author who had the best day of his life turn into the worst day in a matter of minutes. He can barely contain his excitement and calls his wife on her way home to share the exciting news he was anxiously waiting to hear. He suddenly hears his wife Abby slam on the brakes, claiming a woman is in the road and she gets out of the car to check on her even though he begged her to call the police and not get out of the car. She left the call open as he asked but she never returned back to the car. In a panic, he knew where she was and rushed to see what happened, and found her car by the cliff edge, headlights on, car running, driver door open and her phone was still there. . . but she was nowhere to be found.
A year later, Grady is still grieving, broken, and disheveled, he cannot bear to write any new books and is still desperate to know what happened to his wife Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, money is running out and he cannot even afford a decent apartment. His literary agent who also happens to be his missing wife's godmother allows him to try and get his life back by sending him off to a tiny Scottish island to try and get back some ambition to start writing again otherwise he will be broke and homeless. A previous writer she represented did all his writing on that island and wrote some of his best books while living there. The island is remote, has only 25 residents (some of who are a bit creepy), and no internet or cell phone coverage to interrupt him while he wrote. The only phone line has been dead for a long time according to the locals Grady spoke with, and they only have a boat come twice a week (weather permitting) for deliveries and mail.
Grady starts to see and hear strange things, including a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife. He thinks he is going crazy. Someone is leaving anonymous notes with old articles that his missing wife had written in the past regarding abused women and how the system wronged them, protected the abusive men that they fought off, and punished the women for protecting themselves or ignored their cries for help and ultimately were hurt worse without police intervention. Due to Abby's coverage of these cases, she was getting death threats from some of those people's families and Grady tried to convince her to stop writing those articles and stay home but she was very passionate about being the voice for those women and putting herself in danger. Did a family member from one of the abusive men have a hand in her disappearance?
He hears children's voices, a strange fog and someone keeps leaving him things in his cabin on the island. Something strange is going on and he is desperate to find out why. When he mentions being taken back to the mainland where his car is to get items he left behind, people discourage it and offer to help him while he stays on the island to concentrate on writing his book. Things start to escalate and he is desperate to find out what is going on.
This book was a slightly slower-paced story although it piqued my interest and was able to listen to it in one day. I didn't want to stop and find out what was going on in this little island with the strange people inhabiting it. Although many were friendly enough, something was off and he needed to find out why his missing wife seemed to keep popping up unexpectedly. This audiobook was well narrated by actors I am familiar with and enjoy listening to. I believe this book would be best enjoyed via audiobook as they did an excellent job.
This book has:
Unhappy relationships
Unexplained disappearance
Grief
Mental health challenges
Tension
Child/spouse Abuse
Mysterious people
Isolation
Family secrets
Bizarre Anonymous notes
Multiple POV
Brief intimate scenes
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Macmillan Audio for a copy of the 9hrs 19min Audiobook, Unabridged from Macmillan Audio beautifully narrated by Richard Armitage (best known for his role in The Hobbit film trilogy) and Tuppence Middleton (best known for her role in Downton Abbey) in exchange for an honest review.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney- Publication January 14, 2025
Unexpected twists happen in this mystery thriller that is clever and hidden well.
Grady Green is an author who had the best day of his life turn into the worst day in a matter of minutes. He can barely contain his excitement and calls his wife on her way home to share the exciting news he was anxiously waiting to hear. He suddenly hears his wife Abby slam on the brakes, claiming a woman is in the road and she gets out of the car to check on her even though he begged her to call the police and not get out of the car. She left the call open as he asked but she never returned back to the car. In a panic, he knew where she was and rushed to see what happened, and found her car by the cliff edge, headlights on, car running, driver door open and her phone was still there. . . but she was nowhere to be found.
A year later, Grady is still grieving, broken, and disheveled, he cannot bear to write any new books and is still desperate to know what happened to his wife Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, money is running out and he cannot even afford a decent apartment. His literary agent who also happens to be his missing wife's godmother allows him to try and get his life back by sending him off to a tiny Scottish island to try and get back some ambition to start writing again otherwise he will be broke and homeless. A previous writer she represented did all his writing on that island and wrote some of his best books while living there. The island is remote, has only 25 residents (some of who are a bit creepy), and no internet or cell phone coverage to interrupt him while he wrote. The only phone line has been dead for a long time according to the locals Grady spoke with, and they only have a boat come twice a week (weather permitting) for deliveries and mail.
Grady starts to see and hear strange things, including a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife. He thinks he is going crazy. Someone is leaving anonymous notes with old articles that his missing wife had written in the past regarding abused women and how the system wronged them, protected the abusive men that they fought off, and punished the women for protecting themselves or ignored their cries for help and ultimately were hurt worse without police intervention. Due to Abby's coverage of these cases, she was getting death threats from some of those people's families and Grady tried to convince her to stop writing those articles and stay home but she was very passionate about being the voice for those women and putting herself in danger. Did a family member from one of the abusive men have a hand in her disappearance?
He hears children's voices, a strange fog and someone keeps leaving him things in his cabin on the island. Something strange is going on and he is desperate to find out why. When he mentions being taken back to the mainland where his car is to get items he left behind, people discourage it and offer to help him while he stays on the island to concentrate on writing his book. Things start to escalate and he is desperate to find out what is going on.
"Life is a fairytale that rarely hands out happy endings. Life is beautiful ugly. My wife told me that."
This book was a slightly slower-paced story although it piqued my interest and was able to listen to it in one day. I didn't want to stop and find out what was going on in this little island with the strange people inhabiting it. Although many were friendly enough, something was off and he needed to find out why his missing wife seemed to keep popping up unexpectedly. This audiobook was well narrated by actors I am familiar with and enjoy listening to. I believe this book would be best enjoyed via audiobook as they did an excellent job.
This book has:
Unhappy relationships
Unexplained disappearance
Grief
Mental health challenges
Tension
Child/spouse Abuse
Mysterious people
Isolation
Family secrets
Bizarre Anonymous notes
Multiple POV
Brief intimate scenes
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Macmillan Audio for a copy of the 9hrs 19min Audiobook, Unabridged from Macmillan Audio beautifully narrated by Richard Armitage (best known for his role in The Hobbit film trilogy) and Tuppence Middleton (best known for her role in Downton Abbey) in exchange for an honest review.
The Bond That Burns by Briar Boleyn
Surviving the first year at Bloodwing Academy was rough, but it was just getting started. Unexpectedly and accidentally waking a dragon frozen in stone and learning to train him was not on Medra Pendragon's to-do list in her second year. Dealing with all the Vampire houses fighting over what Medra's fate should be for doing so, she is betrothed to Blake Drakharrow and his horrific uncle is trying to play King of all the houses acting as if he owned her was not helping. Well, maybe a little since some of the other vampire houses wanted her dead now more than ever.
Medra and Blake are still at each other's throats so he needs to make some changes for her to forgive him for trapping her connection to him further. Things get heated and as angry as she is at Blake and wants to break free of him when the opportunity arises, she is hesitant. Blake starts to see that threats and public embarrassment are not the best tactics to win her heart. Just as he figures out how to finally get close to her, the odds are always against her from more than one place.
"I kissed her fiercely. As if trying to erase every argument, every insult, every moment of doubt between us. And she let me, meeting my passion with her own."
Medra's plate is full. She must bond with and gain the trust of the cranky dragon that hates all the humans and vampires. Since she is the only dragon rider who can speak to him and help him remember what happened before he was trapped in stone, he gives her a chance and their relationship starts to bloom. She must still attend classes and prove to the vampire courts that she is worthy of staying alive and can contribute to them and be useful. A handsome and intriguing vampire from one of Blake's rival houses is trying to steal Medra from House Drakharrow and having her best friend placed in that house makes it all the more enticing to Medra.
The end of this book is on a cliffhanger with more than one life on the line, although I feel like there will be many interesting things happening in book 3 of Bloodwing Academy. I'm here for it all.
In this edition you will find:
Vampire Court Politics
Strong FMC
He Falls First
Touch her and Die
Dragons
Found Family
LGBTQ Rep
Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn Romances
Spicy Scenes
Hidden History
Fluffins!
Please note that this is book 2 in a series so you need to read book 1 to understand what is going on in this continued story. Although it is mentioned that you do not need to read the Blood of a Fae series before this one where the FMC Medra originates, I do recommend reading them if you want her backstory, know where she comes from, and where her family tree starts which is part of the Camelot court. Medra is a powerful fae in that realm and somehow lost most of her powers when she landed in the path of the Drakharrow family.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher Starwater Press (Indie) for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I'm a proud member of Briar's Rose Court Street Team of readers and have access to her books prior to publication.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The Bond That Burns (Bloodwing Academy #2) By Briar Boleyn
Surviving the first year at Bloodwing Academy was rough, but it was just getting started. Unexpectedly and accidentally waking a dragon frozen in stone and learning to train him was not on Medra Pendragon's to-do list in her second year. Dealing with all the Vampire houses fighting over what Medra's fate should be for doing so, she is betrothed to Blake Drakharrow and his horrific uncle is trying to play King of all the houses acting as if he owned her was not helping. Well, maybe a little since some of the other vampire houses wanted her dead now more than ever.
Medra and Blake are still at each other's throats so he needs to make some changes for her to forgive him for trapping her connection to him further. Things get heated and as angry as she is at Blake and wants to break free of him when the opportunity arises, she is hesitant. Blake starts to see that threats and public embarrassment are not the best tactics to win her heart. Just as he figures out how to finally get close to her, the odds are always against her from more than one place.
"I kissed her fiercely. As if trying to erase every argument, every insult, every moment of doubt between us. And she let me, meeting my passion with her own."
Medra's plate is full. She must bond with and gain the trust of the cranky dragon that hates all the humans and vampires. Since she is the only dragon rider who can speak to him and help him remember what happened before he was trapped in stone, he gives her a chance and their relationship starts to bloom. She must still attend classes and prove to the vampire courts that she is worthy of staying alive and can contribute to them and be useful. A handsome and intriguing vampire from one of Blake's rival houses is trying to steal Medra from House Drakharrow and having her best friend placed in that house makes it all the more enticing to Medra.
The end of this book is on a cliffhanger with more than one life on the line, although I feel like there will be many interesting things happening in book 3 of Bloodwing Academy. I'm here for it all.
In this edition you will find:
Vampire Court Politics
Strong FMC
He Falls First
Touch her and Die
Dragons
Found Family
LGBTQ Rep
Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn Romances
Spicy Scenes
Hidden History
Fluffins!
Please note that this is book 2 in a series so you need to read book 1 to understand what is going on in this continued story. Although it is mentioned that you do not need to read the Blood of a Fae series before this one where the FMC Medra originates, I do recommend reading them if you want her backstory, know where she comes from, and where her family tree starts which is part of the Camelot court. Medra is a powerful fae in that realm and somehow lost most of her powers when she landed in the path of the Drakharrow family.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher Starwater Press (Indie) for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I'm a proud member of Briar's Rose Court Street Team of readers and have access to her books prior to publication.
Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I listened to the audiobook and it’s mainly in the child perspective in a child’s voice and it’s a bit creepy. In a nutshell, Bella is 5? I think and she has an imaginary “other Mommy” who visits her. The visits got more frequent and the little girl was being pressured by her other mommy to give in to her.
Home life isn’t a typical happy home and you find out more as this story progresses. I wasn’t sure how the story would end, but it certainly was not what happened. I did find a lot of repetitive things happening so it made the story drag a bit. Overall, this was ok.
Home life isn’t a typical happy home and you find out more as this story progresses. I wasn’t sure how the story would end, but it certainly was not what happened. I did find a lot of repetitive things happening so it made the story drag a bit. Overall, this was ok.
My Favorite Holidate by Lauren Blakely
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Fake dating at its finest.
The Silent Woman by Minka Kent
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I'm not sure how to review this without giving anything away. I believe it’s best to read without knowing the plot. As a thriller, it’s more mysterious than scary. There aren’t any spicy scenes or murder. It’s a slow and steady discovery of what happened to a woman left silent after an unfortunate accident.