Tag: dark fantasy

The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle Two (The Celine Bower Story Series: Book 2)by Carly Brown

On By JolieIn book review, Mosaic Press, Non ARCLeave a comment

Publisher: Mosaic Press

Date of publication: August 31, 2022

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Superhero Science Fiction, Crime Thriller

Series: The Celine Bower Story

The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle One—review here

The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle Two

Purchase Links: Amazon (paperback only) | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mosaic Press published The Celine Bower Chronicle One in 2020 which established Carly Brown as an original voice in this genre. She was awarded the Winner Readers’ Choice Niagara Falls Review , 2020, The reviews were unanimous in their overwhelming critical praise. The highly anticipated Chronicle 2 is schedule to be published in 2022.

“I couldn’t put this book down! It kept me on the edge of my seat…Can’t wait for Part 2.” —Kara Foster

“I devoured this book! If you love a badass female protagonist overcoming all odds, this book is for you! From start to finish, this book keeps you riveted on Celine, her palatable need to over come her trauma, and on what will happen next. Can’t wait to see more from this author.” —Nicolle McKinnon

First Line:

The wake was shorter than he anticipated, and darker. There were even fewer people there than he thought as he walked in the assigned room.

The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle Two by Carly Brown

Celine left her hometown thinking that the police knew that she was the vigilante that maimed the four men who were her rapists. Telling no one where she is going, Celine arrives in the South Pacific and starts healing. Meanwhile, back home, a serial killer targets young college and high school students. With the body count rising, the police detectives (who know what Celine did) have no choice but to reach out and ask for help. But the question is, will Celine accept their request? And if she does, can she track down and take out the serial killer?

I was excited when the author contacted me and asked if I wanted to read/review The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle 2. With the way the first book ended, I had a few questions about everything. Plus, I wanted to see if Celine could heal from her rape. I also was curious about where she went. So, I said yes, and I am glad that I did. This book answered all my questions and tied up a couple of storylines from book 1.

The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle Two was a fast-paced book. It took me a little under a day to read. The book’s pacing fits the storyline, and there was little to no lag.

The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle Two had two main and multiple secondary storylines. Each of the storylines was well-written and well-fleshed out. The author did swap between the serial killer and Celine’s storyline often. But I didn’t have an issue telling them apart. I also liked the sense of completion with a couple of secondary storylines. I won’t say what storylines, but I did cheer for two of them. Talk about getting what they deserve.

The storyline following Celine and her healing was well written. She needed that time to come to terms with what happened to her. But there was a change in her character that I didn’t like. She had an edge and so much rage, which was understandable. The author also did something interesting with Celine’s storyline; she chose to highlight the sex trade in the South Pacific. Along with Celine, I was angry about those young girls sold to brothels, and I was sickened that men would go there for that reason.

The storyline following the serial killer was interesting and a little sad. I will not say much about this storyline except that his mother’s death drove him over the edge.

The end of Celine Bower was interesting. I liked how the author wrapped up the serial killer storyline. It was believable. I also liked how Celine seemed to be getting her life back on track. That scene in the coffee shop made me wonder what would happen in the future. I am still determining if there will be a book 3, but I hope the author does write one!!

I recommend The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle Two to anyone over 21. There is violence, language, and a nongraphic sexual situation.

Many thanks to Carly Brown for allowing me to read and review The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle Two. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed this review of The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle Two, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Carly Brown:

The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle One by Carly Brown

On By JolieIn book review, Mosaic Press, Non ARC1 Comment

Publisher: Mosaic Press

Date of publication: April 27th, 2021

Genre: Fantasy, Crime Fiction, Dark Fantasy, Horror

Trigger Warning: Rape (graphic and on-page), Attempted Rape (graphic and on-page), Depression (graphic and on-page), Alcohol (graphic and on-page), Domestic Violence (graphic and on-page). Racism (on-page),Death of parent (off-page and remembered), Drugs (graphic and on-page), Kidnapping (graphic and on-page)

Series: Celine Bower

The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle One

The Celine Bower Stoyr: Chronicle Two

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | Kobo | Google Play |

Goodreads Synopsis:

Celine Bower woke the morning after her night with John feeling shock and awe, and a growing sense of isolation. She remembered the meticulous plans and instinctively knowing how to cover her tracks. There wasn’t even a spot of blood on her boots when she took them off at the end of the night. Celine knew John couldn’t see what was happening behind him as she methodically prepared to alter his wretched existence forever.

Could it really be Celine looking back into her eyes, or was it someone else that took control of her body and her thoughts?

The Celine Bower Story, Chronicle One, is one woman’s epic journey from a kind and loving veterinarian and assault survivor, to a cunning and dangerous vigilante who will not be satisfied with just taking back the night, she’s taking it all back.

First Line:

“So, what’s your name, handsome?” the woman said as she turned and smiled at John Scott with a twinkle in her eye.

The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle One by Carly Brown

Celine had just graduated veterinary college and had landed a job working at her godfather’s veterinary hospital when she was kidnapped, drugged, beaten, and gang-raped. Destroyed and unable to remember anything about the assault, she works to get her life back on track. Then one stormy night, as Celine is tending to a dog hit by a car, the veterinary hospital is hit by lightning, and because Celine is holding a scalpel, she is too. Amazingly she is uninjured, but the strike has some interesting side effects. She is strong, but more importantly, she remembers the four men who raped her. That sends her on a path of vigilante justice. Can Celine get the justice that she so badly needs to heal and that the police can’t give her? And more importantly, will Celine stop after her rapists are taken care of? Or will she deal out more of her particular brand of justice?

I was hesitant when the author approached me to read and review Celine Bower. Why? I wouldn’t say I like reading books that deal with rape, and I try to avoid them at all costs. But, after reading the blurb, I was interested in it. So, I threw out any reservations and accepted the invite. I am glad I did because this book was excellent.

There are trigger warnings in Celine Bower. I do want to warn you that the triggers are many. The author doesn’t back down or sugarcoat anything that Celine goes through. That is what made this book so good and so heartbreaking at the same time. The trigger warnings are:

  1. Rape—Celine is gang raped towards the beginning of the book. But, while you know she was raped and who raped her, the author didn’t get graphic until almost the middle of the book. One of the rapists recounts a memory where his father raped his mother in front of him as a child.
  2. Attempted Rape—Celine interrupts a man trying to rape a teenager. At the end of the book, someone attempts to rape another girl.
  3. Depression—After being raped, Celine goes through a significant depression for weeks. She is brought out of her depression by her mother doing an intervention with her best friend.
  4. Alcohol—Alcohol is enormous in this book. Celine does drink socially. Her rapists also drink socially and use alcohol to abuse women. During her rape, Celine is forced to drink a lot of beer to throw the police off. Alcohol plays a big part in Celine’s vigilante work with her rapists.
  5. Domestic Violence—Celine is beaten while drugged up by one of her rapists. Her injuries were severe. One of the rapists has a girlfriend and daughter. He is known to beat her and other women regularly. One of the rapists witnessed his mother being beaten by his father.
  6. Racism—A witness to Celine’s kidnapping is a Native American. The racists throw slurs at him when he decides to leave. The ringleader shows up at this guy’s apartment and threatens him with violence while throwing racial slurs at him.
  7. Death of a parent—Celine’s father was killed when a drunk driver hit him head-on.
  8. Drugs—Celine is drugged when her rapist (a co-worker) slips roofies into her coffee. The rapists smoke pot before, during, and after the rape.
  9. Kidnapping—Celine is carried to a van by two of her rapists.

If any of these trigger you, I recommend not reading the book.

The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle One is a fast-paced book. The pacing of this book fits the storyline. It would have caused some lag with the plotline if it had been any slower.

The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle One takes place in Norfolk Falls. The author didn’t specify a state (and if she did, I missed it). Norfolk Falls is your typical medium-sized town, and I loved it. I could see my town (which borders small and medium-sized) in how the author wrote it.

The main storyline of The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle One centers around Celine and rape (before and after). This is a well-written storyline with so many layers. As soon as the author peeled back one layer, another appeared. The attention to detail and the author’s expression in describing everything made this book a joy. Of course, I could have done with a little less detail during the rape, but, as I stated above, I am not a huge fan of rape being the main storyline.

I both loved and feared Celine. She was a powerful person who had something horrible happen to her. There were points in the book where I wanted to step in and hug her. When she started her vigilante justice, I was on pins and needles for her and cheered for each rapist she took down.

I do want to touch on the rape investigation. I felt that the author kept it as true to life as possible and portrayed the police as realistically as well. The Sex Crimes officers had their hands tied (without suspects and DNA evidence that took forever to get in). I was upset at the questions that they had to ask Celine. Who in their right mind asks an assault victim questions like that? And when they figured out what Celine was doing, I loved how they had their back. While it wasn’t realistic, it was still awesome to read.

I disagreed with the dark fantasy/fantasy listing that the author gave this book. Nothing was pointing to fantasy until Celine got hit by lightning. And then, it was like it didn’t happen until she beat the guy who attempted to rape the fifteen-year-old toward the end of the book. I am hoping, though, that book two does delve more into that genre. From the little that the author showed, I am very interested.

The crime fiction angle was well-written. The author did a great job detailing the police’s side of Celine’s rape. It showed their frustration with having their hands tied because of the victim’s amnesia and how slow the DNA evidence was to be processed.

The horror angle of the book was well written also. The author did a fantastic job of detailing the horror of Celine’s rape. But, and this is the big thing, she also did a great job of threading horror into Celine’s vigilante work. I am not going to get into detail, but what she did to her rapists was perfect and, honestly, horrifying.

The end of The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle One was interesting. The author ended the main storyline but left enough for a second book. I cannot wait to read book 2!!

I recommend The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle One to anyone over 21. There is graphic violence, language, and graphic sexual situations. Also, see my trigger warnings.

Other books by Carly Brown:

Affinity for Pain (Newborn City: Book 1) by R.E. Johnson

On By JolieIn book review, IngramSpark, Non ARCLeave a comment

Publisher: IngramSpark

Date of Publication: October 21st, 2022

Genre: Fantasy, Romance. Dark Fantasy

Series: Newborn City

Affinity for Pain—Book 1

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | IndieBound | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

Perfect for fans of J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series and Keri Lake’s
Nightshade, Affinity for Pain is a dark paranormal romance that is steamy,
action-packed, and full of emotional intrigue.

Hope Turner is the ideal human-hunting assassin, and she is damn good at her job. A daughter of the Chakal, a race of hybrid demons lacking physical sensation and
emotion, Hope was always brutally efficient in her work. She never struggled with a case, that is, until she was assigned to take down Ciaran O-Connor – a stubborn,
strong-willed bodyguard with a dark past and severe PTSD.

He also happens to be her soulmate.

When the omaeriku – an inescapable soulmate bond – takes hold of her, Hope is hit with a wave of emotion and physical sensation for the first time in her life. Finding herself unable to kill Ciaran and ending up on her former boss’s hit list, Hope and Ciaran must escape into hiding. Immediately, the chemistry between Hope and Ciaran is electric. However, they must try to direct their focus on finding a way to take down Marcus Dentry, their newfound common enemy, who was both Hope’s former boss and Ciaran’s former captor and torturer.

However, as they spend more time together and succumb to their physical desire for each other, the newfound emotion and pain brought forth by the soulmate bond begin to overwhelm Hope. Can Hope learn to handle her sudden emotions, both the good and the bad, before it drives her away from the only person who can make her feel? And can Hope and Ciaran track down Marcus and exact their revenge before he gets to them first?

Inspired by the works of authors like Robin McKinley and Neil Gaiman, Affinity for
Pain is a great next read for smut-lovers seeking a romance that includes action,
intimate vulnerability, and electric chemistry. Click “Add to Cart!” today!

First Line:

“And now I’m late. Ugh. This guy better die quick.”

Affinity for Pain by R.E. Johnson

One of my guilty pleasures is reading books that contain a lot of smut and have the tropes of fated mates. Yes, I am one of those people who read those werewolf smut snippets on Facebook (come on, you know you did it!!). So, when I read the blurb for this book, I was immediately intrigued. Not because it has werewolves (spoiler, it doesn’t) but because it was the same kind of book, except it has demons. So, how could I say no? Well, this book was a lot darker than those snippets. Not that I didn’t enjoy it (I did), but this book might not be the right fit for most people.

Now, saying that, I am going to put the trigger warning up front. I am not easily shocked (by anything in life). But the triggers in this book shocked me. Some things discussed in the book took me by surprise, and some (to be frank), disgusted me. So, here are the trigger warnings, and there might be a spoiler or two in there (sorry!!) This book contains cursing (a lot of foul language), explicit sex that includes kink (some BSDM, praise, and first time), torture (graphic), sexual assault (on a male), discussion of past trauma related to male sexual assault and captivity, kidnapping, combat, gun fights, mentions of suicide, and pregnancy. If any of these trigger you, I recommend not reading the book. As I said, I am not easily shocked, but this book shocked me. I took the trigger warnings directly from the author’s website.

Affinity for Pain is the first book in the Newborn City series. Because it is the first book in the series, you don’t need to read another book to catch up on what’s happening. There is a website (see the paragraph above) where you can see trigger warnings, the book synopsis, a glossary, and the characters. I found it very helpful as a reference while writing this review.

Affinity for Pain had a dark but exciting plotline. Set in the fictional city of Newborn City in New York, this fast-paced book is centered around Hope Turner, a Chakal demon assassin, and Ciaran O’Connor, an ex-underground fighter who escaped the demons who kidnapped and tortured him. Hope has been hired to assassinate Ciarian. She is chosen because she always gets the job done. But once Hope sees Ciaran, she realizes she has bonded to him, which is called an omaeriku. With her race, it is a cherished bond, but she doesn’t want it. Unfortunately for her, it has happened, and she can’t kill Ciaran. As the bond intensifies and Hope experiences pain for the first time, she becomes overwhelmed. She channels everything into finding Marcus, her ex-boss and Ciaran’s ex-captor. Will they find Marcus? Will they be able to defeat him? Will the bond stay intact?

The author created complex characters for this book. There were so many layers; I feel she didn’t even show everything and kept some layers under wrap for the next book.

  • Hope—I liked her. A bit of background here, she is a Chakal demon. Hope is a successful assassin because she lacks pain and wants to keep it that way. The females of her race cannot feel pain until they meet their soul mate. But once she sees and realizes that Ciaran is her soulmate, she goes back and forth if she wants to be with him. The best way to get rid of the bond is to kill him. But she didn’t; instead, she forced herself to embrace the one thing she didn’t want. I was a little confused by that but hey, her fictional life. I will say that she was loyal, and once she decided to trust someone, she had their back. Overall, she was a solid character.
  • Ciaran—Holy crap, where do I begin with this guy. He was kidnapped and forced to fight in an underground gladiator arena against other demons. He was also Marcus’s special pet (use your imagination, shudder). He was instrumental in escaping and burning the club where he was being kept captive. And because of that, he has severe PTSD and intimacy issues. My heart broke for him. When he came to New York, he was full of wonder and wanted to see the world. Instead, well read above. He was a lethal killer. His time in the ring made sure of that. I wanted to ship him back to Ireland, get him into therapy, and let him heal.
  • Marcus—He was one of the evilest characters I have ever read. Yes, I know he was a demon, but he took evil to a new level. The things he did to Ciaran were unspeakable. I was left shaking after certain events in the book because I wanted to hurt him.

The secondary characters in Affinity for Pain were just as well written as the main ones. But, the author left a lot to the imagination. Dimitri is who I am talking about. I couldn’t figure out his deal except that he was loyal to Ciaran. Even the type of demon Dimitri was wasn’t talked about. All I knew was that he was from Russia, a demon with extraordinary power (he used that twice), and that was it. It made me want more!!!

Affinity for Pain is a very dark paranormal romance. It fit very well in the paranormal category. I loved the backstory of how the author introduced the demons to the world. It was fascinating, and I can’t wait to see what other kinds of demons are out there. As for the romance angle, I was a little iffy on that. It was an Instalove situation (fated mate bond). I am not a fan of Instalove. But in this case, it worked. I also felt that there was no work to the romance. It jumped from the bond to sex, sex, and more sex.

The storyline with Hope, Ciaran, and their bond was interesting. I liked how the author explained how the Chakal demons society worked. It was interesting to see a male-dominated society with its own Gods and rules. The only thing I disagreed with was forced breeding. But the author didn’t spend much time on that. I did like how Hope and Ciaran worked together. She was also good for his PTSD and wasn’t judgemental when he finally told her about what happened to him while kidnapped.

The storyline with Ciaran, Marcus, Ciaran’s kidnapping, and his ultimate journey for revenge was heartbreaking. I will warn you; it does get graphic. Marcus does some awful things to Ciaran, and the author doesn’t sugarcoat it.

The end of Affinity for Pain was interesting. I say interesting because of what happened and how everything was resolved or not resolved. I will not get into it, but I look forward to seeing what book 2 brings with Hope and Ciaran. I also hope that Dimitri and Reddina are featured more. I want to know more about him and her.

I would recommend Affinity for Pain to anyone over 21. There is graphic violence, graphic language, and graphic sexual situations. Also, see the trigger warnings at the beginning of the review.

I want to thank R.E. Johnson and Novel Cause for allowing me to read and review Affinity for Pain. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading Affinity for Pain, you will enjoy reading these books:

Son of the Poison Rose (Kagen the Damned: Book 2) by Jonathan Maberry

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin, St. Martin's PressLeave a comment

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: January 10th, 2023

Series: Kagen the Damned

Kagen the Damned—Book 1 (review here)

Son of the Poison Rose—Book 2

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Dark Fantasy

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | IndieBound | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

Son of the Poison Rose marks the second installment of New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry’s epic, swashbuckling Kagen the Damned series.

The Silver Empire is in ruins. War is in the wind. Kagen and his allies are on the run from the Witch-king. Wild magic is running rampant everywhere. Spies and secret cabals plot from the shadows of golden thrones.

Kagen Vale is the most wanted man in the world, with a death sentence on his head and a reward for him—dead or alive—that would tempt a saint.

The Witch-king has new allies who bring a terrible weapon—a cursed disease that drives people into a murderous rage. If the disease is allowed to spread, the whole of the West will tear itself apart.

In order to build an army of resistance fighters and unearth magical weapons of his own, Kagen and his friends have to survive attacks and storms at sea, brave the haunted wastelands of the snowy north, fight their way across the deadly Cathedral Mountains, and rediscover a lost city filled with cannibal warriors, old ghosts, and monsters from other worlds. Along with his reckless adventurer brothers, Kagen races against time to save more than the old empire… if he fails the world will be drenched in a tsunami of bloodshed and horror.

Son of the Poison Rose weaves politics and espionage, sorcery and swordplay, treachery and heroism as the damned outcast Kagen fights against the forces of ultimate darkness.

First Line:

“Repel boarders!”

The cry rang through the ship, tearing Kagen from a dream of his family dining all together, the air filled with conversation and laughter and the smell of the Harvest feast.

Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry

I love a complicated fantasy book that takes you down a road you didn’t think it would go. That was what I liked about Kagen the Damned and what I hoped that Son of the Poison Rose would do. This book not only delivered on that expectation but also exceeded what I expected.

Son of the Poison Rose takes place in a complicated but similar world to ours. It was a medium-paced book for about 85%, but it picked up steam towards the end. With how this book ended, any other pacing would have made it impossible to read and retain the information (fast) or made it so dull that people would DNF it after the first few chapters (slow).

Son of the Poison Rose starts shortly after the events in Kagen the Damned. Kagen is determined to discover what happened to his brother, Herepath, to make him turn into the Witch-King. He is not alone in his journey and is aided by his best friends, Tuke and Filia. Their journey takes them from the frozen north to the jungle to uncover secrets left undiscovered for millennia. This book also follows Ryssa as she tries to come to terms with the sacrifice of her lover, Miri, to the god Cthulhu; Mother Frey, as she sets in place a plan to take back the empire; the Witch-King and his cronies dealing with countries that oppose him, and the last two Seedlings, Desalyn and Alleyn, as they try to keep their identities in place and not become Garvan and Foscor, the Witch-King’s children. Enemies are made, countries are destroyed, and alliances are forged as people come together to battle the Witch-King forces. When the dust settles, who will be on top? Will Kagen find out what happened to his brother? Will Ryssa accept Miri’s death? Will Mother Frey get results from everything she’s been doing? Will the Witch-King triumph over his enemies? Will Desalyn/Foscor and Alleyn/Garvan keep their identities?

Son of the Poison Rose is the second book in the Kagen the Damned series. This book cannot be read as a stand-alone book. It will help if you read the first book to understand what is happening in this one.

The characters (primary and secondary) in Son of the Poison Rose were all wonderfully written. The author didn’t write these characters to be loved. These characters got under your skin and sat while you tried to figure out their next move. They were complex and had issues brought to life in the book. The author also didn’t hesitate to kill or maim primary and secondary characters.

  • Kagen—I wasn’t sure what I would get with him when I started reading Son of the Poison Rose. Finding out who the Witch-King was had badly shaken him at the end of Kagen the Damned. I mean, he had found out that his brother executed 2 of his siblings, their parents, and the entire royal line except for the twins. I would have been in shock too. But he didn’t dwell on it much. Instead, he decided to do something about it. He went north to recruit people to his cause. He discovered that magic had reawakened the world in terrifying ways. And he went to a kingdom avoided by other countries to try and find out how to defeat the Witch-King.
  • Ryssa—She didn’t get much page time in the book. But, man, it was intense when the author squeezed her in. She was evolving into something more than herself, something that even the Witch-King feared. I cannot wait to see what she will do in Book 3.
  • Mother Frey—Again, the author gave not much page time to her in the book. And, as with Ryssa, it was explosive when she was in the book. She reminded me of Varys in GoT (with her hands in everything). She manipulated events and people. Plus, she was a tough old bird, and I loved her!! Again, I can’t wait to see what she’ll bring in Book 3.
  • The Witch-King—He was vicious. His bringing in of the monks and turning people of various villages into undead, and allowing his enemies to find and be killed by them highlighted that to me. But I also got the feeling that he was losing power. There were scenes where he talked about killing Kagen, but after everyone left, he cried. That felt like his “real” personality was breaking through. I am curious to see what he will do after what happened in his tower. And I got some insight into why he targeted the Silver Empire.
  • Desalyn/Foscor and Alleyn/Garvan—All I have to say is those poor children. They witnessed so much (like their eldest sister’s rape and murder), and they were forced to do things no children should do. Like, beat each other with a rod when they touched. I did like how Lady Kestrel helped him in the end (she realized what was being done to them was awful). Again, I can’t wait to see where their characters will go in Book 3.

Before I get interrupted or forget, this is a long book. It has 704 pages. So you must read it in more than one sitting. It took me several days to read Son of the Poison Rose.

Son of the Poison Rose fits perfectly into the fantasy and horror genre. If I did have to get technical, this could be shelved as a dark fantasy. But since I’m not getting technical, fantasy, it will be.

I will only take the time to outline some of the main storylines in the book. It would make this book tediously long. I will briefly summarize what I thought of all the storylines. They were insanely good, and I couldn’t get enough of them. Even the little snippets of what was happening in the world once the magic was released were unique. My only complaint was that I thought the author drew the undead/pyramid scenes out toward the end of Kagen’s storyline. But it served its purpose, and I can’t wait to see what will happen in this world now!!

There are some major trigger warnings in Son of the Poison Rose. There are explicit scenes of child abuse, graphic violence, gore, self-mutilation, and sexual situations. If any of these triggers you, I recommend not reading this book.

The end of Son of the Poison Rose was a cliffhanger. Usually, I’m not too fond of cliffhangers. They annoy me, but they do their job. I am invested in these characters, and I need to read book 3 to see if there will be any resolution.

I recommend Son of the Poison Rose to anyone over 21. There is explicit violence, language, and sexual situations. Also, see my trigger warnings.

If you enjoyed reading Son of the Poison Rose, you will enjoy reading these books:

They Mostly Come Out at Night (Yarnsworld: Book 1) by Benedict Patrick

On By JolieIn book review, Non ARC, One More Page3 Comments
They Mostly Come Out at Night (Yarnsworld, #1)

Publisher: One More Page

Date of publication: June 16th, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Dark Fantasy

Series: Yarnsworld

They Mostly Come Out at Night—Book 1

Where the Water Turns Black—Book 2

Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords—Book 3

From the Shadows of the Owl Queen’s Court—Book 4

To Dream and Die as a Taniwha Girl—Book 5

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | Audible | Kobo | Better World Books

Format Read: eBook

Purchase From: Amazon as Free eBook (not free now)

Trigger Warning: Violence

Goodreads synopsis:

He locked himself away from the dark, but in the Magpie King’s forest nowhere is safe…

Lonan is an outcast, accused of letting the monsters that stalk the night into the homes of his fellow villagers. Now, he will not rest until he wins back the heart of his childhood love and reclaims the life that was stolen from him. However, locked safely in his cellar at night, in his dreams Lonan finds himself looking through the eyes of a young prince…

Adahy has a destiny, and it terrifies him. How can he hope to live up to the legend of the Magpie King, to become the supernatural protector of the forest and defender of his people? But when the forest is invaded by an inhuman force, Adahy must rise to this challenge or let the Wolves destroy his people.

Watching these events unfold in his sleep, Lonan must do what he can to protect his village from this new threat. He is the only person who can keep his loved ones from being stolen away after dark, and to do so he will have to earn back their trust or watch the monsters kill everyone that he holds dear.

They Mostly Come Out At Night is a Dark Fantasy novel from Benedict Patrick’s Yarnsworld series. If you like Neil Gaiman and Patrick Rothfuss then you will love this captivating, dangerous world in which ordinary people struggle to find their place in a land ruled by stories.

Start reading today to discover this epic tale of dreams, fables and monsters!

First Line:

Splintered wood, teeth and claws, blood in the night.

They Mostly Come Out at Night by Benedict Patrick

Beginning of Book Impressions:

I was pretty excited to read They Mostly Come Out at Night. Honestly, this has been the most exciting that I have been reading a book in a long time. I couldn’t wait to see what this book would be about. You know what? I wasn’t disappointed!! They Mostly Come Out at Night ended up being what I thought it would be and then some.

The book started fast and kept up the pace until the middle of the book. It took me a couple of hours to get through the first half of the book. That is a good thing seeing that I read before bed. I had to make myself stop reading because I needed to sleep.

Several things are revealed in the first half of the book. I am going to bullet point them with brief explanations. If I wrote paragraphs, this review could get lengthy, and we wouldn’t want that, would we!!

  1. The main characters. Lonan, the village outcast, and Adahy, the heir to The Magpie King’s throne. Out of the two, I liked Lonan the most. Even though the village shunned him, he was a good person. Plus, he was the only person who knew who and what Jareth Quarry was. Adahy, I liked him, but I thought he was weak and not fit to take over The Magpie King’s role.
  2. The Knacks. Everyone in Lonan’s village had a Knack. Everyone, except Lonan. It was another blow and another thing for people to taunt him over.
  3. Adahy’s relationship with Maedoc. Maedoc was Adahy’s whipping boy. If you don’t know what a whipping boy was, click here. To me, it was a warped relationship, but Adahy honestly thought that Maedoc was his friend.
  4. The folklore (fairy tales) that were included instead of regular paragraphs. It gave so much background into The Magpie King and the different Animals that certain groups of people took their names from (Mouse, Owl, Wolf). I liked that the author gave the reader a chance to make up their mind on how much was right with the folk tales.

By the end of the beginning of the book, some details were starting to come out. Lonan wasn’t responsible for anything, and Adahy wasn’t ready to become King. I was still trying to figure out how Lonan and Adahy were connected but was coming up blank.

Mid-Book Impressions:

The pace of the book did not slow down during the middle of the book. It picked up. I was left on the edge of my seat during several scenes.

Again, there is so much going on in this book; I will bullet point it to keep it straight.

  1. Jareth’s campaign against Lonan starts to unravel, and Jareth’s Knack is revealed. Jareth’s hatred for Lonan is also disclosed. I wasn’t surprised at what was revealed. I was saddened, though.
  2. Adahy’s quest to become the next King Magpie. I thought it was nuts. I also thought that bringing Maedoc with him was, well, not well thought out.
  3. The introduction of The Pale Woman. Talk about someone who freaked me out!! A faceless woman who kept the flower that Adahy needed to become the Magpie King. My spidey sense started tingling because Mother Ogma had mentioned her in a previous chapter.
  4. Branwen gradually starting to talk to Lonan again and Jareth’s insane reaction to it. I got why he acted the way he did but still.
  5. The reveal of Lonan’s Knack. I wasn’t surprised at what it was, but I was still confused about how Lonan and Adahy were connected.
  6. Maedoc’s betrayal of Adahy. I should have seen it coming. But I didn’t, and it was a shocking way to end the middle of the book.
  7. There were more folk tales about The Magpie King. But there were also a couple of stories about The Mouse King. Those tales foreshadow what was going to happen between Maedoc and Adahy.

End of Book Impressions:

The end of the book was fantastic!!! I loved that They Mostly Come Out at Night kept up the blisteringly fast pace. There was a twist that I didn’t see coming and one that I did.

I liked how the author brought Adahy and Lonan’s stories together. Any confusion that I previously had gone away when their connection was explained. It made total sense.

The Jareth angle of the book was ended at the beginning of the end of the book. I loved seeing that he got what was coming to him (sorry, not sorry). I also liked that the villagers went out of their way to make things right with Lonan. The only thing that wasn’t resolved was Lonan’s relationship with his mother. I figured that she came around with the rest of the village.

I am not going to go into the rest of the book. All I will say is that Lonan became what he was meant to be. But that came at a high cost. That final scene with Mother Ogma broke my heart.

My Overall Thoughts on They Only Come Out at Night:

I enjoyed reading They Only Come Out at Night. The dual storylines with small chapters of folk tales kept my attention. The lore was fantastic and made me want to know more. The characters were well written, and the plotline was fast-moving. There was no lag.

I would recommend They Only Come Out at Night for anyone over 16. This is a clean book (no sex).

Fairy Ring: Changeling of Janderelle (Fairy Ring: Book 2) by Jacque Stevens

On By JolieIn Non ARC, sjacquebooks2 Comments
Fairy Ring: Changeling of Janderelle (Book Two) by [Stevens, Jacque]

4 Stars

Publisher: sjacquebooks

Date of publication: May 23rd, 2019

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Series: Fairy Ring

Fairy Ring: Shards of Janderelle—Book 1

Fairy Ring: Changeling of Janderelle—Book 2

Where you can find Fairy Ring: Changeling of Janderelle: Amazon | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Queen-bee of her freshman class, fifteen-year-old Grace is no angel. 

That spot was reserved for her brother, Gabriel. But now that Gabe has died, it seems everyone has forgotten him. Even her mother would rather focus on her new boyfriend than plan a funeral.

Grace can’t forget, and after discovering a way into the fairy world that killed her brother, she is ready to take her revenge. Even if that means befriending the trolls of that world and becoming their queen, their changeling child. 

But as accessing her full magic requires her to draw others through the fairy ring, it seems her revenge may come at an even higher price—her soul.

Sequel to Fairy Ring: Shards of Janderelle.

Clean Read. References to substance abuse, nonexplicit sexual references, and other more serious issues. Recommended for young adults and teens fourteen and up. 

My Review:

My brother, Gabriel, was a saint, right up there with whatever angel our parents named him after

I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to read this book when I came across it. I took one look at the cover and went, “Ugggh. Another YA fantasy.” Then I read the blurb, and my feelings changed. I couldn’t wait to dive into this book.

The author did a fantastic job of explaining why she wrote Grace the way she did in the author’s note. She drew on her experience of a mental health nurse to make Grace as realistic as possible. She also made it clear that in no way is Grace a hero, which I loved.

Like I stated in the above paragraph, Grace is not a hero. Grace was damaged. She was a bully who took pleasure in tormenting Livy. She never dealt with the car accident and then Gabe’s death. She was a hot mess. I did feel bad for her. She was hurting, and her mother wasn’t there for her.

You do need to read book 1 to understand this book. I didn’t, and I was lost for most of the book. Kaito does go into what happened the night that Gabe died, but that still wasn’t enough detail. This isn’t a stand alone book.

Grace caused a lot of harm in this book. She was going to do anything to get back at Kaito. Anything. That’s how she ended up becoming the Ogress of the trolls. That was also how she ended up with shards from Jaron and Cody. And finally, that is how she got in trouble in the human world for trying to kill Briar.

The end of the book was heartbreaking. Her confusion over what exactly happened that night was palpable. I will say that she didn’t have any regret for anything that she did. I am curious to see what her character will be like in the next book.

I would give Fairy Ring: Changeling of Janderelle an Older Teen rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread Fairy Ring: Changeling of Janderelle.  I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

The Lich’s Heart (The Windhaven Chronicles) by Watson Davis

On By JolieIn ARC, book review4 Comments
The Lich's Heart (The Windhaven Chronicles) by [Davis, Watson]

5 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: March 14th, 2019

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Series: The Windhaven Chronicles

The Devil’s Library—Book 1 (review here)

The Shepherd Girl’s Necklace—Book 2 (review here)

The Archbishop’s Amulet—Book 3 (review here)

The Snowtiger’s Trail—Book 4 (review here)

The Lich’s Heart—Book 5

Where you can find The Lich’s Heart: Amazon

Synopsis:

A rebellion rising. A land under siege. Can a conflicted priestess defeat an ancient, ruthless magic?

Hanno’s husband is dead. Filled with pain, the priestess and healer questions her faith in the almighty Eternal Council. When she unknowingly aids a wounded rebel, she’s forced to choose between returning to her old life or taking up arms against the rulers she used to worship…

Deep within the heart of the rebel ranks, Hanno witnesses the Council cut down the lives of her new and dwindling allies. But the healer knows a secret. And if she’s able to reach the enemy’s hidden, vulnerable weakness, then the rebels may just have a chance to avoid obliteration.

Can Hanno guide her people to freedom, or will vicious rulers make her pay dearly for her betrayal?

The Lich’s Heart is a thrilling dark fantasy in the sweeping Windhaven Chronicles. If you like determined heroes, mythical lands, and swords and sorcery, then you’ll love Watson Davis’s epic adventure.

Buy The Lich’s Heart to rise up against dark magic today!

My review:

Hanno is a healer in a small village. Once a priestess of Gal-nya, she retired to the village to mourn her husband. Her peaceful life comes to an end when she heals a wounded rebel. She gets caught up in a rebellion that makes her the figurehead. With the rebel forces being decimated, Hanno must go on a journey. Her mission: Find the heart of one of the Eternal Council and destroy it. But it is easier said than done. Can she do it? Can Hanno take down a Council member? Or will she die trying?

Hanno: I liked Hanno and I understood her reluctance to get involved with the rebellion. She was a healer. Her vow was to heal people whenever she could. She wasn’t going to ignore an injured person because they were a rebel. If they needed healing, she was going to do it. She was also a little naive. She kept giving people the benefit of the doubt. But, at the same time, it was refreshing.

What I also liked about Hanno was that she was conflicted. She stayed conflicted for almost the entire book. I got why she was so conflicted. She still believed in the temple and its teachings. But at the same time, she understood why the people were rebelling. Even towards the end of the book, she was still trying to pave the way for communication.

If you have been reading this blog long enough, my love for dark fantasy is well known. I have become picky about what kind of dark fantasy books that I read. When I read the blurb for The Lich’s Heart, I knew that it was going to be a great book. And it was.

The plotlines for The Lich’s Heart were well written. The author did a great job of keeping the pace of the book up for the entire book. There was no lag. There were no dropped storylines. The storylines were also wrapped up in a way that I liked too.

The secondary characters made the book. I was surprised by the appearance of Gartan. I liked seeing this different side to him. He cared for Hanno and she for him. The other characters in the book flushed it out. They added extra depth that was needed.

There is a lot of violence and violent situations in The Lich’s Heart. There were several scenes where I did wince. But I also realized that this book wouldn’t be as good as it is if there wasn’t violence. That whole culture is a violent one. The book couldn’t have been written any other way.

The end of The Lich’s Heart was interesting. While the plotlines were wrapped up, I still had some questions. Mainly after reading the final chapter.

I would give The Lich’s Heart an Adult rating. There is no sex but there are sexual situations discussed in the book. There is no language. There is explicit violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Lich’s Heart. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review The Lich’s Heart.

All opinions stated in this review of The Lich’s Heart are mine.

Have you read The Lich’s Heart?

Did you like it or not?

Have you ever been pulled into something against your wishes?

Let me know!!

Within the Darkness (Wisteria: Book 2) by Shelby Lamb

On By JolieIn book review, Non ARC, Shelby Anonymous1 Comment
Within the Darkness (Wisteria Book 2): A Dark Fantasy Dystopian With Demons and Monsters - Mature Content by [Lamb, Shelby]

4 Stars

Publisher: Shelby Anonymous

Date of publication: January 4, 2019

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Dystopia

Series: Wisteria

Something—book 1 (review here)

Within the Darkness—book 2

Where you can find Within the Darkness: Amazon| Bookbub

Synopsis:

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad.”

— Aldous Huxley

Aubrey has done it. She has teleported herself to “the hidden domain” and have managed to bring along her dream boy, Nathan, and nemesis/ex-besty Adelaide. But how could this be? They were all just at a party. No one knew getting into the backyard shed and saying the “magic words” would work. And the three are absolutely stunned. But the world Aubrey thought would be a wonderful paradise is actually a nightmare. As beautiful and enchanting as it is, Wisteria is like jumping down the rabbit hole with the Devil waiting on the sidelines. 

The people are different in this world. They are monsters, and not just physically. The Moss Wall is supposed to serve as a protection, separating the demons from the non-demons, but that doesn’t mean Aubrey and her friends are safe. Non-demon Aristocrats are nasty and cruel, indulging in their favorite daily past-time: the torture of the red maidens. 

And as for the handsome demon boy who wants Aubrey’s soul? “You’ll never escape,” warned fairies swooping down on her.

But Aubrey, Nathan, and Adelaide won’t go down without a fight. They simply must make it to the safe house and find their way out of the realm. Thankfully The Underground Annual is on its way. It is the biggest party, an explosive rave that happens once a year. And now it is their only window of opportunity. But will their plan succeed?

My review:

Trigger Warning:

I rarely do this but I am going to start this review off with a warning. Within the Darkness is a graphic book. I am not shocked by things that I read. Not at all. But even I had to do take a step back at the casual, extreme violence that was showcased in the book.

I will include a trigger warning with this book because it needs it. The triggers are rape, drug use, physical abuse, mental illness, cutting and talk of suicide. If you are triggered by any of these, then skip reading this review and the book.

The Plot:

Within the Darkness starts off with right after the events of Something. Audrey, Nathan, and Adelaide have been transported to Wisteria. Very soon after arriving in Wisteria, they find out that the magical land they were sent too has a dark side. Sexual assault, drug use, murder, and violence are the norm in Wisteria. Monsters roam the street and the forests. Audrey, Nathan, Adelaide, and Morgan are soon pushed right into the thick of it. They are captured by a sadistic Auntie and her sidekicks. Forced to endure and do things that they would never do, they vow to escape and go to a safe house. They find their chance when they realize that there is a rave that is held only once a year. They hope to escape in the crush of people. Can they do it? Can they survive until then?

I thought that the plot of Within the Darkness was well written. The urgency that Audrey, Nathan, and Adelaide felt was palpable. Their terror at being in a world where graphic violence was the norm was palpable. If I had seen some of the things they did, I would have freaked out at the beginning.

I will admit that the amount of violence showcased in the book was a bit off-putting at first. But, as I got deeper into the book, I came to realize that the violence was part of Wisteria. Audrey came to realize that towards the end of the book. It’s hard to explain without giving away major spoilers. All I will say is that I had an “Aha” moment the minute Audrey realized it too.

Characters:

Audrey: I wasn’t a fan of Audrey in the first book. So, I went into reading Within the Darkness with a little bit of prejudice against her. She took Nathan and Adelaide into Wisteria against their will. Which was kind of a dick thing to do. I wouldn’t go as far to say that I liked her but I did start to understand her. She was struggling with an untreated mental illness. It caused her to do things that she regretted after the fact. She did try to make things right. She tried to get them to the safe house. But she also got them into some pretty hairy situations.

I thought Audrey’s struggle with her mental illness was spot on. I also thought that her coping mechanisms (the cutting, sex, and drugs) were spot on also.

Nathan: I felt bad for him in this book. He was dragged into a world that was alien by his stalker. Plus, he had his girlfriend to protect. I didn’t blame him for how he felt about Audrey. Heck, I would have felt the same way. I did admire how he didn’t allow the violence of Wisteria to influence him. I was the only person at Ambrose’s parties that didn’t drink or do drugs (that I can recall). He also loved Adelaide.

Adelaide: I didn’t have any feelings towards Adelaide during the first half of the book. I did sympathize with her. I also understood her anger at Audrey. Who wouldn’t have been angry? She didn’t evoke any sort of strong reactions from me. I did start to like her after what happened to her at Auntie’s. I am not going to go into what happened but it made her a stronger person.

Morgan: She was the only one out of the foursome that I didn’t like. She was a junkie looking for a fix. She would do whatever it took to get her drugs. Even if that meant selling out the people she was traveling with. She was the only person in the group that wasn’t disgusted by the violence in Wisteria. It actually turned her on. I was hoping that she was eaten by something or killed. But it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.

My Thoughts on the Book

I did enjoy reading Within the Darkness. The author did a fantastic job with world building. I liked how she incorporated Japanese/Asian themes in the book. It made for an interesting background for what was happening in that realm.

There were parts of the book that made me wince while reading it. The treatment of the red-maidens was a huge part of that. A close second was how the Main World girls were treated. The casual violence towards those women was cringeworthy. I winced while reading those parts of the book.

The end of Within the Darkness was a cliffhanger. I wasn’t surprised by what happened. I was surprised that it happened with such ease. The author did not wrap up storylines. So I am expecting most of them to be carried on into book 3.

I would give Within the Darkness an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is explicit violence. This is not a book for anyone under the age of 21.

I would reread Within the Darkness. I would also recommend this book to family and friends. I would make sure to tell them about the triggers.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Within the Darkness.

All opinions stated in this review of Within the Darkness are mine.

Have you read Within the Darkness?

Let me know!!

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Own to Obey (Myth of Omega: Book 7) by Zoey Ellis

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Quill Ink BooksLeave a comment
Own To Obey (Myth of Omega Book 7) by [Ellis, Zoey]

4 Stars

Publisher: Quill Ink Books

Date of publication: February 6th, 2019

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Romance

Series: Myth of Omega

Crave to Conquer—Book 1

Crave to Capture—Book 2

Crave to Claim—Book 3

Credence—Book 3.5

Reign to Ruin—Book 4

Reign to Ravage—Book 5

Reign to Rule—Book 6

Own to Obey—Book 7

Own to Obsess—Book 8 (expected publication date: April 25th, 2019)

Where to find Own to Obey: Bookbub| Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

He obtained her – and now she must obey

The Alpha Prince

Brutality and tradition are a way of life for ferocious tribe leader, Kardos. Born different from the other princes, he strives to be the best–to earn his place and prove his worth.

After negotiating for a rare Omega not seen in his Land for over one hundred years, he is keen to present her to the High Chief and gain the recognition he deserves.

It doesn’t matter that she has mesmerizing beauty, or that her manner is too mild for his culture. It doesn’t matter that deep down, a craving burns strong to keep her for himself.

She must accept her fate – and so must he.

The Omega Gift

Sheltered all her life, Omega Shaya found joy in the gardens of her home, the protection of her sister, and the simplicity of her life.

But when the decision to save her sister suddenly puts her in the possession of a fierce tribal warrior, she begins to understand that life can be savage, and painful, and complex.

Alone, and with no way to protect herself, Shaya is determined to overcome the harsh treatment of a culture she doesn’t understand, but when she finds herself attracted to the Alpha’s dominance, she has to find a way to resist him so he doesn’t break her completely; body, mind, and heart.

Own To Obey is the first book in this couple’s story, but the seventh installment of the Myth of Omega series. This is a dark, steamy, Omegaverse romance. Cliff-hanger included. For fans of barbarian Alpha anti-heroes, sweet but savvy Omega heroines, epic fantasy worlds, and captive romances. Discover a magical kind of dark…

Own To Obey includes romance and situations of a dark nature. Some aspects of this story may be sensitive for some readers. For ages 18 and over

My review:

I am going to start off this book with a warning. There are situations in this book that will trigger people. There are situations that will make people upset. If you have triggers, then don’t read the book. If not and you can look past the beginning few chapters, then read it.

Now that is out of the way, let’s get onto the review!!

I enjoyed reading Own to Obey, even though it was the 7th book in the Myth of Omega series. I do not like picking up a book mid-series. 9 out of 10 times, I am left with a “WTH” feeling as I read. I did get a small sense of that when I started reading Own to Obey. I was confused with who the characters were and why Kardos needed an Omega. But, the author did a fantastic job of explaining everything.

I will admit that I wasn’t a fan of the first few sexual scenes of the book. The author did a great job of having Kardos explain why he did what he did. But still. It was hard to read. But, as Shaya’s feelings for Kardos grew, the sex scenes got hotter. By the time Shaya went into her Haze, the sex was steaming hot. I was a little confused about the knotting at first. But it was explained in the book and then it made sense. Survival of the fittest.

I did like Kardos even if I didn’t understand his reasoning sometimes. It drove me nuts. He should have talked to Rozalia sooner. If he did, some of the hurt that Shaya went through could have been avoided.

I felt awful for Shaya. She had been ripped away from everyone she loved and was given to a leader who was determined to make her into one of his people. She tried so hard those first days. As traumatized as she was, she tried. And what did she get? A shinno who’s way of teaching her things involved pain and a hurt shoulder. I would have acted the same way she did if in that situation. Except for the orgy she walked into. I would have noped right out of there instead of staying…lol.

The end of the book was interesting. It showed a lot more of Kardos’s peoples culture. It explained the hierarchy on the island and how an Omega was going to change everything. It explained Kardos’s role in that hierarchy. It showed the depth of feelings that Kardos had for Shaya. Those last scenes said it all. I can’t wait to read book 8!!

I would give Own to Obey an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence There are triggers. I am not going to say what they are because they are spoilers to the plot. I will say that I recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

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I would reread Own to Obey. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher and the author for allowing me to read and review Own to Obey.

All opinions stated in this review of Own to Obey are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

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Deadly Cage by Tom Howard

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Lulu.com1 Comment

Stars

Publisher: Lulu.com

Date of publication: November 21st, 2018

Genre: Thriller, Christian

Series: Cage

Caged Light—Book 1 (review here)

Crimson Cage—Book 2 (review here)

Deadly Cage—Book 3

Where you can find Deadly Cage: Amazon

Amazon synopsis:

In the final chapter of the Cage Series, Wyatt must lay everything on the line as he attempts to save not only Jess and Natalie but also prevent a war between angels and demons. The only way to thwart this travesty is to find the Key of Light. In Maddock’s hands, the Key will allow him to open a gateway straight into the heart of Heaven and release the full power of Hell’s might…revenge for their fall from grace. However, when Wyatt is told his daughter is to be the sacrificial lamb to be slain by none other than her mother to bring forth the one to lead Hell’s army in the fight, Maddock’s son, he leads the charge to find his family. A warning comes from an old friend not to give into the power within. If he lets his angelic half consume him, he will no longer be allowed to remain on earth to live the life of peace for which he so desperately longs and will have no other choice but to return to Heaven a full-fledged angel. However, to defeat Maddock, Wyatt may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

My review:

When Tom Howard approached me to read/review the last book in his Cage series, I gladly accepted. I had enjoyed reading Caged Light and Crimson Cage and I had high hopes for Deadly Cage.

This book did not disappoint.

From start to finish, Deadly Cage was nonstop action. Wyatt was nothing short of a superhero. With help, he had to rescue his wife and daughter, from the demon, Maddock. From the minute he stepped out from the Fortress, he was besieged by all types of demons. Those scenes were truly epic.

Wyatt didn’t change from Crimson Cage. He still waked in that gray area between good and evil. He was a pleasure to read in this book because once Jess and Nat were taking, he gave zero sh*ts. He was going to do whatever it takes to get his wife and daughter back. He also was going to do anything to protect his son, Nate, too. He wasn’t going to let his demon mother get her claws back into him. So, when he left the fortress, I completely agreed with what he did. It kept Nate safe.

The Christian angle of Deadly Cage was much heavier than it was in the other books. But considering that the plotline was Wyatt saving his daughter/wife and thwarting Hell from attacking Heaven, I understood. I liked that it wasn’t preachy.

I am going to warn that there is a lot of violence in Deadly Cage. More than the other books. It didn’t bother me because it went with the plot. Wyatt unloaded on the demons and it wasn’t pretty. But it might bother some people.

There are also some disturbing scenes that take place in Maddock’s fortress (for lack of a better word). There is a reverse birth scene that skeeved me out. There are also scenes of children being held captive. Those scenes brought me to tears more than a few times.

The battle at the end of the book was one of the more epic ones that I have read. I did worry about Jess, Nat, and Wyatt during certain points of it. The deaths that resulted from it broke my heart. I wanted to cry, I was that upset.

The epilogue was the best part of the book. I enjoyed seeing what happened to Wyatt and his family after everything happened. I also enjoyed the twist that Castle dropped on him. I was not expecting that!!

I would give Deadly Cage an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be kidnapped children. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Deadly Cage. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Tom Howard for allowing me to read and review Deadly Cage and the Cage series. It was a pleasure reading them!!

All opinions stated in this review of Deadly Cage are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**