Tag: paranormal

Bait by D.I. Jolly

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

Publisher: Galatea

Date of publication: July 19th, 2022

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, New Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Trigger Warnings: Physical Child Abuse, Emotional Child Abuse, Verbal Child Abuse, Child Abandonment, Cheating, Sexual Assualt, Murder, Gore

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

Amber thought her life was perfect.

She was in love with her boyfriend Frankie, had a nice summer job at Taylor’s Book and was enrolled at Marshall University to become a teacher.

Everything was on track for the perfect life.

And then Bastian walked in. Not only was he the most handsome man Amber had ever seen, but she felt a pull that she’d never felt before.

From the very first moment she saw him he filled her every thought and made her body want things it had never had before.

First Line:

You know, working at Taylor’s Books wasn’t a bad way to spend the summer. The drive was a bit far, but the people were nice, the hours weren’t bad, and it was more money than not working.

Bait by D.I. Jolly

Amber was living the perfect life, or so she thought. She had a wonderful boyfriend and a great job and was looking forward to attending college in the fall. Then Bastian walked into the cafe/bookstore she worked in, and everything disappeared. The connection to him was instantaneous. For Bastian, the connection with Amber was more profound and meaningful. Amber was Bastian’s soulmate. But Bastian has secrets that could threaten his and Amber’s happiness. What are Bastian’s secrets? And how will they threaten his and Amber’s happiness?

Bait is a fast-paced book that takes place mainly in Huntington, West Virginia (where Amber lives). There are visits to Bastian’s pack lands on the outskirts of Crown City, Ohio.

Surprisingly, there are quite a few trigger/content warnings in Bait. I say surprisingly because I wasn’t expecting these triggers to be a central part of the storyline. They are:

  1. Child Abuse (Physical, Emotional, Verbal): Bastian is horrifically abused by his father, the Alpha of his pack. The author only goes into a small portion of what he had to endure, but what was outlined brought tears to my eyes. No child should have to go through that.
  2. Child Abandonment: Bastian’s mother left him with his monster of a father when Bastian was a baby.
  3. Cheating: Amber cheated on her boyfriend, Frankie, with Bastian.
  4. Sexual Assault: One of the characters is sexually assaulted at a college party by another partygoer. After going to the police, several other women make similar allegations.
  5. Murder: Bastian and his father murder his uncle at the beginning of the book. Bastian kills his father in self-defense. Another character kills the person who sexually assaulted another character (see above)
  6. Gore: There are several vivid descriptions of murder and assault.

If these trigger you, then I suggest not reading this book.

The main storyline of Bait is Amber and Bastian’s love story; they overcome the odds to be together, and Bastian overcomes his abusive past to become the Alpha of his pack. The storyline is told in first-person POV and split between Amber and Bastian, with an occasional third-person appearance. I liked that the author did this. I got to see how affected Amber was by Bastian. On the other hand, I enjoyed seeing Bastian throwing off the chains his father had metaphorically wound around him.

There is an Instalove element of Bait. While I am not a fan of Instalove, I did like how the author spun this. It was the fated mate angle. Instead of having the female run scared of the male, I liked that the author had Amber accept everything (after an adjustment period).

I liked that the main characters, at least Amber and her best friend, acted like your typical late teenager at the beginning of the book. I am not that old where I can remember my head being turned by every good-looking guy that came into my work (granted, I worked at a gas station/convenience store but still). I also remember my best friend at the time being just like Amber’s best friend and urging me to let loose and have fun. So, I related to that part. Now, saying that, after Amber and Bastian got together and the whole werewolf secret came out, I didn’t quite connect anymore. But it still made it fun to read.

Several secondary storylines and characters add much-needed depth to this story. These secondary storylines explained so much about Bastian’s past (because his father wasn’t/couldn’t tell him). I will admit I wanted to smack the crap out of Bastian’s mother, but I understood that she made a very tough choice and didn’t make it lightly.

The paranormal angle was terrific. I loved the vampire angle. Several twists to that angle made me shake my head. As for the werewolf angle, I liked that the author took a common theme from werewolf romances and ran with it. He created the Elders and added a neat twist to their storyline. Of course, what it meant wasn’t lost on me, and I wonder how Bastian would deal with it in later books.

The end of the book was interesting. I liked how the author wrapped up the storylines and teased another story (and I hope it will be about who was mentioned at the end).

I recommend Bait for anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sexual situations. Also, see my trigger/content warnings above.

Many thanks to D.I. Jolly for allowing me to read and review Bait. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Bait, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by D.I. Jolly

Tales from the Box, Volume 1 by Weston Kincaide

On By JolieIn book review, Non ARC, Shattered Light PressLeave a comment

Publisher: Shattered Light Press

Date of publication: March 31st, 2023

Genre: Anthology, Fantasy, Paranormal

Trigger Warnings: Murder, Torment, Pedophile (suggestion), Gore, Blood, Suicide, Mass Suicide

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Tales from the Box, Volume I, is the first solo collection of fantasy and supernatural horror from Amazon best-selling author Weston Kincade.

The stories inside delve into secret niches that skirt reality. Tales from the Box includes witty stories from Hell, music auditions with a flair for magic, one small town’s Halloween Minute Man, an etiquette consultant confronted by an audience of identical teens, and even a man who finds himself permanently drunk, sans alcohol. From surprising mystical finds at your local garage sale to odd games played in a zombie-filled world, this twenty-story collection is written to delight.

If you enjoy Twilight Zone, Stephen King, or M. Night Shyamalan, Tales from the Box has what you need, stories of fantasy and horror hidden in shadow until now.

First Line:

“Has anyone called maintenance? It seems like an eternity since the AC worked in here.” A middle-aged man peers over the walls of his cubicle, asking anyone within earshot.

Tales from the Box (No Complaints) by Weston Kincaide

I was hesitant to review this book because it is an anthology. I have a love/hate relationship with reviewing these types of books. But since I have read and reviewed for the author before, I decided to review Tales from the Box. I am glad I did because this book was great and had some gems in it!!

Since this is an anthology, I will write a mini review on each story. This is the best way to cover each story instead of giving a blanket review of the entire book. So here goes nothing!!

No Complaints—This is the first story in the book, and it sets the tone for the book. I giggled at where the author set the office and how useless it was for John to complain about the heat.

Not My Lucky Charms—I will not lie; I laughed a little while reading this story. As you can guess, this is about a leprechaun. But this leprechaun is evil and does the vilest things to a strip club owner. And his name was what made me laugh. The ending was a little weird, but it fit the story.

Prison Torment— This one was the sadder of the twenty stories. Sam worked at a prison and was well respected. That ended when he told Simon (a colleague?) his secret, and work became unbearable—with the inmates taunting him. It wasn’t until Sam met Kaleb that I realized what Sam’s secret was, and it wasn’t until it happened that I realized what Sam was planning on doing. What shocked me was what Kaleb did when he came back. It didn’t take a lot to shock me, but that did.

Three-Car World—This was an interesting short story. I didn’t get what was happening until almost the story’s end. It made sense when it was explained (about the Great Pitching and what was happening to the train). It also made sense what people were willing to do to save themselves.

H.E.L.L.—This was one of my least favorite stories. But, if this were real life, it would have made sense. Hell would need a lawyer and a PR specialist, and who better than one who was already going to Hell? I liked the twist the author put at the end of this story. But it didn’t resonate with me.

Audition Surprise—I liked this story. I loved the author took American Idol and put a sinister spin on it. That whole audition had me glued to the story. Of course, there was an evil undercurrent to everything. I couldn’t pinpoint who was controlling it until the end of the story. Then the author sprang it on me and why this person did what they did.

The Etiquette Consultant—What a creepy story. There were so many layers here, and I wished the author had time to peel them back. The star of this story was the etiquette consultant and his tutoring of clones. There was a creepy end to the story. I wasn’t sure what to make of the end of the story.

Hunger—This was an interesting story. It is set during a zombie apocalypse. Three survivors ran across a community that had an interesting pastime. I won’t get into it, but it was gruesome. The end surprised me because I didn’t see it coming.

Masks—So, I will never go to a yard sale again. After what Janice went through (and she did deserve some of it), I will never look at other people’s stuff and take it home. Of course, Janice did deserve it (she was nasty), but still. It was a great take on a particular Greek myth.

Out to Lunch—This story confused me a little at the beginning. The author eventually explained what happened, and I felt it was a good twist for this story!! I rooted for the three people (or beings) this story centered around.

Tick-Tock—This was a genuinely creepy story. It took a little bit to get into, but it was fantastic when it did. I loved the lore in this story, the vengeful ghost, and the courageous schoolteacher. What I wasn’t expecting was the massive twist at the end. It took me by surprise because of who was in charge.

PermaDrunk—So, this story made me laugh and cry. I laughed because what a way to become famous. But it was who was behind the guy’s condition and why that made me cry. And that person had an agenda, which included targeting the drunk’s friends. I was surprised at how this story turned out.

Native Calling—I loved this story!! At first, I didn’t understand what was happening, and I figured it would be another zombie story. Well, this isn’t a zombie story. Instead, it goes into Navajo myth and legend. I won’t get much more into it other than to say it was fantastic!!

Sibling Rivalry—I was so sad reading this story. The author took the monster under the bed and ran with it. But the little girl, Melanie, broke my heart. The end of the story doubly broke my heart because she didn’t mean anything.

House Hunting—I was surprised by this story. I thought it would go one way, but it was strangely wholesome. Plus, I like the fact that ghosts can go house hunting. It brought a smile to my face.

Changes—So, this was a different type of werewolf story. I felt for Benjamin because he was chosen to be a weregoat (yes, you read that right), and it didn’t quite go as expected. Of course, this story has a couple of terrifying and cute twists.

Outsiders—I didn’t understand this story and had to read it twice to understand what was happening. I felt a little silly because it made sense once I understood that all three main characters were part of different organizations. Oh, and I loved the comparison the author drew upon. I kept hearing that person’s voice in my head….haha.

Tech Support—Again, this is a story that I wasn’t too sure about. I loved the action and the fact that people got assassinated. Also, the paranormal angle was chef’s kiss. But I got lost in what was going on. And again, I had to read this story a couple of times. Once I figured out what was going on, it made the final reread much better.

Uncertain Futures—This was a great fantasy story, and I could see it being a great novel. I loved that the professor was insane enough to deal with the punishment for cheating. And what he made those students do was awful!!

Off-World Bounties—This is an exciting story in the time of Wyatt Earp. I liked the power play in the bounty and what was revealed.

Knock, Knock!—This was a poem, but it was a scary poem. I had to read it twice before catching up on what was happening. All I have to say is that Tanner was a bad boy.

Otherside—This was a sad story. I didn’t get what was going on until halfway through the middle. Then it hit me. I can’t tell you much more than what I said because it was depressing after that to read.

So, overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a perfect mix of horror, paranormal, suspense, and mystery. It did make me laugh in spots, and I did cry in others.

I recommend Tales from the Box, Volume 1 to anyone over 21. There is violence and language. There are no sexual situations. Also, see my trigger warnings.

Many thanks to Weston Kincaide for allowing me to read and review Tales from the Box, Volume 1. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Tales from the Box, Volume 1, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Weston Kincaide:

Wings Once Cursed and Bound (Mythwoven: Book 1) by Piper J. Drake

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, NetGalley, Sourcebooks CasablancaLeave a comment

4 Stars

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Date of publication: April 11th, 2023

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy Romance, Fiction, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Young Adult

Trigger Warning: kidnapping

Series: Mythwoven

Wings Once Cursed and Bound—Book 1

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

For fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer Armentrout comes a bold and captivating fantasy by bestselling author Piper J. Drake.

My wings unbound, I am the Thai bird princess
The kinnaree
And no matter the cost,
I will be free.

Bennet Andrews represents a secret organization of supernatural beings dedicated to locating and acquiring mythical objects, tucking them safely away where they cannot harm the human race. When he meets Peeraphan Rahttana, it’s too late—she has already stepped into The Red Shoes, trapped by their curse to dance to her death.

But Bennet isn’t the only supernatural looking for deadly artifacts. And when the shoes don’t seem to harm Peeraphan, he realizes that he’ll have to save her from the likes of creatures she never knew existed. Bennett sweeps Peeraphan into a world of myth and power far beyond anything she ever imagined. There, she finds that magic exists in places she never dreamed—including deep within herself.

First Line:

Peeraphan Rahttana closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, letting her senses expand until she was aware of every dancer waiting in the wings, of every stage tech behind the backdrops.

Wings Once Cursed and Bound by Piper J. Drake

Bennet is hunting for a dangerous magical artifact called The Red Shoes. Any human who puts them on is trapped by a curse and forced to dance to their death. He traced the shoes to a community center where a group practiced a traditional Thai dance. He gets there in time to see Peeraphan, also known as Punch, slip the shoes on her feet. What Bennet wasn’t expecting was Punch to be immune to the curse. Bennett is surprised to find out that Punch is a kinnaree, a Thai bird princess. Aware of her heritage, Punch is surprised to discover a world she didn’t know existed. A world where vampires, dragons, sidhe, and werewolves live and protect (for the most part) humans from beings and artifacts that will hurt them. Punch and Bennet look for a way to release the curse while battling a rogue vampire and a human collector of magical artifacts. Will Punch be able to release the curse and remove the shoes? Will she fully accept who and what she is?

Wings Once Cursed and Bound is a fast-paced book in and around Seattle, Washington. There needed to be more exploring of the city or the islands where Bennet took Punch, and I would have loved more description of the city/islands. But that was a minor quibble because I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Wings Once Cursed and Bound main storyline centers around Punch, Bennet, The Red Shoes, and the search for how to release the curse. I wanted to know if the author would let Punch remove the curse on the shoes. I admit I knew nothing about Thai (or any Eastern Asian mythology), and the kinnaree legend fascinated me. I also liked that the author included several urban legends/myths from around the world.

Several side storylines fed into the main one. Fransisco’s evil, devious plan to sell Punch to the collector was a major sub-storyline. Fransisco was a nasty dude, and I wish Bennet had ended him in that significant fight scene. But if Fransisco continues to be a problem in the series, I see why the author let him live. I liked that Punch blossomed in this storyline. And when I mean blossom, I mean she came into her powers. It was beautiful to see.

The paranormal angle of this book was excellent. I read about lesser-known supernatural entities, such as the kinnaree, karin puksa, kraisorn rajasri, tsurubebi, and the will-o’-the-wisp. I liked that the author mixed lesser-known mythical figures with the regular ones (the werewolves, fairies, sidhe, and vampires). At the end of the book, she included a section called Field Notes on the Supernatural and the Paranormal. The author incorporated all the entities and artifacts (such as Bluebeards Bloody Key, the Noose of the Phayanak, and The Red Shoes)mentioned in the book in the field guide. I hope that she includes this in the other books in the series.

There is a romance angle to Wings Once Cursed and Bound. It starts as Instalust (Bennet was very attracted to Punch but held off because he thought she was at least half human) but soon morphed into Instalove. I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not, to be honest. It felt a little forced. I would have loved to see Punch and Bennet’s relationship blossom slowly instead of falling head over heels within a couple of days of meeting each other.

The end of Wings Once Cursed and Bound was interesting. I can’t get into what happened, but I will say that I liked that Punch and Bennet were able to help some of the paranormal entities they found at the mansion. They also found several supernatural artifacts. I was a little grumpy with how Fransisco’s storyline ended, but I am sure he will turn up in the upcoming books, so I wasn’t sweating it. I also liked the insights into the winged fairies, the sidhe, the brownie, the witch, and the werewolf living on the island with Bennet. I wonder if the author will feature one of them in the next book!!!

I recommend Wings Once Cursed and Bound to anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca, NetGalley, and Piper J. Drake for allowing me to read and review Wings Once Cursed and Bound. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Wings Once Cursed and Bound, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Piper J. Drake:

The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday BooksLeave a comment

Star Rating:

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of publication: March 21st, 2023

Genre: Fantasy, Lesbian, Young Adult, LGBT, Romance, Retellings, Queer, Vampires, Witches, Paranormal

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Trigger Warnings: Blood, death of a parent, animal death, physical abuse, torture, child abuse, vomit, child death, murder

Goodreads Synopsis:

Francesca Flores’s The Witch and the Vampire is a queer Rapunzel retelling where a witch and a vampire who trust no one but themselves must journey together through a cursed forest with danger at every turn.

Ava and Kaye used to be best friends. Until one night two years ago, vampires broke through the magical barrier protecting their town, and in the ensuing attack, Kaye’s mother was killed, and Ava was turned into a vampire. Since then, Ava has been trapped in her house. Her mother Eugenia needs her: Ava still has her witch powers, and Eugenia must take them in order to hide that she’s a vampire as well. Desperate to escape her confinement and stop her mother’s plans to destroy the town, Ava must break out, flee to the forest, and seek help from the vampires who live there. When there is another attack, she sees her opportunity and escapes.

Kaye, now at the end of her training as a Flame witch, is ready to fulfill her duty of killing any vampires that threaten the town, including Ava. On the night that Ava escapes, Kaye follows her and convinces her to travel together into the forest, while secretly planning to turn her in. Ava agrees, hoping to rekindle their old friendship, and the romantic feelings she’d started to have for Kaye before that terrible night.

But with monstrous trees that devour humans whole, vampires who attack from above, and Ava’s stepfather tracking her, the woods are full of danger. As they travel deeper into the forest, Kaye questions everything she thought she knew. The two are each other’s greatest threat—and also their only hope, if they want to make it through the forest unscathed.

First Line:

I slam the journal shut when a floorboard creaks downstairs, and listen closely for any more movement. Zenos must be awake now, which means he and my mother will come to my attic soon – and I’ll have to play the part of the perfect, obedient daughter.

The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores

Ava has been confined to her room in her house for two years. She has unwillingly allowed her mother to steal her magic for two years. For two years, Ava had to hide that she was a vampire and was turned when vampires overran the town and killed her best friend’s mother. When her mother goes away on business and leaves her with her diabolical stepfather, Ava makes a break for the forest surrounding her village. Meanwhile, her best friend, Kaye, is channeling her grief into her Flame witch training. Fire is the only thing vampires are afraid of, and the villagers use it to their advantage, killing them with fire. Seeing Ava for the first time in two years, Kaye realizes she is a vampire. Channeling her rage and grief into capturing Ava, Kaye soon discovers the girl she was best friends with isn’t a heartless beast. Convincing Kaye that her only escape is through the woods, they travel. But they are being tracked by other vampires, vampire hunters, and Ava’s stepfather. Will Ava and Kaye make it through the woods? Will their friendship and budding romance rekindle? What truths will they find during their journey?

I was super pumped when I read the blurb for The Witch and the Vampire. I love fairy tale retellings and will go out of my way to read them. So when I read some reviews for this book and realized that it was a Rapunzel retelling, there was no way I wouldn’t read it. Have you read a good Rapunzel retelling? Well, until this book, neither did I.

Before I get further into the review, I do need to put up a trigger warning paragraph. The Witch and the Vampire do have a few trigger warnings. The trigger warnings are:

Blood (not surprising, this is a vampire story)

Death of a parent (Someone turned Ava’s father into a vampire, captured him, and then murdered him. Kaye’s mother was murdered also. Both are vividly remembered)

Animal death (Ava drank the blood of squirrels and rabbits to sustain herself)

Physical abuse (Ava by her stepfather, and it is graphic)

Torture (Ava by her stepfather during his experiments. Also what the Flame witches do to the vampires to get information. I considered both to be graphic)

Child abuse (Ava by both her mother and her stepfather. Her mother emotionally abused her and turned her into a vampire against her will. Her stepfather physically and verbally abused her when her mother was gone)

Vomit (Kaye threw up a few times but nothing overtly graphic)

Child death (off-page there were several murders of teens in the village and a preteen being used as a sacrifice)

Murder (so much murder)

If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading this book.

The Witch and the Vampire is a fast-paced book. It took me no time to read because of how fast the plotline was. I enjoyed that!! It is a dual POV 3rd person storyline, which was great because I got to see what was going on in Kaye and Ava’s heads during the book.

The main characters in The Witch and the Vampire broke my heart. They both had suffered so much loss and had their innocence taken from them at an early age. I do wish that there were more flashbacks to when Ava was human. I would have loved to see more of her and Kaye’s interactions.

I liked Ava, and I loved that the author used her as a comparison to Rapunzel. Right from the beginning, I could tell that she was just done with being in the attic, and she was done with being used as a magical sippy cup for her mother. Ava’s main focus was survival for the first half of her storyline. Once she escaped from her house, she knew she had a limited time to get to the woods. Running into and getting captured by Kaye was not part of her plan. Her character growth throughout the book was terrific. I loved seeing her go from a scared child to a woman who wouldn’t be treated like she had been. Of course, the events in the last half of the book helped that along.

I feel bad admitting this, but Kaye annoyed me until almost just past the book’s climax. She refused to believe Ava about anything until it smacked her face (i.e., Ava and herself getting caught). Kaye made decisions based on emotion and not rational thought. She was a powerful witch, though. I also thought that her immediately putting Ava as her mother’s murderer was awful. But, like Ava, her character growth was remarkable. I liked seeing her misconceptions about vampires torn down. I also liked that she changed enough to admit she was wrong. That is when my annoyance with her disappeared, and I started to like her.

The lore in this book was unbelievable. I would have loved for there to have been a glossary with some of the more critical bits of lore added to it. Because I needed help keeping track of everything thrown at me, lore-wise. I also pray that there is book two because I have questions about the other lands mentioned in this one.

Kaye and Ava’s romance was very low-key until almost the end of the book. I liked that they had an adorable moment before everything went berserk. I also loved the flashbacks that showed how close they were friendship-wise and how close they were getting romance-wise. What happened at the very end of the book was an act of love by Ava. That was very clear to me, and Kaye knew it.

The storyline with the vampires, Ava, Kaye, and the journey to leave the woods was well-written and kept my attention. I couldn’t believe how vampires were treated and cringed reading those scenes. I also cringed at how Kaye treated Ava after capturing her. There was a very neat (and heartbreaking) twist to this storyline that I didn’t see coming. It involved Casiopea (the Queen of the Vampires) and how vampires were created. Again, I didn’t see it coming. Ava’s role in this was also a surprise.

The storyline with Ava, Kaye, the Flame witches, and Kaye’s mother’s murder was well-written and heartbreaking. Everything about this storyline was a twist. My heart broke for Kaye several times throughout this storyline. I also was a little mad that she couldn’t get her revenge.

The end of The Witch and the Vampire surprised me. There were deaths that I didn’t see coming and one that made me so angry that I had to put down my Kindle. I liked how the author wrapped up the storylines, and I had a huge smile when a certain someone got their just deserts. I hope the author writes another book in this universe because I would love to know more about what Kaye and Ava will do.

I would recommend The Witch and the Vampire to anyone over 21. There are no sexual situations or language. There is graphic violence. Please also see my trigger warnings.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Francesca Flores for allowing me to read and review The Witch and the Vampire. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed this review of The Witch and the Vampire, you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Francesca Flores:

Mr. & Mrs. Witch by Gwenda Bond

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: March 7th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Witches, Paranormal, Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Paranormal Romance, Magic, Urban Fantasy

Trigger Warning: None

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In Mr. & Mrs. Witch, the next novel from bestselling author Gwenda Bond, a couple discovers at the altar the surprising secret identities they’ve kept from each other.

Savannah Wilde is a witch, a very powerful one—an identity that only her fellow witches know. Following a whirlwind romance that surprised herself and her family, Savvy is all set to marry the love of her life. But she isn’t the only one with a secret that needs to be kept, even from her soon-to-be husband.

Griffin Carter is a top agent for a clandestine organization that, well, used to primarily hunt witches, but now mainly tries to shut down supernatural threats their own way. He can’t wait to lay his eyes on the woman he’s about to spend the rest of his life with.

As Savvy walks down the aisle to Griffin, the wedding quickly goes from blessed day to shit show when their true identities are revealed. To say there’s bad blood between their factions is putting it mildly. Savvy and Griffin are tasked to take the other out, but when they discover a secret that could take down both of their agencies, they realize the only way to survive is to team up. With assassins hot on their trail, will Savvy and Griffin make it out alive to try again at ‘I do’?

First Line:

This is the most something day-weirdest, defintely the weirdest-of Savvy’s life, and it’s barely past noon.

Mr. and Mrs. Witch by Gwenda Bond

Savvy is getting married to Griffin and can’t be happier. Her life is complete. But there are some things that Savvy isn’t telling Griffin. Things like she is a powerful witch, her bedraggled street cat is her familiar and a jaguar, and she belongs to an organization called C.R.O.N.E. Griffin is also over the moon about marrying Savvy. Like Savvy, his life is complete. And, also, like Savvy, he has things he isn’t telling her. For instance, he is a top agent for a covert agency (H.U.N.T.E.R.), C.R.O.N.E.‘s top nemesis. His agency hunts and executes witches (and other paranormal beings). Everything comes to a head before the vows are spoken, revealing who Savvy and Griffin are to each other. They know something is up when they receive the order to take each other out. Soon, both discovered a secret that unties the organizations and goes back centuries. It is up to Savvy and Griffin to set things right, even if that means taking down their organizations. Can they do it? Will they be able to reconcile?

I was thrilled when I got the email from the publisher with the invitation to read and review this book. I loved reading and reviewing Not Your Average Hot Guy and The Date From Hell. The snark and humor in those books made me laugh out loud. So I knew I would like this one (and guess what, I was right).

As I read Mr. & Mrs. Witch, I was strongly reminded of Mr. and Mrs. Smith (the movie with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie). It even followed the same basic plotline. Since I liked the movie, I enjoyed reading the book.

Mr. & Mrs. Witch is a fast-paced dual plotline book that takes place in the past and the present. The book was equally split between Savvy’s and Hunter’s 3rd person perspectives. The author marked from whose perspective I was reading and let us know if the book was set in the past or the present. I was very thankful that the author did this because I get lost easily during books like these.

The main characters in Mr. & Mrs. Witch were well-written. I loved the different nuances that Savvy and Griffin had in their personalities. But, as much as I liked them, I couldn’t wonder how they kept such big secrets like Savvy’s familiar being a jaguar or Griffin adding a hidden weapons room to the house. The author explained everything later in the book, but it didn’t make sense to me then.

The main storyline was exciting and well-written. I liked how the author took us from a stopped wedding to fighting off assassins to uncovering a huge secret. This storyline’s twists and turns made it hard to predict what would happen. I figured out how the storyline would end, but I was still surprised at how it happened. Oh, and let’s not forget the snark and humor. I was laughing my butt off during certain scenes.

The other main storyline was how Savvy and Griffin met. I thought it was adorable and couldn’t get enough of their accidental meetings and how they gradually fell in love.

Mr. & Mrs. Witch fits perfectly into the romance genre. I loved reading the past part of the book to see how they fell in love. Savvy and Griffin also had insane chemistry, which made the sex scenes super hot.

The end of Mr. & Mrs. Witch was action-packed and a H.E.A. all rolled into one. I liked how Savvy and Griffin solved their issue with the organization. Other than saying it was perfect, I will only get a little into the ending.

I would recommend Mr. & Mrs. Witch to anyone over 21. There is sex, language, and violence.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Gwenda Bond for allowing me to read and review Mr. & Mrs. Witch. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Mr. & Mrs. Witch, then you will enjoy reading this books:

Other books by Gwenda Bond:

Not Your Ex’s Hexes (Supernatural Singles: Book 2) by April Asher

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: February 7th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Witches, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Romance, Magic, Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Series: Supernatural Singles

Not the Witch You Wed—Book 1

Not Your Ex’s Hexes—Book 2

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In April Asher’s next Supernatural Singles novel, Not Your Ex’s Hexes, a one-night-stand between a willful witch and a broody half-demon conjures an adventure that wouldn’t be complete without several magical mishaps.

For her entire life, Rose Maxwell trained to become the next Prima on the Supernatural Council. Now that she’s stepped down, it’s time for this witch to focus on herself. And not think about her impulsive one-night stand with Damian Adams, a half-Demon Veterinarian who she can’t get out of her head. Neither of them is looking for a relationship. But when Rose is sentenced to community service at Damian’s animal sanctuary it becomes impossible for them to ignore their sparking attraction. A friends-with-benefits, no feelings, no strings arrangement works perfectly for them both.

After a sequence of dead-end jobs, it’s not until Rose tangos with two snarly demons that she thinks she’s finally found her path. However, this puts Damian back on the periphery of a world he thought he left behind. He doesn’t approve of Rose becoming a Hunter, but if there’s one thing he’s learned about the stubborn witch, it was telling her not to do something was one sure-fire way to make sure she did.

Working—and sleeping—together awakens feelings Damian never knew he had…and shouldn’t have. Because thanks to his ex’s hex, if he falls in love, he’ll lose his heart and humanity.

First Line:

Each close encounter chipped away at Rose Maxwell’s luck like a pickax through melted butter.

Not Your Ex’s Hexes by April Asher

After all the heavy reading I have been doing, I needed a book that acted like a palate cleanser. A palate cleanser, you ask? You know, something light that doesn’t take a ton of concentration to read. And Not Your Ex’s Hexes was the book I needed to read. It was a cute romance that had me alternately laughing and wiping tears from my eyes.

Not Your Ex’s Hexes is the second book in the Supernatural Singles series. This book can be read as a standalone, but after reading it, I recommend reading book one first. There were references to events in book one that had me confused. But saying that, the author did include a glossary at the end of the book that helped me immensely with some of the terms used.

The plot for Not Your Ex’s Hexes was cute and kept my attention. Rose Maxwell doesn’t know what to do with her life. She is floundering after stepping down as the Prima of the Supernatural Council in New York City. After an animal rescue goes haywire, Rose is sentenced to community service at half-demon Damian Adam’s veterinary practice and animal sanctuary. Rose, who had a one-night stand with Damian months before, realizes that her attraction to him isn’t going away. So she proposes a solution—keep their sexual relationship as a friends-with-benefits, no strings attached deal, and Damian agrees. Damian cannot fall in love or he will die per a hex that his teenage girlfriend put on him. When a new job puts Rose in the crosshairs of the strongest and meanest demons out there, Damian realizes how he feels about Rose and what the consequences are. Can Damian break his hex? What kind of job would put Rose in danger? And will they admit their feelings for each other?

Not Your Ex’s Hexes is a medium-paced book in New York City and Long Island. I liked seeing a more magical view of New York City.

The characters in Not Your Ex’s Hexes were terrific. I loved the depth the author gave Rose, and I could sympathize with her floundering. I even liked grumpy Damian at the beginning of the book. The secondary characters did complement the main ones, even if I was mystified by who some of them were.

  • Rose—I loved her view on life, and I connected with her on a deeper level than some of the other characters. Her comments and observations of other supernatural beings (including her family) made me laugh. She had a joy that came off the pages.
  • Damian— As I said in the previous paragraph, I liked him from the beginning. He had a rough start in life but rose above it. The only thing I didn’t like was his hex. He was hexed by a teenage witch who kept going on above grand gestures. It was explained towards the end of the book but still. It was a lot of drama for something that could have been explained immediately.

Not Your Ex’s Hexes fit perfectly into the romance and paranormal genre. The romance was your typical romance, but the author put her spin on it with the hex angle. With the paranormal genre, I liked that the author didn’t just stick to werewolves, vampires, and witches. There were also other paranormal beings floating around (one I think will be in the next book).

The storyline with Rose, Damian, and their love story was well written and made me laugh. I don’t remember laughing as much as I did with any other book. I liked that they had an unconventional start to their relationship and an unconventional relationship after that. Rose’s sunny outlook on life went well with Damian’s more grumpy persona (hence the sunshine and grump trope). The only thing that I did wish was that more was given about Damian’s demon and his demon bounty hunter background. I was fascinated by that.

The storyline with Rose, Damian, his ex, and his hex was as well written as Rose and Damian’s love story. I liked how the author kept who Damian’s ex was until almost the end of the book. I also liked the spin she put onto a hex that seemed cut and dry. Again, my only complaint was that it took almost twenty years to give an explanation. But, then again, I think Damian wouldn’t be the person he was if it was explained. I also loved his “grand gesture” toward Rose at the end of that storyline. Oh, and Rose was not friendly to Damian’s ex when she found out who it was. Her not being nice was cute and made me laugh.

The end of Not Your Ex’s Hexes was everything I thought it would be. I loved that it ended with a HEA (sorry about the spoilers). I also liked that it showed who the next couple would be. I can’t wait to read book three because of that.

I would recommend Not Your Ex’s Hexes to anyone over 21. There is language, violence, and sex.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and April Asher for allowing me to read and review Not Your Ex’s Hexes. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Not Your Ex’s Hexes, then you will enjoy reading these books:

All Hallows by Christopher Golden

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

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of Publication: January 24th, 2023

Genre: Horror, Holiday, Halloween, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Historical, Thriller, Mystery, Adult Fiction

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

With the 80’s nostalgia of Stranger Things, this horror drama from NYT bestselling author Christopher Golden follows neighborhood families and a mysterious, lurking evil on one Halloween day.

It’s Halloween night, 1984, in Coventry, Massachusetts, and two families are unraveling. Up and down the street, horrifying secrets are being revealed, and all the while, mixed in with the trick-or-treaters of all ages, four children who do not belong are walking door to door, merging with the kids of Parmenter Road. Children in vintage costumes with faded, eerie makeup. They seem terrified, and beg the neighborhood kids to hide them away, to keep them safe from The Cunning Man. There’s a small clearing in the woods now that was never there before, and a blackthorn tree that doesn’t belong at all. These odd children claim that The Cunning Man is coming for them…and they want the local kids to protect them. But with families falling apart and the neighborhood splintered by bitterness, who will save the children of Parmenter Road?

New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author Christopher Golden is best known for his supernatural thrillers set in deadly, distant locales…but in this suburban Halloween drama, Golden brings the horror home.

All Hallows. The one night when everything is a mask…

First Line:

In the woods behind Tony Barbosa’s house, the autumn leaves screened out so much daylight it seemed like dusk had already arrived.

All Hallows by Christopher Golden

This isn’t easy to admit, but I am a giant baby in reading or watching anything horror. Take, for instance, the new series on HBO Max, The Last of Us. I was sitting with my husband and oldest daughter, and whenever something scary would come on, I would cover my face with a blanket and tell them to tell me when it was over. That is how I felt reading All Hallows. I wanted to cover my face and wait until it was all over, but I couldn’t. This book scared the living out of me!!

I am going to be upfront with the trigger warnings in this book. I wasn’t expecting a couple of them, and they left a bad taste in my mouth when I realized what was happening. The triggers are child sexual abuse (not graphic, but a couple of scenes that describe a victim’s emotions), racism (overt and subtle), domestic violence, cheating, bigotry, and homophobia. If any of these triggers you, I recommend not reading this book.

The plotline for All Hallows was exciting but all over the place at first. Halloween has come to a Massachusetts town, Coventry. While kids are out trick or treating, the individual families are fracturing. Add to this, there are kids in the neighborhood who don’t belong. They are dressed in old-fashioned costumes and are begging people to let them in their houses. Why? They have escaped from a being called The Cunning Man and are running from it. But not all is what it seems, as the hours count to midnight and long-held secrets are uncovered. Who are these children? What do they want? Will The Cunning Man get them? Or is everything they told a lie? What horrors are in store for the families that took them in?

All Hallows has multiple main characters; writing a short blurb on each is impossible. So, I am not in this review. It would make this review go on forever; we all know people don’t like it.

The main characters in All Hallows were well-written and fleshed out. Each character brought a fresh perspective to what was happening in that neighborhood that night. I loved seeing the same events from different eyes.

As for the secondary characters, some of them felt a little flat. While they did provide some needed filler in the storylines, I couldn’t connect to some of them. And that made it impossible for me to care when certain things happened in the book (like Donny Sweeney’s semi-redemption arc).

All Hallows fit perfectly in the horror genre. The author did a great job of making me want to cover my eyes during parts of the book. This would have been a great book to release around Halloween because, well, the book is set on Halloween afternoon/night.

The storyline with The Cunning Man and the displaced kids was unique. The author did take me for a ride with that one. I was expecting one thing to happen, but a neat twist in the storyline had me shaking my head and saying, “No way.”

The storyline with the neighborhood relationships fracturing was, again, well written. The author didn’t do a massive deep dive into the people he featured during that night, but it was deep enough to know that this was beyond what neighbors act like, especially in 1984, when neighborhoods were tight. I was seven in 1984, and I remember my neighbors being like second parents. If we (my brothers and I) were outside playing, someone was always out with us. Like in the book, the neighbors treated Halloween like a party for the adults, and we kids would go around the neighborhood trick or treating, barely supervised. You can’t do that these days, which is sad.

The end of All Hallows was interesting. While the author resolved things, only some were, if you understand. There were a few storylines that I had questions on that were left up in the air. Also, there were no happy endings. People died and were hurt; the end was maybe three days later. Everyone involved was still processing what had happened. There might be a book two because of the last couple of scenes. I would love to see Vanessa, Chloe, and possibly Julia get revenge!!

I recommend All Hallows to anyone over 21. There is language, violence, and no sex (some light kissing). Also, see my trigger warnings.

I want to thank St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Christopher Golden for allowing me to read and review All Hallows. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading All Hallows, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde: Book 1) by Heather Fawcett

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Del Rey, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine2 Comments

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: January 10th, 2023

Series: Emily Wilde

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries—Book 1

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Adult, Historical Fiction, Fairies, Fae, Fiction, Historical, Paranormal, Magical Realism, Fantasy Romance

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love, in this heartwarming and enchanting fantasy.

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party–or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones–the most elusive of all faeries–lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all–her own heart.

First Line:

Shadow is not at all happy with me. He lies by the fire while the chill wind rattles the door, tail inert, staring up at me from beneath that shaggy forelock of his with the sort of accusatory resignation peculiar to dogs, as if to say: Of all the stupid adventures you’ve dragged me on, this will surely be the death of us.

Emily Wilde’s Encycolpaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

When I got the email inviting me to read/review this book, I was immediately taken by two things. The first was the cover. Now, covers don’t usually get my attention or play into why I want to read a book. Mainly because I read using my Kindle Scribed. But this one caught my attention because of how simple it was. The other thing that grabbed my attention was the blurb. A female professor studying Faeries in an alternative Norway in the 1880s? That is when I decided that I wanted, no needed, to read this book. And I am glad that I did because it was a good read.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries takes place in the late 1800s in an alternative world where women could hold jobs and have the same rights as men at that time. 95% of the book is set in the fictional country of Ljosland. Now, I was curious, and I googled the country. It turns out that Ljosland is a village in Norway. The village is made up (I googled that too). I liked that the author created a whole country similar to Norway but simultaneously different.

The plotline for Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is an interesting one. In this alternative world, fairies are real. Emily Wilde is an expert on Faeries and is writing an encyclopedia of fairie lore, which will be the first of its kind. She is almost finished and is traveling to Ljosland to study the most elusive and feared Faery of that area, the Hidden Ones. A loner by nature, Emily struggles to make connections in the village. Connections that she needs if she is going to finish her encyclopedia. Help, or a hindrance if she had her say, comes from Wendell Bambleby. Wendell is her rival in the world of Faery lore. But there is something about him that Emily can’t put her finger on. As the winter rages on and her studies continue, Emily learns that Wendell is more than he seems. And when The Hidden Ones start taking children and creating mischief, Emily takes it upon herself to help. That sets off a series of events that forces Emily to reevaluate everything she knows about Faeries, herself, and Wendell. What does Emily learn? What does she find out about Wendell? Will she finish her encyclopedia?

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is the first book in the Emily Wilde series. Usually, I would put in here if you need to read the other books in the series first or not. Well, since it’s the first book, it doesn’t apply.

The pacing of Emily Wilde (I am shortening the title for this review. Plus Encyclopaedia keeps getting autocorrected) is slow for the first 70% of the book. And when I mean slow, it was snail or turtle slow. There was a point in the book where I debated DNF’ing it. It was that slow. But, once certain things happened (I can’t say because of spoilers), the book picked up speed.

The characters of Emily Wilde were interesting and diverse. I liked that the author chose this alternative world to be LGBTQ-friendly (a lesbian couple is featured prominently in the middle and last half of the book). I enjoyed it. It was refreshing for the period it was in (as was Emily, 30 and unmarried).

  • Emily—She was an odd duck right from the beginning. She had zero people skills and managed to tick off not only her host but the unofficial chief of the village. Her only companion was an elderly dog named Shadow. She was able to win over a couple of the Fairy. One was a sprite who lived in a tree, and the other was a changeling who just wanted to go home to his mother. I did feel bad because she did try. I wasn’t prepared for what she did 70% through the book. I am not going to go into it much, except that it went against everything she had warned the villagers about during the first few days of her stay. But, in a way, it did make sense because she got the last bit of information she needed for her encyclopedia.
  • Wendell—Ok, so I figured him out from the beginning. I don’t know how Emily didn’t figure it out sooner. All the signs were there. I can’t get more into what I am talking about because of the spoilers. But it is something huge. One thing I can talk about is Wendell’s feelings for Emily. Even I could see that he loved her. He followed her to that snowy land and helped her with her research. And then, he stayed and helped her out when things went sideways. Wendell made me laugh because he did things to annoy Emily deliberately. Like adding entries into her journal or just being a pain in the butt. But he did have an alternative reason for being there. One that made me sad.

Emily Wilde fits perfectly into the fantasy genre. The author spun a world where Faeries were real and were studied. There were points in the book where I wished that it was true. But then I would read about the more dangerous Faery and say, “Nope, glad they’re fictional.“

There was a slight, very slight, sliver of romance in Emily Wilde. It was so small that I almost missed it. But, towards the end, it became more apparent.

The storyline with Emily, Wendell, and the research into her encyclopedia was interesting. I couldn’t believe the different kinds of Fairies that Emily had encountered on her research journies. I wondered how much of the folklore was true and how much the author made up. Usually, I google this stuff, but I didn’t want to go down a rabbit hole, so I didn’t. The Faeries that Emily met in the north were as cold-blooded as the weather. There was a point towards the end of the book (after the rescue mission) when I worried for Emily. There was a neat twist in the plotline that happened after the tree scene. I did laugh a little at Emily’s dismay (what did she think was going to happen!!), but my laughter did turn to concern for her. Everything did work out in the end.

The end of Emily Wilde was interesting. I was slightly put off by how it ended until I remembered it was a series. It ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, and those annoy me. But it did its job and made me want to read book 2. I pray that it isn’t as slow as this one was. I couldn’t do that again.

I recommend Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries to anyone over 16. There is mild violence, no language, and no sex.

I want to thank Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, and Heather Fawcett for allowing me to read and review Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Shadowed Visions (The Guardians: Book 6) by Reily Garrett

On By JolieIn book reviewLeave a comment

Publisher:

Date of publication: December 16th, 2022

Genre: Romance, Suspense, Paranormal

Series: The Guardians

Shadowed Horizons—Book 1 (review here)

Shadowed Origins—Book 2 (review here)

Shadowed Passages—Book 3

Shadowed Spirits—Book 4 (review here)

Shadowed Intent—Book 5 (review here)

Shadowed Visions—Book 6

Purchase Links—Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Silver Wade has never been one to back down from a fight. Facing off against an organization imprisoning those with psychic abilities has become the biggest challenge of her life. The fact she’s also a shapeshifter would make her a unique specimen in their collection.

New to the world of spies and terrorism, she and her sister cross paths with three teens fighting to stay ahead of skilled assassins, intent on their demise.

Dacien McGreggor is well known among his peers for his calm demeanor in times of stress. When ex-detective Silver Wade crosses his path, his worldview is challenged.

Each member of the team is paired with another according to their psychic ability. Dacien and Silver must set aside their differences and work together in order to survive.

First Line:

Never had evil penetrated Colin’s skin, flowing through his pores as if the barrier of his flesh were instead a sieve.

Shadowed Visions by Reily Garrett

I was beyond excited when the author approached me to read/review Shadowed Visions. Why was I so excited? Well, Dacian was getting his HEA. I had waited for six books to see who his love interest was going to be, and it was in book five that the author gave a hint. It was a given that I would accept the invitation to this book. I have become invested in the storyline and characters. I also want to see what wild ride the author would take me on in this book.

Shadowed Visions is book six in The Guardians series. While you don’t need to read the first five books in the series, I highly recommend that you do. There is so much background in each book that missing one could mean missing something important. Side note: I didn’t read book three and needed clarification about what was happening for a good part of book four. So, read the previous books.

Shadowed Visions is a fast-paced book that takes place mainly in Florida. Where in Florida, you ask? The Everglades. The author pained a perfect picture of just how deadly The Everglades was. One of the secondary characters, Colin (who has a fantastic ability), was attacked by a panther and left for dead. The other location that Shadowed Visions take place in is Connecticut. There are also talks about visiting the other group in Pennsylvania, but the author did not take us there.

Shadowed Visions is Dacian and Silver’s story. The fight against the organization that hunts down talented individuals and captures them is still intense. Silver, who is the last of Kiera’s siblings to be found, is a panther shifter who is an adrenaline junkier. She never backs down from a challenge. Nikolai has paired her with Dacian, who can control energy. They are tasked with finding the organization’s last American stronghold, kidnapping talented people, and experimenting on them. When looking for a group of teenagers lost in The Everglades, Silver contacts a large group of panther shifters. It is then that the last part of a prophecy is realized. Can Silver bring the shifters and the psychics together? Or will she choose a side? And what about her new relationship with Dacian? Can it survive the upheavals going on around them?

As with the last five books, Shadowed Visions characters were wonderfully written. Even the secondary character had a depth to them that I was surprised to find out. It made for a more fleshed-out and exciting book.

  • Silver—I didn’t get a chance to get to know her in the last book (Wade’s book). What I saw of her, I liked. She was headstrong, loyal to a fault, an adrenaline junkie, and independent. She was still a little wary of the family she found, but that was understandable. For years, it was just her and Wade. When the panther shifters showed up, I thought she would leave to stay with them. I wasn’t surprised by what she chose, though. I also loved her interactions with Dacian.
  • Dacian—I was so excited that Sparky was getting his match. I paired them up in book five and couldn’t wait to see what adventure they would lead me on. I do wish that the author had revealed more about his background. But that didn’t cut into my enjoyment of reading his story. 

Shadowed Visions fit perfectly in the romantic suspense genre. The romance was a little low-key, but with what was going on in the book, I agreed with it. And the suspense angle was terrific too!! Those two genres are among my favorites to read.

The storyline with Silver, the prophecy, the shifters, and the psychics was interesting. I figured out what would happen around the middle of the book (when Gabe allowed Dacian and others into the compound). But it was still fun reading up to it. Of course, there was a neat twist at the end, where the author revealed something HUGE. Huge as in, certain someone showed up. And the way this person did it was epic. It explained something that had bugged me since book 1. And now I know how the next romance is going to be!!

The storyline with Silver, Dacian, and their romance was sweet. Like I said above, the romance was a little low-key, but with everything happening, I didn’t expect it to be a big showy thing. It wouldn’t have made sense.

The storyline with Roth, the organization, the kidnappings, and the family were not what I expected. I got a significant insight into why Roth was the way he was (spoiler: it was unfortunate) and why he was going to the lengths to destroy his sister and her family. I loved seeing where the organization was holding the kidnapped people, finally being brought down. But then someone said, in America, and it made me wonder, were there other facilities around the world? Would the teams have to travel to release those people? Food for thought there.

I had questions about some secondary storylines that were seemingly left open. The main one was about Colin’s brother and Mary. I was trying to figure out if Silver and Dacian had found him. I know they found his girlfriend’s body, but with how his storyline ended, I figured he wasn’t found. I sure hope that he shows up in the next book. His ability to hold his breath for hours could be a game-changer for the group. The one with Mary seemed to have ended, but she’ll be back. People like her don’t go away quietly.

The end of Shadowed Visions left me very excited. As I said above, a twist in one of the storylines revealed someone I hoped the author would announce. With Roth being back in the picture, I think the next book will be the climax of the series. But I also have a slight, niggling feeling that what happened to Roth in the past wasn’t what it seemed. Maybe someone is showing up unexpectedly? I know this; I can’t wait to read the next book!!

I recommend Shadowed Visions to anyone over 21. There is no sex, but there is language and violence.

I want to thank Reily Garrett for allowing me to read and review Shadowed Visions. All opinions expressed in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading Shadowed Visions, you will enjoy reading these books:

Mostly Human 2 by D.I. Jolly

On By JolieIn book review, Non ARC, Tinpot Publishing2 Comments

Publisher: Tinpot Publishing

Date of publication: November 21st, 2020

Genre: Shapeshifters, Werewolves, Paranormal

Series: Mostly Human

Mostly Human—Book 1 (review here)

Mostly Human 2—Book 2

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

I, Alex Harris, have run away from home.

I’m running from my problems, from my mistakes, and from myself.

I killed some people and I don’t think anyone is chasing me, but I can’t stop running, and as much as I miss the people I love. I feel like if I go home now, I’ll be going back empty-handed.

I have to find out more about this curse, where it comes from and what it really means to be a werewolf.

Because the truth is…

The truth is that when I stop and really look at myself. I’ve been running my whole life.

Maybe it’s time to stop.

First Line:

Well, I spent two weeks on that ship before it docked again in Bergen on the west coast of Norway – turns out that’s where Syn gets most of its milk.

Mostly Human 2 by D.I. Jolly

I was surprised when I got an email from the author asking me if I would like to read/review Mostly Human 2. It had been some time since I had reviewed Mostly Human (to be precise, May 01, 2017). He had emailed me during the pandemic’s beginning, but I didn’t answer the email. I was busy teaching three upset and confused kids (at the time: 14, 12, and 6). When I decided to start reviewing, I had forgotten about the email (sorry, D.I.!!). I went on my merry way, reviewing books. So, it was a given that I would accept the email. I enjoyed reading Mostly Human and wanted to know where Alex’s journey would take him. I wasn’t disappointed.

Mostly Human 2 starts two weeks after the events of the previous book. Looking for solace, Alex finds himself in Norway and soon makes his way to a wolf sanctuary. For six months, Alex lives in solitude, trying to heal from the events that made him leave Syn Island. But things change when a group of veterinary students arrives, and Alex finds himself falling for Cassandra, the only girl in the group. But secrets have a habit of not staying secrets. Alex soon finds his deepest secrets exposed when his sister shows up, and a group of werewolf hunters hones in on him. Those events send Alex on a journey to find the werewolf who bit him so he can understand why it happened. But Alex isn’t prepared for what he finds. What does Alex find? And more importantly, can Alex come to terms with the new information he learns?

Mostly Human 2 is the 2nd book in the Mostly Human duology. I do recommend reading Mostly Human first and then reading this book. Many of the backstories and characters are explained in Book 1. They will help understand the dynamics and relationships in book 2.

Mostly Human 2 had a medium pace to it. For me, it worked. I could digest some of the information thrown at me before moving on. This book also took place in various areas of Europe, Canada, and Russia. I loved seeing the international flavor of the book.

The characters in Mostly Human 2 were complex. They were well-fleshed-out individuals that kept my attention focused on the book. Of course, there were some that I was not too fond of more than others.

  • Alex—I found him just as intriguing as I did in the first book. I understood why he disappeared. At the end of book one, bad things happen to him, and he feels awful. Plus, Syn Island wasn’t a great place to hide being a werewolf (but honestly, neither was the sanctuary). I understood why he wanted answers and his despair when he found out what he found out. I would have reacted the same way.
  • Cassandra—I couldn’t stand her. I have never reacted so severely to a fictional character as I did with her. She came across as an immature twatwaffle who couldn’t handle anything. Her fits of screaming at Alex were awful. I did understand why, at first, who likes to be lied to? But she just kept going on and on. I was glad when she broke it off with him. I got a headache reading her scenes.
  • Annabel—I loved her. She was a steadfast supporter of Alex (along with his father). She was very supportive of everything Alex did but didn’t hesitate to tell him when he was wrong. Their relationship was unique.

There are way too many secondary characters for me to name in this review. They all added extra depth to the plotline.

Mostly Human 2 fits perfectly into the paranormal genre. The author did a great twist on the werewolf subgenre, and I loved it.

The author amazingly wrote the main storyline with Alex, his family, and the other werewolves. One werewolf was a little suspect to me (the torture scene with Alex and the fact that he founded the hunters). But everything washed out in the end.

There are several (and I stress several) secondary storylines that tie into the main one. Again, as with the characters, these storylines added extra depth to scenes that needed it.

I went back and forth about adding content/trigger warnings to this review. I decided that I would because of what happened to Alex (the torture scene) towards the end of the book. So, yes, there is a trigger warning. If you are triggered by torture, cheating, or drinking alcohol, I recommend not reading this book.

The end of Mostly Human 2 made me wonder if there would be a book 3. I will not go into it, but I can’t accept that Alex would do what he did. That’s all I will say.

Three things I liked about Mostly Human 2:

  1. A different take on a werewolf story
  2. The various locations Alex went to
  3. Alex’s relationship with his family, found family, and friends.

Three things I didn’t like about Mostly Human 2:

  1. Cassandra. Her tantrums were epic, and she constantly screamed, “you lied to me.” She grated on my one last nerve during all of her scenes.
  2. The torture scene. I felt awful for Alex. What a way to learn something significant about yourself.
  3. His best friend’s wife. I remember her from the previous book and didn’t like her. I must say that she got what was coming to her.

I would recommend Mostly Human 2 to anyone over 21. There is language, nongraphic sexual situations, and violence. Also, see my trigger/content warning.

If you enjoyed reading Mostly Human 2, you will enjoy reading these books: