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West Hall, Vermont, has always been a town of strange disappearances and old legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who, in 1908, was found dead in the field behind her house just months after the tragic death of her daughter.

Now, in present day, nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara's farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that has weighty consequences when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished. In her search for clues, she is startled to find a copy of Sara Harrison Shea's diary hidden beneath the floorboards of her mother's bedroom. As Ruthie gets sucked into the historical mystery, she discovers that she's not the only person looking for someone that they've lost. But she may be the only one who can stop history from repeating itself.

Book Details

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon
Published February 11th 2014 by Doubleday
Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense / Paranormal
Hardcover, 317 pages
My Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

  Review

THE WINTER PEOPLE is a dark and haunting blend of writing which combines elements of a suspense novel with that of a supernatural horror-thriller.

The atmosphere is chillingly atmospheric. Set in a picturesque small town of Vermont, West Hall is home to strange occurrences and whispered old legends.

Jennifer McMahon weaves a tale of ghosts, murder, and the bonds between mother and child that reach beyond death, creating a spine-tingling read.

I’ve had this book on my to-read shelf and finally sat down to read it. Warning: it is hard to put down novel as the writing lulls you into a world of secret diaries, folklore, and legends. Where some things should be left alone and others are forgotten.

I was in the mood for a mystery but also wanted to read something with a supernatural bent. The Winter People filled that craving.

This is a story that weaves two timelines, both set at West Hall, one in 1908 with the murder of Sara Harrison Shea and one in the present day where nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara's farmhouse whose mother, Alice, has suddenly disappeared.

Expertly weaving the past and present, this is a story of twists and surprises.

The connection between the ghostly house, the haunted Vermont landscape, and folklore of The Devil's Hand come together, wrapping the story in a cloak of Wintery eeriness.

The two story-lines come together with a satisfying if uncanny, conclusion. I’m very excited to read more by this established author.

This is one of those reads where it really is perfect for Fall but I read it during the 110 plus digits of August and it still swept me away to a land of forests and ice.

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I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

Book Summary

Ash is descended from a long line of gladiators, and she knows the brutal nature of war firsthand. But after her mother dies in an arena, she vows to avenge her by overthrowing her fire god, whose temper has stripped her country of its resources.

Madoc grew up fighting on the streets to pay his family's taxes. But he hides a dangerous secret: he doesn't have the earth god’s powers like his opponents. His elemental gift is something else—something that hasn't been seen in centuries.

When an attempted revenge plot goes dangerously wrong, Ash inadvertently throws the fire and earth gods into a conflict that can only be settled by deadly, lavish gladiator games. The fights put Madoc in Ash's path, and she realizes that his powers are the weapon her rebellion needs—but Madoc won’t jeopardize his family, regardless of how intrigued he is by the beautiful warrior.

But when the gods force Madoc’s hand, he and Ash uncover an ancient war that will threaten more than one immortal—it will unravel the world.

Book Details

Set Fire to the Gods by Sara Raasch and Kristen Simmons
Set Fire to the Gods #1
Publishes August 4th 2020 by Balzer + Bray
Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Epic
Hardcover, 432 pages
My Rating: 3 Stars

  Review

SET FIRE TO THE GODS is the first installment in a new YA fantasy duology featuring elemental gladiators, fierce arena battles, and warring gods set in an inspired Greco-Roman world.

Avatar: The Last Airbender meets Gladiator is how the book is described and it has elements of both.

This is a world ruled by mercurial gods who choose elemental-wielding warriors to represent them in lavish, yet deadly, gladiator games.

Ash and Madoc find themselves in the arena on opposite sides, yet when an attempted revenge plot goes dangerously wrong, they join together and uncover an ancient war of the gods that could set the mortal world on fire.

Where this story shines is the epic battles scenes and the god's interaction with their chosen gladiators.

Each god represents an elemental power and readers will find this high-stakes adventure exciting. The plot is very slow-burn though, and I struggled because of this through the first 40 percent of the book.

Despite the intriguing concept of warring gods and elemental battling gladiators, I had trouble connecting emotionally with the characters.

The story is told from both Ash and Madoc’s perspectives and, although I did enjoy their interactions together and even the hint of their romance, but they felt somewhat lackluster.

Overall, an entertaining series opener filled with action and danger. I am curious enough to continue with the next book to find out what happens and hope for more world-building and deeper emotional development.

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I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Book Summary

In a small Western Queensland town, a reserved young woman receives a note from one of her vanished brothers—a note that makes her question memories of their disappearance and her father’s departure.

A beguiling story that proves that gothic delights and uncanny family horror can live—and even thrive—under a burning sun, Flyaway introduces readers to Bettina Scott, whose search for the truth throws her into tales of eerie dogs, vanished schools, cursed monsters, and enchanted bottles. Flyaway enchants you with the sly, beautiful darkness of Karen Russell and a world utterly its own.

Book Details

Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings
Published on July 28th 2020 by Tor.com
Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy
Hardcover, 176 pages
My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

 

FLYAWAY brings Gothic storytelling to the Australian shores where Jennings’ lyrical words, edged and thorny, will enchant you.

Clever use of nestled cautionary folktales entwines with an eerie mystery making this a scrumptious, albeit touched by elements of horror, fairy-tale read.

“Trees bled resin like rubies, sprouted goitrous nests, suspended cat’s-cradles of spiderwebs, spinning disks of silk.”

There is no need for haunted moors nor dripping Spanish moss. You won’t find crumbling castles here but what you will find is carnivorous shape-shifting beasts, creeping—feeding lantern bushes and enchanted wishing bottles.

“Battles, massacres, murder; bushrangers and lonely revenge; tales of whose last stand was on this knob of land, of what will catch the toes of children swimming unattended, of witches in the scrub waiting for the unwary, of loping beasts and whispering megarrities.”

Behind the bright sunlight, Jennings paints shadows and doubt, dilapidated cottages, and paths you do not want to stray from. Unsettling and beguiling at the same time.

“Once, somewhere between the Coral Sea and the Indian Ocean but on the way to nowhere, there was a district called—oh, let’s call it Inglewell.”

This is a short book, one that should be savored. An avian story that takes place in a small town called Inglewell where a young woman goes on a quest to find her missing brothers and finds out just how twisty and ensnared the townspeople’s lives are.

A dark, delicious, tangled story that you won’t soon forget. Lyrical and lush, Flyaway is simply enchanting.

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There’s something wicked in Burning Lake…

Natalie Lockhart is a rookie detective in Burning Lake, New York, an isolated town known for its dark past. Tasked with uncovering the whereabouts of nine missing transients who have disappeared over the years, Natalie wrestles with the town’s troubled history – and the scars left by her sister’s unsolved murder years ago.

Then Daisy Buckner, a beloved schoolteacher, is found dead on her kitchen floor, and a suspect immediately comes to mind. But it’s not that simple. The suspect is in a coma, collapsed only hours after the teacher’s death, and it turns out Daisy had secrets of her own. Natalie knows there is more to the case, but as the investigation deepens, even she cannot predict the far-reaching consequences – for the victim, for the missing of Burning Lake, and for herself.

Book Details

Trace of Evil (Natalie Lockhart #1) by Alice Blanchard
Published December 3rd 2019 by Minotaur Books
Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Police Procedural
Hardcover, 370 pages
Source: Bought
My Rating: 4 Stars

  Review

TRACE OF EVIL is the first book in the Natalie Lockhart series. It features a plucky new rooky detective and a murder mystery that takes place in a small, New England town where secrets abound.

This is a page-turning read filled with chilling atmosphere. Burning Lake is the perfect setting as Blanchard weaves a spine-tingling tale of witchcraft, murder, and dark history.

I love it when suspense thrillers feature remote, sleepy towns built upon a dark history. Back in the 1700s this picturesque town accused and convicted three innocent women of witchcraft.

Once hidden in shame, today, the town of Burning Lake embraces its magical roots and thrives on a tourist business of New Age boutiques and occult gift shops. It all feels very Salem like, mixing a touch of supernatural with suspense.

Detective Natalie Lockhart is a rookie detective in Burning Lake assigned a cold case of uncovering the whereabouts of nine missing transients who have disappeared over the years.

A murder of a beloved school teacher pulls her into a case which will go reach into the very heart of Burning Lake.

Blanchard transports readers into a world of black magic, buried secrets, and plot twists that will keep you entertained and guessing.

Natalie Lockhart is a spunky, new detective whose troubled past makes her both intriguing and relatable. There is a whisper of romance and plenty of moody atmosphere in this series opener.

I’m looking forward to continuing this series that hints at the supernatural while keeping the mystery grounded. Recommended to fans of Mystery & Detective and Police Procedurals looking for a new heroine to follow.

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I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Book Summary

A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.
 
In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet's word is law, Immanuelle Moore's very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.

But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.

Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.

Book Details

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson
Fiction / Horror / Occult & Supernatural
Published July 21st 2020 by Ace
Hardcover, 368 pages
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

  Review

THE YEAR OF THE WITCHING conjures up a dark, supernatural fantasy about a young woman living as an outcast in a harsh, puritanical society who discovers her mother’s hidden legacy and the forbidden forest which calls to a growing power rising within her.

A bewitching tale of horror with a feminist twist — Salem meets The Handmaid's Tale

Henderson's debut crafts a dark, witchy, coming-of-age read that is equal parts frightening and enthralling.

Immanuelle is a fearless and resilient young woman who is trying to balance her spiritual life with that of being a woman of a different race who is shunned by the spiritual leaders of Bethel.

Henderson creates a complicated young, heroine torn between following the protocols of the Prophet and protecting those she cares about.

“She was born breech, in the deep of night. The midwife, Martha, had to seize her by the ankles and drag her form the womb. She slipped out easy, dropped limp into Martha’s arms, and lay still as stone.

Her name, she demanded, eyes sharp with moonlight. Give me her name.

Immanuelle, she finally bit it out like a curse. She will be called Immanuelle.”

I love the atmosphere created in this book. The story is suspenseful, its tones Gothic with a creeping sense of dread felt throughout.

I was on edge when reading about Immanuelle's first encounter with the witches of the Darkwood forest. The scenes of witchcraft and plagues are shocking and filled with visceral imagery.

“Immanuelle had always felt a strange affinity for the Darkwood, a kind of stirring whenever she neared it. It was almost as though the forbidden wood sang a song that only she could hear, as though it was daring her to come closer.”

The juxtaposition between the hedonistic supernaturalism of the forest and the stark spiritualism of Bethel really captures the essence of the story with Immanuelle caught between the two.

At its core, this is a story of forbidden love, curses, and forgiveness. It is also an exploration of the abuse of power in its many available forms. A bewitching debut with an exciting new voice that captures the horror of old world witchery with a feminist twist.

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I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

Summary

Steel Magnolias meets Dracula in this ’90s-set horror novel about a women’s book club that must do battle with a mysterious newcomer to their small Southern town, perfect for murderinos and fans of Stephen King.

Patricia Campbell’s life has never felt smaller. Her husband is a workaholic, her teenage kids have their own lives, her senile mother-in-law needs constant care, and she’s always a step behind on her endless to-do list. The only thing keeping her sane is her book club, a close-knit group of Charleston women united by their love of true crime. At these meetings they’re as likely to talk about the Manson family as they are about their own families.

One evening after book club, Patricia is viciously attacked by an elderly neighbor, bringing the neighbor’s handsome nephew, James Harris, into her life. James is well traveled and well read, and he makes Patricia feel things she hasn’t felt in years. But when children on the other side of town go missing, their deaths written off by local police, Patricia has reason to believe James Harris is more of a Bundy than a Brad Pitt. The real problem? James is a monster of a different kind—and Patricia has already invited him in.

Little by little, James will insinuate himself into Patricia’s life and try to take everything she took for granted—including the book club—but she won’t surrender without a fight in this blood-soaked tale of neighborly kindness gone wrong.

Book Details

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
Fiction / Thrillers / Supernatural Fiction / Southern
Published April 7th 2020 by Quirk Books
Hardcover, 404 pages
My Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

  Review

THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB’S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES combines southern charm with 1990s horror. In this story, author Grady Hendrix pits middle-aged housewives, who share a passion for true crime books, against a vampire.

Nothing they have read before could prepare them for the real-life monster they are about to meet, nor prepare the monster for the discovery of just how badass southern ladies can be.

“I wanted to pit Dracula against my mom. As you’ll see, it’s not a fair fight.”

Like an overripe peach—sweet, gooey, and just about to go rotten, The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires fills the senses with warm nostalgia and creepy-horror. I loved every moment of it.

“Sometimes she craved a little danger. And that was why she had a book club”

This page-turning, Southern Gothic literature was such a refreshing read, but don’t misunderstand me, this book packs as much gore and dark atmosphere as it does heartwarming female friendship.

“He thinks we are what we look like on the outside: nice Southern ladies. Let me tell you something…there is nothing nice about Southern ladies.”

This book is smart as well as it artfully imbues the story with elements of repression and racism. I was embarrassed and frustrated. Hendrix definitely weaves into the book the question of who really is the monster in the story, and there is more than one.

From southern etiquette and book club love to grisly cockroaches, rats, and vampirism—The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix was just the escape read I needed. It kept me on edge and put a smile on my face.

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I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Book Summary

A dragon shapeshifter and a healer with power over the earth fight a corrupt empire in this thrilling and deeply emotional romantic fantasy from the USA Today bestselling author of Radiance.

Magic is outlawed in the Krael Empire and punishable by death. Born with the gift of earth magic, the free trader Halani keeps her dangerous secret closely guarded. When her uncle buys a mysterious artifact, a piece of bone belonging to a long-dead draga, Halani knows it's far more than what it seems.

Dragas haven't been seen for more than a century, and most believe them extinct. They're wrong. Dragas still walk among the denizens of the Empire, disguised as humans. Malachus is a draga living on borrowed time. The magic that has protected him will soon turn on him--unless he finds a key part of his heritage. He has tracked it to a group of free traders, among them a grave-robbing earth witch who fascinates him as much as she frustrates him with her many secrets.

Unbeknownst to both, the Empire's twisted empress searches for a draga of her own, to capture and kill as a trophy. As Malachus the hunter becomes the hunted, Halani must risk herself and all she loves to save him from the Empire's machinations and his own lethal birthright.

Book Details

Dragon Unleashed by Grace Draven
Fallen Empire Book #2
Publishes on June 9th 2020 by Ace
Fiction | Romance | Sci Fi & Fantasy
My Rating: 4 Stars

  Review

DRAGON UNLEASHED is the second book in the Fallen Empires series and continues with another fabulous book filled with magic, danger, and a slow-simmering romance all set in a unique fantasy world.

If you are looking for fantasy-romance, that special blend of authentic world-building touched by magic, one filled with a captivating romance to love, then you really must try Grace Draven.

Readers are taken back to the same fantasy world first discovered in Phoenix Unbound. A world shadowed by a tyrannical empire ruled by an evil villainess bent on revenge.

Lush writing paints a world of deadly bazaars, enchanted barrows, earth magic, and a shape-shifting dragon.

In this book, we are taken from the mountainous steppes of Phoenix Unbound into the valleys and merchant city’s of the empire. A world of forbidden magic, markets selling sorcery, and a villainess named the Spider who spins a dangerous web of deceit.

Here, Draven transports readers into the daily life of free traders who travel in meandering caravans selling their wares, but in this world, it is rumored to be inhabited by the near-extinct Draga whose blood and bone are coveted for their magical properties.

Dragon Unleashed builds a layered, slow-simmering romance of friendship to lovers that packs plenty of emotions.

A dragon shapeshifter and a healer with power over the earth, Malachus and Halani, both, must keep their abilities and heritage secret but when they meet by accident and a mysterious artifact, a piece of bone belonging to a long-dead Draga, brings them together, they can’t deny their growing feelings despite the danger they present to each other.

Dragon Unleashed is filled with lush writing and an imaginative world setting perfect for building a fantasy romance between to characters that’ll be hard to soon forget.

Recommended highly to fantasy-romance readers and fans of Grace Draven books. I hope we have many more books in the Fallen Empire series to look forward to.

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I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

Book Summary

This breathtaking sequel to The Beholder will take you on a journey into a darkly sparkling fairy tale, perfect for fans of The Selection and Caraval.

When Selah found true love with Prince Torden of Norway, she never imagined she’d have to leave him behind. All because the Beholder’s true mission was a secret Selah’s crew didn’t trust her to keep: transporting weapons to the rebels fighting against the brutal tsarytsya, whose shadow looms over their next port of Shvartsval’d. A place Selah hoped she’d never go.

But gone is the girl who departed Potomac filled with fear. With a stockpile of weapons belowdecks and her heart hanging in the balance, Selah is determined to see the Beholder’s quest to its end.

Book Details

The Boundless (The Beholder #2) by Anna Bright
Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Retelling
Published June 9th 2020 by HarperTeen
Hardcover, 512 pages
My Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars

  Review

THE BOUNDLESS is the second and concluding book in the Beholder series. This time it’s all about secret missions, rebel spies, and a ruthless adversary that Selah finds herself captive too.

Although I enjoyed all the romance and gorgeous landings in book one, The Boundless really gives more room for Selah to grow in her characterization.

Setting sail to Shvartsval’d to court another prince, she continues to aid her crew in a plot of rebellion but is captured by the tsarytsya’s army, where she finds herself indentured to the infamous Baba Yaga.

Forced into danger, we get to see a new side of Selah. Gone is the timid and shy girl. Fierce and even cunning, she does what it takes to survive.

There is romance and it is everything I could have wanted for Selah, but it is definitely in the background. Selah’s relationship with her crew, her feelings of betrayal, and her determination to make her own future is now the focus.

What I enjoyed most is the cat and mouse game played between the tsarytsya’ and Selah. Bright has given her readers a terrific villain and worthy adversary. Her knights and the scene with the game board is one of my favorites.

Overall, an entertaining conclusion to the series. I enjoyed seeing Selah learning to rely on herself and make her own choices, the romance did not disappoint, and the danger was definitely more intense this time around. Recommended to readers who enjoyed The Beholder.

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I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Book Summary

Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor, returns with The Angel of the Crows, a fantasy novel of alternate 1880s London, where killers stalk the night and the ultimate power is naming. This is not the story you think it is.

These are not the characters you think they are. This is not the book you are expecting. In an alternate 1880s London, angels inhabit every public building, and vampires and werewolves walk the streets with human beings in a well-regulated truce. A fantastic utopia, except for a few things: Angels can Fall, and that Fall is like a nuclear bomb in both the physical and metaphysical worlds. And human beings remain human, with all their kindness and greed and passions and murderous intent. Jack the Ripper stalks the streets of this London too. But this London has an Angel. The Angel of the Crows.

Book Details

The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison
Fiction / Fantasy / Historical / Sherlock Holmes
On Sale Date: June 23, 2020 by Macmillan-Tor/Forge
Hardcover, 448 pages 
My Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars

  Review

Set in an alternate Victorian London, THE ANGEL OF THE CROWS by Katherine Addison re-imagines classic Sherlock Holmes only this world is inhabited by angels, vampires, and werewolves. Here, a madman treads the streets at night named Jack the Ripper.

Classic elements of Sherlock Holmes set into a fantastical fantasy world inhabited by Angels, Vampires, and Hellhounds.

Here, in this alternate London, Sherlock Holmes is envisioned as an Angel named Crow. His character comes complete with huge wings and the astute observation and deduction skills readers would expect. Dr. Watson is played by the eccentric surgeon Dr. Doyle who is recently returned from the war and finds himself a flatmate and assistant to the sleuthing Crow.

Told from Dr. Doyle’s perspective, Addison weaves into the main plot Crow and Doyle aiding the Scotland Yard in the grisly Whitechapel murders. Their search leads them into the dark underbelly of London, searching for the identity behind the notorious serial killer known as Jack the Ripper.

Readers familiar with the classic storylines will find threaded among the plot such investigating cases as A Study in Scarlet and The Hound of the Baskervilles. Several storylines seem very familiar as you are reading, but then there are twists and turns that take that familiarity away.

This is a fun read with its Sherlock Holmes retelling and mix of supernatural elements combined with the Jack the Ripper mystery. Angels, Vampires, and Hellhounds—oh my!

Fans of the classic will enjoy the character dynamics and brewing friendship between the feathery Crow and eccentric Doyle. As each case takes our duo one step closer to Jack the Ripper's identity, readers will feel like they're within familiar stories.

An engaging plot and mystery round out the story. My only wish was for a better feel of the Angels and the Fallen's history. Fans of Holmes and Watson will find familiar storylines while the twists keep you on your toes.

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I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

Book Summary

Irréelle fears she’s not quite real. Only the finest magical thread tethers her to life―and to Miss Vesper. But for all her efforts to please her cruel creator, the thread is unraveling. Irréelle is forgetful as she gathers bone dust. She is slow returning from the dark passages beneath the cemetery. Worst of all, she is unmindful of her crooked bones.

When Irréelle makes one final, unforgivable mistake by destroying a frightful creature just brought to life, Miss Vesper threatens to imagine her away once and for all. Defying her creator for the very first time, Irréelle flees to the underside of the graveyard and embarks on an adventure to unearth the mysterious magic that breathes bones to life, even if it means she will return to dust and be no more.

Book Details

The Bone Garden by Heather Kassner
Illustrated by Matt Saunders
Published August 6th 2019 by Henry Holt and Co.
Juvenile Fiction / Fantasy & Magic
Hardcover, 288 pages
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

  Book Review

THE BONE GARDEN is a gorgeously illustrated and hauntingly told middle-grade fantasy about a brave, young heroine made of magic, dust, and bone who just wants to be made into a real-life girl.

The atmosphere in this middle-grade debut is delightfully eerie, its pages are filled with graveyards, secret tunnels, a disembodied hand, two-headed bats, and lots of bones. You can hear the hum of bones, smell the graveyard dirt, and feel the powdery bone dust on your fingertips!

Brought to life by magic, Irréelle fears she’s not real and when she accidentally destroys her creator’s work, Miss Vesper threatens to unimagine her into nothingness.

Fleeing, Irréelle embarks on a desperate quest to discover “an unmarked grave that is very clearly marked” to discover mysterious magic that breathes bones to life and could make her into a living girl.

Irréelle is a wonderfully, imperfect young heroine made up of an odd assortment of bones who reminded me of Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton. You can’t help but love her sweetness and bravery.

This really is a sweet and heartfelt story about friendship set within some terrific atmosphere. The concept of bone magic and the adventure to be had within its pages is sure to make The Bone Garden appeal to young readers wanting a chilling read but not too scary.

Readers will be enchanted by the growing friendship between Irréelle, Guy, Hand, and Lass as they adventure in a land of graveyards and bones.

Overall, a lovely read that lends perfectly to reading aloud and with illustrations that enhance the story beautifully. The uneven execution in this debut is easy to ignore with its compelling atmosphere and mystery.

Readers who love Marcy Kate Connolly, Claire Legrand, or Karen Foxlee are going to love THE BONE GARDEN. 

They say family always sticks together, but when you’re your dad’s only lifeline and the whole world—humans, dragons, and gods—wants you dead, “family bonding” takes on a whole new meaning. My name is Opal Yong-ae, and I’m in way over my head. I thought getting rid of my dad’s bad luck curse would put things back to normal. Instead, I’m stuck playing caretaker to the Great Dragon of Korea. That wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t such a jerk, or if every dragon on the planet wasn’t out to kill him, or if he were my only problem. Turns out, things can always get worse in the DFZ. When a rival spirit attacks my god/boss to turn the famously safety-optional city into a literal death arena with Nik as his bloody champion, I’m thrust onto the front lines and way out of my comfort zone. When gods fight, mortals don’t usually survive, but I’m not alone this time. Even proud old dragons can learn new tricks, and with everything I love falling to pieces, the father I’ve always run from might just be the only force in the universe stubborn enough to pull us back together. Get your copy now!

And thus Opal's journey comes to its grand conclusion! The final book in the DFZ trilogy, NIGHT SHIFT DRAGONS, is out today in audio and ebook! Some of you have already gotten your copies and binged, and I can't thank you enough!

I hope you all love this story as much as I loved writing it. Opal has been one of the most fun characters ever to write, even if she did leave me craving pancakes. Thank you for going on this journey with me! You are the best readers a writer could have!

For those wondering what's next, I'm working on a brand new series in a brand new world! You'll all get the details as soon as I'm sure the project will actually fly, but please know this is NOT my last book in the DFZ. I've already got a great idea for another book, so don't worry. We're not done with the dragons yet!

Again, thank you so so much for being my fans. Your enthusiasm and enjoyment is why I do this. Enjoy the book, and I'll be back soon with more!

Yours always,

Rachel Aaron Mother of Dragons Bethesda's Unpaid Intern
NIGHT SHIFT DRAGONS is the third book in the DFZ series. If you're new, start from the beginning with MINIMUM WAGE MAGIC! I promise you won't be sorry!

Hey everyone!

This post is a little different from my usual. First up, NIGHT SHIFT DRAGONS is still coming out May 5 in audio and ebook, so hooray! But I'm not actually here to talk about my books today. I'm here to talk about yours.

In addition to being wonderful people with amazing taste in fiction, I know a lot of you are also writers/creative types. Or maybe you just like reading books! Whatever your passion, the last few months have probably been really, really hard on you. I know they've been suck for me, and I'm lucky enough to have a job that keeps me at home all the time anyway.

Staying creative and productive is always hard, but never so much as in times like this. That's why I've teamed up with a bunch of other writers for CONQUERING THE WRITING BLUES, a free online writing conference about staying productive and inspired even when the world is falling apart. There are 25 interviews with a new one emailed out every day starting tomorrow plus a ton of free writing books and other goodies.

Just to be clear: this is a totally free project. I make no money off sign-ups. I just feel very passionate about this topic and wanted to do something to help combat the despair I see in my writing communities. To this end, I've also written a free essay on my website on the same topic called Shining On When the World Is Dark that you can read right now, no extra anything required.

Soap box! I am on you!

Anyway, if you're feeling down and in need of some inspiration, or if you just want to hear a bunch of really cool writers and publishing industry people talking shop, give CONQUERING THE WRITING BLUES a try. My interview goes up this Sunday, and you can see all the other writers on the main site. I just hope you have as much fun listening I had doing the interview, because creativity and writing are my favorite topics ever. Seriously, do not get me started I will talk FOREVER.

Thank you so much as always for being my readers. You folks are the ones who keep me going more than any others when times get tough, and I appreciate you more than words can say. Thank you SO MUCH and see you May 5 for Opal's final book!

Yours,
Rachel Aaron

They say family always sticks together, but when you’re your dad’s only lifeline and the whole world—humans, dragons, and gods—wants you dead, “family bonding” takes on a whole new meaning.  My name is Opal Yong-ae, and I’m in way over my head. I thought getting rid of my dad’s bad luck curse would put things back to normal. Instead, I’m stuck playing caretaker to the Great Dragon of Korea. That wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t such a jerk, or if every dragon on the planet wasn’t out to kill him, or if he was my only problem.   Turns out, things can always get worse in the DFZ. When a rival spirit attacks my god/boss with the aim of turning the famously safety-optional city into a literal death arena with Nik as his bloody champion, I’m thrust onto the front lines and way out of my comfort zone. When gods fight, mortals don’t usually survive, but I’m not alone this time. Even proud old dragons can learn new tricks, and with everything I love falling to pieces, the father I’ve always run from might just be the only force in the universe stubborn enough to pull us back together.
NIGHT SHIFT DRAGONS comes out in  Audio, Ebook, and KU on May 5!  Preorder your copy now! 
I know it's been a hard few months for everyone and I'm sorry this took so long, but the wait is finally over. NIGHT SHIFT DRAGONS, the grand conclusion to the DFZ trilogy, comes out in audio, ebook, and KU on May 5!

Yes, that's Yong on the cover. Yes, they look like a K-Drama. Yes, Opal has a crickety crazy scheme. Yes, there's food. Also ambitious spirits, Heartstriker cameos, Nik's past finally revealed, and tons more! I crammed in pretty much everything you could want from a DFZ book, and it's all coming your way in less than a month!

And for those of you who prefer to listen to your books, the audio is releasing the same day as the ebook! And for you peeps who like paper books, I've got good news for you too! Print editions for MINIMUM WAGE MAGIC and PART-TIME GODS are done at last and will ALSO be launching on May 5!

*happy dancing*

Thank you all so much for going on this roller coaster of a series with me. I am so darn happy with how this book came out, and I hope the conclusion of Opal's story will bring you as much joy as it's brought me. Thanks you so much as always for reading and listening and being your awesome selves. I hope you'll add this last book to your lists, and I can't wait for you to read the story!

Thank you as always, and stay healthy!

Rachel Aaron Introverted Cave Dweller Social Distancing Champion
NIGHT SHIFT DRAGONS is the third book in the DFZ trilogy. If you're new, start from the beginning with MINIMUM WAGE MAGIC! I promise you won't be sorry!

(LATE) ME ALERT!!!

I’ll be attending Nine Worlds this weekend since I had such awesome fun there last time. I’ll be there on the Friday and Sunday, but not Saturday as some friends of mine have inconveniently decided to get married right in the middle of the year’s greatest geekfest! Don’t people check their calendars anymore? *eyeroll*

Schedule:

FRIDAY 10 am (bright and early): Megan Leigh (Breaking The Glass Slipper podcast) interviews little old me about all kinds of stuff! Signing at the Big Green Bookstore stand right after.

6:45 pm – Twisted Tales: a panel about the darker side of fairytales

SUNDAY

1:30 pm Things You Never Thought Could Be: a panel about YA fiction.

For more info click here and type ‘Wooding’ in the search field.

 

When I’m not in panels I shall very likely be in the bar, er, ‘networking’ or in the gaming room nerding out on all the boardgames I can find all at once. Also I use conventions as an opportunity to hunt down potential rivals and assassinate them, so if they’ve written a good book in the last year or so and they’re at Nine Worlds, they’re probably on my list.

 

 

At last! All is revealed! Here is the doorstopper I’ve been working on all this time. Release date 15th February 2018. Available for preorder now. All the info here.

1941 and for the idealistic young detective Georg Heuser his new posting to the renowned headquarters of the Berlin Police dept was a dream come true. Under the guidance of commissioner Ludtke, Hauser hopes to make a big impression on his bosses.

He gets his chance quicker than he expects when rumours of a killer haunting the Berlin Railways reach the murder squads ears. Targeting lone women commuters, the killers assaults and then bludgeons them to death. 

As the body count rises, the Berlin Murder squad comes under increasing pressure from the ruling Nazi party to capture and execute this deviant. With war raging across Europe Hauser must use all of his brilliant skills if he is to stop the killer and earn the gratitude of SS chief, Heinrich  Himmler. 

1959 and in West Germany two lawyers, Max Kraus and Paula Siebert are in pursuit of Nazi war criminals, in particular those men involved in the brutal suppression of the Eastern Front in the area the Nazis called Ostland.

Charged with clearing the area of Jews, communists and any deviants deemed undesirable, these men killed and butchered their way across Eastern Europe. Millions were killed and Max and Paula are determined to these men to justice.   

While they are targeting many, one man is particular is in their sights. A cold, calculating and efficient killer of men these man oversaw and took part in some of the worst atrocities of the entire war. This mans name is Georg Heuser. Paula and Max what to find out how this good man became a monster. 

 

So where do I start with this book review? Okay I will start in a easy part…This is probably the best book I have ever read! So why? well that is harder to explain.

The book is based on real events and real people and has three aspects to the book. The first half of the book is a murder mystery as Georg attempts to capture the killer. The second half of the book is more complex as Georg is sent to police the occupied areas on the Eastern Front and the slow descent into criminality and murder. The intertwining thread is the 1959 court case as Paula and Max attempt to bring him to justice.

The first half of the book sets up Georg as an engaging and likeable character, his enthusiasm  for his new job and his belief in the law and law and order make him a an easy character to empathise with. As he brings his skills to the task of capturing the killer he enjoys life in Berlin and falls in love.

This sets up the second half of the book as he is sent to the Eastern front and begins the slide into cynicism and despair as his belief in the law and law and order means he must comply with the orders of the Nazi government and facilitate the removal and extermination of  people they class as undesirable.

It is quite a harrowing story as his very belief in the power of the law means that he struggles against the orders he receives and his belief that he must spare his men from the horror and so he takes on more of the killings himself.

This book is a fantastic study of how a man can descend from an upright and decent citizen to a bitter and drunken killer of men, women and children and how he can live with himself afterwards. It is a compelling and engaging book that captures your attention from the first word and keeps it to the last.

I know I haven’t done justice to just how good this book is but I honestly can’t recommend it enough.

 

 

For Imperial agent, Cassius Corbulo the last three months have been something of a holiday, While Bostra was hardly a Rome or Antioch it was still a pleasant posting and his duties were hardly taxing . 

The arrival of his boss, Abascantius to Bostra suggests his life of ease is coming to an end. With rebellion breaking out in neighbouring Palmyra and the tribes of Arabia growing restless the Emperor himself is leading his armies to bring the area under Roman control once more.

For the authorities in the east everything must be perfect for the Emperor’s arrival but when a mysterious enemy attacks a temple and spirits away the Black stone of Edessa, a stone claimed by the Emperor then they must get the stone back before he arrives.

Cassius is charged with finding out who stole the Stone and what they intend to do with it. With an escort of select troops, Cassius with his faithful followers Indavana and Simo must travel into the desert and into the middle of the restless tribes.

As they travel deeper into the relentless desert  they see signs that the tribes are ready to rise up against the Roman yoke and Cassius’s mission gets more and more complicated. 

Can Cassius travel into the heart of the storm and not only find the Black Stone but also retrieve it before the Emperor arrives in the East?

The Black Stone is the fourth book in Nick Brown series featuring Imperial Agent Cassius Corbulo.

This series just gets better and better and The Black Stone is the best book so far.

Unusually for series set in the Roman period the author tends to avoid the large set piece battles and the massed ranks of the legions that other books seem to fixate on.

This gives the books a very “local” feel, instead of sweeping across the whole empire the books focus on one particular area of the Empire. The last book (The Far Shore) looked at Roman colonists on the African coast and this book focuses on the Tribes of Arabia and their relationship with Rome.

The one advantage of this plot device is that you get to really understand the customs and traditions of the area. The author can devote much more time to really developing how they interact with Rome and then officials sent to administer them.

Another interesting facet of these books are the three main characters. Cassius, Indavara  and Simo are all complex and interesting characters. All three of them are struggling with who they are and maybe this is why they get on so well and the relationship really works in the books.

Cassius is the reluctant hero, unlike most “heroes” he isn’t particularity brave or proficient with weapons, he dislikes violence and would rather live a life of debauched idleness. His one strength is his sense of duty and a desires to complete his mission successful.

Cassius is an excellent character and is one of the main reasons the books work, he is very likeable without being the superhuman killing machine most heroes are portrayed as.

Both Indavara and Simo both have different internal struggles that affect their relationship with Cassius. Simo struggles between his duty to Cassius and his desire to follow the teaching of Christ and this cause some real tension between the two.

Indavara is struggling with who he is the most, a cold eyed killer he remembers nothing before his life in the arena.  This plot line is one of the most interesting because you can see the conflict between the efficient killer and the nice, normal guy that is trying to break out.

In this book the first cracks appear in the relationships between all three and their struggles between loyalty to each other and the desire for happiness.

The Black Stone is a cracking read, the plot is fast paced and the action scenes very exciting. The escape from the enemy stronghold in particular is very good.

I can’t recommend this book, or series enough and I’m glad to say it keeps getting better and better.

For 16 year old Blythe, the Horse Thieves Picnic was the highlight of her year. Her school crush had come back into town and is escorting her to it.  Little does she know how her life is going to change when she accepts a lift from Dobbs, a family friend.

Waking up in a cold dark concrete bunker, Blythe realizes she is a captive and is in an underground nuclear bunker. Why would Dobbs take her? What does he want with her?

 

For Dobbs it is all about survival, survival of himself and ultimately the human race. The Armageddon is coming and he has to be ready. He has been preparing for this his whole life. Stocking up his bunker with seeds and plants he is preparing for ‘after’, all he need is his Eve to save mankind.    

He picked Blythe because she is strong, able to survive the isolation and darkness. She will come round in time, when she understand he has saved her but Blythe only has one thing on her mind…Home.

Now this isn’t normally the type of book I would read but I wanted a break from Historical fiction and it was sitting on the bookcase so I thought, why not!

I have to say I’m glad I did because I really enjoyed it, its very different but superbly written.

As with a football match this is a book of two halves, now I don’t want to give away to many spoilers about second half of the book so this review will concentrate on the first half.

It starts off as a run of the mill kidnapping story, hope and escape are all that are in Blythe’s mind. As time goes on and Blythe tries to adjust to captivity it descends  into a  dark tale of lost hope , anger and madness.

The writing style was a little strange to begin with but as the story condenses into Blythe and her surroundings it comes together to really capture her emotions.

It was a little tough to read at times as this young girl struggled to keep her sanity and struggled to know what was real and what is a figment of her imagination.

For a story that is on the main two people and a concrete bunker it certainly maintains your attention and the narrative flows at a quick pace.

While this book is a dark story of kidnap and the struggle against despair and madness it ultimately is a story of redemption and hope.

As I said, not my usual fare but very enjoyable.

Above is released today.

 

 

Sigurd, son of  Harald is keen to make his name in battle. As a son of a Jarl he knows he must forge his own path if he is to emerge from his fathers shadow and weave his own name into the sagas.

His opportunity comes quicker than he expects when his father is betrayed by his King and a powerful Jarl. With his home destroyed, his family slaughtered and his sister captured by his enemies, Sigurd must flee for his life.

With just a few trusted friends, Sigurd roams the seas as an outlaw, hunted by his enemies and prey to every Jarl and chief keen to curry favour with the king.

Sigurad’s chances of survival seem to be slim but Sigurd is determined to wins the gods favour, especially Odin’s who he plans to attract with blood and chaos.

Travelling to the edges of society he collects together a band of desperate men, they are killers and warriors but all believe in Sigurd and his cause.

Keen to show his crew that their cause is blessed by the gods, Sigurd endures an ordeal of pain and horror which he hopes will bind the gods to his favour.

Beset on all sides by enemies, Sigurd and his crew are tested by blood and fire but his crew love and trust him for he has shown them he  blessed by the gods and a warrior born.

They will need all of their skills in blood and iron as Sigurd and his crew go up against the King and his Jarl but Siguard is relentless, he wants his sister and he wants revenge on those who brought blood and terror to his family.

God of Vengeance is a prequel to Giles Kristian’s highly acclaimed Raven Series.

Anyone who has followed this blog will know I am a huge fan of Giles Kristian’s books. I have mainly reviewed his English civil war books (Bleeding Land and Brother’s Fury)  but his Viking books are where he is in my opinion, at his best.

The ECW books are brilliant but when Giles is writing about Viking you really feel the passion and love he has for the subject.

Giles writing style is fast paced, punchy and brutal but also at times utterly beautiful as he weaves Norse saga into the action and his passion for the subject really shines through.

It never feels forced and it reads so naturally, lurching from blood and gore into simple yet almost poetic lines of saga and then back to the blood.

The action comes at you like a train as scene after scene of brutal and bloody action hit you, at times leaving you feeling drained as the sheer power of the scenes punches you in the stomach.

I’ve said it before and I will repeat it here, I doubt there is a better writer of battle scenes than Giles. He likes to liberally soak his scenes in blood and gore but it never feels gratuitous or unnecessary. They are powerful and at times very moving.

The scene where we first meet Black Loki is a fine example. Brutal, bloody and violent it is also beautifully written and the description of the various moves feel balletic at times. It is a fantastic introduction to a brilliant character.

I would like to add that this book is more than just a book of battles and blood, it is also a book of friendship, honour and tradition.

Fans of the Raven books will love this book. We get to meet all our favourite characters again and its great seeing how they all met. It is also interesting seeing the bonds and comradeship develop that were so evident in the Raven Books

I honestly can not recommend this book enough, it is Giles Kristian at his very best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giles Website

 

Book Description:

They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever.

And I’ve always believed them.

Until now.

Now everything has changed.

Now, I’d rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.

Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.

Rating: 4 Stars

Favorite Quotes:

But it does not tell you this: that love will turn the whole world into something greater than itself.

Love, the deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t.

This is a dystopian book that’s a little different from The Hunger Games & Divergent and the like.  The world isn’t ending, necessarily but the government has mandated that everyone over the age of 18 has a procedure that basically renders you incapable of love and most of the other strong emotions.  They literally cut a piece out of the brain to achieve this!  I cannot imagine a time when the majority of people would be pushing for this to happen, but here it does.  I guess I can see some appeal to not suffering through a broken heart but to cut out a piece of my brain to achieve this?  Uhhhh, no thank you!

The story follow Lena Haloway as she is preparing for her procedure.  She got about 3 months until it is scheduled and there are interviews that have to be done so that the government can pick a husband suitable for her (because if you don’t care, how could you choose for yourself?) and what she will do for a living (will she go to college or just get a job until she is married?).  They regulate the music that your allowed to listen to and the books that you can read.  Something that Oliver did that is really different from most dystopian stories is the fact that everything we once had still exists.  There are cell phones and cars and the internet.  They are all strictly monitored and not everyone has them but they are still in use.  So many times you read these types of books and its like living in the dark ages and I thought this was a nice touch.

One of my gripes about this book is that if you take away the portion of the brain that controls emotion, how does anything get done?  If you don’t care, how do you take care of your children or get up everyday and go to work and cook and clean?  Love guides almost all the things we do.  We work because we love our families and want to take care of them.   We love our children and so we play with them and discipline them and laugh with them.  If you remove all those things are you really still alive?  Aren’t other things in our lives determined by a type of love?  If you were a police man breaking up an illegal party with a bunch of teenagers involved, would you care enough to just send them home or would you release the dogs against them and beat them with clubs and would it matter either way?  Very confusing to me.  I guess if love was that simple and it could be removed without interfering with everything else, then maybe, but it simply affects too many things.

Anyway, the story drags on a bit for me once the world is set up and you get a grasp on what’s happening.  Lena and Hana (her best friend) start to break the rules and go to unauthorized parties after curfew.  Up until this point, they’ve had almost no contact with the opposite sex besides adult males (parents and teachers who have all had the procedure) and these parties are full of uncured boy their own age.  So in typical teenager fashion they are rebelling before they can’t anymore.  Then Lena meets a boy, Alex, who shows her that there is so much to be missed by having the procedure done and how much the cureds have been lying to everyone (particularly Lena).  As they get to know each other and fall in love Lena realizes that there’s no way she could ever willing have the procedure and she tries to come up with a way for them to escape.

Will they find a way or will Lena have to lose part of herself?

*SPOILERS BELOW*

First of all, I cannot believe that there wasn’t a love triangle in this book!  It was kind of nice  to not have to be vacillating between two love interests!

I was wondering throughout the whole beginning of the book if it wouldn’t turn out that Lena’s Mom was still alive.  Considering how long ago she supposedly killed herself she was still very present in Lena’s mind and that usually means something is coming up.  It’s too bad that she didn’t  get to see her before she escaped though.

I cannot BELIEVE that Alex doesn’t make it with Lena to the Wilds!  He sacrifices himself up to the regulators so that Lena can get away.  He got shot and captured but I’m not sure if he’s alive or not!  What will she do now in the Wilds all alone?  Being with Alex was the main reason she decided to run away in the first place!  Sheesh, I wonder what Oliver has planned for book 2?