Miya, Kai, Ama, Crowbar and Gavran are back once again, solving yet another mystery and...adopting a cat!! A cat was the last thing I was expecting frMiya, Kai, Ama, Crowbar and Gavran are back once again, solving yet another mystery and...adopting a cat!! A cat was the last thing I was expecting from Kai, especially since he's the Big Bad Wolf and all that, but it somehow fits.
So, I know that Wildblood can be read as a standalone, but I decided to read the duology that came before it anyway. You don't HAVE to do that, everything you need to know is explained inside, and you get to know Kai better.
At the same time though, I'm glad I was able to experience Kai and Miya's beginnings, and watch them grow throughout each book, and with each challenge they face. So if you can, I'd recommend reading The Chaos Cycle first.
This time we follow only two PoVs, and Kai's is the main one. I won't lie, I definitely miss Mason from the past books and wonder what happened to him, but I suppose they wouldn't have had a reason to mention him.
Kai deals with a lot of stuff internally, which just makes me want to give him a big hug. If anyone needs therapy, it's him. Luckily, Miya convinces him to go and he actually listens. You can feel the development as you read, it doesn't come overnight, but by the end of the book, he's better at dealing with his emotions.
He's also a fighter now, which ultimately leads him into trouble (no surprise). Miya meanwhile, has become really confident in her powers and uses them in ways we haven't seen before, in order to find a missing girl.
Their relationship is stronger than ever, but still has its ups and downs. Either way, you can feel their love through the screen. There's also a higher steamy scene count than before, just putting that out there!!
As a Slavic, and specifically Serbian, reader, I love when I see little things from my culture sprinkled into a story. Be it creatures from our mythology or just characters with accurate, familiar names. Wildblood has both. At this point I know I'm going to have a little something to look forward to each time I pick up a book by this author.
Vrana mixes in some creatures non-Slavic readers might be familiar with (like the domovoy), as well as lesser known ones (bukavac, leshy). There's also an Irish mythological creature that fits in perfectly.
I'd say the first two books had more of a fairytale/folklore feel than this one though, which is pure urban fantasy. The vibes are still there, just a bit different.
The writing is even better than it was, and the story is just as engaging. I really hope this isn't the end for these characters, I want to see them going on more adventures, picking up new strays, maybe reuniting with Mason?? Fingers crossed.
Also, A.J. Vrana, THANK YOU for making Miya tall!!!! I don't recall her height being mentioned previously, but here we learn she's 5'9, which qualifies for my "tall girl rep" shelf. Never enough tall female MCs if you ask me.
Anywayyyyy, listen to me and go read this series from the beginning!!! Kai, Miya and the gang are all amazing characters who deserve your attention.
*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
Three years have passed since the events of the first book, and Kai and Miya are now...demon hunters, facing both old and new foes alike.
The world andThree years have passed since the events of the first book, and Kai and Miya are now...demon hunters, facing both old and new foes alike.
The world and lore got such an expansion in this one, there was almost a bigger focus on it than the new mystery, but it all ties together, carried over from book one.
I feel like the atmosphere was lighter, and there were no slower parts, everything moved at a medium pace. It was really easy for me to jump back in, despite the in-world time skip.
We still follow Kai, Miya and Mason, but there's a few other PoVs we get later on that are important to the story. They help to explain what was, and what will be (I'm channeling my inner Gavran, can you tell?).
The romance is deeper, and you get to see just how deep it goes at the end, it's true devotion, the kind that makes even undead mermaids bawl.
There was something that happened to Kai that made me want to screech, I was like "not agaaaain" and then he went and did something stupid and AGH. It gets fixed, don't worry, but for a portion of the book, he and Miya were apart and IT HURT ME.
On a lighter note, there were more Serbian names that popped up, and a demon called Drekalo which is actually a screeching creature in Slavic mythology, so I was not the only one wanting to screech!! There was also a Rusalka (hence the undead mermaid), so now I'm wondering which other creatures will show up in Wildblood.
I do kinda wish that more of this series was based around Slavic myths, but I'll take what I can get.
The ending wrapped things up once again, but left the door open for more adventures. Which we are getting, TODAY, because Wildblood is out and I am on my way to read it, yes sir.
P. S. I'm glad Ama found her happy ending as well. Mason next?? Fingers crossed....more
“You don’t understand. A world without you in it is my hell. I would rather fall with you than live a million years without you.”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THI“You don’t understand. A world without you in it is my hell. I would rather fall with you than live a million years without you.”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THIS BOOK AND TO MEEEEE!!! We both came into the world on November 5th, so I couldn't pass up a chance to wish us both the happiest of birthdays. It's also very fitting that one of my ultimate fav series is ending on my birthday.
(We will ignore the fact that this was posted on the 6th, it was mostly ready on the 5th which is what counts ahem)
In the *FINAL* book in this epic series, Layla and her guys have to stop the world from ending once and for all, while everything is working against them. Will they make it out alive? Are more betrayals on the way? Will Ink finally say the three magic words? And what about the little life growing inside our favourite witch? All questions that will be answered when you read this lovely book.
I can't believe it's overrrrrrr. I'm literally sitting here, having followed this series since the start, and I don't know what to do with my life now that I have no more Coven of Desire books to look forward to.
Mint delivered on that ending though, we got to see everyone happy and thriving, the world changed for the better, AFTER putting us through a lot of stress, not being sure how things would go until the very last moment.
The most stressful part was Layla being held captive with her men unable to reach her. I kept rooting for a certain someone to save her, and wouldn't you know it...they did!!
I was mad at Daniel for a good chunk of the book, you know why. I forgive him now though, we're all good. That scene with him and Izzy at the end was so precious.
Speaking of precious...INK SAID I LOVE YOU, I REPEAT, HE SAID I LOVE YOU AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! It only took him 10 books and a few novellas, but HE. SAID. IT. I'm so happy. I could flyyyy.
But anyway, I was truly convinced the world was gonna end for a good second there, and the way they all worked together to fix it was just *chef's kiss*. We got to see the results of their efforts months and years down the line, which is almost like we got a few different epilogues in one.
Ellen Mint is so creative, I love the world she created so so much, I want to live inside it. PLEASE LET ME IN, I WILL BRING BURGERS OF CHEESE!!!
And the way she can bring humour to even the direst of situations, makes this series extra unique.
I laughed and cried with these characters over the years, and my only hope is that CoD gets super popular so everyone else can find as much joy in this amazing series as I did.
Pleaseeeee go and start CoD by reading Ink, I promise you'll have a banger of a time (and fall in love with the most fabulous incubus known to any realm, don't say I didn't warn you!!).
Oh, I liked that little nod to the novella that started it all too, by the way. And everyone's costumes, especially little Izzy's, she's so real for that.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go drown my sorrows in a salad of various greens one would feed to a giraffe. Sniff sniff. I'm going to miss Layla, Ink, Cal, Daniel, Garavel, Raul and now Izzy so much. In a just world, there would be an infinite number of Coven of Desire books, but the good part is, I can reread them anytime I want.
*Thank you to the author and StoryOrigin for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
Blood of Ancients started off a bit slow, and I was wondering if it was going to be more of a filler book, but it picked up around the middle and the Blood of Ancients started off a bit slow, and I was wondering if it was going to be more of a filler book, but it picked up around the middle and the plot was plotting folks!!
Do you guys remember what I said about Ravinica's origins in my last review, the guess I had? Well, I was wrong. But, we found out exactly what she is now, and how it all came to be and I'm very satisfied with the answers.
We also got to learn more about a certain mate's past, 100% did not see that coming. I'm glad the gang has another person on their team now, and one who's pretty cool to boot.
I actually didn't pay as much attention to that character previously, but they really grew on me during the course of the book. If anything happens to them in the next one, I fear I may cry.
ALSO, loved that Shadowblade Academy shout out. So then they *ARE* in the same world? Excuse me while I go get ready for a crossover. I'm kidding, but I like knowing it's a possibility.
I am now thinking back to the series, wondering if there were any clues even back then...
Anyway, my absolute favourite parts of this book were set on the other side of the portal (oh yes, they went there). I too would like to visit a spring-hold, thanks.
The way that realm was described sounds so magical, I'd love to live there. Preferably in the forest though, something tells me the elves who dwell there are the coolest.
That was also where Ravinica changed, in so many ways. I'm a lil obsessed with the Folkvang scene/chapter, IT WAS SO PRECIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL, literally my fav in the whole book, and such a fitting end for that character.
Speaking of endings, when those rumbles started and Ravinica was like "oh I thought nothing of it" I was like I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS!!! And boy, was I right! I can't wait to see how they'll deal with this threat, and then hopefully bring peace to all the realms?
No but, I was hoping these specific creatures would make an appearance sooner or later, so I'm STOKED we're finally getting to see them.
LASTLY, I do forgive Arne. Kinda, sorta, a lil bit. I'm anticipating I will have fully forgiven him by the time book four is out.
Oh, and we still don't like Eirik, just throwing that in there for good measure.
*Thank you to the amazing author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
The Demons They Forged is a novella that bridges the gap between books 2 and 3 of the Gothic Grove series, giving us a peek into Kallen's head, and loThe Demons They Forged is a novella that bridges the gap between books 2 and 3 of the Gothic Grove series, giving us a peek into Kallen's head, and lots of steam to make up for the time she's been away from her mate(s).
You do have to read the series in order, this one happens around the same time as book two, but it's Kallen's side of the events. It doesn't feel repetitive, just gives us some little nuggets of info we've been missing.
I love how she's creating her own "coven" of sorts, with Demon, Dios, Jax and possibly Harrow? Fun times are ahead!! There's steam in almost every chapter, so it's the steamiest book yet.
I do wish it was longer though because I haven't had enough of Kallen!! She does what she wants, whenever she wants, and has zero regrets. She's my kind of girl.
I can't wait to read the next book, which is coincidentally out on Orthodox Christmas soooo it's like a Christmas present for me from JA George woop woop.
If you haven't started this series yet, you should, it's perfect for spooky season....more
YES so, I was so excited to jump back into this because of the way the first book ended. If you haven't read book one then please go back and do so beYES so, I was so excited to jump back into this because of the way the first book ended. If you haven't read book one then please go back and do so before reading my review because I will be mentioning some stuff that happened at the end, okay? Okay.
As we all know, Ravinica's powers finally came in, three cheers for her and for Corym who made the whole thing possible!!! Ahem. The first third-ish of the book is spent on her learning how to use them and him teaching her. Not gonna lie, I could read about them training all day and never get bored.
Meanwhile, Grim, Magnus, Sven and the-one-I-still-haven't-forgiven (Arne), are searching for her. I felt their pain at being away from her, I really did. But worry not, they do find her, and all is well. For about five seconds.
It was nice to see her thriving once she got back to Vikingrune, and passing her exams with flying colours too. But of course, all is not as it appears.
How do I say this without spoiling...we learned that someone is related to someone else who is in turn related to a very important person which I actually thought might happen, but not exactly like that. I really want to see it explored more in the next book. Also, the fact that this happened AFTER the visit is criminal, I want my questions answered!!
We also learned that Ravinica might have more to her than everyone originally thought. Now I wanna know what that is AGH. I have some guesses, watch none of them be correct.
There's also the issue of trying to convince people that elves aren't actually the bad guys, but is it falling on deaf ears or are tides starting to turn? We'll have to wait and see.
Now, let's talk about Arne's grovelling. I require more!! That is not enough! But it's a start for sure. I know Ravinica's forgiven him, and okay I do feel a little bad for him because of that thing near the end, but hey, karma. He's still at the bottom of my list.
Sven may have carved himself a permanent spot right next Corym..I have no explanation, it just happened. The rest of the list is the same as it was before.
The ending was another cliffhanger, and I was honestly sitting there thinking it wouldn't be as bad, but then that character appeared and well...when is book three coming KC??
P. S. Eirik is still useless in case anyone was wondering. I'd name him the worst brother, but Ravinica does have one that's undoubtedly worse soooo second worst it is.
*Thank you to the amazing author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
EXCUSE ME, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO BREATHE NOW?? So much stress in the second half, I fear I'll wake up fully gray tomorrow.
Death is the second to last EXCUSE ME, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO BREATHE NOW?? So much stress in the second half, I fear I'll wake up fully gray tomorrow.
Death is the second to last book in this series, and it really packs a punch. Right from the start, Layla and her guys are battling creatures and trying to stop the apocalypse from happening, all while arguing with each other (so, business as usual, hah).
Layla is also dealing with losing her mother, but for real this time, and I FELT that sorrow as if it were my own. I want to give her a hug and tell her everything is going to be okay. BUT...IS IT??? IT BETTER BE, OR ELSE!!!!!!
There's this big thing that happened that made me want to throw my phone at the wall. After the last book, where things were finally looking up for this character...I'm sooooo sad. I just want to lay in my bed and cry.
Relating to that, WHY DON'T YOU TRUST ONE ANOTHER? HUH? HUH??? If I could yell at the guys right now I absolutely would. Because, you've been together for how many books now? And you still think one of you would sell the others (especially Layla) out???? No "brown sauce of deliciousness" for any of you. There.
(I had to add that line in somewhere, Ink always makes me laugh)
To lighten the mood a little, I also loved that taco scene, it was so random, but fitting in a tense moment, I couldn't help but laugh at it as well. Aaaand I want tacos now.
Anyway, I can't (well, I can, but I don't want to) believe I'm going to have to wait until the very last book to hear those three words from Ink. We nearly got it, and okay, it wasn't the best moment, but AGHHHH!!! Why must you torment me so???
I have no idea how everything is going to end, literally nobody is safe. Yes, I am slightly panicking, can you tell? I need everyone to make it out alive and I do mean EVERYONE. HINT. HINT. AHEM.
I need even the side characters to make it, I want them all to be one big, happy, dysfunctional family by the end of the series, okay?
Since it's ending on my birthday, I'm choosing to believe it'll all work out. Waving my magic want as we speak. Bibbidi bobbidi boo and all that jazz. Everyone lives, series over, me happy, goodbye.
*Thank you to the author and StoryOrigin for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
Even though the next full Mate Games series book is months away, we are still getting FED by Meg and Kim, they really love us, yes they do.
If you havEven though the next full Mate Games series book is months away, we are still getting FED by Meg and Kim, they really love us, yes they do.
If you haven't read all three series that are currently out, please go do so before starting this, because it includes spoilers for them and a teaser of what's to come.
I couldn't be any more excited. I feel like a kid with a bouncy ball, just bouncing around everywhere, I CANNOT WAIT I AM READY GIVE ME THE FINAL SERIES!!!!
I started this before travelling with my bestie and I sadly didn't get to finish it until I got home, but trust me, I was thinking about it A LOT.
The novella starts off sweet, with Sunday and her men and their bedroom shenanigans, but nothing in this universe is ever that simple. There is, of course, some trouble, that I for one, did not see coming. It was a 10/10 plot, and I will gladly take the villain off everyone's hands thank you.
I do not forgive said villain for what they put everyone through mind you!! There were parts of the book where I really disliked them, but they grew on me. I hope they can be redeemed.
I loved catching up with everyone and all the steamy scenes, and the narration was perfect, as always.
This novella is a wonderful addition to the main books, I hope we'll get at least one more to bridge the gap until the next series.
*Thank you to the authors for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
1. Rae Else writes a book. 2. I read said book. 3. Jess ends up with the best person ever. 4. Success!!!
NOW, I AM NHow to make me a very happy reader:
1. Rae Else writes a book. 2. I read said book. 3. Jess ends up with the best person ever. 4. Success!!!
NOW, I AM NOT HAPPY THAT THE SERIES IS OVER, BUT. BUT BUT BUT. I do love this book and how it all ended even though a portion of it was painful for me and I will need 35688547 business days to recover.
Jess and Rune are now gods, and it's up to them, and some of their friends, to save the world one last time.
I didn't want this to end, I tried to read slowly and did manage to stretch it out a bit, but all good things must come to an end. Unless if we get a spinoff? I hope so. Because there's so much more of this world to explore.
Like I said at the start, Jess ended up with the person I've been rooting for since book one which made my year and my whole life. I can die peacefully now.
THEY'RE SO PERFECT TOGETHER, I REQUIRE A CUTE DOMESTIC NOVELLA RIGHT NOW!!! No monsters, no evil, just good vibes. I cried when they finally got together dear reader, they're one of my favourite couples EVER. I WILL NEVER SHUT UP ABOUT THEM.
The other person in the love triangle also found someone to love so I don't feel bad about being happy.
Then we get to the emotional damage part relating to my favourite villain...WHY DID IT HAVE TO END LIKE THAT FOR HIM WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY??????????? I WANT TO CURL UP INTO A BALL AND SOB UNCONTROLLABLY. I AM HEARTBROKEN, RUINED, GOODBYE.
Theo will also live forever in my heart, he was the real victim in all of this and never did anything wrong in his entire life. A little meow meow, if you will. JUSTICE FOR THEO!!!
It's now that time of year (and review) where I yell at you to start reading this series, especially since it's complete now so you can binge it in one go.
PLEASE READ THE DARK BETWEEEN, IF YOU DON'T, YOU'RE MISSING OUT ON AMAZING WORLD BUILDING, CHARACTERS, ROMANCE, DIALOGUES, MYTHOLOGY, WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO YOURSELF HUH? DON'T MISS OUT, START THIS N-O-W.
*Thank you to the lovely author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Merged review:
How to make me a very happy reader:
1. Rae Else writes a book. 2. I read said book. 3. Jess ends up with the best person ever. 4. Success!!!
NOW, I AM NOT HAPPY THAT THE SERIES IS OVER, BUT. BUT BUT BUT. I do love this book and how it all ended even though a portion of it was painful for me and I will need 35688547 business days to recover.
Jess and Rune are now gods, and it's up to them, and some of their friends, to save the world one last time.
I didn't want this to end, I tried to read slowly and did manage to stretch it out a bit, but all good things must come to an end. Unless if we get a spinoff? I hope so. Because there's so much more of this world to explore.
Like I said at the start, Jess ended up with the person I've been rooting for since book one which made my year and my whole life. I can die peacefully now.
THEY'RE SO PERFECT TOGETHER, I REQUIRE A CUTE DOMESTIC NOVELLA RIGHT NOW!!! No monsters, no evil, just good vibes. I cried when they finally got together dear reader, they're one of my favourite couples EVER. I WILL NEVER SHUT UP ABOUT THEM.
The other person in the love triangle also found someone to love so I don't feel bad about being happy.
Then we get to the emotional damage part relating to my favourite villain...WHY DID IT HAVE TO END LIKE THAT FOR HIM WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY??????????? I WANT TO CURL UP INTO A BALL AND SOB UNCONTROLLABLY. I AM HEARTBROKEN, RUINED, GOODBYE.
Theo will also live forever in my heart, he was the real victim in all of this and never did anything wrong in his entire life. A little meow meow, if you will. JUSTICE FOR THEO!!!
It's now that time of year (and review) where I yell at you to start reading this series, especially since it's complete now so you can binge it in one go.
PLEASE READ THE DARK BETWEEEN, IF YOU DON'T, YOU'RE MISSING OUT ON AMAZING WORLD BUILDING, CHARACTERS, ROMANCE, DIALOGUES, MYTHOLOGY, WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO YOURSELF HUH? DON'T MISS OUT, START THIS N-O-W.
*Thank you to the lovely author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
Me, when we met Arne and Grim: woof Me, when we met Sven and Magnus: woof woof Me, when we met Corym: WOOF WOOF BARK BARK GRRR
Yes, I clearly have a favoMe, when we met Arne and Grim: woof Me, when we met Sven and Magnus: woof woof Me, when we met Corym: WOOF WOOF BARK BARK GRRR
Yes, I clearly have a favourite, I will not apologise!!
Throughout the book, I actually had a feeling like something or someONE was missing, then Corym showed up and all was right with the world. Yay!!! I'm glad we got someone who's more similar to Ravinica added as a potential love interest, he'd probably understand her the best out of anyone. Also, he's hot.
Speaking of Ravinica, I've been swallowing the first "i" in her name and reading it as Ravnica this whole time. Ravnica means plain/flat land in my language, and I fear I'll never be able to unsee it.
She's a cool character though, one who doesn't deserve all the insults and beatings she got, my poor baby. Every time someone would try her AGAIN, my blood would boil. Just leave her alone!! She did nothing wrong!!
It was so satisfying, seeing one of her bullies get what was coming to them. I wasn't expecting the full extent of it though, at least not in the first book.
There are people who show her kindness, other than the men of course, but it's mostly her two friends, Randi and Dagny. The three of them are giving Totally Spies, I love their trio so much (even if Randi's taste in men is questionable).
Ravinica's brother Eirik on the other hand...USELESS. I liked him at first, but as soon as he got her to the academy and left her to figure things out on her own it was over. Every time she's in danger, you know who comes to her rescue (if she can't handle it herself)? NOT Eirik. Hmph.
Okay, now ~the men~. Obviously, pretty, nicely eared (yes, that's a hint) Corym is on top of my pyramid, even if we only saw him in a few chapters. I'm biased, you can't blame me.
I can't really choose between Magnus and Sven because they're both my type, so I'll have to wait and see which way I lean in the next books. It was Magnus for a good bit there, but Sven, with his change of heart at the end...I DONT KNOW.
Grim is for sure above Arne, he was even before Arne did you know what (I'm gonna need to see extreme amounts of grovelling to make up for it). He's like a cute cuddly teddy bear, but literally. I love how protective he is, a real sweetheart. I do also need to see him in full rage mode, please.
And Arne...listen, as of right now, I do not care for him whatsoever. I'm mad. Even if what he did directly led to Ravinica meeting Corym, I'm not ready to forgive him.
Plot wise, Vikingrune Academy was very entertaining. Even though KC has written different academy series before, each one feels fresh and different. This one probably more so since it seems to be set in a different world from the others. The Norse mythology is naturally a bonus.
AND THE ENDING!??? I'm silently screaming, HOW DARE YOU LEAVE US ON SUCH A CLIFFHANGER KC????? Those final lines had me SHOOK.
I badly want to know more about the Arne situation, and if Ravinica will ever find out about the other side of her heritage, or meet her father. Elves are long-lived so mayhaps?
You know what I didn't see coming? That twist when she was finishing the family trees. In retrospect it seems like an obvious thing, but at the time my gasts were flabbered.
I cannot wait until the next book, I GOTTA KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT!!! GAH.
*Thank you to the amazing author who provided me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
FINALLY A BOOK WITH A BLOND LOVE INTEREST, WE CHEER!!!! I have nothing against non-blonds, it's just that the dark haired ones are so common, so this FINALLY A BOOK WITH A BLOND LOVE INTEREST, WE CHEER!!!! I have nothing against non-blonds, it's just that the dark haired ones are so common, so this feels like a breath of fresh air. And, since he's a vampire it's a double win for me.
But fear not, one of the side characters who's going to be a main character in the next book isn't blond, so you have zero excuse not to read this now!!
So, I kind of randomly decided to read this after seeing it on booksta and I'm really glad I did. It was a very fun read that I tried to stretch as much as I could because I joined a readalong with the chapters planned out week by week.
I finished it too fast, but it's not strict so feel free to go and join if you want, it's still going for 5ish more weeks if my math is correct.
It was cool doing it that way, floating theories around, sharing cool quotes, and now I'm so excited for the sequel (coming next month, sooo you might wanna get to reading).
Gothic Grove is a fast paced read so you could finish it in one sitting if you wanted to. The tension builds more and more the further you go along and it's very hard to stop reading, you just NEED to know what's going to happen next.
The story is compelling and unpredictable, there was even a twist I couldn't have seen in my wildest dreams. I love how J. A. George kept us all guessing until the last second.
The characters are the stars of the show, I love them all equally. We mainly follow Astrea & Ciaran but we also get PoVs from Shadow, Drago, Ava and Kallen.
There's PoV switches in every chapter, multiple times per chapter, and sometimes there's flashbacks too so we get to know the characters a bit better. It took me a sec to get used to that, especially at the start, but it mellowed out eventually.
We also have a fox familiar!!!!!!!!! She's the cutest bestest girl, I hope we'll see more of her in the sequel too.
The ending is a cliffhanger, and a good one at that. It kinda made me want to scream that there were no more pages left to read. Who knew I'd be so attached to that character and their mate? Not me.
Bonus points for including Falling in Reverse on the book playlist!!!...more
I AM READY GIVE IT TO ME RN!!! Also can someone explain why Sweet Vengeance was listed as book one but it's now book three and not coming till 2026???I AM READY GIVE IT TO ME RN!!! Also can someone explain why Sweet Vengeance was listed as book one but it's now book three and not coming till 2026???
Okay, apparently it's a trilogy now woo hoo!!! I finished it yesterday and boy was it messy...like messier than usual. See, I forgot this wasn't Remy's book, he showed up at around 12% (yes I was counting), and spent the entire book as a side character.
I mainly read this for him, and also because I'd read any paranormal series/book Tracy Wolff wrote, but I was expecting to see more of him. He wasn't a friend of the main characters exactly, maybe near the end, but even then we saw Clementine's actual friends a lot more than Remy.
You're allowed to laugh at me when I say this next part, I was MAD LIVID ANNOYED with Jude, because again, I thought this would be a love triangle or love square type of thing with Remy as one of the love interests...womp womp.
Clementine and Jude were exchanging forever-long I love yous and my brain was still like "damn ok that's gonna be hard to beat, but I know Remy can do it". And what makes it even funnier, I did see him and Izzy having moments, but they were in the background so my brain didn't register them till the second half of the book at least.
This partially could've been avoided had I read the blurb for book three again, but you know what? Jude was still annoying!!! He's kinda like Jaxson, but if you can imagine someone even broodier and more dramatic.
The romance was cheesy with an extra side of cheese on top. In the Crave series, it was charming, here...not so much. Maybe it's because I didn't care for Jude, but the romance really got on my nerves.
The plot was all over the place, I had no idea where it was going half the time and the vibes from the first series weren't fully there, but I had fun listening to it and I'll be seated for the next two for sure.
If you're a new reader, I wouldn't suggest starting here. There are events that are key to Clementine's character that happened in past books, even if she herself didn't appear there. Same for Remy (but he appeared from book 3-ish onwards). You get a bit of an explanation, but I think it's worth reading the Crave series to get the full picture.
So much of the world is explained there, but not here, I can see why someone might get confused.
I'm also not completely sure how to rate this, it's between a 3 and a 4, but I think I'll round up to 4 on the enjoyment scale. ...more
Guess who's back, back from the dead, Daniel's back, tell a friend!!!! YAY DANIEL IS CORPOREAL FINALLY, DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I'VE BEEN WAITING TO SEE Guess who's back, back from the dead, Daniel's back, tell a friend!!!! YAY DANIEL IS CORPOREAL FINALLY, DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I'VE BEEN WAITING TO SEE THAT??? MY WHOLE LIFE.
I love that his punk self can finally shine, I'm always campaigning for more alt characters. I feel like we're just getting to know the real him now that he's human again. And I'm gonna need him to write me a song too.
He got a lot of page time AS HE SHOULD!! Cal did too with the wedding and all, and we even got more of Raul which I'll never complain about. Garavel and Ink could've used a tiny bit more page time, but the latter had a valid excuse for being away so he's forgiven (and I could never be mad at Garavel of course).
The majority of the book was spent wedding planning and I felt that stress through the screen, it was as if I was planning my own wedding. The cake tasting let me know Garavel has the best pallete, because I too consider lemons abominations.
I saw the ending coming, though not before this book. It was mainly the emphasis Layla's mother put on the whole thing and I was like huh wouldn't it be funny if that happened, and then that wedding gift...and the final page...what terrific timing with the looming apocalypse, Layla and the guys can't catch a break.
But also, with that other event that happened in the end, it's kinda poetic. One light extinguishes another roars to life. I AM TRYING SO HARD TO BE VAGUE HERE, PLEASE READ THE BOOK SO I CAN TALK LIKE A NORMAL PERSON.
Speaking of endings, I'm not ready for the next book. I am but I'm not. I've been reading this series for as long as I've been reviewing books and I just want it to continue indefinitely. I can't say goodbye, I can't bear it.
Someone already said this, but I must echo the sentiment, PLEASE LET US GET THAT I LOVE YOU FROM INK IN THE FINAL BOOK I WILL NEVER ASK FOR ANYTHING AGAIN PLEASEEEEE I FEEL LIKE SCREAMING EVERY TIME HE COMES CLOSE BUT DOESN'T SAY IT, WHY DO YOU HURT ME LIKE THIS??? PLEASE.
If you've been on the fence about starting this series the best time to start it is now so we can suffer together as we wait for the next book. I promise you'll fall in love with Layla and her guys, they're all so unique, sweet and funny and in the case of one incubus a bit insane but we love him anyway.
P. S. Changing my mum's contact name from mothership to materfamilias!!
*Thank you to the author and StoryOrigin for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
I read the prequel to this series so I was already familiar with Trinity and a few other characters that make cameo appearances which I think helped mI read the prequel to this series so I was already familiar with Trinity and a few other characters that make cameo appearances which I think helped me connect to them better.
But Trinity is very much the living embodiment of that "I think I will cause problems on purpose" meme...
Her pack exiled her years before, she still has a grudge (as she should, I would too), and the second she's back with them she really cannot be bothered to act polite and constantly has to show off her abilities, which are great, but they'd be even better if she only showed off when necessary.
It's like she has to prove she's the top dog (haha) no matter what, and that can get annoying. I do like her, not as much as I liked Leah in the prequel, but a decent amount.
Meanwhile Rylan, him I don't like at all. I think he needs to be fleshed out more for me to be able to warm up to him. And I don't ship him with Trinity either. She has more chemistry with Zach and Ezra combined than with Rylan.
Hopefully that will change as the series goes on, because it looks like Trinity and Rylan are endgame.
I'm not sure how I feel about the plot. On one hand it was fun, on the other I need more. More of what? I don't know, something. I wish that instead of the romantic scenes we got more plot, but I am biased against this couple sooooo, don't take it to mean there's no plot. It's there.
Writing wise I have no complaints, since this and the prequel are the only works I've read by Valia Lind and the writing is consistent in both.
OH, and this is definitely a super duper fast read, which works for me. I wouldn't mind if the next book gets longer, but if it stays the same length that's perfectly fine too.
BEFORE I FORGET, DID YOU KNOW THIS WORLD HAS A MAP? NO? WELL, NOW YOU DO! As a map enthusiast I am very pleased with it.
3.5
*Thank you to the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
Had I known that seeing one specific character's name would make my mind loop the Lepa Brena song of the same name (coincidentally my fav song by her)Had I known that seeing one specific character's name would make my mind loop the Lepa Brena song of the same name (coincidentally my fav song by her) every time they showed up, I would've read this a lot sooner.
The character is Janos, by the way and the song Janoš with a š, you're welcome for that masterpiece. Janos is a side character and we don't get to see that much of him, but he's definitely one of my faves because he was kind to Zyntael.
I also really liked Phobos, Karthak, Star-Star, Anra, Lleyden, Mazgar (whose name was funny to me because it means mule/donkey herder in my language) and of course Zyntael. I don't think it took me long to warm up to them.
The book is split up into six parts, the first four with nine chapters each while the last two had eight and seven. They're all fairly short and make for a fast reading pace.
Zyntael starts the story as a ten year old, and we watch her grow into a warrior/raider by the time the book ends. We see her struggle with the idea of accepting her new normal when she's captured by the Vulkari, but as time goes on she becomes ready to embrace her destiny (and sisterhood, awoooo).
I was so curious which Slavic myths and/or creatures would be woven into the story, as a Slavic person, and I was happy to see a number of them made the cut. I was expecting a bit more though, hopefully we'll meet even more creatures in the next two books.
I like that the embroidery was such a big deal to the Vulkari, even more so because it's nearly a forgotten art where I'm from. So few people do it, and it's something I want to learn to keep the tradition alive.
There was a bit of romance in the story, I ship it (for now). I like the way it was handled, it felt realistic for Zyntael & Anra's ages. Their puppy love at the start was sooooo cute, I really hope they can stay together throughout the series and make it out alive.
The ending was a cliffhanger, and a really good one at that. It made me want to jump into the next book immediately, but I gotta wait a few days before I do. Really glad I finally picked this up though, it was about time.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS SERIES WILL END WITH THE NEXT BOOK??? I was, I kid you not, reading this and thinking "this world has so much left to explore, wWHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS SERIES WILL END WITH THE NEXT BOOK??? I was, I kid you not, reading this and thinking "this world has so much left to explore, we're going to get like 10 books" and then I'm hit with the Moon Kissed blurb where I find out there's only one book left...
I AM HEARTBROKEN. DEVASTATED. THIS IS A CRIME AGAINST ME PERSONALLY!!! I know that this is all probably planned out etc etc, but J. R. Thorn, I need you to reconsider and write more books!!! PLEASE THINK ABOUT ME, HOW WILL I SURVIVE WITH JUST FOUR BOOKS???
Sigh.
So anyway, guess who still didn't find the time to read the other series in this world? Me! It's meee! But on the plus side, Moon Queen was the best with the explanations as to what's actually going on out of all three books.
I feel like I could follow along now, even if I decided not to check out the other series, but I still think that if you haven't started this yet you should go back and read what came before.
Another review mentioned that the Hunters aren't really needed in this series and I agree. I don't like them, but that's not why. The books are pretty short and the Hunters barely get page time once or twice per book, and then they're easily defeated or...how do I word this...postponed like in this book.
I don't know if they make more sense in the context of the whole connected universe, but as is they're kinda just there, off in the background somewhere, doing Hunter things.
I'm both hoping and not that they'll get a bigger role in the final book, but I could just as easily not see it happening, based on another villain that's rising up. I feel like they could fall into the background even more, but I'll have to wait and see.
As for the romance, everything is still perfect on that front, I have no complaints. We even got someone new added who I wasn't expecting. The (inevitable) conflict that will come with that will be fun to read.
I am hoping that Moon Kissed will be longer, because while we got to know the alphas a bit better in Moon Queen, there's still so much we don't know about them. Particularly Vern and Dash.
I have to mention the recap again, it was a godsend. I reread the first book and read the second around six months ago, so it was nice to have a little refresher. Knowing me though, and how much I love this series, I'm most likely going to reread it next August before the fourth book comes out.
AND I'll do my best to *finally* read the rest of the Blood Stone Universe series so that when I reread this I can have a different perspective....more
There were parts of this book that I liked and parts I didn't like. It pains me to have to give it three stars, when I gave the prequel four, but I alThere were parts of this book that I liked and parts I didn't like. It pains me to have to give it three stars, when I gave the prequel four, but I always try to be honest.
So, what I liked was learning more about Grimm Academy, the mysteries that happened there and that are still happening.
The fact that it was a dual PoV, although I think Faust's PoV should've been marked as such. It's not hard to see that we're in his head, but that first sentence is always a bit jarring.
Nuala and Moswyn, who always went out of their way to help Quinn, and who had good advice, even when she didn't want to listen to it.
Now for what I didn't like. The romance, or rather the lack of it. Most of the book is very plot focused which doesn't leave a lot of time for the romance to develop. Based on the blurb, I was expecting a full blown fantasy romance that would sweep me off my feet, but clearly that didn't happen.
The two leads have barely any romantic scenes together, and because of that the ones they do have seem forced and unnatural. I wanted to ship it so hard, I really did, but I just couldn't.
Also, I'm not someone who cares about steam in books, if a book doesn't have it - cool, if a book has it - also cool, but again, based on the blurb I was expecting something different.
There's only one steamy scene at the very end of the book, so if that's what you're looking for, you won't find it here.
The writing was a bit clunky, but I'm sure it'll improve in the next books.
And overall I wanted more from this book. Not just in the romance department, but the plot one too. I feel like it had the potential to be great, and maybe it could've been with a bit more polishing.
This series so far feels very YA to me, even with that steamy scene. Now this could be a good or bad thing, depending on how you look at it, for me it's neither? Because I love YA, and I also love adult books that feel like YA, but I can't really tell if this one was going for that or not.
I still want to give the rest of the series a try, and see what I'll think of the other books....more
The Keeper's Runes was an interesting prequel to The Originals of Grimm Academy series. Each book seems to be a standalone, so I hope we'll see Nikky,The Keeper's Runes was an interesting prequel to The Originals of Grimm Academy series. Each book seems to be a standalone, so I hope we'll see Nikky, Rowan, Layla and Althaus appearing in future books, even just as cameos.
There was a lot of story to cram in here, and I think Lyra Forger succeeded, although I wouldn't have minded if this was a full book instead of a novella.
Nikky finds herself at Grimm Academy after an incident where she attacked another student, but she doesn't feel very welcome there until she meets Layla, her one and only friend, and Rowan, her future love interest.
Strange things are happening at the academy, students are getting murdered and nobody seems to be doing anything about it, so it's up to Nikky to figure it out. Does it have something to do with her arrival? And who is behind it?
I like Nikky, but sometimes she needs things spelled out for her. I'm going to try to be vague here so I don't spoil anything, but there was the incident at the beginning, then something similar happened at Grimm Academy, but Nikky didn't put two and two together until a completely different character told her that's what happened near the end of the book.
I was so sure that after the cafeteria thing she'd start thinking, but nope, not a single thought went in that direction. And it's okay because she had lots of different things to deal with, but I thought that was a missed opportunity.
There were things that weren't completely explained, like how runes work, but I'm assuming we'll get to that in the next books so I'm not too bothered.
We also don't know much about Nikky, her family, so I wish that was explored more, especially if she doesn't show up again in the series.
The romance was cute, I like Rowan and I think he and Nikki are a good fit together. There's also an extra epilogue you can download which surprised me, because it wasn't all cute and cuddly.
So yeah, it was fun, on I go to House of Ydril now....more
The completionist in me is pushing me to keep up with this series, now I'm finally up to speed. Will I be continuing though? I'm not sure. Because thiThe completionist in me is pushing me to keep up with this series, now I'm finally up to speed. Will I be continuing though? I'm not sure. Because this series is undoubtedly fun, the romances are cute, some scenes are ridiculous & funny, but I can't say that I loved any of the books or novellas so far.
They're pretty average and easy reads/listens and that's cool, but I was hoping that one of the couples would've made me fall in love with them by now. Most of them start off a bit slow and then get more interesting as the book goes on, but I still have yet to give one of them above three stars.
And I guess sometimes it's okay to just keep reading "okay" books, as a palette cleanser or whatever, but...yeah.
What's been bugging me is that all the main books read like the same book, with just a few things changed here and there. All the girls feel like the same character, all the love interests feel like they have the same personality etc. Kimberly Lemming clearly found a formula that works and I can't fault her for sticking to it.
As a side note, I'm happy for the author that this series is doing so well and has amazing new covers, but I don't think it's for me. ...more
A bit too short and not overly interesting. I would've preferred this to be more like the other novella that had a story/plot, instead of character crA bit too short and not overly interesting. I would've preferred this to be more like the other novella that had a story/plot, instead of character crumbs. But it wasn't bad....more