Review: The Journals of Octavia Hollows: Books 1-6 - Stacey Rourke

With a touch of her hand, Octavia Hollows can restore life. Yet, she couldn’t save the man she loved from the horrific accident that stole him from her. Octavia thought she could outrun the pain, but ghosts from the past refuse to be silenced. Out of options, she chooses to retrace her wayward journey across the country in search of answers. Surrounded by baffling mysteries of the undead, what she learns about herself along the way might become her greatest weapon.

This six novella series chronicles Octavia's adventures in:
Wake the Dead
Dead Man's Hand
Caught Dead
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Dead Ringer
Dead as a Doornail

"This is Rourke at her finest: sassy and completely unapologetic. Proving again why she's a powerhouse in this industry."
-USA Today Best Selling Author Rue Volley

"This book has it all: a kickass heroine, loads of action... and a pig named Bacon."
-NYT & USA Today Best Selling Author Karen Lynch

The Journals of Octavia Hollows Series:
How the Dead Lie (Prequel novella, this is also part of the Havenwood Falls multi-author series)
Wake the Dead
Dead Man's Hand
Caught Dead
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Dead Ringer
Dead as a Doornail
The Journals of Octavia Hollows: Books 1-6 (Bind Up Collection Containing the first 6 novellas)

Visit Stacey Rourke's website for more information

Review:
This book is actually a collection of the first 6 novellas in the Octavia Hollows series by Stacey Rourke. I listened to the audiobook which narrated by Brenda Scott Wlazlo who I thought did a brilliant job with the different character voices. I often find my mind drifts when I'm listening to audiobooks but she did a great job of holding my attention and I ended up devouring the whole series far faster than I usually listen to audiobooks.

I'll talk about each one separately below but lets start with a brief overview of the series. Octavia is a necromancer with a rather unusual ability. Rather than raising a zombie like creature she is actually able to restore a dead body to its original healthy state and the person she raises is effectively given a whole new chance at life. Her life was turned upside down by the death of her fiancé Elba, that wouldn't usually be a big problem for her but when someone steals his body before she can reanimate him it all goes to hell. Now Octavia's only focus in life is to try and figure out where Elba's body is so that she can bring him back from the dead.

This was a fun and light hearted urban fantasy series that I couldn't read fast enough and I really, really hope that Stacey Rourke decides to write more stories set in this world.

Wake the Dead

This is a great introduction to Octavia and this world. We get to find out about her ability to raise the dead and meet the most adorable sidekick in her pet pig called Bacon. The story starts with Octavia retracing her steps to Seattle looking for clues about Elba's missing body. While there she is asked for help by a desperate family whose children both seem to be dying. Add in a dead nurse, a visit to the morgue and a dangerous curse and Octavia is going to need to keep her wits about her if she wants to survive this adventure.

We only find out a little about Octavia's past here but we start to understand how alone she has been since falling out with the Coven who raised her until she was 16.

Dead Man's Hand

The second story sees Octavia retrace her steps to Las Vegas where she's hoping her old boss might have some answers for her about the man who is stalking her. We get to see Bacon cause chaos on a construction site before Octavia gets herself caught up in a new supernatural case after she reanimates an ex gambler who was burned alive. She's trying to stay under the radar of her Coven, dodge the police and a mob hitman while trying to figure out who is behind the murders so it's probably no surprise that things get a little crazy.

I'm really enjoying getting to know Octavia, she may be on a mission but that never stops her from trying to help others along the way.

Caught Dead

The next stop of Octavia's journey sees her in Galveston, Texas. She's still searching for Elba's body but at the same time she's also trying to find out more about the mysterious stalker who seems to be shadowing her every move. While here she witnesses a body being recovered from a fishing net but he's too far gone even for her magic abilities. Unable to ask the victim directly about his murder she has to do a bit more digging on her own here and soon gets caught up in a tale of sea monsters.

This story gives us a lot more information about Octavia's past as she uncovers things about herself and her family that she'd never heard of before. She was an orphan before the Coven took her in but this gives her a chance to find out about the parents she doesn't even remember. It ends on quite a cliffhanger so I was really pleased that I had the entire series on hand ready to continue!

Drop Dead Gorgeous

After her abduction in the previous story Octavia is still at the mercy of a cold blooded siren who would happily see her dead. With Bacon and her new friend Squidface being held hostage and used against her Octavia didn't have much choice but to agree to travel to meet the rest of the siren pod. The last thing she's expecting is to find them running a travelling beauty pageant where they target pervy old men to feed from but it's actually a pretty perfect way for the sirens to feed without going on a killing spree.

Octavia finds herself caught up in siren politics after stumbling across a double homicide and she'll have to keep her wits about her if she wants to save her friends in time. This ends in another cliffhanger so again I was ready to dive straight into the next story.

Dead Ringer

Knowing that her stalker has abducted her entire coven has put Octavia's hunt for Elba's body on hold. She will do anything to save the women who raised her and her search for them begins in New Orleans. Retracing her steps seems to be working well for her so far so she heads back to the boxing gym she used to work at. When she realises her old boss and one of the new fighters Reid have got themselves in some kind of trouble with an underground fight club she knows she has to step in and help but she's definitely going to end up with more than she bargained for this time.

All the way through this series I've been rooting for Octavia to track down Elba and bring him back to life but for the first time I'm starting to wonder whether that's actually the best option for her. She had some great chemistry going on with Reid so although nothing has really happened there so far I find myself almost hoping that will change in the future. We're definitely getting closer to a resolution one way or the other when it comes to Elba though so I couldn't dive into the final book fast enough.

Dead as a Doornail

Her journey has come full circle and now Octavia is back in Tallahassee, Florida, the place where Elba died and where her stalker is now holding her coven captive. Reid has travelled with her wanting to help her and pay back the debt he feels he owes her but her focus remains on finding Elba's body and rescuing her coven.

I'm not going to say too much about this final instalment because I don't want to give spoilers but I will say I was really happy with the way this series ended (although I'm still hoping for more in the future!). This was an intense part of Octavia's journey, she has to face some terrible choices and is forced to face up to both her past and what she wants from her future.

I had so much fun reading this series, I ended up devouring all 6 novellas in less than 24 hours because they kept me totally hooked from beginning to end. I loved the colourful characters and the humour and while this may have been my first Stacey Rourke series it definitely won't be the last!

Source: Received audiobook for review

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Review: How the Dead Lie - Stacey Rourke

A necromancer in a butcher shop. What could possibly go wrong?

Haunted by a horrifying past, Octavia Hollows has lived her life on the move. Like all supernatural beings, when she crosses into Havenwood Falls, she sets off the town’s protective wards. Unlike with most, the officials take immediate action, recognizing her as the powerful necromancer who, as a child, raised the dead in a gruesome public spectacle.

Still, they give Octavia a chance. Ninety days probation. No dark magic. Achieve that, and she will be granted residency. They even secure employment for her at Pyntz’s Butcher Shoppe.

A necromancer working in a butcher shop. What could possibly go wrong?

Just when she settles in and begins opening up to the possibility of a forever home, Octavia discovers a dead body stuffed in the shop’s meat freezer. He’s nude. He looks like a cover model. And now, thanks to Octavia momentarily losing control of her abilities, he’s alive … again.

Fearing someone would go so far as to kill to drive her out of Havenwood Falls, Octavia teams up with Willie, the resurrected hottie, to solve the mystery of his murder. They must work fast, though, before more corpses appear. Otherwise, Octavia could find herself booted from town along with an army of raised undead.

_____________________________

Welcome to the secluded mountain town of Havenwood Falls, home to sexy men, strong women, and neighbors who bite. Discover supernatural mystery, thrills, and romance in a place where everyone has a deep, dark, and often deadly secret.

This is a stand-alone paranormal murder mystery in the world of Havenwood Falls, a collaborative series in the fantasy genre featuring a variety of supernatural creatures. Each author writes a stand-alone story, so they can be read in any order.

The Journals of Octavia Hollows Series:
How the Dead Lie (Prequel novella, this is also part of the Havenwood Falls multi-author series)
Wake the Dead
Dead Man's Hand
Caught Dead
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Dead Ringer
Dead as a Doornail
The Journals of Octavia Hollows: Books 1-6 (Bind Up Collection Containing the first 6 novellas)

Visit Stacey Rourke's website for more information

Review:
How the Dead Lie is an introduction to Stacey Rourke's Journals of Octavia Hollows series, if you've already read the other novellas this gives you the chance to see first hand how she met her adorable sidekick Bacon and learn more about her journey started. It's also part of the Havenwood Falls series, I have to admit I've not read any of the other books in that series but as far as I can tell it's a multi-author series linked by a common location. From the characters we meet in this book it seems like Havenwood Falls is populated by a large range of supernatural creatures from werewolves and witches through to goblins and vampires and beyond. I'd actually be interested to try some other books in the series, it seems like a great way to find some new to me authors.

Anyway, I picked this up because I love Octavia Hollows and I spotted this additional story listed on Stacey Rourke's website. Octavia's story is one of those fun, quirky urban fantasy series that has you giggling your way through as Octavia stumbles from one disastrous situation to the next. This introduction to her world is no difference, I mean what else do you expect when you give a necromancer a job in a butchers shop? Hopefully this story will introduce some Havenwood Falls fans to a new series just like it's helped me discover Havenwood Falls.

Source: Purchased

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Review: The Culling Trials book 3 - Shannon Mayer & K.F. Breene

You Don’t Choose The Academy. The Academy Chooses You.

The last of the Culling Trials is here. I foolishly thought I’d survived the worst.

My team is falling to pieces around me and my heart is shattered for the losses I’ve endured. But I can’t stop when I’m so close to the end. There are too many people depending on me.

I foolishly thought there wasn’t much more I could lose…until the nature of my bloodline comes to light.

I’m not what I thought I was. Not what anyone thought I was. But to tell people the truth would be to kill us all.

To fail the trials will mean death, but to succeed might damn me for life.

Shadowspell Academy Series:
The Culling Trials book 1
The Culling Trials book 2
The Culling Trials book 3

Visit Shannon Mayer's website or K.F. Breene's website for more information

Review:
As Wild and her team continue the trials the danger is greater than ever before and the challenge for the House of Night even sees them facing off against supernatural zombies! The team is still down one member as Gregory and the other missing students still haven't been found so not only is Wild trying to get her group through the last few trials in one piece but she's also determined to find out who is behind the disappearances.

This has been such a fun series to read, lots of fun magic, great characters and plenty of action. We finally start getting some answers about Wild's abilities here and we also see Wally coming into her own as she faces off against another necromancer. I've really enjoyed seeing how the team has come together  and that they always have each other's backs, even Ethan makes some positive improvements here although I'm still not sure he can be completely trusted.

The latest instalment has lots of twists and we finally get to see who survives the trials and which houses they get placed in. I'm really hoping the authors decide to continue the series so we can see how the gang get on inside the Shadowspell Academy.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

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Review: The Culling Trials book 2 - Shannon Mayer & K.F. Breene

You Don’t Choose The Academy. The Academy Chooses You.

Being accepted into an elite school of magic, monsters, and assassins was not my idea of higher education. But here I am, fighting my way through the Culling Trials to claim my right to be taught.

As if the gauntlet-type physical and mental tests aren’t enough, people are going missing.

People that are my friends.

In a dangerous world where no one is as they seem, the golden rule is simple: Trust no one. They think we should just look out for ourselves. That we should leave the fallen behind and ask no questions.

They clearly think we’re idiots. I got this far by trusting my instincts, and I’m not going to back down now.

Those kids won’t be left to die.

Not on my watch.

Shadowspell Academy Book 1 and Shadowspell Academy Book 2 end with a cliffhanger

Book 3 will release June 11, 2019

Shadowspell Academy Series:
The Culling Trials book 1
The Culling Trials book 2
The Culling Trials book 3

Visit Shannon Mayer's website or K.F. Breene's website for more information

Review:
The Culling Trials book 2 picks up Wild's story immediately after the ending of the first instalment so please be aware there will be spoilers for the first book in this review. It's turning into a really fun series though so you should definitely check it out if you haven't already.

Picking up immediately from where we left off Pete has just walked into the bathroom and discovered that Wild is really a girl. Although he has a little trouble getting past the whole boob thing before he can even think about how her secret could affect the whole group if she's discovered! There is a very good reason that Wild has been hiding her true identity and her whole family will be in danger if anyone finds out who she really is so she's got to place a lot of trust in Pete to keep her secret.

I'm actually really enjoying seeing the friendship grow between Wild, Pete, Wally, Orin and Gregory, they're all from totally different backgrounds and have very different skills but there seems to be a genuine bond between them. You'll notice that I'm not counting Ethan in that grouping but he's a whole different kettle of fish and it's going to take a lot of work before I'll start trusting him.

Wild's secret is actually the least of their problem as the culling trials continue. There is danger from every direction and even working together is no guarantee of success but if they don't make it through Wild will never discover what happened to her older brother or why they tried to recruit Billy. She also needs to get to the bottom of whats going on with her childhood friend Rory, he's been holding out on her for a long time and it's clear he has information she needs if she's going to survive this experience.

I love how fast paced these stories are, lots of action and fun as they work through the trials but also a strong group of characters who are becoming fast friends. There are secrets galore that I can't wait to uncover and I'm just glad we don't have to wait long for the next book!

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

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Review: The Culling Trials book 1 - Shannon Mayer & K.F. Breene

You Don’t Choose The Academy. The Academy Chooses You.

I had no idea how those words would change my life. Or how they’d changed my life already…

Until the day the most dangerous man I’ve ever met waltzed onto my farm and left us a death sentence.

In an invitation.

My younger brother has been chosen for the prestigious, secret magical school hidden within the folds of our mundane world. A place so dangerous, they don’t guarantee you’ll make it out alive.

If he doesn't go our entire family will be killed.

It’s the same invitation my older brother received three years ago—the same place he mysteriously died.

The academy has already killed one sibling. I’ll be damned if they take another.

I do the only thing an older sister can: chop off my hair, strap on two bras to flatten the girls, and take my brother’s place.

Magic and monsters are real. Assassins are coming for me, and the dead are prone to rise. What’s a girl faking it as a boy supposed to do? That’s right—beat the academy at its own game.

Or die trying.

Shadowspell Academy Series:
The Culling Trials book 1
The Culling Trials book 2
The Culling Trials book 3

Visit Shannon Mayer's website or K.F. Breene's website for more information

Review:
The Culling Trials is the first book in the new Shadowspell Academy series by Shannon Mayer and K.F. Breene and it's kind of a cross between Harry Potter and Maze Runner with a hint of Mulan thrown in for good measure. We're introduced to main character eighteen year old Wild who has been helping to look after her family since her mother was killed and her father was badly injured. A few years ago her brother received a mysterious invitation to the Shadowspell Academy and although he passed the trials and won himself a scholarship he died in strange circumstances not long after starting school. Now an envelope has arrived for her younger brother Billy, only this time the invitation includes threats that if Billy doesn't attend the Culling Trials the whole family will be killed.

Wild already lost one brother and there is no way she's going to stand by and wait for another to be killed so she decides to go to the trials in Billy's place. After cutting off her hair and disguising herself as a boy she heads off to the Academy but what she finds when she arrives is nothing she could ever have prepared herself for. Magic is real but failing the Culling Trials could be a death sentence, and that's before she even starts taking classes. Joined by a ragtag crew of allies she makes along the way it's going to take everything Wild has to make it through the trials in one piece.

I was already a fan of K.F. Breene's writing but Shannon Mayer is a new author to me so I wasn't too sure what to expect from this story. I'm glad to say it was a very well written, fast paced and had me hooked from the first few pages. I still have a lot of questions about the world that the authors have created but I like the way things are unfolding so far and I'm already looking forward to the next book. Wild is a great character, she's protective of her family and she will do whatever it takes to keep her younger siblings safe but she's also at a complete disadvantage in the trials because her parents haven't prepared her at all for the possibility that magic is real. There are obviously a lot of secrets in the family that I'm sure we will uncover as the series continues but I really want to know more about the circumstances of her mother's death and how her father came to be badly injured.

Wild has already started making a few allies at the trials, some who seem more trustworthy than others, but it will be interesting to see how these friendships develop across the series. These friends are thrown together in dire circumstances and I think it will be the making or breaking of all of them. If the rest of the series is fast paced as the first book then I think we're in for a heck of a ride.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Magic Triumphs - Ilona Andrews

Mercenary Kate Daniels must risk all to protect everything she holds dear in this epic, can't-miss entry in the thrilling #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series.

Kate has come a long way from her origins as a loner taking care of paranormal problems in post-Shift Atlanta. She's made friends and enemies. She's found love and started a family with Curran Lennart, the former Beast Lord. But her magic is too strong for the power players of the world to let her be.

Kate and her father, Roland, currently have an uneasy truce, but when he starts testing her defenses again, she knows that sooner or later, a confrontation is inevitable. The Witch Oracle has begun seeing visions of blood, fire, and human bones. And when a mysterious box is delivered to Kate's doorstep, a threat of war from the ancient enemy who nearly destroyed her family, she knows their time is up.

Kate Daniels sees no other choice but to combine forces with the unlikeliest of allies. She knows betrayal is inevitable. She knows she may not survive the coming battle. But she has to try.

For her child.

For Atlanta.

For the world.

The Kate Daniels Series:
A Questionable Client (Short Story in the Magic Graves anthology)
Magic Bites
Magic Burns
Magic Strikes
Magic Mourns (Novella included in the Must Love Hellhounds anthology or available separately as an ebook)
Magic Bleeds
Magic Dreams (Novella included in the Hexed anthology or available separately as an ebook)
Magic Slays
Magic Tests (Short Story included in the An Apple for the Creature anthology)
Magic Gifts (Novella available for a limited time as a free ebook from the authors and included in the print version of Gunmetal Magic)
Gunmetal Magic (Kate Daniel's World book 1)
Retribution Clause (Short Story in the Hex Appeal anthology)
Small Magics (Anthology containing previously published stories including A Questionable Client, Magic Tests and Retribution Clause as well as 2 other stories not set in the Kate Daniels world)
Magic Rises
Magic Steals (Novella included in the Night Shift anthology)
Magic Breaks
Magic Shifts
Magic Stars (Novella, Grey Wolf book 1)
Magic Binds
Iron and Magic (The Iron Covenant book 1)
Magic Triumphs

Visit Ilona Andrews' website for more information

Review:
Anyone who knows me or who has been following my blog for any length of time should already be aware that I'm a proud member of the Ilona Andrews fan club and totally addicted to this writing duo's books. The Kate Daniels series has been one of my favourites for such a long time now and it's one I reread over and over again so it's fair to say I'm hugely invested in this world and these characters. It's really hard to write a review for the final book in a much loved series because you want to be able to talk about ALL THE THINGS that happened and rave about how incredible it was but I don't want to spoiler anyone so I'm going to deliberately try to keep this vague.

If you're a fan of this series you'll probably have a good idea of what to expect anyway: there's humour, fabulous banter, incredible characters (ones you'll love and ones you'll love to hate), fascinating mythology, weird and wonderful creatures and high drama action scenes that have you praying all the characters you love will survive. This is a story that will make you laugh and cry but will leave you with the biggest smile on your face by the end. Some series go out on a fizzle but Kate Daniels is going out with a BANG. It ends on the highest of highs and gives us a fitting end to a series that we've invested years in but it also leaves a few doors open for some of the side characters to get their chance to shine.

We already know that Hugh and Elara have another 2 books left in their series, Ilona has also mentioned a potential story about Roman and she's not discounted the possibility of other characters (and possibly even Kate and Curran) to make the occasional come back in a book or novella. I for one will be happy to read any other story that Ilona and Gordon choose to set in this world (or any other for that matter!) but at the same time I'm so, so happy that Kate and Curran are going to get to enjoy the happily ever after they've spent so long fighting for.

This series continues to be an all time favourite and I know it's one I'll continue to reread at least once a year so if you've not discovered this world yet now is the perfect time to start. Whatever you do don't start with Magic Triumphs though, this book is the culmination of 10 books and numerous short stories and novellas and if you don't start at the beginning with Magic Bites then you'll be doing yourself a huge disservice. Please do give the series a try though, it's absolutely wonderful and I'm so jealous of those people who are still going to get to experience it for the first time!

Source: Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Iron and Magic - Ilona Andrews

No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy…But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work.

Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast.

Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify.

Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies?

As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.”

Hugh and Elara may do both.

The Kate Daniels Series:
A Questionable Client (Short Story in the Magic Graves anthology)
Magic Bites
Magic Burns
Magic Strikes
Magic Mourns (Novella included in the Must Love Hellhounds anthology or available separately as an ebook)
Magic Bleeds
Magic Dreams (Novella included in the Hexed anthology or available separately as an ebook)
Magic Slays
Magic Tests (Short Story included in the An Apple for the Creature anthology)
Magic Gifts (Novella available for a limited time as a free ebook from the authors and included in the print version of Gunmetal Magic)
Gunmetal Magic (Kate Daniel's World book 1)
Retribution Clause (Short Story in the Hex Appeal anthology)
Small Magics (Anthology containing previously published stories including A Questionable Client, Magic Tests and Retribution Clause as well as 2 other stories not set in the Kate Daniels world)
Magic Rises
Magic Steals (Novella included in the Night Shift anthology)
Magic Breaks
Magic Shifts
Magic Stars (Novella, Grey Wolf book 1)
Magic Binds
Iron and Magic (The Iron Covenant book 1)
Magic Triumphs

Visit Ilona Andrews' website for more information

Review:
I have been excited about the idea of a Hugh book since way back when it was just a silly April Fool's joke on Ilona and Gordon's blog so of course I was over the moon when I found out it was actually going to be written after all. Hugh has always been a brilliant villain in the Kate Daniels series and a character that I desperately wanted to know more about but I have to admit I wasn't quite sure how he could be redeemed into a character I could root for. I have total faith in the Andrews writing team though and this isn't the first time they've pulled off the almost impossible, they've managed to make Hugh a complex character, maintain his total a-holeness but still make me love him and that's quite an achievement!

This is the first book in a spin off from the Kate Daniels series, Iron and Magic is designed to be read after Magic Binds but before the final book Magic Triumphs and I would highly recommend sticking to that reading order to get the most out of both series and avoid giving yourself any spoilers. In fact, if you're reading this review before you've read Magic Binds stop right now and go catch up with my all time favourite series. You'll thank me when you're done, I promise!

Hugh has done some pretty inexcusable things throughout the series, he's hurt a lot of characters we care about and caused a lot of trouble for Kate and Curran so I've never looked at him as a good guy but it was still pretty shocking to see Roland abandon him the way he did. Hugh is now completely on his own and it's had a huge affect on him but it is his Iron Dogs that pull him back from the edge. They need him if they're going to survive and Hugh is in a difficult situation because he has no way to provide all the things they need. He ends up seeking a marriage of convenience with Elara, she has a castle full of people and plenty of supplies but they are in danger and in need of protection, Hugh, on the other hand, has trained soldiers who are desperate for a home and willing to fight to defend it.

This isn't a marriage built on love or even on trust, in fact it's far closer to insta-hate because Hugh and Elara rub each other up the wrong way from the moment they set eyes on each other, which leads to some glorious banter let me tell you! This is two leaders who are willing to do anything to protect their people and if that means marrying the enemy then that's what they'll do. Their relationship is gradually changing but there's still a long way to go before I'd consider them a happy couple and I'm really glad about the slow build romance we're seeing here. Romance is definitely not the focus of the story, it's just a nice little extra going on in the background.

Instead the focus is on getting to know Hugh better and meeting some of the Iron Dogs, as well as finding out about Elara and her people. At the moment I have far more questions than answers about Elara but I can already tell you she's totally fascinating and more than capable of standing her ground against Hugh - there couldn't be a more well matched pair than these two. As always with Ilona Andrews books you get the most wonderful side characters and I love that we're introduced to a completely new set of characters here. Hugh is the only familiar face for most of the story (there are a couple of cameo appearances later on though) and even with him we get to learn so much that we never touched on in the main series so there is a lot of new territory to cover here and I loved every minute of it.

This story was everything I could possibly have wanted and I'm so excited to continue reading about Hugh, Elara and their people. It's taken me a long time to write this review because I've been in a bit of a blogging slump lately but I've been completely obsessed with this book since it's release and I've already read it four times so that should give you some idea about how much I love it. As sad as I am that the main Kate Daniels series is coming to an end I'm extremely happy that Hugh and Elara are going to be around to pick up the reigns when Kate and Curran slip off into retirement!

Source: Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Small Magics - Ilona Andrews

***The stories in this anthology have been previously published***

Now collected for the first time, an irresistible compilation of five previously published stories by the bestselling author of the Kate Daniels series; including Kate’s very first meeting with Saiman, some related adventures, and two unforgettable ‘outside’ excursions.

A QUESTIONABLE CLIENT –
In this ‘intro’ to the Kate Daniels world, we meet the extremely ‘shifty’ Saiman for the very first time, when Kate takes on the task of serving as his bodyguard to protect him from some very determined—and dangerous—Russian wizards.

RETRIBUTION CLAUSE –
Saiman’s cousin, Adam—a frost giant and also an insurance adjuster—and his enigmatic partner, Siroun, set out on an impossible mission to enforce a client’s Retribution Clause; that is, to kill the person who killed her. But is their target even guilty? Magic and mayhem and a little personal chemistry will reveal the truth!

OF SWINE AND ROSES –
A young adult story about a girl, a pig, some magic, and the worst date ever.

Chad Thurman is a thug, who carries brass knuckles in both pockets and lays magic traps for intruders into "his" neighborhood. The last thing Alena Kornov wants to do is to go on the date with him. But when her family pressures her, she can't say no. Now the ice-cream is absent, the pig is running for its life, and we won't even mention the dead guy...

GRACE OF SMALL MAGICS –
Grace has always known she wasn’t like everyone else and that her family has magic abilities. After flying to meet the head of Clan Dreoch in order to fulfill her families’ “duties” as servants, Grace finds herself in the middle of a mage clan war…

MAGIC TESTS –
A short story in the Kate Daniels universe. Kate recruits her teenage ward, Julie, to search out a missing student whose location spell has her hidden somewhere on campus…

The Kate Daniels Series:
A Questionable Client (Short Story in the Magic Graves anthology)
Magic Bites
Magic Burns
Magic Strikes
Magic Mourns (Novella included in the Must Love Hellhounds anthology or available separately as an ebook)
Magic Bleeds
Magic Dreams (Novella included in the Hexed anthology or available separately as an ebook)
Magic Slays
Magic Tests (Short Story included in the An Apple for the Creature anthology)
Magic Gifts (Novella available for a limited time as a free ebook from the authors and included in the print version of Gunmetal Magic)
Gunmetal Magic (Kate Daniel's World book 1)
Retribution Clause (Short Story in the Hex Appeal anthology)
Small Magics (Anthology containing previously published stories including A Questionable Client, Magic Tests and Retribution Clause as well as 2 other stories not set in the Kate Daniels world)
Magic Rises
Magic Steals (Novella included in the Night Shift anthology)
Magic Breaks
Magic Shifts
Magic Stars (Novella, Grey Wolf book 1)
Magic Binds
Iron and Magic (The Iron Covenant book 1)
Magic Triumphs

Visit Ilona Andrews' website for more information

Review:
I've read and reviewed a lot of these stories separately or as part of other anthologies but it never hurts to have everything all in one place so I'm going to post those reviews again here. Three of the stories in this anthology are set in the Kate Daniels world but two are completely standalone (and one of those was completely new to me).

A Questionable Client (Kate Daniels 0.5):

A Questionable Client is a prequel short story for the Kate Daniels series and shows a bit of Kate's history with the Mercenary Guild and we see her first meeting with shape shifter Saiman. This is a great introduction to the series and I loved finding out more about Saiman who is a character that intrigued me in the first book Magic Bites. Although short this story is full of humour and was a quick, enjoyable read that has reminded me how much I liked the first book in this series and made me keen to continue reading Kate's story.

Retribution Clause (Kate Daniels 5.6):

This is set in the same world as the Kate Daniels series but we don't get to see any of the characters we already know and love, we do get to meet Saiman's cousin though so there is a link there. I really loved Adam, as much as I find Saiman's constant body swapping amusing it is also kind of creepy so it was interesting to see how different Adam is and how comfortable he is in his own skin. Adam and his partner, Siroun, work as insurance adjusters which sounds boring on the surface but in reality means they are charged with investigating any suspicious deaths among their clients. In the case of murder victims it is up to them to dispense justice to their killers. Although this is a farily short story there is a mystery to solve and I enjoyed getting to meet these characters and explore this world further. There is definitely some great potential for these two and I'd love to read more stories about them in the future.

Of Swine and Roses:

This short story introduces us to teenager Alena Kornov who is under pressure from her family to date Chad Thurman, a boy from one of the local families who they need a favour from. Alena has absolutely no interest in Chad but her mother is a master of guilt manipulation and Alena ends up agreeing to her demands. What follows is an absolutely hilarious first date from hell. I'm not going to say any more than that so you'll just have to read it for yourself but it was definitely a fun read.

It's official, team Andrews can do no wrong! Even in a 23 page short story they manage to hook me completely in and get me fully invested in the characters they've created. I actually would have loved to see this turned into a full length novel but it was surprisingly satisfying for such a short read. You can definitely tell this is one of the stories that eventually developed into the Hidden Legacy series, it's totally different worlds and the rules of magic aren't quite the same but there are plenty of similarities there too.

Grace of Small Magics:

This is another story that shows the beginnings of the ideas behind the Hidden Legacy series, Grace knows her family is different and that she has a magical ability but her family have done their best to keep her untrained and under the radar. What she doesn't know is that her family owe a huge debt to one of the magical elite families due to a long running vendetta and now Nassar, the head of the other family, is calling in their debt. This story has plenty of action and some great characters alongside a satisfying romance. There were a lot of things that reminded me of Nevada and Rogan from the Hidden Legacy books and reading this left me itching to start a HL reread - AGAIN (seriously I can't get enough of those books!).

Magic Tests (Kate Daniels 5.3):

I've always quite liked Julie's character, she can be a little annoying at times but I think she is a fairly typical teenager in that regard, and it was nice to see a story from her point of view. Although this story isn't essential reading as part of the series because it doesn't really effect the ongoing story arc it was nice to get to know Julie a bit better and I'd actually like to see more from her POV in the future. We've all seen how much Julie hates the boarding school that Kate sent her to and now she's home and living in the Keep she seems to think she can get away without going to school at all. Kate has other plans for her though and she has a very clever way of getting Julie to go along with them. We are introduced to some great new characters but the one I was most excited about seeing again was Yu Fong (you may remember him from Dali's short story Magic Dreams). I was already hoping he'd end up being a major character in the series and now I'm thinking he's more likely to re-appear thanks to his friendship with Julie. I loved getting to see Julie grow up a bit and actually work out a way to use her ability to help someone else and I'd definitely like to see her get her own book or spin off series in the future.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
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Kindle:

Review: The Heart Forger - Rin Chupeco

In this dark, engrossing sequel to The Bone Witch, Tea has mastered resurrection—now it’s time for revenge.

Tea, a bone witch who can resurrect the dead, is done with her self-imposed exile. She now possesses all seven bezoars she needs to revive the powerful daeva. With the help of these terrible monsters, she can finally enact her revenge against the royals who wronged her and took the life of her one true love. 

Alliances and allegiances are shifting, and danger lurks in and out of the kingdom. But Tea’s heart is set on vengeance, even if it turns her against her now-estranged brother, who supports her enemies. War is brewing, and when dark magic is at play, no one is safe.

Bone Witch Series:
The Bone Witch
The Heart Forger
The Shadowglass (2019)

Visit Rin Chupeco's website for more information

Review:
I loved The Bone Witch so The Heart Forger was high up on my wish list for 2018 releases and I'm happy to say it surpassed all expectations. It took all the things I loved about the first book and then ramped them up to an even higher level, this book was much faster paced, had far more action, lots of twists and some fantastic monsters. I know some people didn't like the the slower pace of the first book but I thought that Rin Chupeco laid a brilliant foundation and helped to create a fascinating world for us to explore. Now she's used that foundation as a springboard and really kicked off the even more exciting part of her story.

As with the first book the story is told in two parts. You have the present, where Tea is older, wiser and far more jaded, she's been through hell and she's determined to put an end to the threats against the people she cares about. That Tea is telling her story to a Bard who is recording her journey to share it with the world. Then you have the younger version of Tea, the one who is slowly trying to figure out who she can trust. The stakes are getting ever higher for both versions of Tea and you can see how the weight of the world is settling onto her shoulders as she fights against an evil that has been plotting for years.

It's really hard to say much more without giving too much away so I'm going to keep this review short. All I'll tell you is that if you enjoyed the first book I guarantee you'll find this one even more compelling. I loved everything about this book and I'm definitely going to be first in line for a copy of The Shadowglass next year. Rin Chupeco's writing is outstanding and I can't wait to see how Tea's story ends.

Source: Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Hardback / Kindle:

Review: Valiant Light - Jana Oliver

With her wedding fast approaching, as well as her fiancé's investiture as grand master, Master Demon Trapper Riley Blackthorne is just trying to keep Atlanta safe from Hellspawn. When she meets a high-level fiend who claims to be free of Lucifer's control, and allows him to remain at large, she knows there will be consequences.

Denver Beck is facing two major events: taking his vows as a grand master and then as a husband. He's as nervous about committing his life to the fight against Darkness as he's excited to say, "I do". All his worries about the future are confirmed when a city is buried in brimstone, killing every single inhabitant. Was this Hell's doing, or is some other entity at work? It's Beck's job to find out.

After more cities are destroyed, Riley is summoned to Rome to answer for her actions. If they want a future as man and wife, she and Beck will have to take a stand. But will they be strong enough to stop this new threat, a killer that even the angels fear?

The Demon Trappers Series:
Retro Demonology (Free Short Story)
Forsaken (Released in the US as The Demon Trapper's Daughter)
Forbidden (Released in the US as Soul Thief)
Forgiven
Foretold
Grave Matters (Novella)
Mind Games
Valiant Light

Visit Jana Oliver's website for more information

Review:
Beck has finally finished all his studies to become a Grand Master, all that's left now is the official ceremony and then he can return to Atlanta to help Riley with the final preparations for their wedding. Riley has been given official recognition as a Master Trapper and she's continuing her magic studies with both the witches and the necromancers alongside training her apprentices so for once in their lives things are going pretty smoothly for the couple. Of course nothing stays that way for too long in this world and when entire cities start being destroyed the Vatican call on Riley for help thanks to her unusual link to both heaven and hell. The church doesn't trust her but they're out of other options so it's up to Riley and Beck to try and figure out exactly what is going on and they need to do it fast if they don't want to put their wedding plans on hold.

I've loved the Demon Trappers series since I read the first book back in 2011 so I've waited a long time for Riley and Beck to finally reach this point of their relationship. I've loved the journey they've taken and I really love that they're both such kickass characters who will do anything to protect each other. They both have their strengths and skills and working together they're a pretty unstoppable team, more importantly they can rely on each other to always have their backs.

I'm sad that this series has reached the end but I've enjoyed every minute of the journey, it was great to catch up with some of the previous characters and see some surprising appearances of characters I thought we'd seen the last of. A lot of the side characters have gone through just as interesting journeys as Riley and Beck have so it was great to see some of them earn redemption along the way. It's always upsetting to leave a world after you've spent so much time in it but I'm looking forward to seeing what Jana Oliver comes up with next.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
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Paperback / Kindle:

Review: The Bone Witch - Rin Chupeco

The beast raged; it punctured the air with its spite. But the girl was fiercer.

Tea is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy makes her a bone witch, who are feared and ostracized in the kingdom. For theirs is a powerful, elemental magic that can reach beyond the boundaries of the living—and of the human.

Great power comes at a price, forcing Tea to leave her homeland to train under the guidance of an older, wiser bone witch. There, Tea puts all of her energy into becoming an asha, learning to control her elemental magic and those beasts who will submit by no other force. And Tea must be strong—stronger than she even believes possible. Because war is brewing in the eight kingdoms, war that will threaten the sovereignty of her homeland…and threaten the very survival of those she loves.

Lyrical and action packed, this new fantasy series by acclaimed author Rin Chupeco will leave you breathless.

Bone Witch Series:
The Bone Witch
The Heart Forger
The Shadowglass (2019)

Visit Rin Chupeco's website for more information

Review:
Tea had no idea she was a Bone Witch until the day she accidentally raised her brother from his coffin in the middle of his funeral! She didn't quite bring Fox back to life in the traditional sense of the word but his spirit is back and his body is now much more indestructible than it was before. Although people often seek out Bone Witches when they are in need of help they are also treated with suspicion in most villages so Tea is lucky to be accepted as an apprentice to another Bone Witch called Mykaela. Tea and Fox travel with Mykaela to the city where Tea will begin training in magic skills to become an Asha.

The story is skilfully told in two parts, there is young Tea who is a little naive and desperately trying to find her place in the world, she is eager to learn and willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her goals, then there is an older Tea, one who has obviously seen more of the world and who has become jaded because of it. She is a harder character and one who is set on revenge for the wrongs she has suffered and she is telling her story to a travelling Bard. The two stories unravel alongside each other and it was really interesting waiting to see how the younger version of Tea would eventually become the older one.

I've seen a lot of mixed reviews for this book but I enjoyed every minute of it. The main complaint amongst my friends has been that the story was a little slow to unfold and they struggled with some of the language but I personally though the writing was absolutely beautiful. Yes this is a fairly slow story but the world building is so rich and detailed that I just loved spending time exploring it. I can definitely see why the story is compared to Memoirs of a Geisha because Tea's apprenticeship was very similar to Geisha training. This is a fantasy world but it's definitely based on Japanese culture and I think Rin Chupeco did a brilliant job bringing those two elements together.

The Bone Witch is a very promising start to a new series and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the sequel to find out what happens next.

Source: Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Hardback / Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Phantom Kiss - Chloe Neill

In this all-new novella from the New York Times bestselling author of Midnight Marked, Merit, Ethan, and the rest of Cadogan House crew discover that not all undead creatures are kindred spirits…

Vampires generally aren’t afraid of things that go bump in the night, but Merit and Ethan are extra jumpy after a recent attack by a dark sorcerer. So when they learn that someone is messing with graves in Chicago’s cemeteries, stealing skulls and snatching souls, they fear that their powerful foe might be back for even more magical vengeance.

But after a specter begins haunting Cadogan House—and targeting vampires—they realize that they're being taunted by an altogether different sort of monster. A ghoulish villain straight out of the Windy City’s urban legends is on the prowl—and he won’t stop until he’s killed again...

Chicagoland Vampires Series:
Some Girls Bite
Friday Night Bites
Twice Bitten
Hard Bitten
Drink Deep
Biting Cold
House Rules
Biting Bad
High Stakes (Novella in the Kicking It anthology)
Howling for You (Novella)
Wild Things
Blood Games
Lucky Break (Novella)
Dark Debt
Midnight Marked
Phantom Kiss (Novella)
Blade Bound
Slaying It (Novella)

Heirs of Chicagoland Series:
(Spin off set approximately 20 years on from the end of the Chicagoland Vampires series)
Wild Hunger
Wicked Hour

Visit Chloe Neill's website for more information

Review:
As a huge fan of the Chicagoland Vampires series I love it when Chloe Neill writes these novellas to help tide us over until the next full length book releases. Phantom Kiss was a great way to slip back into this world and it definitely left me more eager than ever for the April release of Blade Bound.

Merit and Ethan's evening starts with a wedding shower organised by Merit's mother and sister and ends with a trip to a cemetery to investigate a freshly disturbed grave. Frankly I'm not sure which of the two events is more terrifying but the fallout for the open grave has far more serious consequences. I don't think we've seen much ghostly action throughout the series so that was a nice change of pace and I thought it was hilarious to see how the Cadogan vampires reacted to the idea that the house may be haunted.

As always I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Merit and Ethan working together and we get to see all our favourite familiar faces like Mallory, Catcher, Jeff and Merit's Grandfather. We also get to spend more time with local necromancer Annabelle which was great, I really like her character and hope we'll see more of her in the final book.

I'm so sad that this series is coming to an end but I have very high hopes for Blade Bound and can't wait to see Merit and Ethan get their happily ever after.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
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Kindle:

Review: Magic Binds - Ilona Andrews

Mercenary Kate Daniels knows all too well that magic in post-Shift Atlanta is a dangerous business. But nothing she’s faced could have prepared her for this...

Kate and the former Beast Lord Curran Lennart are finally making their relationship official. But there are some steep obstacles standing in the way of their walk to the altar...

Kate’s father, Roland, has kidnapped the demigod Saiman and is slowly bleeding him dry in his never-ending bid for power. A Witch Oracle has predicted that if Kate marries the man she loves, Atlanta will burn and she will lose him forever. And the only person Kate can ask for help is long dead.

The odds are impossible. The future is grim. But Kate Daniels has never been one to play by the rules...

The Kate Daniels Series:
A Questionable Client (Short Story in the Magic Graves anthology)
Magic Bites
Magic Burns
Magic Strikes
Magic Mourns (Novella included in the Must Love Hellhounds anthology or available separately as an ebook)
Magic Bleeds
Magic Dreams (Novella included in the Hexed anthology or available separately as an ebook)
Magic Slays
Magic Tests (Short Story included in the An Apple for the Creature anthology)
Magic Gifts (Novella available for a limited time as a free ebook from the authors and included in the print version of Gunmetal Magic)
Gunmetal Magic (Kate Daniel's World book 1)
Retribution Clause (Short Story in the Hex Appeal anthology)
Small Magics (Anthology containing previously published stories including A Questionable Client, Magic Tests and Retribution Clause as well as 2 other stories not set in the Kate Daniels world)
Magic Rises
Magic Steals (Novella included in the Night Shift anthology)
Magic Breaks
Magic Shifts
Magic Stars (Novella, Grey Wolf book 1)
Magic Binds
Iron and Magic (The Iron Covenant book 1)
Magic Triumphs

Visit Ilona Andrews' website for more information

Review:
I honestly don't know Ilona and Gordon Andrews do it but the Kate Daniels series just gets better and better with every book. We're heading to the end of the series now (just one more book to go *sob*) so everything is building up and falling into place ready for the big finale and the only word to accurately describe Magic Binds is epic. The stakes are higher than you could possibly imagine, the confrontation between Kate and Roland is closer than ever before and shit just got real.

It's so hard to write a review for a book that's so amazing because I want to talk about all the things but at the same time I don't want to mention any of them and unintentionally spoiler people. Just trust me when I say this has all the humour you've come to expect from the series as well as some beautiful and heart wrenching moments. Kate shows a little of her dark side, Curran proves beyond a shadow of doubt what a perfect couple they make, Julie has me a little worried but I'm going to trust her to do the right thing, Ronan is the most hilarious wedding planner you could ever come across, Christopher remembers something very important and leaves Barabas looking rather flustered, Andrea and Raphael prepare for a new arrival, Jim is his usual idiot self but Dali sets him straight when he needs it, Derek frustrated me by not believing in Kate when he should have but at the same time made my heart melt because he was just trying to protect Julie, the shock reappearance of an old character was absolute genius and then there's Roland, loving father one minute, crazy dictator the next Roland is a complex character but one who can never be trusted.

I've already devoured this epic rollercoaster of a book twice and I'm contemplating reading it for a third time just because I still have such a book hangover and no other book is able to compete. There aren't any other series that come anywhere close to this one, it's urban fantasy at it's very finest and I'm not going to know what to do with myself when I don't have my yearly dose of new Kate to look forward to. At least I'll still have my annual reread to help with the withdrawal symptoms and of course everything Ilona and Gordon write in the future will jump straight to the top of my to read pile.

Source: Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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