Birthright by E.J. Stevens - 4.75/5. An incredible addition to the series!

Today, I am reviewing the Urban Fantasy story Birthright by E.J. Stevens. The fourth full novel in the Ivy Granger series, it follows Ms. Granger down into Faerie, as she seeks her father and the knowledge she needs in order to prevent further Unseelie-sponsored assassination attempts. She brings along her kelpie beloved, Ceff, and the notoriously naughty cat sidhe Torn as they hunt down the court of the wisps, Ivy’s own people, and make some new and shocking discoveries on the way. 

I give this book a 4.75/5. Here is my breakdown.

Characters: 5/5. This time the story focused on just three of our large cast, and that time allowed for us to really explore them in further detail. We get to see new wrinkles in the relationship between Ceff and Ivy, including some developments that have been a long time coming, in this reader’s opinion. Torn rounds out the cast and provides the exact amount of snark and nonchalance that the other two need to balance them out.

Plot/Storyline: 5/5. Incredibly, I think that Stevens’ storytelling gets better and better with every book. Birthright was amazing and compelling, grabbing hold of my mind and never letting go. I followed every twist of the story with relish, looking forward to whatever was coming next. Faerie felt like a new world, as it should, and the rules and laws were both alien and familiar, the echoes of stories that many have already forgotten. Fantastic job!

Flow: 5/5. A worthy successor to a worthy series, Birthright is incredibly tight and well-crafted. The action fills the time without bloating it, and every scene is made so that it flows into the next. No wasted space, no wasted time, and a sense of urgency that makes you want to know what happens next. In the wisp court in particular, Stevens used a slower pace to her advantage, leaving me chomping at the bit in order to find out what was going on next.

Spelling/Grammar: 4.5/5. I counted exactly 4 minor spelling errors in the entirety of the work. That’s outstanding. Phenomenal. A vast improvement over Burning Bright, and a credit to both her and her editor. Well done!

Overall: 4.75/5. I don’t know how much more I can say about E.J. Stevens without seeming like a fanboy…but what the hell. She’s awesome. Her books are awesome. I recommend her to everyone that I meet that enjoys this kind of work, and hold her up as an exemplar when people discuss modern urban fantasy writers. With tight work, fantastic characters, and stories crafted from the quicksilver of Faerie itself, Stevens is a writer that you must try.

The new minor characters, including Ivy’s uncle, the current regent of the wisp court, are well-fleshed out and intriguing. I admit to cheering when Flavio got what was coming to him ;)

Plot/Storyline: 5/5. Incredibly, I think that Stevens’ storytelling gets better and better with every book. Birthright was amazing and compelling, grabbing hold of my mind and never letting go. I followed every twist of the story with relish, looking forward to whatever was coming next. Faerie felt like a new world, as it should, and the rules and laws were both alien and familiar, the echoes of stories that many have already forgotten. Fantastic job!

Flow: 5/5. A worthy successor to a worthy series, Birthright is incredibly tight and well-crafted. The action fills the time without bloating it, and every scene is made so that it flows into the next. No wasted space, no wasted time, and a sense of urgency that makes you want to know what happens next. In the wisp court in particular, Stevens used a slower pace to her advantage, leaving me chomping at the bit in order to find out what was going on next.

Trust me.

You can find Birthright, along with the rest of her works, at the link below.

The End of the World is Rye by Brett Cottrell: A unique take on Urban Fantasy that kept me reading! 4/5 Stars.

Hello! And welcome back to all my readers and followers. I'm sorry for the delay, but as many of you know, I've been working on my move to Hawaii as of late. But now we're settled in and I can get back to reading and reviewing!

Today, I am reviewing the Paranormal/Urban Fantasy story The End of the World is Rye by Brett Cottrell. Another debut novel and the first in a series, this book asks us to believe in different beings that each embody one particular aspect, or thought, of God – His Genius, Inspiration, Wrath, and Love are all in attendance, each with their own personas and characters. The story is in first person, narrated from the perspective of Contradiction, or Cognitive Dissonance, whose job is to help people reconcile the disparate aspects of God’s being. Unfortunately, Insanity escapes his chains, and heads out to cause trouble as only he can.

Naturally, this doesn’t bode well for the rest.

I received this book as an Advance Review Copy (ARC), so the final version may be slightly different from what I’ve reviewed here. This review is, as always, honest in its entirety.

This was a fun romp through a very interesting fantasy world that Mr. Cottrell has created. I enjoyed the book very much, and, overall, give it a 4/5 rating. Here is my breakdown.

Characters: 5/5. Definitely the strongest point of this book. I loved the interaction between the various aspects of God’s psyche, the thoughts given form, and the variety and interplay made the book for me. Each one was unique, but tied together, unable to dismiss the others but locked into their own points of view. Fantastic.

Plot/Storyline: 4/5. Expertly executed. It starts out small, with a “hey, Insanity’s gone, that’s a problem,” and escalating into the “Oh, crap, what now?” type of thing. Classic threads are interwoven with those of Cottrell’s own design, creating an original, unique event. I was curious about the limitations of the character’s ability to “zap” themselves through time; it’s stated that they can, unless restrained, but I didn’t see them use it very much. Would it have been helpful? I don’t know.

Flow: 4/5. Clean and easy to read. I had no trouble convincing my fingers to turn pages (yes, this was a physical book this time!) and they went by very quickly. There are no major stumbling blocks, and, indeed, I thought that the story moved from beat to beat very well.

Spelling/Grammar: 3/5. I hope that Rosarium Publishing runs through this book one more time. It’s not bad, by any means, but there were enough small errors that I noticed them. Little things, small typos and misplaced punctuation, maybe a dropped word or two.

Overall: 4/5. A very enjoyable read, filled with fun, danger, excitement, and intriguing possibilities. I had a great time in Mr. Cottrell’s world, and I’m looking forward to the sequel!


You can find the book on Amazon here: 

No Reflection - A subtly terrifying paranormal investigation novel, and a treat to read! 4.25/5

Today, I am reviewing the Paranormal/Horror story No Reflection by Spencer Hughes. Reminiscent (to me) of the works of E.J. Stevens crossed with a bit of Stephen King, No Reflection introduces a regular (as far as we know!) protagonist, Nicole, who becomes the unexpected target of a serial killer after witnessing a horrific scene in the New York Subway. She teams up (reluctantly at first) with a group of “monster hunters” who believe the perpetrator to be some sort of supernatural.

I give this book a solid 4.25/5. Here is my breakdown.

Characters: 4/5. Pretty darn great. I’m a fan of the “normal person caught in the supernatural” trope, and Hughes did it well. I could feel Nicole’s terror as she faced these events without knowing why she was targeted…or even by whom. The violation of her personal everything was perfectly crafted. I look forward to learning more about the team she fell in with, though; their characterizations, while good, felt just a tad one-dimensional, probably because the story was focused so much on Nicole.

Plot/Storyline: 5/5. Bravo! I was creeped out from the beginning. The hook was effective, and the final reveal, while I (like the main character) saw it coming, was still emotionally powerful. I applaud Hughes for creating such an intricate thriller/horror and weaving it deftly.

Flow: 4.5/5. Great. I tore through this book as quickly as I could. There were sufficient slow-downs to keep it from being a madhouse, but there was always pressure, always something that needed to be done. That’s the way I like my books.

Spelling/Grammar: 4/5. There were a couple of typos in this book, but little of note. One thing I do want to mention (only because I noticed it) is that Hughes has an interesting thing he does in dialogue. Rather than using ellipses (I just…I just wanted to go.”), he uses a full period stop (I just. I just wanted to go.”). This happens a lot, and I’m not saying it’s wrong, but it’s different enough that I noted it and it caught me a few times. It’s a much more jarring transition than the ellipsis…not that I like books that are overpeppered with ellipses, either J

Overall: 4.25/5. Very good. Very, very good. I will be reading the sequel when it’s out. This kind of story is one of my favorites, and Hughes pulled it off with aplomb. Thank you for the opportunity to read it, and good luck!

You can purchase No Reflection at the link below. 

Kill It With Magic by J.A. Cipriano: Fast-Paced, Frenetic, Exciting...Overwhelming? Maybe. 3.5/5

Today, I am reviewing the Paranormal/Urban Fantasy story Kill It With Magic by J.A. Cipriano. The first in the Lillim Callina Chronicles, we’re exposed to a world of magic, vampires, ghosts, and dragons all fighting for control of the world. Our protagonist, Lillim herself, is the reincarnation of a famous monster-hunter and is constantly being judged by her former life.

I give this book a 3.5/5. Here is my breakdown.

Characters: 4/5. Kill It With Magic introduces a rather large cast of characters very quickly, but Cipriano does a good job of helping us keep them all straight. The relationships are interesting, and Lillim’s issues with being judged as Dirge, her former incarnation, seem realistic, even though everyone around her denies that it’s true. My only issue with Lillim is that, in some ways, she doesn’t seem like much of a protagonist. I got to the end of the book and I wasn’t entirely sure what it was she had actually done to resolve anything.

Plot/Storyline: 3.5/5. Classic “save the world,” with a developed world and high stakes. It was solid and enjoyable. There was so much, though, that I lost track of it all. I was never entirely sure of the rules of magic in Cipriano’s world. Was there a limit? Was it elementally-based? Why did using Frost threaten to waken a dragon? Why wouldn’t Bob just die? I don’t know.

Flow: 3/5. I’ve been accused of writing action-filled novels, but Kill It With Magic leaves me in the dust. The characters have no chance to rest, and each and every time it looks like things are improving for Lillim she’s tossed back in. Normally, this would be fine, meriting at least a 4 if done well; my problem with it is the “red-herring” aspect. No spoilers, but suffice to say that there are many times where what you think is happening is not what is happening.

Spelling/Grammar: 5/5. I didn’t notice any typos or grammar issues within this book while I read it.

Overall: 3.5/5. This book is good. It’s solid and the story is interesting. The flow issues, the frenetic pacing, and the red herrings left me scratching my head at times, but don’t let that keep you from checking this book out!

Death Defiant: A 5/5 Urban Fantasy that Enthralls and Thrills!

Today, I am reviewing the Paranormal/Urban Fantasy story Death Defiant by Paige Reiring. Her debut novel and the first in a series, we get to see an interesting mix of angels, demons, and “supernaturals,” which are half-demon spawn. Contrary to many mythologies, these creatures live a mortal lifespan (although a bit longer), but our protagonist, a supernatural who goes by Cheri, has a special power that’s never been seen before.

She is Death Defiant.

This is one of the most incredible books I’ve read in recent memory. I give this book a 5/5. Here is my breakdown.

Characters: 5/5. Wow. Cheri and Bel were my personal favorites, and watching their relationship develop was amazing. Paige has created a network of real people: the demons are distinctly recognizable as demonic while having redeeming qualities, and the angels angelic but complete with flaws. Being that angels and demons are favorites of mine to play with in the fictional arena, I applaud Paige for her masterful craftswomanship.

Plot/Storyline: 5/5. Damn. Just…damn. This book had me thinking about it after I was done reading, bringing me back to particularly powerful scenes and events. I won’t give away what happened, but Cheri goes through a devastating turn of events that leaves her in a horrific situation…and horrific is exactly how I’d describe it. Paige pulled this off without going visceral and painting the mind with gore; instead, she keeps us grounded in Cheri’s experience…and what happens to her is all the more terrifying for it.

Flow: 5/5. Like a waterfall after the river, this story slipped through my fingers until the roaring climax had me glued to the pages. There was never a dull moment, and, indeed, Paige’s mastery of pacing is fantastic. I finished this book in about two hours of reading…and never noticed it gone.

Spelling/Grammar: 4.5/5. There were a few, very few, typos in this book. Solid, well-edited, and a treat to read.

Overall: 5/5. Yes, I know I dinged the book for spelling, but I don’t give a damn. Seriously, this is the best book I’ve read in a long, long while. I walked, ran, and suffered right along Cheri as her world fell apart around her, as she gathered allies, and as she rose to take her place in the world. Thank you, Paige; you’ve earned a lifelong fan!

You can purchase a copy at the link below...and I recommend you do!

Prometheus Stumbles: A DNF, 2/5 Urban Fantasy

Today, I am reviewing the Urban Fantasy story Prometheus Stumbles by Ed Gosney. A regular man in a world that hosts psychic beings (known as psi-tals, or psychic talents) discovers that he’s destined to escort The Turtle, some sort of supernatural entity, and protect it from evil psi-tals who want to keep control of the world. Or something.

I did not finish this book. I got about halfway through and then had no motivation to continue.

I give this book a 2/5. Here is my breakdown.

Characters: 3/5. Not bad. The introduction of psi-tals was interesting, and I found myself intrigued by the limitations and abilities that each one had. Our protagonist, though, was a very bland presence; things kept happening TO him and AROUND him, but he didn’t seem to have very much to do with it all..

Plot/Storyline: 2.5/5. Derivative and common: chosen hero from normal society must save the day. This isn’t bad in itself, but there wasn’t much new introduced in this story. The author didn’t put his own stamp on it, and so it felt boring.

Flow: 4/5. The story moved along at a reasonable pace. If it weren’t for my other concerns (earlier), I would have been carried along fairly well. Unfortunately, once I left the story…I had no desire to return.

Spelling/Grammar: 4/5. No significant errors that I noticed.

Overall: 2/5. There wasn’t a whole lot wrong with this book…there just wasn’t much RIGHT with it either. Nothing held my interest after the premise was introduced, and trying to make myself go back to it felt like a chore, rather than entertainment.

Organ Reapers: Compelling, Intriguing, Excellently Done!

Today, I am reviewing the paranormal/sci-fi/I’m not sure exactly what story Organ Reapers by Shay West. This is a story set in the modern day AND in a parallel world. In this parallel world, people known as Harvesters cross the dimensional boundary using a “mystical” machine in order to kill humans and take their organs back to their homeland, where their high priest uses them to save the lives of their subjects. Obviously, this doesn’t sit well with everyone.

I give this book a 4.5/5. Here is my breakdown.

Characters: 4.5/5. Really solid. The characters from both worlds were believable and interesting. The culture clashes between the worlds drew me in and appealed to me, while Eli’s struggle with the fact that there was a world other than his own felt real. I wish that we had seen more of Eli’s budding feelings for his partner, though; that particular arc never really seemed to come to fruition, in any sense.

Plot/Storyline: 5/5. This was unique and interesting. Extra-dimensional terrorists on a divine mission to save their own people by killing OUR people and taking their organs? Awesome. The language conveyed the imagery and intensity of the plot very well. I loved the ending and the final reveal.

Flow: 5/5. Great. The story moved on at an excellent pace. I was never bored or feeling rushed by the flow of the novel. I also thought the cross-cutting of scenes between our protagonists was executed perfectly. Well done!

Spelling/Grammar: 4.5/5. I noted a very few spelling and/or grammar errors in this book, but nothing that I would write home about. It in no way detracted from the story.

                                                                                         
Overall: 4.5/5. A fantastic story that I really enjoyed. I love the contrast between the worlds and how the characters in each are both very different and very similar. You can pick up your copy at the link below. Thank you so much for the read!