Burning Bright by E.J. Stevens - 4.75/5 Stars

Today, I am reviewing the Urban Fantasy story Burning Bright by E.J. Stevens. The third full novel in the Ivy Granger series, it explores what happens when Ivy’s friend succumbs to fell influence, Ivy herself is drawn into honoring a terrible bargain with a fae queen, and the consequences of our protagonist’s halfbreed heritage come to the fore. As always, Stevens gives an engaging read and a thrilling story. I confess that I bought this book as soon as I found out that it was released, even though I didn’t get to read it until much later. 

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

Characters: 5/5. By now, the characters in the series are familiar, but Stevens continues to reveal new facets of their personalities and show us exactly how the events and environment of Harborsmouth affect them. The interaction between Jinx and Forneus, as limited as it was in this book, is always a thrill, and the evolution of Forneus himself is fascinating to me (how is he keeping his rank in Hell? Does anybody know?). Ivy’s mix of selfish- and selflessness ring true, and I am now utterly terrified of what will happen now that Kaye…
Well, you’ll have to find that out for yourselves ;).

Plot/Storyline: 5/5. Stellar. Gripping. Intense. Stevens is, by now, an expert in keeping her reader engaged in her story. The action is continuous and the tension so palpable that it kept me thinking about the story even when I wasn’t actively reading it. The twists and turns are believable and the sense of verisimilitude is maintained. It’s hard to do that in a long-running fantasy series, but Stevens does an admirable job.


Flow: 5/5. Like a river, Burning Bright carries the reader ever onward. Sometimes it’s fast, sometimes slower, but always moving with nary a dull page…or paragraph! The pacing was phenomenally well done, holding me to the book and bringing me back whenever I had to put it down…which was never by choice!.

Spelling/Grammar: 3.5/5. Burning Bright is plagued with more grammatical and typographical errors than I am accustomed to seeing in E.J. Stevens’s work. They weren’t distracting, but as my own experience grows I am more aware of them, and they were peppered throughout the work – there were a couple of incorrect spellings of glaistig, for instance, and a misplaced period and comma or two. I’ve seen much worse, but I’ve seen much better as well..

Overall: 4.75/5. Stevens continues her efforts to become one of the world’s foremost paranormal/urban fantasy authors by producing material of the highest quality. I favorably compare Burning Bright to works like Harry Potter in its depth and character development. I only hope that, when Stevens hits it big, she doesn’t forget about us, her readers ;)

Review for Atancia by Wren Figueiro -4.5/5

Today, I am reviewing the Paranormal Romance story Atancia by Wren Figueiro. This is a medium-ish book of about 100k words that describes a race of immortals known as Durands who feed off of the energy from living things. The protagonist, Atancia (“Atty” to her friends”) learns that she is one of these beings when Ben, a very handsome, urbane, and mature Durand walks into her life.

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

Characters: 5/5. Holy…hell. Figueiro does a fantastic job of creating interesting and rich characters. I could feel Atty’s nervousness, Nana’s caring and concern, the electric attraction between her and Ben, Matt’s fumbling…it was all amazingly well done. The characters drive this story, and they do a bang-up job at it.

Plot/Storyline: 5/5. When a book is this good, sometimes you feel worried that you’re overdoing the praise…but it just really was this good. The last half of the story (which is part of a duology, by the way) had me paging through as fast as my eyes could take in the words. There was a sense of compelling action…without what most people would consider “action.” This links back to the Characters section: if Figueiro hadn’t done such an amazing job of creating the people and making us care about them, the story may have stuttered and fallen flat. It did not.

Flow: 5/5. Onward and onward and onward with nary a dull moment. Never did I consider that the descriptions were too long, or too wordy, or that there were better things to do. I was wrapped up in the story and it took me wherever it chose.

Spelling/Grammar: 3.5/5. Ah. This is what kept Atancia from achieving the first perfect 5-star rating I have ever given. There were spelling and grammar mistakes sprinkled throughout – not tremendous, not onerous, not “my-god-what-is-wrong-with-you”…but they were there, and I noticed them. Another proofread (since this is an e-book) would definitely be advised.

Overall: 4.5/5. Yes! Wren Figueiro is a prime example of how independent authors can do excellent work. This is her debut novel, and, if the next in the duology can even keep up with this one, I think she has the potential for a splendid career.

Review of All That Glitters by Jackie Sonnenberg

All That Glitters is a paranormal/urban fantasy novel that focuses on an undetectable thief looking for ways to enhance his power. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review; as always, what follows is my honest assessment of the work.

I give this book 2.5/5 stars. Here is my breakdown.

Characters: 2/5. Early on, I found no reason to care about the characters in this story. The point of view changed often, and a whole host of people were introduced. Unfortunately, those people did not ring true to me, and their interactions often seemed like a falsetto note in a song.

Plot: 4/5. This is a strength for this book. I think that Sonnenberg's idea is fascinating - a thief with magical powers terrorizing a town for reasons of his own. With some more work on making the story more fluid, this plot idea could be developed into a truly fantastic novel. As an urban fantasy author myself, I know how hard it is to make the storyline work, and Sonnenberg has a good start in this area.

Flow: 2/5. The language is...well, the language is not fun to read. The dialogue was stilted in many places, unrealistic. The narration was excessive - I prefer for my world to be described to me in small bits and through the actions of the characters rather than through exposition and loads of description. 

Spelling/Grammar: 3.5/5. I didn't notice much in the way of spelling/grammar problems, although the odd structure of some sentences (especially in dialogue) did strike me on occasion. Another proofread/edit session would probably clear up anything I noticed.

Summary: 2.5/5. This book builds slowly. Very slowly. Some people (my sister in law included!) like slow build-ups. I do not. The first few dozen pages of this book are spent introducing more and more new characters without giving me a reason to become invested in any of them. Some people may like this book very much, but I did not. I would not recommend it to others unless I knew that they were interested in the subject matter or the style.

Review of Soul Reunion by Lorraine Sears - 4.5/5 Stars

Review of Soul Reunion by Lorraine Sears Soul Reunion is a paranormal romance story and the first in a series. I was given a free copy of this novel for a review. As always, the review is honest and reflects my true opinions of the work.

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

Characters: 5/5. Lorraine does a fantastic job of creating characters. The world in which they exist is so rich, and the characters have such detailed storylines and history. From Soul Takers to Death Dealers to Vampires and Wizards, it’s a round-robin of wonderful design. The revelation of Maya’s secret curse cut to my soul, and Helena’s insecurities were all-too-realistic. Fantastic work! 

Plot/Storyline: 5/5. The storyline was amazing! The action and romance scenes were all believable and integral to the plot. I sympathized so much with Goran and his desire to be with and protect his mate, the desire which drove the plot of this book. Watching them fight to be together against all odds and enlist some unorthodox allies to do so made this book well worth my time. Flow: 4/5. Lorraine has done an excellent job of putting together a book that pulls one forward to keep reading. I finished this book in just under an hour (what can I say, I’m a speed reader!) and had absolutely no desire to put it down. There were no wasted words or scenes, and the points of view were kept clear and elegant. Normally, I’m not a fan of changing POV within a scene, but Lorraine did it well and with style.

Spelling/Grammar: 4/5. I noticed a VERY few typos in this work. There were a couple of missing quotes and maybe a misspelling or two, but absolutely nothing which interfered with my enjoyment of the work. Clearly well edited and proofread.

Summary: 4.5/5. Soul Reunion is the debut work of someone who should be writing for a living. The world practically ensnares you, daring you to take a step within it because, if you do, you’re likely to get lost. It was a treat to read, and I will be purchasing the next in the series soon. Thank you, Lorraine!

Gods with Fangs by D.C. Armstrong

Review of Gods with Fangs by D.C. Armstrong Gods with Fangs is a paranormal fantasy story with elements of romance. I was given a free copy of this novel for a review. As always, the review is honest and reflects my true opinions of the work.

I give this book a 3/5. Here is my breakdown:

Characters: 5/5. This is the strongest point of this novel, and shows the author’s ability to create realistic people. Each character’s motivations were strong, believable, and their reactions to the situations they found themselves in were plausible and interesting. Being able to create real people is the most important part of a story, in my opinion, so, with characters like Cora, Mark, Aries and Piper, Armstrong is ahead of the curve here!

Plot/Storyline: 4/5. The plot was interesting – vampires have come out of hiding and are in the process of taking over the world for “humanity’s own good.” The struggle between security and freedoms take center-stage in Gods with Fangs, and Armstrong does a good job of making the world believable and helping us care about the events within it. There were a few instances where I felt like the world was reacting unrealistically, but, for the most part, well done.

Flow: 2/5. This is a weakness in this novel. The author overuses ellipses and the dialogue sometimes slips into strange constructions that sound contrived. There are also a few Point-Of-View errors, in which, while we are in one character’s “head,” we receive information from the writing about the motivation of the other characters in the scene, rather than through sensory input.

Spelling/Grammar: 3/5. I noticed a few spelling mistakes and punctuation errors. They increased in frequency toward the end of the work, and came often enough that I noticed their presence and was jolted out of my happy story place. Look for conjunctions and missing commas.

Summary: 3/5. This is a work with an awful lot of potential. Armstrong has created a world that is interesting and enjoyable, and the novel touches on issues that are dear to humanity’s collective heart – freedom and choice. Another round of proofreads and the removal of some ellipses would go a long way to elevating this novel from “pretty good” to “outstanding!”

Club Nexus by E.J. Stevens - 4.5/5

Review of Club Nexus by E. J. Stevens Club Nexus is a paranormal fantasy novella set in the world of Ivy Granger. It contains four shorter works, all set at the same time and the same place but with different points of view. I purchased this story based on my previous experience with E.J. Stevens’ work, and I was not disappointed.

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

Characters: 5/5. As always, Stevens excels in making her characters believable and interesting. Each of the four characters featured (an Unseelie fae, a vampire, Forneus the demon, and Jinx, Ivy’s partner) is rich and involved, and their different takes on the same scenario are amazing. Thank you! 

Plot/Storyline: 4.5/5. I expect that this plot will become important through the development of Stevens’ next novel, Burning Bright. While the novella as a whole seems to mostly be an interesting diversion, a natural follow-up to the events of Ghost Light, the impact on Jinx and Forneus will, I imagine, have long-reaching consequences. My slight ding here is simply because, for the first time ever, I’m angry at Ivy. 

Flow: 4.5/5. The story was compelling and pulled me forward – even the POV changes are done effectively and well. Stevens is a master at balancing action and development, and Club Nexus, despite its brevity, showcases this talent to the fullest.

Spelling/Grammar: 5/5. I noticed no spelling or grammar mistakes. While this could be because Stevens always writes in such a way that I lose track of what I’m doing and then the story is over. <.< >.>

Summary: 4.5/5. This is an excellent set of stories and a great teaser for Burning Bright. E.J. Stevens excels, as always, and her pen (or word processor) has revealed secrets from both Jinx and Forneus that would have been missed if we were only looking through Ivy’s eyes. I am thrilled with my purchase and will buy Burning Bright as soon as it’s released. Thanks again!

The Light Who Shines - 3.75/5

Review of The Light Who Shines by Lilo Abernathy

The Light Who Shines is a paranormal fantasy/romance story. I was given a free copy of this novel for a review. As always, the review is honest and reflects my true opinions of the work.

I give this book a 3.75/5. Here is my breakdown:

Characters: 5/5. This is where Lilo’s work really shines. She has created a rich, enveloping world full of characters that are real people. Their conversations are interesting, their motives are understandable, clear, and believable. The antagonist’s plans are excellent executed. Thank you for introducing me to Bluebell and Jack and Varg!

Plot/Storyline: 4/5. The plot was solid throughout, with interesting reveals and hidden secrets (to be given in the next book, I hope!) There were also many small side-plots, serving to further entrench the reader in the verisimilitude of Bluebell’s world. This book feels like a set-up novel, in that so many loose threads are waiting to be picked up.

Flow: 3/5. The story was compelling and pulled me forward – especially the last portion. My issues with the flow are twofold: one, the book is written in 1^st person present tense, which is a style that I normally do not enjoy very much (the fact that I did enjoy this book is a testament to Lilo’s fascinating world!). Two: the dialogue felt strange and stilted at times – I especially noticed this with Bluebell, as she would, on occasion, speak like she had spent time rehearsing what she was going to say, even in the midst of distress and anger.

Spelling/Grammar: 4/5.  I noticed a few spelling mistakes, punctuation errors. Not many. They did not, in any way, disturb my enjoyment of the work.

Summary: 3.75/5. This is a solid work, enjoyable, entertaining, and compelling. With another round of edits (and consider changing the P.O.V. and tense!), this could move from “good” to “great.” Looking forward to the next installment!

Jason P. Crawford

Chains of Prophecy (Samuel Buckland Chronicles)