Category: Book Reviews

Book Reviews, Products I love!!

COVER REVEAL-Vampires of Portlandia by Jason Tanamor

Megan Nicole

**đź–¤Cover Revealđź–¤**

Guys I am so excited to be a part of the reveal of this amazing cover for VAMPIRES OF PORTLANDIA, by Jason Tanamor! Don’t forget to add to your Good Reads TBR.

Vampires of Portlandia is set to release September 29th, 2020 by The Parliament House Press. 

Vampires of Portal

Synopsis:

“When Marcella Leones relocates her family of vampires from the Philippines to Portland, Oregon, she raises her grandchildren under strict rules so humans will not expose them. Her only wish is to give them a peaceful life, far away from the hunters and the Filipino government that have attempted to exterminate them.

Before she dies, she passes on the power to her eldest grandchild, Percival. He vows to uphold the rules set forth by Leones, thus allowing his family to roam freely without notice. After all, they are monsters.

However, when the murder rate in Portland rises drastically, Percival suspects that his younger brother, Roger, is responsible. Along the way, they discover that there are other breeds of monsters – werebeasts, witches, ghouls, and viscera – who have been residing in Portland for years.

Who is behind the murders? And why? Along with sensie, Penelope Jane, Percival must find the truth.

Based on Filipino folklore (aswang), “Vampires of Portlandia” is a fantastical tale of different monsters coexisting in the weirdest city in America.” 

 

Parliament Press:

Instagram: @theparliamentpress

Twitter: @parliamentbooks

Facebook: @theparliamenthouse

 

Jason Tanamor:

Instagram: @jasontanamor

Facebook: theauthorjasontanamor

Twitter: jasontanamor

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Wicked As You Wish Book Review

Megan Nicole

Wicked As You Wish (A Hundred Names for Magic #1) by Rin ChupecoWicked as you wish book review

  • Overall: **
  • Romance: *
  • Reading Rate: ***
  • Pages: 432
  • Release Date: March 3, 2020
  • Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
  • Recommend if you liked: Reverie
  • Purchase on Amazon HERE

My initial thoughts when starting the book were that I came into the middle of an existing story line. It was like Alice in Wonderland and other tales crashed into the world as we know it. We are in the modern era but with a twist on the countries and of course the presence of magic. There are several countries and magics listed and different type of people that can use them, and different groups that tolerate and don’t tolerate.

What I liked:

  • I think the author had a great concept for the world it just was not fully executed in this first book.

What I struggled with

  • The story started off seemingly normal and then dove into a mish mash of action scenes and new characters and events that were not ever clearly explained. I felt like I was reading through someone’s dream where the landscape and characters were shifting without any defining laws.
  • This is the first novel I have read from Rin so perhaps this is just her writing style and I was not aware.
  • I also felt the author had some pretty strong political views that were coming off loud and clear in the story and it was a bit off putting for me.
  • They also tried to include a large amount of diversity into the book, but to the point that in an attempt to be inclusive there were so many characters you had little information about them other than what made them “different” and I personally felt it was counterproductive. I am all for diversity in a story but actually make a character not just try to check a box.
  • While I was not a fan off all the missing information it did make the story fly right along in the beginning. As the book progressed I found it harder to stay interested and would set the book down for days at a time.

While the story did end in a cliffhanger with little wrapped up, I am not in any hurry to find out what happens next and most likely will not pick up the next book. The author has an incredibly interesting world going. I think if the focus were narrowed to the key characters and storylines in future books it could be a good series.

After reading the book ( I always try to go into my ARCs a little blind so no bias) I learned that this was the authors first book she wrote and was extremely passionate about so makes more sense why it is so rough around the edges.

Synopsis:

Many years ago, the magical Kingdom of Avalon was left desolate and encased in ice when the evil Snow Queen waged war on the powerful country. Its former citizens are now refugees in a world mostly devoid of magic. Which is why the crown prince and his protectors are stuck in…Arizona.
Prince Alexei, the sole survivor of the Avalon royal family, is in hiding in a town so boring, magic doesn’t even work there. Few know his secret identity, but his friend Tala is one of them. Tala doesn’t mind—she has secrets of her own. Namely, that she’s a spellbreaker, someone who negates magic.
Then hope for their abandoned homeland reignites when a famous creature of legend, and Avalon’s most powerful weapon, the Firebird, appears for the first time in decades. Alex and Tala unite with a ragtag group of new friends to journey back to Avalon for a showdown that will change the world as they know it. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for a copy of Wicked As You Wish in exchange for my honest opinion.

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COVER REVEAL- Saint of Pain by Kali Rose Schmidt Cover Reveal

Megan Nicole

**đź–¤Cover Revealđź–¤**

Guys I am so excited to be a part of the reveal of this gorgeous cover for SAINT OF PAIN (Vile Sacraments Series book 2), by Kali Rose Schmidt!

Saint of Pain is set to release September 15th, 2020 by The Parliament House Press. 

Saint of Pain by Kali Rose Schmidt Cover Reveal

Parliament Press:

Instagram: @theparliamentpress

Twitter: @parliamentbooks

Facebook: @theparliamenthouse

 

Kali Rose Schmidt:

Instagram: @krsbooks

Facebook: KRSBooks

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The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood Book Review

Megan Nicole

The Unspoken Name (The Serpent Gates #1) by A.K. Larkwood

  • Overall: *****
  • Romance:***
  • Reading Rate: ****
  • Pages: 464
  • Release Date: February 11, 2020
  • Publisher: Tor Books
  • Recommend if you liked: An Ember in the Ashes, Nevernight
  • Purchase on Amazon here

GUYS! This book was so so good, I have not had a 5-star book in a very long time. I requested this book from NetGalley based on the synopsis but had not heard any hype about it at all. At first I was totally intimidated by the large character list and pronunciation guide in the front of the book, but a few minutes later I was totally sucked in. Don’t let it intimidate you, its not that complicated and you don’t need to know it all at once. I do wish there was character art available so I could put some of the visions of the characters description in my head since they are all different human like creatures.

The main POV is Csorwe but you on occasion pop into the perspective of other character. Normally I find this distracting in a book but it is very well done, and really felt it added to the overall world and story build.

What I liked:

  • The world is just amazing! It’s almost a mix of fantasy and sci-fi, historical and future. Its not based in earth or with humans so the sky is really the limit with what the author can continue to do.
  • There was so much action packed in this one book! I felt like I read three books or 1000 pages and it was less than 500… I even checked several times!
  • Tons of great snarky humor! While the book deals with a lot of serious topics there always seems to be a funny side to things that keeps it from being a saddening.
  • I also loved that the book left open lines for future books without leaving me with a cliffhanger. I was super satisfied at the end and looking forward to more in the future.

What I struggled with:

  • I really can’t say that I “struggled” but if I could add one more thing to the book it would be for a little more romance/steam. I don’t think the book was lacking at all for not having it, just something that is a personal preference.

Even without steam I would not consider a YA book and put it more on the NA side, there is still a good bit of adult content and death (I have seen it listed as YA or Adult on different sites).

Synopsis:

What if you knew how and when you will die?

Csorwe does — she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice.

But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin—the wizard’s loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power.

But Csorwe will soon learn – gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for a copy of The Unspoken Name in exchange for my honest opinion.

Have you read The Unspoken Name? Did you love it as much as I did?

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Blinding Night by Chantal Gadoury Book Review

Megan Nicole

Blinding Night (Blinding Night #1) by Chantal Gadoury Book ReviewBlinding Night (Blinding Night #1) by Chantal Gadoury

  • Overall: ***
  • Romance: ***
  • Reading Rate: *****
  • Pages: 330 for the paperback, however I read on Kindle
  • Release Date: October 2, 2018
  • Publisher: The Parliament House Press
  • Purchase on Amazon here
  • Recommend if you liked: ACOTAR, Shade of Vampire

This is a really cute Hades and Persephone retelling and the first book in a duology. The main character is a 20 year old art student from Rhode Island whose entire life changes when Hades swoops in the retrieve her from the hospital after her parents are killed in a car accident while traveling to Greece.

While this story does have a lot of ACOTAR similarities it is heavily tied to the romance story line between Persephone and Hades with the events of the broader world being more a sub plot. But she is an artist, rough relations with her family, the inner circle, etc.

What I liked:

  • This was a cute fast paced read, I love a good quick romance story.
  • The romance line was carried throughout with a little steam here and there, nothing that would not fall within what you commonly see in other YA books today.
  • I enjoyed the mythology aspect and the takes on traditional stories of the Gods.

What I struggled with:

  • While the MC is 20 years old but she acted much younger in my opinion. She was very resentful towards her parents and thought their affections were “icky” basically. She did seem sheltered and spoiled with an overprotective mom so this may be really where they were trying to get at but I had a hard time with it. I think she also took the death of her parents and change in her world a bit too well, but maybe just not time in the story to capture that recovery timeline.
  • The story never made it clear why Persephone had no choice of her own in staying with Hades vs returning to her mother. We also never received any insight into the mother’s side of the story. Hoping this gets cleared up in the second book in the duology.
  • There were also a handful or spelling/grammar errors as well as a few small contradictions in the story, nothing to the larger plot line.

Synopsis:

What if you were the missing piece in one of the world’s most epic legends?

Despite being an art history student, Summer isn’t thrilled to be stuck with her archeologist family all summer in Greece. While the rest of her college friends are posting a million selfies by the pool together, Summer is stuck alone, trying to entertain herself alone in a place where she doesn’t even speak the language.

Upon her arrival to Greece, strange dreams and even stranger shadows seem to haunt Summer, leaving her to ponder the meaning of pomegranate seeds and twisted, darkened faces.

Suddenly, her stay abroad leads to tragic twists, leaving Summer in the arms of a dark stranger, who claims to be the god, Hades, whom she feels like she knows from another life. In a whirlwind through the busy streets of Athens, Summer is seduced to the lowest point of Greece where Hades’ lair awaits…the Underworld. Determined to find out who she is and where she belongs in an age-old myth, Summer joins Hades to discover that the secrets about her past life are beyond anything she could have ever imagined.

Thank you to Chantal Gadoury and the Parliament House Press for a copy of Blinding Night in exchange for my honest review.

 

 

 

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The Sisters Grimm Book Review

Megan Nicole

The Sisters Grimm by Manna van Praag Book ReviewThe Sisters Grimm by Menna van Praag

  • Overall: ***
  • Romance:**
  • Reading Rate: *
  • Pages: 448
  • Publication date:March 31, 2020
  • Publisher: Harper Voyager
  • Purchase on Amazon HERE
  • Recommend if you liked: Serpent & Dove

I was sooo thrilled when I was approved for an advanced copy of this book and just knew it was going to be a 5 start read for me.

This is a dark and heartbreaking story mixing the struggles of mortal life with a fantasy twist that makes you question the lines of good and evil. The author did a great job of getting you intimately acquainted with all the main characters and the nature of Everwhere. I do wish there was more background on the world and reasoning behind the setup of the Sisters and Soldiers. The lack of information really made it challenging to root for a side as you really did not understand the consequences of their choices.

I struggled with the format of the book, it bounces between multiple timelines and points of view, some of the entries were only a paragraph long before hopping to the next POV so it was very distracting and hard to stay immersed. Normally if I am sucked into a book it only takes me days to read while this book took me several weeks and I really had to push through to finish.  I also struggled with the level of sadness in the book, it seemed that each girl only encountered more loss and there was not a lot of positive outlook, even in the end. The synopsis leads you to think this story is much “fluffier” than it truly is.

Synopsis

Once upon a time, a demon who desired earthly domination fathered an army of dark daughters to help him corrupt humanity . . .

As children, Goldie, Liyana, Scarlet, and Bea dreamed of a strange otherworld: a nightscape of mists and fog, perpetually falling leaves and hungry ivy, lit by an unwavering moon. Here, in this shadowland of Everwhere, the four girls, half-sisters connected by blood and magic, began to nurture their elemental powers together. But at thirteen, the sisters were ripped from Everwhere and separated. Now, five years later, they search for one another and yearn to rediscover their unique and supernatural strengths. Goldie (earth) manipulates plants and gives life. Liyana (water) controls rivers and rain. Scarlet (fire) has electricity at her fingertips. Bea (air) can fly.

To realize their full potential, the blood sisters must return to the land of their childhood dreams. But Everwhere can only be accessed through certain gates at 3:33 A.M. on the night of a new moon. As Goldie, Liyana, Scarlet, and Bea are beset with the challenges of their earthly lives, they must prepare for a battle that lies ahead. On their eighteenth birthday, they will be subjected to a gladiatorial fight with their father’s soldiers. If they survive, they will face their father who will let them live only if they turn dark. Which would be fair, if only the sisters knew what was coming.

So, they have thirty-three days to discover who they truly are and what they can truly do, before they must fight to save themselves and those they love.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for a copy of Sisters Grimm in exchange for my honest review.

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Blood & Ash (The Jezebel Files #1) Book Review

Megan Nicole

Blood & Ash (The Jezebel Files #1) by Deborah Wilde

Blood & Ash Book ReviewOverall: ***

Romance: ***

Reading Rate: **

Pages: 316

Publisher: Te Da Media

Release date: 1/14/2020

Recommend if you liked: Wicked Trilogy by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I am a sucker for a fast paced PNR read and had high hopes for this book, but it fell a bit short for me. It is listed as an adult book and while there was adult content the MC acted more like someone in her teens vs a 30 something. While the story suggested she was very educated and cultured her rash decisions and language suggested otherwise.

I really liked where the author was going with the Sherlock Holmes theme and while the world dynamic of Nefesh (those with magic) and regular humans without was not a new concept I liked the spin that the author put on it. It seemed like I came in on an existing storyline and was missing a lot of background on the world, but hopefully more will continue to be filled in throughout this series.

Overall I enjoyed the story but the lack of background information and the MC’s internal monologue kept me from getting sucked in and really enjoying the book. I think if there was less focus on the MC’s internal feelings and more focus on the mystery/case it would go a long way in making this a very interesting binge worthy series in future books.

Synopsis:

Cold-blooded kidnappers. Long-lost magic. When things get serious, she goes full Sherlock.

Ashira Cohen takes pride in being the only female private investigator in Vancouver. With her skills, her missing persons case should be a piece of cake.

She wasn’t counting on getting bashed in the skull, revealing a hidden tattoo and supernatural powers she shouldn’t possess.

Or the bitter icing on top: a spree of abductions and terrifying ghostly creatures on a deadly bender.

And don’t even get her started on the golems.

Reluctantly partnered with her long-time nemesis Levi, the infuriating leader of the magic community, Ash resolves to keep her focus on the clue trail and off their sexual tension because WTF is up with that?

But with a mastermind organization pulling strings from the shadows and Levi’s arrogance driving her to pick out his body bag, can Ash rescue the captives and uncover the truth or will the next blood spilled be her own?

Blood & Ash will be available though Amazon Kindle Unlimited. Try your first month of Kindle Unlimited free here!

Thank you to NetGally and Te Da Media for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Queen of Nothing by Holly Black Book Review

Megan Nicole

The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #3) *There are potential spoilers in this review*

Overall: ***

Romance: ***

Reading Rate: ***

Publisher: Little Brown

Pages: 308

Release Date: November 19, 2019

Purchase on Amazon here

I hate to be super negative on here, but guys I was so so disappointed. I thought the first two books in the series were good (not blown away) and the way the ended was left at Wicked King had me so ready to read this final installment. As soon as I got my hands on the book I was nervous about how thin it was… but it started out on a high note with a dual and then the arrival of Taryn needing help due to Locke being dead.

I was all ramped up to see Jude back in Fairy so soon in the story, but it all went downhill from there. I expected to binge read the book like I did the first two, but I found myself losing interest and it took me over a week to get through, which is unusual for a book so short.  I felt like the closing of the story was completely rushed and then ending of the last book was totally written off by it being a joke from Cardan, and that as Queen Jude could have pardoned herself at any time and come back. By the time the last quarter of the book came around it was almost predictable, which throwing me for a loop was something I admired about this series.

I did appreciate the ending being wrapped up nicely with really no questions left hanging… I would like for there to have been a bit more betrayal and less happiness at the end for the “wicked” characters though.

Maybe it was just the final book curse, what did you think? Tell me below in the comments.

 

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Reverie by Ryan La Sala Book Review

Megan Nicole

 

Reverie by Ryan La Sala Book ReviewOverall: ***

Romance: *

Reading Rate: ***

Pages: 416

Recommend if you liked: I am Number Four series

Release Date: December 3, 2019

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Purchase on Amazon here

What I liked:

  • I enjoyed the premise of Reverie and the overall story line, the “reveries” were a unique and whimsical element.
  • The plot of Reverie draws you in from the very beginning as you start out with the main character’s POV right after a mysterious incident and the loss of his memory. As you being to meet more characters you are left wondering what is real and who to trust, I just had to know how it ended!

What I struggled with: The characters and world building are where I struggled.

  • I found the characters, especially the MC Kane very immature and tended to fall back in rushed and repeated emotions.
  • I would have enjoyed the book much more if the characters acted more mature and had been really built out. There were hints at complex characters with complicated pasts that defined who they were now, there just was no real chance to get to know them in the single book.
  • The book was really focused around one part of a larger issue. I feel they won a battle but were not even sure what the war was just yet.
  • There were also a lot of questions let open about how the Reverie’s and Posey came about although room is left for more books in the same world that might explain later.

Synopsis:

All Kane Montgomery knows for certain is that the police found him half-dead in the river. He can’t remember how he got there, what happened after, and why his life seems so different now. And it’s not just Kane who’s different, the world feels off, reality itself seems different. 

As Kane pieces together clues, three almost-strangers claim to be his friends and the only people who can truly tell him what’s going on. But as he and the others are dragged into unimaginable worlds that materialize out of nowhere—the gym warps into a subterranean temple, a historical home nearby blooms into a Victorian romance rife with scandal and sorcery—Kane realizes that nothing in his life is an accident. And when a sinister force threatens to alter reality for good, they will have to do everything they can to stop it before it unravels everything they know. 

This wildly imaginative debut explores what happens when the secret worlds that people hide within themselves come to light.

Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebooks Fire for a copy of Reverie in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Serpent & Dove Book Review

Megan Nicole

Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin Book Review

Serpent & Dove Book ReviewOverall: ***

Romance: ***

Reading Rate: ***

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 513

Purchase on Amazon here

I was super excited about this book, and I purchased an incredible edition with bronze prayed edges from Fairyloot. I have heard so so so many people give this book great reviews so I feel like I had an unpopular opinion, or maybe the hype was just so high it was impossible not to feel let down.

What I liked:

  • I like the take on Magic vs the Church and the different types of witches. I also enjoyed learning how the different witches used their powers.
  • While this was historically based I enjoyed that all of the women still did what they wanted regardless. I have a hard time with historical fiction when it involves women being limited by societies constraints. I would actually classify this book as NA vs YA due to the age of the characters and language/sexual content of the book.

What I struggled with:

  • I needed more background on the world to really understand what was happening. Because of the limited information on each side I really couldn’t relate to strongly to either cause, and frankly they both seemed wrong.
  • I didn’t “believe” in the love portion of the story line. It was enemies to lovers but I didn’t really feel the love develop, i was like it went from enemies for most of the book to instalove.
  • The book really didn’t grab me or keep me engrossed at all, it actually took me about two weeks to finish reading. (something in a 4-5 star range for me I would devour in 3 or less days).

Overall I am interested to learn more about the world and the characters the Mahurin started to build out and I will certainly give the next book in the series a shot.

Synopsis:

Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.