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The Shadows Rule All by Abigail Owen – a Review

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The Shadows Rule All by Abigail Owen – a Review

 

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Description:
King Eidolon has taken everything.

My throne, my Shadowraith, and even my kingdom. I am a queen with no one to rule, and a tattered army that’s not even mine. And hope is fading fast.

Now the shadows who once tormented Reven live within me, hissing and wheedling—and enticing me to betray my friends. Which could be deadly for us all. Because without the wraith I fell for, without Reven, I am all shadows…and no light.

And the Alignment is almost upon us—the culmination of centuries that have fueled a vengeful king’s festering rage.

We’re outnumbered. We’re underpowered. And even if we could unleash the trapped goddesses, they could destroy the kingdom and everything in it.

 

 

Review:

The Shadows Rule All by Abigail Owen is the final book in her Dominions series. Oh my…. Final book in this trilogy, and I’m going to miss it 😞 

I loved reading the storylines, watching Meren grow into a real kicka$$ character. Faced with challenge after challenge, she never gave up, although it did come close a few times!! 

This book picks up from book two. Can you read this one without reading the first two? You could, but I think you’d be missing out on two fantastic books, and there is information that I felt pertinent to the story (but that’s just my opinion.) 

So many characters have come and gone in this trilogy, some I’ve cried over, some I shrugged and moved on…. But all were integral to the story, one was a filler, everyone had their role to play. 

Meren and Reven have become one of my favourite couples. Their relationship hasn’t been easy, they’ve fought one another and against this world to be together. And in this book, it’s still no easy task! 

Eidolon is still a force to be reckoned with! Although on the ropes, I still wouldn’t count him out just yet! (And I did feel a little sad for him in the prologue 🤫) 

The action is nonstop, the pictures in my head were painted so clearly due to the details given by this author. She creates a world you just want to live in, sights and sounds play like a movie in my head. (In fact at some point I’m going to grab the audios.)

Betrayal/suspense/mystery and battles will have you hard pressed to put this book down until the last page! Friends can’t always be trusted! Allies can turn against you, and even family needs to be watched! 

There are lots of loose ends that need tying up. There are moments that need to be explained. And there are still loved ones to be rescued! And the author does all that and more! 

I don’t want to give too much away, but be prepared for 🤧 and 😱 moments. I’d also say that this book is a little darker than the previous two, there is a warning at the beginning of the book. 

I really enjoyed reading this book. I highly recommend it and the previous two. It’s definitely an adventure I’ll be revisiting at some point. 

Reviewed by Julie 

Copy supplied by Author

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Stranded by Lauren Smith – a Review

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Stranded by Lauren Smith – a Review

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This is an anthology with a number of authors.  But Stranded by Lauren Smith is the only book we are reviewing.

Songs of the Deep (book 2) anthology
Travel back beneath the waves with those who lost their lives beneath them. Saved by Posideon himself, these merpeople are more than they appear. The tides welcome you back for tales of revenge, love, and more.

Songs of the Deep Anthology – volume 2 brings tales from talented authors:
D.C. Gomez
MK Mancos
JC Brown & Lena Lane
Brigit Rosé
Nicole Zoltak
Lexi Ostrow
Whitney Gayle
Feral Thorne
Casia Pickering
Lauren Smith (Stranded)
Destinee Nagel
Laura Hawks
Laura Greenwood
Marie Catherine Regalado

 

Stranded Review:

Stranded by Lauren Smith is a novella, which is part of the Songs of the Deep Volume 2 Anthology.  Hudson doesn’t believe in mermaids. But he knows something took his parents from him on a dark and stormy night. And his uncle that was on the same boat was found muttering about something, and he doesn’t ever go on the water! And on stormy nights, his uncle hides in his home! 

And that’s where we find Hudson, on a boat in the middle of a storm! He’s sure he can hear his name being called…. He’s also very certain he’s seen something in the water! But nothing prepares him for finding a mermaid on his boat! A freaking mermaid! But she’s hurt! And Hudson’s instincts are to help, he’ll sort the rest out later…..

Talia was once human. Falling overboard one night at a boat party, she’s given the option of drowning! or becoming a mermaid! Living with her pod (group of merpeople) she’s happy, but she also longs to walk along the shore and return to being human…. 

It’s also instant attraction for Hudson, he’s totally besotted with his little mermaid. For Talia it started out as a vow to watch over him, slowly it turned into something else….

So how will a mermaid and human ever be together? 

This is a really short story, and I’d love the author to continue the story into a series (so much potential) it’s also in an anthology based on the sea. I haven’t read any of the other authors, but I’ve added it to my TBR list (I’ll return at some point.) 

It’s based really loosely on the little mermaid fairytale. 

I throughly enjoyed it, and I’m left wanting more (but in a good way 😉) 

🦋 Julie 

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The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen – a Review

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The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen – a Review

 

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Description:

The gods love to play with us mere mortals. And every hundred years, we let them…

I have never been favored by the gods. Far from it, thanks to Zeus.

Living as a cursed office clerk for the Order of Thieves, I just keep my head down and hope the capricious beings who rule from Olympus won’t notice me. Not an easy feat, given San Francisco is Zeus’ patron city, but I make do. I survive. Until the night I tangle with a different god.

The worst god. Hades.

For the first time ever, the ruthless, mercurial King of the Underworld has entered the Crucible–the deadly contest the gods hold to determine a new ruler to sit on the throne of Olympus. But instead of fighting their own battles, the gods name mortals to compete in their stead.

So why in the Underworld did Hades choose me–a sarcastic nobody with a curse on her shoulders–as his champion? And why does my heart trip every time he says I’m his?

I don’t know if I’m a pawn, bait, or something else entirely to this dangerously tempting god. 

How can I, when he has more secrets than stars in the sky?

Because Hades is playing by his own rules…and Death will win at any cost.

 

 

Review :

The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen is the 1st book in her new Crucible series. Can’t tell you how much I was looking forward to reading this book. It’s from one of my favourite authors, and it’s a brand new (no spin off or rerelease) series. I love her Dominion series (that’s a YA read) and adore her Fire’s Edge and Inferno Series (Paranormal/shifter series).

But this book, has them beaten, this has the makings of an awesome series (well I hope it’s a new series, but I’ll take a trilogy/duet/or whatever the author throws my way) 

Myth with a modern day twist, can sometimes come off a stilled or weird! But not this author, she knows how to play the story out, give you just enough information without overload or boring page fillers! 

Characters are finished off to a tee. They jump off the page and into your heart. I read (no, inhaled the book) then sat and read it again, noting all the details that I might have missed. If a movie (true to the book) ever came out, then I’d be first in the queue. 

Details about the world had me clearly visualising it. You could almost smell and hear the story pan out with such great descriptions. 

Gods can be cruel and fickle beings, playing with mortals like dolls. Messing around with their lives, meddling and then watching with fascination. The Crucible is a game held every one hundred years , and the gods get to pick a mortal to be their champion. The mortal gets a prize, (and it’s an amazing prize 🤐) but the winning god gets to rule Olympus! So the gloves come off, cheating/rule breaking/ bending the rules, all in the name of winning!

I loved the games aspect of the story. (No Percy Jackson or Harry Potter challenges I’m afraid, it’s way better than that.) The champions have to do trials set by the gods, and they aren’t easy. The champions can 💀 and some do 😱 it is a little harrowing in places…. But the excitement and anticipation had me on the edge of my kindle 😜 

This isn’t a retelling of Hades and Persephone (which at first I wasn’t too keen on, theirs is a story I love reading) but of Hades and Lyra. Persephone is in here, along with many familiar gods, but we mix them up a little. (Which kept it fresh.) 

Morally grey hero/villain/or just misunderstood? Hades is the god of the Underworld, no surprise there. He’s devious, he’s cold, unfeeling and a total bast@rd!! Lyra maybe his champion, but to him (at first) she’s just a pawn, a tool to get him his prize…. The crown and throne of Olympus! He needs her to stay alive, so his investment of her training is just that, well that’s how it starts 😉

The main female character Lyra, took me a little while to warm up too. She’s a thief, but she doesn’t actively steal, she’s more of a watcher (she watches and helps the Den she comes from to navigate and avoid detection) The character came across too wishy washy, but with most of the author’s characters, they grow, they adapt, and they become one of your favourites. 

And what exactly happened to make Zeus curse her? 🤫 

The story is told by Lyra (which had me missing what Hades thought of his little star) and in one way it makes it a little one sided. (My opinion)  

A slow burn romance has to balance the chemistry with the eventual moment taking place… The sparks, the banter and the pure chemistry these two had, made me a little giddy! I giggled like a schoolgirl, I blushed and I had a nervous cough when things got heated. (Well that’s my fault for reading it on the train 😜) 

Additional characters are many!! Too many some would say. I would love a glossary maybe of the characters, but that’s my wish 😉 but none of them seem superfluous, even the champions of the gods. So as numerous as there are, they all seem to fit into the book. 

So why would Hades pick a regular mortal to be his “champion”? He’s got his pick of anyone! 

Cliffhanger warning for anyone who thought it was going to be easy 😝 a one and done read. Oh no! It’s not going to be that easy. There is also twists, turns, treachery, and betrayal! This isn’t a short read, at over 500 pages long, you’d think it would get bogged down. It doesn’t, the pages seemed to fly by, and I was wishing for more pages! 😆 I’m now hoping the next book is soon (though probably not 😔) 

Would I recommend this? In a heartbeat … open this new world … you won’t be sorry 😍

Reviewed by Julie

Copy supplied for review.

 

 

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The First Herald by Carol T. Luna – a Review

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The First Herald by Carol T. Luna – a Review

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Description:
What price would you pay to protect your country?

When his city burned around him, Zacharias Eld swore on his life it would never happen again. Sworn in as the First Herald, there is no camera he cannot access, no idle chatter he cannot hear.

No secrets he cannot unearth.

But a break-in at a lab reveals the hole in the network he spent seven years to build. Worse, the evidence is contaminated, the suspects missing, and the innocent refuse to speak. Zach soon finds himself in a world he thought he had purged years ago, festering in the shadows he once scoured.

As the layers of the conspiracy peel back, so too, does the safety of Zach those around him. Either Zach finds the culprit or he will witness the fall of the city he’d spent his life to protect.

 

 

Review:

The First Herald: A Project Blue Novel by Carol T. Luna. This is a Spin off/related to the author’s previous series. (Which you don’t need to read before reading this one.)

This book just kept me reading until the last page. It has intrigue/suspense and a puzzle that needs solving. A dystopian read, a floating city and a character you can really get behind.

Loved the glossary and character list at the beginning of the book. I did have to go back and check who was who a couple of times. It’s full of background information and it’s got the potential to be a great series.

If you’re looking for a fluffy and light read, then this book isn’t for you. It needs total concentration and a willingness to put the time and effort into it. But I promise you, it will be worth it.

The transcripts that are added to the story was a really good addition to the book. Although a time date might have been helpful (you have to assume they are read in date order, it’s a picky thing, my opinion only). When power becomes absolute, then it can corrupt. But how do you know? Is there a sign? That’s what Zach is on the trail of, but there are blocks that prevent him from gathering all the information.

The characters were very interesting, and I was totally hooked on this story from the start. I really liked Zach, He is complicated, and very dedicated to his job.

A dark sci-fi that’s really thought provoking. And I’m hoping there will be a series or another book 🤞

🦋Julie

 

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A Touch of Truth by Kathryn K. Murphy – a Review

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A Touch of Truth by Kathryn K. Murphy – a Review

 

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Description:
Sergeant Ash Myers possesses a rare gift—she can detect lies.

Aspiring to become Goldvein, Montana’s first female police detective, her dreams are shattered when a series of violent attacks and murders rock the town, and she becomes the prime suspect. Fleeing into a blizzard, Ash stumbles upon Max, a mysterious man who holds the key to her salvation.

Max, presumed dead for five years after escaping a secret lab, seeks revenge against the doctor responsible for his torment. When news of the doctor’s murder reaches him, instead of retribution, he finds himself drawn to a strikingly beautiful woman—Ash. With a blizzard closing in and the police hot on their trail, Max and Ash join forces to survive in the mountains and uncover the truth about Goldvein.

As they delve deeper, their attraction grows, but danger lurks around every corner, and time is running out. In ‘A Touch of Truth,’ the final installment of the Sisters in Sirens series, Kathryn K. Murphy weaves a tale of steamy romance, suspense, and the strength of a woman’s determination. Experience the power of love and the relentless pursuit of justice in this gripping conclusion to the series.

 

 

Review: 

A Touch of Truth by Kathryn K. Murphy is the 3rd book in her Sisters of Sirens series.  I thought this was a new series, then I read the blurb…. Realizing it’s the last book in her “Sisters in Sirens” series, I grabbed it with both hands. I loved the first books in the series. Three women who are friends in the emergency services, and I loved the title of the book, very aptly named. 

Ash can tell if your lying, it’s come in handy over the years with her job (police) but in her personal life it can be difficult (friends and potential lovers have fallen by the wayside!).  In this book we start with a murder! Who is the man the police find dead? And why does he have Ash’s name on a piece of paper clutched in his hand? (We do find out in the book 😉) 

Max is on the run, he can’t remember when he didn’t feel safe. He needs to lay low and come up with a plan. He never expected to come across a woman who may just make him want to settle down and fight! 

When Ash becomes a suspect in the man that they found murdered, she does the only thing she can do, even though she knows is wrong, she flees the town and shatters her dream of becoming the first woman detective in the town she’s come to love. 

The conspiracy that the government are building an army of secret soldiers was a great twist. But does it become a reality for the book? (Need to read to find out.) And even the town Ash comes from has its secrets! Can Ash and Max work together to find out who framed her, and who stole the last five years of Max’s life? 

Loved how we tie the books in and give it a great finish. It’s not necessary for the first two books to be read, but it does add something to the story. But it does read fine on its own. Characters were great, we even got to catch up with previous characters who were in the last two books. They work really well together; they balance out each other’s natures. In fact, if they clear their names, they would work well as a team on the police force. Storyline was really good. A murder/mystery with a healthy dose of romance. It goes at a pretty steady pace, there isn’t a lot of filler to slow the pace down either. Cleverly written and really well thought out and put together. 

So, if you’re looking for that type of book, I’d highly recommend it. In fact, I’d recommend reading all three books in this series. 

Reviewed by Julie 

Copy supplied by Author

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The Care and Feeding of Rogues by Lauren Smith -a Review

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The Care and Feeding of Rogues by Lauren Smith -a Review

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Description:
Who could resist a wager from London’s most popular detective, Sherlock Holmes? Certainly not his scientist neighbor, Elise Hamblin.

The challenge: Study the primal nature of men; but not just any man for her study will do. Sherlock has chosen the Earl of March, a man with a scandalous and dangerous reputation.

Prospero Harrington has returned from exile to claim the title of Earl of March and his late father’s mounting debts. Desperate to secure his future, he responds to an intriguing ad and finds himself the subject of observation by a beautiful woman in exchange for a hefty payment.

Disguised as a man, Elise follows Prospero about London. Their close proximity and adventures provides a fascinating introduction to the world of men, passion, and desire.

Tragedy strikes and Elise must rely on the scandalous rogue she’s been studying. Enemies from Prospero’s dangerous past set their sights on the new earl and the woman who has won his heart, forcing him to face his past or lose Elise forever.

The Care and Feeding of Rogues is a stranger to lovers romance with a lady scientist and a scandalous rogue with a heart of gold. What starts out as a wager becomes the adventure of a lifetime, with a guaranteed HEA.

 

Review:

With Lauren Smith you can rely you’ll get a great story, and I did. 

Elise is a curious and very intelligent young woman, with a quick wit and curious nature. She’s a naturalist, but she’s also rather naive.

Prospero is a down on his fortune Earl. Back to claim his birthright (and a rather large amount of debt, courtesy of his father!). Needing a cash injection to set him on his way, we see Prospero accept a rather strange but intriguing ad. He’s to be followed/studied and observed doing his daily routine. A little strange granted, but the money will definitely come in handy. And the young lady is easy on the eye 😉 

There is a spark of interest almost straight away, but both are going to ignore it (Elise isn’t going to give up her independence and Prospero is single minded in his pursuit of wealth to bring to his title!).  I loved the side characters, and I’m hoping they get a book at some point in this new series.

But there is also danger, and it could put Elise if not both of them in mortal danger! Will Prospero’s unconventional education abroad help them in their hour of need? 

And the additional lure of Sherlock Holmes? Well I loved reading/watching anything about this infamous character. 

This was a book that mixes fact with fiction. It tries to show us the ways of how women were treated and looked upon in this era! They weren’t suppose to have minds/opinions or even a voice! 

A highly recommended read, it’s  a fun read, with fast pacing and enough spice to keep you reading. And the danger just adds to this amazing story.

Reviewed by Julie

Copy supplied by Author

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Dukes and Diamonds by Lauren Smith – a Review

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Dukes and Diamonds by Lauren Smith – a Review

 

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Description:
Diamonds are a duke’s best friend…

When the infamously cold-hearted Duke of Helston decides to catch a gang of jewel thieves stealing from London’s elite circles, he never expects the thief to be a woman.

She’s not just any woman either…she happens to be the bewitching creature he met in the darkened corridor during a musicale who changed his life forever.

What’s a duke to do when he wants to catch a thief who not only stole his family diamond, but also his heart?

 

 

Review:

Dukes and Diamonds by Lauren Smith the first book in a new series. I really like how this author does both historical and paranormal stories. Dukes and Diamonds is the first book in a new Victorian Jewel trilogy featuring three women who come together to steal from the rich and give to the poor. (Very Robin Hood vibes.) 

Without her new found friends, Tabitha’s story might have turned out completely different! Stealing food to survive, her fathers death had left her destitute and all alone. Then stealing from the rich to give to the poor (but only the ones who deserved it!).

Fitzwilliam Seagrave (Fitz to friends) the cold-hearted Duke of Helston (the name the ladies of high society gave him) decides to catch an elusive gang of jewel thieves stealing from London’s elite circles. Setting a trap to catch the thief he never expects the thief to be a woman. And she’s not just any woman either…she happens to be the young lady he’s beginning to fall for, exchanging heated woods and a wonderful moment that has him thinking of wedlock! 

Fitz doesn’t believe or carry the notion of love. But spending illicit moments with Tabitha has him thinking thoughts he ought not to! And how can he marry a penniless young woman who he thinks is a thief? So beneath his station (arrogant man 😆) but with the help of his friends and grandmother (who is such a hoot) he’s taught a few valuable lessons. He just has to come up with a way of letting Tabitha know his feelings (and to stop her from stealing!) 

I liked Tabitha (although a little uncomfortable with her stealing, but I see why) her actions had a motive, and her wit had me chuckling throughout the book. I like that she wasn’t a shy and innocent maiden (he won’t be her first bedroom experience 😜) and lusted after her Duke. She’s loyal to her friends and a quick mind.

Her partners in crime are Julia and Hannah, and they make a great trio. And I’m hoping they both get a story as each young lady is such a laugh, but have their own stories of woe! 

Add in a few steamy interludes, the other  Robins and other side characters and it’s a good read. Throw in a little angst and a twist, and it turns from a good into a great read. 

I can’t wait to read who’s next. So what happens next? There has to be consequences to her actions. If she’s caught will she name her accomplices? And will Fitz forgive her, or turn her into the local constabulary? 

Reviewed by Julie 🦋

Copy supplied by Author

 

 

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The Daughter Between Them by Alretha Thomas – a Review

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The Daughter Between Them by Alretha Thomas – a Review

 

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Description:
Two mothers. One missing daughter. One life-changing secret.

In 2019, Leslie Graham is within arm’s reach of her goal to become the news editor at the Dancing Hills Times. At thirty-five, she has it all—a promising career and a close relationship with her two teenage girls, Rhonda and Jillian. But when an old enemy from her past resurfaces, threatening to reveal life-changing information about one of her daughters, Leslie does everything in her power to keep her world from crashing down.

A decade earlier, in 2009, Barbara Morris’s seven-year-old daughter, Nancy, goes missing in Queens, New York. Barbara and her husband frantically search for her. But all is not as it seems in the disappearance of Nancy Morris, and Barbara may not be the innocent victim she’s painted herself to be. After ten years of her life spiraling out of control and Nancy still missing, Barbara decides to head to Dancing Hills, believing she’ll find the answers she’s looking for. Barbara and Leslie’s worlds will collide there, and the secrets of the past will finally be revealed.

 

Review:

The Daughter Between Them begins in 2019 with Leslie Graham deep in thought while she is going through things in her office at the Dancing Hills Times. She is on the verge of becoming the first African American news editor at the paper, something which she has worked towards for quite a while. She then receives a phone call from the Dancing Hills police department concerning her two daughters, Jillian and Rhonda.

Once Leslie arrives at the police station, she finds out that her girls were involved in an accident and thankfully are okay. However, it was no accident. The girls say that the car came out of nowhere and plowed into their car then took off without stopping. Leslie cannot help but wonder as things continue to happen if her past may be catching up with her.

Barbara Morris has a daughter who goes missing in 2009. She and her husband try to present a united front when looking for their daughter, but things are not at all what they seem. Barbara’s past has caught up with her present and will have a profound affect on not only her future, but Leslie’s.

The Daughter Between Them is another wonderfully written book by Alretha Thomas. The characters are beautifully written and multidimensional, and the world building is second to none. The twists and turns keep you turning the pages because just when you think you know what has happened, or about to happen, you find out you are close………but no cigar. If you are a fan of suspense, you will not go wrong with this one. I have been lucky enough to have the privilege of reviewing Mrs. Thomas’s books for several years now and have never been disappointed once. I do believe, though, that this one may be my favorite. Well done, Alretha Thomas! Very, very well done!

Reviewed by Vickie

Copy supplied for Review

 

 

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