Tag: three star reads

BBNYA 2022 Finalist Tour: The Reaper’s Quota by Sarah McKnight

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Hello, reader!

Today, I have another blog tour for one of the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) 2022 finalists! I’m sharing my thoughts on one of the books I was privileged to read as a panelist last year. The Reaper’s Quota by Sarah McKnight is a “weird little book” (direct quote from my notes, haha) that I quite enjoyed!

But, before I go on, let me tell you more about this award. BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.  If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website http://www.bbnya.com or Twitter @bbnya_official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

And, now, let me tell you more about this book!

  • Title: The Reaper’s Quota
  • Author: Sarah McKnight
  • Publisher: Self-published
  • Publication date: November 10th, 2020
  • Length: 190 pages
  • Genre: Dark Humor/Satire
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Slightly graphic to moderately graphic descriptions of death

Book Links

B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

Meet Grim Reaper #2497. Behind on his work, he must complete his quota of thirty Random Deaths or face termination in the worst way. Faced with an insurmountable task and very little time to complete it, Reaper #2497 struggles to hang on to the one thing he’s not supposed to have – his humanity.

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ARC Review: Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah

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Title: Where Darkness Blooms

Author: Andrea Hannah

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Genre: Horror/Supernatural Thriller

Age Group: Young Adult

Content/Trigger Warnings: Sexual assault (implied, later revealed), stabbing, death, sex (implied), gaslighting, violence, blood, underage drinking

Rating: ★★★

Book Links: 
Bookshop::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis

Andrea Hannah’s Where Darkness Blooms is a supernatural thriller about an eerie town where the sunflowers whisper secrets and the land hungers for blood.

The town of Bishop is known for exactly two things: recurring windstorms and an endless field of sunflowers that stretches farther than the eye can see. And women—missing women. So when three more women disappear one stormy night, no one in Bishop is surprised. The case is closed and their daughters are left in their dusty shared house with the shattered pieces of their lives. Until the wind kicks up a terrible secret at their mothers’ much-delayed memorial.

With secrets come the lies each of the girls is forced to confront. After caring for the other girls, Delilah would like to move on with her boyfriend, Bennett, but she can’t bear his touch. Whitney has already lost both her mother and her girlfriend, Eleanor, and now her only solace is an old weathervane that seems to whisper to her. Jude, Whitney’s twin sister, would rather ignore it all, but the wind kicks up her secret too: the summer fling she had with Delilah’s boyfriend. And more than anything, Bo wants answers and she wants them now. Something happened to their mothers and the townsfolk know what it was. She’s sure of it.

Bishop has always been a strange town. But what the girls don’t know is that Bishop was founded on blood—and now it craves theirs.

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ARC Review: The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill

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Title: The Stars Between Us

Author: Cristin Terrill

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Group: Young Adult

Content/Trigger Warnings: Cheating, alcoholism, violence

Rating: ★★★

Book Links: Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis

There’s always been a mystery to Vika Hale’s life. Ever since she was a child, she’s had an unknown benefactor providing for her and her family, making sure that Vika and her sister received the best education they could. Now, Vika longs for a bigger life than one as a poor barmaid on a struggling planet, but those dreams feel out of reach. Until one day Vika learns that her benefactor was a billionaire magnate who recently died under suspicious circumstances, and Vika has shockingly been included in his will. Invited to live on a glittering neighboring planet, Vika steps into a world she can hardly believe is real.

The only blight on Vika’s lavish new life is the constant presence of Sky Foster, a mysterious young man from Vika’s past who works for her benefactors. She doesn’t like or trust Sky, but when she narrowly escapes an explosion and realizes someone is targeting the will’s heirs, Vika knows Sky is the only one who can help her discover the identity of the bomber before she becomes their next victim. As Vika and Sky delve into the truth of the attacks, they uncover a web of secrets, murder, and an underground rebellion who may hold the answers they’ve been looking for. But Sky isn’t who he seems to be, and Vika may not escape this new life unscathed.

In The Stars Between Us, Cristin Terrill sweeps readers away to a Dickensian-inspired world where secrets are currency and love is the most dangerous risk of all.

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Blog Tour: Hag of the Hills by J.T.T. Ryder

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Hello, reader!

I’m bringing you yet another tour stop today sponsored by The Write Reads! This time, I’ll be talking about an historical fantasy immersed in Celtic mythology and set on the Isle of Skye: Hag of the Hills by J.T.T. Ryder. If the gorgeous cover doesn’t pull you in, perhaps the promise of a well-researched story that blends historical fiction and fantasy will appeal to you!

Before we jump in, though, I want to thank Dave @ The Write Reads and all of the crew for giving me a spot on this tour! I also want to thank the author for sending me a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! It is, as always, much appreciated.

Now, let’s get into the post!

  • Title: Hag of the Hills
  • Author: J.T.T. Ryder
  • Publication date: March 1st, 2022
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Slavery, violence, gore, blood, suicide, child death

Book Links

Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

“Nothing is unconquerable; even our gods can die.”

Brennus is destined from birth to become a warrior, despite his farmer’s life. But when the Hillmen kill his family and annihilate his clan, he now has the opportunity to avenge those who he loved.

Brennus must survive endless hordes of invading Hillmen and magic-wielding sidhe, aided by only a band of shifty mercenaries, and an ancient bronze sword.

Failure means his family and clan go unavenged. Victory will bring glory to Brennus and his ancestors.

Hag of the Hills is a heroic fantasy novel set in 200 B.C. on the Isle of Skye, steeped in Celtic mythology and culture.

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ARC Review: Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

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Title: Juniper & Thorn

Author: Ava Reid

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Genre: Gothic Horror/Fantasy

Content/Trigger Warnings: Gore, body horror, child sexual abuse, cannibalism, antisemitism, xenophobia, physical and psychological abuse, self-harm, suicidal ideation, bulimia, emesis, animal death

Rating: ★★★

Book Links: Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis

From highly acclaimed bestselling author Ava Reid comes a gothic horror retelling of The Juniper Tree, set in another time and place within the world of The Wolf and the Woodsman, where a young witch seeks to discover her identity and escape the domination of her wizard father, perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson and Catherynne M. Valente.

A gruesome curse. A city in upheaval. A monster with unquenchable appetites.

Marlinchen and her two sisters live with their wizard father in a city shifting from magic to industry. As Oblya’s last true witches, she and her sisters are little more than a tourist trap as they treat their clients with archaic remedies and beguile them with nostalgic charm. Marlinchen spends her days divining secrets in exchange for rubles and trying to placate her tyrannical, xenophobic father, who keeps his daughters sequestered from the outside world. But at night, Marlinchen and her sisters sneak out to enjoy the city’s amenities and revel in its thrills, particularly the recently established ballet theater, where Marlinchen meets a dancer who quickly captures her heart.

As Marlinchen’s late-night trysts grow more fervent and frequent, so does the threat of her father’s rage and magic. And while Oblya flourishes with culture and bustles with enterprise, a monster lurks in its midst, borne of intolerance and resentment and suffused with old-world power. Caught between history and progress and blood and desire, Marlinchen must draw upon her own magic to keep her city safe and find her place within it.

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Blog Tour: The World Marker Parable and The World Breaker Requiem by Luke Tarzian

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Hello, reader!

Today, I’m bringing you an unique blog tour post. It’s a review and a spotlight in one! These are two books from a dark fantasy series that deals with some fascinating concepts. The World Marker Parable by Luke Tarzian is the book that kicks off the Adjacent Monsters series and it definitely got me thinking! But I won’t just be sharing my thoughts on this first book, I’ll also be spotlighting the next book in the series, The World Breaker Requiem. I wish I had had time to read both books, but I’m glad I could at least squeeze in one!

Before I get further into the post, I must thank  Dave @ The Write Reads and all of the crew for giving me a spot on this tour. I also want to thank the author for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for an honest review! It is, as always, much appreciated and all opinions written in my review are my own.

Alright, now let’s get to the post!

Book Details

  • Title: The World Maker Parable
  • Author: Luke Tarzian
  • Publication date: April 14th, 2020
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Death, violence, blood, blood magic

Book Links

Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

Synopsis

Guilt will always call you back…

Rhona is a faithful servant of the country Jémoon and a woman in love. Everything changes when her beloved sets the ravenous Vulture goddess loose upon the land. Forced to execute the woman she loves for committing treason, Rhona discovers a profound correlation between morality and truth. A connection that might save her people or annihilate them all.

You are a lie…

Varésh Lúm-talé is many things, most of all a genocidal liar. A falsity searching for the Phoenix goddess whom he believes can help him rectify his atrocities. Such an undertaking is an arduous one for a man with missing memories and a conscience set on rending him from inside out. A man whose journey leads to Hang-Dead Forest and a meeting with a Vulture goddess who is not entirely as she seems.

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Mini Reviews: Recent Reads Edition

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Hello, reader!

Because of who I am as a person, I am, once again, behind on reviews. I thought I’d take a moment to catch up with another edition of my mini reviews! This time, I’m focusing on three recent reads that I still need to put thought to paper (or keyboard) for since finishing them. These books are an eclectic mix, so there might be a little something for everyone here, haha.

That being said, let’s get to the reviews!

Title: Nothing But Blackened Teeth

Author: Cassandra Khaw

Publisher: Tor Nightfire

Genre: Horror

CW/TW: For a list of content and trigger warnings, please check out BookTriggerWarnings.com

Rating: ★★★

Links:
Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

Well, this was certainly… a book. With words. Lots of five dollar words that seemed a tad bit unnecessary, if I’m honest.

At the heart of this story is a ghostly tale of love and betrayal. Unfortunately, the ghost story is not the focus of this novel. I say “unfortunately” because the ghost/ghost story was the best part about this book! The focus, however, is on a bunch of the most unlikeable characters I’ve come across in awhile. I’m not saying I can’t enjoy a book that has unlikeable characters, but these characters came across as caricatures of their unlikeable traits. They all fell incredibly flat for me which, when the whole book is centered around them, didn’t make for an enjoyable experience.

However, where this book shined was in the atmospheric writing and the beautifully creepy ghostly elements. There are some gruesome scenes in this book that fix themselves in your mind as you’re reading with the way they are written. Definitely check trigger warnings before getting into this one! This author has an incredible talent for building tension and setting the tone of a horror novel. As I mentioned, if we had more of that and less a bunch of horrible people being horrible to each other, I probably would have enjoyed this a lot more.

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Blog Tour: Blood of the Lost Kingdom by Kristin Ward

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Hello, reader!

Today, I’m bringing you another blog tour hosted by The Write Reads! This one is for a sequel to an intriguing fantasy series that builds on the exciting world we encountered in the first book: Blood of the Lost Kingdom by Kristin Ward! I was actually on the blog tour for the first book in this series, The Girl of Dorcha Wood. I enjoyed that one so much that I had to jump on board for book number two!

Before I get to my review, though, I want to thank Dave @ The Write Reads (and all the behind-the-scenes folks!) and the author for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for an honest review and my participation in this tour. It is very much appreciated!

Alright, let’s dive in, shall we?

Book Details

  • Title: Blood of the Lost kingdom
  • Author: Kristin Ward
  • Publication date: August 3rd, 2021
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Age group: Young Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: For a list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

Book Links

TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

Synopsis

Mysterious. Hidden. Sacred. Erabel is the beating heart of Dorcha Wood. And its heir has come home.

Fleeing the man who betrayed her, Fiadh returns to her beloved forest, into its heart, to discover her people. And herself. With the aid of Veren, an Aos Sí warrior, she explores her birthright, a world safeguarded from the corruption of mankind. There, she learns the history of a mighty race and the vastness of the power coursing through her blood. 

But beyond Erabel’s boundaries, men are flocking, rallying to an evil lord who covets the strength flowing in Fiadh’s veins. They have their eyes fixed on the lost kingdom of the Aos Sí, and it’s only a matter of time before they breach those borders and come for Fiadh and all who protect her. 

All around her, the world is closing in, as some plot in shadows, and others in the stark light of day.

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Blog Tour: Shadow-Stained by Rachel Hobbs

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Hello, reader!

Welcome to another blog tour posted hosted by the ever fabulous The Write Reads! My tour stop today features a book that is perfect for this time of year. It features demons, an ancient artifact, and perhaps a touch of the end of the world as we know it. It’s a dark fantasy novel that doesn’t hold back on the gore… or the sexual tension: Shadow-Stained by Rachel Hobbs!

Now, before I jump into my stop and my review, I want to say thank you to Dave @ The Write Reads and the author for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for participation with this tour. It is, as always, much appreciated. All views written here are definitely my own!

Now, let’s get to the post.

Book Details

  • Title: Shadow-Stained
  • Author: Rachel Hobbs
  • Publication date: April 14th, 2020
  • Genre: Dark Fantasy
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: For a list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

Book Links

Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

Synopsis

“For her, it’s her late grandma’s legacy. For him, the mother of all black arts spoils, granting one demon the power of a God. Immortality.

When occult-magnet Ruby falls victim to Demon Lord Drayvex’s viperous allure, she loses a sentient dark relic to his light fingers and appetite for power. Like calls to like. But when Drayvex himself loses the relic to a traitor to the throne, Ruby coerces him – the tyrant king with a soft spot for humanity – into helping her save her pokey old world village from becoming a ground zero of mass demonic carnage.

Both invested in reclaiming the relic, the one thing Ruby and Drayvex agree on is that it’s in the wrong hands. Co-existing in a precarious arrangement between predator and prey, to save the planet they both love for different reasons, they must become a formidable double-team in the face of an apocalyptic takeover. Now, the fate of both human and demon alike rests with a killer that walks between worlds, and a woman with a curse in her bloodline.”

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Book Review: The Darkwater Bride by Marty Ross

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Title: The Darkwater Bride

Author: Marty Ross

Genre: Horror

Source: Bought (Audible)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Gore, misogyny, physical abuse, sexual assault, death, violence

Rating: ★★★

Book Links: Amazon::Goodreads

One Sentence Synopsis

After the mysterious death of her father, a young woman named Catriona heads into the seedy underbelly of Victorian London to discover what has happened.

Favorite Quote

“The river runs restless between the high stone walls enclosing it. As if it were a woman – refusing to be fixed in one spot yet hardly free.”

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