Review: The Darkness We Crave (Together We Fall Book 1) by Katie May

The Darkness We Crave by Katie May
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
(Rating is more like 3.5 of 5 stars)

An interesting start to a new series

This series was recommended on a thread over on a reverse harem group on Facebook. I decided to take a chance because I like RH and I like dystopian books too.

This book gives a promising start to a new series with Addie, a 17 year old home-schooled young woman. She was raised by cruel and abusive parents to be a tool in their criminal empire. She was home-schooled to prevent her from forming any attachments other than to her parents, so she wouldn’t rebel. At age 17 she has graduated high school and college, so she is obviously bright. She is also a little *different*. She speaks a lot of her internal thoughts out loud as she has spent so much time alone. Her streams of consciousness are also quite random and flit about in all directions. It was endearing, if a little hard to keep track of at times.

Addie and her parents live at the resort they own and the staff ignore the abuse going on in front of them, until one day a new young waiter tries to intercede. She meets him again and he introduces her to his friends. They go to the same school and because their dorm rooms burnt down they are living at the resort during the rebuild. It’s at this point that the world turns upside down.

I like the premise of the characters and there are lots of hints that things are not what they seem as far as the guys are concerned. The school is not only a school but a college as well so the guys ages start at 17 and go up to 19. This seems unusual. She actually knows one of the guys, who she calls her nemesis. This interaction is really funny and as time goes on we learn more about their history.

It’s not surprising that Addie is a little unhinged given her history and the guys all seem to have disturbed pasts too, which probably explains why they are drawn together.

I like that the series is about just before the world goes to hell in a handbasket and then the process during the upheaval. It makes it a little different to the usual dystopia books. I suppose it makes it more of a disaster book as dystopia hasn't yet been achieved.

The dialogue can be a bit skippy as we read Addie’s internal dialogue but then someone answers her, which happens a lot. It made me feel like there were editing errors where speech marks hadn’t been used, even when there weren't, which annoyed me somewhat.

It’s an interesting start to the series and I will definitely read the next book.

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Review: Supernatural Academy: Year One by Jaymin Eve

Supernatural Academy: Year One by Jaymin Eve
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Really enjoyable urban fantasy Academy book

There are a rash of Academy books floating around Amazon at the moment, in particular Kindle Unlimited. Some have been great and others mediocre enough to make me give up after a few chapters. This makes me conflicted every time I see a recommendation. I decided to take a chance on this book because I’ve read Jaymin Eve before and enjoyed her writing style. I was fairly sure it wouldn’t be a duff book.

One of the main things going for this particular book is that it revolved around NA rather than YA, a much more enjoyable genre for me. I like my characters to have grown up a little bit before they try to save the world. The MFC, Maddi has just turned 22 and is going through her birthday/New Year’s tradition of dyeing her hair a different colour. Whilst she is rinsing out her hair she is accosted by a woman who tells her that she is a supernatural and needs to go with her to an Academy so she doesn’t kill a lot of humans when she loses control.

Maddi is, unsurprisingly, sceptical. She has been alone since she was 17 when her drug addicted mother was killed. She was a witness and ran in fear for her life and has moved around every 12 months ever since, never getting too close to anyone because she knew she would be moving on. Finally the woman, Ilia, throws some magic cuffs on her and tells Maddi the only they way they are coming off is if she comes to the Academy.

When she arrives at the Academy she is captivated by the surroundings and eventually throws herself head first into learning about supernaturals. She never really has a major freak out about her change in circumstances and she even comments on it. It was one area I felt uncertain about, because though Maddi is a strong and independent character, learning you are supernatural has got to be a kick in the pants.

The other area I’m not sure of is that Maddi comes from an abusive and neglectful background and has been on her own for 5 years. The trauma and scarring that should be evident in anyone with her experiences is missing, despite her commenting on it. This felt like a lack to me and I’d be interested if it comes up in future books because what is the point of making her past traumatic if it has no relevance to the character or the plot? The only relevance I can see is that she has always been poor so she jumps at being giving a cash allowance, enough food and a warm comfortable place to stay. I suppose this has an impact on her easy acceptance of her change in circumstances but it seems to be a bit of a leap.

Once ensconced at the Academy Maddi learns a lot, makes friends and enemies (of course) and starts to find out about herself, because no one knows what she is.

There is plot a-plenty in this book and in particular I enjoyed the strong female characters and their support and friendship for each other. I also really enjoyed how Maddi and her love interest slowly got to know and trust each other as they dealt with all their problems.

There is lots lined up for the coming book/s and I look forward to reading them.

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Review: Written (The Librarian's Coven Book 1) by Kathryn Moon

Written by Kathryn Moon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Wonderful Reverse Harem Fantasy

This book has been recommended to me several times by Amazon and by groups on Facebook. I finally decided to read it after it popped up the third time and I’m so glad I did.

This author has created a magical world, based in a location bound to appeal to any reader, a library. The library is located at a magical university. The Main Female Character (MFC) is Joanna, a librarian from a small country town. She applied for a job at the university library and was stunned to be offered the job. She’d never left her home town and the university was overwhelming to her.

The head librarian, Gwen, was welcoming and supportive and was an interesting support character, who also introduced Joanna, as well as the reader, to her coven and other members of staff. We learn about the coven system, whereby magic users bond together in small groups to make a coven, which is like a marriage with multiple parties and is magical as well as emotional in nature.

Three professors at the university are in an incomplete coven and have been for many years. As each member meets Joanna they are drawn to her, but she believes she isn’t a witch. The three coven members are determined to woo Joanna and convince her that her small abilities for charms makes her enough of a magic user to qualify for the coven.

The writing in this work is very elegant and beautiful in it’s descriptions. I love the different ways that magic is created and worked and the descriptions of the use of magic is very beautiful. The way the author describes the library, the university grounds and the homes of the characters is articulate and makes me want to step inside that world to witness it's wonders. In fact I want to live in the library, it sounds wondrous!

The sex scenes are romantic and erotic and whilst they are plentiful, they don’t feel gratuitous but a necessary part of the story as the characters bond and their individual relationships are established.  The romance part of the story is beautiful and full of ups and down, but the plot, aside from the romance, is also strong. I found it very hard to stop reading in order to do things like eat! I will definitely be reading the next in the series, as I’m interested to see what happens to the coven next!

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Review: Sword of Honor (Queen of Skye and Shadow Book 1) by Thea Atkinson

Sword of Honor by Thea Atkinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
(Rating is More Like 3.5 of 5 stars)

A dystopian vision of the future as magic begins to return

Skye is a mercenary of sorts. She hires out to odd jobs in a world where barter is the currency. The world changed when one man decided that the Earth would be a better place without technology and set up a series of EMP devices to ensure that happened. When technology failed, magic started to return slowly at the margins of humanity. Without money and technology the world revolves around trading what you owned or a skill you had to get what you needed, sometimes bartering items you go in trade.

Skye doesn’t think of herself as a good person, but the people of New Denver think she is. She takes things in barter and makes sure they get to the people who need it the most, moving goods around subtly, without realising that her goodness is being witnessed by her community. She feels outside that community without realising that she may be at the heart of it.

The reason Skye doesn’t like herself is that she used to be a Ruby Skull. A member of Hunter’s judiciary. They travelled the country punishing the lawless without mercy. There was no room for compassion in the Ruby Skulls and Skye hated that. She ran away knowing that one day Hunter would track her down and make her pay for her desertion.

It seems that Hunter has come to punish her at last.

This is a story of sorrow, guilt and redemption. It is the story in the power of mercy over the ruthless application of the law and the power of kindness to heal a community.

The book is written fluidly and draws the reader in. Skye is an odd hero as internally she doesn’t feel like one and listening to her internal voice you might believe she isn’t a worthy hero either. But as her actions are uncovered you start to doubt her self image and see her more clearly. It’s a subtle process and cleverly executed. However, that dissonance between her internal voice and the view point of others meant that she kept herself isolated, which in turn made me, as a reader, feel disconnected from her as the protagonist. I think that might change in a second book as she begins to feel more connected to her community. We shall have to see, but I'm not sure if I will read it.

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Review: Twisted Flames by Aster North

Twisted Flames by Aster North
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Very enjoyable Urban Fantasy

I’d seen this book promoted in a couple of the Facebook groups I’m a member of and after reading the blurb decided to give it a whirl. I’m so glad I did, it is a fantastic book.

The story is a little different from your normal Urban Fantasy. The Main Female Character (MFC), Everly, is ageless and has watched epochs pass with no idea who she is and where she came from. Most of her life has been spent alone and when she finally let herself trust 400 years ago, that trust was betrayed and she was captured and tortured. After finally winning her freedom she resolved never to allow anyone close to her again. It is only in the last few years that she has started to make a few friends again, putting down roots in her community.

Everly’s best friend is a witch and we don’t see much of her in the book, which is a shame in my opinion, just the affect she has had on Everly’s life. Cassie has helped Everly soften the walls around her heart and helped bring her into the world a little. Despite her mistrust of people Everly spends a lot of time helping others and she has a soft heart beneath her armour.

When Everly is trying to find out why lots of demons are disappearing in her town, she comes into contact with four supernatural guys who work for the Council; Dixin, Torin, Rendell and Kohanna. She loathes the Council as they were part of her betrayal and as supernaturals are long lived some of those that betrayed her may still be in power. She reluctantly lets the men join in her quest to find out what is happening with the demons but she is torn in two as she mistrusts them but longs for their company and friendship.

There are sexually charged instances in the book with multiple men but whilst there is potential for a reverse harem, it’s not quite there yet, given the lack of trust Everly has.

There is lots of twisty turny plot strands that I always enjoy. There is much to uncover about the people controlling the disappearing demons, then there are back stories of the four men, and Everly’s powers and history are a big unravelling ball of yarn.

There is so much to love about this book, Everly the damaged, lonely and powerful being with so much heart, the four men who are drawn to her, and the dangers they all face.

I really can’t wait for the second book in the series, because whilst there is a nice pause at the end of the book, there is soooooo much more left to discover!

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