Review: The Four Revenants by Cas E. Crowe

The Four Revenants (Wayward Haunt, Book #2)

by Cas E. Crowe

Release Date: February 19, 2022

2022 Cas E. Crowe

Ebook Edition; 332 Pages

ISBN: 978-0648876526

ASIN: B09QRZLSBB

Genre: Fiction / Fantasy / Dystopian

Source: Review copy from author

4.5 / 5 Stars 

Summary

Zaya Wayward is a necromancer on the run. Pursued by the United League of Dissent and hunted by the Haxsan Guard, Zaya is uprooted from the Tarahik Military Base and sent into hiding in Scarmouth. Bordered by lush rainforest and golden sands, the coastal village should be a utopia, but a gruesome incident transpires on the beach one evening—a ritual that demands the sacrifice of many lives.

All Zaya wants to do is find her friends and rescue Captain Jad Arden, the man she loves, but something deadly is woken by the ritual. The Four Revenants—the bringers of the apocalypse—hunger for Zaya’s blood. Dragged into a nightmarish landscape, Zaya makes a perilous journey through dense jungle and forested mountains in an attempt to survive, but is she running away from danger, or straight into its arms?

My Thoughts

The Four Revenants is the second book in the Wayward Haunt saga, and in this one we see Zaya thrown into hiding, due to events in the first book, with little understanding of where she is or what she needs to do.  Unfortunately, she lands right in the middle of enemy territory and learns quite quickly the United League of Dissent, the one group she must avoid at all costs, has seized control of the area and is rounding up recruits to join their cause by any means necessary.  This was such a fun, fast-paced novel, and I enjoyed learning more about the political structure of this world as well as more about its history.

I love Zaya's character and it was intriguing to see her develop her necromancy powers in this book.  While she is brave and loyal, she is not without her faults, and I definitely enjoyed the little mind-games she plays when she is angry or upset with those around her as it makes her that much more relatable. I definitely would react the same way if I had to tramp through jungle with some of the people with which she was forced to rely on for her survival.  She is unquestionably a compelling character. And while I was happy to learn more about some of the other characters, I would have liked a bit more development with regards to them as so much focus was on Zaya that I felt sometimes the others weren't as fully developed. There are a couple of others who have some interesting stories to tell and while I don't necessarily need their POV, it would be nice to learn more about their backgrounds and it would help develop the social system in this world.

This story was action-packed, moving along so quickly you barely had time to take a breath between action scenes.  The things that happened were unexpected, and there were so many twists and turns coming at me that I had trouble putting the book down.  Descriptions merge so well with the action, and I amused myself trying to guess the names of the cities that were described in this book as this takes place in a far-distant Earth.  I like how the author integrates the political system into the story so you figure out what's happening as the characters learn about shifting politics and events that are happening. I don't have it all figured out, but I like learning about new worlds in this way as I find it more interesting.  The book is written from Zaya's POV, so you learn about what is happening as she learns about things.  

Verdict

The Four Revenants was better than the first book and does not suffer from second book syndrome. The writing is sharp with good character and world development, and moves along at a swift pace. I highly recommend this series if you are looking for suspense, great action with good world development, and believable and relatable characters. Book three was just released and book four will be coming out sometime in 2024. 

 

Review: The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

The Curse of Penryth Hall

by Jess Armstrong

Release Date: December 5, 2023

2023 Minotaur Books

Ebook ARC Edition; 326 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250886019

ASIN: B0BQGGBCXC

Audiobook: B0CKCQXNY7

Genre: Fiction / Historical Fiction / Gothic

Source: Review copy from publisher

3 / 5 Stars

Summary

A foreboding fortress, Penryth Hall is home to Ruby’s once dearest friend, Tamsyn, and her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth. It’s an unsettling place, and after a more unsettling evening, Ruby is eager to depart. But her plans change when Penryth’s bells ring for the first time in thirty years. Edward is dead; he met a gruesome end in the orchard, and with his death brings whispers of a returned curse. It also brings Ruan Kivell, the person whose books brought her to Cornwall, the one the locals call a Pellar, the man they believe can break the curse. Ruby doesn’t believe in curses—or Pellars—but this is Cornwall and to these villagers the curse is anything but lore, and they believe it will soon claim its next victim: Tamsyn.

My Thoughts

The Curse of Penryth Hall is an interesting murder mystery / gothic story set in the 1920s. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the book as well as the time period as I am always interested in post-WWI historical fiction writing as I don't think there is enough of it.  

I really liked the Ruby, the main character, as it would be very difficult to be an independent woman during this time period, but circumstances have led her to be leery of relationships and distrustful. Considering what happened to her and how families 'dealt' with problems during this time period, she came out rather lucky, so I totally understand where she is coming from and why she would not want to give up her independence.  I liked how the author made her life difficult because some of the things she did would have shocked people during this time period and she would have suffered consequences, even dangerous ones.  However, I don't feel the author managed to do the same with the other characters, except the cat?  Ruan actually drove me nuts as he seemed like two different people half of the time, his character development almost non-existent because the author couldn't seem to make up her mind as to how she wanted him to appear.  For example, he would be nice and friendly to Ruby one minutes, then the next time they would meet, he would be cruel and dismissive, almost as if he was putting on a show for those around him. Not a genuine person at all. And the other characters were written this way as well.

The writing itself was well done, and I enjoyed the atmospheric setting of the mansion and the lands. There were quite a few twists and turns I wasn't expecting which made the story intriguing as I wasn't sure if I was reading a simply mystery or a gothic suspense.  While some of the plot points were a bit silly, and Ruan sometimes ruined a scene for me, I thoroughly enjoyed Ruby's investigations because she often used logic and sense when seeking information.  It was also a bit of a slow burn, sometimes too much of one. 

Verdict

The Curse of Penryth Hall seems to have more elements of a gothic mystery in it, but I would have to say also some elements of magical realism.  I thought Ruby's character development was interesting and I enjoyed learning more about her, but I thought the others could have been better and would have added more to the story. The overall plot was interesting, but did have a tendency to meander causing it to slow down and focus on things that I don't think were necessary to the story.  There was a lot of potential in this book and the writing was solid, so I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

Review: The Search Party by Hannah Richell

The Search Party

by Hannah Richell

Release Date: January 16, 2024

2024 Atria Books

Ebook ARC Edition; 352 Pages

ISBN: 978-1668036068

ASIN: B0C7RPDKZR

Audiobook: B0C7YZKPGS

Genre: Fiction / Suspense

Source: Review copy from publisher

3.5 / 5 Stars

Summary

Max and Annie Kingsley have left the London rat race with their twelve-year-old son to set up a glamping site in the wilds of Cornwall. Eager for a dry run ahead of their opening, they invite three old university friends and their families for a long-needed reunion. But the festivities soon go awry as tensions arise between the children (and subsequently their parents), explosive secrets come to light, and a sudden storm moves in, cutting them off from help as one in the group disappears.

My Thoughts

The Search Party is an atmospheric, destination thriller that was decent. A group of friends get together to check out a new glamping venture that is being started by one of the friends, and soon resentments, secrets, and tensions start to boil to the surface.  I always enjoy ''locked-room" types of thrillers and while in this one they all get stranded on a a bluff during a wild storm, it still has the same affect. You've got the missing person, the storm, the atmosphere, the secrets, the tension, the possible murder, being shut off from the outside world, and the investigation, all the elements of a good suspense novel.

The location itself was the best part of this book as I loved the atmosphere of the wilderness and the 'glamping'.  And I really enjoyed how so many elements of the landscape were revealed slowly to the reader in order to avoid giving away necessary plot points; and it would have been very easy to figure things out if the author had used more description. But you learned about the layout of the bluff along with the characters, something I thought was quite good.  This actually added to the atmosphere of the book as I never really knew what was going to be revealed about the land next. 

Unfortunately, the author didn't continue this type of writing with the characters although she did try. When you try too hard to make a character seem guilty or possibly dark, I don't think it necessarily works and in this one, it actually led me right to who it actually was quite early in the game.  It's not that I didn't enjoy the twists and turns the author employed, but I was able to see right through them.  I think it would have been better if other people had been targeted as well as it would have maybe made me think differently, especially when a certain comment was made with regards to Dominic. Now I am not giving anything away by revealing this, or who made the comment, but when that happened, I knew who it was.

One of the reasons I didn't give it a higher star rating had to do with certain treatment towards a younger character in this book. I get that the author was using the tactic to cause doubt in the reader, but the fact no one was more outraged over what happened bothered me. And why would you keep secrets about an adoption, especially in the circumstances in which Kip was raised? Weak plot point in my estimation and rubbed me the wrong way. For a group of friends who are supposed to be so close, it just didn't make sense.  

 

Verdict

The Search Party started off quite strongly, and the author is very skilled as a writer. I did like how the atmosphere of the setting was used to drive the story, but wish it was used a lot more than it was as it would have added more depth to the tension and secrets running through the group.  While the characters were interesting, they were definitely not original, and the use of one of them to propel the story bothered me a great deal.  Overall, the ending was satisfactory as all the loose ends were tied up, but I did think it was easy to figure out who the villain was in this story. I do recommend this book to anyone who likes these 'locked-room' type of thrillers. 

 

Review: The Fey Hotel by Vermilion H. Baine

The Fey Hotel (Enchanted With the Enemy, Book #1)

by Vermilion H. Baine

Release Date: January 14, 2024

2024 Vermilion H Baine

Ebook ARC Edition; 459 Pages

ISBN: 979-8988814405

ASIN: B0CK5958RT

Genre: Fiction / Fantasy / Romance

Source: Review copy from author

4.5 / 5 Stars

Summary

Avalon, sent to restore the failing reputation of the Refuge on the Moor, carries a secret that could lead to her own destruction. A secret she’s kept since birth, and one that the grumpy, short-tempered innkeeper becomes the first to discover.

Elden is the unwilling manager of a once great, and magical, hotel—that is failing under his inexperienced hand. When he reluctantly requests the help of a hotel management company, he’s introduced to Avalon—someone that has more in common with him than either of them knows.

They fight their past and one another, but the pair must learn to work together—not only to save the inn, but to save everyone they love.

 

My Thoughts

The Fey Hotel did not disappoint and I enjoyed it thoroughly. There are so many things going for it, including a realistic romance, a cute giant dog, an intriguing political system (existing between the fey and the humans), sisterly loyalty and love, family dysfunction, dangerous creatures, and lots of unexpected action scenes. To be fair, I am not your typical romance reader as I gravitate more towards horror and thriller/suspense, but I was in the mood for some cozy fantasy and I am so glad I gave this one a shot.

Both Avalon and Elden were fun characters and I enjoyed learning more about them as the story progressed. Avalon was quite sassy and witty, and I liked how she held her own against the fey creatures she had to deal with as the story progressed. Elden, who sort of reminded me of Thor (at least that was the picture that kept forming in my head) because he wielded this huge axe and wore his armour all the time, being the warden to the portal of the fey lands.  Both characters were immensely relatable, were charming and were so much fun to read about.  

 

While I did like all of the other characters, even the enemies, I don't quite feel they were as developed as Avalon and Elden, and I especially had a beef with the way Odele was portrayed some of the time. It was revealed right from the beginning that Odele was a banshee and when the arrived at the inn, she craved her personal space and needed time to develop her own friendships. I found her interesting and wanted to learn more about her as she was the cause of one of Avalon's afflictions, but then one incident happened and suddenly, her personality shifted without warning, and I was baffled by the change. Although I understood the motives, I didn't like the change and the behaviour she exhibited because it was quite contrary to before and it didn't make sense to me. I get the author was trying to portray how close the sisters were and how they protected each other, but this came close to obsessiveness, possessiveness, and being cringe-worthy.

The story the author created was fun, full of banshees, witches, fey, will-o'-the-wisps, naiads, gorgons, humans, and other magical beings. I thought the writing was great, slowly revealing the world and its issues to the reader, letting us figure out things as we read, letting us explore with Avalon as she learned about the fey lands. There were lots of twists and turns, and I was pleasantly surprised by the complexity of the plot.  The pacing of the story was on point, and the big stories were given time to develop and expand while the smaller mysteries were solved quickly and efficiently. There is still some big mystery behind all the events happening in this book, but the overall ending is satisfying. 

Verdict

The Fey Hotel was a fantastic read. The world building and character development were good, and the story moved along quickly with some interesting twists and turns. If you are a fan of portal fantasies, slow-burn romance, fantasy, some political intrigue, then this book is definitely for you. I can't wait to get my hands on the second book in this series.

 

Review: Poplyphemus by Zachary Ashford

Polyphemus

by Zachary Ashford

Release Date: November 14, 2023

2023 DarkLit Press

Ebook Edition; 328 Pages

ISBN: 978-1998851126

ASIN: B0CKNPM3WK

Audiobook: B0CL7Z7FRV

Genre: Fiction / Horror

Source: Review copy from author / DarkLit Press

3 / 5 Stars

Summary

When lead vocalist of Polyphemus Stephen Oaks’s near-fatal on-stage overdose leaves them under pressure from their label, the band’s remaining members must find a new vocalist, pick up the pieces and forge on without him.

Unfortunately, he’s fresh from rehab and desperate to reunite with his old band, In fact, he’s so desperate that he’ll bargain with dark forces and sacrifice everything – and anyone!

After the final encore is played and the house lights come down, there is no telling who will remain or who they’ll be in allegiance to. For Polyphemus, obsession costs far more than mere murder.

 

My Thoughts

Polyphemus is one of those novels that had a lot of things going for it in terms of horror elements: rock music, deals with the devil, drug issues, relationship problems, a cool playlist, and so on. And while I really enjoyed the way the author intertwined the rock elements with the story, I did think it took way too long for the plot to get going. To be honest, it felt a lot more like a novel about musicians who were having difficulties with their careers, family, and life, with them drinking, doing drugs, and jamming rather than a horror novel.   

First of all, the main characters were your stereotypical portrayals of musicians and it made me think  the author did this deliberately. Except for Spiros, most of them cared little for others and concentrated solely on their music and the contract that was causing them huge problems. I disliked Nathan the most for the way he treated a woman who was looking for help, and while he was trying to make amends towards the end, it was little too late.  When I did reflect on the men's attitudes and their behaviours and the way they were written though, it did seem as though the author was satirizing a lot of elements to showcase stereotypes and their annoying exploits made a lot more sense in that light.  I love satire, but I'm not sure a lot of people get it when it's used in novels, but the author definitely exaggerates a lot of actions in this story to highlight problematic choices and behaviours. 

The author does spend way too much time developing the personal lives of the individual characters which slows down the narrative. I do wish he had invested as much into the female characters however, as they were wither nagging or making stupid decisions. And I couldn't, for the life of me, understand where the relationship between Oaks and India developed from whatever to an actual relationship. The use of the trope of sympathetic woman begging for her love to be saved only to make stupid decisions on his behalf drives me crazy.  

The plot itself took a long time to get going because the author spent too long developing the relationships between the characters. The story had a lot of potential, and there were some great nuggets throughout. When the chaos struck though, it struck well, and I really enjoyed those parts of the book. And I'm still not sure what I think of the ending; I liked it, but I think I wanted more.

Verdict

Polyphemus is one of those books you can still enjoy even if you are not a heavy metal enthusiast. I am more of a classic rock girlie, but I still listened to the music list provided (and enjoyed it). I do think the author was trying to satirize the rock world and exaggerate the elements and stereotypes within, but it didn't quite work the way it was intended due to a plot that took too long to get moving and characters that were not relatable.  Overall, the overall concept was cool, and although it missed its mark with me, I would recommend it to others, especially to those who like a slower burn and not as much blood-letting.

 

Review: Unfamiliar Territory by R. Lindsay Carter

Unfamiliar Territory (The Familiar's Legacy, Book #1)

by R. Lindsay Carter

Release Date: April 23, 2022

2022 Rock and Flower Press (Independent)

EBook Edition; 323 Pages

ISBN: 978-8985907209

ASIN: B09X99BLSJ

Genre: Fiction / Fantasy

Source: Review copy from author

4 / 5 Stars

Summary

Cressida Curtain has a business to run. She spends her time catching bad guys and turning them in for bounties. After all, she’s a natural born hunter.

She also isn’t exactly human. That’s her secret to keep, because her very existence is the only thing holding a great evil at bay. It’s a legacy that’s been passed down through the generations, and Cressida is the latest in line.

Life as a bounty hunter is never dull. And hers is about to get a lot more interesting.

 

 

My Thoughts

Unfamiliar Territory is the first book in The Familiar's Legacy series and I enjoyed it very much. I went into it not knowing very much about it, not having even read the blurb, so I was pleasantly surprised by the plot and by the characters. I am a huge fan of epic, dark fantasy, but I am starting to really enjoy the lighter fantasy fares such as this one and am intrigued by the growth of cozy fantasy which is definitely where this book lies.  

 

Cressida was a fun character to follow and I definitely loved learning more about her. There was a surprise little twist about her character that I wasn't expecting, one that I won't share as it should be discovered by the reader, but so much fun. She has this ability to connect with animals and I love how she shows absolute respect for all of them which makes her relationship with Grimm even more delightful. I don't know what to call Grimm, but he's a type of fantastical dog who can do these amazing things and is capable of understanding humans on a super-elevated level.  The relationship between Grimm and Cressida was fun to uncover and theirs is definitely an equal partnership.  The secondary characters did not have much depth to them, but while I feel like I haven't untangled all of their motivations and learned enough about them, there are still more books in this series which gives ample time for the author to develop these characters further.  

 

While the plot itself wasn't unique and could be somewhat predictable, the world-building was great and I liked learning about the little bit of politics that was revealed. Because it focused more on Cressica's world and her bounty-hunting world, I am still somewhat sketchy on the actual political structure that exists and how she fits into it all.  That being said, the story was quite interesting and there were a few unexpected surprises that I wasn't expecting which made it fun to read.  All of the elements were there: curses, magic, mayhem, betrayal, supernatural beings, and so much more. I tend to like stories about prophecies and curses, so maybe I was a little biased going into this.  

Verdict

Unfamiliar Territory is an easy-reading fantasy story that would appear to readers who are looking for something lighter, but still has that fantastical element to it. Although the story was a lot of fun, it did make use of coincidences to move the story along, one of those things that did make me roll my eyes a couple of times. However, the story was fun and engaging, and I really liked the main character. It definitely aims more towards the cozy rather than the complex, so I recommend it for those who are looking for something fun to read without the 'epic' in their stories. 

 

Review: Light in the Shadows by Georgia C. Leigh

Light in the Shadows (Shadows and Light, Book #1)

by Georgia C. Leigh

Release Date: January 10, 2023

2023 Georgia Leigh

Kindle Edition; 546 Pages

ISBN: 978-1958971017

ASIN: B0BMHPDKZX

Genre: Fiction / Fantasy

Source: Review copy from author

4 / 5 Stars

Summary

Sheltered eighteen-year-old Haven arrives at the Academy to learn what it means to be seraphim. But when she discovers an ancient magic within, she loses the glimpse of friendship she longs for and is thrown back into isolation. Her magic also awakens a dark shadow in her world, and catalyzes those who seek to control her, to bind her and use her for her power. 

 
Ryker, a world walker and a demon hunter, is the only one powerful enough to contain her magic. And he knows what it is like to be wanted for someone else’s gains. Ryker’s brutal methods may give her the chance to understand her gift and control it, but they are running out of time. 

 

My Thoughts

Light in the Shadows is the first book in the Shadows and Light saga, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.  Because this the beginning of a five book arc, this one serves to introduce some of the characters, the world, and the political system. It was a bit of a slower burn than I expected, but I enjoyed learning about the lives of the characters, how they fit in into the political systems being developed, and the relationships that were being built. 

 

While most of the book occurred over a three-year period where the MC Haven was attending the academy to learn about her magic and what it means to be a seraphim, there were enough scenes away from it that gave you a glimpse of the actual world.  At first, due to the prologue, I thought there would be overlap with Earth, but that actually didn't happen and this was something I really enjoyed.  I like stories about academies and how young people are trained, and I really liked the setup and how relationships were forged, how you learned to really care for those in your unit, trust they had your back at all times, and worked together at all moments of the day.   Naturally, there was going to be personal angst as well, that is to be expected when you live in such close quarters with people for such a long time.

I like Haven's personal development quite a bit. She went from being unsure how to forge relationships to learning how to open up and share her secrets, although I do think there is a lot more to tell. Although I felt there was something important about her, I was surprised when the reveal came as I was not expecting it, but I liked how it just flowed with the story. Ryker's character was not as developed as Haven's simply because he is older, attended the academy decades ago, so it was not necessary to really develop him at this point in time.  I liked learning about his job in the present time and what he was doing, although even that was not really fully told. I am a patient person however, and can wait to find out more.  The secondary characters were not quite as developed as the main ones, but with four books to come, I think we will learn more about them as we go.

The plot was fast-paced, with changing alliances and the start of political intrigue.  The writing style was good and certainly kept me interested. I did think the author had a tendency to give away too much information through the use of multiple POV which affected the overall tension and suspense as you could tell what was going to happen.  While it was not necessarily the POV that was the issue, it was the giving away of information in these scenes that caused the problems so it was incredibly easy to figure things out. I would have liked a bit more guess work on my part as it would have elevated the tension level and left me more surprised than it did.

Verdict

Light in the Shadows is a great start to the series, and while it did start slow, I actually didn't mind that at all.  The writing style has a way of engaging you despite the fact the multiple POV gives away some important plot points which reduces the overall tension in the story.  Some intriguing relationships and intrigues have begun to sprout so I am interested to see how they will develop and harm our main characters in future books.

 

Review: Europea Halls by Alan Shivers

Europea Halls: A YA Slasher Novel (Europea Halls, Book #1)

by Alan Shivers

Release Date: October 1st, 2023

2023 Independently Published

Kindle Edition; 174 Pages

ISBN: 979-8857604199

ASIN: B0CFMD5V8Z

Genre: Fiction / YA / Horror

Source: Review copy from author through Kindle Unlimited

3 / 5 Stars

Summary

Welcome to Europea Halls. Only the select few have made it into these prestigious dorms in the capital of the EU, Brussels.

When six best teenage friends get stalked by a serial killer, the campus is on high alert. As the body count piles up, it seems the killer knows a thing or two about slasher movies. Can these girls fight back in time to discover the truth behind the gruesome murders, or will no-one live to tell the tale?

 

 

My Thoughts

Europea Halls is a short, fun, somewhat mindless horror romp that will have you turning the pages rather quickly, but came up a bit short on character and story development.  I enjoy reading YA novels, but I was a bit surprised when I learned the age of the characters as they seemed a lot younger due to their behaviours and the way they spoke.  I know that making silly choices is one of the tropes driving a story forwards, especially in horror novels, but I have never been a fan of that technique and wish characters could make better decisions as it would seem more authentic.

First of all, I did love the 80s campy vibe in this book as I enjoy 80s slasher films and I do think the author achieved this in this book.  I stopped taking the story so seriously and just enjoyed the ride, working my way through those 80s vibes set in a modern setting.  Therefore, while a lot of the scenes were not necessarily realistic, they were fun, and I wanted more of them.  And while the scenes involving the deaths were bloody, I don't actually think they were that graphic, especially when you think in terms of Clown in a Cornfield type of graphic, these were pretty tame.  They were however, my favourite parts of the book; but then, I am a horror fiction fan so take that as you wish.  

I did enjoy the characters, but they were rather immature and didn't really take what was happening seriously.  Part of the problem, I think, is while the book moved along rather quickly and was short, that was also its negative as it didn't allow much room for character growth and development, so you didn't really get to know the characters at all.  I don't think I could distinguish any of the girls even now as they all seemed the same.  I will say though, that while it was rather easy to guess one of the twists in this book, the other one did escape me completely, so that was fun.  

Verdict

Europea Halls was well-written and the ending was satisfying, even if the author left some things to continue in the next book.  While the story moved quickly and was filled with murder and mayhem, I did find it to be weak in certain places, and wasn't thrilled with the killer's motivations.  The characters didn't have a chance to show any growth and development, therefore they didn't really stand out and it was difficult to develop empathy for any of them.  Overall, this was a fun, campy horror, and I definitely think anyone new to the horror genre will enjoy this book.