Week 45 Reviews: White Night, It's My Birthday, Too, Heorot, Mike, Small Favor

From Goodreads:
A sensational addition to the Dresden Files adventures-from a USA Today bestselling author. Professional wizard Harry Dresden is investigating a series of deaths in Chicago. Someone is killing practitioners of magic, those incapable of becoming full-fledged wizards. Shockingly, all the evidence points to Harry's half-brother, Thomas, as the murderer. Determined to clear his sibling's name, Harry uncovers a conspiracy within the White Council of Wizards that threatens not only him, but his nearest and dearest, too...increasingly significant threat to Western power.

From Goodreads:

Harry and Molly's mission to deliver Thomas' birthday gift goes awry.

From Goodreads:

Harry teams up with Miss Gard to find a missing bride.

From Goodreads:

A visit to the mechanic.  Set between White Night and Small Favor–shortly after the graphic novel Wild Card.

From Goodreads:

Harry Dresden's life finally seems to be calming down-until a shadow from the past returns. Mab, monarch of the Sidhe Winter Court, calls in an old favor from Harry-one small favor that will trap him between a nightmarish foe and an equally deadly ally, and that will strain his skills-and loyalties-to their very limits.

My Review:
Wow, yes, there stories were so excellent! Harry has been through a lot, and because of it, has learned, has grown smarter and sneakier. And a lot happens in these 2 books, and I'm really excited to see where this series goes from here! 

White Night was interesting, Harry is smart and strategic in this book, which was really great because it allowed him to gather more information about his enemies. It did confuse me for a bit, with the flashback, but then it ended and it made sense! 

Small Favor was pretty awesome, Harry's got enemies coming at him at all sides, it feels like. What with Mab calls in her 2nd favor, and the Summer fae getting into his grill. But it's also a great follow up to White Night in that the coins and their holders are a significant threat, and given the events of the previous book, it was really great to watch it play out! 

When we had Dead Beat, and Luccio was first introduced into the main series, I was really happy, because I was interested in her character from the short story. Well, I was excited to see her again in Small Favor, and I can't wait to see how much of a role she'll play in the coming stories in the series! 

Loved reading these books, and I can't wait to continue the series! 

Author: Jim Butcher 
Series: The Dresden Files #9, 9.2, 9.3, 9.5, 10
Read: November 4th, 4th, 4th, 4th, 4th, 2020
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love his writing and this series, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2020 Books!
Publisher: Roc, Ace Books, St. Martin's Griffin, Jim Butcher, 
Published: April 3rd 2007, September 1st 2007, December 26th 2007, January 7th 2020, April 1st 2008

White Night:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

 

It's My Birthday, Too: 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Heorot: 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Mike:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Small Favor:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 45 Review: Crownchasers

From Goodreads:
A deadly competition for the throne will determine more than just the fate of the empire in this riveting duology opener, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, Aurora Rising, and Three Dark Crowns.

Alyssa Farshot has spent her whole life trying to outrun her family legacy. Her mother sacrificed everything to bring peace to the quadrant, and her uncle has successfully ruled as emperor for decades. But the last thing Alyssa wants is to follow in their footsteps as the next in line for the throne. Why would she choose to be trapped in a palace when she could be having wild adventures exploring a thousand-and-one planets in her own ship?

But when Alyssa's uncle becomes gravely ill, his dying wish surprises the entire galaxy. Instead of naming her as his successor, he calls for a crownchase, the first in seven centuries. Representatives from each of the empire's prime families—including Alyssa—are thrown into a race to find the royal seal, which has been hidden somewhere in the empire. The first to find the seal wins the throne.

Alyssa's experience as an explorer makes her the favorite to win the crown she never wanted. And though she doesn't want to be empress, her duty to her uncle compels her to participate in this one last epic adventure. But when the chase turns deadly, it's clear that more than just the fate of the empire is at stake. Alyssa is on her most important quest yet—and only time will tell if she'll survive it. 

My Review:
This was a really fantastic book! I loved the world, with the empire and the different races. I loved the quest, it was such a entertaining ride. And I loved reading about Alyssa, heir to one of the families, but who doesn't want to rule. It was such a fun read! Though there were some serious moments throughout. 

We were mainly in Alyssa's head, in the present. But sometimes, we would get parts of her past, the parts that lead her to the point she is now, as well as meaningful moments to her. We also got to be in Edgar's head, and if we are in the sequel, it'll be interesting, given the events of this book. I'm curious about him, because he's right on the edge of morality, and I'm wondering if everything is as it seems, or if it's straightforward...

And man, that ending! That honestly hurt, because . But the injustice of it all, well, we know Alyssa's not going to let it stand, though it's going to be a struggle. We had some little comments of what was going on in the universe as this was going on, and I think they're going to come into play in the sequel, and I can't wait! 

I have a few questions. What about her dad? We know about her mom, because she was the ruler before her uncle, the one that dies in this book. But what about her dad? Like, he wasn't mentioned really at all. Also, I want to know, I'm pretty sure that her uncle was poisoned. But by who? I'm leaning towards the religious group, though, given Alyssa's interactions with the ambassador, and his actions in this book.

This was a fantastic read, I loved the story, and I can't wait for the sequel! 

Author: Rebecca Coffindaffer
Series: Crownchasers #1
Read: November 3rd, 2020
Source: Edelweiss
Reason Why: Sounded and looked really great, and it's a DAC Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2020 Book!
Publisher: Harper Teen
Published: September 29th 2020

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 45 Review: The Bone Maker

From Goodreads:

From award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst, a standalone epic fantasy set in a brand-new world of towering mountains and sparkling cities, in which a band of aging warriors have a second chance to defeat dark magic and avenge a haunting loss.

Twenty-five years ago, five heroes risked their lives to defeat the bone maker Eklor—a corrupt magician who created an inhuman army using animal bones. But victory came at a tragic price. Only four of the heroes survived. 

Since then, Kreya, the group's leader, has exiled herself to a remote tower and devoted herself to one purpose: resurrecting her dead husband. But such a task requires both a cache of human bones and a sacrifice—for each day he lives, she will live one less.

She'd rather live one year with her husband than a hundred without him, but using human bones for magic is illegal in Vos. The dead are burned—as are any bone workers who violate the law. Yet Kreya knows where she can find the bones she needs: the battlefield where her husband and countless others lost their lives.

But defying the laws of the land exposes a terrible possibility. Maybe the dead don't rest in peace after all.  

Five warriors—one broken, one gone soft, one pursuing a simple life, one stuck in the past, and one who should be dead. Their story should have been finished. But evil doesn't stop just because someone once said, "the end."

My Review:
Reading this book was so fantastic! This is the 2nd story this year that I've read that has the concept of the story after "the end" for the heroes, though in a different way. And this is a fictional world. I just loved reading this book, I devoured it! 

Sarah Beth Durst has only had a couple of series, the majority of her books are stand alones. But the worlds are always so incredible, that I would love to spend more time in them if she wrote more about them, and this was no exception. 

This book was also about loss, and dealing with grief-Kreya's husband died in the war, and she turned to the magic the bad guy was using to temporarily bring him back. But there's a way to bring him back permanently-it just means breaking more than one taboo. 

But this book was also about this group of people who did fight this bad guy. We were mainly in Kreya's perspective, but we were in the heads of basically every member of the group, however briefly. I loved seeing their relationships, how they got along with one another-how they coordinated, trusted in each other, to take down the bad guy! 

This book was such a great read, I loved it so much! I can't wait to read more by Sarah Beth Durst! 

Author: Sarah Beth Durst 
Read: November 3rd, 2020
Source: Edelweiss 
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounded really fantastic, and it's a SAC 2020 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Expected Publication: March 9th 2021

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 45 Review: The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry

From Goodreads:

A charming historical fantasy with a tender love story at its core, from the author of Unnatural Magic.

Hard-drinking petty thief Dellaria Wells is down on her luck in the city of Leiscourt—again. Then she sees a want ad for a female bodyguard, and she fast-talks her way into the high-paying job. Along with a team of other women, she's meant to protect a rich young lady from mysterious assassins.

At first Delly thinks the danger is exaggerated, but a series of attacks shows there's much to fear. Then she begins to fall for Winn, one of the other bodyguards, and the women team up against a mysterious, magical foe who seems to have allies everywhere. 

My Review:
I loved reading this book! I know it's not technically a series-but it is set in the same world as C.M. Waggoner's first book, Unnatural Magic, but a generation later. And I loved being in this world of magic and trolls again! 

We follow Delly, who is pretty rough and tumble, who gets a pretty well paying job. The catch is that it's for an important lady, which means manners. Oh, and someone is trying to kill her. So that adds to the danger that Delly is facing. 

I loved her relationship with Winn, who's the daughter of 2 of the main characters from Unnatural Magic. Winn is a lady, though not a traditional human lady. So there's a class difference between them. The way that Delly has been raised well, she had certain schemes, but I really enjoyed how their relationship progressed! 

The way it ended, I really enjoyed it. There was always a question of why this was going on, and why this person in particular had done it. I really enjoyed how Delly maneuvered around the obstacles in her path, it made for a very satisfying ending! 

This was another great book by C.M. Waggoner, and I can't wait to read more by her! 

Author: C.M. Waggoner 
Read: November 2nd, 2020
Source: NetGalley  
Reason Why: Loved her first book, and it's a Historical Fiction 2020 Book, SAC 2020 Book, Sophomore Challenge Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Ace 
Expected Publication: January 12th 2021

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 45 Reviews: The Girl from the Well, The Suffering

From Goodreads:

You may think me biased, being murdered myself. But my state of being has nothing to do with the curiosity toward my own species, if we can be called such. We do not go gentle, as your poet encourages, into that good night.

A dead girl walks the streets.

She hunts murderers. Child killers, much like the man who threw her body down a well three hundred years ago.

And when a strange boy bearing stranger tattoos moves into the neighborhood so, she discovers, does something else. And soon both will be drawn into the world of eerie doll rituals and dark Shinto exorcisms that will take them from American suburbia to the remote valleys and shrines of Aomori, Japan.

Because the boy has a terrifying secret - one that would just kill to get out.

The Girl from the Well is A YA Horror novel pitched as "Dexter" meets "The Grudge", based on a well-loved Japanese ghost story. 

From Goodreads:

Breathtaking and haunting, Rin Chupeco's second novel is a chilling companion to her debut, The Girl from the Well.

The darkness will find you.

Seventeen-year-old Tark knows what it is to be powerless. But Okiku changed that. A restless spirit who ended life as a victim and started death as an avenger, she's groomed Tark to destroy the wicked. But when darkness pulls them deep into Aokigahara, known as Japan's suicide forest, Okiku's justice becomes blurred, and Tark is the one who will pay the price...

My Review:
I really enjoyed reading both of these stories! I just devoured them both, making my grand total of books read on November 1st, 4 books. And I wasn't even planning on reading The Sufferings initially, but I loved The Girl from the Well so much, well, I had to read it! 

I loved the way that these stories were told. The first book was from Okiku's perspective, but it was basically her watching the cousins, and it was almost like we were in Callie's head. And then in the 2nd book were in Tark's head.

These books are horror books, they have various forms of dead people. And there are a bunch of horror story moments, especially in the first book. But it's also about relationships, between Tark and Callie, Callie and Okiku, and Okiku and Tark. 

I enjoyed the plots of both books, the first focused on Tark's tattoos and possession, and the 2nd focusing on finding a friend in a haunted village. I loved both stories, but the 2nd one was a bit more intriguing, because there was a mystery, as to what happened in the town's past, to the characters in the recent past, and how they're going to survive. It was excellent to read!

I really enjoyed reading both of these books, they were really fantastic, and I think now I've read all of Rin Chupeco's currently published books, and I can't wait to read more! 

Author: Rin Chupeco
Series: The Girl from the Well #1, 2
Read: November 1st, 1st, 2020
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: I love her writing, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2020 Books! And The Girl from the Well is a  DAC Book, and The Suffering is a End of Series 2020 Book and a Sophomore Challenge Book! 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire 
Published: August 5th 2014, September 8th 2015

The Girl from the Well:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Suffering: 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 45 Review: Rafael

From Goodreads:
Rafael, the king of all the wererats, appeared in the very first Anita Blake novel. Now he is center stage as he fights to defend his crown with Anita Blake at his side.

My Review:
This book was a really fantastic read. It's another short one like Micah or Jason, and I'm glad for it, it gave us a hyper glance look at Anita's life. After all, this takes place in less than 12 hours. It's short, it's quick, it's fast paced, and we got a few important reveals in that time that I can't wait to see play out in the future! 

I don't know how much we knew about Anita's relationship with Rafael before this book. He hasn't been mentioned that I remember for at least 3 books, if not more. So having a story focused on him was really great. I really enjoyed exploring the rodere politics. Boy, are they violent! But they also brought up an interesting question.

By focusing on the wererats, we did learn more about the other various races as well. I can't remember the correct spelling of the new word for the word, but I know it starts with T. And it was interesting the questions it raised, the implications, and possibilities in the future! 

That ending was pretty intense. I couldn't put this book down, I had to know how it was all going to turn out! And even though this book is pretty short, it does have a pretty significant bad guy, and with everything that happened in this book, well, their dealing with the bad guy and the aftermath of that is another thing I'm really excited to see in the future books of the series! 

I really enjoyed this read, and I can't wait to continue this series and read more of Laurell K. Hamilton's books! 

Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Series: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #28
Read: November 1st, 2020
Source: Edelweiss 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2020 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Berkley Books
Expected Publication: February 9th 2021

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 45 Review: Wicked All Night

From Goodreads:

Set in New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress World, ancient deities are poised to wreck havoc, unless vampires Veritas and Ian can stop them … in this thrilling Night Rebel novel!

A gift from the gods…

Veritas and Ian have finally defeated their worst enemy, but the power it took to pierce through to the netherworld has unexpected consequences. Soon, Veritas is forced to rely on the last person she trusts---a golden deity named Phanes, who seeks far more than a temporary alliance with the beautiful vampire.

Can unleash hell…

But an escape from the netherworld soon pits Veritas and Ian against supernatural beings seeking to rule over mortals once again. Now, they must rally friends and foes alike—if the vampire council doesn't execute Veritas first. Plus, a wedge between Veritas and Ian threatens to destroy their love. Can they stand together against the unearthly powers about to be unleashed? Or does their love—and humanity—not stand a chance?

My Review:
Wow, it was really fantastic to read this book! It had me on a roller coaster, it went to so many unexpected places, and it was amazing to read! And it was just so fast paced and quick and I just finished it so quickly, I just want more now! 

Veritas and Ian have one big obstacle to overcome-her fiancé that her dad promised her to. Which opens up a whole new can of worms, and a bit of a relationship deal breaker for Ian. I really enjoyed watching them work it out! 

This book tied into a few threads from the rest of this world. Of magic users and the bigotry of the Vampire Council and their rules. Because all but the Night Prince series has dealt with it to some degree. Loved seeing what happened! 

My one complaint would be that the ending is a bit abrupt. I would've liked to see some of the fall out, so now I'm hoping we get a novella or something, because as far as I know, this could be the end of the Night Huntress world. There could be another series, but if not, I would love to have just a little more, because the events of this book really shook up the world! 

This was a really fantastic read, and I can't wait to see what Jeaniene Frost writes next!  

Author: Jeaniene Frost
Series: Night Rebel #3
Read: November 1st, 2020
Source: Edelweiss
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a End of Series 2020 Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2020 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Avon
Expected Publication: February 23rd 2021

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 45 Review: Lightning Game

From Goodreads:

Danger and passion fuse in this electrifying GhostWalker novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

GhostWalker Rubin Campo's rough upbringing made him into the man he is today: strong, steadfast and wary of outsiders. When he and his brother return to their family's homestead in the Appalachian Mountains, he can immediately sense that a stranger has taken up residence in their cabin--a woman who just happens to be a GhostWalker too.

Jonquille looks deceptively delicate but is clearly a fighter. She also doesn't seem to care that Rubin could kill her where she stands. She sought him out, wanting to connect on their shared interest in electrical charges. As one of the first failed GhostWalker experiments, Jonquille can produce lightning with her body--but she can't control it.

Their connection is magnetic, their abilities in sync. Rubin knows she's his match, the answer to a lifetime of pain and intense loneliness. But Jonquille came to him with hidden intentions, ones that threaten to destroy their bond before it can truly begin.... 

My Review:
I really enjoyed this book. This series and the Dark Carpathian Series are my favourite from Christine Feehan, a book from each series is what kicked off my love for her writing, cementing her as one of my favourite authors. 

I am 75% certain that we haven't seen Jonquielle on screen before this book. Maybe we have and I forgot, or it was an unnamed appearance. Either way, this is her first major time on screen, and I'm glad she's gotten it, because she's an OG girl, alongside Lily and Dahlia. So I'm really glad to get her story! 

It was great to see them interact, they really are perfect for each other, she can generate lightning but can't direct it, and he can direct it. So they're a good team regarding the powers. And personality-wise, they clicked as well, and I really enjoyed reading it! 

The ending was pretty spectacular. There were a few bits that tied into previous books, which was pretty fantastic. And there was that ending, and I can't wait to see how that's all going to play out, because that was new! 

Loved this book, and I can't wait to see where this series goes!

Author: Christine Feehan
Series: Ghostwalker #17
Read: October 31st, 2020
Source: Edelweiss 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2020 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Berkley Books
Expected Publication: March 2nd 2021

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars