Title: The Undoing
Author: Shelly Laurenston
Series: Call of Crows #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Mythology, Norse mythology, Paranormal romance
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2016

Jace and her background is kind of heart breaking, but, it just makes you want her to have a happily ever after all that much more. I also love how she just… overcomes and deals with her past. Then, she manages to have compassion and a great sense of self in amongst this. Yes, there is the Crow Rage, but that’s the whole reason I love these books – they’re women who are enraged. And honestly, who isn’t enraged in this day and age?

Jace has very quickly become one of my favoured characters in Laurenston’s work – mostly because she is an introvert. The desire to just be by yourself and exist in your own world is one that I understand intimately. Although, I love how she just refuses to engage in the things and conversations that she doesn’t enjoy. Alright, she’s a little more blunt and aggressive than I would ever be comfortable being. But, that’s the joy of fiction – you can live vicariously through the experiences of others.

Ski works beautifully with Jace (and gives me a lot of hope for us awkward weirdos). He takes the time to stop and figure out just what makes Jace tick. And then chooses to lean into it. He doesn’t judge, and doesn’t try to change her. Rather, he decides on her and chooses to meet her where she is. It was absolutely adorable how he slowly courts her, until she realises that she’s in a relationship and has been decided on. It’s wonderfully sweet and incredibly cute the way they find their way to one another, and figure their nonsense out together.

Although this is a great paranormal romance, I love how there is so much violence throughout this. Jace is great, intellectual and actually really sweet. But, I also love that she has berserker rage that turns her into a completely unhinged menace to everyone. Everything about her and her powers made me smile. The way that Jace’s special brand of violence fits in with the rest of the Crows… absolutely beautiful.

Image source: Shelly Laurenston

Title: The Unleashing
Author: Shelly Laurenston
Series: Call of Crows #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Mythology, Norse mythology, Paranormal romance
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2015

As of late, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying anything by Shelly Laurenston. When I realised that she had a series that is based on Norse mythology, I may have squealed a little. Alright, a lot, on the inside. Because squealing in public earns you weird looks…

As a woman, I love that the crows are driven by their rage. I mean, I get it. Sometimes I’m fairly certain that to be a woman is to be filled with rage some days. And the idea that they are all women who have been killed, given a second life and assigned the task of vengeance? Way too damn good.

If I look at my reading habits lately, I MAY be enjoying romance stories with murder and mayhem a little bit too much lately. But you know, Laurenston fits into the perfectly, and it makes me happy, o we won’t think too closely on that. I love that Laurenston’s women are typically the leaders of this murder and Mayhem, and their poor men just kind of follow along half the time.

The hints to Jace’s story are intriguing, and, having read the next blurb, I love that I get her tale next! I mean, she seems a little unknowable, and just… intriguing. And her love interest (or the one I’ve guessed to be her love interest)? That seems like a total opposites attract. Plus, the hints at other romances throughout The Unleashing just make me deliriously excited for what is going to happen next.

Aside from future mayhem and romance, I can’t wait to find out more about the epic battles that have begun in this novel. I’m do very excited to continue with yet another Laurenston series. One that I’m sure will leave me smiling and giggling throughout.

Image source: Penguin Books Australia