Tag Archives: Paranormal Fantasy

Stopping Time by Melissa Marr

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Faery Tales and Nightmares

Title: Stopping Time
Author: Melissa Marr
Series: Wicked Lovely #3.5
In: Faery Tales & Nightmares (Melissa Marr)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Fae, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: 2012

Thoughts

It’s been a ridiculously long time since I read Ink Exchange, and this short story really made me want to dive right back into it. I mean, Old Habits was good and bought me back into this world. But Stopping Time brings back Leslie and all of her battles. This short story in particular focuses on her complicated relationships and feelings for Irial and Niall. Both of which I want to keep diving into if I’m being completely honest.

Leslie’s brother is pure evil in my honest opinion. I mean, it’s one thing to be an addict, but preying upon his sister in the way that he does is ridiculous. So I loved that in this short story he finally got his comeuppance. I mean, it was dark, sad and disturbing. But it was nice to know that he is finally not terrorising anybody else. It’s also a nice catalyst for Leslie to at least acknowledge some of the issues that are facing her relationships with Irial and Niall.

I love that this story reflects the title – sometimes you just have to stop time and take what you want and need. It might hurt more the next day, but it can be kind of necessary at times. Niall and Leslie taking that for each other as Irial tries to make the two people he loves the most happy… it was a very bittersweet moment and way to end the story.

One of my favourite things about Leslie in this series is that she has a whole other kind of strength than Ash. And it’s this strength that makes her acknowledge her reluctance to be with Niall and part of the Dark Court isn’t actually about him. It’s knowing what kind of person she wants to be and how she’ll be changed by exposure to such a court. Talk about wonderful inner strength.

<- Fragile EternityRadiant Shadows ->

Image source: HarperCollins Publishers

Old Habits by Melissa Marr

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Faery Tales and Nightmares

Title: Old Habits
Author: Melissa Marr
Series: Wicked Lovely #2.5
In: Faery Tales & Nightmares (Melissa Marr)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Fae, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year: 2012

Thoughts

I haven’t revisited any of the Wicked Lovely world for quite a while. I definitely remember reading both Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange, but it’s been a very long time since I’ve even read them. Which made reading this novella / short story all that much enjoyable. It bought back exactly what it is about this world that I love so much. And why I sink so deeply into the work of Melissa Marr.

Niall was a fun character in Ink Exchange (from what I remember), and it was really nice to get to know him better in this tale. It’s all about what happens to him and between him and Iriall after the dramas of the previous stories. The intricacies of the courts and the more drama that is about to follow our multiple leads are also hinted at in this tale. Ones that make me desperate to dive right back into this world.

I love how this tale is definitely one that I think will be useful to the greater series, but not one that needs a full-length novel. After all, it’s all about the changing of the old guard to make way for the new. Both Niall and Iriall have issues with understanding and maintaining the new status quo. And both are able to find a way to (eventually) work together to create a happier future for everyone in the Dark Court.

This tale ends on a bit of a hint as to what is likely to happen in Fragile Eternity. So now I have to dig right in and see if my hunch that Sebastian is about to get even more heavily involved with the fae is correct…

<- Ink ExchangeFragile Eternity ->

Image source: HarperCollins Publishers

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Ink Exchange
Author: Melissa Marr
Series: Wicked Lovely #2
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Fae, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2008

Thoughts

This is probably one of the most dark (in a psychological way) stories that I’ve read in a long time. I mean, it is incredibly dark and twisted. And features the Dark Fae Court, so you kind of expect that. Yet, it is the darkness that the humans bring into the storyline that really had me feeling uncomfortable. It’s one thing for a fantasy creature who is created to be part of the “dark court” to be… well, dark. But, it’s another to realise that that darkest and most evil characters are those who are human and have no real excuse.

Leslie’s background and her journey throughout this story is seriously heart breaking. I mean, it was hard to read when I read this as a young adult and didn’t quite get how dark things could truly be for some people. Reading this as an adult? I can’t believe that this is a young adult book! Yet, Marr does a fantastic job of not only talking about rape and abuse. But there is also beautiful, powerful and potent symbolism about the recovery from, well, any kind of assault. Again, the darkness and the emotions in this are just… phenomenal. And unforgettable. And kind of painful to read about.

Although I kind of liked Irial, I also kind of hated him. In the end, Leslie goes from one bad situation of control to another. He might do it with the noblest intentions for his people. And he might even do his best to keep Leslie happy and assuage his guilt. But, ultimately it is a very toxic love and one that definitely isn’t one that I enjoyed reading about. This story also made me like Keenan a whole lot less as well. I mean, the fae aren’t in any way, shape or form painted as good and kind creatures. But these two monarchs are absolutely cruel in their actions. Cruel in a way that hurt my heart more than a little.

Irial might kind of be the leading man in this story, but he’s definitely not the one I want the happily ever after for. He is, as I said before, problematic. Not quite evil and not someone that you hate. In fact, I do want him to be happy. But it’s Leslie and Niall that I thought were a fantastic couple throughout this storyline. The couple that I’m hoping will end up together in the future as the rest of the Wicked Lovely stories unfold.

<- Wicked LovelyOld Habits ->

Image source: HarperCollins Australia

Goddess of Summer Love by Kelley Armstrong

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview

Title: Goddess of Summer Love
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Cursed Luck #1.5
In: Hex on the Beach (Kelley Armstrong, Jeaniene Frost & Melissa Marr)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Magic, Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novella
Year: 2021

Thoughts

It was really fun to dive right back into the Cursed Luck world. Its been a little while since I read the first book and had the pleasure of meeting the whole cast. Which meant that this was a lovely little break in time to re-meet everyone. Particularly since it is all written from Vanessa’s point of view – something entirely unique from the insights you gain from Kennedy’s point of view.

I love that although this is a story about a matchmaker trying to, well, matchmake – it is also fun to try and solve the background mysteries of this story. Not just what happened to Lisa Lake in the recent past. But also what on earth is happening throughout the tours now and how this is related to the past. I definitely didn’t expect either outcome of the mysteries, although, admittedly, I didn’t spend too much time trying to solve what had happened either…

At it’s core, this novella is a tale of four different couples. Each at totally different stages of their relationships and connection to one another. It was fun to read about the different dynamics and needs of each matchup. Plus, it was fun to realise that all of Vanessa’s behaviours were really just projecting her own wants and desires onto others. Luckily, she does realise this before it’s too late…

<- Cursed LuckHigh Jinx ->

Image source: Booktopia

Shifting Shadows by Patricia Briggs

Book Review, , , , , , , ,
Overview

Title: Shifting Shadows
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Mercedes Thompson short stories, Mercy-verse short stories
In: Shifting Shadows (Patricia Briggs)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Short story collections, Strong women, Urban fantasy, Werewolves
Pace: Medium
Format: Collection
Year: 2014

Thoughts

This is such a fantastic collection, probably one of my favourite short story collections. Because, lets face it, anything that features the Mercyverse is going to be brilliant. A collection of novellas and short stories which visit the many, many wonderful characters… that’s just a wonderful adventure to go on.

Shifting Shadows is filled with stories of all lengths and tones. There are some pretty dark stories, some that are light, and some that are cute. I love that you are able to go through the gambit of emotions and pick a story of any length to suit your mood. Although, I would suggest digging into this when you’ve read the relevant novel in the series, that way you don’t get too many spoilers.

I love that if I need a Mercyverse fix, I can just pick this collection up and dive right in. It’s a bit of a shorter approach to diving back into the world without picking up a full-length novel. Plus, it gives you a bit of insight into the other, secondary characters throughout the series.

Shifting Shadows is one of my favourite rereads. It’s a wonderful and fun journey that I will take again and again and again as the years go by. Plus, there are some moments of closure and context that are provided in these tales that help to build upon the full-length novels.

<- Soul TakenMore Mercedes Thompson ->

Image source: Patricia Briggs

Hollow by Patricia Briggs

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview

Title: Hollow
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Mercedes Thompson #8.5, Mercy-verse #25
In: Shifting Shadows (Patricia Briggs)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Strong women, Urban fantasy, Werewolves
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Year: 2014

Thoughts

Hollow is a wonderful short story that follows on perfectly from Night Broken. It fills in a few of the moments and questions that are left unanswered after the main battle and storyline are completed. It’s also just a bit of a cute story, the secondary characters that come in asking for Mercy’s help are very cute and you are gunning for their relationship from the very beginning.

One of the parts of closure that I liked from  this story is just what happens to Mercy’s garage. I mean, crazy volcano god destroying your place of work and refuge is a pretty big plot point. And it was nice to know how Mercy and Adam choose to move forward with the structure. And Mercy’s future. It wasn’t a question that I necessarily wanted answered when I finished Night Broken, because I didn’t realise that it was a question I wanted answered…

Then there is the ability to get to know Zack a little bit better. After losing a submissive in another story, it was nice to get to know this new character. I’m hoping to spend more time with him throughout the future stories. That, and Mercy’s ability to constantly find out more about her supernatural abilities was brilliant. In fact, this very short fun dive into the Mercyverse was very much enjoyed and answered a number of questions I didn’t even know to ask.

<- Night BrokenFire Touched ->

Image source: Patricia Briggs

Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview

Title: Night Broken
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Mercedes Thompson #8, Mercy-verse #24
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Strong women, Urban fantasy, Werewolves
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Year: 2014

Thoughts

This might be a reread, and my first time writing a review, but honestly, no matter how many times I read this, I will think it is amazing and wonderful. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I still couldn’t find it in myself to put this book down at any point while reading this. This is a high-energy, high-intensity story. I love that although Mercy has found her happily ever after with Adam, there are still constant challenges. The more she finds out about her heritage and assumes her role as part of an alpha couple, the more trouble that she runs into. Which is exactly what I love so much about this author, series, and book.

Christie damn well pisses you off from the very beginning of this story. Honestly, there are many moments throughout this that made me want to reach through the pages and smack the pettiness out of this antagonist. Actually, I disliked Christie more than I disliked the actual, dangerous villain. Probably because manipulative, annoying cow is horrible. And the way she tries to play the pack against Mercy to regain her “position”. Yet, I also love how Mercy is able to handle this with poise – I honestly wish that when I’ve come up against Christie-like characters in my own life, I could handle it with as much calm and control as Mercy does. There’s also the fact that Mercy does get her own petty revenge at the very end, which is nowhere near the level of discomfort she went through, but enough to make me smile and smirk.

I love how this story brings in a whole new form of supernatural being to contend with. Because vampires, werewolves, Native American shapeshifters and the ever-elusive fae aren’t enough. Then there’s the villain in this story. And it was truly terrifying in moments (even in a reread). Although, ultimately the villain was vanquished (or beaten), there are lingering aspects of this new form of supernatural in Mercy’s life. And I can’t wait to see how this evolves throughout the series. Night Broken is the last of the books in the Mercyverse that I haven’t read yet, so it’ll be interesting how this will evolve in the future…

Mercy and Adam are still one of my favourite literary couples. They are both feisty and powerful. Yet, even though they are wonderfully independent, they are also incredibly supportive of one another. They are able to see each other’s flaws and love each other in spite of them. The kind of relationship that I love reading about – after all, it’s not realistic to think that you can love someone long term and not ever get annoyed at them. I also love how although Mercy might be constantly fighting to have members of the Pack accept her, because they are important to Adam, they are important to her. And it’s this that makes for some great conflict, both within the social structure of the group, and the epic final battle at the end.

<- Hopcross JillyHollow ->

Image source: Amazon

Sweep of the Heart by Ilona Andrews

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Sweep of the Heart
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Innkeeper Chronicles #5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Science fiction
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2022

Thoughts

Love, love, love the Alien Bachelor. I mean, you get introduced to a whole range of different peoples, there is ridiculous drama and it’s just all around fun. I might not be a fan of shows like The Bachelor in real life, but if they were like this with death and aliens… maybe I’d actually have half an interest in actually engaging with such nonsense. Alongside all of this drama, there is also some wonderful more clues to Dina and Caldenia’s pasts and how they ended up where they are.

For starters, I loved finding out more about just how Caldenia managed to end up having so many bounty hunters on her tail. And why she ended up being such a well-known murderess. And, without giving anything away. It was actually kind of sad. I mean, totally not the motivations that I had expected and it made me like this character even more. Which was surprising, because I freaking love Caldenia anyway – she is all sass, pomp and careful manipulations.

Then, you also get to fit another piece of the puzzle into just what happened to Dina’s parents. There are still SO many unanswered questions. And probably actually created a few more unanswered ones if I’m being honest. But, I finally feel like there is progress as to just what is going on in the background of the innkeeper world. The big mysteries continue, making me need to dive in again and again to this series… I’ll just have to continue doing rereads until the next one is published.

Although you do spend the whole time wondering just who from the Alien Bachelor is going to win, you also spend about half of that time wondering just who it is that’s trying to kill the bachelor. My first impressions are often fairly spot on in these instances and I thought I would be able to guess exactly what was going on… I was wrong on literally every single account. I loved that my first impressions were basically universally incorrect, and it makes me want to read this again all that much more. Now that I know the true motivations for characters, I want to see if I can pick up on all of these nuances!

Yet another book that I absolutely loved and can’t wait to read again. I also love that it gave a little bit of closure to the George and Sophie story and gave us a little bit more time with Gaston. I loved these characters in the other Innkeeper books and The Edge series.

<- Sweep with MeMore Ilona Andrews ->

Image source: Amazon

Sweep with Me by Ilona Andrews

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Sweep with Me
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Innkeeper Chronicles #4.5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Science fiction
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel, Novella
Year: 2020

Thoughts

I really love the whole idea of an innkeeper specific holiday. I mean, most religions have something similar. And then there’s the fact that it falls just after Christmas (which in One Fell Sweep meant quite a bit to Dina). Then there’s the fact that it’s based on the first innkeepers and that the three main individuals who were present at their first lunch managed to be present at Dina’s celebration.

The idea of a warrior, pilgrim and philosopher being in the inn at the same time, some of whom wanted to eat each other was fun. I also loved that this novella also introduced me to a whole slew of new alien peoples. Particularly the Koo-ko (who we get the pleasure of spending time with again in Sweep of the Heart).

I also love that, where at the end of One Fell Sweep, Sean and Dina finally start to take the steps into their new relationship. Then, as this novella unfolds, they start to actually ease into the daily activities and nuances of a relationship. That, and the fact that they are acting as innkeepers together. Sean’s approach was definitely more my speed and happiness.

The illustrations in this just help to expand on the images that parade through my mind. Although, admittedly, when I showed my partner some of the illustrations, he was incredibly confused. Just how I like it.

<- Sweep of the BladeSweep of the Heart ->

Image source: Amazon

Last Wool and Testament by Molly MacRae

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Last Wool and Testament
Author: Molly MacRae
Series: Haunted Yarn Shop Mystery #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Cozy mystery, Craft, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2012

Thoughts

This was an absolutely brilliant cozy mystery. And as a Yarn Fondler myself, I seriously appreciated all of the yarn throughout the tale. Cozy mysteries are a genre that I’ve only recently begun to really get into, but it’s definitely one that I love. And the fact that I have found one that features yarn-related crafts made me seriously happy. And kind of inspired to pick up my own projects and fondle my own yarn… there’s also nothing like a bunch of women united by their love of yarn to bust some butt and solve a mystery. The idea of these women being grandmothers and part of the TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Fibre) group of women just made it all that much better.

Kath is thrown into a fair amount of turmoil before she even arrives at her destination – a cop pulls her over and then starts to make negative comments about her recently deceased grandmother. I mean, this is literally the opening scene and it’s kind of intense. But it works so well. Straight away I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. And figure out why there is such a divide in people’s opinions of Kath’s grandmother. Then, as the story unfolds, you realise that there is murder most foul afoot. And you really want to know about that too. Blackmail, murder and knitting… the perfect mix for my happy little brain.

I love that to add a bit of variety to this mystery is the fact that Kath is haunted by an INCREDIBLY irritating ghost. I mean, theoretically, she tries to help out with the murder solving bit. But mostly she is just whiney and irritating. I really liked her. And look forward to spending more time with her neurotic insanity in Dyeing Wishes. She’s a fantastic bit of comedic relief in some of the darker aspects of this story and a source of continuous entertainment. She’s also redeemable at the end when she actually helps to save the day – after being such a whiney pain throughout the rest of this.

I’m normally great with guessing who the villain of a story is because there are always clues. And although in hindsight there are all sorts of little hints throughout this, I genuinely had no freaking idea who the villain in this story was. Until they were revealed. And I still felt like it could have been someone else… so now I’m trying to figure out if that someone else is evil in a whole other range of ways, or just a bonehead… nothing like that confusion to make you want to dive into the next mystery in the series.

<- More Molly MacRaeDyeing Wishes ->

Image source: Amazon