Tag: Paranormal Romance

Betrayed

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Betrayed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Series Name: House of Night
Volume Number: 2
Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Urban, Vampires
Intended Age Group: YA
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-312-36028-3
Rating: 4.5/5
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Description from the Book

Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night finishing school. She finally feels like she belongs, even gets chosen as the Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, she actually has a boyfriend…or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world.

Personal & Info

I reread Marked before starting this one since it’s been almost a year since I read it.

The shop links go to copies of the singular volume, but there are also box sets for the series. So, if you prefer to purchase your books in sets, you can easily find those on the same sites.

This series is definitely a result of the times. P.C. Cast consulted her daughter to help her write the speech to make it more like how teens at the time actually spoke. The series started releasing in 2007. Speech was cringe and insensitive, and political correctness was not as prevalent. If you look at the series with a modern eye, it’s easy to find it offensive. Keep in mind exactly what it is that you are reading. Some things don’t age well. I don’t deny the series has a lot of problems.

Content Warnings

-Teen deaths

-Insensitive language

-Sexual Themes

-Bullying

Characters

Zoey is the main character. She’s sixteen, and her Cherokee heritage through her grandmother is integral to her powers and identity. At this point in the story, she is leader of the Dark Daughters, and a High Priestess in training. Zoey has a special relationship with the goddess Nyx to be her eyes and ears at the House of Night.

Stevie Rae is Zoey’s roommate and best friend from Henrietta, Oklahoma. She’s a true country girl with a love of country music, cowboy hats, and cowboy boots. Zoey considers her a “true Okie” because she speaks with a southern “twang.”

Erin is a pretty blonde girl from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her best friend is her roommate Shaunee, because they are so similar in personality that they call each other twin.

Shaunee is Erin’s roommate and best friend from Connecticut. She considers herself Erin’s non-biological twin.

Damien is the guy friend in the group. He’s from Dallas, Texas, has a sophisticated vocabulary, and is out as gay.

Aphrodite is pretty, blonde, and gifted with disastrous visions of the future. She was the villain in the first book, but plays a much smaller, less evil, part in this one.

Erik is Zoey’s new unofficial boyfriend. He’s about six feet tall and good at acting. Zoey describes his appearance as reminding her of Superman with the hair curl. He’s also apparently the hottest guy at school. Absolutely everyone fawns over him.

Neferet is the High Priestess of the House of Night. She has beautiful red hair and green eyes, an affinity for cats, and a gift for healing. Neferet is also Zoey’s mentor, and she teaches Vampyre sociology class.

Loren Blake is a vampyre Poet Laureate. He’s in his early twenties, and he teaches the school poetry class.

Heath is Zoey’s ex-almost boyfriend from her life before the Change. He’s the star quarterback of the football team, and Zoey is having a hard time cutting him out of her life.

Detective Marx is a police detective investigating the disappearances of teenagers. I have a feeling he’ll be popping up again later in other volumes.

Sylvia Redbird is Zoey’s grandmother. She is the one person in the whole world whom Zoey loves more than anything. They don’t see each other often, but whenever they talk, it’s usually immense emotional support for Zoey.

Other people and cats appear in the story, but the people here are the most important.

Story & Thoughts

Betrayed has a lot of recap. I reread the first book, but it might not have even been necessary. All important or relevant events from the first volume get rehashed to remind the reader what happened. The reminders are all over the story, so for people reading the books consecutively, it’s probably annoying. For people who have a long gap between books, it’s probably helpful.

I already had some inklings about where the story was going to go, so a lot of things didn’t really surprise me. However, I still enjoyed the journey. The storytelling for this series is wonderful, and the characters are easy to relate and get attached to.

My biggest take away from this book is it made me cry. Something tragic happens. I saw it coming a mile away, but that didn’t make it any less sad.

The romance is getting really tangled. There are three love interests and it’s only the second volume. Zoey is breaking a ton of rules, whether accidental or on purpose. I have high hopes for a redemption arc for Aphrodite. In the mean time, based on how it ended, things are going to be very interesting.

Some Girls Bite

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Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill
Series Name: Chicagoland Vampires
Volume Number: 1
Genres: Fae, Magic, Romance, Shifters, Supernatural, Urban, Vampires, Witches
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: New American Library/ Penguin Group (USA)
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-451-22625-9
Rating: 3/5
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Description from the Book

Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it was mine. I was doing fine until Chicago’s vampires announced their existence to the world—and then a rogue vampire attacked me. But he only got only a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker…and this one decided the best way to save my life was to make me the walking undead.

Turns out my savior was the master vampire of Cadodan House. Now I’ve traded sweating over my dissertation for learning to fit in at Kenwood mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan “Lord o’ the Manor” Sullivan. Of Course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred-year-old vampire, he has centuries’ worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects my gratitude—and servitude. Right…

But my burgeoning powers (all of a sudden, I’m surprisingly handy with some serious weaponry), an inconvenient sunlight allergy, and Ethan’s attitude are the least of my concerns. Someone’s still out to get me. Is it the rogue vampire who bit me? A vamp from a rival house? An angry mob bearing torches?

My initiation into Chicago’s nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war…and there will be blood.

Personal & Info

If you like House of Night, you might like this series. House of Night is YA, but this one is more adultish, with kind of similar vibes. Or if you like Chicagoland Vampires and want to try a YA alternative, you might like House of Night. If you’d like more information about House of Night, I have a review for the first volume, Marked, and will be reviewing more volumes at some point.

Characters

Merit is the main character. She’s a twenty-seven-year-old grad student from a wealthy family, but she has no interest in her family’s money or influence. Apparently, she has terrible fashion sense, but I find her clothing choices relatable.

Mallory is Merit’s roommate and best friend. She inherited the house in which she and Merit live. Mallory is a successful advertising executive at McGettrick-Combs. More importantly, she’s a vampire buff.

Mark Perkins is Mallory’s aimless boyfriend. He goes on a lot of adventurous trips, but has no idea what he wants to do with his life.

Joshua Merit is Merit’s dad. He owns the Merit Properties real estate company, and he is part of the Chicago Growth Council, which advises the mayor. Joshua cares only about money and political influence.

Meredith Merit is Merits mom.

Charlotte Merit is Merit’s older sister. She is married, so she does not live with the Merit family.

Robert Merit is Merit’s older brother. He is in line to inherit the family real estate company.

Seth Tate is the mayor of Chicago.

Ombudsman’s Office

Chuck Merit is Merit’s grandfather, and the Ombudsman. He is a liaison between humans and supernaturals to help handle disputes.

Marjorie is Chuck’s secretary. She’s about fifty-years-old.

Jeff Christopher is a twenty-one-year-old computer prodigy and shape-shifter. He’s also a bit girl crazy.

Catcher Bell is a twenty-nine-year-old sorcerer. As Chuck puts it, he is pretty, but gruff.

Below is a list of the Chicago vampire Houses and any known members. Some vampires are named with no additional information. Not every vampire is likely to be important, so these are just running lists to keep track of members of each House.

Cadogan House

Ethan Sullivan is the Lord of Cadogan House. He is 394 years old, and he’s attractive in the most stereotypical ways. He is fit and has long blond hair, like Thor. However, his personality leaves much to be desired.

Helen is the Cadogan representative who handles transitions for newly changed vampires.

Malik is Ethan’s second in command. If anything happens to Ethan, Malik would inherit the House.

Amber is Ethan’s courtesan. She covers the role of the snobby pretty girl.

Sean & Colin are bartenders at Temple Bar.

Gabrielle is Amber’s snobby friend.

Security

Luc, or Lucas, is captain of the Cadogan House guards. He has cowboy vibes.

Lindsey is a Cadogan House guard. She is apparently the resident psychic, and fast friends with Merit.

Peter is a Cadogan House guard. He has contacts beneficial to the House.

Juliet is a Cadogan House guard. She is “slippery” and gathers data.

Kelley is a Cadogan House guard. She is the resident mechanical and software genius.

Initiates

Warner

Joseph

Adrian

Michael

Thomas

Connor obviously comes from a rich family, but he is optimistic and kind.

Penny

Jennifer

Dakota

Melanie

Christine is the daughter of a famous notorious criminal defense attorney. She is an acquaintance of Merit’s from pre-vampire life.

Grey House

Scott Grey is the Lord of Grey House. He is a sports fan.

Navarre House

Celina Desaulniers is the Lady of Navarre House. She orchestrated the coming out of vampires in Chicago.

Morgan is Celina’s second in command. If anything happens to Celina, he would inherit the House. He’s charming and funny.

Alexander

Rogue

The rogues are not and do not have a House. Instead, they have a representative, and work together when they have to.

Noah Beck is the representative for the Rogue vampires.

Story & Thoughts

As the first volume of a series, this book does a good job at many things. It introduces a large number of characters, not all of them significant, yet. The ones that matter seem well defined and realistic enough to believe they could actually exist. Their interactions have personality, so they don’t feel flat.

The most important thing about the characters, I think, is Merit is a strong female lead. She doesn’t always know what the best thing to do is, but she stays true to herself. She doesn’t let anyone boss her around or convince her to accept any sexist or outdated terms. Her own moral compass always comes first. I don’t come across many female leads like her, and I’d like to see more of them.

As expected, there are a lot of world building and lore dumping, but they’re all interesting. Despite what the description implies, vampires are not undead in this world. The lore is a little different than normal. The transition to become a vampire is more of a genetic alteration than an undeath. They only need blood about once every other day. They can still eat and drink normal food and beverages. Sunlight is still a weakness, or in this case, considered a deathly allergy. There’s actually a whole culture involved, and I think that’s pretty cool.

I like the book enough to read more of the series if I get the chance, but I won’t go out of my way to find more. I’m satisfied with the story and the ending. There isn’t a cliffhanger, so there’s no pressing need to get another volume.

The epilogue tries to do one of those stereotypical, end of an episode, ominous, “danger is coming, but I’ll be ready,” type things. I see what it’s going for, but I can’t help laughing at it. It’s not really a spoiler, but Merit finishes by saying she’s very, very good at her job. That’s just laughable to me. She’s been a vampire for, like, two weeks, and has hardly any training. I just can’t take that seriously, because she is not good at her job, not yet, anyway.

The Mummy or Ramses the Damned

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The Mummy or Ramses the Damned by Anne Rice
Series Name: Ramses the Damned
Volume Number: 1
Genres: Historical, Horror, Romance, Supernatural
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 0-345-36994-7
Rating: 3/5
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Description from the Book

Ramses the Great lives….

Reawakened in opulent Edwardian London, he becomes Dr. Ramsey, expert in Egyptology and member of a group of jaded aristocrats with strange appetites to appease. But searing memories of his last reawakening, at the behest of Cleopatra, burn in his immortal soul. For he has drunk the elixir of life and is now Ramses the Damned, doomed forever to wander the earth, desperate to quell hungers that can never be satisfied. And his most intense longing of all, a great love undiminished by the centuries, will force him to commit an act of unspeakable horror….

Personal & Info

This book has several perspectives. Most of the important characters I listed have at least one section of their own perspective. I think Julie, Elliot, Ramsey, and Cleopatra take up the majority.

This was first printed in 1989, and takes place in 1914, so keep that in mind for any possible unsavory differences from modern culture. The phrasing of sentences throughout the book are a little strange in that they sometimes seem worded backwards. I don’t know if that’s just a thing from the time period or poor editing.

The series for this is a trilogy. The second and third books released in 2017 and 2022. They are The Passion of Cleopatra and The Reign of Osiris. The writing for them is probably a bit different, because Anne Rice’s son Christopher Rice worked on them.

Characters

Lawrence Stratford is an archaeologist who chooses to live his life chasing Egyptian secrets instead of running the family shipping business.

Julie Stratford is Lawrence’s daughter. Like her father, her interests are Egyptian history and archaeology. Lawrence describes her as fearless.

Randolph Stratford is Lawrence’s brother. He is currently in charge of running the family shipping business and is not doing a good job.

Henry Stratford is Randolf’s son and Lawrence’s nephew. He is the family disappointment, because of his gambling and drinking problems.

Elliot Savarell is the Earl of Rutherford. The family title dates back as far as Henry VIII. Elliot is a close family friend of Lawrence’s, and he is married to Edith Christian. He suffers from chronic arthritis in his hip and legs, which makes him have to use a cane. Elliot shares Lawrence’s love for Egyptian history.

Alex Savarell is Elliot’s son, the Viscount Summerfield. He is Julie’s unofficial fiancé. Everyone describes him as childishly innocent and kind.

Samir Ibrahaim is Lawrence’s archaeology assistant. He works for the British museum.

Ramses, known by the modern day alias Reginald Ramsey, is the mummy. He has many historical titles, such as Ramses the Great, Ramses the Damned, the immortal guardian, etc. Ramses is immortal, because he drank an elixir. He knows of no possible way to end his immortal life, so instead, he takes the occasional centuries long nap, kind of like a vampire.

Cleopatra, the historical Egyptian Queen, is basically Ramses’ ex-girlfriend. She refused the immortality elixir in favor of death to be buried next to her love, Antony.

Story & Thoughts

I had some trouble getting into this. It starts by going over the money problems Randolph’s side of the Stratford family and the Savarells are experiencing. It takes more pages than the average reader allows before it actually gets going, and the problems presented are so normal compared to what one would expect from a mummy story. However, once the mummy inflated and got moving, things became more interesting.

My rating is a tentative three, for a multitude of reasons. The first being, once things finally get moving, the story is actually kind of dull. The first half of the book mostly focuses on Ramsey learning about the modern world. He has to learn the language, and Julie takes him all over London to teach him about modern machines, customs, and history. Eventually, Ramsey wants to go to Egypt to see how his home has changed, but until then, the only really interesting parts are when Ramsey occasionally scares the crap out of Henry with simple conversation.

There are practically no thrills to the story. If you’re hoping for something similar to The Mummy movie, that’s not what you’re going to get. At best, there are a few specific moments of tension or suspense.

My biggest issue with the book is that the romance is not great. I really like some of the characters, but some of their backgrounds and personalities seem like a complete waste. On top of that, the men in the story are almost all promiscuous and unfaithful. The book handles the subject of sex very poorly. There is a conversation at one point where Ramsey defends Cleopatra’s character as a person and says there is more to her than just a seductress. This is completely invalidated by the story making Cleopatra have sex constantly with almost any man who talks to her.

Sometimes the characters feel deep and wonderful, but the way sex is handled just detracts from the overall experience. The relationships feel undervalued because of it. It’s like nobody appreciates anybody as much as they should. The only one who makes any reasonable love life decisions is Julie, and even then I don’t agree with her choices. Her choices regarding the elixir don’t make sense when paired with her desires and feelings. I won’t elaborate on this further due to spoilers, but her choices throughout the book don’t make much logical sense to me.

In general, the story is good. I understand the feelings and drama it’s trying to portray. I just don’t think it did a good job conveying it. It’s not worth it for me to look into any more of the series. I feel like I would be too frustrated to enjoy it, if the rest are anything like this one.

A Court of Silver Flames

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A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
Series Name: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Volume Number: 4
Genres: Enemies to Lovers, Fae, Fantasy, Magic, Romance
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-63557-799-0
Rating: 4/5
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Description from the Book

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly—proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And since the war—since being made High Fae against her will—she’s struggled to forget the horrors she endured and find a place for herself within the strange and deadly Night Court.

The person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred, winged warrior who is there at Nesta’s every turn. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and it only burns hotter as they are forced to work closely together.

As the threat of war casts its shadow over them once again, Nesta and Cassian must battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance—and healing—in each other’s arms.

Personal & Info

This book is in two perspectives instead of just one. It’s a change from the rest of the series. The only other book in the series like this is A Court of Frost and Starlight, which has several perspectives. Nesta is the main character for this book, but the love interest, Cassian, also has his perspective included.

The map at the front of this book is much prettier than the maps in the other books.

The friend who gifted me the ACOTAR box set was on this book when I started the series. They fell into a reading slump, and I somehow managed to pass them and finish the last book in the set before them. Now I’m the one waiting on them to be able to talk about it. The tables have turned.

Content Warnings

-Depression
-Suicidal thoughts
-Sexual Assault
-Grief
-Abuse

Characters

Feyre is the High Lady of the Night Court, and commonly known as Feyre Cursebreaker. She likes to paint, and she doesn’t actually do much in this book, even though she has been the main character in the series until now.

Elain is the middle child in her family. She likes to garden, and is generally considered the pretty sister. She’s become more assertive as her character has developed, but her love life still has a long way to go.

Nesta is the eldest sister in her family, and the main character of this book. She tends to have an unsavory personality, and likes to read.

Rhysand is High Lord of the Night Court, and Feyre’s mate. His special skill involves mind manipulation.

Cassian is Rhysand’s general. He’s the love interest for the book, which is to be expected since he and Nesta have always had a sort of tension.

Amren is Rhysand’s second in command. She was Nesta’s friend after the dip in the cauldron, but as of ACOFAS, that is no longer the case.

Azriel is Rhysand’s Shadowsinger/Spy, and fills military based roles along with Cassian.

Mor is Rhysand’s third in command. She handles affairs regarding the Court of Nightmares when Rhys and Feyre are not present. She also functions as an envoy to other Fae nations.

Eris is the heir to the Autumn Court. He has a sordid history with Mor, and is a tentative ally to the Night Court.

Gwyn is a priestess who lives in the library under the House of Wind. She likes to sing, and befriends Nesta.

Emerie is an Illyrian female with clipped wings introduced in ACOSAF who runs her own store in Illyria. She is also Nesta’s friend.

Several priestesses from the library are mentioned throughout the book, but Gwyn is the most important.

Vassa, Lucien, and Jurian are not terribly important in this book.

Story & Thoughts

Let me start by saying I have always liked Nesta. She’s a complicated person, with a lot of baggage, who comes off as detestable. But that’s not why I like her. In the first book, something about the core of her character resonated with me.

In this book, Nesta is in a place where she needs to grow. She lacks trust and communication skills, and she falls into the idea that nobody can possibly understand what she’s going through, even though both of her sisters have also had to make the human to Fae adjustment. What it really comes down to is she doesn’t want to be happy. This book might hit close to home for some, because it covers feelings of depression and worthlessness, while still wanting to be loved, but feeling like it isn’t something deserved. The story is Nesta’s journey to recovery, and a heartwarming tale of sisterhood.

On the other side of things, there are so many sex scenes, and they are far more explicit than any of the other volumes. Nesta is a fan of smut novels, so I think it’s written that way to mesh with her personal perspective. Cassian is just as dirty as she is. Sometimes the book feels more like an erotica than a romance.

I enjoyed the story. It’s lengthy, and a bit slow to start, but the pace is what it needs to tell Nesta’s story properly. Her progress is slow, and at times feels like not much is happening, but it’s all important. It feels natural when you start to notice the growth and how it occurs.

I do have some gripes. My biggest one probably being that I think Nesta should be with someone else. After learning more about Nesta, I think Cassian is what she needs for her recovery, but not what she should have in a partner. They just don’t mesh in a way that interests me. I don’t think he is stimulating enough for her in some ways she might prefer. There’s a certain kind of banter that’s missing. It’s hard to explain.

There is no cliffhanger in this book. Everything is wrapped up nicely. I would have liked to see the aftermath of the Illyrian weirdness cleaned up at the end, but maybe that will be covered a in another book. Someone somewhere should be in trouble after all that.

A Court of Frost and Starlight

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A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
Series Name: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Volume Number: 3.5
Genres: Fae, Fantasy, Magic, Romance
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-63557-562-0
Rating: 3/5
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Description from the Book

Feyre, Rhysand, and their friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly altered world beyond, recovering from the war that changed everything. But Winter Solstice is finally approaching, and, with it, the joy of a hard-earned reprieve.

Yet even the festive atmosphere can’t keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, her concern for those dearest to her deepens. They have more wounds than she anticipated—scars that will have a far-reaching impact on the future of their court.

Bridging the events of A Court of Wings and Ruin with the later books in the series, A Court of Frost and Starlight explores the long-lasting effects of a devastating war and the fierce love between friends.

Personal & Info

This book is written differently than the others. It has various perspectives from different characters. Feyre, Rhysand, Cassian, Mor, and Nesta all have at least one chapter in their perspective. The weird thing, in my opinion, is that only Feyre and Rhys are in first person. The rest are in third.

Characters

Feyre is the High Lady of the Night Court, and commonly known as Feyre Cursebreaker. She likes to paint.

Elain is the middle child in her family. She likes to garden as a hobby, and is generally considered the pretty sister.

Nesta is the eldest sister in her family. She tends to have an unsavory personality, and likes to read.

Rhysand is High Lord of the Night Court, and Feyre’s mate. His special skill involves mind manipulation.

Mor, Amren, Cassian, and Azriel are Rhys’ and Feyre’s friends and members of their Court inner circle. Amren is second in command. Mor is third, and handles affairs with the Court of Nightmares in Rhys and Feyre’s stead. Cassian and Azriel fill more military specialized roles.

Lucien is High Fae and no longer strictly connected to any one Court.

A few new characters appear in this book, but I don’t know how much they’ll come up later. Ressina and Aranea are Feyre’s new friends from the Rainbow. Ressina is a painter, and Aranea is a weaver.

Story & Thoughts

As the description implies, this is very much a transitional volume. It takes place during the holiday season of Winter Solstice, which is basically Christmas to the Night Court, minus any religious or Santa aspects. It also covers some unfinished details regarding A Court of Wings and Ruin. Some of the things it mentions are: where Jurian is and what he’s doing, whether or not they tried to break Vassa’s curse and if they were able, how kingdoms and armies are faring after the final battle, and verification that Bryaxis is still missing.

This book is a bit slow. The first seventy or so pages are not very interesting. It does pick up eventually and get back to the same feel as the other books. Romance is not a heavy aspect in this one, aside from some updates regarding Feyre and Rhys’ relationship. The plot mostly expresses that everyone is coping with the events of the war as best they can.

The idle time over the holiday highlights the group’s personalities and quirks both as individuals and teams. For example, one of my favorite scenes involves Feyre and Cassian decorating for the holiday and the reactions of others when they see it. It’s nothing super serious, but scenes like that one do well expressing how well they know each other and how well they mesh as friends. The different perspectives also give more insights into personal aspects of characters we’ve only seen from Feyre’s view, so far.

I can’t help being disappointed that several characters aren’t currently getting along. Some of them make sense because of bigger events that happened, but some of them are just because someone says the wrong thing with good intentions. I’m sure a lot of these things will be addressed or resolved in the next book.

A Court of Wings and Ruin

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A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
Series Name: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Volume Number: 3
Genres: Fae, Fantasy, Magic, Romance
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-63557-560-6
Rating: 4/5
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Description from the Book

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s actions and learn what she can about the invading king threatening to bring her land to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit. One slip could bring doom not only for Feyre but for everything—and everyone—she holds dear.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre endeavors to take her place as one of the High Fae of the land, balancing her struggle to master her powers—both magical and political—and her love for her court and family. Amidst these struggles, Feyre and Rhysand must decide whom to trust among the cunning and lethal High Lords, and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the Court of Thorns and Roses series, the fate of Feyre’s world is at stake as armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy it.

Personal & Info

This book has some short perspective changes between Rhys and Feyre at the beginning and end portions. Aside from that, the main meat of the book is in Feyre’s perspective, as usual.

Characters

Feyre is still the main character. At this point in the story, she is a High Fae, a High Lady, and commonly known as Feyre Cursebreaker.

Elain is the middle child in Feyre’s family. She likes flowers and is considered the pretty sister.

Nesta is the eldest daughter in Feyre’s family. She comes off as snobby, selfish, and mean, but she would do anything to protect Elain.

Rhysand is the High Lord of the Night Court, and Feyre’s mate. His special skill involves mind manipulation.

Tamlin is the High Lord of the Spring Court. His special skill is shape changing, and his personality is beastly.

Mor, Amren, Cassian, and Azriel are Rhys’s friends and members of his inner circle for his court. Amren is his second in command. Mor is his third, who handles his affairs with the Court of Nightmares in his absence. Cassian and Azriel fill more military specialized roles.

Lucien is Tamlin’s emissary. He handles diplomatic relations between the seven kingdoms on Tamlin’s behalf, as well as any important tasks Tamlin needs handled.

Jurian is the human hero from the ancient war. Amarantha wore his conscious eye preserved on a ring, but he has since been restored to being human.

All of the High Lords appear in this volume, some with larger roles than others. The quick list (aside from Tamlin and Rhys) is as follows:
Helion – Day Court
Kallias – Winter Court
Thesan – Dawn Court
Beron – Autumn Court
Tarquin – Summer Court

Eris is the first son of Beron, and he has several fairly important appearances throughout the book.

Story & Thoughts

I like this volume more than the first, but less than the second. The events are more chaotic and messy. The politics between the courts and the pains of proper procedure take the stage as the Prythian prepares for war. There is a lot going on in this book, so much in fact, that it’s difficult to choose any one thing to talk about.

All of the significant characters have been mentioned at least once in the first and second books. That gives this volume plenty of freedom to focus more on relationships. I think that is my favorite thing about this one. Friendships, romances, sisterhoods, they all get more expansive coverage as relationships deepen or worsen. My one gripe with it is I want so much more for Lucien. I had high hopes in the early parts of book, but he doesn’t actually get much screen time compared to everyone else. His story seems to be a background overarching thing, so it progresses slowly.

I still love all the characters from A Court of Mist and Fury. The more I get to know them, the more I like them. After everything, I don’t hate Tamlin, but I still don’t find him likable. He’s not a lost cause, but he has a lot of growing to do.

When all was said and done, I had to take a few minutes to consider what to rate the book. The climax of the story in every volume seems to be where the series thrives, but the rest also has to be entertaining for me to give a high rating. There were a few things that didn’t quite meet my standards, which is why it’s not a five out of five.

Most of it was good, but I burned out on it around the last 150 pages, and had to work my way out of a reading slump. Sometimes the length of a book can be counterproductive. Some of the war scenes were a bit dull, and the ending seemed rushed to wrap up after the last battle. There are some other small things, but those are the main ones worth mentioning.

What guaranteed that it would not be lower than a four was how it made me feel. Before the book was over, I almost cried. There are a few things throughout the book that really tug on the heart. If I did not already know that all romances are guaranteed an H.E.A in order to even be categorized as romance, I probably would have bawled my eyes out.

A Court of Mist and Fury

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A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Series Name: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Volume Number: 2
Genres: Enemies to Lovers, Fae, Fantasy, Magic, Romance
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-63557-558-3
Rating: 5/5
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Description from the Book

Feyre has undergone more trials than one human woman can carry in her heart. Though she’s now been granted the powers and lifespan of the High Fae, she is haunted by her time Under the Mountain and the terrible deeds she performed to save the lives of Tamlin and his people.

As her marriage to Tamlin approaches, Feyre’s hollowness and nightmares consume her. She finds herself split into two different people: one who upholds her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court, and one who lives out her life in the Spring Court with Tamlin. While Feyre navigates a dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms. She might just be the key to stopping it, but only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world in turmoil.

Personal & Info

I was told to finish this volume, as the bare minimum, before making a judgement call about the series. The first book is not a good representation by itself. If you have not read the series and are interested in giving it a try, just know it’s about a thousand page time sink(combined count for volumes one and two) for the fair trial. The series is wildly popular, though, so you might find it worth your time.

Characters

Feyre is the main character. She is the youngest daughter in her family, and she has two older sisters. Her favorite hobby is painting, and she’s good at hunting. At this point in the story, she is now a High Fae, and everyone knows her as Feyre Cursebreaker.

Elain is the middle child in Feyre’s family. She likes flowers and is considered the pretty sister.

Nesta is the eldest daughter in Feyre’s family. She comes off as snobby, selfish, and mean, but she would do anything to protect Elain.

Tamlin is the High Fae Lord of the Spring Court. His special skill is shape changing, and his personality is beastly. Tamlin is Feyre’s love interest in the first book, and fiancee in this one.

Lucien is Tamlin’s emissary. He handles diplomatic relations between the seven kingdoms on Tamlin’s behalf, as well as any important tasks Tamlin needs handled. He can be snarky, but he usually means well.

Rhysand is the High Fae Lord of the Night Court. His special skill involves mind manipulation. He is disliked by generally everyone, because of his actions while Amarantha was in charge. He takes the stage as the lead male character in this book.

Mor, Amren, Cassian, and Azriel are Rhys’s friends and members of his inner circle for his court. Amren is his second in command. Mor is his third, who handles his affairs with the Court of Nightmares in his absence. Cassian and Azriel fill more military specialized roles.

Story & Thoughts

I am so glad I read this before deciding on committing to or abandoning the series. This is the best book I have read in a long time. It took me about four hours to get over the book hangover before I could do anything other than just stare off into space and process everything.

The first book is not my cup of tea, but it is extremely important to lay the foundations for everything. This one constantly references events from the first. It often explains other things that happened that Feyre and the reader could not possibly have known. There was so much more than what we actually saw going on. But don’t get me wrong, I still don’t like Tamlin as a love interest. Nothing in this book helps his case in my opinion.

Rhysand is the leading male in this volume, and the romance is so much better. He has way more personality and empathy than Tamlin. The build of this slow burn is so much more satisfying. It’s just so well done. Even the parts where not much is happening feel significant and engaging. I didn’t find a single moment of this entire lengthy book to be dull.

Even Feyre is better in this one. I liked her okay in the first book, but the growth and wisdom she gains in this one puts her leaps and bounds from where she started. She has a volatile temper, but she sees everything that I found myself thinking about the contents of the first book. I’m so proud of her.

There are so many things I feel like I can’t properly express with words, and things I liked about the book that I don’t want to say because they could be spoilers. What it really comes down to is the feeling that this book has so much more heart compared to the first. I can’t explain it any other way. I absolutely loved this book. If you’ve read the fist and did not enjoy it, please read this one. It is so much better. This review does not do this book justice. I do not have the words.

FANGS, Vol. 2

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FANGS, Vol. 2 by Billy Balibally
Series Name: FANGS
Genres: BL, Fantasy, Vampires
Intended Age Group: M 18+
Publisher: Tokyopop
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-4278-7187-9
Rating: 3/5
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Description from the Book

As the sole survivor of a vampire attack, En wakes up to find that his hair has gone white as snow…and, worse, that he’s developed a craving of his own for blood. Since then, he’s been living with Ichii, his handsome guardian and mentor, who works with the vampire health and welfare organization FANGS. Life is good…except En can’t quite figure out what to make of his relationship with Ichii. There’s certainly mutual attraction, devotion, playful teasing, and yet — he can’t shake the sense that Ichii is hiding something from him.

The more the naïve and outgoing En learns about the lonely reality of his new existence, the more isolated he feels among his fellow jaded vampires. Without knowing the secrets of Ichii’s dark past, can En trust in him enough for the two of them to become paired partners?

Personal & Info

I can’t help noticing how good of a job this series does drawing hands and toes. Those are difficult, and there are several panels that show close-ups of them. They look great. I aspire to be able to draw hands and feet so beautifully.

The censorship method used in this book is different than the first one. The first book uses the “light saber” method. This one occasionally uses that, but usually shows more of the shape of things and colors them in with gray to avoid showing any details.

Content Warnings

-Depression
-Dubious consent

Characters

En is the main character. He’s a homeless nineteen year old who was lucky, or unlucky, enough to survive a vampire attack. En is the first new vampire in approximately fifty years. He now lives with Ichii, and is currently in the process of adapting to his new life as a vampire.

Ichii is the love interest. He’s so old that other vampires occasionally refer to him as grandpa. His job is to oversee the criminals and troubled clientele of the community. He does things like wellness checks and supplies them with blood.

Utsugi is one of the first vampires En meets. He’s paired with Aogiri, but apparently has a history of cheating.

Aogiri is paired with Utsugi. He’s a plastic surgeon, and incredibly dedicated to Utsugi.

Sugi is a grieving vampire. He was a bit of a wreck in volume one, but seems to be doing better in this one. He’s no longer cooped up in his house alone.

Umesaki is high up in the vampire community. She is present at vampire related crime investigations, and she helps produce specialty vampire items.

Story & Thoughts

I like this, but I think the first volume is better. It feels like volume one covers more things, but that makes sense, because all of the most important characters have to get introductions in that one. There are a decent number of characters, so now that all of them are covered, the story is focusing more on En coming to terms with life as a vampire.

My review for the first book states that this is a depressing story. If you are hoping it gets cheerier as it goes, it doesn’t. En struggles with his feelings throughout the entire volume. Now that he’s met everybody and learned a little about vampire life, he has concerns. He’s starting to understand what he’s in for, and on top of that, he’s unsure about Ichii, the one person he feels he can trust. The romance continues to be mostly physical as they figure things out.

In the mean time, the story is taking a bit of a crime drama direction. The true culprit responsible for the party that led to En becoming a vampire is likely still out there. As the only survivor of that party, En might potentially be in danger.

If you read the first volume, you know everyone constantly makes baby jokes about En. This book pushes those jokes harder. They’re one of the primary sources of comedy in the series, but this one shows En in a baby style of art much more frequently. Most of the time it’s fine, but sometimes it feels oddly placed.

I heard this volume ends in a cliff hanger, and that is correct. I won’t say what it is, but it definitely throws a wrench into En and Ichii’s relationship. Volume three was recently announced, but there is no date for it, yet, so anyone reading the series will have to be patient.

A Court of Thorns and Roses

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A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Series Name: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Volume Number: 1
Genres: Enemies to Lovers, Fae, Fantasy, Magic, Romance
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-63557-556-9
Rating: 2.5/5
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Description from the Book

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.

At least, he’s not a beast all the time.

As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Personal & Info

I originally added this book to my to-read list back in 2018. Not long after, I started to see the series explode all over the internet. It wasn’t a priority for me, though, so I thought nothing of it. More recently, one of my closest friends discovered it, and has been encouraging everyone to read it. Because of that, I’ve found myself with a free copy, which saves me some trouble, because it’s not likely to be available from my local library for a very long time.

This author is apparently known for using odd word choices and contradictory descriptions.

Characters

Some characters might contain spoilers or are more interesting if the book handles the introduction, so I’m only going to list the most important ones that are around for the beginning or majority of the story.

Feyre is the main character. The story is told in her perspective. She is the youngest daughter in her family, and she has two older sisters. Her favorite hobby is painting, and she’s good at hunting.

Elain is the middle child in Feyre’s family. She likes flowers and enjoys looking lovely when they can afford it.

Nesta is the eldest daughter in Feyre’s family. She comes off as snobby, selfish, and mean. I think the book says she is older than Feyre by three years.

Tamlin is the love interest. He is a High Fae Lord with a shape changing specialty and a beastly demeanor.

Lucien is Tamlin’s emissary. He handles diplomatic relations between the seven kingdoms on Tamlin’s behalf. His attitude is generally snarky.

Alis is a maid who tends to Feyre’s needs, and helps answer some of her day to day questions.

Story & Info

My thoughts about this book are a little complicated to put into words for a review, but I’m going to try. There are things I like about it. The world is interesting, and I can see plenty of promise for building off of it. Seven vastly different kingdoms based on the seasons and times of day with eternal weather is pretty appealing.

The book is written in first person. That’s a common thing I know many people tend not to like, but I think it’s done well here. It doesn’t feel like the writing is full of the word, “I,” constantly, and the writing has a nice flow to it. After a few paragraphs, I practically forgot about it being a first person perspective. The only negative things I noticed about the writing were the occasional indecisive contradictory descriptions, and some likely plot holes.

Characters are where things start to get messy for me. All of the characters that I like are side characters. The two lead characters for the romantic couple, Feyre and Tamlin, that’s where my biggest problem is. I don’t mind Feyre. She’s okay, but she has some personality traits that rub me the wrong way, and I don’t agree with some of her perspectives and wants. At the end of the day, I don’t mind her, but she isn’t my ideal of a main character.

Tamlin, on the other hand, he’s about as interesting as a rock. He is stereotype handsome and exotic, because of his beast traits, but that is literally all he has going for him. I can’t bring myself to care about him. If I don’t care about him, why would I want the main character to be with him? It takes so much away from the enjoyment of the story when the love interest is not interesting. It genuinely feels like the only reason Feyre falls for him is because he shows her kindness, which is something she hasn’t experienced much of in her short, sad life.

Aside from the characters, the other big issue is pacing. The book is a little over four hundred pages, but the whole thing is a slog. I couldn’t handle more than maybe thirty or so pages at a time before I had to put it down for a break.

The process of reading the book genuinely feels like a whole lot of nothing is happening for the majority of the story. It’s like a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but for the parts where that movie would do the cute and fun montages to show adapting to life living with the beast, we get a slogfest instead. Granted, I completely understand the process of events that had to occur, but it does not make the book fun to read.

For the majority of my reading, I felt like the book was a solid two. As the story progressed, and more characters were introduced, and I got to know them better, my opinion went up by a half. I like some of the side characters so much that they practically carried the book for me.

Based on this book alone, I probably wouldn’t be interested in reading more of the series. However, the whole series was gifted to me, and I have been recommended to at least read the first two books before making a final decision. So, I will be reading volume two at some point in the near future, before I decide if I want to commit to the entirety of the series.

My Happy Marriage, Vol. 4

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My Happy Marriage, Vol. 4 by Akumi Agitogi, Rito Kohsaka, Tsukiho Tsukioka
Series Name: My Happy marriage (Manga)
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Romance
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: Square Enix
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-64609-248-2
Rating: 3/5
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Description from the Book

Miyo Saimori, the eldest of her clan and yet unblessed by the supernatural talent that graced her father and half sister, is sent off to marry into the Gifted Kudo clan. The young and aloof clan leader, Kiyoka Kudo, finds himself intrigued by this girl who stands worlds apart from the spoiled, social-climbing women who usually vie for his hand.

All too soon, Kiyoka comes to regard Miyo with affection and they make their engagement real and official, but Miyo still worries she lacks the training to be a wife worthy of the Kudo clan. Enter Kiyoka’s older sister, Hazuki, who takes it upon herself to tutor Miyo – and tease Kiyoka along the way!

Suddenly Miyo and Kiyoka cross paths with a mysterious man named Arata Tsuruki. What does he want, and what connection does he have to the enigmatic and powerful Usuba clan that Miyo’s mother hailed from?

Personal & Info

I bought this at the same time as volume three, and I read them back to back. Unfortunately, there is no word of the existence of, or any plan for, volume five. I hope the manga continues, but in the mean time, I’m going to work on getting the light novels. The light novels seem to be still ongoing with new releases.

Characters

Miyo Saimori is the leading lady. She has a long history of suffering abuse at the hands of her own family. Now that she’s out from under their roof, she can finally start to heal.

Kiyoka Kudo is the male love interest. He has high political and military standing as well as wealth, and he is the current head of the Kudo family. His job is getting very demanding.

Yurie is Kiyoka’s housekeeper. She has taken care of him since he was young, and he trusts her implicitly. She is a kind older woman and she is fond of Miyo.

Hazuki Kudo is Kiyoka Kudo’s older sister. We learn more about her history in this volume.

Yoshito Godo is a young man who works as Kiyoka’s aide in the grotesquery military branch. We see him frequently in this book as Kiyoka spends a lot of time at work.

Arata Tsuruki is 24 years old, and the heir to the Tsuruki family, which owns a trading company.

Story & Thoughts

This seems like a plot building volume. Miyo’s immediate family problems are behind her and no longer a threat to her health or wellbeing. The story is moving forward with Miyo’s education and dealing with her trauma.

Her biggest problem in this book is her nightmares. The cause is unclear, but they’re obviously related to her trauma. She’s not receiving scathing verbal abuse from her family anymore, so her mind is supplying it while she sleeps. While she’s struggling with that, Kiyoka spends most of the volume busy with work.

Some important and interesting things go on in this volume. I can’t say I’m satisfied with it, though. It’s good for the story progression, but I also feel like it’s a step backwards. Miyo’s health is deteriorating, again, and she hasn’t learned how to make her needs or struggles heard. She still has a long way to go when it comes to recovering from her family’s abuse.

The things I like most about the volume are that we learn more about what Hazuki’s life has been like, and Kiyoka finally makes some progress on research regarding the Usubas. There’s enough new information to draw me in for reading the next book when it eventually becomes available. It would be more interesting if we could see the side of Kiyoka’s job that isn’t just paperwork, but maybe that will come along later.

To Ease the Pain of Loneliness

This is a bonus novel style chapter. It stars Hazuki reminiscing with Miyo about the time when Kiyoka decided to leave home. She ponders what he needed from the house in which he currently lives, and what similar aspects she sees in Miyo that makes Kiyoka enjoy her company. It’s written with Hazuki’s perspective. I think it gives her a little more depth to add onto the little we’ve learned about her.