Category Archives: Urban fantasy

books, Fantasy, Reviews, Urban fantasy

Between Kings (The City Between 10) by WR Gingell

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Stars: 4 out of 5

What a great ending to a great series. All the different threads carefully hinted at during the previous books finally come to play and are resolved in a satisfactory manner. All the friendships Pet has cultivated in the previous books come to play as well.

You can really see just how much Pet has grown up between book one and book 10. In the first book, she might as well have been a ghost. She was so afraid of loosing her house that she lived only in order to earn enough money to buy it out. Nothing existed beyond work and hiding in her own home. We watched her gain confidence, both in herself and her abilities. We watched her make friends and stick by them in difficult moments. Most importantly, we watched her open her heart to other people and actually enjoy life instead of trying to exist as a ghost in her own house.

I loved that all the friends she collected along the way came to her help in the end, even the leprechaun. This was a nice juxtaposition to the idea Behindkind has that friendship is a burden and that anyone can stab you in the back, or that there is no such thing as freely given aid. Pet helped all of those people at one point of the other, and didn’t ask for anything in return. So they all showed up to help her, and to save the other heirlings stuck in the King’s arena. Heck, even the old butler had a redeeming moment.

I was surprised by the twist in the end. Not going to mention it to avoid spoilers, but let’s just say that the new King of Behind is… an interesting fellow.

My only complaint is that this book dragged in the beginning. There is a lot of running around doing mostly nothing for the first 50% of the story. So much so that I had to put it down and walk away for a few days because I was getting bored. Once the action picks up again, it’s a fun ride to the end, with satisfactory conclusions all around. The way Pet defeated the former King is a stroke of genius.

I am glad I found this series, and I will definitely check out other books by this author.

books, Fantasy, Reviews, Urban fantasy

The Last Sun (The Taro Sequence 1) by K.D. Edwards

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Stars: 5 out of 5

I loved this book so much that I devoured it in 2 days. Also, that cover is absolutely gorgeous.

The worldbuilding is interesting and based on the taro cards and different houses and aspects those represent. Also, old Atlantis. Though I admit that I would have loved to learn more about how this world works. We get glimpses into the magical system, and mentions of some of the Houses, but less than I would have loved to. There are also mentions of the Atlantean World War, but no explanation as to when it happened, or why.  Hopefully, more of this will be explained in consecutive books of the series.

This however didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story at all, because I absolutely loved the characters. Rune is a gem to read about, and his relationship with Brand is both funny and poignant at the same time. You really got the feel that these two went through hell and back together (and they did), so the bond they share is stronger than Scion and human Companion. They are more than friends. They are brothers who would die for each other. 

The other characters are just as fun to read about. I loved Ciaran and Addam, and OMG I loved Quinn. It’s hard to write a seer right, especially one that doesn’t just see the future, but all the probable futures at ones, and Quinn is done just right. I’m not too sure about Max right now, but that’s probably because he wasn’t the focus of this story, so we only got glimpses of this past and nothing about his motivation. I’m sure we learn more in the next books. 

The action scenes are also well-written and keep you at the edge of your seat. I loved that Rune doesn’t come off as an overpowered scion just breezing through his enemies. Oh no, he had to work and bleed for the victories he got, and a lot of people died in the process. 

I have questions at the end of this book, like who orchestrated the attack on House Sun? Who were the 9 individuals in animal masks that tortured Rune? Who are the people pulling the strings from the shadows, and what does that have to do with the prophecy about Rune? I’m sure we will get more answers in the next books, and I will be along for the ride.

books, Fantasy, Reviews, Urban fantasy

Splintered Nights by Veronica Del Rosa

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Stars: 4 out of 5.

This was a surprisingly good book by an author I have never read before, since she writes mostly paranormal romance, and I don’t read PNR. It has been languishing on my TBR list since 2018, and I finally got around to it. I’m glad I did.

On the surface, the world is the usual urban fantasy fair – with humans living mostly oblivious of the nasties that live alongside them. And the nasties are also the usual fair – vampires and werewolves. 

Those are not the sparkly vampires and noble soulmate werewolves that you will encounter in other urban fantasy books. These are monsters, and there is nothing noble or beautiful about them.  And I liked that. These monsters are ruthless and downright cruel. Their societies are violent and bloody, and humans are just food or playthings to them. This is honestly refreshing.

I also really loved Pearle. She is what a strong character should be – self-reliant, smart, resourceful, and she always manages to get back up no matter how many times she gets knocked down. She just doesn’t give up, despite the fact that her life sucks. I mean she is homeless, working a thankless job for a boss that hates her guts. Every night is a battle for survival against vampires that keep coming for her. 

She learned to rely only on herself, and the one time when she let that rule drop and chose to become close to someone, that person betrayed her. That was rather messed up. Shows you that even the meekest of the monsters are still monsters. And sometimes the meekest monsters are the most cunning and ruthless.

The ending was also rather sad, because even though Pearle defeated the vampire that had been after her since her childhood, she is still homeless and she made powerful enemies in the werewolf clan. Oh, and the vampires are still after her. So is she really better off than she was at the beginning of the book? At least she knows why the vampires are attracted to her now, or what happened to her father. 

I would have loved to read about her adventures with the vampire hunters, but it seems like this book is a standalone and no continuation is planned.

books, Fantasy, Reviews, Urban fantasy

Blood Heir (Aurelia Ryder 1) by Ilona Andrews

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Stars: 5 out of 5.

It’s always a pleasure to return to the world of Kate Daniels and discover what our favorite characters have been up to in the years since the main series ended. And it’s a huge credit to the authors that there are so many characters I like to revisit, not just Kate and Curan, and Julie is one of them.

Julie is back in Atlanta, and she is older, and more powerful, and more mature. She’s been through hell and back again. She has a mission, and she will stop at nothing to succeed, because failure would mean the destruction of everything she loves.

Did I already mention that I absolutely love the characters? Kate’s little dysfunctional found family is amazing. They are damaged, some of them used to be evil, and they are all extremely powerful in their own right, but they also love each other and would drop everything and come to the rescue if one of them needed help. I love stories where the protagonist isn’t a lone wolf without friends or family, so Kate’s world gives me the warm fuzees every time I read about it. Be it Kate, or Julie/Aurelia, or Roman, they all have a strong support system and a family who loves them. 

I admit that I was a bit sad to see what became of Atlanta since Kate decided to relinquish her claim to the city and retire to Wilmington. Things… are not great. The Pack is all but falling apart, crime is rampant, and the indifference of the general population to human suffering is staggering. Atlanta is a city on the brink of a disaster, be it Moloch’s invasion or internal civil war, but something is about to happen unless everyone gets their heads out of their collective asses and starts cooperating.

I’m a bit disappointed in Ascanio, though this particular development is on par with his character. Even Kate couldn’t particularly temper his ambition when he worked for Cutting Edge, and now that she isn’t there, he started indulging in the worst of his tendencies. He is definitely NOT Beast Lord material, not unless he does a lot of maturing and fast. 

I am also surprised at Derek. What happened there? How did he become this almost mystical Silver Wolf with magical powers? There is a story there, I’m sure, and I hope that we learn a bit more about it in the next installment in this series. 

I’m happy that Julie and Derek finally got to talk and air their grievances, because there was a lot of pent up resentment there. I’m not sure if it resolved anything, but only time will tell. They work well together, and Julie really needs someone powerful watching her back for what’s coming. 

My only complaint is that the main conflict isn’t resolved by the end of this book. Moloch is still there. The future may still come to pass, even if Julie’s actions made it less certain and bought everyone some time. But she still can’t go home and hug her mother, and she has to stay in Atlanta. 

I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book in this series, whenever the authors decide to come back to it.

books, Fantasy, Reviews, Urban fantasy, YA

Between Family (The City Between 9) by W.R. Gingell

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Stars: 5 out of 5.

Well, that was an explosive start of a book. Our characters are still reeling from the revelations that happened in the previous book, and the bloody betrayal and massacre that they culminated in. They are all copping with this in their own broken and twisted ways. In the case of Zero, by struggling with emotions that he’d spent a lifetime trying to suppress. And then the heirling trials start…

This book was fast-paced and full of tension. Pet and Zero were literally in a life and death situation for most of it. I am glad to see that even when push comes to shove, Pet doesn’t abandon her convictions and her friends. It was rewarding to see her try her best to save everyone she considers family by gathering them all in the only safe place she knows – her house. It was also rewarding to see that those friends returned her friendship and stayed true. There were no further betrayals apart from the one at the end of the previous book. 

I am also glad that this almost love-triangle deal between Pet, Zero, and Jin-Yeong. Pet finally sorted her feelings and understood who was dear to her heart. I also loved her rationale behind it. That Jin-Yeong always saw her for who she really was, and trusted her implicitly, with his life sometimes. He didn’t see her as a pet or damsel in distress. He believed in her abilities even more than she did sometimes.

It was also rewarding to see her finally get a better grip on her powers. Her solution for ending the trials was rather ingenious.

And of course, it was extremely satisfying to see Zero’s dad finally bite the dust in such an… undignified way. Oh how low has the mighty fallen. Killed by two beings he considered so beneath him that they were no more than animals – a human and a vampire.

The ending was another punch in the gut though. The stakes are higher than ever, and the war has been declared. I can’t wait to pick up the last book in the series and see how Pet will be able to resolve this situation.

books, Fantasy, Reviews, Urban fantasy

White Trash Warlock (Adam Binder 1) by David R Slayton

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Stars: 3.5 out of 5.

This was an okay book and it did a decent job introducing the world and the characters, but I can’t help but feel like something was missing. Some condiment that would have made this book great instead of just a passable read. 

Don’t get me wrong. I loved our main character Adam, and I was fully invested in his story. What his family did to him was horrible and soul crushing. No wonder he has so many hang-ups and insecurities to deal with. No wonder he considers himself a freak – a gay man AND a witch in a white trash trailer park? Yeah, his life was a nightmare. 

I also appreciated the chapters we got from both Robert (Adam’s brother) and Tilla (their mother) perspectives. It helped show us that even though they did a horrible thing to Adam, they are not intrinsically evil. They were all victims of abuse at the hands of Adam’s father, and each one of them dealt with it how they could. And when faced with Adam’s emerging magical abilities, they made a choice as well. One that made their lives easier, true, but can you really blame them? Oh, and the whole truth about Adam’s father is simply heartbreaking.

I loved the interactions between the members of this dysfunctional family, and the slow mending of old and festering wounds. No, they will never be a happy and loving family like Vic’s, but at least they lanced the wounds and let the puss run out. Now they can begin to heal. 

Now, let’s get to the part that didn’t quite mesh with me. 

First of all, I hate insta-love in any way, shape and form, and what happened between Adam and Vic could be qualified that. They don’t know each other at all, the only reason they are even interacting after the initial encounter is because of the magical bond. I think that’s a cheep copout. Also, Vic accepting everything about magic and hidden worlds in stride sounds a little unbelievable to me. I mean, yes, it makes Vic awesome, but it sounds a bit unbelievable. I would have loved a slower and more gradual development of their relationship. With Vic doubting, even maybe being scared of this strange new world Adam is showing him, but then deciding to help anyway, because he is a cop and because he is just awesome like that.

My biggest issue is that this book is thin on plot, and what’s there meanders a lot. So the middle of the book really drags while we watch Adam fumble through his research into the horrible spirit that possessed his sister-in-law. It also feels like none of his discoveries are earned, but more handed to him because the plot gods willed so. Let’s face it, Adam sucks as an investigator. And yes, the book picks up steam by the end, and the final showdown is tightly written, but I struggled to get to that part.

Nevertheless, I liked the characters enough, and there were enough interesting questions left unanswered, that I will definitely pick up at least the next book in the series. I want to know what happened to Aunt Sue, and who was the warlock doing all the black magic and hurting magical creatures.

books, Fantasy, Reviews, Urban fantasy

Between Homes (The City Between 5) by W.R. Gingell

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Stars: 5 out of 5.

This was the best book in the series so far, at least in my opinion. Mostly because the ending of the last book brought home that it’s not all fun and games anymore. Pet made a serious choice and must live with the consequences in this book. I’m glad to see that she is sticking to her guns and decides to do what’s right, and to help where she can, even if she doesn’t have the looming presence (and protection) of two fae and a vampire at her back. Well, she has the vampire eventually, but that’s a different story.

I love that Pet continues to accumulate friends and found family around herself. Now she has Morgana and Daniel, and a whole werewolf pack to book, and mysterious kids on the roof of a mysterious house. I think this ability to empathize and make friends with the underdogs is her real magical power, not the fact that she can pull stuff out of Between into human world. She has a keen sense as to who is fundamentally a good person even if they did something stupid or harmful, and who isn’t, and she hasn’t been wrong so far.

The two cases that are investigated in this book are also very interesting. One is a killer that attacks fae and that nobody can see it seems, and the other is the case of a child that the Behindkind took a particular interest to. We learn a bit more about heirlings and harbringers and maybe who Pet really is and why she and her parents lived like they did. Hopefully, this will be explored further in consecutive books. 

I also liked that Pet managed to get her point across to Zero in the end and explain why helping humans mistreated by Behindkind maters to her. And maters enough that she was willing to live her home and the safety that the Troika offered her because staying would have betrayed her moral principles on that matter. 

books, Fantasy, Reviews, Urban fantasy

The Phoenix Illusion (SPI Files 6) by Lisa Shearin

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Stars: 5 out of 5

This book starts with a bang… or with a literal building being dropped almost on top of our characters… and then catching on fire. Wow, that was an intense opening scene, let me tell you! The rest of the book is a fun romp in search of other vanishing buildings and figuring out who the baddies are and what they want. Side note, still not clear on that last part. 

This series continues to shine, and it’s because of the characters. I love Mac and her team. Heck, I even hooked my husband on these books, and he isn’t usually a big fan of urban fantasy. Mac, Ian, Rake, and especially Yasha have made a convert out of him. 

Mac continues to be a sassy, but competent protagonist who reads very human and relatable. Yes, she has powers, since she can see through glamor and cloaking spells, but she isn’t overpowered. She definitely isn’t a one woman army. She knows her strengths and weaknesses and can think on her feet. And kudos for bringing one of the previous book’s baddies down with a bottle of perfume and a handy storage closet. That was hilarious.

My only complaint is that at one point this book almost became a Tam and Rake show, and the other characters, including Mac, were kinda pushed into the background.  And there was very little Ian again, which was very disappointing. Yes, I love Mac and Rake as a couple, and their interactions are always fun to read about. But I also love Mac and Ian, and their partners/siblings relationship. I want to read more of their banter and how they bounce ideas of each other and have each other’s back during tough cases. 

But all in all, still loving this series, and I will definitely finish it. Also thinking about picking up the Raine Benares series afterwards.

books, Fantasy, Reviews, Urban fantasy

Four Roads Cross (Craft Sequence 5) by Max Gladstone

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Stars: 5 out of 5.

This book is a direct continuation of Three Parts Dead, book 1 in the Craft Sequence series, since it describes events that happen almost immediately after the ending of that book. So technically, you could skip books 2-4 and just read this one. Why though? All books in this series are excellent, and some of the characters we followed in those books make a brief appearance in this one as well. I would say reading them in order listed is an enjoyment in itself.

As we remember, book 1 ended with Tara helping bring the goddess Seril back to life, only this is far from a happy ending for both Seril and Kos, as well as Alt Coulumb. Seril is weak, her cult is small, and she poses a serious financial and reputational risk to Kos and his church. Now Tara and her friends will have to fight for the future of their city and answer a few important questions about themselves and their beliefs.

This book raises a few very interesting questions. What is better? The cold and clinical approach of the Craft, where everything is a transaction, and there is no room left for such things as sentiment, love, friendship, etc. Or faith that sometimes requires self-sacrifice and acts of kindness without expecting anything in return. Or is there a way to combine both of those approaches and to find a happy medium? 

This battle of identity is most evident in Tara’s arc in this book, because she has to go against everything she’s been thought in the Hidden Schools. It’s by daring to open her heart to faith and friendship that she wins her case and, I think, finds a home she’s secretly been longing for all her life. 

This is also evident in Abelard’s journey in this book, who undergoes a crisis of faith and feels betrayed and used by his god, only to find his own quiet strength in the middle of the chaos. Acceptance is also the theme when it comes to Cat and Raz, who finally face their own demons and emerge victorious from those battles. 

In a way, this book is a catharsis for all the events that started in book 1 of the series, and a beautiful resolution for some of those characters I grew to love so much. I know there are more books in this series, and I will definitely pick up the next one.

books, Fantasy, Reviews, Urban fantasy, YA

Between Shifts (The City Between 2) by W.R. Gingell

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Stars: 4.5 out of 5.

This series is a delight to read so far. The first book introduced us to this bizarre world and the trio of not-so-human psychos, and we are getting better acquainted with all of them in this book. Also, werewolves are real. Oh, sorry, lycanthropes. They don’t like being called werewolves.   

Pet has a knack of picking up strays and getting emotionally attached to them. In the first book, it was detective Tuatu (who is decidedly more friendly in this book) and the old mad bloke. In this one it’s Daniel, the lycanthrope with a plethora of werewolf issues on top of the usual pile of teenage raging hormones issues. And you know what? I really like that about Pet. Her good heart and compassion is a nice foible to the callous disregard the other three display towards humans. 

My suspicion is also growing that she isn’t a simple human, and I think that the trio is aware of that, but chose not to tell her anything for reasons. I mean why did her parents raise her in such secrecy that there were almost no records of her, and nobody even thought to look for her when they were murdered? Also, a simple human wouldn’t be able to yank objects from Between, or persuade them to be something other than they appear in the human world. Not to mention see Between and be able to navigate it. No, there is more to Pet that meets the eye, and I am looking forward to discovering what it is.

The story itself was pretty straightforward, at least to me, but I still had a blast reading it, mainly because I love the interactions between Pet and her three psychos. The side characters are also pretty engaging. I mean detective Tuatu was a bit of a prick in the first book, but he is growing  on me. Ultimately, he his heart is in the right place. 

I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series.