Tag: ARC Reviews

Still of the Night (Skye Druids Book 5) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

Oh, my word!

This is book 5 in the continuing series of Skye Druids, and in a much larger collection of books that Ms. Grant has written in her Dark Universe.  Centering on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, our two main characters, Ariah who is a Druid who get her magic from forests, and Killian Flanaghan who is human but vacationed every year in summer with his family on Skye.  They grew up together, fell in love, and then Killian left to pursue a career in his family’s business as a lawyer.    

This book is very complex, with backstories given for both Ariah and Killian.  Everything Donna Grant writes is necessary to follow the twists and turns that surround Ariah and Killian, and also to add to the previous books with the supporting characters who may have been main characters in earlier books, and others who will be main characters in future books.  Also, the author continues to fill out the “evil” side that is on Skye, Edinburgh, and now London too.  I enjoyed this book so much because Donna provides so much information in her writing and doesn’t loose the threads of the story, she is telling with Still of the Night but also the prior books in this series.  For the reader, your best experience with this wonderful series is to read the earlier books in this series, the Skye Druids.  If you are a reader who wants to know about all the characters that are featured in this book, I would suggest getting Donna Grant’s Reading Order of her Dark Universe and start with Dangerous Highlander where you’ll meet a Warrior. 

Still of the Night is well written, with characters that are multi-layered and well developed.  The plotting is consistent with the prior books storyline, and the supporting characters are a bonus to this story.  I can’t say enough about Donna Grant and her storytelling ability and how she continues to manage to bring new original characters to her books.  You can read this as a standalone but know that there are more to most of the secondary characters than what is written in this book.  5 Outstanding Stars for this exceptional book!

I received an ARC of this book through the author and BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion.

De-Witched (Toil and Trouble Book 2) by Sophie H. Morgan

5 Stars

A hidden secret

Book 2 in the Toil and Trouble series can be read as a standalone.  Some characters from the first book are in this one, but they are explained in this book if you’d not read book 1.  Our main character is Leah Turner, human, with two best friends who are witches and use magic around Leah so she knows about it.  Our second main character is Gabriel Goodnight, warlock, from on of the highest families.  Leah and Gabriel meet, and this book tells the story of a non-magical outgoing friendly woman and a magical self-centered grumpy man and how this changes both of them. 

Sophie Morgan has written a fun book, with well developed characters and a good plot.  Easy to read and follow, I enjoyed this book and hope she continues to write about these characters she’s created. 

I was given an ARC of the book by NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion. 

The X-Files: Perihelion by Claudia Gray

5 Stars

Just like the TV Series

As a long-time fan of the Television Series, I’ve enjoyed the movies that were produced along with the series.  This is the first book I’ve read that features the quirky, and now more than ever relevant show. 

The story picks up right after the last episode of the series “My Struggle IV” which aired in March 2018.  Claudia Gray has written the characters, feeling, and tension of the original series as if she were Chris Carter.  As I was reading, I could see the writing play out in my mind.  The plot and pacing were excellent, the threads of the last episode picked up carefully, and the characters are spot on.  I am hoping that if Chris Carter and company don’t decide to follow up Season 11, then I hope that Claudia Gray picks up the still open threads and continues to weave them into more books.  As other reviewers have said, this book is near perfect, and is true to the original series. 

I received and ARC copy of the book from the Publisher, Hyperion Avenue through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

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Dragon Born (Dragon Kings #8) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

Worth the wait!

This book returns us to the story of Henry North, a former MI5 agent, Druid, and loyal supporter of the Dragon Kings.  The female main character is the Dragon Queen Melisse, Queen of the Violets and half dragon half Fae, who is many thousands of years old.  Henry has been in many of the Dark Universe books, starting with Kellan’s story.  Melisse was introduced much later, but before becoming a Dragon Queen, she had been held by the King of Dragon Kings as a secret weapon who could destroy all dragons.  Constantine, the current King of Dragon Kings finally released her.  The meeting of Henry and Melisse sparked much speculation on their futures and this book finally gives us the story that dedicated fans have been waiting years for.  Extremely well written, and with such interesting stories, Dragon Born returns us to the excitement that Donna Grant has built up over years.  I won’t say that this completes the story for Henry and Melisse as Ms. Grant weaves intricate and interesting plots into her books.  I cannot wait to read the next book in her Dark Universe.

I was given and ARC by the author, and this is my honest opinion.

Rising Sun (Elven Kingdoms Book 1) by Donna Grant

4 Stars

Elves!

This book takes place on Zora, where there were supposed to be only dragons.  Not true, humans occupy part, along with Elves, seven different kinds of elves, each with their own specific gifts.  As the book starts, we meet our FMC Yasmin, a human who was once held prisoner in Shaldron. She has taken charge of a group of children who have been abandoned, abused, or have run away from their caretakers.  While Yasmin is trying to locate food for them, she is captured by the Elves policing force, the DIA.  Here she meets the MMC, Ravi, a Sun Elf who dislikes everyone, especially humans.  The Elf in charge of the DIA forces Yasmin to commit to working with Ravi to locate a weapon that is going to be used against the dragons, that will force the Dragon Kings to attack in return.  This is where the main story starts.  At this point the story seems to get slower and bogged down-this could be because a lot of backstories for both characters is given, along with descriptions of the other type of Elves.  The final quarter of the book picks up the action, and more information is given on the ones who are working to tear apart the somewhat peaceful world that is presented in the book.  This is Book 1 of Elven Kingdoms which is an offshoot of Donna Grants large Dark World/Universe series.  Rising Sun could be read without having read any of the other series, as all information a reader needs is given in this book.  I rated it 4 stars because of the lengthy start to middle of the book that seemed slow going to me.  Last quarter was where the story shines.  Donna Grant always writes a well-developed story with good characterization, and with logical premise. 

I was given an ARC by the author through BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion.

Kindred: The Fated Trilogy by Donna Grant

5 Stars

All three books from The Kindred: Fated Series

Rage:  First book of this trilogy, which follows Evernight the Kindred book 4.  Rage picks up the story.  We meet Elin, who is a witch on the run from the Coven, a group of witches who are determined to dominate their world.  She lost her sister to the Coven, and she wants no part of them and their schemes.  She has stopped running for a short time, squatting in an out of the way hunting cabin, hoping to recover some of her strength and come up with a plan to keep away from the witches hunting her.  The cabin is on Mackenzie land, and the brother of the Laird, Rob Mackenzie decides to find out who has been using the abandoned cabin.  As any book written by Donna Grant, there are issues for the main characters to overcome, and a larger challenge that has to be addressed. 

Ruin; Book two in the series.  In this, book 2, we meet two new characters, Asa, a witch from the Viking homelands and Rory Sutherland who is the banished 3rd son of the Laird of Sutherland of Scotland.  He has been tasked by Asa’s sister in Norway to find her and warn her of an impending crisis.  Traveling from Norway Rory is dying from his wounds after being attacked while hunting Asa.  He finds her in Scotland, and collapses after only telling her she must run.  Asa has been meandering after having lost everyone who has meant something in her life.  She left her home in Norway and now finds herself trying to help this man who is dying on the ground in front of her….  And so, Donna Grant starts weaving another compelling tale in her Kindred universe.  An exciting storyline will keep you reading and invested in the main characters, along with new evil in the wilds of Scotland where the Kindred stories are set.

Reign; Book three, the final book in this series.  Donna Grant has finally gotten to Malene and Armir’s story.  This is a continuation from book Everspell (Kindred series by Donna Grant) which gave us questions about whether she was killed or if something else happened to her.  In Reign Armir has not given up his search for her after the battle that finished Everspell.  But it’s been a year, and he is starting to doubt he’ll find her….and Donna starts an interesting, suspenseful, and surprising story.  As the last book, the story is exceptional, taking readers on a ferris wheel of characters emotions.  Well worth reading, it gives a fitting ending to this story arc. 

This set of books is well worth reading.  It can be read as a stand-alone, but for the best experience should be read after the books in The Kindred series.  I was given an ARC by the author, through BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion. 

Fake Dating the Dragon: A steamy and sweet monster romance (Motham City Monsters Book 4) by Lilith Stone

3 Stars

Almost too sweet

This is a standalone book.  Our main female character is Minerva (Min) Westwind who runs the Westerly Bookshop which she inherited from her father.  Our Dragon is Ethan Blade, a wealthy entrepreneur.  Set in a world not unlike Earth the supporting characters show traits that are very common here.  It’s divided not human and non-human areas.  Zones between the two-support land owning humans who tolerate Monsters, who are not allowed into human land.  This was a very easy book to read without having to read the prior books to understand the author’s world.  The story was very sweet between the main characters as other reviewers have noted, it could have used a bit more heat in the very clean scenes between Min and Ethan.  The story moved along fairly well with a few grammar errors.  The ending felt rushed and could have been more detailed.    I will read the other books in the series as the premise of these books is interesting. 

I received and ARC of the book Through BookSirens and this is my honest opinion.

Old Flames and New Fortunes by Sarah Hogle

4 Stars

A major misunderstanding

Set in the magical town of Moonville, Ohio we meet our two main characters Romina Tempest and her first love Alex King.  High school sweethearts, they broke up before college.  Now years later Alex is back in Moonville because his mother is marrying Romina’s best friend Trevor Yoon’s father.  Add in a few more characters and plot twists and you have Old Flames and New Fortunes. 

I felt that the book was too long, I was ready for the best parts at about the halfway point-I continued reading but it seemed to take forever to get through to the “meat and potatoes” of this second chance romance.  I did enjoy the book, and the detailed plot, but the MFC Romina did annoy me at times.  By the end all the plot points were dealt with and a satisfying finish happened.  If Sarah Hogle writes more books set in Moonville with the other characters I will read them, her writing is good and her characters interesting. 

I received and ARC through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion. 

Ground Training (Immortal Outcasts Series Book 5) by Mandy M. Roth

5 Stars

More excitement!

This story gives us the story of Ace Hargraves, a Government made shifter, and Charlotte “Charley” Eyres who was stolen from The Corporation while a small child by her father Samuel.  Mandy Roth gives us a backstory for these two that takes place 25 years in the past.  Then on to the present where the two know nothing of each other. 

This book brings in characters from previous books, which really would help someone who hasn’t read them understand a little of what is going on in this shifter heavy world.  It’s an enjoyable read, but only gives just enough progress with the evil going on to make the reader want the next book NOW.  Well written, with good, interesting characters.  Part of a larger series, for the best understanding of the story and characters, read the previous books.

I was given an ARC by the author through Booksprout, and this is my honest opinion.

Endless Skye (Skye Druids #4) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

More twists and turns…

This is the next book in the series, and features Willa Ryan who along with her brother and sister, live on Skye.  Jasper McCabe is not what or who he seems.  Once the two have met, Donna Grant’s story winds around and through both of them and others from both this series, and other books in her Dark Universe.  It’s well written with good characterization and an intricate plot.  The overall plot that weaves through all of the Skye Druids books is not resolved, but the story for Jasper and Willa gives a satisfying finish.  Can’t wait for the next book in the series as they get better and better.

I was given and ARC of this book from the author through BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion.